Laces Out: Determining the next unbeaten college football team to fall, Kentucky’s New Year’s Six path

School soccer’s midseason level is right here, and 6 undefeated Energy 5 groups stay heading into Week 8 of the 2021 season, the fewest at this juncture for the reason that 2018 marketing campaign. We have been destined for parity on the prime of the college football rankings given the dank offseason conversations dominated by ho-hum projections of chalk portray the nationwide title canvas, and we have now arrived at that time.

This season is as unpredictable as ever with a number of potential ultimate 4 newcomers trying to make a splash with their first appearances. No. 6 Michigan, No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 9 Michigan State and No. 16 Wake Forest are every vying for unbeaten seasons together with No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Oklahoma.

Then there’s No. 2 Cincinnati, a Group of 5 behemoth nobody desires to play in a semifinal setting. Simply take a look at what coach Luke Fickell’s veteran group has already managed at Notre Dame and Indiana.

Projecting the primary loss for these unblemished groups transferring ahead is a futile train, however let’s give it a strive earlier than highlighting a coach from the SEC who deserves extra recognition and one other with a dire quarterback state of affairs.

Which undefeated crew will fall subsequent?

Is Wake Forest legit? Can Oklahoma State stay unscathed after the win at Texas? How for much longer can Oklahoma survive shut finishes? These are all questions that will probably be answered briefly order with the ACC and Large 12, respectively, as these two convention races warmth up over the subsequent few weeks. The Demon Deacons solely face one crew at present ranked inside the highest 25 the remainder of the best way (No. 18 NC State on Nov. 13), however a visit to Clemson the next week will probably be a substantial problem. 

Oklahoma State is a touchdown-underdog in Saturday’s sport at Iowa State. The Cyclones had an additional week to organize, too, and may play indignant now that coach Matt Campbell’s squad is not talked about within the league championship circle. For Oklahoma, the Sooners are banking on quarterback Caleb Williams to run roughshod by means of the remaining slate after his particular efficiency after accounting for 5 touchdowns in his first profession begin towards TCU. Coach Lincoln Riley’s crew is one of the best guess to remain unbeaten transferring ahead from the aforementioned group, however under no circumstances is Oklahoma weakness-free.

One final comment on the remaining Energy 5 unbeatens: Will the actual Large Ten favourite please rise up? No. 11 Iowa was uncovered final week at dwelling towards Purdue with the Hawkeyes to cowl Boilermakers extensive receiver David Bell for the third time in his profession and costing themselves 9 spots within the AP Prime 25. 

Michigan and Michigan State stay because the convention’s lone unbeatens, however most think about one-loss Ohio State to be the favourite at this level. The excellent news? The No. 5 Buckeyes play the Spartans and Wolverines over the ultimate two weeks of November, in order that’ll work itself out. 

Large Blue Nation typically sifts by means of a loaded roster and gears up for all times on the hardwood this time of yr, however not this fall — not but, anyway. Basketball coach John Calipari’s hopeful return to prominence for the Wildcats can wait because the soccer crew continues to show they’re one of many SEC’s prime applications, even after a double-digit loss to Georgia over the weekend.

Kentucky grew to become the primary crew this season to attain two touchdowns towards the Bulldogs, managing to take care of its spot inside the highest 15 of the AP Prime 25 regardless of the setback in Athens, Georgia.

It is puzzling to me why Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is not talked about extra typically as a frontrunner for main job openings across the nation, particularly now with the vacancies at USC and LSU, applications that might use a nose-to-the-grindstone coach who prefers brawn over aptitude with a observe file that speaks for itself.

Here is a man who has routinely completed extra with much less at a program coming off its third straight bowl win for under the second time at school historical past that may as soon as once more capsize oddsmakers’ expectations for seven wins. At 6-1, the Wildcats will probably be favored in every of their ultimate 5 video games following this week’s bye, they usually’ll have a shot at ending with 11 wins and a New 12 months’s Six berth that might undoubtedly convey most publicity on a grand scale.

Are you able to think about what Stoops may do with elevated sources, a prime 10 roster and not be teaching within the shadow of a blue blood basketball program? Stoops speaks with a way of confidence that doesn’t cross into vanity on the podium, and with a much bigger highlight, he may ascend to new heights within the teaching occupation.

First-year South Carolina coach Shane Beamer introduced Tuesday that beginning quarterback Luke Doty would miss the remainder of the season after reaggravating a foot harm suffered earlier than the season throughout Saturday’s win over Vanderbilt. Meaning former graduate assistant Zeb Noland, who now has led two come-from-behind wins to his credit score this season, is QB1 transferring ahead.

This might truly be a optimistic improvement for South Carolina, which not has to fret with probably stunting Doty’s development or asking him to deal with all the snaps at lower than 100%. The Gamecocks are 4-3 this season with a practical shot at attending to a bowl sport in 12 months 1 underneath a brand new regime, a far cry from the place most anticipated a struggling program to be this early with a rookie employees.