‘Bama, UGA are drama-free; Wolverines crush Wisconsin
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No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia are not here for the chaos.
On another college football Saturday sprinkled with surprises, including three top-15 teams losing to unranked opponents, the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs left no doubt about who are the two best teams in the country.
The Crimson Tide buried No. 12 Mississippi by halftime and the Bulldogs were up three touchdowns on No. 8 Arkansas before the first quarter was over.
"I don't want to simplify this, but they just whipped us physically," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said.
That has been a theme for Georgia.
The Bulldogs have not been threatened since their opener against Clemson. Arkansas was hoping to make a statement after it bullied both Texas and Texas A&M, but Georgia outclassed the Hogs in just about every way.
And the Bulldogs did it with their backup quarterback. Stetson Bennett started for JT Daniels, but it hardly mattered.
Bennett threw 11 passes. Georgia hammered away with its running game (273 yards on 56 carries) and let its ridiculous defense do the rest.
Arkansas managed 162 yards and nine first downs.
Georgia has shut out consecutive Southeastern Conference opponents for the first time since 1980, the last time the Bulldogs won a national championship.
Alabama turned Lane Kiffin's return to Tuscaloosa into a laugher with a similar approach to Georgia. Instead of getting into a race with Matt Corral and Ole Miss' high-scoring offense, the Tide went old school.
"It started to feel like the classic Alabama pound the football," running back Brian Robinson told reporters.
Robinson carried 36 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns. It was 42-7 Alabama early in the fourth quarter before Ole Miss tacked on a couple of touchdowns.
There were drama-filled upsets elsewhere.
Stanford knocked off No. 3 Oregon in overtime. Kentucky beat No. 10 Florida with a late goal-line stand. Mississippi State handed No. 15 Texas A&M its second straight loss, a week before Alabama comes to College Station.
If ever there was a season for a Group of Five team to make a case to be in the College Football Playoff, it might be this year.
And No. 7 Cincinnati might be that team. Desmond Ridder and the Bearcats made themselves right at home at Notre Dame.
HARBAUGH WATCH
No. 14 Michigan had never before won a game in which it was not favored under coach Jim Harbaugh.
The strange streak ended as the Wolverines pulled way from struggling Wisconsin in the second half.
The story here might be more about how the Badgers, one of the most consistent programs in the country in recent years, could be heading for one of their worst seasons in years.
Wisconsin is 1-3 for the first time since 1990, when it finished 1-10.
But that's not fair to Michigan and Harbaugh. The Wolverines were embarrassed in their last two trips to Madison, a place they hadn't won since 2001.
Even more than the losses to Ohio State, getting manhandled by Wisconsin appeared to be a turning point in the wrong direction in Harbaugh's seven-year tenure.
"Against a tough, physical team, I thought our team played really physical," Harbaugh said. "We matched it every bit."
Harbaugh took a pay cut after last season, helping to put himself firmly on the hot seat coming into 2021.
Michigan still seems limited offensively and somewhat untested on defense. Tougher opponents lie ahead in the Big Ten. Maybe starting next week at Nebraska with the Cornhuskers showing signs of improvement.
Harbaugh has become a coach defined by his failures despite quite a bit of success. It is unlikely he will deliver on the hype he arrived with in Ann Arbor this season, but Michigan is better and Harbaugh deserves credit for that.
No. 1 Alabama (5-0) beat No. 12 Mississippi 42-21. Next: at No. 15 Texas A&M, Saturday.
No. 2 Georgia (5-0) beat No. 8 Arkansas 37-0. Next: at No. 22 Auburn, Saturday.
No. 3 Oregon (4-1) lost to Stanford 31-24, OT. Next: vs. California, Friday, Oct. 15.
No. 4 Penn St. (5-0) beat Indiana 24-0. Next: at No. 5 Iowa, Saturday.
No. 5 Iowa (5-0) beat Maryland 51-14, Friday. Next: vs. No. 4 Penn St., Saturday.
No. 6 Oklahoma (5-0) beat Kansas St. 37-31. Next: at Texas, Saturday.
No. 7 Cincinnati (4-0) beat No. 9 Notre Dame 24-13. Next: vs. Temple, Friday.
No. 8 Arkansas (4-1) lost to No. 2 Georgia 37-0. Next: at No. 12 Mississippi, Saturday.
No. 9 Notre Dame (4-1) lost to No. 7 Cincinnati 24-13. Next: at Virginia Tech, Saturday.
No. 10 Florida (3-2) lost to Kentucky 20-13. Next: vs. Vanderbilt, Saturday.
No. 11 Ohio St. (4-1) beat Rutgers 52-13. Next: vs. Maryland, Saturday.
No. 12 Mississippi (3-1) lost to No. 1 Alabama 42-21. Next: vs. No. 8 Arkansas, Saturday.
No. 13 BYU (5-0) beat Utah st. 34-20, Friday. Next: vs. Boise St., Saturday.
No. 14 Michigan (5-0) beat Wisconsin 38-17. Next: at Nebraska, Saturday.
No. 15 Texas A&M (3-2) lost to Mississippi St. 26-22. Next: vs. No. 1 Alabama, Saturday.
No. 16 Coastal Carolina (5-0) beat Louisiana-Monroe 59-6. Next: at Arkansas St., Thursday.
No. 17 Michigan St. (5-0) beat W. Kentucky 48-31. Next: at Rutgers, Saturday.
No. 18 Fresno St. (4-2) lost to Hawaii 27-24. Next: at Wyoming, Saturday, Oct. 16.
No. 19 Oklahoma St. (5-0) beat No. 21 Baylor 24-14. Next: at Texas, Saturday, Oct. 16.
No. 20 UCLA (3-2) lost to Arizona St. 42-23. Next: at Arizona, Saturday.
No. 21 Baylor (4-1) lost to No. 19 Oklahoma St. 24-14. Next: vs. West Virginia, Saturday.
No. 22 Auburn (4-1) beat LSU 24-19. Next: vs. No. 2 Georgia, Saturday.
No. 23 NC State (4-1) beat Louisiana Tech 34-27. Next: at Boston College, Saturday, Oct. 16.
No. 24 Wake Forest (5-0) beat Louisville 37-34. Next: at Syracuse, Saturday.
No. 25 Clemson (3-2) beat Boston College 19-13. Next: at Syracuse, Friday, Oct. 15.