Welcome to your Week 10 Headlines in Review, written by the Three Technique Team. This week, we cover Alex Grinch, Oklahoma State’s statement win, possible trouble at Texas, and we try to make the case for three teams to be ranked number one. Let us know who you think should be ranked number one in the comments or by tagging us @ThreeTechPod, and be sure to check out the podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple!
Alex Grinch Out as USC DC
After fewer than two full seasons, Alex Grinch has been relieved of his duties as the Trojans’ defensive coordinator. The final straw in his much-maligned tenure came Saturday night as Grinch’s unit failed to put up much resistance in a 52-42 loss to Washington at home.
Grinch has long been the subject of scrutiny dating back to his time with Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, but 2023 has marked a new low as the Trojans’ defense ranks 119th nationally in total defense and 121st in scoring defense. The downturn is further magnified by the fact that Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and runaway favorite for the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has the offense performing at a championship level. It’s clear that having just a respectable defensive unit would have the Trojans among the nation’s elite.
The prestige of working at a school like USC will undoubtedly work in Riley’s favor as he selects Grinch’s replacement. But Trojans fans have to be concerned about the top candidates signing on to work under Riley, whose teams have produced a top 50 defense just once in his head coaching career. Regardless of perception, Riley must get this hire right as USC heads into uncharted waters in the Big Ten. If he does not, the mistake could prove to be career-defining.
Oklahoma State Sends the Sooners Packing
Rivalries are what make college football unique. Conference realignment will rob us of opportunities to enjoy in-state rivalries like Bedlam, the Apple Cup, the Civil War, and Texas-Texas Tech, in addition to the dozens of intriguing matchups fans have come accustomed to. All of this comes from a desire to showcase — and pay — “name-brand” programs like Oklahoma at the expense of the Oklahoma States of the world. All of this context was at the forefront of the Cowboys’ minds on Saturday.
In the final scheduled matchup in the Bedlam series, Oklahoma State controlled most facets of the game. Three Sooners turnovers set up 10 points for the Cowboys, and Ollie Gordon II, Alan Bowman and the rest of the offense ensured State won the time of possession battle handily as well. In addition to the three takeaways, the defense stepped up in big moments and got off the field when it absolutely had to.
The significance of this victory cannot be overstated for Oklahoma State and its fans. Off the field, Cowboys fans have eternal “scoreboard” bragging rights over their hated rivals who abandoned them for the allure of the SEC. On the field, they just made sure that same school will — likely — not have the chance to win the conference on its way out. Instead, Oklahoma State now controls its own destiny in the race for the Big 12 Championship. The Cowboys’ remaining schedule? At UCF (4-5, 1-5), at Houston (4-5, 2-4) and a home game against BYU (5-4, 2-4).
One last note: To all the Oklahoma fans upset with the officiating, did you really think a Big 12 crew was going to throw you a bone?
Texas Survives a Second-Half Scare from Kansas State
The Longhorns looked like a dominant playoff-worthy team…until they didn’t. Maalik Murphy looked like an elite quarterback…until he didn’t. The Longhorns were in complete control over a quality opponent…until they weren’t. Yes, Steve Sarkisian’s squad escaped with the all important victory to keep their playoff hopes alive, but they certainly raised some questions about their ability to stay the course for the remainder of the season.
When Bert Auburn kicked a 49-yard field goal with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter, Texas extended its lead to 27-7 and appeared to be on cruise control. Its remaining drives in regulation resulted in two fumbles, a field goal and a punt, allowing Kansas State to come roaring back to force overtime. Ultimately, the Wildcats came up short on fourth-and-goal in an attempt to steal the win.
There were certainly positives for the Longhorns in the midst of the concerns, namely the running game and the defensive effort. Jonathon Brooks and CJ Baxter combined for 202 yards and a pair of scores, Adonai Mitchell had the true breakout game fans had been waiting for, and the defense held the vaunted Kansas State rushing attack to just 43 yards. But the Longhorns barely passing their last major test before the conference championship game will leave them with a razor-thin margin for the committee.
The Case for Each Candidate for Number One
In the spirit of Election Day, we’ll end this week’s column by making the case of the three contenders for the top spot in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings. Let us know who you would put number one below! (Rankings shown are the Week 10 CFP Rankings)
No. 1 Ohio State: Winning matters, and when there are multiple teams with the same record, who you beat matters. The Buckeyes don’t always look pretty, but they have the best pair of wins in college football in their victories over Notre Dame and Penn State (although that Notre Dame win lost some luster this weekend when the Irish were humbled by a struggling Clemson).
No. 2 Georgia: The Bulldogs have looked like the dominant force we’ve come to expect at times this year. When they’re on, no team in the country can beat them. And even when they’re a bit off (see: this week’s 30-21 victory over Missouri), they find themselves winning by multiple scores against quality opponents. Oh, and don’t sleep on Carson Beck, who is getting better and better each week.
No. 3 Michigan: We all know the strength of schedule argument, and I’ll spare you the 1000th sign stealing home you’ve heard this week, but there has not been a more dominant team than the Wolverines this year. Their average margin of victory is 34 points, and they haven’t won a game by fewer than 24. We’ll see how that dominance holds up this week in Happy Valley.
