It wasn't supposed to be a big week of college football, per the overriding narrative.
Drama was going to be in short order, right?
Not in this sport. Not on another weekend of chaos.
And especially not in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Pat Narduzzi's Pitt Panthers, despite one of the worst, most ill-advised fake punts in recent memory on fourth-and-9 in minus-territory, led wire-to-wire in a dominant, 42-28 win at a Georgia Tech team that entered the game in total control of its ACC Championship destiny, ranked No. 16 in the College Football Playoff Top 25 and still with visions also of a CFP bid.
The Yellow Jackets' season is, effectively, over.
Sure, they can spoil heated rival Georgia's momentum and CFP-bye contender status next week in a "neutral site" game in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but Tech's not going to the ACC title game and therefore has no real pathway into the playoffs. Undefeated into November, Tech has dropped two of its last three; the first loss, by 12 at North Carolina State, is particularly damning for the Jackets.
The good news? Sources tell FootballScoop that Brent Key and Tech admin are very close on an extension and that Key has told people close to him he plans to sign the revised contract, with a raise for Key and his assistants, as well as improvements for Name, Image and Likeness, as well as revenue-sharing components, in the coming days.
Missouri, also, has a once-promising season left in tatters. The injury to quarterback Beau Pribula loomed large, but the Tigers did not consistently have enough quality offensive output even with star tailback Ahmad Hardy.
Following a 5-0 start and an oh-so-curated schedule that had them not leaving home until the third Saturday in October, the Tigers have seen 6-1 dissolve into 7-4. They close out on the road at Arkansas, which has little in the way of defense but does, indeed, have pretty consistent offense.
Just ask Texas, which also is out of the CFP conversation but did manage to get past the Hogs Saturday ... despite allowing 37 points.
Utah kept alive its CFP aspirations, as well as an outside shot at the Big 12 title game, with a dramatic, double-digit comeback-win at home against six-loss Kansas State.
BYU scored one of its best wins of the season when it outlasted host Cincinnati.
Tennessee ended literally more than two decades' misery with its first win at Florida since 2003. The Vols dominated a Florida team that looked completely checked out.
Indeed, the Gators' only focus seems to be on Lane Kiffin's looming decision of choosing between Florida, LSU and incumbent Ole Miss.
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