Conference championship season is almost here.
There are six unbeaten teams left this college football season. There were seven remaining a week ago.
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No. 25 Air Force suffered its first loss of the season to an Army team that entered last Saturday’s game with a 2-6 record. The Falcons were beaten 23-3 and shut out in the second half.
The remaining undefeated teams include: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Florida State, No. 5 Washington and Liberty. The Flames are ranked inside the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time this season, and it remains to be seen whether that’ll carry into Tuesday night’s College Football Playoff rankings.
Here are some noteworthy quotes as focus turns from Week 10 to Week 11.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
No. 22 Oklahoma State picked up its fifth win in a row during its 27-24 comeback effort against No. 9 Oklahoma.
The Cowboys got out to a 17-7 lead before Sooners running back Tawee Walker ran in a go-ahead score midway through the third quarter.
Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II punched in a 1-yard touchdown with 7:59 left to play, and it gave the Cowboys the lead that they held onto for good.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is known for his jests during press conferences, and after the final scheduled “Bedlam” game where Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” song played throughout the stadium, Gundy shared how he prepares for opponents.
“I’ll notice it more next year when I don’t really watch and see what they’re doing because I don’t play them,” Gundy said. “Like this year, I was talking about TCU and then I realized we don’t even play TCU. So well, I need to quit watching them and I need to take notes on other teams that we’re going to play. So I just wanted to go home tonight. Like I’ll get a big chief notebook and a crayon and I’ll take notes on everybody we play while I’m sitting there drinking a Diet Coke, and I’ll do that until I get double vision then I’ll go to bed. But the point being is at some point when we’re not playing them and it’s not as important for me to watch them, it’ll probably set in more so than now.”
Sam Pittman, Arkansas
A duel between quarterbacks KJ Jefferson of Arkansas and Florida’s Graham Mertz was sent to overtime on Saturday.
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Jefferson and the Razorbacks emerged victorious 39-36 after the quarterback found receiver Tyrone Broden four yards out for the game-winning touchdown.
It marked the first time that Arkansas defeated Florida in Gainesville, and the Razorbacks did it under fourth-year head coach Sam Pittman who said the Razorbacks are “really excited about the win.”
“Florida has got a really good football team,” Pittman said. “We knew coming in there that they would be very physical, and which they were, and Billy Napier’s a wonderful coach and a good friend of mine, and I’m really proud of our team because in two weeks’ time, a lot of stuff went on in the program and the kids just stayed with us and they stay believing. Coming down here, I don’t know how many times we’ve played them in Gainesville to be the first team to ever win here is a big deal and there ain’t but one first, and so congratulations to Kenny Guiton. He did a great job. To have the most yards that we’ve had all season and a bye week and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday practice was a credit to him, the players and the coaching staff.”
Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington
The Huskies defeated No. 20 USC 52-42 in an offensive showcase on Saturday night, and the game was a significant one for Washington edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui.
Tupuola-Fetui learned his father passed away in the week leading up to the game against the Trojans.
A veteran of six seasons, Tupuola-Fetui still played against USC after the difficult news. He tied his season-high four tackles and also made 1.5 sacks including a forced fumble that led to a turnover.
“This week was really hard but I knew my dad would want me to play,” Tupuola-Fetui said. “He loves this game. He loves UW, bro, and I know I’d just be doing him wrong if I didn’t play. But I’m thankful I was able to play good in his memory. Oh man, that was him playing through me. The beginning of the game, I don’t even know if I wanted to play to be honest. I’m here for my brothers but I was glad I was able to play a good game.”
