10 Biggest Questions Facing Top 25 Teams Heading into Week 8
The halfway point of the college football season is here. The weather is cooling down, but the playoff race is heating up. The contenders and pretenders in every conference are starting to distinguish themselves.
For yet another week, there are some critical SEC games. But don't forget about the Big 12, which features two games between Top 25 teams plus a potential trap game for Baylor.
Then there's the game of the week: Notre Dame at Florida State in a Top 10 showdown.
Which storylines are the most important heading into Week 8? The answers are in the following slides.
The only criterion here is that one of the teams involved has to rank in either the Associated Press poll or the Amway coaches poll.
Will Clemson Quarterback Cole Stoudt Get the Win vs. Boston College?
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Cole Stoudt began the season as Clemson's quarterback, but the Tigers offense has been more dangerous when freshman Deshaun Watson is in the game.
However, Watson is out for the next month with a broken finger. That means Stoudt is back under center as the starter.
"Our expectations aren't going to fall because of this," Tigers offensive coordinator Chad Morris said, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "Cole Stoudt was our starter at the beginning of the year, and he's the guy right now."
Boston College has already upset one Top 25 team at home this year, beating USC 37-31. That had far more to do with the Trojans' inability to stop the Eagles rushing attack, but Steve Addazio's team will undoubtedly be confident it can knock off another ranked team.
Will Oklahoma State Be Able to Score on TCU?
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This could seem like an odd question based on two things: (1) Oklahoma State is known to score points, and (2) TCU just gave up a whopping 61 points to Baylor.
However, by the admission of Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, the Pokes have been "average" on offense, especially up front, where Oklahoma State continues to break in a new-look offensive line.
"They're just like a sophomore playing high school football," Gundy said on the Big 12 coaches teleconference this week. "They're just trying to learn which way to go and who to block and we just weren't very good at it."
That's not good news against a TCU defense that gives up three yards a rush. Though Oklahoma State has been known more for passing than rushing, the Cowboys were at their best last year when running the ball well. Pokes running back Desmond Roland has yet to break 100 yards on the ground this year.
Getting Roland going will be critical for Oklahoma State's balance. Quarterback Daxx Garman loves to throw the deep ball, but TCU has the defenders to cover it.
Will This Be the Week Kansas State Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett Breaks Out?
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If Tyler Lockett scores a touchdown in a blowout game, does it make a sound?
Lockett, Kansas State's best receiver, has been relatively quiet this year. Until a 45-13 win over Texas Tech in Week 6 (12 catches, 125 yards, two touchdowns), he hadn't posted a receiving touchdown against an FBS team.
In K-State's biggest game of the year, against Auburn, Lockett drew the attention of Tigers defenders in the second half. He finished with six catches for 45 yards.
It feels like Lockett is due for a big game. No stage is more perfect than this Saturday's road test at Oklahoma. Last year against the Sooners, Lockett had 12 catches for 278 yards and three scores.
The Big 12 is starting to separate, with Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma getting a lot of the playoff focus. If Kansas State wants to break into that conversation, it needs to beat the Sooners. For that to happen, Lockett probably has to have a big game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Can Oregon Protect Marcus Mariota Again vs. Washington?
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Protecting quarterback Marcus Mariota has been a challenge for Oregon this year, mostly because of various injuries along the offensive line.
However, the Ducks got lineman Jake Fisher back against UCLA in Week 7, which helped.
There's a formidable defense on the other side of Oregon's offensive line this week, though. Washington is tied for third in the country with 24 sacks—four per game—per CFBStats.com. Linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha leads the country with 10 of those sacks, and defensive lineman Danny Shelton has another seven.
Then there's linebacker Shaq Thompson, who has five individual touchdowns on offense and defense. He also has three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, per GoHuskies.com.
"We don’t ever fall on balls," Thompson said, via Kyle Bonagura of ESPN.com. "We always have the mentality to scoop and score. If you can’t get it, then you fall on it."
Oregon is a three-touchdown favorite at home, per Odds Shark, but how the Ducks protect Mariota against an aggressive and opportunistic defense will be the key to watch.
Can Arizona State Finally Upend Stanford?
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Stanford has been a matchup nightmare for Arizona State in recent years. The Sun Devils are 0-4 against the Cardinal dating back to 2009.
Primarily, the theme has been that Stanford has been able to shut down Arizona State's offense. The Cardinal defense is just as formidable this year despite inserting new faces and a defensive coordinator into the mix. Stanford is giving up just 10 points a game, good for best in the country.
It's not a bend-don't-break defense, either; Stanford also ranks in the top 10 against the run and the pass.
With quarterback Taylor Kelly still on the mend from a foot injury that has sidelined him for the past two games, Mike Bercovici should get another start for Arizona State.
Stanford's offense has generally had a hard time putting up points against respectable opponents. If this turns into another low-scoring affair, that would play right into the Cardinal's game plan. If the Sun Devils get into a rhythm, though, Stanford might not have enough horses to keep up—even if Arizona State's defense is vulnerable.
Can Texas A&M Wide Receiver Malcome Kennedy Be a Difference-Maker?
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For the past two years, Texas A&M's offense has given Alabama's defense all kinds of trouble, averaging 35.5 points in the two meetings.
With A&M on a two-game slide, though, is Alabama getting A&M at the right time?
Texas A&M wide receiver Malcome Kennedy should be back from a shoulder injury that held him out of the previous two games. Getting him back would be a welcome boost.
More than half of the Aggies' 51 points in the last two weeks have come in garbage time. Fourteen of A&M's 35 points in the come-from-behind overtime win against Arkansas came late as well. The point is, A&M's offense hasn't exactly been consistently prolific over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, Alabama ranks sixth in the SEC in passing defense, per CFBStats.com.
Is Baylor Ready for a Possible Trap Game Against West Virginia?
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The last time Baylor traveled to Morgantown, it came up on the short end of a 70-63 loss to West Virginia, which was in its first year in the Big 12.
It was as wild a game as there was all year, but trajectories for each program have changed dramatically since then. The loss to the Mountaineers two years ago was the first of a four-game losing streak for Baylor. After that, however, the Bears won five of their next six games. West Virginia, on the other hand, lost six of its next nine games.
By the time Baylor and West Virginia met in 2013, a 73-42 win for the Bears, the programs were headed in opposite directions.
At 4-2, it would appear West Virginia has gotten back on track this season. If nothing else, Dana Holgorsen's offense is finally clicking like it was against the Bears two years ago.
With Baylor coming off a big come-from-behind win against TCU, a noon game on the road has the makings of a trap game for the Bears, as Chuck Carlton of The Dallas Morning News writes.
Everything's just right. Conditions are perfect.
The Bears are eight-point favorites, per Odds Shark, down 1.5 points from the opening line.
Will Baylor-WVU resemble more of the 2012 game or the 2013 game? Or neither? Either way, this is the popular trap game of the week.
Will Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston Play?
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To be clear, the answer is "likely." Still, I'd be remiss if everything going on with Florida State quarterback Winston wasn't at least mentioned.
Here's the rundown: Winston has an upcoming disciplinary hearing with a neutral third party over a 2012 rape allegation, according to ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach. But first, Winston has to schedule an information hearing. Long story short, it would be a surprise, given the short timeline, if Winston were ruled ineligible for this Saturday's game against Notre Dame.
Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher feels confident Winston will able to play even after the Notre Dame game, according to Tomahawk Nation:
"Fisher was asked about his level of concern regarding potentially not having Winston after the Notre Dame game, since penalties range up to a potential expulsion.
'None,' Fisher answered in a confident tone. 'I know the facts of the case. The facts haven't changed in the case. We know the reports. We know everything that's out there. There's nothing new. We've been through this.'
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However, ESPN.com's Darren Rovell and Schlabach reported this week that Florida State has also looked into Winston autographs that have emerged at an authentication company. So far, there are no allegations of Winston profiting from those autographs, which would be against NCAA rules.
Again, there would have to be a major turn of events in the next 48 hours for Winston's eligibility to be a factor. Still, any uncertainty surrounding Winston—he was already suspended for one game against Clemson—is a story.
Especially if Winston isn't able to play and Florida State has to dig down the depth chart. Backup Sean Maguire has a hand injury, meaning John Franklin III would be the go-to guy.
The Seminoles have shown time and time again that they're capable of playing with distractions, so the upcoming game against the Irish shouldn't be any different.
Will Alabama's Offense Rebound vs. Texas A&M?
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Alabama's offense, which averaged 42 points a game through the first four games, has suddenly sputtered.
After looking dominant against Florida to start SEC play, Alabama has scored just 33 points in the past two games against Ole Miss and Arkansas. Of course, the Rebels have one of the best defenses in the country, but as ESPN.com's preview of Saturday's game against Texas A&M points out, the 14-13 win over the Razorbacks was underwhelming:
"The Tide's 227 yards of offense was the fifth-lowest total in Saban's 100 games at the school. They've averaged 311.5 in the last two games after posting 594.3 in the first four contests, and have scored 17 or fewer points in back-to-back weeks for the first time since Saban's first season of 2007.
Amari Cooper, who entered the Arkansas game second in the FBS with 149.2 receiving yards per contest, was held to two catches for 22 yards.
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Getting Cooper, who was hampered by a shoulder injury, and quarterback Blake Sims back on the same page will be key for the Tide's offense. Cooper has, with the exception of one week, been a force all year.
A&M's defense is still young in spots and trying to come together.
For all the scoffing about Lane Kiffin coming aboard as the offensive coordinator, the Tide have actually been explosive on offense. Can Alabama get back to its high-scoring ways against A&M?
Which Everett Golson Will Show Up for Notre Dame?
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There are a handful of games in Week 8 between Top 25 teams. None are bigger on paper than Notre Dame's trip to Tallahassee to take on Florida State.
Both teams are ranked in the Top 10 of the Associated Press and Amway coaches polls, and there are major playoff implications on the line.
No one single-handedly wins or loses a game, but a player to watch is Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson. There's no doubt Golson looks like a completely different player than he did in 2012—for the better. He's more accurate and confident, and he can spin it with the best of them.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com even writes that Golson is showing promise as an NFL prospect.
That said, he's had ball-security issues. Golson has thrown four interceptions and has had fumbling issues in the last three games. If Notre Dame is going to pull off the upset, it's likely not going to be in spite of Golson; rather, it needs to be because of him.
The Irish are 1-16 against Top 5 teams since 1999, per ESPN.com. Golson is one of the major parts of reversing that trend.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.
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