Midterm Grades for Every College Football Playoff Contender
At the beginning of the 2015 college football season, just about everybody could lay claim to being a playoff contender. That's the benefit of being 0-0.
Through seven weeks, however, that list has realistically narrowed to a series of undefeated and one-loss teams making up the Top 25 polls. From perennial powers like Alabama and Ohio State, to surprises like Utah and Iowa, the list of playoff contenders is still wide open enough to provide intrigue, but narrow enough to create focus.
Not all of these teams are created equally, though. Some, like Stanford, are playing their best football now. Others are recently coming off loses and hoping to rebound before the playoff hopes are gone for good. With that in mind, we're checking in on teams ranked in and around the Associated Press Top 15 with a chance to win their conference title. Midseason grades are based on performances, signatures wins, injury problems and depth/key position concerns. Additionally, we look at how things could shape up in the second half of the year.
Teams are ordered alphabetically.
Alabama
1 of 17
Grade: B
Despite losing at home to Ole Miss in September, Alabama is the second-highest ranked SEC team in both major polls and certainly not out of the playoff picture. The game against the Rebels went about as poorly as it could with five turnovers, yet the Tide still had a chance to win the game late. That should tell you what this team is capable of doing when it takes better care of the ball.
Quarterback Jake Coker has had his good and bad moments, but his running ability has been a pleasant surprise. Linebacker Reggie Ragland has even gone on the record to call Coker "Baby Roethlisberger" in reference to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (h/t Alex Scarborough, ESPN.com).
The offense is definitely moving, though—running back Derrick Henry is averaging nearly 130 yards per game and receiver Calvin Ridley is a breakout star—and the defense is as advertised.
The biggest remaining hurdle is the home game against LSU in early November. However, the Tide do not control their SEC destiny if Ole Miss wins out.
Baylor
2 of 17
Grade: A-
No, Baylor hasn't played anyone. We get it. That is, understandably, the biggest knock on the Bears. Otherwise, Art Briles' team looks the part of a playoff contender, winning by nearly 40 points a game.
The offense, as usual, has tons of firepower. Quarterback Seth Russell is third in the Big 12 with 374.2 yards per game and receiver Corey Coleman (877, 16 touchdowns) is on pace to shatter the single-season NCAA FBS record for touchdowns.
West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen even went so far to say that Coleman is "the best player in college football," per Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News.
Baylor's toughest games lie ahead, though. In November, the Bears play Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State and at TCU in consecutive weeks.
Clemson
3 of 17
Grade: A
Even without receiver Mike Williams, Clemson is averaging 35.2 points per game. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, as you'd expect, is near the top of the ACC in total yards per game (274).
But what has set Clemson apart is its defense. Recall that this is a nearly completely rebuilt unit from a year ago. The defensive line is entirely new. Yet, the Tigers have one of the top defenses in the ACC and are allowing fewer than three yards per rush.
Its single-most impressive performance was against Notre Dame, in which the D-line asserted itself and the secondary did a great job keeping Irish wideout William Fuller from breaking loose. Other than a close call against Louisville, Clemson has taken care of all non-ranked opponents by double digits.
Yet, once again, the annual game against Florida State (Nov. 7 in Death Valley) could very well determine the Atlantic champion, the ACC champion and perhaps the playoff invitee.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida
4 of 17
Grade: A-
The Gators were perfect in the win-loss column before Week 7's loss at LSU. Still, Florida is in control of the SEC East race. The biggest challenge to that will be the annual rivalry against Georgia on Halloween.
It'll be interesting to see how the offense plays with Treon Harris at quarterback. Will Grier, who had established himself as the starter, is suspended for a year due to a positive PED test, though he is appealing. Additionally, offensive line depth and experience remains an issue. Though sacks allowed are never completely an indictment on the O-line, the fact remains Florida is the worst in the SEC in that category.
The 38-10 win over Ole Miss is still impressive even though the Rebels have slipped lately. Despite obstacles and shortcomings, head coach Jim McElwain is getting the most out of this team's talent. It's hard to give Florida anything other than an "A."
Florida State
5 of 17
Grade: B+
As one would realistically expect, Florida State's rebuilding project has taken some time to come together. When you lose as much NFL-caliber talent to one draft, it's going to be a few games, at least, before all the pieces start fitting.
So you have to give head coach Jimbo Fisher a lot of credit for the Seminoles' 6-0 record. There's a long way to go, but Florida State could legitimately win 10 games this year. The defense, led by Jalen Ramsey, has generally done its job by only allowing one rushing touchdown and stiffening up in the red zone.
The offense has been a work in progress, but progress has definitely been made. Quarterback Everett Golson still hasn't thrown an interception and is looking more comfortable throwing the ball downfield. The screen game, basically an extension of the run, is working better. As Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel wrote, chemistry between Golson and the receivers is finally developing. Running back Dalvin Cook is the team's most valuable player and living up to the label.
Is it perfect? Nowhere close, but it's fair to assess that Florida State is ahead record-wise from where it could have been.
Iowa
6 of 17
Grade: A-
Like Utah, Iowa is one of the best college football stories of the first half of the season. Unlike the Utes, however, the Hawkeyes' schedule has been more forgiving. So far, Iowa's best win is, quietly, against Pitt and it needed a 57-yard field goal as time expired to win.
Still, Iowa's offense is keeping pace with some of the Big Ten's best, averaging more than 400 yards per game. The ankle sprain to running back Jordan Canzeri will be something to watch, but Akrum Wadley rushed for more than 200 yards against Northwestern, so it would appear the Hawkeyes are in good shape there.
The possibility of Iowa going 12-0 during the regular season has become more real with each passing week. Iowa doesn't face Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan or even Penn State out of the East division.
LSU
7 of 17
Grade: A
When you have arguably the best player in college football, you're a tough team to beat. LSU's undefeated season and playoff hopes start with running back Leonard Fournette. The sophomore leads the country in rushing yards per game and is tied for first with 14 touchdowns.
However, the emergence of quarterback Brandon Harris is what really propels the Tigers into the top-four discussion. It's not that Harris has to be every bit as good as Fournette; he just needs to show he can make accurate throws and good decisions. In the last two games against South Carolina and Florida, Harris has thrown for 430 yards at about 9.3 yards per attempt and four touchdowns.
If Fournette is ever injured or otherwise limited, Harris might be asked to take over the offense. He appears more ready now than ever.
There are some tough games remaining for the Tigers, who still have to travel to Alabama and Ole Miss before getting Texas A&M at home. So far, however, LSU has definitely surpassed expectations and it has a lot to do with Harris and Fournette.
Memphis
8 of 17
Grade: A+
How do you give Memphis anything less than this? The Tigers are undefeated and, thanks to a win over Ole Miss, officially college football's Cinderella. Things could not be going any better.
Enough can't be said about head coach Justin Fuente and the job he's done turning this program around. As a result, he's getting mentioned frequently with other, higher-profile jobs—and rightfully so. Additionally, quarterback Paxton Lynch is starting to generate some NFL draft buzz, per Bucky Brooks of NFL.com.
It's going to take an undefeated season by Memphis and some chaos elsewhere for the Tigers to make the playoff, but at least for them people are talking about the possibility. November is a dicey month, though. Memphis gets Navy, Houston and Temple in consecutive weeks, with the latter two games on the road.
Michigan State
9 of 17
Grade: C
You almost have to look at Michigan State's stunning win over Michigan by itself without context. That's not to say the Spartans didn't earn the win or shouldn't receive credit for it—they absolutely should—but that was an ending the likes of which we may not see again for a while.
With that aside, it's been a somewhat underwhelming season for Michigan State. Mark Dantonio's team is undefeated, but it has struggled to put away Purdue, Rutgers and Central Michigan. The 31-28 win over Oregon looks far less impressive now than it did at the time.
Injuries have taken their toll as well. Linebacker Ed Davis was ruled out for the season before it even began with a knee injury and defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson sustained a dislocated and fractured hip in the scoop-and-score against the Wolverines.
All in all, though, the Spartans are still right there with Ohio State and could still make the playoff with a win over the Buckeyes. Otherwise, if Ohio State loses to Michigan, the Big Ten East race could get muddled quickly.
Notre Dame
10 of 17
Grade: B
Say this for Notre Dame: No other playoff contender has dealt with more adversity than the Irish. It starts with the injuries, which have been relentless. To list off all the starters and contributors out for the year with injuries would be to write Homer's Odyssey, but the most glaring has been quarterback Malik Zaire.
DeShone Kizer, a third-string quarterback this spring, has played well in relief. Running back C.J. Prosise, also a backup not that long ago, has become a star in the backfield. The quality of Notre Dame's depth boosts this team's grade.
However, the Irish lost their biggest game of the year at Clemson and were dominated up front. They've rebounded well with wins over Navy and USC, but the next opportunity to get a statement win comes at the end of the year against Stanford.
Ohio State
11 of 17
Grade: C+
The 38-10 win over Penn State in Week 7 felt like a turning point for Ohio State. J.T. Barrett has officially been named the starting quarterback by head coach Urban Meyer, a decision many probably felt was long overdue. Defensive end Joey Bosa, who was quiet to start the season, has come on strong over the past few games. He had four quarterback hurries against Maryland and three tackles for loss against the Nittany Lions.
It's been a sluggish go for the defending national champs, at least offensively. Running back Ezekiel Elliott has posted at least 100 yards in each game, but the O-line has had issues and the loss of Devin Smith has hurt the deep threat.
The important thing, though, is Ohio State is undefeated and will get its two hardest games—vs. Michigan State and Michigan—at the end of the year. Couple that with a Big Ten title game and all will be forgiven if Ohio State ends the year strong.
Oklahoma
12 of 17
Grade: D
Oklahoma's grade isn't so much centered on how Oklahoma has played overall as much as it is on the loss to Texas.
Barring an amazing turnaround from the Sooners—who, to their credit, beat Kansas State 55-0 in Week 7—and unprecedented chaos elsewhere, playoff hopes are dim at best. A best-case scenario, too, is for the Red River Shootout to act as a spark for the Longhorns. If Texas finishes 4-8, that doesn't do anything but hurt Oklahoma's already bleak playoff outlook.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has been excellent for the most part and gives the offense an extra gear, but blocking up front has been rough. Running back Samaje Perine has one 100-yard game—and that was against Tulsa. The defense has been inconsistent as well.
There's an outside chance Oklahoma makes its way back into the playoff hunt, but the more pressing issue is finding a way to win the Big 12.
Oklahoma State
13 of 17
Grade: B
Remember when Oklahoma was the team of the month after beating Tennessee and West Virginia? Quietly, Oklahoma State is undefeated and could pose as a true challenge to Baylor and TCU in the Big 12 and playoff races.
Granted, it's been tight for the Cowboys at times. The Pokes needed a go-ahead field goal to beat Kansas State and overtime to outlast West Virginia. Yet, Mike Gundy's team keeps on winning.
Quarterback Mason Rudolph has been all over the place in the last three games and the combination of him and J.W. Walsh has just been good enough to get the job done. However, defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah has been the best edge-rusher in the Big 12.
A Halloween game at Texas Tech should be an interesting test, but keep in mind Oklahoma State gets Oklahoma, Baylor and TCU at home in the month of November.
Stanford
14 of 17
Grade: B
Just as Utah's Week 1 win over Michigan looks much better now, Stanford's Week 1 loss to Northwestern is more of a head-scratcher than ever before. That's what keeps the Cardinal from receiving an "A", because there's an argument to be made Stanford is playing as well as anyone in college football.
Northwestern has lost its last two games by a combined score of 78-10. Stanford has topped USC, Arizona and UCLA, and has scored at least 40 points in each of its last four games (and 50 points in each of its last two). Running back Christian McCaffrey leads college football with 253 all-purpose yards per game.
Stanford's November slate could be fascinating if Oregon gets back on track. The Cardinal play the Ducks, Cal and Notre Dame in the final three games of the season—though it gets the trio at home.
TCU
15 of 17
Grade: C+
TCU still has the explosive quarterback-receiver combo of Trevone Boykin and Josh Doctson. Together, they've connected for 152.6 yards per game, the most in college football. It's essentially impossible to slow the pair, let alone stop them altogether. The Frogs are going to win a ton of games because of these two.
Everywhere else, though? There are some concerns. The defense has been banged up and hit with other various forms of attrition, from personal leaves to targeting suspensions. On top of that, the Frogs have been like two completely different teams at home and on the road.
Like the Big 12's other top teams, TCU's toughest stretch comes in November when it faces Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on the road before ending the year against Baylor. Will TCU be able to survive any more close calls, especially if someone figures out a way to slow/stop Boykin and Doctson?
Texas A&M
16 of 17
Grade: C-
At the risk of looking too intently on the last thing that happened, Texas A&M has some work to do before it can get back in the middle of the playoff discussion. The Aggies' chance to get a signature win against Alabama fell short and quarterback Kyle Allen threw three pick-sixes. The defense allowed Tide running back Derrick Henry to rush for 236 yards.
Allen has been good overall and edge-rusher Myles Garrett is a force. The emergence of wide receiver Christian Kirk gives A&M a big-play threat in the passing game. The talent is there, but to put it simply, the resume is lacking.
And it will continue to lack. As Dan Wolken of USA Today tweets, it's entirely possible A&M enters the season-ending game against LSU with one loss, but zero wins against ranked opponents (his logic was, if A&M beats Ole Miss, the Rebels would fall out of the Top 25 polls entirely).
Of course, if A&M has 11 regular-season wins, it'll be in the playoff hunt regardless. But it might need another major win or two to actually be in play.
Utah
17 of 17
Grade: A+
Utah is one of the best stories in college football this season. How could the Utes, picked fifth in the Pac-12 South Division preseason media poll and currently No. 3 in the AP poll, be anything other than the highest grade possible?
Utah has passed every test. Its Week 1 win over Michigan looks fantastic now, it housed Oregon in Eugene before it was cool and forced Cal into five turnovers. Up next is a potentially tricky game at USC and games against Washington, Arizona and UCLA should keep the Utes on edge.
Not many people would have predicted Utah as a playoff team, but through the first half of the season, few have been as impressive.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
