The Impact of USC’s Big Loss and the Oregon-Washington Thriller

Unpacking college football’s Week 7 slate and answering the question: Which team does the final score say more about?

We got the game of the year in college football and it absolutely did not disappoint. But the rest of college football’s slate delivered as well. Digging into Week 7’s notable results, we here at Sports Illustrated are determined to find the answer to the question: Which team does the final score say more about?

Notre Dame 48, USC 20 says more about: USC

Notre Dame has been through an absolute gauntlet so far this season with a schedule that has posed huge tests each week. But USC presented a unique one to the Irish and they passed it with flying colors because of the Trojans’ own deep issues. Eventually, this type of game was going to happen to USC where the offense short-circuited and didn’t give its defense enough help. But in this game, the offense outright put the defense behind the 8-ball with multiple turnovers. USC’s defense was in a borderline impossible position on the night, facing short field after short field, and it calls into question this USC offense. No offense is good when it’s turning the ball over and this is now the second game in a row (at least in regulation) where USC’s offense looks less proficient than we’d expect. If that’s going to continue, we’re going to need to reevaluate where these Trojans can go this season. The loss already means their Playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.

Notre Dame is 6–2 on the season after its win over USC :: Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

Michigan 52, Indiana 7 says more about: Michigan

Yes, we must insert the schedule caveat. We know it’s Charmin soft, but you need to be paying attention to just how much Michigan is ripping its opponents limb from limb to the tune of a +149 scoring margin through four conference games. It’s impressive, and everyone knows it doesn’t really matter until November 11 when they play Penn State and get somebody good, but the Wolverines do not deserve to be dinged because they are stupendously dominant. The fact that they canceled their game with UCLA cannot be ignored, but once you’re in the season you can only play what you have in front of you, and Michigan is blowing out the competition.

Duke 24, NC State 3 says more about: Duke

No Riley Leonard? No problem for Duke. It’s a professional operation in Durham to be able to use the bye week to get Henry Belin IV ready enough to play that he can slot in relatively seamlessly. They didn’t let NC State off the mat playing complimentary football. UNC and Florida State have their say about who the best team in the ACC is, but don’t forget about Duke.

Troy 19, Army 0 says more about: Troy

It took Troy a little bit to get going this season but their defense is properly cranked up now and the rest of the Sun Belt had better look out. No, the Trojans are not going to break any offensive records, but they don’t have to outscore you if you can’t score at all. They’ve allowed 10 points in the last three games.

• Watch college football live with Fubo: Start a free trial today!

Georgia 37, Vanderbilt 20 says more about: Georgia

It’s time for the Dawgs to figure out what life is like without Brock Bowers. That means no easy buttons on offense, and while UGA has a bye week, they’ll be using that to figure out what their best playmaking option is as Bowers will be out multiple weeks with an injury.

Georgia will look to regroup with Brock Bowers sidelined due to injury :: Steve Roberts/USA TODAY Sports

Arizona 44, Washington State 6 says more about: Arizona

Are we so sure Noah Fifita isn’t outright an upgrade over Jayden De Laura? The QB is short in stature but he’s got Arizona as the Pac-12’s biggest trap game. They pushed Washington, took USC to overtime and blew out Washington State. Much of that has to do with Fifita’s brilliance, as well as a defense that’s held up surprisingly well. If your team has the Wildcats on the schedule, they’d better watch out.

Iowa 15, Wisconsin 6 says more about: Iowa

No, this is not about Brian Ferentz’s contract requirement to score 25 points per game (it looks increasingly likely that he will not hit the threshold). This is about an Iowa team that is in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten West. If they can beat Minnesota and Northwestern, considering what all of their West division foes have remaining (including Wisconsin, who they’d have a tiebreaker over) it’s more likely than not that Iowa is going to win the Big Ten West even if they lose a game coming down the stretch. It’s remarkable, but it’s Iowa.

Washington 36, Oregon 33 says more about: How you view a big game

Do you value maximizing your chances to beat a great team, or does conventional wisdom rule how you view the sport? If it’s the latter, you scratch your head at the decisions Dan Lanning made on fourth down to go for it three times against Washington. But if you get the point of needing to do what’s necessary to win football games against great teams, it changes everything.

What do you value more, the process, or the results?

Consider the fact that Washington is, by multiple measures, perhaps the best offense in college football. That alone means that you have to change the calculus of how you think a game should be managed by a coach when facing the Huskies. But for Oregon’s Dan Lanning, it didn’t, because he’s already aggressive in his fourth-down decision making in an effort to maximize the opportunities at points for his team. When Oregon ran a fake punt with a 300-pound defensive lineman as a ball carrier from their own 17-yard line against Colorado while leading by 13, Lanning was lauded as a wily gambler. When Oregon got stopped on fourth down (as it did against Washington and Oregon State last year) Lanning got crushed as foolhardy for losing the game for his team. Such is the dichotomy of weighing the process against the results—which, in this case, was a 36–33 Huskies win.