Saturday in college football belonged to the unbeaten. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten after two very different wins, and the Week 10 results have shaken up the race for the College Football Playoff. Utah beat BYU 28-20 in the Holy War rivalry to stay perfect, while UCLA rolled past Minnesota 34-20 to reach 9-0 for the first time since 1998. Around them, the top of the rankings took a battering, with Oregon beating Ohio State and Alabama easing past LSU.
It was the kind of Saturday that reminds you why the regular season matters. The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season were unveiled earlier in the week, and within days they already looked out of date. Teams that were supposed to win did not, teams that were supposed to lose did not, and the unbeaten list got shorter in some places and longer in others. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and that is the part the committee cannot ignore.
For Utah and UCLA, the story is simple: keep winning, and the playoff takes care of itself. Both teams now control their own path, and both have a game or two left that will decide whether this season becomes something special or just a good one.
Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten: how Saturday played out
Utah’s win was the harder of the two. The Utes, ranked No. 4, went into Provo to face BYU in the Holy War, one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport, and came out with a 28-20 win. Quarterback Devin Dampier led the way for Utah, and the Utes’ defence held firm when BYU pushed late. It ended with BYU’s first defeat of the season.
First-year coach Morgan Scalley has now taken Utah through the toughest stretch of its schedule without a loss, and the Utes look like a team that believes in itself. They run the ball, they tackle well, and they do not panic when a game gets tight. That is a hard combination to beat in November, when the weather turns and the margins get smaller. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and the Utes have done it the hard way.
UCLA’s win was more comfortable. The Bruins beat Minnesota 34-20 to move to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten, their best start since 1998. UCLA scored early, kept Minnesota at arm’s length, and never let the game get away from them. It was a professional performance from a team that has made a habit of them this season. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and the Bruins have done it with room to spare.
Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and the two programmes could hardly be more different. Utah is a mountain team built on defence and running the ball. UCLA is a Big Ten newcomer playing a wide-open game in Los Angeles. What they share is a record with no losses in it, and in college football, that is the only thing that really counts.
The other results that shook the playoff race
The biggest shock of the day came in the Big Ten, where Oregon beat Ohio State 41-28. The Ducks were the underdogs on paper, but they outplayed the Buckeyes from the start, and the result throws the conference race wide open. Ohio State had been one of the favourites to reach the playoff, and now it has to win out and hope for help.
Alabama had no such trouble. The Crimson Tide beat LSU 31-13, with the Crimson Tide in control throughout. It was a comfortable win for a team that has found its rhythm at the right time of year, and it keeps Alabama firmly in the playoff hunt.
Texas also won, beating Missouri 34-20 behind 297 passing yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Arch Manning. The Longhorns have had an up-and-down season, but Manning’s performance was a reminder of why he was one of the most talked-about young quarterbacks in the country before the season started.
Put together, the results mean the playoff picture is wide open. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten at the top of the pile, but behind them a group of one-loss teams are all arguing that they belong in the field. The committee’s next set of rankings will be watched more closely than usual, because Week 10 changed the argument.
What the first playoff rankings told us
The committee’s first rankings, released earlier in the week, put Utah near the top and UCLA in the mix, but they also left room for doubt. Rankings in the first week are always a guess, and the committee itself says it weighs the whole season, not just the last game. That is why Week 10 mattered so much: it was the first chance for teams to prove the rankings right or wrong.
Utah’s win over BYU is exactly the kind of result the committee likes. A road win, against a ranked rival, in a hostile stadium, with the game on the line late. Those are the wins that move a team up, and they are the wins that keep a team there.
UCLA’s case is a little different. The Bruins have beaten everyone in front of them, but their schedule has not been as tough as Utah’s. That is not their fault, and it is not something they can fix now. All they can do is keep winning, and if they finish unbeaten, it will be very hard for the committee to leave them out. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and that is the strongest argument either team can make.
The College Football Playoff field is 12 teams, and that changes the maths. An unbeaten Power Four champion is in, almost whatever happens. A one-loss team with a strong schedule is in too. The fight is for the last few places, and that is where Week 10’s losers will feel the squeeze.
What comes next for Utah and UCLA
Utah’s road does not get easier. The Utes still have conference games to win, and the Big 12 title game is the prize that would lock in a playoff place. Lose once, and the argument gets harder. Lose twice, and it is over. That is the pressure of an unbeaten season, and it grows with every week. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, but the pressure grows with every week.
UCLA’s path is similar. The Bruins have to keep winning in the Big Ten, and the conference title game is the target. Their remaining games include teams that would love nothing more than to end the perfect season, and the 1998 comparison will follow them everywhere. That 1998 team started 10-0 before it all fell apart, and the current players will have heard about it more than once.
Both teams have a week to enjoy this one. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, and for now that is enough. The hard part starts again on Monday, when the film goes on and the next opponent comes into focus.
Sources and Resources
- College football Week 10 live analysis, scores, breakdowns (USA Today) — the live coverage of Utah’s win over BYU, UCLA’s win over Minnesota, and the rest of Week 10.
What was the score in Utah vs BYU?
Utah beat BYU 28-20 in the Holy War rivalry. The win kept No. 4 Utah unbeaten and handed BYU its first defeat of the season. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten after Saturday’s games.
How did UCLA get to 9-0?
UCLA beat Minnesota 34-20 on Saturday to move to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten. It is the Bruins’ first 9-0 start since 1998, and Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten at the top of the playoff race.
Who else won big in Week 10?
Oregon beat Ohio State 41-28, Alabama beat LSU 31-13, and Texas beat Missouri 34-20 with Arch Manning throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
When were the first playoff rankings released?
The committee’s first College Football Playoff rankings of the season were unveiled earlier in the week, just before Week 10. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten, so both should be in a strong position when the next rankings come out.
Can Utah and UCLA both make the playoff?
Yes, if they keep winning. The playoff field is 12 teams, and an unbeaten Power Four champion is almost certain to get in. Both teams control their own path, but one loss would make the argument much harder.
What happens next
Week 11 is the next test, and it will not be gentle. Utah and UCLA stay unbeaten for now, but every team left on their schedules will be desperate to be the one that ends it. Watch the next set of playoff rankings, watch the injury news, and watch the weather, because November football is won by the teams that handle all three. If Utah and UCLA keep winning, the playoff will have to find room for both of them.