Check out the top 10 things we learned during the college football weekend.
1. It's all about survive and advance for top teams. The top four teams in the latest College Football Playoff rankings pulled out less than impressive wins over opponents this week, which could lead to little or no movement at the top of the next round of rankings heading into a critical week of play.
2. As expected, Ohio State-Michigan will have a direct impact on the playoff. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are in the mix for a spot in the playoff semifinals, but it appears only one can earn a spot in the top four, adding to the already intense rivalry between the two programs.
3. Oklahoma makes a big statement. The Sooners have gone from no chance to an outside shot of making the playoff semifinals after trouncing West Virginia 56-28, claiming the inside track on another Big 12 title. Bob Stoops' team is healthy again and making a push down the stretch to return to the national title hunt.
4. Time for Texas to cut ties with Charlie Strong. The love-hate relationship between Texas and Charlie Strong has soured to the point boosters are reportedly pressing the school to fire the embattled Longhorns coach and replace him with Houston coach Tom Herman. A loss to Kansas _ Texas' first since 1938 _ didn't help Strong's case to keep his job.
5. Jim McElwain gets his signature win. Florida clinched the SEC East in dramatic fashion with a last-second goal-line stand against LSU in front of a hostile crowd in Baton Rouge, La. The win clinched Florida's second consecutive trip to the SEC Championship Game and shut up critics who question the program's direction.
6. Ed Orgeron's future at LSU is uncertain. Orgeron's elevation to interim coach after Les Miles was fired injected a lot of enthusiasm into the LSU program, but losses to Alabama and Florida may prompt school officials to pursue Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman for the job.
7. USC is surging at the right time. All looked lost for Southern California after starting the season 1-3, but seven consecutive wins have thrust the Trojans back into the conference championship race. Clay Helton's team just needs a loss by Colorado to win the Pac-12 South and a spot in the title game.
8. Tom Herman, P.J. Fleck are rising stars. Two of the hottest names in coaching circles are Herman and Fleck, who have done amazing jobs with their programs at Houston and Western Michigan, respectively. With a lot of big coaching moves expected in the coming weeks, expect to hear their names a lot.
9. Louisville failed both its big tests. The Cardinals could have been a factor in the playoffs this season if not for losses to Clemson and Houston. Louisville was inching closer to the playoff semifinals despite falling to the Tigers, but a stunning 36-10 loss to the Cougars last week crushed the Cardinals. Louisville was out-coached and out-played in every facet of the game.
10. Lamar Jackson's lead in the Heisman race dwindles. The Louisville quarterback appeared to have locked down college football's ultimate individual prize, but two sub-par performances have brought Jackson back to earth and made the race a little closer than expected.
