AP Top 25 Takeaways: Superpowers flex with titles in sight

Updated Nov. 21, 2021 10:51 a.m. ET

Associated Press

The superpowers asserted themselves over the upstarts Saturday.

In a season that has been dotted with upsets and surprises, the most talented teams are rising to the top.

No. 7 Michigan State and No. 13 Wake Forest have been good stories, but against No. 5 Ohio State and Clemson, they were outclassed.

And No. 4 Oregon, which has been trying to prove it belongs among the elite, showed at Utah that it most definitely does not yet belong.

In Columbus, Ohio, the day's marquee matchup was over for all intents and purposes after about a quarter.

If there is an offense in the country that might have a chance to do more than just dent No. 1 Georgia's ferocious defense, it might be the Buckeyes'.

“We have a high ceiling, and we’re still striving towards greatness,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.

Next up for the Buckeyes and their star-studded offense is a trip to No. 8 Michigan, which looked ready

That

In Death Valley,

The Tigers (8-3) are too far gone to make the playoff for a seventh straight season, but suddenly their hope is to extend their streak of six straight ACC titles. If Wake loses next week at Boston College and North Carolina State loses to North Carolina, Clemson is back in the conference title game for a rematch against No. 20 Pitt.

Michigan State has had remarkable turnaround in Year 2 under coach Mel Tucker, who is reportedly weighing a massive contract extension from the school because it believes he can build a program that can truly threaten Ohio State.

The Spartans learned Saturday there is still a long way to go.

Even if Wake were to stumble next week, this has been the Demon Deacons' best season in more than a decade, clueing in the rest of the country on the nice job coach Dave Clawson has done at the smallest Power Five school in the country.

Still, Wake's experienced roster and creative offense was no match for Clemson's dudes, led by freshman running back Will Shipley.

The Tigers were the first team this season to hold the Demon Deacons under 35 points, and they extended their winning streak over Wake to 13. After a 2-2 start, Clemson has a path to New Year's Six bowl.

“They’ve rallied and they battled," coach Dabo Swinney told reporters. "The foundation of our program has won the day for us.”

A foundation built on four straight top-10 recruiting classes.

In the Big 12,

The Sooners have pedigree and Bedlam history on their side (six straight victories and 16 of 18). Oklahoma State enters on tear.

In the SEC,

If Stroud isn't the leader in what has felt like a wide-open Heisman Trophy race, it's probably the Crimson Tide's Bryce Young. Alabama's star first-year starter passed for a school-record 561 yards and five touchdowns against No. 21 Arkansas.

Before the season, there was a feeling of inevitability at the top of college football, with four super teams (Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma) dominating their conferences and Georgia trying to enter that conversation.

With Thanksgiving approaching, a season that at times seemed to be trending toward chaos is on the verge of falling into place largely as expected.

PAC-KING IT IN

For the sixth time in the eight-year history of the College Football Playoff, the Pac-12 will not have a team in it.

, blowing holes in all the cracks that had been exposed in the Ducks since they left Ohio State. Beating the Buckeyes allowed Oregon to pose as a playoff contender, even though it often did not look the part.

No conference has been damaged more during the CFP era than the Pac-12. This season feels like the worst of all, with a load of humbling nonconference losses and recent league champions such as Stanford, Washington and Southern California in various states of disrepair.

Utah will make its third Pac-12 title game appearance in four seasons on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas. Oregon could make it a rematch if it beats Oregon State next week.

But the most important event for the Pac-12 during the first week of December will be held in the Dallas area when the College Football Playoff management committee tries to finally agree on an expansion plan. The hope is to have the 12-team format in place by 2024, and it can't come fast enough for the Pac-12.

BORED BEARCATS?

Maybe Cincinnati was just bored?

The Bearcats caught a lot of flak over the last month for failing to hammer four straight second-division American Athletic Conference opponents.

Facing what was supposed to be one of the toughest tests on their schedule,

Utah, led by former Cincinnati running back Tavion Thomas, gave the Bearcats a boost, too.

The conference schedule maker, however, did UC no favors next week. The Bearcats play on the road on a short week, meeting East Carolina on Black Friday.

The Pirates improved to 7-4 on a 53-yard, walk-off field goal by freshman Owen Daffer, whose season best had been 39 yards.

Bearcats best be on point.

AROUND THE COUNTRY: The rapid descent of Florida and coach Dan Mullen continued with an

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