Call it what you will: \Upset Saturday,"" ""Shakedown Saturday,"" or whatever other fancy term. The bottom line is that the national picture was made much clearer after four previously unbeaten teams'Notre Dame, Georgia, N.C. State and Virginia Tech'fell by the wayside last weekend.
Four teams now remain unbeaten and the ones that stay that way, with the possible exception of Bowling Green, will more than likely be play in the Fiesta Bowl in January.
The defending national champion Miami Hurricanes are right back where they were this time last season. Not only has no one beaten them this year, but no one has beaten them in their last 30 games. Their 30-game winning streak is tops in college football. However, they did struggle last week against lowly Rutgers, and it will not get any easier than that for the rest of the year.
Miami has four games remaining with two against nationally ranked Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh, and its next game against a tough Tennessee team. Senior quarterback Ken Dorsey has not been Heisman-caliber all season, but with a tough surrounding cast, including 1,000-yard sophomore rusher Willis McGahee, Miami remains a national contender.
Oklahoma is on pace for another undefeated season, and has done so with the sixth-hardest schedule in the nation. The Sooners have beaten three teams that were all ranked in the top 15, highlighted by a 49-3 massacre of Iowa State Oct. 19.
While Bob Stoops' defense was the story of their title run two years ago, the Sooner offense has stepped up immensely this season, scoring no fewer than 27 points in any game this year and putting up an embarrassing 68 against Texas-El Paso Sept 14. Much-criticized senior quarterback Nate Hybl has stepped up this year for the offense, but senior running back Cedric Griffin and the rest of the ground crew have provided most of the Oklahoma offense.
The Sooners will have the hardest time getting into the Fiesta Bowl, though, since they have to play a conference championship game, which will probably mean a rematch with No. 18 Colorado. If the Sooners can get by Colorado though, they will have a shot at the national championship.
Even the loss of freshman sensation running back Maurice Clarett for a game could not derail the Buckeyes last weekend, when they routed Minnesota 34-3. Ohio State has played a defensive masterpiece so far this season, beating three nationally ranked teams'Washington State, Penn State and Minnesota'in addition to a tough Texas Tech team.
Senior safety Mike Doss, senior linebacker Matt Wilhelm and two-way sophomore cornerback/wide receiver Chris Gamble have all stepped in at times for a defense that has produced big this year. Ohio State's real test will be in its final game of the season where they will play at Michigan in a game that could very well put Michigan in a BCS bowl game if the Wolverines win. The Ohio State-Michigan game could be one of the best games of the final week.
Bowling Green may be the most intriguing of the undefeated teams. The Falcons have not played a stellar schedule, but they have played some decent teams. Bowling Green's offense has been the story this year, putting up 51 points against a decent Missouri team Sept. 14, and an astounding 72 against Ohio Oct. 5.
Multidimensional junior quarterback Josh Harris has been nothing short of amazing. He has thrown for 14 touchdowns and rushed for 14 touchdowns as well. Bowling Green still has a few more tests this year against Northern Illinois, Toledo and South Florida, all of which have winning records. If the Falcons can win out in their last games and get a lot of help from the poll voters, they could find themselves in a BCS bowl.
