If there’s one thing college sports has taught us about the courtroom, it’s this: A verdict is rarely the end of the case.
The same goes for USA TODAY Sports Fraud Court.
As the final month of the regular season arrives, teams already convicted of fraud are making their last-ditch appeals, trying to prove their legitimacy before the College Football Playoff selects its 12-team field.
Fortunately, there’s no better way to reopen a case than presenting compelling new evidence. In college football, that means highly ranked matchups and statement wins. Win big against a legitimate opponent, and that fraud conviction
suddenly doesn’t look so ironclad.
After Week 10, the judge’s docket is once again crowded with familiar names returning to the courtroom and pleading their innocence.
So who presented enough evidence to get the conviction overturned?
No. 1 Georgia
The case: The new top-ranked team in the country earned it by going into Oxford, Mississippi and shutting down the Rebels in a 42-7 rout.
The verdict: Not guilty. Oh boy, have the Bulldogs been a menace recently. Ever since Georgia was found guilty, it has blown out ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks, looking like a clear favorite for the national championship. This clearly was a wrongful conviction since no one has made a better appeals case than the Bulldogs, who are on a warpath toward Las Vegas.
No. 2 Utah
The case: In one of the biggest editions of the Holy War, Utah remained undefeated by overcoming a halftime deficit against BYU, shutting out the Cougars in the second half to win 28-20.
The verdict: Not guilty. Folks need to really buy into Utah as one of the best teams in the country. The Utes have always lived on the defensive identity of coach Morgan Scalley, and while it remains true, Devon Dampier continues to lead and offense that can execute when the game gets tight, making for a complete team. The Utes have afforded themselves some wiggle room, but it's very plausible they finish the season undefeated.
No. 3 Notre Dame
The case: The Fighting Irish finally got that signature win they desperately needed, using a strong first half to kickstart a 31-24 win over top-ranked Miami at home.
The verdict: Not guilty. Give credit when it's due; Notre Dame had its opportunity and delivered. Regardless of the controversial call regarding Miami's non-touchdown, there was nothing fluky about the win. The defense was stout and CJ Carr stepped up with an incredible performance. If Notre Dame wins out and this is the only ranked win it has by the end of the season, it's still impressive enough to be in the playoff.
No. 6 Miami
The case: The Hurricanes didn't look like the super team blowing out opponents left and right, falling short of a comeback victory against Notre Dame for the first loss of the season.
The verdict: Jury is still out. The injury bug has moved to Miami. How much will it affect the Hurricanes? It's worth noting the loss happened without Malachi Toney, who's expected to be out for the rest of the regular season. His impact was missed, but more data is needed to learn how much it changes Miami's offense. In theory, Darian Mensah and Co. should be fine, but we've seen across the country how much losing one player can change everything.
No. 7 Alabama
The case: It didn't matter if the game happened at night or not; Alabama went into Death Valley and took it over with a 31-13 victory over LSU in a must-win game for both teams.
The verdict: Not guilty. Looks the CFP selection committee was onto something about this being the best two-loss team in the country. The Crimson Tide have become a fun team to watch with Keelon Russell and an opportunistic defense that can really feast when remaining aggressive. It has had strong responses to the back-to-back losses that set Alabama free from being labeled as a fraud, poised to be in the playoff.
No. 8 Texas
The case: The Longhorns didn't fall into the trap at Missouri, all thanks to Arch Manning stepping up with stellar play to pull off a 34-20 road win.
The verdict: Jury is still out. Sorry Texas, but you're not quite out of the woods yet. While the outing against the Tigers was extremely encouraging, the Longhorns are one of the most inconsistent teams in the country. Another key piece of evidence is needed to free them, and there is no better chance to get it than with a trip at LSU next.
No. 9 Tennessee
The case: The power of Neyland Stadium was in full effect for the Volunteers, who ran Kentucky out of the stadium with a 34-6 blowout of the former top 10 team.
The verdict: Not guilty. Completely shutting down one of the hottest teams in the country is worth recognition. Even with the unique quarterback situation, Tennessee looked like a complete team that figured out its recipe for success. It took some time, but this is a defensive-led unit that can really take this team far. Credit Josh Heupel for engineering a bounce back.
No. 13 Kentucky
The case: The six-game win streak didn't just get snapped, it got obliterated with Kentucky unable to get in the end zone in its 28-point loss at Kentucky.
The verdict: Guilty. It's been fun to watch, but Kentucky got sent back to reality in Week 10. A win over Tennessee would've certified Kentucky as legit, but instead, a blowout loss reminds everyone Kentucky isn't there just yet.
No. 15 Iowa
The case: Northwestern suffered its first loss in the new Ryan Field thanks to Iowa's defense and special teams coming up big for a 24-10 win that wasn't as close as the score suggests.
The verdict: Not guilty. There's the Iowa we all know. The Hawkeyes defense responded from a tough three-game stretch emphatically with just 10 points given up in the past eight quarters of football, while other units have stepped up when needed to. The chances of Iowa making the playoff are slim, but this doesn't look like a team many people want to face with how strong it’s looked recently.
No. 19 Oregon
The case: The Ducks aren't dead just yet. Oregon used a fake punt to propel a stunning 41-28 win at Ohio State that effectively killed the Buckeyes' chances at the playoff.
The verdict: Not guilty. What a response from Oregon. Credit Dan Lanning for making the adjustments that have resulted in this resurgence from a depleted team, looking like what many expected out of the Ducks from the start of the season. By some miracle, there's still an outside chance they make the Big Ten championship game and therefore a CFP spot in one of the most surprising appeal wins of the season.
Guilty teams this season
- Michigan
- Oklahoma
- SMU
- Clemson
- Nebraska
- Illinois
- Texas A&M
- North Carolina
- Vanderbilt
- USC
- Penn State
- Louisville
- Washington
- Colorado
- Texas Tech
- Pittsburgh
- Virginia
- California
- Texas
- LSU
- Florida
- Mississippi State
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- Minnesota
- Indiana
- Ohio State
- Northwestern
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma State
- Kentucky
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football Fraud Alert: Which CFP contenders are still guilty?
