College football at midseason: All-Americans, best team, best player, best game
Believe it or not, the first half of the 2016 college football season is complete. Time flies. What have we learned? That Alabama’s pretty good, as is Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. Ohio State and Michigan? Also good.
We’ll know more about the Football Bowl Subdivision in early December. But this is a good time to unveil the USA TODAY Sports midseason All-America team, which is led by Jackson, San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey and three members of Alabama’s defense.
Heisman Watch: It's Lamar Jackson's to lose, by a wide margin
► The list:
QB: Lamar Jackson, Louisville
RB: Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State
RB: Dalvin Cook, Florida State
WR: Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma
WR: Corey Davis, Western Michigan
TE: Evan Engram, Mississippi
OL: Trey Adams, Washington
OL: Pat Elflein, Ohio State
OL: Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia
OL: Connor Williams, Texas
OL: Erik Magnuson, Michigan
DL: Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
DL: Ed Oliver, Houston
DL: Jonathan Allen, Alabama
DL: Ejuan Price, Pittsburgh
LB: Reuben Foster, Alabama
LB: Ben Boulware, Clemson
LB: Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
DB: Teez Tabor, Florida
DB: Malik Hooker, Ohio State
DB: Budda Baker, Washington
DB: Eddie Jackson, Alabama
K: Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State
P: Austin Rehkow, Idaho
RET: Quadree Henderson, Pittsburgh
APP: Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
College Football Playoff Projection field thins at season midpoint
► Here are some highlights:
Best team
Alabama. There was a case to be made for either Alabama or Ohio State heading into last weekend, but a 49-10 win at Tennessee gives the Crimson Tide the edge. Ohio State is close, but Alabama’s been the nation’s best team.
Best player
Lamar Jackson, Louisville. By any measurement – whether his ridiculous production or his simple importance to Louisville’s title hopes – Jackson has been college football’s best player at the midway point, and the leading contender for the Heisman Trophy.
Heisman Survey: Constant shuffling behind Lamar Jackson
Most surprising teams (good)
Colorado, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. The Buffaloes stand one win shy of bowl eligibility and within range of a Pac-12 South Division title. WMU, now 7-0, has made an extremely strong case for being viewed as the best team on the Group of Five ranks. Eastern Michigan, a hopeless 1-11 a year ago, is a very hopeful 5-2 in 2016.
Most surprising teams (not so good)
Notre Dame, UCLA, Oregon and Michigan State. The Irish, Bruins, Ducks and Spartans are a combined 9-17. That’s not good. Notre Dame has been the biggest bust of them all, but the Bruins aren’t far behind.
Nine teams in the Power Five remain winless in conference games
Biggest game (so far)
Clemson 42, Louisville 36 (Oct. 2). When all is said and done, this might be the most impressive victory notched by any team during the regular season.
Biggest games (still to come)
Texas A&M at Alabama (Oct. 22) and Michigan at Ohio State (Nov. 26). That key SEC matchup is coming fast, giving either team an opportunity to put a stranglehold on the West Division and a spot among the top four in the Playoff rankings. The latter needs no explanation.