Final Whistle: Promise unfulfilled for Charlie Strong, Texas

As we consider the end of Charlie Strong’s star-crossed tenure at Texas, flash back to a moment when the possibilities seemed wide open. Way back on Sept. 4, Texas edged Notre Dame in what seemed at the time to be an important pivot point for the program.

The Longhorns beat the Irish in double overtime, in prime time, a Sunday night window all to themselves to showcase a freshman quarterback running a potent new offense, a program finally headed back toward relevance. Afterward, Strong crowd-surfed atop his celebrating players. When he finally left the field, he stopped for a quick chat and a hug from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

“They’ve been hungry for this,” Abbott told USA TODAY Sports moments later, adding: “It feels like a championship.”

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Fast-forward to Saturday, when Texas played uninspired football in Lawrence, Kan., lost an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter and then lost a whole lot more in overtime. The Jayhawks celebrated wildly — their first Big 12 victory in 20 tries, their first win over an FBS opponent since 2014. The Longhorns — well, they dropped to 5-6. Strong dropped to 16-20 in three seasons.

It did not feel like a championship. It felt like the end. 

Though there had been signs in recent weeks that Strong might make it to next season — it’s clear the Texas administration wanted him to succeed — losing to Kansas was too much. It was no longer if, but when Strong would be let go. Though multiple reports Sunday said a decision has been made, Texas athletics director Mike Perrin denied it, saying in a statement: "I've said all along, we will evaluate the body of work after the regular season. We have a game to get ready for against TCU on Friday, and I hope our fans will come out and support our team. We'll discuss where things stand after that."

After Saturday's loss, Strong said, “It was there for us.”

He was referring to a win that slipped away, but it works in the bigger picture, as well. Like against Kansas, the Longhorns under Strong were unable to seize opportunity. For whatever reasons, they never capitalized.

We could talk about how it took far too long for Strong to commit to an offensive philosophy (and whether he should have just stuck with his preference, anyway, recruited to fit his system and played a style that would have been a changeup in the fastball Big 12). We could debate all sorts of disastrous decisions and point to plenty of critical moments when the ball just bounced funny, frankly, or else things might have gone differently.

Instead, reflect on that win against Notre Dame. We’ve known for a while that, as it turned out, beating the Irish wasn’t exactly a huge deal. This season, just about everyone has done it. Winning that night might have felt like a championship, but like several other flashes the last three seasons (beating Oklahoma in 2015, as another example), it didn’t signal much of anything.

But it’s not wrong to suggest this much: It was there for Strong and the Longhorns that night. They couldn’t do anything with the moment.

BUFFALOES KEEP ROLLING

There’s been enough chaos in the last two weeks that the possibility of a two-loss participant in the College Football Playoff not only isn’t outlandish, it’s trending toward likely. Which leads to the debate: Wisconsin? Penn State? Oklahoma? Oklahoma State (see below)?

But why not Colorado?

The Buffs (9-2) just keep winning — and they’re threatening to jump from a cool comeback story to something much bigger. Saturday, they pulled away from Washington State in the second half to win 38-24, showcasing the grit that’s gotten them this far.

“The buy-in is bigger than the chip,” coach Mike MacIntyre told reporters afterward (MacIntyre has to be a leading candidate for national coach of the year honors). “The chip is within their heart and soul. They believe in each other.”

But frankly, focusing on the team’s toughness is selling them short. Colorado has a playmaking offense led by senior quarterback Sefo Liufau (345 passing yards, 108 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and junior running back Phillip Lindsay (144 yards rushing, two touchdowns) that piled up 603 yards Saturday. It’s not giving enough credit to a good defense that clamped down in the fourth quarter to shut down Mike Leach’s powerful offense.

Win out, and Colorado would have added wins against Utah this week and either Washington or Washington State in the Pac-12 championship. Their losses were at Michigan in a competitive game and 21-17 at USC, which is playing as well as any team in the country.

All of which is only to say: If anyone’s paying attention, the Buffs pass the eye test. As a two-loss Pac-12 champion, Colorado would have a very nice résumé.

Ohio State favored by 7.5 points over Michigan

THE GAME IS HUGE AGAIN

Neither Michigan nor Ohio State was especially impressive Saturday, but both did what they had to do to set the stage for the most important meeting between the arch-rivals in 10 years.

It’s not quite 2006, when the Wolverines and Buckeyes met with people calling for a rematch in the BCS championship. A few weeks back, it seemed very possible both teams could reach the Playoff, but that was before Ohio State lost at Penn State and Michigan lost at Iowa.

There won’t be a rematch. But when Michigan pulled away from Indiana and Ohio State eeked past Michigan State, both teams’ Playoff hopes remained very much alive, and we were assured of this much: The Game will mean more in terms of national stakes than it has in a very long time. The winner knocks a rival out of the race.

WINS ... AND LOSSES YOU THINK ARE WINS

The annual Bedlam matchup Dec. 3 between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will again function as a de facto Big 12 championship game. And while it still appears reaching the College Football Playoff is a long shot for either the Sooners or Cowboys, they’re at least positioned for a bid if a little more chaos occurs.

All of which means we’re in for two weeks of hearing Mike Gundy talk about how that loss to Central Michigan, well, it’s not a loss.

Mike Gundy sees Oklahoma State as 10-win team despite the 9-2 record

The Chippewas won 30-27 Sept. 10 on an untimed down. Oklahoma State was penalized for intentional grounding on a fourth-down pass, but by rule the game should not have been extended. Central Michigan scored on a 51-yard pass-and-lateral to win.

The play should never have happened. But it did. And another rule comes into play here: “When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final” (Rule 1-3-b).

Just don’t try to tell Gundy that. After beating TCU on Saturday, Gundy essentially congratulated his team for a 10-win season (the Cowboys are 9-2), and added:

“No one will ever convince me that we didn’t get the win.”

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops played along Saturday night, saying of the Cowboys: “In my eyes, they’ve only got one loss, if you play by the rules. They review everything else out here. They review a first down. You couldn’t review if that play should’ve been allowed or not?”

They could have. But they didn’t. Afterward, the on-field officials from the MAC and the replay officials from the Big 12 were suspended. But once the game went final — when the referee declared the game ended — the result was final.

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If if we take selection committee chairman Kirby Hocutt at his word from last week, it’ll be “viewed as a loss.” But Gundy suggested Hocutt is “playing poker and … they see us as a 10-win team. That’s just my opinion.”

Whether it’s anyone else’s opinion, we’ll see. It won’t come into play unless Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma. Then? It becomes very interesting.

It’s hard to gin up a tremendous amount of sympathy considering 1) no one at Oklahoma State appeared to be aware of the rule in the moment, and 2) the Cowboys gave up a touchdown from midfield on that final play.

It’s also likely the committee wouldn’t look too favorably on a back-and-forth battle with a mediocre MAC team. And if they’re going to dive into the details, they might want to look at the egregious holding on the Cowboys’ go-ahead TD; they were flagged, but it was picked up.

In that case, why not consider bad calls and no-calls and other quirks from earlier in games? Stoops noted a 2006 loss at Oregon after a botched replay review in the final minutes — not seconds, minutes — and said, “I had one of those I count myself with one extra victory … so my record book’s a little different than everyone else’s.”

But in taking up for Oklahoma State, Stoops made the opposite point: To consider the loss to be a win would open Pandora’s box.

College football's Week 12 winners and losers

Oklahoma State’s resume might not stand up, anyway, to other potential Playoff participants. The Cowboys’ other loss (to Baylor) seemingly gets worse each week, as the Bears’ season (and record) spirals downward. And one loss or two, the Big 12’s poor non-conference showing and general perception of mediocrity has that league’s champion — Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, either one — at the back of the Playoff line, hoping for chaos.

But at least until the game is played (and if Oklahoma State wins, until the Playoff bracket is set), expect to hear a lot more about the win that wasn’t.

STILL BIG

Until Auburn’s loss to Georgia, the Iron Bowl seemed like it might have stakes approaching Ohio State-Michigan. Now, Alabama is assured of winning the SEC West; Auburn (8-3) is reduced to spoiler, even though it’s unclear what would really be spoiled (even with a loss, you can probably go ahead and write the Crimson Tide into the Playoff bracket).

After beating Alabama A&M 55-0 on Saturday in a tune-up, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was asked for his first impression of Alabama:

“Obviously, they are undefeated,” Malzahn said. “They are very talented. That’s really my first impression.”

Hard to argue with him.

THREE TO WATCH

Michigan at Ohio State (Noon Saturday, ABC): The most important meeting between old rivals since 2006. The winner might be headed to the Playoff. The loser is out of the mix.

Auburn at Alabama (3:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS): Alabama has already clinched the SEC West and probably a spot in the Playoff, too. But that doesn’t make the rivalry any less bitter — or riveting.

Washington at Washington State (3:30 Friday, Fox): The Apple Cup will decide the Pac-12 North — and for Washington, Playoff hopes are on the line, too.

QUOTABLE

“They got what they deserved. It should have been worse.” — Florida coach Jim McElwain after the Gators beat LSU in a game rescheduled because of Hurricane Matthew and moved from Gainesville, Fla., to Baton Rouge at LSU officials’ insistence.

“I love him, but … that’s not our decision. We can’t make that decision. It’s the AD and all the men up there.” — Texas safety DeShon Elliott on the future of Longhorns coach Charlie Strong

Snap judgments from college football's Week 12

QUICK KICKS

► USC has those three losses and needs a Colorado loss to even reach the Pac-12 championship game. The Trojans won’t make the Playoff. But would you want to play them?

► Houston’s win Thursday against Louisville highlighted what the Cougars are capable of when healthy — and showed just how much they missed out on. Instead of a bid for the Playoff from the Group of Five, they won’t even play in a New Year’s Six bowl. That’s reserved for the highest ranked conference champion; Houston will finish behind Navy in the American Athletic Conference’s West Division.

► Who gets the New Year’s Six nod? It’s still up for grabs. Western Michigan has to be the odds-on favorite, but the eventual Mountain West champion could snatch the bid away — and that’s only if Boise State finds its way into the league title game and wins it.

► Very nice win for Oregon at Utah — but whether it has deeper meaning remains unclear. The upset, which came on a last-second touchdown pass, is the kind of result you’d think might have some sway when the Ducks’ decision-makers determine whether to keep coach Mark Helfrich or let him go. But the calculus remains the same: Do they believe Helfrich can get Oregon back to the top of the Pac-12, a consistent contender for the College Football Playoff? The Ducks finish the season with Oregon State.

► Much of the focus on Kansas’ 24-21 overtime victory against Texas has been on the future of Longhorns coach Charlie Strong. But don’t miss the magnitude of the win for the Jayhawks, who beat an FBS opponent for the first time in more than two years and snapped a 19-game losing streak in Big 12 play. It was a huge moment for second-year coach David Beaty and a program that has struggled for years, preceding Beaty, to find any footing at all.

“Going toe-to-toe with those guys and coming up with a victory, I think it says a lot about the direction our program is headed,” Beaty told the Kansas City Star.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEEK 12