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Iowa upset makes Michigan the final casualty in CFP top four

Graham Watson

Down goes No. 3 Michigan.

On a day where upsets of top teams were rampant, the Wolverines were not immune. Iowa, a team that has struggled all season, kicked a game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the Wolverines 14-13 and throw the College Football Playoff in complete chaos.

Just hours earlier, No. 2 Clemson had lost to Pittsburgh on a last-second field goal, and just prior to Michigan’s loss, No. 20 USC had soundly beaten No. 4 Washington. It was easily the most devastating day in recent college football history as Nos. 2, 3, and 4 had not lost on the same day since Oct. 19, 1985.

What’s worse is Michigan looked like it had the game won.

With less than two minutes remaining, Michigan’s Channing Stribling picked off quarterback C.J. Beathard in what looked like a game-sealing play. However, the Wolverines tried to run down clock by handing the ball off, but Iowa had all of its timeouts and Wilton Speight’s pass on third down was over his receiver, which stopped the clock.

Iowa upsets Michigan at home 14-13. (AP)
Iowa upsets Michigan at home 14-13. (AP)

Michigan punted and was called for a facemask on the return, which set the Hawkeyes up on the Michigan 36.

A 10-yard screen pass put Iowa in field goal position and then Beathard, who looked like he’d be the goat, ran eight yards on a keeper up the middle to get a first down and give the Hawkeyes what amounted to a chip-shot field goal.

Five teams in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings lost on Saturday. Of the teams in the top four, Michigan was the only program to lose on the road. The loss opens the door for No. 10 Penn State, which escaped Indiana on Saturday. The Nittany Lions will not only be in play for the Big Ten East title, but also potentially a spot in the College Football Playoff.

It’s hard to know where the Wolverines will land when the next rankings are announced Tuesday. The College Football Playoff committee has been inconsistent with how far teams fall following losses. Still, this will open the door for the four teams not named Alabama that survived the top-10 purge in Week 11.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!