Week 10 Stock Report: Ohio State proves toughness, Cam Ward Heisman Trophy odds spike, Big 12 chances at a two-bid playoff league

The Saturday Scaries came for Penn State, Texas A&M, Clemson, Iowa State and Kansas State — four teams whose playoff hopes took a big hit this weekend. 

Cam Ward kept Miami’s wild season alive, while a slew of teams we wrote off in September have turned around their seasons. 

Here’s the latest takeaways in the Week 10 Stock Report:

📈STOCK UP — Ohio State’s toughness

Ohio State was about “that action” after all. For years, Ryan Day’s program has been criticized as being too finesse, too cute. Yet in the game’s biggest moments Saturday at Penn State, the Buckeyes took action. 

The tougher team won Saturday in Happy Valley, and while Day didn’t call out an octogenarian afterward like he did last season at Notre Dame, he didn’t have to. 

He let Ohio State’s grit, effort and play speak for itself.  

First, the Buckeyes were down 10-0 in a flash, with a record crowd in a frenzy. And they didn’t blink. Will Howard rebounded from not one but two colossal turnovers.

Then, with the Nittany Lions suddenly showing signs of life, Ohio State bowed up inside the 5 with four straight stops on the goal line — including three Penn State runs inside the 1-yard line. 

And finally, the toughness meter got cranked up to full throttle to end the game. 

Backed up in the shadows of their own goal post, Ohio State ripped off 11 straight runs to bleed out the clock — including converting three short-yardage runs when it entered the game 10th-worst nationally in such scenarios. 

That’s how you answer the bell. That’s how you prove a point. 

The Buckeyes were down to their third-string left tackle, and yet they were able to churn out key yards late — be it Quinshon Judkins’ inside runs or Will Howard QB-power — against one of the premier front sevens in the country. 

The Buckeyes punched the Nittany Lions in the mouth on their final defensive possession, and then they delivered the knockout blows by bullying PSU into submission. 

“To finish that drive the way we did is just going to springboard our physicality, our toughness as we head into the back half of the season,” Day said. 

“These guys won it. One of the things we talked about this week was that in life, you’re going to have these opportunities where you have to go will yourself to win. You have to go take something. You have to find out a way to get that thing done, whether it’s for your family, your career or the game of football. Our guys did that today.” 

They were about that action, alright, and they proved they are capable of physically “taking a game” over. Can they do it again in two weeks against Indiana? Or again in a rematch against Oregon? We’ll find out. 

📈STOCK UP — Cam Ward’s Heisman Trophy odds

Miami is the schizophrenic contender in 2024, but all the Hurricanes’ craziness has allowed Cam Ward to play Captain Planet on a weekly basis. 

As I wrote in our latest Heisman Trophy poll Sunday, “Ward is the Earth, Wind and Fire for Miami’s high-octane offense, throwing for another 400 yards with five touchdowns in a shootout win against Duke. Sure, he had another galling, ‘what are you thinking?’ interception, but he immediately responded with a 66-yard score to salt the game away. Ward is not just some pretender September Heisman Trophy contender.”

The Canes have needed comebacks to beat Va. Tech, Cal, Louisville and Duke — and in all four games they rode Cam Ward’s cape to victory (17 touchdowns to four picks). Ward’s Heisman Trophy candidacy seemed to take a hit last week with a subpar performance against Florida State, but he remains one of the most transcendent players this season. Ward has a realistic chance to throw for 40 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards this season — something 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels didn’t do.

📉STOCK DOWN — A lost season for Nebraska

The longest bowl drought among all Power 4 teams is now in serious danger of being extended, as Nebraska enters its bye week on a sobering three-game losing streak after an embarrassing home-defeat to UCLA. 

Bruins 27. Cornhuskers 20. Another one-score loss. Did Scott Frost ever leave?

A year after going 0-4 in November, Matt Rhule’s team must find a win against USC, Wisconsin or Iowa just to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Rhule called Saturday’s showing “tremendous missed opportunity for us” but it was more than that. 

If Nebraska doesn’t win one more game after starting the year 5-1, that would mean the program would’ve dropped 10-straight games dating back to last season with bowl eligibility on the line. 

That would represent a step-back and a lost season for the Cornhuskers. 

Year 2 was billed as Nebraska’s opportunity to make a statement, but the team remains poorly coached offensively — where 5-star freshman Dylan Raiola has badly regressed over the last month. The OL has struggled and the play-calling is galling. 

With continued woes on special teams and another trio of one-score losses, there are some alarming signs coming from Lincoln right now. 

📈 STOCK UP — Teams we left for dead in September 

As we wrap up the Week 10 Stock Report, how about some shoutouts to teams everyone left for dead in September? 

I’m talking…

• Iowa, which has scored at least 40+ points in three of four games, including back-to-back wins with Brendan Sullivan at quarterback. The Northwestern transfer hasn’t thrown for more than 93 yards, but his legs (98 yards, two touchdowns on 17 carries) have opened up even more running room for Kaleb Johnson to gash opponents. If Kirk Ferentz had made the QB change a month ago (or during the preseason!) like he should have, Iowa would be a sneaky dark horse Big Ten contender and playoff hopeful right now. 

• Minnesota, which has quietly won four in a row to move to 6-3. The Gophers won at No. 24 Illinois on Saturday, with Darius Taylor again leading the way with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown. Minnesota was 2-3 before it upset then-No. 11 USC, and PJ Fleck’s program has just rattled off wins since. They’re now bowl-eligible and have eclipsed their preseason win total. Considering two of their three losses are by a total of five points, they have a chance to snipe Penn State at home in two weeks, and Rutgers and Wisconsin are both very winnable, too. 

• Baylor, which is suddenly just a win short of bowl eligibility after a game-winning field goal to upset TCU on Saturday. Dave Aranda continues to win his way off the hot seat. The Bears started 2-4, with the devastating Hail Mary loss to Colorado. But they’ve won three straight, and Aranda’s team is filled with a lot of promising, young playmakers — led by freshman tailback Bryson Washington, who had 196 yards and four touchdowns against the Horned Frogs. 

• Finally, some G5 love for Colorado State (4-0 in Mountain West play after starting the season 2-3), Miami of OH (a MAC contender again after ending September 1-4) and Jacksonville State (how about Rich Rodriguez’s team, getting off the mat after a 0-3 start to win five in a row to top the CUSA standings. They have one of the best G5 tailbacks in Tre Stewart, who has 914 yards and 16 touchdowns this season). 

📉 STOCK DOWN — The Big 12’s chances at a two-bid league

Iowa State and Kansas State both suffered bad, upset losses to unranked teams Saturday, potentially thwarting the Big 12’s chances at getting more than one team in the College Football Playoff. 

The league is now down to just one undefeated team (No. 9 BYU, which will be favored in all four of its remaining games). 

The Cyclones could finish 11-1, but that could mean zero wins over ranked teams. That resume isn’t going to get it done against some SEC and Big Ten peers. 

Kansas State needs help just to make the Big 12 Championship now. Colorado also needs help to get to Dallas, but if Deion Sanders’ team can win out (meaning a 10-2 regular season) and then upset a 12-0 BYU, both teams could crack the 12-team field. 

The Big 12 is really rooting for the Cougs to take care of business over the next month + hope like hell for SMU, whom BYU beat 18-15 in Dallas, to keep winning, too.