College football rankings, grades: Georgia earns 'A+' while Florida State gets 'C-' in Week 11 report card

It's time to grade the College Football Playoff contenders that stood out and struggled in Week 11

By Barrett Sallee

Nov 12, 2023 at 10:24 am ET • 3 min read

USATSI

Week 11 of the college football season in the books, and the list of teams in contention for the national title has condensed to just a few powers looking to close things out in style.

Michigan has been criticized all season for its lack of a competitive schedule, but that changed on Saturday in its emphatic 24-15 road win over Penn State. That capped off a tumultuous week in which coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten for the remainder of the regular season due to the NCAA's ongoing sign-stealing investigation. In fact, the Wolverines didn't know Harbaugh's status until Saturday morning when a court delayed a hearing from the school for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed Harbaugh to coach in the game.

Georgia also had no problem with Ole Miss. The Bulldogs offense lit up the Rebels in the 52-17 win and extended the two-time reigning national champion's winning streak to 27 games.

So, how did the College Football Playoff National Championship contenders grade out throughout Week 11? It's time to check out the report card for every top team with odds of +15000 better heading into Saturday's action.

Odds via SportsLine consensus.

College football grades: Week 11 report card

Odds	Grade	Analysis
23/10	A+	Remember when the knock against Michigan was a weak schedule? Well, the Wolverines put that narrative to bed with a resounding 24-15 win over Penn State by calling 32 straight runs to close out the Nittany Lions. Harbaugh's suspension has ushered in a "Michigan vs. the world" rallying cry from the team, and the world got a heavy dose of it in Happy Valley.
5/2	A+	Georgia won the SEC East as a result of Tennessee's loss to Missouri and essentially took a four-quarter victory lap in the 52-17 win over Ole Miss. The Bulldogs got a tremendous performance from quarterback Carson Beck, who threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns.
6-1	C-	Florida State struggled mightily against a reeling Miami team that started freshman Emory Williams over Tyler Van Dyke. The Seminoles gave up nine tackles for loss and were just 3 of 12 on third down. Yeah, it was a rivalry game, but it was way too close for comfort.
15/2	A	Ohio State dominated Michigan State 38-3 in a phenomenal game from wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The superstar caught two touchdown passes, ran in another one and became the first player in school history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The only reason that the Buckeyes don't get an A+ is because the Spartans are in a rough spot this season.
8-1	A	Alabama went on the road and dominated Kentucky from the outset in the 49-21 win. Quarterback Jalen Milroe accounted for six touchdowns (three passing, three rushing) in another sizzling performance for the first-year starter. The defense gave up just 253 yards and notched nine tackles for loss in one of the Crimson Tide's most complete games of the season.
10-1	B	Quarterback Bo Nix went off with 412 yards passing and four touchdowns in a 36-27 win over USC. That will check even more boxes in his Heisman Trophy campaign. However, the Trojans put on a little bit of a charge in the fourth quarter. Championship-caliber teams close out lesser competition, so that will knock the Ducks down to a B.
12-1	A	Washington topped Utah in one of the biggest games of the season for the Huskies. It looked like it was going to be another track meet, but the much-maligned defense tightened up and didn't allow the Utes to dent the scoreboard in the second half. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns to keep his team in the College Football Playoff hunt.
16-1	C+	Things got sketchy down the stretch in Texas' 29-26 win over TCU; the Longhorns were outscored 20-3 in the fourth quarter. The silver lining is that quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 317 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from a sprained throwing shoulder.
80-1	C+	Penn State's 24-15 loss to Michigan wasn't as close as the score indicated. The Nittany Lions were 4 of 14 on third down and quarterback Drew Allar only completed 45% of his passes for 70 yards in a stagnant performance in front of the home crowd. They were a long shot to win the national title going in, but now they have no shot.
150-1	C-	Louisville needs a lot of style points to get into the CFP, much less be considered a true national title contenders. The Cardinals didn't get them in the 31-24 win over 20-point underdog Virginia. The Cavaliers ripped off 21 straight points to take a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, but two touchdowns over the final seven minutes got the job done for coach Jeff Brohm's squad.