College football picks: Coaches know all too well seasons can turn against most unlikely opponents

Several college football matchups witnessed on Saturday featured teams in the AP Top 25 that had seasons derailed by an unexpected defeat against opponents they once dominated. Ohio State, for example, has triumphed seven times in the last eight games and 15 out of 17 against Iowa. However, Head Coach Ryan Day vividly recalls the 2017 Iowa City encounter when the Hawkeyes suffered a 55-24 setback to a third-ranked Buckeyes team, while serving as Urban Meyer’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

He underlined that this particular contest has no practical benefit for their current preparations, except to remind them of the challenge of playing at Kinnick Stadium.

Georgia has secured six consecutive wins and 25 of their last 28 games against Vanderbilt, but the 17-16 home loss to the Commodores remains etched in the memory of Kirby Smart’s inaugural season. The loss also marked a turning point for the team, propelling them to the national championship game the following year and culminating in two titles.

Notre Dame has a record of 11 wins out of 12 against North Carolina, with five straight victories since the pivotal 29-24 defeat in 2008 that initiated Charlie Weis’ downfall as coach. The Fighting Irish began their game against the Tar Heels at 4-1 and aimed to rebound from a disastrous 2007 season, ultimately witnessing an 11-20 decline that led to Weis' dismissal the following year.

Notably, the University of Notre Dame faced North Carolina 4-1 and sought to recuperate from a disastrous three-win 2007 season, ultimately witnessing an 11-20 decline that led to Weis' dismissal the following year.