Saturday marked the penultimate weekend of college football’s regular season. It is known as “Statement Saturday.” With that theme in mind, here are the statements some of the teams made with one week left to play.
“So long, Top 25. It’s been fun.” The collective statements of No. 20 Central Florida (17-14 losers to Navy), No. 22 Oklahoma State (28-13 losers to Oklahoma) and No. 24 North Carolina State (25-10 losers to Louisville).
kAm“(6’C6 C:89E 369:?5 J@F[ 3@JD]” }@] `c ~=6 |:DD[ ca\`f =@D6CD E@ pC<2?D2D[ 2>:5DE CF>@CD E92E E96:C 4@249[ {2?6 z:77:?[ :D pF3FC?\3@F?5] W}@E6 E@ {2?6i J@F >:89E H2?E E@ 2D< %6CCJ q@H56?[ %@>>J %F36CG:==6[ v6?6 r9:K:<[ vFD |2=K29? 2?5 qCJ2? w2CD:? 9@H E96:C 8:8D 2D w625 (2C t28=6 6?565 FA 7:CDEX]k^Am
kAm“(2:E 7@C FDP” }@] `b }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ a`\`f =@D6CD E@ v6@C8:2 %649 27E6C E96 *6==@H y24<6ED C64@G6C65 7C@> DA@EE:?8 E96 %2C w66=D E96 7:CDE `f A@:?ED @7 E96 82>6] tI4:E65 23@FE E96 FA4@>:?8 prr r92>A:@?D9:A A:EE:?8 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 282:?DE r=6>D@?n *629[ >6 ?6:E96C]k^Am
kAm“w@H 23@FE E96> 7:6=5 8@2=Dn” }@] b |:49:82?[ H:??:?8 H:E9 2 =2DE\>:?FE6 7:6=5 8@2= — 2?5 7@FCE9 @7 E96 82>6 — :? E96:C `h\`f H:? @G6C x==:?@:D]k^Am
kAm“w@H 23@FE E92E 7:6=5 8@2=n” }@] c %r&[ 27E6C 2 7C2?E:4 <:5D\5@?’E\ECJ\E9:D\2E\9@>6 =2DE\>:?FE6 5C:G6 E92E 4@?4=F565 H:E9 2 82>6\H:??:?8 7:6=5 8@2= H:E9 ?@ E:>6 =67E @? E96 4=@4<[ :? 2 ah\ag G:4E@CJ @G6C q2J=@C]k^Am
kAm“qC:?8 @? E96 E62> 7C@> FA ?@CE9]” }@] a ~9:@ $E2E6[ 27E6C 2 7=FCCJ @7 D4@C:?8 :? E96 =2DE BF2CE6C 42CC:65 E96> E@ 2 cb\b_ H:? @G6C |2CJ=2?5[ 8:G:?8 E96> 2 C64@C5 @7 ``\_ E@ >2E49 E96 E62> E96J H6C6 C676CC:?8 E@ 2?5 >66E ?6IE H66< :? r@=F>3FD[ }@] b |:49:82?]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 :D ?@ ECFE9 E@ E96 CF>@C E92E @FC `aE9 >2? :D 23@FE E@ 6?E6C E96 EC2?D76C A@CE2=]” %6I2D pU2>Aj|[ >@>6?ED 27E6C E96:C a_\b H:? @G6C |2DD249FD6EED W`\`_X 6?565 2 D:I\82>6 =@D:?8 DEC62<]k^Am
kAm“$@CCJ 7@C 3@E96C:?8 J@F[ !=2J@77 r@>>:EE66] (6’== 36 8@:?8 ?@H]” }@] b %6??6DD66[ H6== 367@C6 E96:C 82>6 H2D @G6C :? H92E H2D F=E:>2E6=J 2 eb\bd AF>>6=:?8 3J $@FE9 r2C@=:?2] *6D[ E96 D2>6 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 E92E 92D DEF4< 3J BF2CE6C324< $A6?46C #2EE=6C E9C@F89@FE E96 D62D@?] #2EE=6C E9C6H 7@C D:I E@F495@H?D 282:?DE %6??6DD66[ 3C:?8:?8 9:D D62D@? E@E2= E@ `c %sD 2?5 ?:?6 :?E6C46AE:@?D] $:?46 #2EE=6C’D %s 4@F?E C624965 `_ 367@C6 9:D :?E6C46AE:@? E@E2=[ 96 H:== C6>2:? 369:?5 46?E6C 282:?DE r=6>D@? ?6IE H66< 2?5[ 32CC:?8 :?;FCJ[ :? E96:C 3@H= 82>6 — J6D[ E96J H:== 36 :? 2 3@H= 82>6 — 2D H6==]k^Am
kAm“(6 A=2J65 ;FDE =:<6 E96 a_`h {$& %:86CD]” $@FE9 r2C@=:?2[ DA62<:?8 E96 23D@=FE6 ECFE9 27E6C 5:D>2?E=:?8 E96 '@=D — 2?5 62C?:?8 E96 8C2E:EF56 @7 $tr 72?D 6G6CJH96C6 7@C AFEE:?8 2 >FKK=6 @? #@4<J %@A 7@C E96 C6DE @7 E96 a_aa D62D@?]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 :D 2 G6CJ C62= A@DD:3:=:EJ E92E H6 H:== 36 E96 7:CDE D49@@= E@ 7:C6 2? :?E6C:> 4@249]” r@=@C25@[ 27E6C =@D:?8 :ED 7:7E9 82>6 :? 2 C@H F?56C |:<6 $2?7@C5[ H9@ 3682? E96 D62D@? 2D @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C] %96 qF77D[ ?@H `\`_[ 92G6 2==@H65 cf` A@:?ED E9:D D62D@? H9:=6 D4@C:?8 ;FDE `ec] pG6C286 >2C8:? @7 56762En u@FC E@F495@H?D]k^Am
kAm“|2C:@ rC:DE@32=n w6’D @? EC24< E@ 364@>6 E96 ?6IE $4@EE uC@DE]” |:2>: 72?D[ 27E6C 2 c_\`_ =@DD E@ }@] h r=6>D@? 5C@AA65 E96:C D62D@? C64@C5 E@ d\e F?56C E96 H2E49 @7 E96:C 7:CDE J62C 4@249] uC@DE[ J@F >2J C6>6>36C[ C6EFC?65 E@ 9:D 2=>2 >2E6C[ }63C2D<2[ E@ C6DE@C6 E96 AC@8C2> E@ AC@>:?6?46] x?DE625[ 96 H2D 7:C65 ;FDE E9C66 82>6D :?E@ 9:D 7:7E9 D62D@? 27E6C 4@>A:=:?8 2 C64@C5 @7 `e\b` H:E9 E96 r@C?9FD<6CD]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 ?@ EC@F3=6 A2J:?8 E96 7:?6] %96 72?D 56D6CG65 E@ 46=63C2E6]” '2?56C3:=E[ 27E6C E96 DE2?5D 6>AE:65 2?5 E96:C 72?D — 2== `a @7 E96> — DE@C>65 E96 7:6=5 @?46 E96 r@>>@5@C6D 4@?4=F565 E96:C ag\a` G:4E@CJ @G6C E96 u=@C:52 v2E@CD]k^Am
kAm“%92?< 8@@5?6DD 7@C z6?EF4<J] ~E96CH:D6[ '2?56C3:=E H@F=5 92G6 6?565 E96:C EH6?EJ\$t't} 82>6 $tr =@D:?8 DEC62< 282:?DE FD]” %96 6?E:C6 v2E@C }2E:@?[ C676CC:?8 E@ E96 r@>>@5@C6D G:4E@CJ @G6C E96 (:=542ED 2 H66< 28@]k^Am
kAm“%92E H2D E96 >@DE 5:D2AA@:?E:?8 A6C7@C>2?46 3J 2 u=@C:52 v2E@C E62> :? d_ J62CD]” |6[ 27E6C E96 82>6 x ;FDE >6?E:@?65] x 92G6 >J 5@F3ED 7:CDE\J62C 4@249 q:==J }2A:6C H:== =2DE 2D =@?8 2D qCJ2? w2CD:? 5:5 2E pF3FC?] p?5 567:?:E6=J ?@E 2D =@?8 2D $4@EE uC@DE 2D }63C2D<2]k^Am
kAm“%92?< 8@@5?6DD 7@C Wu=@C:52 BF2CE6C324<X p?E9@?J #:492C5D@?] ~E96CH:D6 Wz6?EF4<J BF2CE6C324<X (:== {6G:D H@F=5 36 E96 >@DE @G6CC2E65 2?5 @G6C9JA65 BF2CE6C324< :? E96 ?2E:@?]” %96 4@==64E:G6 E9@F89E 3F33=6 @7 6G6CJ D:?8=6 z6?EF4<J (:=542E 72? 27E6C 2 5:D>2= 2?5 F?:?DA:C65 `e\e =@DD E@ }@] ` v6@C8:2] x7 E96J’C6 ?@E E9:?<:?8 E92E[ E96J D9@F=5 36]k^Am
kAm“%96 52> :D 23@FE E@ 3FDE]” |6[ C676CC:?8 E@ H92E =:6D 29625 7@C E96 }@] ` E62> :? E96 4@F?ECJ 27E6C 2 C2E96C 3=2Dé A6C7@C>2?46 3J :ED @776?D6 :? E96:C ?2CC@H H:? @G6C z6?EF4<J]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 8@@5 E@ 92G6 E96 H66< @77 367@C6 E96 xC@? q@H=]” }@] g p=232>2[ 27E6C 8@:?8 E9C@F89 E96 >@E:@?D 282:?DE pFDE:? !62J WJ6E H:??:?8 E96 82>6 3J 2 D4@C6 @7 bc\_X ;FDE D6G6? 52JD 367@C6 E96:C 82>6 282:?DE 92E65 C:G2= pF3FC?]k^Am
kAm“x7 H6 H:? @FE[ H6 H:== 36 :? E96 A=2J@77D] }@ 5@F3E 23@FE :E]” }@] f &$r[ 27E6C 2 E9C:==:?8 cg\cd G:4E@CJ @G6C :?DE2E6 C:G2= W}@] `eX &r{p] W!6CD@?2==J[ x E6?5 E@ 28C66 H:E9 E96>[ 6DA64:2==J D:?46 %6??6DD66 92D ?@H 366? >@G65 E@ E96 324< 3FC?6CX]k^Am
kAm(:E9 @?6 H66< =67E[ :E’D ?@E E@@ 62C=J 7@C 2 4@FA=6 @7 AC65:4E:@?Dik^Am
kAm`] %96 w6:D>2? H:== 4@>6 5@H? E@ EH@ A=2J6CDik^Am
kAm♦ ~9:@ $E2E6 BF2CE6C324< r]y] $EC@F5i `ge 7@C aff WefTX 7@C a[fd_ J2C5D 2?5 bc E@F495@H?D 2?5 7@FC :?E6C46AE:@?D]k^Am
kAm♦ &$r BF2CE6C324< r2=63 (:==:2>Di a`g 7@C bca WecTX 7@C b[_`_ J2C5D 2?5 b` E@F495@H?D 2?5 EH@ :?E6C46AE:@?D] w6 92D 2=D@ CFD965 7@C D:I E@F495@H?D W$EC@F5 92D ?@?6X]k^Am
kAmpE E96 >@>6?E[ E96 6586 8@6D E@ $EC@F5 3J G:CEF6 @7 9:D E62>’D A6C764E C64@C5 W&$r 92D @?6 =@DD[ 3J @?6 A@:?E E@ &E29 @? E96 C@25X] %9:?8D 4@F=5 492?86 ?6IE H66<6?5[ 9@H6G6C[ H96? ~9:@ $E2E6 32EE=6D }@] b |:49:82? 2?5 &$r E2<6D @? }@] `g }@EC6 s2>6]k^Am
kAma] pD 7@C E96 7@FC A=2J@77 E62>D[ E96J H:== 36 — D9@F=5 2== @7 E96> H:? @FE — v6@C8:2[ ~9:@ $E2E6 W@C |:49:82?[ 3FE x 5@F3E :EX[ %r& 2?5 &$r]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ :7 {$& H:?D E96 $tr r92>A:@?D9:A WH9:49 x 5@?’E 5@F3EX[ E9:?8D H:== 36 2? 23D@=FE6 >6DD]k^Am
kAm%92E x 92G6 ?@ 5@F3E 23@FE]k^Am