The Huddle: The other team from Washington is doing pretty well too

Each week during the season, visit “The Huddle” for the latest in college football news, notes, conversation and opinion.

This is notable

Washington State started the season with losses against Eastern Washington and Boise State, but for the first time since 2002 the Cougars are 6-0 in Pac-12 Conference play. They made their debut in the College Football Playoff ranking at No. 25 last week, moved up to No. 23 this week and will have a chance against California on Saturday to improve to 7-0 in conference for the first time.

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Michigan State and Rutgers are the only remaining teams in the Big Ten Conference that have not won a league game, but one will break through when they play Saturday. The Spartans are 2-7 overall, 0-6 in the Big Ten and have lost seven consecutive games for the first time since 1982. Rutgers, also 2-7, 0-6, has lost six straight.

That was tweet

“Thank you all for the prayers. … everything is good and I’m glad to be back with my team. Also thank you @OhioStateFB and the fans.”

— Tommy Armstrong Jr. (@Tommy_Gun4)

The Nebraska quarterback was knocked unconscious against Ohio State on Saturday and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. He returned to the the sideline after being evaluated and Nebraska said that no concussion symptoms were found.

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“Lamar Jackson … you one bad dude ! #heisman”

— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor)

Jackson, Louisville’s quarterback, passed for four touchdowns and rushed for three more in a victory over Boston College and Pryor, a former Ohio State quarterback turned Cleveland Browns receiver, took notice. Jackson remains the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. The sophomore has passed for 26 touchdowns with six interceptions and rushed for 1,181 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Hot off the presser

“I love his attitude, he attacks each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. I model my behavior by him. What a great employee he is. He is a go-getter, he’s always got a bounce in his step. He’s got pizzazz, he puts his heart and soul into making those patties. I think he’s awesome.”

— Jim Harbaugh

The Michigan coach could only be talking about one guy. Yes, SpongeBob SquarePants. Finding time to watch Nickelodeon and coach the Wolverines to a 9-0 record? Harbaugh really can do it all.

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“I hate that I didn’t think of it first.”

— Hugh Freeze

The Mississippi coach, and every other college football coach, is typically at least one step behind Alabama Coach Nick Saban. In yet another forward-thinking move, Saban brought back former Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson, the third pick in the 2012 NFL draft, to play the scout team role of Louisiana State’s Leonard Fournette. The Tide stuffed Fournette, shut out LSU, and Saban remains the envy of college coaches.

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“I am not naive to understand what the driving forces are. I get it. That doesn’t mean I like it.”

— Pat Fitzgerald

Despite the television revenue it will generate, the Northwestern coach said he did not agree with the Big Ten’s decision to begin scheduling games on Friday nights that were traditionally held sacred for high schools. So is it a coincidence the conference has Northwestern as the only team to play not one but two Friday night games in 2017?

Fresh out the Pac

Finally, a Pac-12 Conference game to get excited about.

Washington, 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference, moved into the CFP bracket at No. 4 after a lopsided victory over California and Texas A&M’s loss to Mississippi State.

USC, 6-3, 5-2, made its CFP ranking debut at No. 20 after winning a fifth consecutive game.

The Trojans have the opportunity Saturday to not only pull off an upset at Husky Stadium, but continue their uphill climb toward a potential Pac-12 South Division title.

“USC is right back to USC,” Huskies Coach Chris Petersen said. “You just watch the tape, this is across-the-board really good.”

The Trojans, with Sam Darnold at quarterback, have generated more than 500 yards in total offense in each of the last five games, but the Huskies have the nation’s second-ranked scoring offense and 11th-ranked scoring defense.

My Thiry

The College Football Playoff committee must find a more consistent way to rank teams.

It makes little sense that LSU dropped 11 spots, from No. 13 to No. 24, in this week’s CFP ranking after a 10-point loss to top-ranked Alabama.

The committee said last week that Texas A&M, then 7-1, was deserving of the fourth spot over undefeated Washington because of the Aggies’ strength of schedule and their only loss coming against the Crimson Tide.

LSU earned an initial No. 13 ranking despite early-season losses to Wisconsin and Auburn. Based on last week’s justifications, the Tigers’ ranking shouldn’t plunge after a loss to Alabama, yet it did.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M lost to unranked Mississippi State, a team that had a losing record, but only fell only four spots, from No. 4 to No. 8.

The Bowl Championship Series methodology was flawed, but until the committee is more reliable in its rationale, this system won’t be much better.

lindsey.thiry@latimes.com

Follow Lindsey Thiry on Facebook and Twitter @LindseyThiry