Heisman Watch
Quarterback Edition
Favorite - Johnny Manziel - Texas A & M - OK, OK, OK - it is time for me to put Manziel here (and end his brief suspension), especially after that fantastic game against number 1 ranked Alabama. Football Johnny threw for 464 yards and 5 TDs, and ran for another 98 yards against the vaunted Crimson Tide defense. On the year Manziel has 11TDs against only 3 interceptions, and is just shy of 1,000 yards.
Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville - A solid, but not stellar performance against Kentucky gives him over 1,000 yards passing on the season, 10 TDs and only 1 interception. Against the remainder of his schedule those numbers should soar.
A.J. McCarron - Alabama - He threw for 334 yards and 4 TDs - against 0 interceptions - in the game against Texas A & M. It sure looks like a 3 way race for All-SEC quarterback this year.
Rising - Joe Southwick - Boise State - 27-29 for 287 yards and 1 TD against Air Force. Almost as interesting of a completion percentage as that of ....
Jameis Winston - Florida State - who has 5 incompletions and 6 TDs on the year. More TDs than incompletions! I assume this will not last all year.
Dark Horse - Blake Bell - Oklahoma - 413 yards and 4 TDs in his first start of the season. Makes you think that perhaps he should have been starting all along, although he is no Lake Bell.
(Still )Falling - Braxton Miller - Ohio State - No MCL, No Heisman.
Running Back Edition
No change this week - why? Nobody really has taken advantage of the fact that their is a dearth of running backs receiving recognition, and thus it only takes someone to step forward. Thus, I am keeping this edition the same until someone makes a huge mark.
Favorite - Todd Gurley - Georgia
Rising - De'Anthony Thomas - Oregon
Sleeper - Andre Williams - Boston College
Wide Receiver Edition
Paul Richardson - Colorado - Due to the flooding, the Buffaloes game against Fresno State has been postponed, but Richardson is still posting up huge numbers. A huge game against Oregon State could put him over the top.
Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He had 8 more catches for 106 yards against South Carolina in a 39-25 defeat. For the season he has 24 catches for 395 yards.
Rising - Mike Evans - Texas A & M - The 6'5" sophomore turned in a huge performance against Alabama with 7 receptions for 279 yards and a 1 TD. He was easily Manziel's go-to-receiver in this game.
Defensive Edition
(No change this week, as no defensive player is truly a standout - yet - like T'eo last year, or like Clowney was expected to be. Although I have my eyes on one particular SEC lineman, who will likely rise if he has a solid game this week).
3. Ik Enempkali - DE - Louisiana Tech - The undersized defensive end leads the NCAAs in sacks, and his name is Ik!
2. Damante Horton - CB - Washington State - 3 interceptions, tied for the NCAA lead, and like I said last week, and anytime you play defense on a Mike Leach coached team - that is something.
1. Za'Darius Smith - DE - Kentucky - Tied for the NCAA lead in sacks.
Player to Watch
Sean Mannion - QB - Oregon State - 1237 yards passing and 12 total TDs passing, leading Oregon State to a 2-1 record. If Oregon State is going to have any chance to beat Oregon or Stanford, or any of the other contenders in the PAC-12, then Mannion will have to keep up his offensive onslaught.
My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman
Blake Bell - QB - Oklahoma - If for now other reason than to show another picture of Lake Bell.
Players of the Week
This section will be more week specific as the season goes forward, but for the first week, it is hard to differentiate the players of the week from the players of the season, as the season has only lasted 1 week.
5. Marcos Mariota - QB - Oregon - See above.
4. Paul James - RB - Rutgers - 192 yards on 21 rushes for three touchdowns in a 28-10 victory over Eastern Michigan.
3. A.J. McCarron - See above.
2. Mike Evans - 279 yards against Alabama!.
1. Johnny Manziel - Football Johnny torched the "vaunted" Alabama defense and thrusted himself back to the top of the Heisman talk. Will need some work to make the SEC championship game with the loss, though.
Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
T.J. Yeldon - His money flipping/throat slashing gesture before halftime was incredibly classless, and he utterly fired up the Aggies in a game that looked well in hand for the Tide.
Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
Bo Pellini - Nebraska - Not only do the Cornhuskers get thoroughly annihilated in the second half on their home turf by UCLA, but Pellini's rant from 2011 against Nebraska fans comes public - along with about 14 F-bombs and F-derivative bombs. Coaches - Just recruit, teach, game plan and coach your teams. Otherwise - SHUT UP!
Predicted BCS Championship Game Match Up
Alabama v. Oregon - Alabama passed the first of its 3 tests, and Oregon is cruising along. LSU and Stanford seem to be the next two big hurdles for the two teams that otherwise seem on a collision course.
Rant(s) of the Week
Rules/Officiating. A Texas A & M defender (whose name I do not recall), had his helmet pushed off of his head by an Alabama offensive lineman, and because he continued chasing after the running back, received a 15 yard penalty. Apparently this is exactly the rule, so this was the correct call. It is a stupid rule, and if a player is dumb enough to continue the play without a helmet, that is his fault. As for officiating, how do the officials think he lost his helmet - illegal hands to the face perhaps? Let's get it straight fellas.
Under Performance of the Week
Nebraska - We all know that long-gone are the days of the "Black Shirts" defense, but what we witnessed Saturday - at Nebraska nonetheless was practically inconceivable. A 31-0 thumping at the hands of UCLA, in just the second half, is the kind of actions that gets coaches fired - either defensive coordinators or head coaches (See Rant).
Last Week's Trivia Answer
Miami Hurricanes Quarterback Brock Berlin. Interesting because the highly heralded Berlin started at Florida, but then transferred to Miami after he could not beat out Rex Grossman for the starting job.
Trivia Question of the Week
Alabama has won 2 BCS titles in a row, and is currently ranked number 1 in its quest for a third. What was the last college to win 3 consecutive championships - and what years?
Match up(s) to Watch
Not a very interesting week, as confirmed by ESPN Gameday's choice of heading to defending two-time FCS champion North Dakota State for their broadcast, but that does not mean that some interesting games do not exist.
5. Savannah State v. Miami - Only to see if Miami covers the 60 point spread.
4. Louisiana-Monroe v. Baylor ULM and/or ULL always seem to put up one or two big wins against ranked teams. Baylor is exciting, and unlikely to fall victim to the upset - but you never know.
3. Arizona State v. Stanford - Oregon and Stanford seem to be on a collision course for the conference championship and possibly even the BCS champhionship, however, Arizona State is one of those teams that can ruin the party for the Cardinals and Ducks.
2. Auburn v. LSU - Its the battle of the SEC Tigers and the chance to keep pace with Alabama for the SEC West crown.
1. Tennessee v. Florida - Because I am going to be there.
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