The Ole College Try

 

This is why we love football.  Even during a week in which there are not very many marquee matchups, three of the unbeaten fall.  Always something exciting going on, and I am here to try to recapture some of it.

Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - Many expected Miami to struggle against a Pittsburgh defense that many think is the best in the NCAA, which it certainly is against the run.  How did Miami and Mensah fare in their first week occupying the number 1 spot in the polls?  Miami won 52-23, and all Mensah did was go 31/37 for 387 yards and 4 TDs.  Easily the highest ranked QB in the Heisman watch.

Rising - Keelon Russell - Alabama - This freshman is GOOD!!!  He went 19/30 for 311 yards and 3 TDs as Alabama bounced back to defeat Texas A&M 31-20.  He does not have much margin-for-error, however, as a third loss likely knocks the Crimson Tide out of the playoffs.

Sleeper - Sam Leavitt - LSU - Is it possible that now that the Lane Kiffin Hype Train has evened-out some that we can actually watch this team be good without all of the unnecessary Lane Kiffin?  Leavitt was 32/45 for 287 yards and 3 TDs as LSU routed Auburn 38-17.

Falling - Connor Weigman - Houston - He didn't play a bad game against Utah (19/35 for 282 - 0TDs/0INts), but any chances he had were always tied to winning, and Houston's second loss of the season knock them out of the playoff conversation.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - DeSean Bishop - Tennessee - Keeps the train running with 120 yards and 1 TD on 32 carries, leading the Volunteers to a 27-24 victory over South Carolina.

Rising - Kendrick Raphael - SMU - Raphael is helping keep the Mustangs in the ACC and playoff conversation with his running, this time with 104 yards and 2 TDs in SMU's 59-20 victory over California.

Falling - Turbo Richard - Indiana - As the love for the Hoosier's repeat dips thanks to a narrow victory over Michigan (13-6), Richard has to do better than 68 yards on 19 carries for Indiana to keep winning, and make the playoffs.

Sleeper - Anthony Woods - UCLA - The Bruins remain unbeaten in large part to Woods running (112 yards on only 14 carries) as UCLA defeated Michigan State 28-10.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - Still the overall favorite for the Heisman, even after a bye week!

Rising - Malachi Toney - Miami - Toney torched Pittsburgh defense setting a team record for single-game receptions with 16, for 194 yards and 3 TDs.

Sleeper - Ryan Wingo - Texas - Has fast become Arch Manning's favorite receiver, and the Longhorns needed every one of his 7 catches for 111 yards and TD to defeat Mississippi 34-27.  

Falling - Cam Coleman - Texas - Still falling, as he has been replaced as Texas' number 1 receiver (See Wingo, Ryan).  Coleman - who was widely seen as the third-best receiver behind Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney coming into this season - had a single catch for 12 yards in this week's victory.

Defensive Edition

5.  Colin Simmons - EDGE - Texas - The best defensive player in college football, but currently out with an ankle injury.  Still the NCAA FBS leader in sacks, though, with 10 1/2 sacks.

4.  Kaleb Beasley - DB - Louisville - Now up to 5 interceptions on the season, tying him for the FBS lead.

3.  Andrew Zock - EDGE - Toledo - Of all of the leaders on the sack board (Zock is T-4th with 8), he has the most tackles on the season with 46, showing that he isn't just a pass rusher.  

2.  Stone Hala - LB - San Diego State University - Hala has taken over the FBS lead in tackles, with a total of 83 on the season.

1.  Malik Hartford - S - UCLA - Had a superb well-rounded game in the defensive backfield, finishing the game with 7 tackles, 1 pass defensed, an interception and a touchdown, and finished with a 91.8 PFF grade, as UCLA remains undefeated.

  

Player(s) to Watch

Javion Mallory - RB, Miami.  Sharing the backfield with the Uber-talented Mark Fletcher, Girard Pringle and Jordan Lyle, Mallory is very noisely making his appearances felt and really making the coaching staff call his number, this week with 47 yards and 2 TDs on only 7 carries.

My New Favorite Player
Noah Fifita - QB - Arizona - Not only does he have a really fun name to say, Fifita is balling for the ranked Wildcats, finishing this week's 39-3 victory over Iowa State with 308 yards and 2 TDs on an efficient 27-37 passing.

Players of the Week

6.  Tayven Jackson - QB - North Texas - Threw for 305 yards and 3 TDs against Navy, and compiled PFF's highest offensive grade of the week.

5.  Keelon Russell - QB - Alabama - 19-30 for 311 yards and 3 TDs.

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He finished 22/28 for 230 yards and 2 TDs, as the Crimson coasted to an unexpectedly easy 35-7 victory over Princeton, which was then tied for first with Harvard for the Ivy lead.

3.  Keyone Jenkins - QB - UCF - 25-41 for 293 yards and 3 TDs in the air, an additional 35 yards on the ground, and a 39-31 upset over then #2 ranked and previously unbeaten BYU.

2.  Darian Mensah - QB - Miami - 31-37 for 387 yards and 3 TDs.

1.  Malachi Toney - WR - Miami - 16 catches, 194 yards and 3 TDs.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
Everyone involved in the ending of the UCF upset of BYU.  Yes, including the winning Knights.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
See above!

Seriously Mike Locksley (Maryland)/Dave Doeren (NC State)/Dave Aranda (Baylor)

All three gentlemen were fired by the administrations listed besides their name.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups (By Seeding Only)

(1) Ohio State v. (4) Miami/Notre Dame (2) v. Georgia (3) 

Final Unbeatens

FBS - Miami, UCLA, Utah

FCS - Harvard, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State

Rant(s) of the Week

What the Hell Went on at the end of the BYU-UCF game?  Just egregious!

 

Under Performance of the Week

BYU Cougars.  I get it; an emotional comedown after a very emotional home win late against Notre Dame, then traveling cross-country to an average-at-best UCF team is difficult.  But, if you want to stay in the playoff conversation in a conference that has A LOT of teams within a game or two, you have to find a way to win these games.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

This was upset week, so let's ask a question about upsets.  When was the last time an AP #1 ranked team lost to an unranked opponent, who lost and who won?

September 26, 2008 (149 games) - Oregon State beat USC 27-21 in Corvallis, Oregon

Trivia Question of the Week

Malachi Toney set a University of Miami single-game record for receptions with 16 against Pittsburgh this week.  Whose record did he break?  Meaning, who previously held the Miami single-game record for receptions?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Harvard v. Dartmouth - As has been the norm, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  For the second week in a row, Harvard plays the team that sits just below it in the conference standings; albeit this time it is the Dartmouth Big Green.  This game fills the coveted "Ivy League Friday Night" time slot - so all eyes of the conference will be on this matchup.

5. Minnesota v. Indiana - Both teams have one conference loss in a league with 6 such teams with one loss or better.  The winner of this game makes a strong play for the conference championship game.  The loser has a way bigger hill to climb.

4. Arizona v. Texas Tech - With Texas Tech losing at Cincinnati this week, this becomes a ranked-on-ranked matchup, with both teams in serious contention for the Big 12 conference championship game.

3. Miami v. North Carolina - Can the defensive genius that is Bill Belichick do anything to stop Malachi Toney?

2. Utah v. Cincinnati - Cincinnati hosted and defeated one of the last six undefeated teams in Texas Tech this week.  Can they do it again with one of the last three undefeated teams?

1. Florida v. Georgia (in Atlanta) - The Artist Formerly Known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party!

The Ole College Try

 

UPSETS, UPSETS, UPSETS.  And even then, that isn't enough upsets, as 5 of the Top 7 in the Associated Press poll fell over the weekend.  This gives rise to a new #1 - THE U!!!  The world is a better place when the U is prominent in NCAA Football!  Not just for me as a fan, but because there are so many haters that thrive when the U is good as well.  It all just seems rights.  Remember, Miami is the most culturally relevant college football team ever.  ESPN made FOUR - count them 4 - 30 for 30s centered on the program.  And the way they ascended to the top with a double-overtime thriller against a less-than-stellar FSU has brought out all of the haters.  Here is how Miami became #1, at least until Notre Dame week (if not before).

Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - Yes Miami struggled, but that was primarily a defensive problem.  Mensah was outstanding going 23/34 for 326 yards and 3 TDs, with 1 interception - his first of the year (against 18 TDs).  All this for the now #1 ranked Miami Hurricanes.  

Rising - Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State.  Yes Oklahoma State lost its ranked-versus-ranked battle with Houston 35-32, but Mestemaker performed eerily similar to Mensah, going 22/34 for 365 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 pick.  Mestemaker is quickly rising up draft boards, and will containue to do so with this type of play.

Sleeper - Bear Bachmeier - BYU - Hard to say he is a true sleeper as he helms the number 2 ranked team in the country, but he still really is.  With BYU's starting RB out of this game, the entirety of this game fell on Backmeier's shoulders, and he delivered in a 28-24 win over Notre Dame.  With his arm he was 23/36 for 224 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception, and with his legs Backmeier rushed for 45 yards and 2 TDs.

Falling - Julian Sayin - Ohio State - Hate to put him here because it is because of injury not performance, as Ohio State outlasted Indiana 19-15.

Falling - Arch Manning - Texas - Who are we kidding?  Manning is dangerously close to losing his job.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - DeSean Bishop - Tennessee - Carried the offensive burden as the Volunteers defeated Alabama 26-10 at home behind Bishop's 159 yards and 2 TDs - on 32 carries!!!

Rising - Kewan Lacy - Mississippi - The preseason All-American is finally rounding into form as the Mississippi running back led the Rebels to a 31-3 thumping over Missouri, gaining 122 yards on the ground.

Falling - Jamal Roberts- Missouri - The Tiger running back fell back to earth in a game that featured Kewan Lacy on the other side, gaining only 39 yards on 20 carries (he did catch 2 balls for 21 yards).

Sleeper - Javian Mallory - Miami - It was the freshman's time to shine as the feature in the four-headed monster backfield of the Hurricanes, gaining 108 yards on 13 carries and scoring 2 TDs to pace Miami's running game.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - A very pedestrian day for the Heisman favorite, who - in a tough game against Indiana - caught only 4 balls for 68 yards, but a very important TD in a 19-15 victory over the defending champions.

Rising - Malachi Toney - Miami - Turned on the moves when needed against a very game Florida State, finishing with 11 catches, 154 yards, and 2 TDs.  He also threw the successful two-point conversion pass to Cooper Barkate to give Miami its 8-point lead in double overtime.

Sleeper - Jesse Legree - Oregon State - The proverbial portal is open (technically not yet) for the freshman phenom who hauled in 8 balls for 108 yards and 2 TDs as Oregon State defeated Washington State 48-30.  Legree has 46 catches for 1,040 yards and 14 TDs on the season, the last two stats are leaders in the country.  

Falling - Cam Coleman - Texas - Only 3 catches for 18 yards (albeit one was a touchdown) in a 27-24 home loss to the Florida Gators.  His main problem is going to be the ongoing quarterback controversy surrounding Arch Manning.

Defensive Edition

5.  Florida Defense - After getting curb-stomped by Missouri and South Carolina in back-to-back weeks, and giving up a touchdown and a field goal to Texas on the Longhorns' first two possessions, the Gators defense not only showed up, but showed out - holding the Longhorns to only 7 offensive points after that (one TD was a punt return by Ryan Niblett - my pre-season All-American), and limiting Texas to 272 total yards and sacked Arch Manning a total of 5 times - possibly knocking him out of college football for good if he doesn't keep his job this week in practice.

4.  Colin Simmons - EDGE - Texas - The best defensive player in college football had a great three quarters + against the Gators, finishing with 8 tackles, 1 sack, and 4 tackles for loss.  He is this far down the list only because he also finished the game on the sideline with an apparent knee injury.  No reports to date as to if - or how long - he will be out.  He leads the NCAA with 10 1/2 sacks.

3.  Bryce Fitzgerald - S - Miami - 1 really big interception in the end zone on the last play of double overtime to seal the 8-point Miami victory over Florida State.

2.  Jordan Ross - EDGE - LSU - Ross had 3 sacks in LSU's win over Mississippi State, and recorded a PFF score of 93.9.  Just dominiting.

1.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Even though Missouri lost to Mississippi, it isn't through any fault of Rodriguez's, as he amassed 13 total tackles against the Rebels for an FBS-leading 76.

  

Player(s) to Watch

Tommy Carr, QB, Michigan.  Not only is he second-fiddle in his family right now behind Notre Dame's C.J. Carr, he also plays behind one of the highest paid NIL QB's in college Bryce Underwood.  But when Underwood was pulled against Penn State, Tommy Carr stepped right in and delivered a 21-18 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions.  He was only 5/11 for 43 yards with 2 Interceptions, but he was able to rush for 36 yards and a TD as the Wolverines pulled out the win.

My New Favorite Player
K.J. Duff - WR - Rutgers - A (usually) weekly mention in the Wide Receiver section of this blog, Duff has just become one of my favorite players to watch - hauling in 9 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs, with many of his catches of the acrobatic variety.

Players of the Week

6.  Michael Hawkins - QB - West Virginia - Threw for 464 yards and 3 TDS (25/53 passing) - in a 45-42 victory over Cincinnati.

5.  Malachi Toney - WR - Miami - 11 catches, 154 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 thrown 2-point conversion in Miami's double OT win against FSU.

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He finished 19/32 for 297 yards and 1 TD, with an additional 26 yards on the ground as Harvard - one of only 3 remaining undefeated teams in FCS - defeated Holy Cross 30-7, setting up a top-of-the table matchup with Princeton next week.

3.  Terrance Burgess - RB - Texas State - Ran for 224 yards on 24 carries, and scored 4 TDs in Texas State's victory over Colorado State.

2.  Jordan Ross - EDGE - LSU - Finished with 3 sacks in a blowout win over Mississippi State.

1.  Cole Hellums - QB - Army - Ran for 195 yards and 5 TDs as Army trounced FAU 58-24.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Bryce Underwood - QB - Texas - All of the hype, all of the NIL money, and all of the underperformance.  This could also describe last week's "Goat of the Week (Player Edition)" Arch Manning.  The only difference is that Manning is still the QB1 for Texas (at the moment), and Michigan benched Underwood in favor of Tommy Carr, who led the team to a win.  So, now not only is Bryce Underwood the Goat of the Week, he is likely the "(Scape)Goat of the Year."

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Steve Sarkisian - Texas - The SEC is a gauntlet; Every game is a challenge in the SEC; Anybody can beat Anybody in the SEC; blah, blah, blah.  Since technically all this is true, you can forgive the slip-up against Oklahoma in the rivalry game at a neutral field.  But you are supposed to bounce-back in a home game the next week against a reeling conference foe.  Not only did Texas not do that, it is obvious that the coaching staff is afraid to put the game in Arch Manning's hands.  The playbook is simplified, and Manning looks downfield only on occasions, and even then only if the defense makes a mistake.  If this coaching staff is scared to give the game to the starting quarterback - the team isn't ready and a quarterback switch needs to be made.  I don't care if the QB is the fourth best Manning in SEC history.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups (By Seeding Only)

(1) BYU v. (4) Notre Dame/Ohio State (2) v. Miami (3) (The pending BYU-Utah game could be HUGE for seeding!

Final Unbeatens

FBS - BYU, James Madison, Miami, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah

FCS - Harvard, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State

Rant(s) of the Week

Same as last week, except switch "Big 12" and "ACC" for "SEC."  The officiating has just GOT TO GET BETTER!!!

 

Under Performance of the Week

Missouri Tigers.  Coming off two very big wins in a row against Florida and Texas A&M and heading into a very difficult environment to play a tough Mississippi team, we all expected Missouri to show up, play hard, and give the Rebels a run for their money.  They did not, getting shellacked 31-3.  This puts them at 5-2 with Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma up  next.

Mississippi State also did not show up - getting blitzed 31-0 by LSU, but losing injured QB Kamario Taylor will do that - so I will absolve them from this distinction this week.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

The question was:  Inspired by Kingston Lopa, what is the NCAA FBS record for most interceptions in a season?

The answer is:  Gerod Holliman of Louisville, with 14 in 2014

Trivia Question of the Week

This was upset week, so let's ask a question about upsets.  When was the last time an AP #1 ranked team lost to an unranked opponent, who lost and who won?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Princeton v. Harvard - As has been the norm, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  The two top teams in the conference (Princeton 4-1 overall; 2-0 in conference/Harvard 5-0 overall; 2-0 in conference) face a battle to knock off each other from the top of the Ivies.

5. James Madison v. Appalachian State - James Madison is still undefeated under Billy Napier, as they play perennial power Appalachian State to look to stay undefeated and in the pole position for a playoff birth.

4. Pittsburgh v. Miami - This game was potentially really compelling before Pittsburgh lost its last two games to North Carolina and Boston College; but it is still interesting to see how Miami reacts to that super-tough rivalry double-overtime game against Florida State this past weekend and to being ranked number 1 for the first time since 2002.  Can they be caught sleeping as they lead up to Notre Dame?

3. Mississippi v. Texas - Trinidad Chambliss is amazing and Mississippi has been playing great; but the intrigue here is does Arch Manning play the entire game?

2. LSU v. Auburn - Auburn is heading home for its first game after upsetting then-number 1 ranked Georgia in Athens.  The Tigers (War Eagle?  Plainsmen?) have Uber-Talented Bryum Brown at QB.  Could a second-straight upset be in the works?

1. Houston v. Utah - Undefeated and 10th-ranked Utah hosts number 14 6-1 Houston, whose only lost came on the road to number 8 and also undefeated Texas Tech by the close margin of 28-26.  This game could be incredibly close, and GAMEDAY should be in Utah for a second straight week.

Special Mention of the Week

North Dakota State's Jackson Williams returned a 57-yard missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown, icing a 41-17 victory over Nevada in a play popularized by Devin Hester and made famous by Auburn - a Kick-Six!

The Ole College Try

 

The SEC has flipped upside-down, and not in the standings or in the games, but in the public relations.  The entire story of the offseason was Lane Kiffin's move to LSU, and the potential use of players from NFL training camps by ... Lane Kiffin.  And the most impactful new coach in the SEC is ... NOT LANE KIFFIN!!!  It is clearly WILL STEIN!!!  Kentucky defeated LSU 35-34 in overtime, by converting a game-winning two-point conversion in the first OT to snatch the victory - for the second straight weekend!!!  Will Stein is clearly the difference between a losing and winning program.  

Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Ideally this post would occur weekly, but no guarantees as I try to slip in some writing during mental breaks from my actual job.  So far, I have been able to post weekly - let's see how long I can keep this up.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - A bye week for Miami, but Mensah is still the favorite - at least from the quarterback position.  We all know the favorite is Jeremiah Smith (OVERWHELMINGLY!)  

Rising - Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State - Remember, this team unexpectedly beat Oregon early in the season.  Mesemaker, who threw for 304 yards and 2 TDs (on 19/28 passing), led the Cowboys to a 42-28 victory over UCF this week and has been making some noise as a first-round draft pick in 2027.

Sleeper - LaNorris Sellars - South Carolina - My apologies to Mr. Sellars for naming him as the "Falling QB" in last week's column.  Although, if you go back and read it, I specifically stated that he had "all of the talent in the world ... but this team is soooooooo bad," so I wasn't really critiquing him.  South Carolina went into Gainesville and just absolutely HOUSED the Gators 38-19 behind Sellars, who was 23/35 for 279 yards and 4 TDs, while adding 20 yards and 1 TD on the ground.

Falling - Sam Leavitt - LSU - An uber-talented QB, who was the primary target of a lot of teams in the portal this year, with Miami having to "settle" for Darian Mensah.  He hasn't played poorly, but he is a victim of LSU's two losses and the over-hype on/by/for Lane Kiffin.  He was a respectable 25/34 for 275 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT in the 35-34 defeat at the hands of Kentucky.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Jamal Roberts - Missouri - Last week's riser, is now this week's favorite - at least as much of a favorite as any running back can be this week.  He gained 222 yards on 34 carries and rushed for 2 TDs while adding 3 catches in Missouri's 27-6 annihilation of Texas A&M.  He has 828 yards rushing on the season, good enough for second in the FBS.

Rising - Dylan Riley - Boise State - Riley is the workhorse behind the Broncos push for the FBS playoffs (see what I did there).  He gained 150 yards in 19 carries and scoring once on the ground, while adding a team-high 64 yards on 4 catches and another score in a 38-31 win over Fresno State.  He currently leads the nation in rushing yards with 835 (albeit only 7 ahead of Roberts).

Falling - Jaden Baugh, Florida - He did score a TD, but gained only 59 yards against South Carolina in a game that saw the UF offense be totally powerless against the Gamecocks.

Sleeper - CJ Baxter - Kentucky - Somebody on the Wildcats needs to get some love in this column, as they are 5-1 and winning games "they are not supposed to win."  Baxter gained 123 yards on 19 carries and scored 2 TDs in Kentucky's upset over LSU.  He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has scored 8 TDs on the season.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - It is - and barring injury always will be - Jeremiah Smith.  Only 4 catches this week, but turned that into 93 yards and 2 TDs, as he sat most of the second half in an easy 45-16 win over Maryland to set up a HUGE matchup this week against Indiana.

Falling - Malachi Toney - Miami - Just because of a bye week, but seems like he will always be 1A, or maybe 2, compared to Smith, especially since Miami spreads the ball more often.  

Rising - Isaiah Sategna, III - Oklahoma - Rutgers - Only because K.J. Duff of Rutgers had a bye week.  Sategna only had 5 catches for 64 yards, but two of those catches were HUGE plays on the last game-winning drive setting up Tate Sandell's game-winning 47-yard field goal as time expired to upset the number 1 ranked, and previously undefeated, Longhorns.

Sleeper - Cam Coleman - Texas - The inarguably third receiver in all pre-season All-America lists behind Smith and Toney has been supplanted by Duff this year but interestingly had his most important performance in the Longhorns' loss to their Red River rivals.  Hauled in 5 catches for 110 yards, and again showed his first-round draft pick ability.

Defensive Edition

5.  Kingston Lopa - DB - California - Leads the FBS with 5 interceptions.  Plus, the fact that he only has 1 Pass Defensed shows that opposing QBs are throwing away from him.

4.  Dylan Stewart - EDGE - South Carolina - Finished the game against Florida with 5 total tackles (4 solo) and 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss.  However, those stats do not show how disruptive he was the entire game.  Should be a high first round draft pick.

3.  David Stone - DT - Oklahoma - He had perhaps the single-most impactful game in the NCAA this week.  As a DT his numbers will not shine - 5 tackles, 4 solo - but he was so disruptive in the middle of Texas' offensive line that the Longhorns struggled, especially on important downs. 

2.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Stays in the two position for the second straight week  He is tied for first in the FBS with 63 total tackles and is a strength for a surprise 5-1 Tigers team.

  

1.  Colin Simmons - Edge - Texas - Leads the FBS with 9 1/2 sacks, after amassing two more against Oklahoma, 7 total tackles, and 3 total tackles for loss.  Just a dominant season for Simmons.

Player(s) to Watch

Ty Dieffenbach, QB, UCLA.  Dieffenbach definitely did not set the world on fire, but what he did was much, much more important.  He entered the game to replace Nico Iamaleava and went 3/6 for 43 yards and 1 TD, and that TD just happened to keep UCLA undefeated in a 17-15 victory over Oregon AT Oregon, despite the Bruins defense giving up 9 points in the last 5:16 of play.

My New Favorite Player
Jordan Maiava - QB, USC - Maiava was 21/33 for 301 yards and 3 TDs in Beaver Stadium as USC defeated Penn State 31-23.  Could he actually make the November 28th rivalry game against UCLA important again?  USC has a tough schedule before then (Ohio State and Indiana - much more difficult than UCLA's), but if anyone can make that game matter - it is Maiava!!!

Players of the Week (Just Week 4)

6.  Jonaz Walton - RB - Notre Dame - The Fighting Irish won in a laugher over Stanford and part of that reason was Walton gaining 181 yards on just 13 carries for a 13.9 yards per carry while also contributing 2 TDs.

5.  Braden Atkinson - QB - Oregon State/Jesse Legree - WR - Oregon State - They both led the Beavers to a 66-14 win over San Diego State University with Atkinson throwing for 409 yards and 5 TDs and Legree hauling in 3 of those TDS on 10 catches for 191 yards!!!

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He was an incredible 23/27 for 275 yards and 3 TDS - to 3 different receivers - as Harvard erased a 10-0 first quarter deficit at Cornell to win 41-29 and stay undefeated.

3.  Bear Bachmeier - QB - BYU - Led the undefeated Cougars to a 24-10 victory over Iowa State in Ames with his arm (22/30 for 329 yards and 2 TDS and his legs (a game-high 109 yards).  He is keeping BYU's playoff hopes more than alive with a 5-0 record.

2.  Isaac Brown - RB - Louisville - With QB Lincoln Kienholz playing, but hobbled, the Cardinal rushing attack needed to lead the way, and Isaac Brown performed to the tune of 235 yards and 2 TDs on only 17 carries.  Louisville defeated Florida State 44-20 after the Seminoles took a first quarter 14-0 lead and seemed poised to pull off the upset.

1.  Ty Pennington - QB - Northern Arizona - Pennington had an amazing game as the Lumberjacks defeated Montana 49-44.  Pennington threw for 1 TD on 26/38 passing for 322 yards, and also rushed for 52 yards and an incredible 4 TDs!!!  

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Arch Manning - QB - Texas - K - Besides all of the overblown pre-season Heisman and potential #1 overall draft pick hype, Manning deserved all the love after leading Texas in its fourth quarter come-from-behind victory over Ohio State.  Therefore, he has to take the heat for his interception - including during crunch time - against Oklahoma.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Jon Sumrall/Buster Faulkner - Florida - That Mississippi win was amazing.  Well-deserved kudos, and with a high-flying offense definitely looked like they were going to at least make some noise in the SEC, if not sneak into the playoffs.  A 45-17 drubbing at the hands of Mississippi and a 38-19 home defeat by South Carolina erases ALL of that, especially since 6 of those 19 came with 1 minute left in the game.  Not just that Florida can't seem to break 20 anymore, their offense seems mundane and predictable - that is why Sumrall and Faulkner are here.  In fact, it might just be time to play the young sophomore quarterback Tramel Jones, Jr. to get ready for  next year, as this team does still seem to be on an upward trajectory.  Although a second-consecutive unexpected win against Texas next week could alter things again.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups

(1) Georgia v. (4) Miami/Notre Dame (2) v. Ohio State (3)

Final Unbeatens

BYU, Georgia, Indiana, James Madison, Miami, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah

Rant(s) of the Week

That SEC officiating crew performance in Georgia-Alabama was HORRIFIC.  That was one of the more blatant, unintentional pass interferences I have seen in a long time that was not called.  Several other calls were questionable in both directions also.  For the "Premier" conference in NCAA FBS, the players deserve way better officiating.

 

Under Performance of the Week

Minnesota Golden Gophers.  Throttled by Purdue 41-13 on the road isn't always an underperformance in a big conference, but it is after three victories in a row including a celebrated 20-14 win over Michigan (which I know isn't THAT big a win anymore).  Now all 4-2 Minnesota has to look forward to are three games against Iowa, at Indiana and against UCLA.  They could be under .500 heading into Happy Valley in mid-November.  This week was an important game for bowl/postseason purposes, and Minnesota failed, miserably.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

The question was:  Jeremiah Smith's consecutive 200-yard receiving performances inspired this question.  What is the most receiving yards in an NCAA game WITHOUT scoring a touchdown?

The answer is:  Nate Burleson, Nevada - 326 yards on 12 catches in 2001.

Trivia Question of the Week

Inspired by Kingston Lopa, what is the NCAA FBS record for most interceptions in a season?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Harvard v. Holy Cross - As stated last week, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  After falling down 10-0 in the first quarter, the Crimson blitzed the Big Red to win 41-29.  Can Holy Cross keep up?

5. Florida v. Texas - The shine has come off Florida, and Texas took a big beat last week against Oklahoma, but yours truly is going to be in the stands at this game, so it is definitely a must watch for me.

4. Florida State v. Miami - A rivalry game which has lost some luster due to Florida State being horrible, and its coach Mike Norvell likely fired sometime during this season, but these players all grew up playing with and against each other since pee-wee football, so that always brings the emotion in this game.

3. Alabama v. Tennessee - Can Tennessee knock Alabama out of the playoffs?  Can Alabama avoid two losses in a row?  Big game in the SEC.  Similar status as Missouri - Mississippi, except the fact that Alabama is in this game makes this one to watch instead of the other.

2. Ohio State v. Indiana - Obviously a big game as the reigning champions and 5th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers host the 4th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.  Game Day has selected Bloomington for this week, and an Indiana win could do a lot toward vaulting Indiana into the Big 10 Championship game again, and knocking Ohio State to the brink of missing the playoffs. 

1. Notre Dame v. BYU - The playoff implications of this game are HUGE, as BYU could be hurt by a bad loss in this game, causing them to miss the playoffs, even with one loss.  Notre Dame's invincibility would be damaged with a BYU win at home.  Game Day should be here!

Special Mention of the Week

Florida Atlantic led Texas Southern 21-3 - BEFORE THE OWLS OFFENSE EVEN TOOK THE FIELD1!!  Leonard Farrow returned the opening kickoff for a TD.  Texas Southern then drove for a FG.  Leonard Farrow took the next kickoff for a TD.  On Texas Southern's next possession, the defense forced a fumble and returned it for a TD!!!

The Ole College Try

 

Many big, big games among ranked teams in conference play this week - and many of those were ... DUDS!!!  But that is how you separate the true contenders from the pretenders.  Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.

As another reminder, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

I cannot promise that I will post every week, but so far so good.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - A relatively bad game for Mensah, who ONLY went 18/27 for 227 and 1 TD, and he know has 6 more incompletions that touchdowns on the season.  And, he has yet to throw an interception.  He has been the best quarterback in the NCAA this year, and it is hard to criticize a performance in which the offense still scored 41 points.  

Rising - Julian Sayin - Ohio State - It helps when you are throwing to the best wide receiver (See Mensah, Darien), but it is hard to discount a 20/27 for 324 yards and 3 TD performance at Iowa!  He has 13 TDs to just 1 interception on the season.

Sleeper - Bear Bachmeier - BYU - His passing stats do NOT pop off the paper (11-24 for 64 yards) in a 17-10 victory over TCU to keep the Cougars undefeated, but his size and running ability (66 yards on 15 carries for 2 TDs) do pop-off the highlight film.

Falling - LaNorris Sellars - South Carolina - He has all of the talent in the world - (20/36 for 226 and 2 TDs, 17 rushes for 147 yards against Kentucky), but this team is sooooooo bad, nobody is going to get any credit.  I wouldn't be surprised if 4 or 5 players from this team get drafted with fans asking, "Who?  Why?", and they excel way more than for the Gamecocks.  (I was going to put Kamario Taylor for Mississippi State here, but he already took a beating at the hands of Alabama!)

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Jaden Baugh - Florida - The favorite right now among running backs is still Jaden Baugh, but he had a rough - and I mean ROUGH outing against Missouri (12 carries for 13 yards) which is why he is also falling!

Rising - Jamal Roberts - Missouri - Sixth in the NCAA in rushing at 606 yards (Baugh is 5th with 613 for reference, the leader is Dylan Riley from Boise State with 685), and he clearly won his showdown with Jaden Baugh, outrushing Baugh 211-13 (with 3 TDs!!!).

Falling - Jaden Baugh, Florida - See above.

Sleeper - Turbo Richard - Indiana - Took a back seat to Lee Beebe, Jr. last week, and was out-carried by Beebe 18-13 in the 47-15 win over Rutgers, but finished with 204 yards and a TD on those 13 carries.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - Caught 11 passes for 206 yards and 2 TDs to extend his lead as the overall Heisman favorite!

Falling - Malachi Toney - Miami - Again, he is still 1A to Smith's 1, but his 5 catches for 40 yards were both season's low for Toney - although he did have another TD called back (the third this year), this time on a very questionable illegal shift call, as they called Miami's TE for being in motion while Cooper Barkate was only set for .9 seconds, not a full second.  

Rising - K.J. Duff - Rutgers - Only 4 catches for 78 yards as Indiana defeated Rutgers, but Smith, Toney, and Duff are the ONLY wide receivers people should be writing about.

Sleeper - Nathan Bailey - Harvard - OK, so not eligible to win the Heisman as he plays in the FCS, but boy did he have a game!!!  He hauled in 16 catches for 197 yards, including 2 big, big catches in the Crimson's last-minute drive.  But, that wasn't even what made the highlight reel!!!  Bailey was the "Ladder" in the "Hook-and-Ladder" on the last minute Hail Mary from Charlie Smith.  Bailey received the pitch from tight end Teegan Pelletier at the five and immediately dashed-and-dove for the corner pylon as Harvard turned a 17-14 defeat into a 20-17 victory!!!

Defensive Edition

5.  Kenyatta Jackson - EDGE - Ohio State - Playing against Iowa - the team that was supposed to have the vaunted defense - Jackson's pressure kept Iowa on its heels.  Even though he was only credited with 1 tackle - a sack at that - Jackson forced Iowa's play and constantly disrupted the timing of the Hawkeyes offense.

4.  Jason Dowell - DT - Missouri - Only finished with 3 tackles (including 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss), but dominated the interior line for Missouri in its 45-17 win over Florida.

3.  Dijon Lee, Jr. - CB - Alabama - Technically only credited with 1 tackle, and that is only because he was blanketing people so that his receiver was never thrown the ball - or at least not unless Lee could get his hands on it!!!  He also scored a TD and returned kicks!

2.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Missouri gets the love because they earned the love.  Rodriguez finished with 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, as the TIgers defense completely bottled up the high-flying Florida offense.

  

1.  Xavier Esqillion - Edge - Georgia State - Esqillion had 3 sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and finished with a 27.3% pressure rate, a 22.7% knockdown rate, and an unbelievable 38.1% pass-rush win rate!!! (Thanks PFF!)

Player(s) to Watch

DeSean Bishop, RB, Tennessee.  Bishop is having a great year as he has led Tennessee to a 4-1 record, and given hope to a Volunteer squad of making noise in the SEC!  He gained 220 yards on 34 carries with 3 TDs in Tennessee's 24-14 victory over Alabama this weekend, and his 540 yards and 7 TDs rank him 11th and Tied-6th respectively in the NCAA's!!!

My New Favorite Player
Austin Simmons - QB, Missouri - The former 5-star recruit who enrolled early at Mississippi at age 16 - YES 16!!! - played behind Jaxson Dart for a year and then lost his job to an injury to none other than Trinidad Chambliss, is finally getting his chance after transferring, and did he have a game!!!  He was 23-30 for 340 yards and 2 TDs as the Tigers annihilated the 8th ranked Florida Gators. 

Players of the Week (Just Week 4)

6.  DeSean Bishop - RB - Tennessee - 34 carries, 220 yards, 3 TDs over Auburn.

5.  Jeremiah Smith - WR - Ohio State - 11 catches, 206 yards and 2 TDs, all lower than last week if you can believe that!!

4.  Nathan Bailey - WR - Harvard - 16 catches, 197 yards and 1 VERY BIG TOUCHDOWN!!!

3.  Leonard Farrow - KR - Florida Atlantic - Returned the first two Texas Southern kickoffs of the game for touchdowns!

2.  Aiden Flora - RB - Iowa State - Flora rushed for 212 yards on 22 carries and scored 3 TDs in Iowa States' 45-42 victory over West Virginia!  And if that was not enough - he was 2/2 passing for 48 yards and 2 TDs!!!

1.  Dante Reno - QB - Yale - What on earth would it take for me to even mention a Yale player in this blog, much less name him the player of the week.  Something Spectacular for sure.  And this entire post is dedicated to Dante Reno.  Reno went 22/39 for 298 yards a 4 TDs as Yale rallied from a 21-7 deficits to defeat Merrimack 41 - 24.  Reno's performance was all the more astounding as he - and the rest of the Bulldogs - took the field just 1 day after the school announced the passing of Dante's dad and former Yale Coach Tony Reno.  Obviously Tony and Dante shared a father-son bond over football, and Dante found some sort of respite on the football field with his teammates, but it is hard enough to deal with the passing of a parent and still have to play college football - and at as high a level as Dante did this weekend.  Lots of love and respect from this Harvard Crimson!

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

John Love - K - Virginia Tech - Missed a potential game-winning 36-yard field goal with three second remaining and Virginia Tech trailing 35-33.  Love is listed here not so much for missing a relatively short kick (albeit at a ridiculous angle), but for the firestorm he elicited as it clearly looks like his kick may have cleared the upright, but the official standing immediately under the upright signalled "no good".

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Shane Beamer - South Carolina - Not so much for any one specific thing that he did wrong, but his team's loss in OT to Kentucky, after giving-up a lead at home, may mean that he is going to get fired, and quite possibly during this season.  Maybe after Florida whips them?

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

(1) Georgia v. (4) Miami/Notre Dame (2) v. Ohio State (3)

Final Unbeatens

Alabama, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Indiana, James Madison, Miami, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah, 

Rant(s) of the Week
Why is video review of a made/missed field goal not allowed?

Under Performance of the Week
Florida. What a let down.  Again, losing to Missouri is not the thing, it was the way in which they lost.  But, a letdown sometimes can be expected after such an emotional win over Mississippi the week prior.  This is an identical statement to the one I wrote about Mississippi last week.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

The question was:  Colin Simmons, as you may have read here once or twice, finished the game against Tennessee with 5 sacks.  Who holds the NCAA record (Div I/FBS) for most sacks in a single game?

The answer is:  Ivan Pace, Jr. from Miami-OH in 2019 and Ameer Ismail from Western Michigan in 2006 with 6.  The Team record is 15 by TC over Nevada in 2000.

Trivia Question of the Week

Jeremiah Smith's consecutive 200-yard receiving performances inspired this question.  What is the most receiving yards in an NCAA game WITHOUT scoring a touchdown?

Match-up(s) to Watch

5. Harvard v. Cornell - So long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  Are the Crimson emotionally-spent after last week's Bailey Bailout?  Or will they use that springboard to a possible FCS playoff birth?  This game will tell us a lot.

4. LSU v. Kentucky - Kentucky is not at the same level as LSU, but they are also not the same old Kentucky team.  A loss here could go a long way to knocking LSU out of playoff contention.  Can they take care of business?

3. UCLA v. Oregon - Oregon's loss to Oklahoma State puts their back against the wall.  UCLA is a surprising 4-0 thus far; can they remain undefeated and be a serious contender in the Big 10?

2. Indiana v. Nebraska - Yes, Nebraska is unranked, but this week 6 game pits two undefeated conference foes against each other.  Is Nebraska for real?

1.  Georgia v. Alabama -Easily the biggest game of the weekend!

Special Mention of the Week

Florida Atlantic led Texas Southern 21-3 - BEFORE THE OWLS OFFENSE EVEN TOOK THE FIELD1!!  Leonard Farrow returned the opening kickoff for a TD.  Texas Southern then drove for a FG.  Leonard Farrow took the next kickoff for a TD.  On Texas Southern's next possession, the defense forced a fumble and returned it for a TD!!!