Week 3 brought out some surprises and upsets but there were
even more routs of the 52-0 variety (Alabama, Florida State, Arizona—although they
did 56-0). Teams ranked #2 (USC), #10
(Michigan State), #13 (Virginia Tech), and #25 (Brigham Young) all lost to
lower ranked or unranked teams. So you can expect some big movements in next
week’s polls.
(Numbers given are the rankings of: AP/Coaches’/CBSSports.
NR = Not Rated Those in parentheses are last week’s rankings.)
1/1/6 (1/1/4) Alabama (3-0) The Tide rolled all over the
Arkansas Razorbacks (1-2) with a 52-0 drubbing. Eddie Lacy had only 55 yards on
12 carries but crossed the goal line 3 times for Alabama. The Tide hasn’t
allowed an opponent to score in nine quarters. The Razorbacks played without
starting quarterback Tyler Wilson who suffered a head injury last week.
2/3/2 (2/2/1) Southern California (2-1) The Trojans fell to
the 21st ranked Stanford Cardinal (3-0) for the fourth consecutive
year. This time the score was 21-14 and the Cardinal QB was Josh Nunes. The USC
QB was still Matt Barkley, however, and he didn’t fare any better than he has
in his last three outings against the Cardinal throwing for 254 yards, no TDs
and two interceptions while completing only 20 of 41 passes. He also spent a
good portion of the night—especially the fourth quarter—on his back. Silas
Redd, a transfer from Penn State, scored both USC TDs on short runs. Stepfan
Taylor matched Redd’s output but from a bit further out with runs of 59 and 23
yards while Nunes connected with Zach Ertz for 37 yards out for the difference
maker. Both teams ran 69 offensive plays but Stanford had 417 net yards versus
280 for USC. The Stanford defense was very, very impressive against USC.
3/2/1 (3/3/2) LSU (3-0) The Tigers defeated the Vandals of
Idaho (0-3) for their FBS record 40th consecutive non-conference
regular season victory. The final score was 63-12. LSU intercepted Idaho's
Dominique Blackman four times—with two of them being returned for TDs by safety
Ronald Martin and defensive end Lavar Edwards. On offense, Zach Mettenberer
completed 17 of 22 passes for 222 yards and two TDs. With the game safely in hand,
the Tigers ran the ball and the clock. Kenny Hilliard (11 carries for 116
yards) ran for two TDs including a 71 yarder, and Jeremy Hill (10 carries for
61 yards) ran for two more to close out the scoring.
4/4/8 (4/4/7) Oregon (3-0) The Ducks routed the Tennessee
Tech Golden Eagles (2-1) (an FCS school) 63-14. Marcus Mariota threw for 308
yards and four TDs before coming out in the third quarter. Byron Marshall
carried the ball 13 times for 125 yards and De’Anthony Thomas with just three
carries for 62 yards also had three catches for 73 yards and two TDs (one on a
59-yard run, the other on a 16 yard pass). Bryan Bennett had 5 carries for just
12 yards but scored two TDs in mop up duty. The Ducks’ defense held Tennessee
Tech to just 62 yards passing and 115 yards rushing.
5T/5/3 (5/5/3) Oklahoma (2-0) The Sooners had the week off.
5T/6/7 (6/6/12)) Florida State (3-0) The Seminoles demolished
the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-1) 52-0. FSU’s Chris Thompson played just
about 20 minutes which, after breaking his back in this game a year ago, was
pretty damn impressive in itself. That he gained 197 yards on nine carries and
scored two TDs—one a 74-yard scamper and the other 80 yards--just upped the
“Wow!” factor to new levels. Oh, EJ Manuel rushed for one TD and threw for two
more while Rashad Greene had a 60-yard punt return for a TD..
7/7/12 (7/7/17) Georgia (3-0) The Bulldogs drubbed the
Florida Atlantic Owls (1-2) 56-20. Aaron Murray threw for 342 yards on a 14 of 19
day and two TDs and ran for two more. The Bulldog’s Amarlo Herrera returned an interception
35 yards for a TD while Adrius Glanton returned the favor with a 42-yard INT
return off Georgia’s back-up QB Christian LeMay for the Owls.
8/9/15 (9T/9/19) South Carolina (3-0) The Gamecocks snuffed
out the UAB Blazers (0-2) 49-6. Connor Shaw completed just 8 of 14 passes for
107 yards with one TD and one INT before being knocked out of the game with a
hit to the shoulder. Not a problem for the Gamecocks, however, as Dylan
Thompson came in and completed 5 of 10 for 177 yards and two TDs including a 94
yarder to Damiere Byrd.
9/8/18 (9T/8/25) West Virginia (2-0) The Mountaineers routed
the James Madison Dukes (2-1) (an FCS team) 42-12. Geno Smith set a new WVU
career passing yardage record. His 34 of 39 for 411 yards gives him 8,153 yards
and counting. Oh, and he completed five of those passes for TDs. Stedman Bailey
and Tavon Austin, both had 100 yards receiving by halftime. Bailey finished
with 173 yards on 13 catches and three touchdowns, while Austin had 113 yards
on 11 receptions and one score for the Mountaineers,
10/10/4 (11/11/6) Michigan State (2-1) The Spartans fell to
#20 Notre Dame (3-0) Saturday night 20-3. The Irish dominated from the opening
kickoff. Everett Golson tossed one TD pass and ran for another. Manti Te'o,
playing a few days after the death of his girlfriend from leukemia and his grandmother,
registered 12 tackles, broke up two passes, and snatched a lateral away from the
Spartans’ Le'Veon Bell on defense for the Fighting Irish.
11/11/10 (12/12/16) Clemson (3-0) The Tigers crushed the
Furman Paladins (0-3) 41-7. The Tigers’ Sammy Watkins, coming back from a two
game suspension, caught four passes and ran the ball once—for a 58-yard TD.
Andre Ellington ran for two TDs on 15 carries for 59 yards. Tajh Boyd completed
20 of 29 attempts for 310 yards and three TDs for the Tigers.
12/NR/5 (14/NR/13) Ohio State (3-0) The Buckeyes needed a
72-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to Devin Smith with 3:26 left in the
game to defeat the California Golden Bears (1-2) 35-28. Miller finished the day
with 246 yards and a career-high four TD passes and scored another TD on a
55-yard run. Brendan Bigelow carried the ball just four times for the Golden
Bears but had two TD runs of 81 and 59 yards as he totaled 160 yards rushing
for the day.
13/13/11 (15/18/23) Virginia Tech (2-1) The Hokies headed north
with the nation’s longest road winning streak to play the Pitt Panthers (1-2). They
went home without it as the Panthers schooled the Hokies 35-17. It didn’t look
that close. Tino Sunseri completed 19 of 28 attempts for 283 yards and three
touchdowns, freshman running back Rushel Shell added 157 yards on 23 carries
and Ray Graham rushed 24 times for 94 yards and two TDs as Pitt amassed 537
yard in net yards offense. Logan Thomas completed 14 of 31 for 265 yards and
had one long (85 yard) TD to Marcus Davis, but he was intercepted 3 times. Kysoen
Jarrett had a 94-yard punt return for a TD for the Hokies.
14/12/19 (17/15/14) Texas (3-0) The Longhorns routed the Ole
Miss Rebels (2-1) 66-31. David Ash threw for a career-high 326 yards and four
touchdowns, two of them to Marquise Goodwin who finished the night with 102
yards on those two receptions and another 80 rushing yards on two carries. Malcom
Brown scored twice on short runs and Steve Edmond returned an interception 22
yards for a TD. Texas had 676 net yards. Ole Miss got TDs on a 100-yard kick
return by Jaylen Walton, a 75 yard pass completion from Bo Wallace to Donte
Moncrief, and a 48 yard run by Jeff Scott.
15/14/20 (21/20/NR) Kansas State (3-0) The Wildcats beat the
North Texas Mean Green (1-2) 35-21 but it was tougher than the final score
indicated. The Mean Green had pulled to within 14-13 late in the third quarter
before Collin Klein and company pulled away. Klein completed a 21-yard TD pass to Tramaine
Thompson handed off to John Hubert for a 6-yard TD and ran one yard for the
Wildcats’ final score to put K-State up 35-13. The Wildcats got a 96 yard kick
return for a TD by Tyler Lockett in the first quarter. Klein and Thompson also connected
on a 38-yard TD in the second quarter.
16/15/NR (20/17/NR) TCU (2-0) The Horned Frogs overcame four
turnovers to defeat the Kansas Jayhawks (1-2) 20-6. Casey Pachall threw for 335
yards (24 of 30) and two touchdowns to Brandon Carter who finished with eight
catches for 141 yards. It shouldn’t have been as close as it was as Pachall lost
three fumbles while teammate Matthew Tucker coughed it up once--all in the red
zone.
17/18/22 (19/19/5) Michigan (2-1) The Wolverines routed the
Massachusetts Minutemen (0-3) 63-13. Denard Robinson completed 16 of 24 passes
for 291 yards and three TDs and ran for a fourth before sitting down in the third
quarter. His one interception was returned 32 yards by Christian Birt for a TD.
Taylor Lewan recovered a fumble for a TD for the Wolverines.
18/17/16 (24/23/22) Florida (3-0) The Gators trailed the #23
Tennessee Volunteers (2-1) 20-13 early in the third quarter but the Vols would
never see the end zone again as the Gators put up 24 unanswered points to win
37-20. Jeff Driskel was 14 of 20 for 219 yards and two TDs—23 yards to Jordan
Reed and 75 yards to Frankie Hammond. Trey Burton scored twice on the ground—14
yards in the first quarter and 80 yards in the third.
19/20/9 (23/24/10) Louisville (3-0) The Cardinals held on to
defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels (1-2) 39-34. Louisville dominated the first
half behind the throwing of Terry Bridgewater (23 of 28 for 279 yards and 3
TDs) and running of Jeremy Wright (20 carries for 114 yards and one TD) and led
36-7 at the intermission. But the second half was a different story. Bryn Renner led the Tar Heels comeback with a
26 of 41 day for 363 yards and five TDs. Only a deflection of a Renner pass on
fourth down with 1:53 left allowed the Cardinals to breath again.
20/19/17 (22/22/21) Notre Dame (3-0) The Fighting Irish upset
#10 Michigan State (2-1) on the road
20-3. See above for more.
21/16/NR (25/21/NR) Stanford (3-0) The Cardinal beat #2
Southern California (2-1) 21-14 despite shooting themselves in the foot several
times. See above for more.
22/23/NR (NR/NR/NR) UCLA (3-0) The Bruins routed the Houston
Cougars (0-3) 37-6. It should have been
worse. David Piland was intercepted five times and the Cougars lost one fumble
that was returned by the Bruins Eric Kendricks 23 yards for a TD. The only
thing keeping it close? UCLA had five turnovers of their own. They lost three
fumbles and Brett Hundley was intercepted twice.
23/NR/NR (NR/NR/NR) Tennessee (2-1) The Volunteers lost to
the #18 Florida Gators(3-0) 37-20. More above.
24/25/NR (NR/NR/NR) Arizona (3-0) The Wildcats shut out the
South Carolina State Bulldogs (1-2) (an FCS school) 56-0. Arizona ran off 102
plays—and school record—and amassed 689 yards net offense—two yards short of a
school record. Matt Scott threw for 288 yards and three TDs and ran for a
fourth. The Wildcats’ defense held South Carolina State to just 154 total
yards.
25/NR/NR (NR/NR/NR) Brigham Young (2-1) fell to the Utah
Utes (2-1) 24-21 after BYU missed two field goal attempts as time ran out. Yeah,
I said two. One was blocked then, after a 15 yard penalty when Utah’s fans
rushed the field early, one clanked off the upright as time ran out.
NR/21/24 (8/10/20) Arkansas (1-2) The Razorbacks were shut
out by the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) 52-0. More above.
NR/22/23 (13/13/8) Wisconsin (2-1) The Badgers trailed the
Utah State Aggies (2-1) 14-3 at half time. Kenzel Doe provided an 82-yard punt for
a TD return and Montee Ball scored a TD—both in the third quarter—and the
defense kept the Aggies of the board to provide the Badgers with a 16-14
victory.
NR/24/14 (16/14/15) Nebraska (2-1) The Cornhuskers rolled over
the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-2) 42-13. Taylor Martinez tossed two TD passes
(13 of 14 for 180 yards) and ran for a third while Ammer Abdullah scored two on
the ground on 30 carries for 167 yards.
NR/NR/13 (NR/25/11) Boise State (1-1) The Broncos beat the
Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (1-2) 39-12 behind the running of D. J. Harper. Harper, a
sixth year senior rushed for a career high 162 yards and three TDs. He also
caught a 21-yard TD pass and ran for a 2-point conversion. Joe Southwick completed 24 of 31 passes for
304 yards and two TDs with one INT.
NR/NR/25 (NR/NR/NR) Washington (2-1) The Huskies routed the
Portland State Vikings (1-2) (an FCS school) 52-13. The Huskies led 45-0 at the half and 52-0
before Portland got on the board late in the third quarter. Keith Price (14 of
19 for 181 yards) threw three TD passes, Tre Watson returned a blocked field
goal 79 yards for a TD, and Marcus Peters returned an Interception 21 yards for
a TD
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