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The Significant Results and New Rankings From NCAA Football: Week #4

September 24, 2023 by Brad Slager Leave a Comment

This week delivered a number of key matchups on the schedule, guaranteeing that there would be shakeups on the national poll. But before getting to those results, I want to highlight one play from Friday night, both for it being a great execution of a trick play and also for the curiosity surrounding it.

The Wisconsin Badgers went for a 2-point conversion and ran “The Philly Special.” The QB pitched to his halfback, who cut to his left and then lateralled to a wide receiver for a reverse, who then stopped in the pocket and threw to the QB, who had spread out to the right, wide open at the goal line.

THE 2-POINT CONVERSION TO CASH THE OVER (54) IN WISCONSIN-PURDUE
And the announcers knew it too 😂pic.twitter.com/wCgsGX9vGC
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 23, 2023

Making this curious was that with just three and a half minutes remaining, kicking an extra point would have been enough as Purdue would be trailing by 20 and would still need three touchdowns. But the betting total for the game was 54, and this conversion means they hit the “over.”

Now to the results. Some deeply entertaining contests came through the schedule.

(4) Ohio State 17 – (11) Notre Dame 14

This pairing of top-10 ranked opponents was a classic grinding battle, as seen by the 3-0 halftime score. The Irish came through in the second half, controlling the play with the exception of finding the end zone consistently. They held the lead and the ball with about two minutes remaining but the Buckeyes’ defense made a key stop. On the following drive, Kyle McCord hit his receiver in tight coverage at the 1-yard line with 7 seconds remaining, and they next just managed to punch it in with a run up the middle. The whole game was that close.

(5) Florida State 31 – Clemson 24

The Tigers played the top-ranked Seminoles close all game at home and had a chance to win it when their call-up replacement kicker lined up for a 30-yard field goal in the closing moments, but he would have no storybook ending as he missed wide left. FSU never led until Jordan Travis hit Keon Coleman for a 24-yard strike in overtime.

(12) Alabama 24 – (20) Ole Miss 10

There was interest in the top-20 matchup to see how Alabama might respond, and they still do not look like the usual powerhouse, evidenced by their trailing 7-6 at halftime. Instead, they are finding ways to manufacture wins, as QB Jalen Milroe had a good if not great game and the defense held Ole Miss to just 56 yards rushing and only three second-half points.

(13) LSU 34 – Arkansas 31

While not considered a marquee game coming into the weekend, this one turned explosive. The teams produced over 930 yards combined in the back-and-forth contest, but the Razorbacks, while controlling the ball for ten minutes more overall, could not put a final drive together in the closing minutes and LSU hung on.

(9) Oregon 42 – Colorado 6

The Buffalo’s stampede has ended for the moment. The first road contest was one Coach Prime would rather forget. The Ducks ran this show with Colorado not getting any points until the end with Oregon sitting the starters. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders had only 159 yards throwing, and Colorado was held to just 42 rushing yards. They were not in this one at all.

For the new rankings, Clemson, UCLA, and Colorado dropped off, as Fresno State, Missouri, and Kansas moved into the poll. Here are the current Top-25 schools (With first-place votes):

1. Georgia (55)

2. Michigan (1)

3. Texas (2)

4. Ohio State (1)

5. Florida State (3)

6. Penn State

7. Washington (1)

8. USC

9. Oregon

10. Utah

11. Notre Dame

12. Alabama

13. LSU

14. Oklahoma

15. North Carolina

16. Washington State

17. Duke

18. Miami (FL)

19. Oregon State

20. Ole Miss

21. Tennessee

22. Florida

23. Missouri

24. Kansas

25. Fresno State

The Significant Results and New Rankings From NCAA Football: Week #3

September 17, 2023 by Brad Slager Leave a Comment

Coming into this weekend, there were few marquee matchups in the Top 25, as it looked like it would be little more than a schedule of rollover contests for the leading squads. But this also makes for a fertile environment for upsets, and we were delivered our share, along with a number of games that were closer than expected.

In the end, most teams took care of business, but the unimpressive performances led to some shuffling in the poll. But that is not to say there was not some excitement to be seen. Here are the more noteworthy results and the new AP College Football Rankings.

(19) Colorado 43 – Colorado State 38 (2OT)

Deion Sanders has created a stir in The Rockies. Coach Prime has made a seismic shift with his Buffaloes squad, and this longtime in-state rivalry was a statement game in many ways. Trailing for most of the game, QB Shedeur Sanders came alive and guided a comeback. Down by eight points, Colorado was pinned at its own two-yard line with just over a minute and a half remaining, but Sanders threw them downfield on a touchdown drive and a 2-point conversion to send it to overtime. Two more TD throws were followed by a victory-capping interception to nab the victory. Next week is a big contest against the Oregon Ducks.

(25) Florida 29 – (23) Tennessee 16

The Gators looked far better than their unranked status in The Swamp, as the Volunteers were never really in the game. It seemed each time Tennessee was poised to make a drive and catch up, penalties (many of them questionable) stalled them out. One odd sequence saw their hurry-up play interrupted when a ref inadvertently kicked the ball, and as the officials were resetting, it allowed Florida to substitute and stop the play and the drive. It was that kind of night for the Vols as Florida’s Trevor Etienne steamrolled to a 172-yard night.

Missouri 30 – Kansas State 27

Possibly the upset of the day (that had our esteemed Deputy Managing Editor Susie Moore giddy) saw Mizzou keeping things close with the then-15th-ranked Wildcats as QB Brady Cook tossed for 356 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. This saw the game tied with just seconds left, and they gave the game to their “thicker kicker,” Harrison Mevis – who, at 5’11”, 243 pounds, is built more like a blocking halfback. Mevis managed to get the win by making a new SEC record 61-yard field goal as the clock burned down. The loss means Kansas State falls out of the poll.

(1) Georgia 24 – South Carolina 14

The Bulldogs looked less than their dominating selves, but it was a weather-affected game. They fell behind 14-3 midway through, but then Carson Beck settled the offense, and the vaunted Georgia defense shut out the Gamecocks in the second half, closing down the ground game in wet conditions as Georgia outgained them 189-53 yards.

(4) Florida State 31 – Boston College 29

It was BC’s annual “Bandana Game,” honoring a fallen alumnus who was a hero during 9-11. The Eagles battled all game with a surprisingly adept offense and managed to get within two points, with a drive taking place in the closing minutes, but the FSU defense got the needed stop to close out the victory.

Here are the Top 25schools (First Place Votes)

Georgia (57)
Michigan (2)
Texas (3)
Florida State (1)
Southern California
Ohio State
Penn State
Washington
Notre Dame
Oregon
Utah
LSU
Alabama
Oregon State
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
North Carolina
Duke
Colorado
Miami (FL)
Washington State
UCLA
Tennessee
Iowa
Florida