The Draft "Expert" - Wk 13 2026 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings
- Logan Blackman
- 6 minutes ago
- 51 min read
YouTube: coming soon...
Hello everyone and welcome back to yet another exhilarating Draft "Expert" blog post! As I'm sure you can probably tell by the title, in this one we will be taking a look at the top-10 quarterback prospects (plus honorable mentions, of course) from week 13 of the college football season!
Did I enter that in right? Week 13? Goodness gracious ladies and gentlemen, it is incredibly hard to believe that we have entered this point of the college football season. You know what that means, right? It means that this coming week is the final week of the regular season. That's so crazy.
Obviously this coming week is rivalry week, and conference championship week comes after that, but I truly cannot believe that we are here right now. From Alabama losing to Florida State, to there being no real Heisman favorite, this season has been one of the most unpredictable yet, which has had drastic effects on this year's quarterback class.
It's so crazy to see how this class has changed throughout the course of the season, and I highly doubt it's done doing so, which makes it that much more exciting!
As always I am very excited for you guys to check out this week's blog post! Without any further delay I Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show and self proclaimed Draft "Expert," am proud to present my week 13Â quarterback prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft! Enjoy!
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1. Ty Simpson, Alabama
Wk 13 - 11/16 147 yds 0 touchdowns 2 interceptions/2 carries 17 yds 0 touchdowns v Eastern Illinois (56-0 W)
Season - 237/354 2,934 yds 22 touchdowns 4 interceptions/65 carries 95 yds 2 touchdowns
I'm not going to lie, I was not expecting things to be this difficult for Alabama this past weekend as they played host to Eastern Illinois. It's not like they're some FCS power this season or anything, as the Panthers now sit at 3-9 and have lost each of their last seven games. I guess I really shouldn't really be calling out all of the Crimson Tide, as they put up 539-yards of total offense whereas the defense only gave up 34 (yes, 34-yards of offense for Eastern Illinois). The main person I should (and will) be looking at is quarterback Ty Simpson, as the once Heisman hopefully put on one of his worst performances of the season against a bad FCS opponent. Despite the win, Simpson went 11/16 for 147-yards (season low) with zero touchdowns and two interceptions, with this being the first time he's registered more than one interception in a game so far this season. Hell, prior to this game he had only thrown two interceptions on the season, so to see him register two against Eastern Illinois put a real damper on any hopes that he had on coming away with the most prestigious individual award in college football (even though I could take or leave the second one, more on that later). This was also the first time this season where he hasn't registered a passing touchdown, though I don't have too many issues with that as he helped set up a couple of Alabama's touchdowns with their rushing attack registering a whopping 269-yards and eight touchdowns, with AK Dear and Kevin Riley each registering two. All that being said things would start out as good as they could have for Alabama as the defense would come away with an interception to help set the offense up at the Eastern Illinois 46-yard line. Despite the plus field position the Tide would find themselves in a fourth and one situation. Thankfully for them Simpson would hit Isaiah Horton along the near sideline for a 12-yard gain before firing it down the middle of the field to Horton again for 17-more yards to help get them down to the Panther eight yard line.
Like I've spoken about numerous times before, Simpson is arguably the most fearless quarterback in all of college football when it comes to throwing down the middle of the field. On this one, he did a nice job at placing this ball directly on his receiver's body as to not lead him into the path of the inside defender. Horton also did a nice job at hanging onto the ball through the contact from the defender coming in from behind to again help the Tide get down to the Panther eight yard line. Jam Miller would take it in from a yard out a few plays later, giving Alabama their first lead of the game with 9:45 left in the first quarter. Alabama would be set up with excellent field position on their next drive following a 19-yard punt return by Cole Adams. Starting from the Eastern Illinois 38-yard line, it would only take them five plays to find the end zone again with Daniel Hill taking it in from seven yards out to make the score 14-0 with 4:49 to go in the quarter. Alabama's starting field position would only continue to get better their next time out as a blocker punt would help set them up at the Panther 13-yard line. Only difference is that they would be unable to come away with any points, with kicker Conor Talty hitting the upright from 28-yards out to keep the score tied at 14. The offense would start on their own side of the 50 for the first time less than a minute into the second quarter. Despite this it wouldn't take long for them to register another touchdown, with Simpson hitting on passes of seven and eight yards before hitting Kevin Riley down the seam for a 23-yard gain to help get them down to the Eastern Illinois one yard line.
Nice job by Simpson at getting this ball out quick with the defender coming in free down the middle. Sure the pass was low, but nice job by Riley at going down to get it to again help pick up the 23-yard gain. Solid overall play from both quarterback and running back here, setting up a one yard touchdown run for Riley on the following play to make the score 21-0 with 10-minutes to go in the second quarter. Alabama's defense would force Eastern Illinois to punt the ball away after five plays on their next drive, but unfortunately on the very first play of their next possession Simpson would be picked off, with the defender returning it back to the Tide 16-yard line.
Remember when I spoke about Simpson's fearlessness when it comes to throwing down the middle of the field? Well that came back to bite him in the ass here as he was picked off for only the third time (up to that point) on the season. I'm assuming that he didn't see the defender in behind as his running back and the defender in coverage were blocking his sight line, but that doesn't take away from this being a rough interception (though it was still a nice catch by the defender), which was only made worse by them returning it all the way back to the Alabama 16-yard line. Eastern Illinois would turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert on fourth 25, giving the Alabama offense a new lease on life with 5:09 to go in the second. Following a 24-yard run by Jam Miller on the opening play Simpson would flash the athleticism, picking up 13-yards with his legs to get them down to the Panther 30-yard line. Simpson would then connect with Jaylen Mbakwe for a 26-yard gain, helping set up a two yard touchdown run by Kevin Riley to give the Tide a 28-0 lead with 1:05 to go in the first half.
Very solid throw along the sideline to hit the open receiver for the 26-yard gain following the 10-yard holding penalty on the previous play. Also, great job by Mbawke at not making sure to get his foot in bounds, but also showing the wherewithal to try and pick up a couple extra yards after making the catch. Like I mentioned above, Alabama would find the end zone one play later thanks to a two yard touchdown run by Kevin Riley, making the score 28-0 with about a minute to go in the first half. The Crimson Tide would see the ball one more time before halftime, taking over at their own 33-yard line with 40-seconds left following a three and out by the Panther offense. Things would seemingly look dead for the offense early on in the drive as they would find themselves in a third and six situation from their own 37 with only 11-seconds remaining in the half. That being said Simpson would come up big, evading pressure in the pocket before firing it down the field to Ryan Williams for a 25-yard gain to get them to the Eastern Illinois 38-yard line with one second remaining until halftime.
Excellent job here by Simpson at dipping and dodging the oncoming pressure from Eastern Illinois before again firing it down the field to an open Williams for the 25-yard gain. His pocket awareness is some of the best in the country, as he was able to remain calm while scanning the entire field before breaking out and giving them a chance to come away with some more points before the break. Unfortunately for him that wouldn't be the case, as his heave towards the end zone would be picked off, keeping the score at 28-0 going into the locker room.
I don't really hold a ton of weight when it comes to these kind of interceptions as he's again just heaving it towards the end zone to try and come away with some more points before halftime. Unfortunately he was picked off, but that can definitely happen on these kind of plays, especially when throwing it into double coverage. That throw would ultimately be Simpson's final contribution to the game as Austin Mack would come in and help see out a 56-0 victory for Alabama. This was a relatively easy game for the Tide as the Panthers posed little to no threat when they had the ball. It just sucks for Simpson as again he registered two interceptions in a game for the first time this season, squashing any real chances that he had at coming away with the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season. That being said he did still make some decent throws throughout the game, helping set up a couple of their touchdowns despite not registering one himself. They should have a little tougher test this coming weekend as they are on the road and taking on the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl. With Auburn fighting for bowl eligibility I'm sure they're going to be even more amped up for this one. That being said Alabama has won each of the last five Iron Bowls, and I don't really foresee that streak coming to an end this time around.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - 7
Wk 6 - 4
Wk 7 - 1
Wk 8 - 1
Wk 9 - 1
Wk 10 - 1
Wk 11 - 1
Wk 12 - 1
Wk 13 - 1
Wk 14 - @ Auburn
2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Wk 13 - BYE
Season - 203/278 2,641 yds 30 touchdowns 5 interceptions/62 carries 216 yds 5 touchdowns
Wk 1 - 6
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - 1
Wk 6 - 1
Wk 7 - 2
Wk 8 - 2
Wk 9 - 2
Wk 10 - 2
Wk 11 - 2
Wk 12 - 2
Wk 13 - 2
Wk 14 - @ Purdue (Friday)
3. Dante Moore, Oregon
Wk 13 - 22/30 257 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/2 carries -3 yds 0 touchdowns v no.15 USC (42-27 W)
Season - 207/284 2,447 yds 23 touchdowns 6 interceptions/50 carries 180 yds 0 touchdowns
No matter which side of the fence you sat on, this game had some massive implications attached to it. Sure it was fun knowing that we were witnessing a good old fashioned Pac-12 match-up against two top-15 teams, but whoever won this game could have possibly had a free ride to the College Football Playoff. Maybe that's a little harsh on Oregon's next opponent (more on them later) but it definitely did seem that way prior to the game starting. Now, though I was excited to watch this one, there was part of me that wanted to see Bane come out of the tunnel after blowing up the field of play, as each of these two teams came back to beat my Iowa Hawkeyes the past couple weeks. Regardless of that, I was mostly intrigued to see the quarterback match-up between Oregon's Dante Moore and USC's Jayden Maiava. Obviously the pair will never be on the field at the same time, but they are two immensely talented quarterbacks who I would consider to be two of the top five quarterbacks in this year's class. In the end it would be Moore's Ducks that would come away with more points, taking home an impressive 42-27 victory. In the win, Moore would go 22/30 for 257-yards with two touchdowns and an interception, with these weirdly being the second consecutive game for him with 30-attempts. I guess weird isn't the right word, but it is definitely interesting, right? I guess that's not important, what's important is that things would start off pretty good for Moore and the Oregon offense, as they would only need six plays to find the end zone on their opening drive, tying the game up at seven with 7:05 to go in the first. Moore would start this game out hot, registering completions of 24 and 20-yards to help set up an 11-yard touchdown run by Jordon Davison to again tie things up on their first drive of the game.
Of the two 20+ yard completions the first one was my favorite, with Moore showing excellent placement and velocity to get it into Benson for the eventual 24-yard gain. Good job at using his eyes to freeze the USC defense by looking to his left before flipping back to his right and firing it into his receiver before the inside defender could make a play on the ball. Great job by Moore at getting this thing out quick, placing it right on Benson's body to allow him to get his head up and pick up a few more yards down the field, again helping set up Oregon's first touchdown of the game. Moore would connect with Jamari Johnson on a shallow crossing route for a 15-yard gain on third and three before firing it into Kenyon Sadiq for a further 14-yards to get them to the USC 31-yard line. Speaking of Sadiq, the pair would connect a few plays later from eight yards out for Moore's first touchdown of the game, making the score 14-7 with 1:31 to go in the first quarter.
Great job by Moore at not only remaining calm in the face of pressure, but also at throwing Sadiq open in the corner of the end zone for the score (off of his back foot). I know Sadiq created a good amount of separation, but the pressure could have really thrown off the placement from Moore had he not stayed calm. Dude waited as long as he could to allow his tight end to get open, throwing it to a spot rather than more on him as the Ducks took their first lead of the game with 1:31 to go in the first quarter. Oregon would punt the ball away after five plays on their next drive. That being said Moore would still come up with a big time throw for them, hitting Jeremiah McClellan in a tight window towards the far sideline for a 23-yard gain.
This is an insanely accurate throw from Moore, as he was able to fit it into McClellan in an insanely tight window for the 23-yard gain. With the USC linebacker dropping back into coverage late this ball could have very easily been picked off, but once again Moore delivered a perfect pass right on his receiver's body for a nice gain. That being said it wouldn't ultimately lead to anything, as again the Ducks would be forced to punt the ball away a few plays later. Oregon would find themselves up 21-14 before their offense would see the field again thanks to an 85-yard punt return touchdown by Malik Benson with 9:58 to go in the second quarter. Their defense would come up big next, as they would pick off Jayden Maiava and help set the offense up near the 50 at their own 44-yard line (field position boosted by an unsportsmanlike penalty by USC). The run game would play a big role early on their next drive, but it would be Moore who would pick up the biggest gain on the drive after hitting Benson down the near sideline for a 30-yard gain, helping get them to the USC 19-yard line (would have been the four had it not been for an unsportsmanlike penalty).
Sorry for the camera issues (not my fault) but it shouldn't take away from how nice of a pass this was from Moore. Sure Benson had to slightly come back for the ball, but I still don't mind the placement here from Moore as he gave his receiver a chance to make a play on the ball. Like I mentioned before though, this play should have seen them down at the four yard line, instead they got backed up to the 19 following the unsportsmanlike penalty thrown on Benson after the catch. Despite the penalty the Ducks would still find the end zone, with Bryce Boettcher eventually taking it in from a yard out to make the score 28-14 with 1:52 to go in the second quarter. Though they found the end zone on three of their four drives in the first half, things would not go as smoothly for them to kick off the second half, as they would turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert on fourth and one from their own 45 on their opening drive before Moore would register his first interception of the game directly following an interception by Jayden Maiava.
To be honest I'm not too sure who Moore was throwing the ball to, as both receivers to the far side of the field layered around the same general area. Regardless, Moore initially did a good job at sliding and stepping up in the pocket, all while starting with his eyes to the left before working his way back to the right. Everything looked good until the throw, which was well behind the receiver, allowing the defender to pop it up to himself before taking it back 14-yards to set the USC offense up at their own 48-yard line. Moore would make up for the interception on their next drive following a Trojan touchdown, hitting Kenyon Sadiq down the seam for a 28-yard touchdown with 2:13 to go in the third quarter.
This is just a fantastic throw from Moore. With both safeties splitting wide, Moore knew that he'd have his uber athletic tight end open down the seam for the score. The only thing that stood in the way of that was the weight and placement of pass from Moore, which both were perfect to help the Ducks regain their double digit lead later on in the third quarter. Oregon would go three and out on their next drive, but would find the end zone once again on their second drive in the fourth quarter. Moore would hit on a couple passes on the drive but it would mostly be dominated by the run game, with Noah Whittington eventually taking it in from nine yards out to give them a 42-27 lead with 5:30 to go in the fourth. That touchdown would pretty much mark the end of things, as the Ducks would hold onto an impressive 42-27 home victory. This was a typical Dante Moore performance, when he's playing rhythm there are not a lot of better quarterbacks in the country. He threw with confidence and accuracy, hitting some tight windows throughout the course of the game. This week Moore and co. have another Pac-12 match-up on their hands as they travel to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies. Though the Huskies have hovered around the top-25 all season, I just think that they're too inconsistent to pose a real threat to the Ducks this week.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 4
Wk 5 - 2
Wk 6 - 2
Wk 7 - 3
Wk 8 - 3
Wk 9 - 3
Wk 10 - 3
Wk 11 - 3
Wk 12 - 3
Wk 13 - 3
Wk 14 - @ Washington
4. Jayden Maiava, USC
Wk 13 - 25/43 306 yds 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions/4 carries 16 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.7 Oregon (42-27 L)
Season - 226/344 3,174 yds 21 touchdowns 8 interceptions/47 carries 140 yds 6 touchdowns
I was really excited to see this game unfold, as this was a top-15 match-up between two former Pac-12 schools. It brought me back to a happier time, a time before conference realignment that saw the peak of one of the most fun conferences in the country. I obviously can't speak for everyone out there, but I for one absolutely loved what the Pac-12 conference once was, featuring some of the best and more underrated games in all of college football. For me, games featuring Oregon and USC were must see TV, with each program boasting some of the most high flying and most entertaining football. From Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush to Marcus Mariota and DeAnthony Thomas, it was impossible not to love watching these two schools in their pomp. What made this year's match-up that much more exciting was the fact that the Trojans were a good and competitive team in their new conference. Last season we saw the Ducks finish the regular season undefeated while also taking home a conference championship in the first time of asking. The Trojans on the other hand were one of the least physical teams in the Big Ten, allergic to playing defense despite having one of the best offenses in the conference. In the end USC finished with a 7-6 record, with head coach Lincoln Riley rightly or wrongly entering this season on the proverbial hot seat. This season they are a much more complete outfit, still boasting an elite offense but have a much more complete defense. That being said we still wouldn't say USC has one of the best defenses in the conference or anything, and that was on display this past weekend as they fell to Oregon on the road by the score 42-27. Despite the loss I felt as if quarterback Jayden Maiava played a solid game, as he would go 25/43 for 306-yards with three touchdowns, though he would also throw two interceptions in the loss (his first time doing that since their 34-24 loss to Notre Dame). Maiava would come out firing on USC's opening drive of the game, hitting Ja'Kobi Lane down the near sideline for a 27-yard gain to get them down to the Oregon 44-yard line.
Very solid throw here from Maiava, but also an excellent job at adjusting to the throw here from Lane to again help pick up the 27-yard gain. With pressure directly in his face, Maiava is able to remain calm and place this ball in between the sideline and the defender, putting it in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it for the first down. Just a great play overall to get the Trojans to the plus 44-yard line. Maiava and Lane would hook up again a few plays later, with the pair connecting for 16-more yards on second and 10 to get them down to the Oregon 14-yard line.
This is a fantastic throw here from Maiava. With three Oregon defenders in the area the room for error on this throw is ridiculously slim. Like, this ball needs to be placed right on his intended receiver's body, as any where else could see the pass get either broken up or intercepted. Fantastic ball placement and velocity on this throw from Maiava, with Lane making the catch through the contact to help get them into the red zone. A few plays later Maiava would register his first passing touchdown of the game, hitting Makai Lemon in the flat who would take it in from eight yards out to give the Trojans a 7-0 lead with 9:54 to go in the first quarter. Things wouldn't go as smoothly for USC on their next drive as they'd be forced to punt the ball away after just five plays. That being said it wouldn't take them long to find the end zone on their next possession, traveling 75-yards in just five plays with Lemon registering his first passing touchdown of the season less than 10-seconds into the second quarter. On the drive Maiava would connect on passes of 40 and nine yards prior to pitching it out to Lemon in the flat, lead to his aforementioned 24-yard touchdown pass.
You really can't ask Maiava to throw a much better ball on this play. With pressure directly in his face, the dude calmly delivers the ball down the line for a 40-yard gain. This is an impressive throw here in general, but it's made all that more impressive when you see that Maiava threw this thing flat footed. That's some impressive arm talent right there, completely flipped the field and taking the Trojans all the way down to the Duck 49-yard line. Like I mentioned before Lemon would hit Tanook Hines (who made a nice high point catch through contact) in the end zone from 24-yards out to make the score all tied up at 14 early on in the second quarter. Maiava would come up big for USC on their next drive, hitting Ja'Kobi Lane down the field for a 17-yard gain on third and 11 from their own 15-yard line.
As good of a throw as this is from Maiava this is an even better catch by Lane, who was able to fully extend to bring the ball in despite there being two defenders in tight coverage. One thing I really love about this USC team is that they have complete confidence in each other on the offensive side of the ball. It doesn't matter who Maiava is throwing to, he will put the ball in a spot and let his playmakers make plays. With pressure directly in his face again he was able to fire it into Lane who made a great catch to extend the drive on third and 11. Unfortunately the drive would eventually stall out, with the Trojans being forced to punt the ball away a few plays later from their own 36-yard line. To make matters worse returner Malik Benson would take the punt 85-yards all the way back the other way for six, giving the Ducks a 21-14 lead with 10-minutes to go in the second quarter. Maiava would come up big for USC on third down again on their next drive, connecting with Hines for a 16-yard gain on third and five. The only problem is that that would be the final positive play on the drive, as Maiava would register his first interception of the game a few plays later.
With the Oregon defensive tackle pushing the guard right into his lap, Maiava is able to remain calm and wait for Hines to get open in a window in the secondary for the easy completion on third down. Nice little jump pass here from Maiava, again helping extend the drive on third and five. Unfortunately that conversion would be short lived, as few plays later on third and 13 Maiava would again register his first interception of the game. In a roundabout way this throw was as good as a punt. That being said this is still a poor decision here from Maiava as he was seemingly locked onto making this throw as soon as the ball was snapped. The pressure definitely didn't help anything, but this pass had very little chance of being completed as there were three Oregon defenders in the area. Just an unfortunate play that was followed up by an unsportsmanlike penalty by Ja'Kobi Lane that would ultimately set the Duck offense up closer to the 50-yard line. Oregon would find the end zone after 12-plays to make the score 28-14 with less than two minutes to go in the half. Despite throwing a pick on their last drive, Maiava would come out firing, connecting with Tanook Hines down the near sideline for a 51-yard gain.
This is exactly what I was talking about before, Maiava has the upmost confidence in his receivers. It doesn't matter if they're a superstar like Lemon, or a true freshman in the case of Hines, he's going to give you an opportunity to make a play which is exactly what Hines did right here. With the Oregon defender matching his receiver stride for stride down the sideline, Maiava makes a back shoulder throw in order to keep the ball away from the defender. The play was ultimately made easier by said defender falling over in coverage, with Hines picking up a decent amount of more yards after the catch to help get them all the way down to the Oregon 24-yard line. The Trojans would ultimately get the ball down to the 10-yard line with eight seconds to go in the first half, setting up a 27-yard field goal for Ryon Sayeri. Unfortunately he would fail to convert on the ensuing attempt, keeping the score at 28-14 going into the break. Things wouldn't go much better for USC on their opening drive of the second half, as Maiava would register his second interception of the game after trying to convert on fourth and 10 from the Oregon 45-yard line.
Interceptions alone are frustrating, but what makes this one even more frustrating is that the USC defense came up big on Oregon's first drive of the second half, stopping them a yard short of the first down marker as they tried to convert on fourth and one from their own 45. This was a pretty hard throw to make, as the defender was in really good position to make a play on the ball. The throw from Maiava would have had to be perfect in order to fit this ball in, and much more to the outside than what is what right here. Again, unfortunate throw from Maiava and a great play by the Oregon defender to come away with the interception, stopping USC on fourth down (would have had better field position had the pass been broken up, just saying). The Trojan defense would come up big on the Ducks following drive, registering an interception of their own and helping set the offense up near the 50 at their own 48-yard line. Maiava would flash the athleticism on USC's next drive, picking up seven yards with his legs and picking up a first down on fourth and two. A few plays later he would register his second passing touchdown of the game, connecting with Makai Lemon from four yards out to make it a 28-21 game with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter.
Despite this only being a four yard touchdown pass, I wanted to highlight this as this was damn near the same play that saw Maiava get picked off on their previous drive. Unlike the interception though this was a well timed and placed pass from Maiava, fitting it into Lemon before the defender could make a play on it to get them back to within seven later on in the third quarter. The Trojans would be forced to punt the ball away after just four plays on their next drive following an Oregon touchdown that made the score 35-21 with 2:13 to go in the third quarter. That being said the USC defense would come up big on the Oregon's next drive as they would make them go three and out to open things up in the fourth. It wouldn't take the Trojans long to register a touchdown their next time out, with a pair of defensive pass interference calls on back-to-back plays to help get them to the Oregon 28-yard line. A few plays later Maiava would register his third touchdown of the game, hitting Lake McRee from nine yards out to get them back to within eight (failed two point conversion) with 11:32 to go in the game. The Trojans would find themselves in a tough fourth and eight situation on their next drive following yet another Duck touchdown. With the ball at their own 32-yard line, Maiava would roll to his left and fire one down the field to Ja'Kobi Lane for a 32-yard gain, helping get them to the Oregon 36-yard line.
What a play to help completely flip the field in the Trojans favor. Excellent job by Maiava at getting outside the pocket to the left after things started to break down in front of him. He then did a very nice job at launching it down the field and allowing his receiver to make a play on the ball. Despite there being an Oregon defender in coverage, Lane does a nice job at fighting through the contact to make a fantastic catch to help the Trojans convert on fourth and eight. Maiava would then register passes of four and six yards, but would end the drive with four straight incompletions as they would fail to convert on fourth and 10 from the Oregon 26-yard line, turning the ball over on a drive that should have seen them come away with some sort of points. That would ultimately be the end of things in Eugene, as the Ducks would take home a 42-27 victory. Despite the loss, I again thought Jayden Maiava put forth a solid performance. Though he registered two interceptions, he made some really big plays for the Trojans on crucial downs to at least keep them in striking distance as the game went on. It's an unfortunate loss but I would expect them to correct things against the UCLA Bruins this week.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - N/R
Wk 7 - 8
Wk 8 - 10
Wk 9 - N/R
Wk 10 - N/R
Wk 11 - 7
Wk 12 - 4
Wk 13 - 4
Wk 14 - v UCLA
5. Darian Mensah, Duke
Wk 13 - 20/33 175 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/3 carries 27 yds 0 touchdowns @ North Carolina (32-25 W)
Season - 262/389 3,182 yds 26 touchdowns 4 interceptions/47 carries -41 yds 0 touchdowns
Much like I spoke about a couple weeks ago, it's so crazy how much differently we each view the football programs of Duke and North Carolina compared to their basketball programs. Throughout the history of college basketball these two programs are at the top of the mountain, viewed by many as not only the best programs in the nation, but also the best rivalry. When you think of college basketball rivalries, the first one you think of is Duke and North Carolina. Obviously opinions may vary depending on who you ask but to the general public out there, it is the most highly anticipated game of the season. Hell, Duke students camp outside of Cameron Indoor in order to secure a spot at this game. The likes of Coach K, Roy Williams, Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, etc. have helped paint the picture of college basketball to the masses. The same cannot be said for their football programs. During basketball season the build up to this game is crazy, with each and every sports station hyping it up with each passing day. Now, if I asked a random person on the street, would they have had any idea that this football game was going on this past weekend? If I asked you, the person reading this right now, would you have been able to tell me that this game was scheduled to take place? I obviously don't know who's all reading this so I can't properly gauge it but my guess would be that no, you wouldn't have been able to tell me. The build up to this game on the football field compared to the basketball court is pretty crazy, but that didn't stop it from being a pretty exciting game as the Blue Devils came out on top by the score 32-25. In the win quarterback Darian Mensah put up better numbers than he did the previous week against Virginia, going 20/33 for 175-yards (season low) with one touchdown and no interceptions while also registering a season high 27-yards on the ground. Things would start off pretty good for the Duke offense with Mensah connecting with Jeremiah Hasley for a 27-yard gain on fourth and three from the North Carolina 46-yard line.
Very good job by Mensah at remaining calm in the pocket on fourth and three. Keeping his eyes down the field, he was able to get outside to the right (nice little stiff arm) before making the easy dump pass to Hasley for the aforementioned 27-yard gain. You just love seeing your quarterback make plays like this, not forcing the issue, remaining calm, and just taking what the defense gives them for the first down. A few plays later Anderson Castle would punch it up the middle from one yard out for their first touchdown of the game, making the score all tied up at seven with 2:59 to go in the first quarter. Mensah would come up big for the Blue Devil offense on a crucial down again on their next drive, connecting with Cooper Barkate down the far sideline for a 24-yard gain on third and nine.
With North Carolina sending an extra rusher, Mensah did a nice job once again at remaining calm and standing tall in the pocket before delivering a well weighted ball to Barkate for a 24-yard gain on third and nine. With the safety playing over top, Mensah smartly added some more loft to the ball in order to avoid any possible pass break up, interception, or big time hit on his receiver. Solid throw from Mensah and nice adjustment by Barkate to help the Blue Devils pick up a much needed first down. Mensah would connect on a few more passes as the drive went along, though none of them went too far past the line of the scrimmage. That is until he'd find an open Jeremiah Hasley in the end zone from 14-yards out, giving them a 14-7 lead with 10:25 to go in the second quarter.
I love the play design here by Duke because I love seeing big guys line up out at wide receiver, or spots where you just wouldn't normally see them. I mean, check out dude's stance prior to the ball being snapped, he was ready to catch the ball and take that baby into the end zone. In all seriousness this was a nice and simple dump pass from Mensah to Hasley as there was a good amount of confusion pre-snap from the North Carolina defense. As an offense you absolutely love to see that, which again lead to the easy score to give them their first lead of the game early on in the second quarter. Much like their first two drives of the game Mensah would once again come up big for Duke on third down their next time out, this time connecting with Sahmir Hagans down the near sideline for a 22-yard gain to help get them to the North Carolina 31-yard line.
Much like the throw earlier to Barkate, this was a really well weighted pass here by Mensah. With a defender jumping in his face as he's letting the ball, he was able to drop it in between the two defenders in coverage to Hagans for the aforementioned 22-yard gain. Really can't for a much better throw from Mensah to help extend the drive on third and six. He would go on to complete a couple screen passes as the drive went along, but they would ultimately have to settle for a field goal after finding themselves in a fourth and 13 situation, with kicker Todd Pelino converting from 33-yards out to give them a 17-7 lead with 2:33 to go in the second quarter. Mensah would flash the athleticism on their opening drive of the second half, picking up 13-yards with his legs to help the Blue Devils convert on fourth and seven from the Tar Heel 41-yard line. The run game would dominate the remainder of the drive as Mensah would register one pass attempt before Anderson Castle would take it in from a yard out to give them a 24-10 lead with 9:15 left in the third quarter. Duke would be forced to punt the ball away after five plays on their next drive, despite running back Nate Sheppard picking up a whopping 29-yards on the ground on the second play of the drive. They would find themselves down for the first time since the first quarter the next time the offense would take the field, with North Carolina register two touchdowns and a two point conversion to take a 25-24 lead less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Mensah would register completions of nine, 14, and 13-yards on their next drive, helping get them down to the Tar Heel 27-yard line, where they would find themselves facing a fourth and one situation. Unlike the previous times though they would fail to convert, with North Carolina sniffing out their trickery by tackling Que'Sean Brown in the backfield for an 11-yard loss. Thankfully for them their defense would come up big on North Carolina's next possession, forcing them to go three and out after sacking Gio Lopez twice on second and third down. Taking over with 6:32 remaining, Mensah would hit an open Sheppard out of the backfield who would pick up 18-yards after the catch. Mensah would connect on a couple more passes throughout the drive but it would mostly be the run game that would help them get down the field. Eventually though Duke would be faced with another fourth down situation, only this time they'd look to settle for a field goal from the North Carolina 27-yard line. Despite lining up for a field goal they would end up faking it, with kicker Todd Pelino picking up 26-yards with his legs to help get them down to the one yard line. The following play would see Castle punch it in from a yard out, giving the Blue Devils a 32-25 lead (following a successful two point conversion) with 2:20 to go in the fourth quarter. North Carolina would get nothing going on their next drive, allowing Duke to see out a 32-25 road victory. After losing back-to-back games, I'm sure it felt good to get back to winning ways, which was probably made even sweeter with it against their bitter rivals. Though Mensah registered a season low in passing yards, he made some big times plays for the Blue Devils when they needed him to, helping them convert on numerous third and fourth down situations with his arm and his legs. This week Mensah and co. play another team from North Carolina, as they're back at home playing host to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Though they're coming in as the betting favorites this Wake Forest team is not to be messed with, as they handed Virginia their second loss of the season on the road while also taking Georgia Tech to overtime earlier in the season. We should be in for a very fun one come Saturday afternoon.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - 9
Wk 7 - 9
Wk 8 - 7
Wk 9 - 7
Wk 10 - 5
Wk 11 - 5
Wk 12 - 5
Wk 13 - 5
Wk 14 - v Wake Forest
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma
Wk 13 - 14/30 173 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/18 carries 60 yds 0 touchdowns v no.22 Missouri (17-6 W)
Season - 198/318 2,260 yds 10 touchdowns 7 interceptions/122 carries 389 yds 7 touchdowns
Like I mentioned before with the USC v Oregon game, there was a decent sized part of me that was really excited to see this match-up. Not because it was a match-up that saw two top-25 teams go up against each other, but because we were given a glimpse to the past by watching two former Big 12 schools face off. Now, I am aware that these two schools played last year with Missouri coming out on top by the score 30-23, but it will always fill my heart with joy seeing a match-up like this. It just brings me back to when I was growing up, when Missouri and Oklahoma faced off in back-to-back Big 12 Championship games, with the first one seeing the Tigers fall at the final hurdle as they were seemingly a win away from going to the National Championship. It's always fun to reminisce about stuff like that, even though that era of college football is completely done in dusted. I would say thanks to conference realignment, but in this case conference realignment actually brought these two schools back together as Missouri originally left the Big 12 for the SEC all the way back in 2012. Regardless of all that this game still held importance, as we were going to see how the Sooners would do following their impressive road win against then fourth ranked Alabama the previous week. In the end it would be Oklahoma who would come out on top, with them taking home a 17-6 victory. In the win, quarterback John Mateer would go 14/30 for 173-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while also leading the Sooners in rushing yards with 60. Weirdly enough this would be the first time Mateer has register two passing touchdowns in a game since week one against Illinois State, with this also being the first time he's registered a passing touchdown since their 34-26 loss to Ole Miss back on October 25th. That being said things would not start off smoothly for Mateer and the Oklahoma offense, as they would go three and out on each of their first two drives before punting it away after seven plays their third time out. Oklahoma would have another short drive on their next possession, only this time they'd be finding the end zone as Mateer and Isaiah Sategna would connect for an 87-yard touchdown on the third play of the drive to give them their first lead of the game with 6:45 to go in the second quarter.
I am aware that most if not all credit for this touchdown should probably go to Sategna, but I still really like this throw from Mateer. With the linebacker(s) sitting back in coverage as a spy, Mateer does an excellent job at throwing the ball right off of his inside shoulder, ripping it into his receiver in stride before they can make a play on it. One of the fastest players in the country, once Sategna gets a full head of steam going he's damn near impossible to catch, which is exactly what happened here on this 87-yard score. They really expected a defender to track him across the field? Craziness, right? Oklahoma would start their next drive with excellent field position, kicking things off at the Missouri 35-yard line. Mateer would come up with a couple big time plays for the Sooners on the drive, picking up 15-yards with his legs on third and 10 before hitting JaVonnie Gibson in the end zone from eight yards out to help grow their lead to 14-3 with 2:22 to go in the second quarter.
I know I highlighted an incomplete pass before the two plays that literally helped them grow their lead, but I still like the throw given the fact that he was falling back with a defender directly in his face. The run though shows just the type of player that Mateer is, he's an absolute gamer. I love how he was able to stay patient, allowing his blocks to develop before cutting outside and making a couple defenders miss before getting lit up once he got past the first down marker (going to need him to do that last part less). The touchdown pass though was a nice and easy read, as the linebacker hesitated ever so slightly which gave Mateer a nice window to work with to fit it into Gibson for the score. Very solid drive here from Mateer to again help the Sooners gain a 14-3 lead later on in the second quarter. Oklahoma would continue their scoring ways on their first drive of the second half, with Mateer hitting on passes of 15 and 10-yards to help set up a 45-yard field goal from Tate Sandell to make the score 17-3 with 11:36 to go in the third quarter. The Sooners would really struggle to move the ball throughout the rest of the second half, punting the ball away on each of their final six drives of the game. Despite that Mateer would make (or come close to making) some plays for the offense, with his most notable contribution being a 14-yard scamper to pick up a first down on third and seven with 4:06 left in the fourth quarter.
Mateer had a really nice pass in a tight window fall incomplete a couple drives before, but I didn't want to make a habit of highlighting incomplete passes in his section this week. This run though again perfectly encapsulates Mateer as a football player, making a really awkward (yet effective) juke to get past the defender and pick up the first down. I love seeing him make plays like this, as these showcase why he was considered the Heisman favorite prior to his hand injury against Auburn (I know it was only a 14-yard gain, but you can see where I'm coming from). That run though would really be the last big play for Oklahoma on offense. Despite that they would still be able to hold onto a 17-6 home victory, giving them their ninth on the season. Though their offense isn't necessarily firing on all cylinders, their defense is definitely good enough to get them across the line in most games. That being said I do think Mateer is almost back to being his complete self, as he was able to make some decent plays with his arm and his legs, picking up some much needed first downs while also again leading the Sooners in rushing yards. He still can be widely inconsistent at times with his accuracy, but again I think he's nearly back to being the Mateer we saw earlier in the season. This week Mateer and co. take on the LSU Tigers, who are coming off of a 13-10 victory against Western Kentucky. Though again their offense hasn't necessarily been playing it's best, I think their defense will be able to do enough to keep the LSU offense at bay, with the offense ultimately making enough plays to help secure a win on Senior Day.
Wk 1 - 9
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - 5
Wk 6 - 6
Wk 7 - 6
Wk 8 - 6
Wk 9 - 5
Wk 10 - 6
Wk 11 - 6
Wk 12 - 6
Wk 13 - 6
Wk 14 - v LSU
7. Carson Beck, Miami (FL) (+3)
Wk 13 - 27/32 320 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/2 carries 9 yds 0 touchdowns @ Virginia Tech (34-17 W)
Season - 240/323 2,805 yds 22 touchdowns 9 interceptions/33 carries 56 yds 1 touchdownWk 1 - 8
I can't lie, there was a little tiny part of me that thought Miami would get upset this past weekend. It had nothing to do with the quality of each team in question, as you could make a pretty solid argument that the Hurricanes possess one of the more complete rosters in the ACC, as they can boast a top four offense as well as the top defense in the conference. That being said Miami seemingly tends to lose games like this every single year, at least since Mario Cristobal came down from Oregon. Maybe I've over analyzing things too much here but I don't think Miami should have lost to the likes of Louisville and SMU this year given the overall talent on their roster (though they are both solid teams), and I sure as hell don't think they should have lost to Georgia Tech back-to-back years as well as Syracuse, in a game that ultimately kept them out of the ACC Championship and the College Football Playoff. All in all this team tends to lose games they shouldn't, and even though Virginia Tech came into this game with only three wins, part of me thought they could potentially pull off the upset. Obviously I was wrong as the Hurricanes stormed to a 34-17 victory, but can you all see where I'm coming from at least? Regardless Miami quarterback Carson Beck put forth a very solid showing in the win, going 27/32 for 320-yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, posting a new season high in completions while also registering a near season highs in yards and touchdowns. I've really liked what I've seen from Beck in recent weeks, and I hope it continues as Miami fights for a chance to make the aforementioned College Football Playoff. About this game though things would start off pretty good for the Hurricane offense, with Beck connecting on passes of 32 and 20-yards on the drive, with the latter giving them their first lead of the game less than five minutes into the quarter.
Two really solid passes here from Beck to help give the Hurricanes their first lead of the game early on in the first quarter. The first throw was rather simple, as no one on the Virginia Tech defense bothered tracking Marion when he came across the field, hitting him in a good sized window over the top of the linebacker for the 32-yard gain. On the touchdown throw Beck did a nice job at manipulating the defense with his eyes. With him starting to the left that gets the safety to the near side of the field to follow the slot receiver, giving Beck a massive hole to work with in the middle of the defense for the eventual score. Though both pass catchers were decently open when Beck let the ball go, he still showed really good touch and placement on both balls, again helping Miami take their first lead of the game. Beck would connect with Malachi Toney down the near sideline for a 22-yard gain on their next drive, with Toney doing an excellent job at coming back to the ball though he initially beat his defender down the field. Beck and Toney would connect again a few plays later, this time picking up 11-yards on a hitch on fourth and three from the Virginia Tech 31-yard line. Eventually, after putting together a 14-play drive, Beck would roll to his right and hit Mark Fletcher out of the backfield for a rather easy three yard touchdown pass, giving Miami a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. The run game would play a big factor their next time out, with the longest pass of the drive belonging to Toney, with him hitting Keelan Marion down the field for a 15-yard gain. That being said they would ultimately have to settle for a field goal, with kicker Carter Davis converting from 46-yards out to make the score 17-3 with 4:16 to go in the quarter. The Hurricanes would come away with another field goal on their next drive, which was set up for the most part thanks to a 56-yard pass from Beck to Toney to take them from their own 20 all the way down to the Hokie 24-yard line.
Solid throw here from Beck down the seam to hit Toney for what would again result in a 56-yard gain. Now, it obviously helps that the defender in coverage fell over, but I still like the placement from Beck as it forced Toney to come back to the ball and away from the defender playing over top, which helped create more separation and room for him to pick up more yards after the catch. Beck would then connect with Joshua Moore on a shallow crossing route for 12-more yards, helping them get down to the 22-yard line where Carter Davis would convert to make the score 20-3 with 37-seconds left in the second quarter. Beck would come out on their first drive of the second half by hitting a couple check downs for minimal gains before connecting with Toney along the near sideline for a 17-yard gain, helping get them to the Virginia Tech 36-yard line.
Just a simple pitch and catch between quarterback and receiver. Since the Hokie safety hit on the fake handoff, he was late getting back into coverage which gave Beck a little bigger window to hit his receiver along the sideline. He did job at putting it in a spot where only Toney could get it, with him making an excellent leaping catch to come down with it for the first down. Beck would come up with a couple more big time throws throughout the rest of the drive, connecting with Daylyn Upshaw on a well thrown back shoulder ball before hitting an open Girard Pringle in the end zone from 22-yards out to make the score 26-10 with 5:32 to go in the third quarter.
I say this damn near every week, but man oh man do I love myself a back shoulder throw. Beck absolutely just ripped it into Upshaw, who did a very nice job at fighting through the defender in order to come back to the ball and make the catch. You can't really place it much better than that if you are Beck. As for the touchdown Pringle did an excellent job at laying out for that ball, as Beck may have gotten a little too excited after seeing him that open down the field. When mesh combinations are run like that it makes things nice and simple for the offense, Pringle was again able to create separation before making a diving effort to come down with the ball for the score. Miami would struggle to move the ball to a certain extent on their next couple of drives as they would be forced to punt the ball away after five plays on both of them. The Hurricane offense wouldn't see the field again until the 1:56 mark in the fourth quarter, thanks to a touchdown and a successful onside kick attempt from the Hokies. Thanks to a strip sack fumble forced by the defense, Miami's offense would start their final drive at the Virginia Tech 40-yard line. They would eventually get the ball down to the 20-yard line, where Beck would connect with Malachi Toney in the end zone to make the score 34-17 with 20-seconds to go in regulation.
Could the Hurricanes have just settled for a field goal, or knelt to just give the ball back to the Hokies here on fourth down? Well sure, but where's the fun in that? This is a very solid throw here from Beck, but an even better catch by Toney to come down with it in the end zone through the defender to again make the score 34-17 late in the fourth. What a way to cap off the game for Miami, as this touchdown helped secure the win and give them their ninth on the season. Though I did have an inkling that the Hurricanes would somehow screw this up, I am overall happy to see that they didn't as I do enjoy seeing Miami up there with the best teams in college football. Speaking of nice things to see I have enjoyed this turn around from Beck, as he's playing with a ton of confidence and is not afraid to make any throw on the field. This week him and the Hurricanes travel north to take on the Pitt Panthers, a team that has only lost one game in conference play and is coming off of a 42-28 road victory over Georgia Tech. Pitt is a good football team, and could definitely cause Miami problems if they're not careful. We should be in for a fun one on the final game week of the regular season.
Wk 2 - 9
Wk 3 - 7
Wk 4 - 8
Wk 5 - 8
Wk 6 - 7
Wk 7 - 7
Wk 8 - N/R
Wk 9 - N/R
Wk 10 - N/R
Wk 11 - N/R
Wk 12 - 10
Wk 13 - 7
Wk 14 - @ Pitt
8. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
Wk 13 - 25/38 300 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/8 carries 38 yds 0 touchdowns v no.11 BYU (26-14 L)
Season - 184/303 2,518 yds 24 touchdowns 5 interceptions/90 carries 521 yds 9 touchdowns
I know I brought this up last week, but remember when I said Cincinnati's Big 12 Championship hopes were still alive following their 45-14 road loss to Utah? Well, about that, if those dreams weren't dead last week they're certainly dead now as the fell to another team from Utah this past weekend by the score 26-14. I'm not going to lie, there was a little part of me that was afraid that this would happen. What I mean by "this" is another late season collapse, which is exactly what happened to the Bearcats just a season ago. Despite starting with a 5-2 record, Cincinnati would go on to lose each of their next five games and finish the regular season with a disappointing 5-7 record. The difference between this year and last year though is that Cincinnati lost to five unranked teams to close out the season, at least they lost to two top-25 teams (Utah and BYU) and another team hovering around the top-25 (Arizona) this time around, right? Not really, as unfortunately all loses in college football count the same, as Cincinnati has fallen in each of their last three games, going from 7-1 to 7-4 in the blink of an eye. Obviously they can still end the regular season a high note on their final game of the season (more on that later) but right now they find themselves in a very dark place. This past week though there was a part of me that thought they could pull off the upset, but in the end they fell to 11th ranked BYU again by the score 26-14. Despite the loss I though quarterback Brendan Sorsby put forth a solid effort, going 25/38 for 300-yards with two touchdowns and one interception while also leading the Bearcats in rushing yards with 38. Interestingly enough, this was the first time Sorsby has registered 300 or more passing yards in a game since they beat Kansas 37-34 all the way back on September 27th. Regardless things wouldn't start out the smoothest for the Cincinnati offense, as they would go three and out on their first drive before turning it over on downs after failing to punch it into the end zone on fourth and one from the BYU three yard line. That being said Sorsby would come up with a nice 23-yard completion to Isaiah Johnson to help get them down to the 12-yard line.
Great job by Sorsby at starting with his eyes to the left, manipulating the defense in that direction before flipping back to his right and firing it into Johnson for the eventual 23-yard gain. I really like this because you can see damn near every BYU defender shifting to the left side of the formation because of Sorsby's eyes, making the throw to Johnson that much easier as they would again get the ball down to the Cougar 12-yard line. That being said they would again fail to come away with anything on this drive, turning it over on downs just a few plays later. Sorsby would come out firing early Cincinnati's next time out, hitting Noah Jennings on a slant for what would result in a 20-yard gain on the opening play of the drive. Unfortunately the drive would stall out pretty quick following that play, with them having to settle for a 42-yard field goal with 11:37 to go in the second quarter. The only problem is that Cincinnati kicker Stephen Rusnak would fail to convert, keeping the score at 7-0, in favor of BYU. On a more positive note the offense would start their next drive with excellent field position following a 57-yard punt return. It wouldn't take long for the Bearcats to find the end zone, with Sorsby hitting an open Cyrus Allen down the near sideline for a 27-yard touchdown on just the second play of the drive.
Again, nice job at using the eyes by Sorsby, holding the single high safety to the right before flipping back to the left and hitting Allen down the field for the score. Great stop and go route from Allen to free himself up, with Sorsby making the nice and easy pass to help tie the game up at seven with 6:34 to go in the second quarter. Sorsby would flash the athleticism early on Cincinnati's next possession, picking up nine yards with his legs to help them convert on third and three from their own 32 before taking it up the middle for five more yards to pick up another first down on fourth and two to get them to the BYU side of the 50. Sorsby would then fire one into Allen for an 18-yard gain on second and 10 before the Bearcats would have to settle for another field goal attempt with seven seconds to go in the first half. Unfortunately for them history would repeat itself as Stephen Rusnak would fail to convert again, this time from 40-yards out as the score remained 10-7 going into the locker room(s). Things wouldn't get much better for Cincinnati on their opening drive of the second half, as Sorsby would be intercepted trying to make something happen on third and 10.
Long story short, this is just a really bad under thrown ball here from Sorsby. I know he's trying to make something happen on third down, and I know some people out there may say this throw basically served as a punt, but again it doesn't take away from the fact that this was just a bad throw. Like, the BYU defender made a really uncontested catch to come away with the interception, which would eventually lead to a touchdown for the Cougars to make the score 17-7 midway through the third quarter. Despite the interception Sorsby would come out firing on the opening play of Cincinnati's next possession, hitting Caleb Goodie along the far sideline for what would result in a 19-yard gain.
Though I really like the ball placement here from Sorsby, you can tell that he initially thought that this thing was going the other way for six. Thankfully for him though again the placement was inch perfect, placing it to the outside and away from the defender (despite them being fully extended) for what would ultimately result in a 19-yard gain. Sorsby would connect on a couple short passes that would result in decent gains, helping set up another field goal attempt with 5:16 to go in the quarter. Do I really need to tell you what happened next? To the surprise of no one, kicker Stephen Rusnak would fail to convert for the third time in the game, this time missing from 48-yards out to keep the score at 17-7 later on in the third. Things would start off pretty good for Cincinnati on their next drive as Sorsby would connect with Goodie for seven yards on fourth and two before picking up a first down with his legs a few plays later on second and six. He would then fire it into Evan Pryor on the following play for 25-yards, getting it off just before the defender could bring him down in the backfield and possibly force a fumble.
This play shows why we often refer to football as a "game of inches," as Sorsby was literally inches away from having his arm hit by the oncoming BYU defender. I know the ball didn't travel too far past the line of scrimmage, but I like how he was able to scan the whole field and remain calm in the pocket while feeling the pressure from the outside before getting it off to his running back for the aforementioned 25-yard gain. Though they avoid a turnover here, they would not be so lucky on the following play as Cyrus Allen would cough the ball up after getting twisted down by a Cougar defender, killing what should have been another scoring drive for the Bearcats with 11:25 to go in the fourth quarter. Thankfully for them their defense would come up big by forcing BYU to punt the ball away after just four plays. Sorsby would come out firing on their next drive, connecting with Isaiah Johnson for 20-yards on the opening play before hitting Manny Covey down the near sideline for a 37-yard gain to help get them down to the Cougar 15-yard line.
Though the first one sees Sorsby make a solid throw across the field from a clean pocket, the second one sees him standing tall and delivering a fantastic ball down the near sideline all while knowing he's going to take a decent shot from the oncoming defender. Yes Covey had to come back to the ball to a certain extent, but given the circumstances I think that this was a really good throw from Sorsby, again helping get them all the way down to the BYU 15-yard line. A few plays later, on third and 14 Sorsby would come up big, firing it into Jeff Caldwell from 19-yards out to get them back to within six with 4:37 to go in the fourth quarter.
Nice and simple throw down the seam here from Sorsby to help make the score 20-14 later on in the fourth quarter. Throwing the ball right off of the inside shoulder of the linebacker, beating the zone to come away with his second touchdown of the evening. Unfortunately BYU would come away with a touchdown of their own on their next drive, ultimately taking home a 26-14 road victory (failed two point conversion on the final touchdown). This was a game where nothing seemed to go right for Cincinnati as they just couldn't ever seem to capitalize on their opportunities. As for Sorsby I again thought he put forth a solid effort in this one, making solid throws from the pocket despite taking some big shots from the Cougar defense. The interception wasn't great, but I think his overall play was pretty solid given the circumstances. This week Sorsby and co. are on the road as they travel down to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs, who are coming off of an impressive 17-14 win against then 23rd ranked Houston. These are two very evenly matched teams, and I'm excited to see this one play out come Saturday afternoon.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - N/R
Wk 7 - N/R
Wk 8 - N/R
Wk 9 - 8
Wk 10 - 8
Wk 11 - 8
Wk 12 - 8
Wk 13 - 8
Wk 14 - @ TCU
9. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (-2)
Wk 13 - BYE
Season - 195/299 2,657 yds 14 touchdowns 3 interceptions/110 carries 444 yds 8 touchdowns
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - N/R
Wk 7 - N/R
Wk 8 - N/R
Wk 9 - 9
Wk 10 - 9
Wk 11 - 9
Wk 12 - 7
Wk 13 - 9
Wk 14 - @ Mississippi State (Friday)
10. Cade Klubnik, Clemson (-1)
Wk 13 - 9/15 159 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/2 carries -16 yds 0 touchdowns v Furman (45-10 W)
Season - 211/314 2,482 yds 16 touchdowns 5 interceptions/67 carries 95 yds 3 touchdowns
There's not really a whole lot to talk about when it comes to this game, right? I mean, I know Clemson is nowhere near as good as either you or I thought they would be, but there was no chance in hell that they were going to struggle against little old Furman, right? Jokes aside, it is somewhat annoying that Clemson's record is as bad as it is, mostly because I was one of the seemingly many idiots that thought their roster was good enough to compete for a National Championship. With players like Peter Woods, TJ Parker, and Avieon Terrell on the defensive side, and Cade Klubnik returning to be the starter at quarterback, everything thing seemed to align perfectly, especially after they took home the ACC title just the season prior. But alas things didn't quite live up to expectations, with the Tigers finally getting above .500 following their 45-10 victory against the aforementioned Furman Paladins. Though they are an FCS team, it was nice to see Clemson throughly put them away, with Klubnik only playing a quarter and a drive before essentially getting a guard of honor about three minutes into the second quarter. Despite the limited playing time Klubnik still put up some solid numbers, going 9/15 for 159-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, with this marking his fourth consecutive game without him being picked off. Klubnik would come out of the gates firing on their opening drive, connecting on shorter passes that would ultimately rack up 23, 19, and eight yards before they would have to settle for a 45-yard field goal from Nolan Hauser to give them their first lead of the game with 12:17 to go in the first quarter. The offense would be set up with decent field position on their next drive following a 30-yard punt return by Antonio Williams. Starting on the Furman 41-yard line, with would only take Clemson six plays to find the end zone for the first time, with Klubnik connecting with the aforementioned Williams from 22-yards out to make the score 10-0 midway through the first.
Real quick, I know I didn't touch on it above but I did also like Klubnik's 12-yard pass to Olsen Patt-Henry on the crossing route. I know it wasn't anything ridiculously crazy or anything, but I like how he was able to remain calm in the face of oncoming pressure and deliver a strong and accurate ball to his tight end for the first down on fourth and seven. The touchdown was a nice example of pitch and catch between quarterback and wide receiver, as Klubnik threw a strike down the middle of the field to an open Antonio Williams for the 22-yard score, giving them their first touchdown of the game midway through the first quarter. It wouldn't take the Tigers long to find the end zone again on their next drive, with Klubnik completing a couple passes of 19 and 10-yards before Tyler Brown would take a reverse 21-yards for their second touchdown of the game, making the score 17-0 with 4:43 to go in the first quarter. Clemson would go three and out on their next drive but would be able to register another touchdown on just the second play of their opening possession of the second quarter, with Klubnik and Williams connecting from 35-yards out to make the score 24-0 with 14:15 to go until halftime.
Once again, another nice and simple play from both quarterback and receiver. With the safety coming over late, Williams found himself open in behind the secondary. All there was for Klubnik to do was not miss him, which of course he didn't to help Clemson grow their lead to 24 less than a minute into the second quarter. That throw would be Klubnik's final contribution to the game, as the back-ups would come in and help see out a 45-10 victory on Senior Day. Like I alluded to before there really wasn't a whole lot to talk about when it came to Klubnik in this one. Though the only played a little over a quarter, he still made some nice plays for the Tigers to help establish a double digit lead early in the game. I highly doubt he's going to play that little this week as they travel to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks, who are coming off of a 51-7 win against Coastal Carolina (their first win in five games). Despite their 4-7 record, South Carolina is far from an easy out, as they posses a fiery defense and one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country in LaNorris Sellers. This game is usually a closely fought affair, and after Clemson fell 17-14 last season, I'm sure Klubnik and co. will be extra motivated to come away with a result here.
Wk 1 - 5
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 9
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - N/R
Wk 7 - N/R
Wk 8 - N/R
Wk 9 - N/R
Wk 10 - 10
Wk 11 - 10
Wk 12 - 9
Wk 13 - 10
Wk 14 - @ South Carolina
Others
Jaden Craig, Harvard
Wk 13 - 23/43 266 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/10 carries 26 yds 1 touchdown @ Yale (45-28 L)
Season - 195/310 2,722 yds 24 touchdowns 5 interceptions/40 carries 84 yds 3 touchdowns
Josh Hoover, TCU
Wk 13 - 24/33 293 yds 2 touchdowns 3 interceptions/4 carries -2 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.23 Houston (17-14 W)
Season - 253/391 3,166 yds 25 touchdowns 13 interceptions/51 carries 7 yds 2 touchdowns
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Wk 13 - 33/39 484 yds 5 touchdowns 1 interception/15 carries 48 yds 1 touchdown v Kentucky (45-17 W)
Season - 224/312 2,924 yds 26 touchdowns 6 interceptions/132 carries 661 yds 8 touchdowns
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Wk 13 - 22/33 162 yds 1 touchdown 2 interceptions/9 carries -10 yds 1 touchdown @ Arizona (41-17 L)
Season - 281/457 3,372 yds 30 touchdowns 11 interceptions/52 carries 4 yds 3 touchdowns
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Wk 13 - 16/20 274 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/8 carries 82 yds 2 touchdowns v Coastal Carolina (51-7 W)
Season - 155/251 2,056 yds 11 touchdowns 6 interceptions/137 carries 268 yds 2 touchdowns
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