Hello everyone and welcome to the final Draft "Expert" quarterback rankings of the season! I know, I know, sad times for sure but hey, we had fun didn't we?
I know I've said this probably a thousand times before but isn't just crazy that w just finished week 14 of the college football season and are entering conference championship weekend? Does that sit well with everyone out there? Like, I know everything means more this time of the year but it feels like the season just started, and now it's ending? I don't know how I feel about that.
This college football season has been one of the most enjoyable seasons I can remember. No, it's not just because Iowa doesn't rank dead last in almost every offensive category (though it helps), but because of the fact that any team could get beaten each and every week.
I know that's true in most scenarios, but this season just felt different if that makes sense. Like we saw Alabama lose to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1984, Michigan beat Ohio State for the fourth year in a row, Indiana and Iowa State registering their first ever 10-win seasons, and so on and so forth. Just a really fun season all around, wouldn't you agree?
Even for the quarterbacks it's been really fun, with this past weekend arguably being my favorite from throughout the entire season! Sure we have some movement, but we also have a new name entering the top 10 for the first time since week eight!
With all that being said, I Logan Blackman, the self proclaimed Draft "Expert and host of the Logan Blackman Show, am proud to present to you our week 14 quarterback prospect rankings! Enjoy!
Podcast Links
Pictured: Shedeur Sanders, Colorado; Carson Beck, Georgia; Kyle McCord, Syracuse
1. Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
Wk 14 - 25/36 349 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries 19 yds 0 touchdowns @ Syracuse (42-38 L)
Season - 293/435 4,123 yds 36 touchdowns 7 interceptions/58 carries 196 yds 4 touchdowns
After starting off with an impressive 9-0 record, the Miami Hurricanes have dropped two of their last three games of the season against unranked opponents to finish 10-2 while also missing out on a trip to Charlotte and the ACC Championship game. After the game Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord sent out a tweet saying 'you're welcome Clemson,' as the Orange's 42-38 home win booked the Tigers a trip to the aforementioned championship that the Hurricanes were now going to watch on their couches. To those who rock the orange and green this is about as bad of a way to close out a season as you probably could've imagined, but for some outside that bubble, Miami's late season 'collapse' brought a little bit of joy. I must say that joy is not coming from me as I like seeing Miami do well as it makes college football more fun if the Hurricanes are good and competing for conference titles, that's just my opinion. But again, there were a decent amount of people that I either talked to in person or saw on social media that were really rooting for Miami's downfall. Maybe it was because of the brand itself or because they didn't like how the Hurricanes were winning games despite struggling in almost all of their wins, makes them look like 'frauds' to some people, which is arguably the worst thing you can call a college football program in the year 2024. Regardless of how you felt about Miami as a team, you cannot under any circumstance take away from the brilliant season quarterback Cam Ward had. In his first (and likely final) season as Miami's starter since transferring from Washington State, Ward 4,123-yards with 36-touchdowns and just seven interceptions with 196-yards and four touchdowns on the ground to boot. Ironically the only quarterback Ward ranks behind in regards to passing yards is the aforementioned Kyle McCord, who also threw for more yards than Ward in last Saturday's outing. For the game, Ward threw for 349-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, with those 349-yards being the 10th time he's registered more than 300-yards passing in a game this season, while also being his 11th multi-touchdown game. An impressive game to end an impressive season, just a shame that the same can't be said for the team as a whole. That being said Miami was able to find the end zone early, traveling 75-yards in nine plays to open the scoring with less than five minutes gone in the opening quarter. Prior to the two yard touchdown run by Mark Fletcher Jr., Ward would roll out to his right and hit an open Jacolby George (who did a very nice job at coming back to the ball) for a 19-yard gain on third and four to get Miami to the midfield marker. Following Syracuse turning it over on downs on their opening drive, Ward would connect with George again on a crossing route that would go for 25-yards before hitting Xavier Restrepo for a 16-yard score to go up 14-0 with less than four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Very job by Ward at letting this ball go before Restrepo is able to flip his head around. That's you like to see from your quarterback, throwing with anticipation, throwing the ball where the receiver will be rather than where they currently are. Again, throwing this before Restrepo has his head turned shows the relationship that the both of them have together. Solid play which again resulted in six more points for the Hurricane offense. Miami would continue to stack touchdowns their next time out, on a drive that was kicked off with Ward connecting with Jacolby George for a 40-yard gain to get them from their own 10 to the 50-yard line.
With Restrepo sucking in the safety, that gives Ward a nice window to work with to hit George up the field for a nice gain. Ward does a nice job at getting this ball out right on the hash mark as he's able to get it in before the safety to the far side of the field can make a play on the ball. By putting this ball more on his receiver's body rather than leading him upfield, George has time to pick his head up and avoid the aforementioned safety while picking up 40-yards in the process. Ward would connect with George on a crossing route for 19 more yards before a 21-yard run by Damien Martinez would get them all the way down to the Syracuse six yard line. A couple plays later Ward would hit an open in the end zone from three yards out to give the Hurricanes a resounding 21-0 lead at the start of the second quarter. Miami would struggle to sustain drives their next couple times out. Though Ward would be able to connect with Xavier Restrepo up the seam for 25-yards, they would ultimately end up punting the ball away twice after going three and out and after just three plays following the aforementioned 25-yard pickup between Ward and Restrepo. Eventually, Syracuse would tie the game up at 21, as they'd be able to find the end zone after just three plays on their opening drive of the second half. The Hurricanes would respond with a touchdown of their own on their opening drive, with Ward connecting with Restrepo for 20-yards before picking up 17 with his legs on second and seven.
Like we've discussed on multiple occasions Ward has this in his locker, the ability to pick up nice gains with his legs when the pocket starts to collapse around him. Though the rushing numbers may not show it Ward is really elusive, whether he's inside or outside of the pocket (though most of it comes behind the line of scrimmage). Just a natural playmaker which helped Miami get to the Syracuse side of the 50-yard line. A couple plays later Ward would find Elijah Arroyo between a couple Orange defenders, picking up 27-yards in the process and getting them to the six yard line.
Nice job by Ward at fitting this ball into Arroyo through a fairly tight window to again help get Miami down to the Syracuse six yard line. Three plays later Mark Fletcher Jr. would take it in from two yards out to help Miami regain their lead with 11-minutes to go in the third quarter. Syracuse would respond in kind their next time out as well, making the score tied at 28 midway through the aforementioned quarter. Things would go a little sour for Miami there next couple times out as they'd punt the ball away after just four plays before Xavier Restrepo would get stripped of the ball with Syracuse returning it 58-yards in the opposite direction for six, giving them a 35-28 lead with less than two minutes to go in the quarter. That being said Ward would help the Hurricane offense work down the field their next time out, hitting Elijah Arroyo while being dragged down for five yards on third and four before hitting Restrepo in stride for a 40-yard gain that would get them down to the Syracuse two yard line.
Nice strong throw across the middle by Ward to again hit Restrepo in stride for a 40-yard gain following the costly fumble return touchdown. Though the play itself wouldn't result in six for Miami, it would help set up a two yard run by Damien Martinez to tie the game up at 35 at the start of the fourth quarter. Ward and Restrepo would connect early on Miami's next drive as well, with Ward hitting his intended receiver between a few Syracuse defenders for a 15-yard gain following a false start penalty on the opening play of the drive.
Despite it being a low driven throw, I quite like the ball placement from Ward on this play. There's not a ton of room to work with given the number of Orange defenders in the area, so Ward drives this ball low and hard, forcing his favorite receiver to make a play, which he of course does. Finding the gap in the defense for the nice 15-yard gain following the first down penalty. Ward would be able to find Jacolby George for a further 16-yards a few plays later, dropping it in between a couple Syracuse defenders down the far sideline for the nice gain to get them deeper into Orange territory.
Nice job placing it in the bucket by Ward, getting it to George with two Syracuse defenders in the area. Just a solid throw from Ward to help get Miami deeper into Orange territory. Miami would have a couple decent plays throughout the remainder of the drive, but ultimately the Hurricanes would be forced to settle for three with less than four minutes to go in the ballgame. Though they managed to come away with some points they wouldn't see the ball the rest of the way as the Syracuse offense would ultimately see out a 42-38 home victory. Like I brought up before, this was just an unfortunate way to end the regular season if your at all associated with Miami Hurricanes, whether you're a fan or apart of the team. You never want to see yourself lose two of your last three games, even more so when you started the season off with a 9-0 record. Though the Hurricanes looked locked to make their first conference championship game since 2017, they will now be watching SMU take on Clemson on TV like the rest of us. Lord knows what this could mean for their playoff chances. Sure both Georgia Tech and Syracuse aren't bad teams by any stretch, but the committee will find any way to put more SEC teams in the playoff, which could spell sad times for Miami.
Preseason - 8
Wk 1 - 5
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 4
Wk 4 - 4
Wk 5 - 2
Wk 6 - 1
Wk 7 - 1
Wk 8 - 1
Wk 9 - 1
Wk 10 - 1
Wk 11 - 1
Wk 12 - 1
Wk 13 - 1
Wk 14 - 1
Wk 15 - BYE
2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Wk 14 - 34/41 438 yds 5 touchdowns 1 interception/10 carries -31 yds 0 touchdowns v Oklahoma State (52-0 W)
Season - 337/454 3,926 yds 35 touchdowns 8 interceptions/91 carries -16 yds 4 touchdowns
The Colorado Buffaloes exercised a lot of demons this past Black Friday against Oklahoma State. After coming out on the losing end of a 37-21 game against Kansas in Arrowhead Stadium, Colorado came out and ass blasted Oklahoma State by a score of 52-0, moving the Cowboys to 0-9 in conference play, the first time they've gone winless in Mike Gundy's time as head coach. I don't even think 'ass blasting' is the most accurate way to describe what Colorado did to Oklahoma last Friday, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders throwing for a whopping 438-yards with five touchdowns (and one interception), with the latter being a season high mark for the season. I saw an Oklahoma State fan on Twitter apologize to the college football world for what their team was going to do for Travis Hunter's Heisman campaign. They weren't wrong, as Hunter accounted for 116-yards and three touchdowns receiving with an interception, essentially placing one hand on the trophy in this blow win in the final game of the regular season. Again, this was just an absolute ass kicking delivered by Colorado, a scoreline that would've probably been flipped had these two teams met a year ago where Oklahoma State (though not great) finished the regular season at 9-3 with a trip to the Big 12 Championship game, whereas Colorado (as we've talked about numerous times before) finished the regular season 4-8, losing their last six games of the season. The script was completely flipped this season, and the Buffaloes waisted no time proving as such with Travis Hunter's interception of Maealiuaki Smith's pass on third 18 helping set up the offenses first score of the game, which would be a one yard run by Micah Welch to go up seven less than three minutes into the game. Colorado would register another touchdown on their second drive, though this one would be much longer as they'd travel 65-yards in 11-plays for the score. After hitting on a couple intermediate passes and picking up 17-yards on the ground, Sanders would be able to avoid a potential sack and deliver a nice ball to a wide open LaJohntay Wester from 10-yards out on third and six to double their lead with less than four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Like I always talk about, down in the red zone you have less room to work with, so this is a very nice job by Sanders at buying time in the pocket amidst the pressure and letting a receiver get open for a potential score. Like it's hard enough to guard a receiver for a second, but once you have to go longer than that it allows them to get open, which Wester did a nice job at doing as he found himself uncovered in the back corner of the end zone for Sanders to hit him for the touchdown. Nice pocket awareness and calmness shown by Sanders on this scoring play, again helping double Colorado's advantage in the first quarter. They would continue to stack touchdown their next time out, with Sanders only needing three plays to register his second passing touchdown of the game, this one going to Travis Hunter from 11-yards out to go up 21-0 with two minutes to go in the quarter. Sanders did a nice job at getting this ball out quick to Hunter on the slant after pulling it from the back, making for an easy score to again further their ever growing advantage. The next few drives wouldn't be as successful for Colorado as they'd punt the ball away on each of their next three drives, going three and out on two of them. Sanders would come out firing on their next drive following their last three and out, throwing a beautiful ball down the near sideline to Isaiah Hardge for a 39-yard gain to get them down to the Oklahoma State 10-yard line.
With pressure coming free off the edge, Sanders does an excellent job at getting this ball out quick, again throwing a beautiful ball down the sideline for the nice gain. Throwing it away from the defender and more towards the sideline, putting the ball in a spot where only his intended receiver could make a play on the ball. You can't really ask for a better throw given the free rusher being in his face pretty much right as he received the ball from the center. Great play, unfortunately it wouldn't amount to much as Sanders would be sacked on three straights plays before they'd fail to convert on fourth and goal from the 34-yard line. Going from the 10 to the 34 in three plays and coming away with no points, definitely not an ideal situation to be in. They would then go three and out on their next drive before failing to register points on their final drive of the half, though Sanders would step up in the face of pressure again and deliver a decent ball to Will Sheppard down the near sideline for a 27-yard gain.
Though this play wouldn't count for much in the grand scheme of things as the clock would eventually run out for halftime this is still a very nice throw in the face of pressure from Sanders. He does a nice job at scanning the field before hitting Sheppard down the sideline for the nice gain despite getting popped in the mouth while he's releasing the ball. A solid play to end the half despite it not getting them any closer to ending their scoring drought. That being said Colorado wouldn't need much time to find the end zone on their first drive of the second half, only needing three plays for Sanders to hit LaJohntay Wester on a short out route for a 69-yard touchdown on third and four less than a minute into the third quarter. That play lone went for over double of what Oklahoma State had for total yards up to that point (30), further emphasizing how much of an ass kicking was taking place despite the score only sitting at 28-0. The Buffaloes would score quickly again on their next drive following another Oklahoma State turnover, with Sanders hitting Travis Hunter from nine yard out to further extend their lead to 35 less than five minutes into the quarter. Sanders would connect of a few passes that would go for 10+ yards to the likes of Micah Welch (12), Wester (14) , and Hunter (13, 10) on their next drive, but they'd ultimately have to settle for three with Alejandro Mata converting on a 33-yard attempt to make it 38-0 late in the third. Speaking of Wester, him and Sanders would connect again with less than a minute to go in the third on a very well back shoulder ball that would get them all the way down to the Cowboy 19-yard line.
Very solid back shoulder throw from Sanders to hit Wester down the near sideline for the aforementioned nice gain. Clean pocket and delivers a nice catchable ball down the field for his receiver to make a play, which of course he does. Though they were now within striking distance of the end zone, Sanders would register his first interception of the game on the very final play of the quarter.
Not the way Colorado wanted to end the third quarter. Just an unfortunate interception here for Sanders as the throw was behind Hunter which was knocked up into the air by one defender both another came in and made a fantastic diving effort to come away with the ball. Though the interception here didn't work in Colorado's favor, the Buffalo defense would come up big with their own interception a few short plays later, only this time they'd return it the opposite direction for six a little over 30-seconds into the fourth quarter. Sanders would make up for his interception on Colorado's next offensive possession, which was kicked off by him connecting with Travis Hunter for 31-yards on third and nine to get them to the Oklahoma State 37-yard line.
Like I've said numerous times before, sometimes you've just got to let your playmakers make plays, and that's exactly what Sanders did on this throw to Hunter. He did a nice job at rolling outside of the pocket once pressure started coming in from the left side of the line before throwing an accurate ball down the field on third and nine to pick up the first and a little more to get them to the Oklahoma State side of the 50. Sanders and Hunter would connect a few plays later, this time for a touchdown as Sanders again lets his playmaker make a play with Hunter coming down with it in the end zone for a 23-yard score.
Again, just a playmaker making a play. Sanders sees his number one option on an island in the end zone and just tells him to go and get it, which again he does. It's not the greatest throw in the world, but when you have players like Travis Hunter on offense sometimes all you need to do is throw it in his zip code and he'll come down with the ball. The Buffaloes would go three and out on their next possession but the damage was already done, with Colorado coming out with a resounding 52-0 home win against Oklahoma State to close out the regular season. Though the loss to Kansas ultimately kept them out of the conference championship game, I'm sure those who support Colorado are thrilled with how this season went. From 4-8 to 9-3 and being ranked in the top 25, this was about as good of a season as you could've asked for, especially after changing conferences from the PAC-12 to the Big 12. As for Sanders, a fantastic season was capped off with a calm cool 438-yards and five touchdowns through the air, not a bad way to close out the regular season from an individual standpoint. I'm intrigued to see where the Buffaloes wind up this bowl season, as it will be the last time we see either Sanders or Hunter on the same field at the colligate level.
Preseason - 2
Wk 1 - 1
Wk 2 - 2
Wk 3 - 1
Wk 4 - 1
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 - 2
Wk 15 - BYE
3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Wk 14 - 22/31 277 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries -7 yds 0 touchdowns v Oklahoma (37-17 W)
Season - 312/490 3,735 yds 26 touchdowns 11 interceptions/33 carries -45 yds 3 touchdowns
In a rematch from the 2019 Peach Bowl, where LSU came out resounding 63-28 victors, the pair of teams met again in Baton Rouge for the final game of the regular season. Though it may not have been as lopsided of a game as it was in 2019, the Tigers still managed to beat up on the Sooners, beating them by a score of 37-17, with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier throwing for 277-yards and three touchdowns in the win. This season has been pretty up and down for Nussmeier and co. as the Tigers were once ranked as high as eighth this season with an impressive 6-1 record and an impressive 29-26 home overtime victory against the then ninth ranked Ole Miss Rebels. After beating Arkansas the following week things kind of started to turn in the opposite direction. Well within a shot to represent half of the SEC in the conference championship game, as well as being able to make it to the College Football Playoff, the Tigers rattled off three straight losses to the likes of Texas A&M, Alabama, and Florida, with two of those three loses seeing them get beat up double digits. From 6-1 to 6-4 and outside of the top 25 in the blink of an eye, with second half collapses being one of the main causes of their pretty remarkable downfall. Another thing that hurt them throughout that losing streak was the play of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw five interceptions and was sacked 11-times during those games. Previously Nussmeier had been sacked only twice, with both coming against South Carolina back on September 14th. Normally calm in the pocket, Nussmeier was clearly frazzled by the pressure brought by the three teams I brought up before. That being said Nussmeier's jersey has stayed relatively clean these past couple games, only being sacked three times in these back-to-back wins. Along with that he has managed to shake free of the turnover bug, registering zero interceptions while picking up four touchdowns in the process. He's played really well these past couple weeks, though it would take a drive for things to really get going against Oklahoma as LSU would be forced to punt after six plays on their opening drive. Their second time out though Nussmeier would string some nice throws together before registering his first passing touchdown of the game, i.e. hitting Caden Durham for 16-yards in the face of pressure on second and seven at the midfield marker.
With the pocket closing in around him, Nussmeier does a very good job at stepping up and delivering an absolute strike down the middle of the field to Durham who makes a very nice hands catch to pick up the aforementioned 16-yard gain on second and seven. Very nice placement and very strong throw to help pick up the first down, further pushing LSU into Oklahoma territory. A couple plays later Nussmeier would hit a wide open Kyren Lacy on an option route to the outside, who is able to take it in 18-yards for the score on third and nine. Things wouldn't go as smoothly for the Tiger offense their next time out as Nussmeier would not only be sacked on third and 10, but would also fumble the ball which would get returned in the opposite direction for an Oklahoma touchdown, tying the game up at seven with three and a half minutes to go in the first quarter. Though LSU would be forced to punt the ball away on their following drive, Nussmeier would be able to come up big on another third down attempt, this time hitting Mason Taylor for 15-yards on third and seven down the far sideline.
Another nice third down completion for Nussmeier as he puts this ball in a spot where only his intended receiver can go and get it. Taylor is of course able to make said play on the ball with a strong two handed catch along the sideline for the first down (great awareness too by getting a foot down in bounds with the defender on his back). That strong throw and catch combo would again not amount to much as the Tigers would be forced to punt the ball away a few short plays later (with Nussmeier being knocked out for the next couple drives after taking a hard seven yard sack after picking up another first down on fourth and one). LSU would register a field goal their next time out before Aaron Anderson would return a kickoff 100-yards for the score following an Oklahoma touchdown, making the score now 17-14 midway through the second quarter. Nussmeier would take the field again with the score tied at 17, and he would complete a quick seven yard pass to Mason Taylor on second and three before launching one down the near sideline to Chris Hilton Jr. for a 40-yard touchdown with 45-seconds to go in the first half.
This is a perfectly thrown ball by Nussmeier, hitting Hilton on his back shoulder with a defender draped all over him for the 40-yard score. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say this, you can't really throw and place a ball much better than Nussmeier did right here, especially against Oklahoma's top corner. This was the perfect way to end the half as it gave LSU all the momentum going into the second half. With Oklahoma punting on their opening drive, Nussmeier would orchestrate a nice nine play 88-yard drive to further extend their lead, with him connecting on a few short to intermediate passes before hitting Hilton again for a 45-yard touchdown.
Another drive, another beautifully thrown deeper ball by Nussmeier to Chris Hilton Jr. for a 45-yard touchdown. I think Nussmeier knew exactly where he was going with this ball when he saw Hilton was matched up once again with Eli Bowen. Like I mentioned before, Bowen may very well be Oklahoma's best corner as a freshman, he just couldn't match up with Hilton, who was able to register two 40+ yard touchdowns on him on back-to-back drives (also doesn't help that he had no help overtop). You really couldn't have drawn up these pass plays much better if you're the Tigers as Nussmeier was just back there slinging it for his third touchdown of the game. Nussmeier would flash the athleticism on LSU's next offensive drive following an Oklahoma turnover, though coming up just a yard short on third and four late in the third quarter.
Again, this run may not have picked up the first down, but it shows that Nussmeier is a gamer that wants to do whatever it takes for his team to win. He may not be the most athletically gifted runner out there, but there are times he can be pretty effective when he decides to tuck it down and run. Though he ultimately came up a yard short, Josh Williams would take it three yards on the next play to pick up the first on fourth and one. Following that fourth down conversion Nussmeier would connect with Ka'Morreun Pimpton down the far sideline for a nice 42-yard gain to get the Tigers all the way down to the Sooner four yard line.
After the Oklahoma defenders completely bit on the fake to the bubble screen, Nussmeier had an easy task of fitting it into Pimpton for the big time gain down the sideline. With two-ish defenders in the area Nussmeier does a nice job at putting this more on his intended receiver's body rather than lead him up field as there is a defender coming over top that could've made a play on the ball (had he not slipped). I really like this throw and placement by Nussmeier, though unfortunately they'd have to settle for a field goal as the drive would ultimately stall out after Josh Williams would get stuffed for no gain and two incomplete passes by Nussmeier. The Tigers would then go three and out on their next drive before coming up with three more points on their final drive of the game to come away with a nice 37-17 home victory. Though the tripped over a couple hurdles in the process, LSU was able to steady the ship with back-to-back wins to finish with an 8-4 record. As for Nussmeier I thought he played really well these past two weeks, throwing the ball with confidence throughout these past two games. Like every team I'm intrigued to see where the Tigers end up this bowl season, as it could spell the end for Nussmeier's time with the program.
Preseason - 10
Wk 1 - 9
Wk 2 - 8
Wk 3 - 8
Wk 4 - 8
Wk 5 - 7
Wk 6 - 7
Wk 7 - 6
Wk 8 - 4
Wk 9 - 4
Wk 10 - 4
Wk 11 - 4
Wk 12 - 4
Wk 13 - 3
Wk 14 - 3
Wk 15 - BYE
4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Wk 14 - 18/24 256 yds 0 touchdowns 1 interception/17 carries 104 yds 3 touchdowns v Auburn (28-14 W)
Season - 189/287 2,652 yds 15 touchdowns 10 interceptions/152 carries 719 yds 20 touchdowns
The game between Auburn and Alabama a year ago was a spectacle in more ways than one. Not only did the Crimson Tide essentially walk it off with quarterback Jalen Milroe finding now Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in the back of the end zone for six, but it put them in the conversation for making the College Football Playoff. Though Alabama was the eighth ranked team at the time of last year's game, no one out there realistically thought that they'd actually have a shot at making the Playoff. Sure they had only lost one game up until that point, but with Georgia standing in the way of an SEC crown, and Florida State staying undefeated, the path for Alabama seemed rather unlikely. But, after beating Georgia in the SEC Championship game 27-24, and with Texas boat racing Oklahoma State, the door was opened for Alabama to sneak there way in, to the dismay of many people out there. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I actually agreed with the committees decision to leave Florida State out, despite their perfect record. No disrespect to the Seminoles or anything but after watching them in the ACC Championship game I thought there was no way they were one of the four best teams in the country, and I again was fine with them putting in both Texas and Alabama. I know I know, that may be the unpopular opinion, but I still hold that thought. This year I cannot really say the same thing, as Alabama, though beating Auburn 28-14, lost to both Vanderbilt and Oklahoma (two 6-6 teams) en-route to a 9-3 season. The committee pretty much came out and said that the Crimson Tide all but have their spot locked up despite not appearing in the SEC Championship game. With Miami dropping from six to 12 after losing to 9-3 Syracuse, and neither Arizona State or Iowa State currently inside the Playoff bracket, I can't act like that's alright. Last year I could confidently say that I thought Alabama were one of the top teams in college football, I don't think they're near that now. Like, did the committee forget they just lost to 6-6 Oklahoma by double digits? Did that not happen? I guess it doesn't matter, as the old saying goes, 'death, taxes, and Alabama making the Playoff no matter what.' For this specific game though Alabama again was able to come out 28-14 victors, with quarterback Jalen Milroe bouncing back from his rough performance against Oklahoma by throwing for 256-yards while also rushing for 104-yards with three touchdowns (his seventh multi-rushing touchdown game of the season). Things wouldn't necessarily start off the smoothest for Alabama, as Ryan Williams would fumble the ball away on their opening drive before they'd be forced to punt after just four plays their next time out. That being said they would find success their third time out, as after Milroe would pick up a first down with his legs on third and two, he'd take it in himself from 19-yards out to give Alabama their first lead of the game.
Milroe is so explosive once he's able to turn the corner. Not a lot of quarterbacks out there are able to hit the edge quick as quickly as Milroe did right here as he's not only able to get around the edge defender, but he's also able to turn the corner and beat the defenders up field for the score. He's so dangerous with the ball in his hands, as you could see right there as Alabama found themselves up 7-0 with about three minutes to go in the first quarter. Despite connecting with Germie Bernard for completions of 21 and 23-yards on their next drive, Milroe would register his first interception of the game.
Just not a good throw here from Milroe as he over shot Bernard up the hash which landed in the grateful arms of the Auburn defender. I don't know if the pressure coming from the right side threw him off, but he just got a little too much on this pass which again just sailed over the head of his intended receiver. Though that wasn't necessarily the way Alabama wanted to end that drive, they would come out next time and register their second touchdown of the game, with Milroe kicking things off by escaping a potential sack and picking up a first down on second and seven.
Like I've brought up before, Milroe is one of the hardest players to bring down in college football, whether that be in the open field or in the pocket. Turning what would've been a sack for most quarterbacks out there ultimately turned into a 10-yard gain and a first down pickup for the Alabama offense. Again, there aren't a lot of quarterbacks out there who can make plays like Milroe can when he's on the move, making him one of the most dangerous players in the country. He would then be able to hook up with Josh Cuevas across the middle for 20-yards and Germie Bernard for a further 15 before eventually punching into the end zone himself on a quarterback sneak to give the Crimson Tide a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Milroe would get strip sacked on the first play of Alabama's next drive, gifting the ball back to Auburn at the Tide 34-yard line (never saw or felt the pressure coming). Much like the interception though the defense was able to come up big and hold the Tigers to a field goal, making the score 14-6 in favor of Alabama at halftime. Following a 24-yard screen pass to Ryan Williams and a couple 14-yard completions to Germie Bernard and CJ Dippre, Alabama would be able to find the end zone on their opening drive of the half via a two yard run by Justice Haynes to give them a 21-6 lead less than four minutes into the third quarter. Milroe would register his third rushing touchdown of the game on Alabama's next drive, coming after a nice 26-yard completion to Bernard to get them down to the Auburn 24-yard line.
Unlike the fumble, Milroe senses the pressure coming from the right side of the offensive line. After pumping faking it, he's able to find Bernard open in a gap within the Auburn secondary, putting it on him so he's able to make a few miss before picking up more yards after the catch. A couple plays later Milroe would call his own number from 17-yards out, again giving him his third rushing touchdown of the game and giving Alabama a 28-6 lead midway through the third quarter.
As we've discussed before, Milroe is not only super explosive once he makes his cut upfield, but he's also very good at reading and cutting off of blocks on his way to the end zone. Not only was this his third rushing touchdown of the game, but it was also his 20th on the season, joining a select few quarterbacks who have done so throughout their colligate careers. Things wouldn't go as smoothly for Milroe and co. their next time out as he would fumble the ball away again, this time trying to pick up the first down on third and two, with Auburn recovering the loose ball at the Alabama 49-yard line. Thankfully the defense would force an interception only three plays later, but the Tide offense wouldn't really do a whole lot for the remainder of the game, though Milroe would have a very nice connection with Germie Bernard for 10-yards on third and six.
It may not have been a massive gain or anything but this is still an impressive throw and catch between quarterback and wide receiver. On third and six with a defender screaming in his face, Milroe is able to place a ball perfectly to Bernard on the outside to pick up a much needed first down. Great job by Bernard as well at going down and getting it to again pick up the first down. Unfortunately though that would really be the last thing Alabama's offense would do as they'd be forced to punt a few plays later and would go three and out on their last drive of the game. That being said the damage was already done, as the Crimson Tide would come away with a nice 28-14 home victory against their hated rivals. Though Milroe didn't play a perfect game he still did enough to help see out this win, with his three rushing touchdowns proving vital in this one. Like I said before I don't necessarily like the fact that Alabama (despite two bad losses) have no fears about making the College Football Playoff. But again there are three guarantees in this world, 'death, taxes, and Alabama making the Playoff, no matter what.'
Preseason - 6
Wk 1 - 6
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 6
Wk 5 - 3
Wk 6 - 3
Wk 7 - 4
Wk 8 - 3
Wk 9 - 3
Wk 10 - 3
Wk 11 - 3
Wk 12 - 3
Wk 13 - 4
Wk 14 - 4
Wk 15 - BYE
5. Carson Beck, Georgia (+1)
Wk 14 - 28/43 297 yds 5 touchdowns 0 interceptions/7 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns v Georgia Tech (44-42 8OT W)
Season - 283/435 3,429 yds 28 touchdowns 12 interceptions/53 carries 86 yds 1 touchdown
This was one of the most insane games that I've seen in some time. Like, I don't know if there were many people out there that saw Georgia v Georgia Tech and thought to themselves that this would not only be a close game, but would see the pair take part in a whopping eight overtimes. Eight? I don't think the European mind and comprehend an eight overtime Black Friday thriller that featured a then seventh ranked 9-2 Georgia team and a 7-4 Georgia Tech team who had won just one road game all season, which came against North Carolina back on October 12th. I'm not at all saying Georgia Tech is a bad team by any stretch. I mean, in last week's blog post we discussed the fact that Georgia cannot afford to just sleep walk their way to a victory, as the Yellow Jackets have played ranked teams tough all season, even beating a then undefeated Miami Hurricanes team 28-23 a few short weeks ago. Given how up and down Georgia have looked throughout the season, there was no guarantee that this would be a blow out win for the Bulldogs, despite them being a whopping -17.5-point favorite at home. Though again I didn't really think a blow out was on the cards, I also didn't foresee Georgia Tech would find themselves up 17-0 at halftime. Overall I guess you could just say this was a strange game, but that's exactly why we love college football rivalries as you never know what's going to happen each and every game day. Looking at last year's encounter, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw for a season low 175-yards with one touchdown and one interception (that came in the red zone) in a 31-23 road win. Beck had no problems slinging the ball around in this year's game, throwing for 297-yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions, with those aforementioned five touchdowns matching his season high from week two against Tennessee Tech. But like I alluded to before, things didn't necessarily start off the best for the Georgia offense as they'd be forced to punt after going three and out on their first possession of the game. Put in a similar position their second time out, Beck would be able to fit it in to Dillon Bell for a 15-yard gain on third and four to get them closer to the midfield marker.
Despite a defender getting a hand in his face Beck is still able to deliver a strong throw to Bell for the nice 15-yard gain on third and four. With a defender over top and two either side of Bell there wasn't necessarily a whole lot of room to work with, but Beck made it work by putting it where it needed to be for the first down. Beck and Bell would connect again a few plays later, this time on fourth and three with Beck hitting his open receiver for a 13-yard gain down the near sideline. Though they'd pick up the fourth down there the Bulldogs would fail to convert on their second attempt, turning the ball over on downs at the Georgia Tech 14-yard line. They would follow that up by going three and out before Dominic Lovett would fumble the ball away after a nine yard wide receiver screen, gifting the ball back to the Yellow Jackets at their own 37-yard line. Georgia would try to come away with at least some points before the half but Peyton Woodring would miss a 53-yard field goal as time expired, keeping the score at 17-0 going into halftime. The Bulldogs would be forced to punt the ball away again on their opening drive of the second half after going three and out. Georgia would capitalize on their next drive following a Georgia Tech fumble with Beck would connect with Oscar Delp from two yards out to give them their first points of the game (though they'd fail on the two point conversion attempt). Beck and Delp would hook up again on their next drive, picking up 13-yards on third and eight before hitting Dominic Lovett across the middle for a further 15-yards on second and 10, getting them down to the Yellow Jacket 23-yard line. A few plays later Nate Frazier would punch it in from a yard out to give the Bulldogs their second touchdown of the game, making the score now 20-13 midway through the fourth quarter. Georgia would continue to stack touchdowns their next time out, but not until after Beck hit Lawson Luckie for a 17-yard gain on second and seven to get them to the Georgia Tech side of the 50.
With the defender(s) over top Beck does a nice job at throwing this ball back shoulder. Very nice job by Luckie as well on the play as he's able to adjust his body and come down with the ball after a nice 17-yard pick up. Just a very solid play overall which again helped set up another Georgia touchdown, this one coming with Beck hitting Dominic Lovett from 17-yards out to bring the Bulldogs back to within seven with less than four minutes to go in regulation.
Very impressive throw by Beck, placing it right over the outstretched arm of the Georgia Tech defender and into Lovett for the 17-yard score. The dude fit this ball in a tight window between four different defenders, with Lovett making a very nice catch and controlling it through the contact to come down with it for six. This is again a very impressive throw from Beck to help close the gap on the Yellow Jackets later on in the fourth quarter. Beck and Lovett would hook up again on Georgia's next drive following a Georgia Tech fumble, but the main play of the drive came on third down where Beck picked up 10-yards on the ground to extend the drive and get the Bulldogs down to the three yard line.
Like we've talked about in previous blog posts, Beck isn't a statue per se, but he's definitely not known for his running ability. That being said these past couple weeks we've seen him utilize his legs more and more, with this 10-yard pickup being one of the biggest run plays for Georgia this season. Sure it's a 10-yard run on paper, but Beck starts to take off when he's at like the 23-yard line, so one could say this is really a 20-yard pickup on the ground for Beck that would help set up his eventual three yard touchdown pass to Dominic Lovett to tie the game up at 27 with a minute to go in the fourth quarter. Now in overtime, Beck would be able to hit London Humphreys from 14-yards out to give the Bulldogs the early advantage.
With the pump fake sucking the slot defender down that opened up a hole in the secondary for Beck to hit Humphreys for the score. With the defender over top though the throw from Beck needed to be quick and on a line, as anything less would've seen this ball potentially picked off and maybe returned in the opposite direction for six. This is a very good play design and a very solid throw from Beck to help put Georgia up early in overtime. The Yellow Jackets would respond in kind as well as scoring on their third play in the second overtime period, putting the pressure back on the Georgia offense. No need to fear though, as Beck would hit Cash Jones on a wheel route out of the backfield for a 25-yard touchdown on their first play from scrimmage, tying the game up at 40.
The Georgia Tech safety seemed to be caught in two minds on this play. On one hand he wanted to follow Jones out of the backfield, but on the other he knew he had to keep his assignment and try to get after Beck. Unfortunately neither worked out, as Beck was able to float a very nice ball into Jones while rolling out to his left for the 25-yard touchdown on their opening play in the second overtime period. Much like Georgia Tech beforehand, Georgia would fail to convert on their two point conversion, meaning the show kept going on. It would take until the fifth overtime period for either team to register a point, with Beck hitting Dillon Bell to go up 42-40. Georgia Tech would respond in kind but with a chance to win it for Georgia in the sixth overtime Arian Smith would see the ball go through his hands after the ball initially went through Bell's hands, meaning we'd have to continue on in overtime. Finally, in the eighth overtime after coming up with a stop defensively, Nate Frazier would punch it in to give Georgia the 44-42 victory, essentially securing their spot in the College Football Playoff. What a chaotic game, that's the best way I can describe what happened in Athens on Black Friday. Beck put forth a very solid performance in the win, coming away with nearly 300-yards through the air with five touchdowns, giving him 941-yards and 11-touchdowns through his last three outings. Very nice turnaround for Beck and I'm excited to see how him and the rest of the Georgia Bulldogs do against Texas in the SEC Championship. Though they won the first match-up 30-15, I'm sure Beck would like to improve upon his no touchdown three interception outing. Time will tell of course, but regardless it should be a fun one.
Preseason - 1
Wk 1 - 2
Wk 2 - 1
Wk 3 - 2
Wk 4 - 2
Wk 5 - 4
Wk 6 - 4
Wk 7 - 3
Wk 8 - 5
Wk 9 - 5
Wk 10 - 6
Wk 11 - 7
Wk 12 - 6
Wk 13 - 6
Wk 14 - 5
Wk 15 - v no.2 Texas (SEC Championship)
6. Drew Allar, Penn State (-1)
Wk 14 - 17/26 171 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/7 carries 23 yds 1 touchdown v Maryland (44-7 W)
Season - 204/285 2,668 yds 18 touchdowns 5 interceptions/67 carries 225 yds 5 touchdowns
This game was interesting until it wasn't. What I mean by that is the fact that Maryland found themselves up 7-0 early in this game. That's not the interesting part, the interesting part is that they found themselves up seven after both teams had the ball and had run a combined two offensive plays, with Penn State running back Nick Singleton fumbling the ball away on the first play from scrimmage before Maryland quarterback MJ Morris would hit Kaden Prather on a very well thrown ball for the 25-yard score a play later. I don't care how much of a die hard Maryland fan or how much of an agent of chaos you are, not a single part of you thought the Terrapins would be up at any point throughout the game, let alone how they actually ending up leading early on in this fixture. Now, this wasn't just because the Nittany Lions came in as -26.5-point favorites, but because after watching Maryland a few times this year I came to the astonishing conclusion that they are a bad football team. Sure they had their moments, like when they upset a now 6-6 USC team at home, but overall they have just been bad and have had no real answer on either side of the ball. 1-8 in conference play, the Terrapins rank in the bottom two or three in damn near every defensive category, so to see them go up with a turnover on Penn State's opening play was truly remarkable. Regardless of the first two plays of the game, Penn State was able to right the ship and come away with a resounding 44-7 home win, with quarterback Drew Allar throwing for 171-yards and a touchdown to go along with 23-yards and a touchdown on the ground. That being said the 'resounding' victory didn't really start kicking off until later as Penn State would kick a field goal after four plays following a good kick off return by Singleton before going three and out on their next two drives. It wouldn't take until the second quarterback for the offense to really kick things into gear, with Allar orchestrating a nice 13-play 60-yard drive to take a 10-7 lead a little more than two minutes into the second quarter. On their first play on the drive Allar would connect with Tyler Warren for a nice 20-yard gain, getting them to the Maryland side of the 50.
Nice strong strike thrown by Allar to fit the ball into Warren, fitting it in between two Maryland defenders for the nice gain on first down. Sure Warren is fairly open in the gap of the defense, but I still like this throw from Allar regardless. A couple plays later we'd see Allar pick up six yards on the ground on second and nine after what could've been a potential drive killing sack. Though he didn't pick up the first down on that individual play, he would be able to punch it up the middle for two yards on fourth and one, which he would do again later on their first play of the second quarter. Allar and Warren would connect again for eight yards on third and four that would eventually lead to a two yard touchdown run by Singleton to again give Penn State the lead for the first time in the game. Following a failed fourth down conversion by Maryland, Allar would hit Khalil Dinkins down the far sideline for a 23-yard gain, pushing them down to the Maryland seven yard line.
Very nice back shoulder throw here by Allar, fitting it to his other tight end before the safety overtop can make a play on the ball. Can't really place a ball much better than that, which eventually would help set up a one yard quarterback sneak by Allar to further extend Penn State's advantage early on in the second quarter. Their next drive would see more of the same, though this time we'd see Allar lose the ball before pitching it out to Tyler Warren who would pick up 29-yards after hurdling a defender to get them down to the Maryland 22-yard line.
Though this would count as a run for Warren rather than a pass for Allar this is still a pretty crazy play. The fact that Allar was able to regain the ball after losing it while also having the wherewithal to pitch it to his tight end who would not only hurdle someone but pick up 29-yards in the process. These are the types of plays you love and hate to see as a fan because you never want to see the ball on the ground, but you love seeing your quarterback and tight end combine to make a massive play for you on offense. Just a chaotic yet fun play that would ultimately set up a one yard run by Beau Pribula (which was another chaotic play) to give the Nittany Lions a 24-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Penn State would continue their scoring ways following a Maryland interception, which was helped by Allar tossing up a prayer to Omari Evans for a 24-yard gain to get them down to the Maryland 11.
With only three down offensive linemen in front of Allar, one can't be too surprised that Maryland was able to get to the backfield with ease and potentially disrupt the pass. That being said, Allar knew where he was going with it right away and though I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing this, he did a nice job at giving his receiver a chance to make a play on the ball, which he did. Now again, I wouldn't recommend tossing a ball into double coverage, but Allar had enough taken off the ball to force Evans to come back to the ball, rather than lead him into the path of the defenders. A scary play, but effective nonetheless as Allar would find Tyler Warren in the back of the end zone a couple plays later for six.
Nice and easy throw between Allar and his favorite target for six, as the defender stumbling in coverage allowed Warren to create more separation thus giving Allar a decent sized window to work with for the score. Allar would connect with Khalil Dinkins for 13 and Warren again for 19-yards on their final drive of the half, getting the offense down to the Maryland 36-yard line to set up a potential field goal with seven seconds left. Unfortunately the ensuing field goal attempt would get blocked, leaving the halftime score at 31-7. Allar would flash the quick release early on their first drive of the second, getting the ball out to Warren for eight yards on second and 10.
This pass may have only traveled eight yards and may not have picked up a first down, but this is a very nice job by Allar and getting this ball out quick after pulling and getting it out to Warren before being hit by the oncoming pass rusher. Allar would avoid a potential sack later on third and five by picking up four yards on the ground before punching it up the middle for two yards to pick up a fourth down and one situation. He would then connect with a fairly open Omari Evans for 17-yards on second and 16 but ultimately the drive would stall out and the Nittany Lions would be forced to punt the ball away a few plays later. Nick Singleton would find the end zone from 18-yards out on Penn State's next drive, making the score 38-7 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. That would pretty much be the end of things for Drew Allar in this one as Beau Pribula would see out the 44-7 home victory. Like I said before, things may have started out insanely weird, but the better team ended up winning in convincing fashion to finish out the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record and a trip to the Big Ten Championship game to take on the Oregon Ducks following Ohio State's embarrassing loss to Michigan last Saturday. With both defenses being two of the best in the conference, we could be in for a good old fashioned slug fest in Indianapolis. I'm intrigued to see how Allar does against a very solid pass rush (conference leading 39-sacks).
Preseason - 4
Wk 1 - 3
Wk 2 - 4
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - 6
Wk 6 - 6
Wk 7 - 7
Wk 8 - 7
Wk 9 - 7
Wk 10 - 7
Wk 11 - 6
Wk 12 - 5
Wk 13 - 5
Wk 14 - 6
Wk 15 - v no.1 Oregon (Big Ten Championship)
7. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Wk 14 - 17/28 218 yds 1 touchdown 1 interception/4 carries 29 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.20 Texas A&M (17-7 W)
Season - 206/306 2,307 yds 24 touchdowns 7 interceptions/36 carries -35 yds 1 touchdown
For the first time since 2011 the Texas Longhorns traveled to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies in a game that I'm sure both sets of fans couldn't have been more ready for. Maybe I'm reading the room wrong but unless you're a Texas fan, in the state of Texas, you despise the Longhorns. It doesn't seem to matter if you're Texas A&M or UTSA, if you live in the state of Texas and are not a Longhorns fan you cannot stand them. Now, that doesn't sound too different from the rest of the country really, but like the SEC's slogan, it just means more. I can't lie, as a neutral I was really excited for this game. I don't know if it's because I'm a nostalgia merchant or not, but I love when two teams, two rivals play each other when they have played in years. Most of the time it's because one or both schools in question moved conferences but games like this and West Virginia vs Pitt (among others, obviously, that was just the first one that popped into my head) are what make college football so much fun, and I was thrilled at the beginning of the season when I saw this was the final regular season game of the year. This game is just fun, and with Texas on the brink of finishing said regular season with one loss I'm sure everyone associated with the Aggies want to cause a little mayhem in their season. That being said that ultimately didn't happen as Texas came out 17-7 road victors, with a banged up Quinn Ewers throwing for 218-yards with a touchdown and an interception in the win. Texas wouldn't really be able to get things going on their first drive of the game as they went three and out, but their second time out they would lean on Quintrevion Wisner who would help get them all the way down to the Aggie 15-yard line before Arch Manning came in and punched it in to give Texas their first lead of the game. On the drive Ewers, despite the bum ankle, would flash the athleticism and pick up 26-yards on the ground to pick up a first on third and 10 from their own 22-yard line.
Again, even with the bum ankle Ewers is not only able to escape a potential sack in the backfield, but able to turn it up field and pick up 26-yards with his legs (his longest run of the season by far). Had he not accidentally stepped out of bounds he would've been able to get the ball deep inside Aggie territory. But alas, Wisner picked up gains of 22, 11, and 10-yards before Manning took it in for the 15-yard touchdown. Ewers would come up big for the Longhorns on their next drive, firing a ball in between two A&M defenders into Gunnar Helm for a 14-yard gain on third and seven.
What a risky yet fantastic throw by Ewers to fit this ball into his tight end for the 14-yard gain on third and seven. I must say, Helm did an excellent job at reeling this ball in. As good of a throw as it was from Ewers, if Helm isn't aware enough to make a play on the ball it's possibly getting intercepted. The Aggies play this well, it's just too good of a throw and catch combo to stop, which helped extend Texas' drive. Ewers would follow up being sacked on the next play by tossing up a 44-yard bomb to Matthew Golden down the far sideline, getting the Longhorns all the way down to the Aggie 21-yard line.
No ifs or butts about it, this is a perfect deep ball by Ewers, placing it right in the bucket for Golden to come down with it for the massive 44-yard gain. Not only did he drop it perfectly, he did it in the face of pressure as well as an Aggie defender stuck his arm up right as Ewers started to release the ball. Really couldn't ask for a better play as it again got Texas all the way down to the A&M 21-yard line. A few plays later Ewers would hit Jaydon Blue in the back of the end zone from seven yards out to double Texas' advantage midway through the second quarter.
Though this touchdown pass was only from seven yards out, this is still a perfect throw by Ewers to the back of the end zone for Blue to come down with it for the score. With the A&M defense drawn in by Isaiah Bond, clearing out the deepest part of the secondary, Blue is able to get behind his defender for Ewers to hit perfectly for six. Ewers would continue to make big throws down the field on Texas' next drive, this time hitting Ryan Wingo across the field for a 35-yard pick up on second and seven, getting them all the way down to the Aggie 30-yard line.
For whatever reason Texas A&M isn't really able to cover Wingo coming across the field, as his crossing route allows him to get behind the Aggie secondary for Ewers to hit in stride for a very nice pick up and a first down. That's why crossing routes can be so deadly, it's hard enough to guard some of these receivers, now try to guard them while they're streaking across the field at full speed. Definitely not easy, and Texas knows this which is again why they were able to pick up the 35-yard gain. Finding themselves in a precarious third and 14 position shortly after the pass to Wingo, Ewers would step up in the pocket and suck in the defender before finding Gunnar Helm for a 22-yard gain and a first down.
Like I said before, Ewers does an excellent job here at evading the initial pressure before stepping up and rolling to his right which sucks the defender in and frees up Helm in behind who is able to pick up the necessary yards for the first down. It also must be said, sick hurdle by Helm after the catch as well, second hurdle we've talked about so far this blog post (the other being Tyler Warren). Overall though this was just a really savvy move by Ewers to help the Longhorns pick up a much needed first down on third and 14. Though they were able to pick up a first here they would be unable to do it another time, being forced to settle for a 28-yard attempt from Bert Auburn, which he would convert to make the score 17-0 with less than two minutes to go in the first half. Texas would be forced to punt after five plays to kick off the third quarter but would be able to string a nice drive together their second time out, with Ewers even completing a 25-yard pass to Matthew Golden to get them down to the Aggie 13-yard line. Unfortunately the drive would come to a screeching halt as Ewers would not only register his first interception of the game, but it would also be returned 93-yards the other way for six, making the score now 17-7 midway through the third.
I know the ball getting tipped at the line of scrimmage caused it to go awry, but even if it hadn't it still may have been picked off and returned the other way for a touchdown. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I still don't think it's a good throw, regardless of what happened at the line of scrimmage. Just an unfortunate situation to be in as it took points away from Texas and gave them right to A&M. Things would end in a somewhat similar way on their next drive as after Quintrevion Wisner and others ran the ball with efficiency, and Ewers completing passes to Gunnar Helm for 13 and DeAndre Moore Jr. for 12 helped get them down to the Aggie 10-yard line, Ewers would try to make a play with his feet before being stripped of the ball with A&M recovering it at the 11-yard line. Back-to-back long extended drives, back-to-back rough turnovers for Ewers. Unlike the interception though, nothing would come from the fumble as the Aggies would eventually be forced to punt the ball away. The Longhorns wouldn't really be able to string many positive drives together after those turnovers, punting the ball away on their next two drives before kneeling it out and taking home a 17-7 road victory to close out the regular season. For Ewers this game was really one of two halves. The first half saw him make a bunch of really nice throws, whether they be deep balls or in tight windows, he was just answering all the right calls. The second half though nothing seemed to click. Though he orchestrated a couple long drives they should've ended with at least some points, not turnovers. I am intrigued to see how Ewers and co. do in the SEC Championship game against Georgia. A rematch from their 30-15 loss back in mid-October, a game that saw Ewers get benched. I want to see how him and the rest of the Longhorns respond, should be a fun one down in Atlanta.
Preseason - 5
Wk 1 - 4
Wk 2 - 3
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - 5
Wk 6 - 5
Wk 7 - 5
Wk 8 - 6
Wk 9 - 6
Wk 10 - 5
Wk 11 - 5
Wk 12 - 7
Wk 13 - 7
Wk 14 - 7
Wk 15 - v no.5 Georgia (SEC Championship)
8. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana (+1)
Wk 14 - 23/31 349 yds 6 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries -9 yds 0 touchdowns v Purdue (66-0 W)
Season - 202/287 2,827 yds 27 touchdowns 4 interceptions/41 carries -25 yds 2 touchdowns
Well, this game went pretty much how everyone predicted. After losing their first game of the season last week in a 38-15 road loss to Ohio State, everyone out there fully expected Indiana to wipe the floor with the Purdue Boilermakers last Saturday, which is exactly what they did as they came out 66-0 victors in their final regular season home game of the season. I don't know if this is crazy to say or not, but I think whoever played the Hoosiers this past weekend would have gotten their cheeks clapped, Purdue were just the poor suckers that were standing in the way. I never thought I'd have that feeling going into an Indiana vs Purdue game, as I can't even really remember the last time I've cared anything about this game, let alone even remember if it was on. This game has never meant anything to me, but with Indiana being as kick ass as they have been this year I feel obligated to care, even though we all knew what was going to happen in this years meeting. Just complete polar opposite seasons for the Big Ten's state Indiana representatives. Whereas the Hoosiers finished the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record, the Boilermakers stumbled through the season and finished with an abysmal 1-11 record, with their lone win coming in week one against FCS level Indiana State (who finished 4-8 themselves this season). Not saying they've ever been as good, but it's usually Purdue with the winning record with Indiana struggling with a sub .500 record. Like, this is the first time ever where Indiana finished with a 10+ win season, with only Vanderbilt remaining from the only teams to have never done so (Iowa State also accomplished the feat this year). This was just a special season for Indiana, with quarterback Kurtis Rourke putting up some pretty great numbers in his first season since transferring from Ohio this past offseason. In this game though, Rourke would throw for 349-yards with a season high six touchdowns. After completing just eight passes throughout the game against Ohio State, I'm sure it felt really nice to register six touchdowns the following week. Though this ended up being an ass beating of biblical proportions, things didn't start off the smoothest for the Hoosier offense as they'd be forced to punt after five plays on their opening drive. Rourke would kick off Indiana's next offensive drive with a 19-yard completion to Omar Cooper Jr., but the drive would ultimately be dominated by the run game, with Justice Ellison eventually taking it in from two yards out to give the Hoosiers their first lead of the game. Kicker Nicolas Radicic would miss a 46-yard attempt on their following drive following an interception, but after that the offense would be in full swing as they would register either a touchdown or a field goal on each of their next eight drives (discounting their one play drive before halftime). On the final play of the first quarter, Rourke would step up in the pocket and deliver a strike to Ke'Shawn Williams for a 17-yard gain on second and five.
With pressure coming from the back side, Rourke does a really nice job at stepping up in the pocket and delivering a strike to Williams for the first down. Just a very simple pitch and catch between quarterback and wide receiver that would eventually lead to Rourke's first passing touchdown of the game, as he'd hit Williams again from 14-yards out for the score (though it may not have been the greatest throw of all time, it still counts the same). His next touchdown though would be a different story, hitting Elijah Sarratt in stride while on the move for an 84-yard touchdown to further extend their lead midway through the second quarter.
Rourke's first thought is to hit Omar Cooper Jr. across the middle, but with Purdue sending some pressure that option gets closed pretty quickly. Instead, Rourke half rolls to the left and floats a perfect ball down the far sideline to Sarratt for what would eventually be an 84-yard touchdown, Rourke's longest of the season (the previous season long was 71 against Western Illinois). Again, just a beautiful ball to hit his favorite receiver in stride for the massive gain and eventual touchdown. Rourke would connect with Ke'Shawn Williams for 13-yards on Indiana's next drive, but the seven play drive was eventually capped off by a four yard run by Ty Son Lawton, coming right after his 22-yard to push the Hoosiers' lead to 28 with less than three minutes to go in the second quarter. Though their touchdown run would come to an end at the start of the second half they would still manage to come away with some points as Nicolas Radicic would make a 26-yard field goal less than three minutes into the third. Following a few run plays to kick off their next drive, Rourke would hit Sarratt in the end zone from 24-yards out to make it 38-0 midway through the third.
With Sarratt gaining excellent separation right after the snap, Rourke had a simple decision to make on where to go with this ball, hitting his receiver in the end zone for the 24-yard score. Just a great throw and catch between one of the better quarterback wide receiver tandems in the Big Ten, can't really ask for much better if you're an Indiana fan. Already up 38-0, the Hoosiers would decide to execute a fake punt on fourth and six, with James Carpenter picking up 18-yards in the process. That would obviously help extend the drive and would eventually lead to yet another Rourke touchdown pass, this one going to Zach Horton from five yards out with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter.
Rolling out to his right, Rourke places this ball perfectly in a spot where only his tight end can make a play on it. Nice job at getting to the outside by Rourke, allowing his receiver to create enough separation to make this easy touchdown even easier. Up 45-0 with Rourke now up to four passing touchdowns you'd think his evening would now be done. Unfortunately for Purdue the Hoosiers would keep their star quarterback in there a little longer as he'd connect with Myles Price for 13 and Elijah Sarratt for 11 before hitting Miles Cross on a crossing route from 34-yards out to give him his fifth passing touchdown in the game.
After bobbling the ball after the fake, Rourke is able to collect himself and deliver a solid pass in the face of pressure to Cross who's able to break the initial tackle before finding his way into the end zone for six. Just makes sense that Cross would pick up a touchdown on a crossing route, am I right? In all seriousness this is a very nice play from Rourke (minus the bobble) and it helped Indiana further grow their insane advantage early in the fourth quarter. Fear not Purdue fans your suffering is almost over, as Rourke would register his sixth and final touchdown on the first play of Indiana's next drive after the defense recovered a fumble at the Boilermaker 17-yard line, hitting Omar Cooper Jr. in the end zone to make it 59-0 with still 12-minutes to go in the fourth.
Nice and easy throw between quarterback and wide receiver on this one as Rourke knew exactly where he was going with this ball even before it was snapped back to him. Just a decent back shoulder-ish throw to Cooper in the end zone who did a very nice job at adjusting his body and coming back to the ball to come away with it for the score. Like I said before this would be Rourke's final contribution to the game as back-up Tayven Jackson would see out an insane 66-0 home victory to close out the regular season. Just an ass kicking of biblical proportions, with Rourke throwing for a ridiculous amount of yards and touchdowns in the win. Again, this is the type of performance you love to see following a 38-15 loss to Ohio State. Though they may not be making an appearance in the Big Ten title game, one should expect to see the Hoosiers make an appearance in the College Football Playoff, which was not on the mind of any Indiana fan or neutral when the season started. This was a fantastic season for Indiana and I'm excited to see how them and Rourke do this postseason.
Preseason - N/R
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - H/M
Wk 6 - H/M
Wk 7 - N/R (bye week)
Wk 8 - 9
Wk 9 - 9
Wk 10 - 9
Wk 11 - 8
Wk 12 - 8
Wk 13 - 9
Wk 14 - 8
Wk 15 - BYE
9. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (-1)
Wk 14 - 14/24 143 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/13 carries 77 yds 0 touchdowns v Mississippi State (26-14 W)
Season - 249/363 3,875 yds 25 touchdowns 6 interceptions/112 carries 452 yds 3 touchdowns
One of the best rivalry names in college football, the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State usually is a spectacle for us as college football fans. Regardless of if you're a fan of one of the teams or a neutral, you can't lie and say you don't eagerly await this match-up. Again, there's usually always something in store. Whether it be Ole Miss winning by 10 to get them closer to their first 11-win in season in school history, Elijah Moore's pissing celebration that pushed the ensuing extra point back 15-yards (and was eventually missed) (affectionately called 'the piss and the miss'), the brawl at the end of the third quarter in 2018, and so on and so forth. I don't know what the reason for it is, maybe like the rest of the SEC 'it just means more' but man, there's usually always something to take home after these games. All that being said I don't know what I was expecting going into this year's rendition of the Egg Bowl, as Ole Miss sat with a 8-3 record whereas Mississippi State entered with a 2-9 record, with their only wins coming against Eastern Kentucky and Massachusetts. Sure the Bulldogs played some close games against some ranked opponents (losing to Georgia and Texas A&M by 10), but with the Rebels coming off a rough road loss to Florida the previous week, I was expecting Ole Miss to kind of have their way in this one. Though I wouldn't go as far as to say that (especially since Mississippi State held a 14-10 lead after the first), but the Rebels were still able to come out with a 26-14 home victory, with quarterback Jaxson Dart throwing for 143-yards and a touchdown with 77-yards on the ground to boot. Though he didn't necessarily light the world alight, compared to the 96-yards through the air and the further 30-yards on the ground, I'm sure Dart will more than take this year's statistical output (actually completed the same number of passes with two less attempts this time around). Things started off pretty good for Ole Miss as the defense would pick off Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. on the third play from scrimmage, setting the offense up at the Bulldog 34-yard line. Despite the good field position, the offense would only manage to come away with three points, with Caden Davis making a 39-yard field goal to give them their first lead of the game. Mississippi State would respond in kind following a fake punt. Now down 7-3 midway through the first, Dart would help orchestrate a solid 13-play 75-yard drive to re-take the lead with about two minutes to go in the first quarter. Though they would end up scoring, early in the drive that didn't seem possible as they found themselves in a third and 15 situation. Thankfully Dart would be able to get outside the pocket and fire it down the field to Caden Prieskorn on a play that would go for 21-yards and a first down.
Very nice job by Dart at remaining calm in the face of pressure and getting outside before delivering the ball to Prieskorn for the eventual first down. Like we talked about before (though to a lesser extent) the defenders int he secondary to the right freeze once Dart breaks outside of the pocket. Much like Quinn Ewers before, Dart is able to buy time and occupy the defender's attention before finding his open tight end in the middle of the field. Really nice job here by Dart, who would show off more of his athleticism a few plays later by picking up a first down and more with his legs, rushing for 20-yards and getting them down to the Bulldog 14-yard line.
Though he may not be as electric as some of the other running quarterbacks out there, Dart is a plus athlete when he decides to tuck it and run up field. Like, even with a Mississippi State linebacker spying him he's still able to break to the outside and pick up a nice 20-yards on the ground to get them deeper into Bulldog territory. He would later pick up six yards on the ground on second and seven which would help set up a five yard touchdown run by JJ Pegues to put Ole Miss back on top with about two minutes to go in the first quarter. Things wouldn't go as smooth for the Rebel offense as they'd be forced to punt on their next two drives after going three and out, totaling just 13-yards in the process. Though their next drive would be shorter, it would count for so much more as Ulysses Bentley IV would take it up the middle 89-yards to the house on the first play of their next drive, giving them a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter. Though they would be forced to punt after just four plays their next time out, Dart would connect with Jordan Watkins for 17-yards on a very well thrown ball up the near sideline.
Again, though this may not have mattered in the grand scheme of things as far as this drive was concerned but it's still a very nice throw from Dart to hit Watkins on a comeback between two Mississippi State defenders. Solid throw and solid route from Watkins made for a very solid pick up for the Ole Miss offense though again, they'd be forced to punt the ball away a few short plays later. The Rebels would have one more chance for some points before halftime, with the Bulldogs punting the ball away after going three and out on their final drive of the half. Though they would be able to get the ball all the way down to the Mississippi State 27-yard line, a holding call would push them back to the 37 where Caden Davis would fail to convert on the 54-yard attempt, keeping the score at 17-14 going into the locker room. Things would continue to not run smoothly for the Ole Miss offense at the start of the second half as they'd be forced to punt after going three and out on their opening drive before punting it away two more times after drives of five and six plays totaled just three yards of offense. That being said, though they punted the ball away on that third drive, they were able to recover a botched return by Mississippi State, leading to a field goal from 43-yards out to extend their lead midway through the third quarter. Dart would flash the athleticism a couple times on Ole Miss' next drive, easily picking up 12-yards on the ground to get them to the Mississippi State side of the 50 before picking up 12-more yards on first and 20 to gain back the yards lost to a holding call. A few plays later Dart would register his first passing touchdown of the game, hitting Caden Prieskorn from 19-yards out with less than 10-minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Like I've said a thousand times before, sometimes you just got to let your playmakers make plays. Though I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing this all the time, in the face of pressure on third and five with your 6'6" 255 lbs. tight end being guarded by a 5'11" 190 lbs. safety, I'd say you're probably going to win that match-up more times than not. That being said it is actually a very solid throw from Dart as well, despite him probably not really knowing where the ball was going once he let it go as he got hit in the face mask. Dart would get picked off on the two point conversion following the touchdown, thus leaving the score at 26-14 in the fourth quarter. Though their next drive would be them really just seeing out the game, Dart would still come up with a nice throw on third and six, hitting Cayden Lee in the middle of the field for 12-yards.
With the blitz coming in on third and six, Dart does a nice job at remaining calm and delivering a strike down the middle of the field to Lee for the 12-yard gain. Not only was this a strike from Dart, but the dude also did a very nice job at throwing this a little behind his intended receiver, forcing him to slow down while also not leading him into the path of the Mississippi State defender. If Dart threw this out in front of Lee, then he would've either got his head taken of or the ball would've been broken up or intercepted. Again, just a solid play from Dart would would pick up a couple more first downs with his legs as Ole Miss came out 26-14 home victor, picking up their ninth win of the season. This may not have been the prettiest game (they never are) but a win is a win, with Dart making some solid throws and picking up big yards with his legs throughout the contest. Though they won't be making an appearance in the SEC Championship game, I am intrigued to see what the offseason has in store for Ole Miss, especially since some out there seem to think th Rebels could still sneak into the College Football Playoff. Lord knows what the answer is but still, despite some tough losses it was solid season for Dart and Ole Miss.
Preseason - 9
Wk 1 - 7
Wk 2 - 7
Wk 3 - 7
Wk 4 - 7
Wk 5 - 8
Wk 6 - 8
Wk 7 - 8
Wk 8 - 8
Wk 9 - 8
Wk 10 - 8
Wk 11 - 9
Wk 12 - 9
Wk 13 - 8
Wk 14 - 9
Wk 15 - BYE
10. Kyle McCord, Syracuse (NEW)
Wk 14 - 26/36 380 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries -14 yds 0 touchdowns v no.6 Miami (FL) (42-38 W)
Season - 367/558 4,326 yds 29 touchdowns 12 interceptions/63 carries -58 yds 3 touchdowns
Well, well, well, on the final week of the regular season we have someone new breaking into the top 10. Weirdly, this is the first time we've had someone new inside the top 10 since Kurtis Rourke broke in after week eight (Riley Leonard was considered 'new' in week nine but had previously been in the top 10, so that doesn't count). Though this may be a strange new thing for us, you cannot deny that Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord doesn't deserve a place among the draft's top quarterbacks (at least in my opinion). In and around the honorable mention section all season long, McCord has put up some monster numbers since transferring from Ohio State this past offseason, becoming the first quarterback in Syracuse history to throw for over 4,000-yards in a season (which led the nation) while also holding the single season record for passing touchdowns in a season. What makes all of that even crazier is the fact that McCord was considered surplus to requirements at Ohio State, who brought in former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard to replace him. I'm not going to sit here and lie, I thought the Buckeyes made the smart move by changing quarterbacks as I thought McCord was just a bang average quarterback who was benefiting from the great talent surrounding him in Columbus (plus I liked Howard at Kansas State). But as we've been shown throughout the season, not only was Howard an upgrade on McCord, but the latter may have actually been better all along, especially when you look at the fact that Syracuse turned from a six to a nine win team and actually won more games against top 25 opponents (three) than Ohio State (two). The more and more you deep dive into this quarterback 'battle,' the more and more you see that the thing you initially thought may have actually been wrong the whole time. What makes it stand out even more is how the pair faired during the final week of the regular season. Where Howard threw for 175-yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in a loss against a six win Michigan team, McCord managed to register 380-yards through the air with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 42-38 home win against then sixth ranked Miami. What a way to end the regular season for McCord, who definitely didn't shy away from letting his feelings known after the game. Though the Orange ended u coming out on top, things didn't necessarily look that way at the start, as they'd find themselves down 21-0 while turning it over on downs and punting it away on their first two drives. Though again they eventually turned it over on downs on their opening drive, McCord would make some solid throws throughout, starting off by hitting Oronde Gadsden II on an out route for an 11-yard gain and a first down.
We've talked about this numerous times before, but I don't think most people out there understand how difficult of a throw this is. Sure the ball technically travelled five or so yards past the line of scrimmage, but throwing an out route from the near hash towards the far numbers is not an easy throw (made even more challenging by the fact that there's a defender on Gadsden's back). Just a nice and solid throw here from McCord, hitting his tight end in stride who is able to eventually pick up a first down for Syracuse. McCord would also be able to hit Trebor Pena for 13-yard on a slant on third and four but the drive would ultimately stall out as McCord's pass to Jackson Meeks on fourth and two from the Miami 37 fell incomplete. The offense would again go three and out there next time out, but after Miami found the end zone again to go up 21 in the second McCord and the offense finally start kicking things into gear, with him throwing a nice back shoulder ball to Justus Ross-Simmons for a 23-yard gain on second and eight.
You know me, I love a good back shoulder throw, which McCord hits on really well for the aforementioned 23-yard gain. Like I always say, the main thing I love about back shoulder throws is that it shows how in-tune the quarterback and wide receiver(s) are, as both have to be on the same page in order for them to work. Nice throw from McCord and nice adjustment by Ross-Simmons to come down with the ball for the first down, just a nice play all around for the Orange offense. A few plays later McCord would hit Trebor Pena on a slant that would eventually turn into another 20+ yard gain for the offense, with this one going for 26 and getting them all the way down to the Miami eight yard line.
With Miami coming in to stop the run, McCord does a nice job at pulling and getting it out to his intended receiver for the completion. One thing that I like about the throw in particular is the fact that since ball is slightly behind Pena, which is exactly where it needed to be with the safety eventually crashing down towards the receiver. If McCord leads Pena upfield then the pass is likely getting intercepted, or Pena is getting his head ripped off. Again, this is a very solid throw from McCord mixed with a really nice play after the catch by Pena to get them down inside the Miami 10-yard line. A couple plays later LeQuint Allen would take it in for the score, making it now 21-7 with less than 11-minutes to go in the quarter. Syracuse would put together a nice 15-play drive their next time out with McCord helping the offense convert on three third downs before hitting Jackson Meeks on a well thrown fade ball from nine yards out for his first passing touchdown of the game to bring the Orange back to within seven later on in the second. McCord saw a match-up he liked and just told his 6'2" wide receiver to go and get it, which he did for the score. On their second play of the second half McCord would toss up a 50-yard pass to Trebor Pena, who would be able to bring it in and get the offense all the way down to the Miami 25-yard line.
With Pena on an island on the outside and pressure in his face, McCord just launches it down the field for the eventual 50-yard gain (with Pena out muscling the defender for a few more yards after making the catch). Just a good and simple overall play for McCord and the Orange offense as it would help set up his second passing touchdown of the game, connecting with Pena again, this time from 25-yards out to tie the game up at 21 to kick off the second half.
Though it may not be the greatest throw of all time, McCord saw another favorable match-up for his favorite receiver (leads the team in receptions though not yards) for the 25-yard touchdown. Great body control shown by Pena on this play, as he's able to contort his body to eventually come down with the ball in the end zone for the score. Just a nice play for the offense to tie the game up at 21 less than a minute into the new half. Though he'd take an eight yard sack to kick off their next drive, McCord would throw a rope up the seam to Jackson Meeks for a nice 33-yard gain to get them down to the midfield marker.
With Miami bringing pressure again following the aforementioned sack on first down, McCord stands tall in the pocket and delivers a strike up the seam to Meeks who's able to bringing it in and get them again down towards the midfield marker. Like, McCord got hit pretty much right after he let this ball go, so again, knowing he's going to get hit he does a nice job at standing tall and delivering a nice ball down the field. McCord would then connect with LeQuint Allen on a slant route for 21-yards on second and six before hitting Meeks again from nine yards out to tie the game up at 28 midway through the fourth quarter. Just a nice and easy throw and catch between quarterback and wide receiver for the score. McCord would come up big on their next drive following a Miami punt, hitting Oronde Gadsden II down the middle on a slant for a 25-yard gain on third and eight.
Yes it's only a slant route, and yes Gadsden picks up most of the yards after the catch, but this is an absolute rope from McCord who is able to fit it through traffic into his tight end for the eventual 25-yard gain. Though the throw and the run after the catch were nice, it wouldn't count for much as Yasin Willis would fumble the ball away on the next play, gifting the ball back to Miami at their 17-yard line. A fumble may have killed their offensive drive, but a fumble recovery for the defense would lead to their next score, as Devin Grant would take a Xavier Restrepo fumble 56-yards the other way for the score, giving Syracuse their first lead of the game with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter. Following a Miami touchdown to make it 35-35 at the start of the fourth, McCord would make some nice plays through the air, i.e. hitting Gadsden for nine on the roll out and LeQuint Allen for 12 on second and nine before dialing up another seam shot to Jackson Meeks that would pick up 29-yards and get them down to the Miami 22-yard line.
With the safety sucking in McCord knows that he has a nice window to hit Meeks for the aforementioned 29-yard gain on first down (especially with Meeks gaining separation to the inside). A really solid throw and nice catch for the Orange, as it would eventually help set up a three yard touchdown run for LeQuint Allen to give Syracuse the lead once again with just over nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Miami would eventually register a field goal with less than four minutes to go but it would be too little too late at the Orange would see out a 42-38 upset victory against the then sixth ranked Hurricanes. This was just a really fun game to watch. After being down 21-0 early to eventually coming out 42-38 victors is truly impressive, especially with Kyle McCord throwing for 380-yards and three touchdowns. The dude just grew with the missing, hardly missing on any passes in the second half as they made their comeback. They may not be playing for a conference title or being playing for a chance to make the Playoff, but Syracuse finished out the regular season on a high note, potentially ruining Miami's season while also proving to everyone that Ohio State chose the wrong quarterback.
Preseason - N/R
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - H/M
Wk 7 - H/M
Wk 8 - N/R
Wk 9 - H/M
Wk 10 - H/M
Wk 11 - H/M
Wk 12 - H/M
Wk 13 - H/M
Wk 14 - 10
Wk 15 - BYE
Others
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Wk 14 - 16/23 209 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/3 carries 20 yds 1 touchdown v Washington (49-21 W)
Season - 275/374 3,275 yds 24 touchdowns 6 interceptions/57 carries 175 yds 7 touchdowns
Will Howard, Ohio State
Wk 14 - 19/33 175 yds 1 touchdown 2 interceptions/4 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns v Michigan (13-10 L)
Season - 227/314 2,860 yds 27 touchdowns 8 interceptions/72 carries 131 yds 7 touchdowns
Haynes King, Georgia Tech (NEW)
Wk 14 - 26/36 303 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/24 carries 110 yds 3 touchdowns @ no.7 Georgia (44-42 8OT L)
Season - 171/236 1,910 yds 11 touchdowns 1 interception/114 carries 578 yds 11 touchdowns
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Wk 14 - 24/36 280 yds 0 touchdowns 1 interception/10 carries 62 yds 1 touchdown v no.15 South Carolina (17-14 L)
Season - 258/402 3,041 yds 29 touchdowns 5 interceptions/92 carries 437 yds 7 touchdowns
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame (10)
Wk 14 - 17/22 155 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/12 carries 50 yds 1 touchdown @ USC (49-35 W)
Season - 194/293 2,092 yds 16 touchdowns 5 interceptions/124 carries 721 yds 14 touchdowns
Thank you for taking the time to read through the list! Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, give the article a like and comment down below how you felt!
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