The Draft "Expert" - Wk 4 2026 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings
- Logan Blackman
- Sep 27
- 45 min read
YouTube Video: coming soon...
Hello one and all and welcome back to yet another Draft "Expert" blog post! As you can probably tell by the title, this one will be going over our week four quarterback prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft!
Before we get fully into this I must say that I am sorry for this coming out a day later than usual, but I have been sick all week which made it a challenge to get this done. Normally if I was a day late I would just eat it, but with one of the quarterbacks playing on Friday I felt it necessary to say something in the intro.
Now I can't speak for everyone, but I thought this week was a really good week for some of the top quarterbacks in this class, with each of the top five making some very impressive throws this past weekend.
This week we will see some movement as we see a new face in the top five, two preseason top five guys dropping (with one out of the list entirely), and a new quarterback entering the top 10!
All in all I am very excited for you guys to check out this week's blog post! So without any further delay I Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show and self proclaimed Draft "Expert," am proud to present my week four quarterback prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft! Enjoy!
Podcast Links
1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Wk 4 - 25/31 273 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries 10 yds 1 touchdown v Southeastern Louisiana (56-10 W)
Season - 94/137 962 yds 6 touchdowns 2 interceptions/13 carries -10 yds 1 touchdown
As expected, LSU took care of business against a far inferior opponent, dispatching the Southeastern Louisiana Lions by a score of 56-10. This was a game that we needed to see from the Tigers, especially on the offensive side of the ball as they rank in the bottom three in regards to scoring offense in the SEC, which I'm sure was boosted by them hanging 56 on an FCS team. Before this game, the max points LSU had scored in a game was 23, and that came against Louisiana Tech in a game where quarterback Garrett Nussmeier threw an interception on the first drive of the night. This game though he posted some fantastic numbers, going 25/31 with 273-yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also managed to pick up a rushing touchdown as well, which would come on the Tigers second drive of the game. Though their first drive saw them come away with points, they would really struggle to get things going to kick things off, going three and out after their first play saw them going backwards seven yards. Like I said before though they'd be able to string some things together on their second drive, traveling 45-yards in 13-plays, culminating in Nussmeier punching it in from a yard out to give the Tigers their first lead of the game with five minutes left in the opening quarter. Nussmeier would connect with Nic Anderson for 10-yards on the opening play of their next drive, but the next few would see him take a nine yard sack before finding themselves in a fourth and 11 situation after picking up eight on third and 19. That being said Nussmeier would come up big on fourth down, firing it to Zavion Thomas across the middle of the field for 17-yards, picking up the first and getting them down to the Lion 18-yard line.
Strong throw in a high pressure situation here from Nussmeier, firing it into Thomas between a few Southeastern defenders for the much needed first down. Can't ask for much more from your quarterback in this situation. Two plays later Ju'Juan Johnson would take it in from two yards out to double LSU's advantage early in the second quarter. Nussmeier would come out firing to kick off LSU's next possession, hitting an open Aaron Anderson between the far hash and numbers for a 25-yard gain to get them to the Southeastern side of the 50. A few plays later Nussmeier would flash the athleticism, picking up 26-yards on the ground to pick up a first on third and 11.
This isn't something we see all too often, but when he needs to, Nussmeier isn't afraid to try and pick up decent gains with his legs. The dude is a gamer, and though he may not be the most athletically gifted quarterback in this class he's going to do whatever it takes to help his team win games. If that means picking up 26-yards on the ground on third and 11, he'll be more than happy to do it. This run would ultimately help set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Ju'Juan Johnson to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. It wouldn't take long for LSU to find the end zone again, as after a few run plays and a couple defensive penalties (along with a 11-yard Nussmeier sack) they would find the end zone with Nussmeier connecting with Barion Brown for the 17-yard score.
Ironically the 11-yard sack actually gave them more room to work with as Nussmeier would hit Brown in the end zone for the 17-yard touchdown. In all seriousness with the defender draped all over his receiver, Nussmeier does an excellent job at placing this ball in a spot where only Brown could make a play on it. Nussmeier just drove this thing down the far hash, and Brown made a nice contested catch for the score, making it 28-0 with just over two minutes to go until halftime. Despite limited time remaining LSU would get another chance to find the end zone before the half, on a drive that was kicked off by Nussmeier firing it in between a couple Lion defenders to Bauer Sharp for a 16-yard gain.
Like I've spoken about before, Nussmeier is one of the best processors in all of college football. After scanning literally the entire field, he zips it into Sharp for a 16-yard gain. Another thing I've spoken about before is the importance of placing this ball on the receiver's body as this is a really tight window, and if he were to try and lead him the pass would have more than likely been picked off. Just a smart and strong throw from Nussmeier to Sharp to help pick up a first down. A few plays later Nussmeier would be forced out to his left before finding Zavion Thomas in the end zone from nine yards to make it 35-0 with 15-seconds left in the half.
Excellent job here from Nussmeier at rolling out to his left as pressure broke through on the right, giving his receiver time to get open in the end zone for the score. As good as Nussmeier was at evading pressure, credit to Thomas as well at giving his quarterback an option to throw to once he got outside the pocket. Just a good overall understanding between quarterback and wide receiver, resulting in six more points for the offense. The LSU offense would come out firing to kick things off in the second half with Nussmeier completing six passes on a seven play 87-yard scoring drive that was finished off by Nussmeier hitting an open Bauer Sharp for what would result in a 23-yard touchdown to give them a 42-0 lead with 9:28 to go in the third. That would be Nussmeier's final contribution to the game as Michael Van Buren Jr. would come in and help see out a 56-10 home victory for the Tigers. Apart from the first drive of the game, this was a nice and easy win for LSU, with the offense registering a touchdown on every drive barring their first and last one(s). Overall I thought Nussmeier played a good game, taking what the defense gave him while also extending some plays using his legs. This week though the windows will be a little tighter as they travel to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss Rebels. This game was a lot of fun last year, which saw LSU win in overtime, but I'm sure the Rebels would like to get some revenge against the third ranked Tigers.
Wk 1 - 2
Wk 2 - 1
Wk 3 - 1
Wk 4 - 1
Wk 5 - @ no.13 Ole Miss
2. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Wk 4 - 18/28 302 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/10 carries -28 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.23 Missouri (29-20 L)
Season - 47/73 733 yds 4 touchdowns 1 interception/34 carries 17 yds 1 touchdown
After getting knocked out of the game last week, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was pretty much a game time decision for this weeks game, as the Gamecocks went on the road to take on the 23rd ranked Missouri Tigers. Last week was definitely one to forget for all rocking the garnet and black as they came out on the wrong side of a 31-7 home beat down against a surging Vanderbilt Commodores team. Long story short, South Carolina definitely needed Sellers back under center if they were going to have any shot against the Tigers this past weekend. And though they fell short by the score of 29-20 Sellers put forth a very solid effort, going 18/28 for 302-yards (by far a season high) with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Now, he didn't put up an insane total in the rushing department, but the main thing we're looking for from Sellers is his continued development as a passer, which you could say was on display in this one. That being said things didn't really start out the greatest for Sellers and the South Carolina offense, as though he'd hit Rahsul Faison on a screen pass for 10-yards and a first down on their opening play, they'd ultimately be forced to punt the ball away a few plays later. Sellers would connect with a wide open Jordan Dingle down the hash for a 20-yard gain on their next drive, but more of the same would follow as they'd be forced to punt the ball away after seven plays on their second drive of the game. Missouri would come away with a touchdown after driving the length of the field on their next possession (though they'd miss the extra point), which Sellers would respond in kind by hitting Vandrevius Jacobs on a beautifully thrown deep ball down the near sideline for a 49-yard touchdown, giving them a 7-6 lead with 11:26 to go in the second.
This is just a beautifully thrown ball from Sellers, stepping into it and delivering a confident ball perfectly in stride for Jacobs to bring in for the score. Dude placed it right in the bucket, you can't really ask for a much better deep ball from your quarterback than that, giving them their first lead of the game. The Gamecocks wouldn't be able to replicate the success on their next possession, with Sellers getting sacked on third down for a 11-yard loss, forcing them to punt the ball away after going three and out (they also had two false start penalties). Though they failed to get anything going their the South Carolina defense would come up big with their first interception of the game. The offense would take that and run with it, needing only three plays to find the end zone again. Kicking things off on the drive though we'd see Sellers absolutely zip one into Jacobs for an 15-yard gain to get them closer to the Missouri side of the 50.
This ball is absolutely hummed in there by Sellers. With his eyes starting to the left, he flips back to the right and gets it into Jacobs before the defender in coverage can make a play on it. He also does a nice job at getting the ball through the Missouri linebacker as well, just a good overall play from Sellers that flashed some of that arm strength we've all spoken about. He would flash it on the following play as well, getting it to Brian Rowe Jr. for another 15-yard gain to get them to the Missouri 24-yard line.
On this one Sellers again does a nice job at going through his progressions, this time starting to the right before working back to the left. He has does a very nice job at sliding with the protection and letting the defender in coverage drift past his intended receiver, giving him a nice hole to zip in through and help pick up another first down. Just two very solid plays from Sellers, with the second one being my favorite of the two. The following play we'd see Sellers register his second passing touchdown of the game, rolling out to his right and hitting an open Brian Rowe Jr. for a 24-yard touchdown, making the score 14-9 with 2:31 left in the second quarter. Missouri would register a field goal right before half to make the score 14-12 going into the third quarter, with Sellers taking a sack on the very final play of the second. Sellers would connect with Vandrevius Jacobs for 43-yards (with Jacobs making a very nice catch) to get them down to the Missouri two yard line to kick things off in the second half. Unfortunately they wouldn't be able to come away with a touchdown as Sellers would take a 13-yard sack on the following play before a 10-yard penalty would push them all the way back to the Missouri 25-yard line. Now they would be able to get it back to the 14 but they would have to settle for a field goal, making it 17-12 midway through the third quarter. The Tigers would register a touchdown their next time out to make it 18-17 (failed two point conversion). Now down, on third and seven on the Gamecocks' next drive, Sellers would float a ball in beautifully to Jared Brown for a 32-yard gain to get them to the Missouri 39-yard line.
With the pocket collapsing and off his back foot, Sellers floats this ball in perfectly to Brown for a 32-yard gain. With the safety playing over top, there is not a whole lot of room to work with for Sellers, and yet he makes it look so easy. In a big pressure situation on third and seven following a Missouri touchdown, Sellers delivers for South Carolina, helping pick up a much needed first down. Sellers would hit Oscar Adaway III on a screen out of the backfield that would go for 14-yards and a first down on second and nine, but an 18-yard sack and a 10-yard penalty would push the Gamecocks back into a third and 37 situation. On said down though, Sellers would come through with an impressive 33-yard pass to Nyck Harbor to at least get them back into field goal range with 23-seconds left in the third.
With no one open initially, Sellers does an excellent job at avoiding pressure by getting outside of the pocket to the left. He then does a nice job at flipping his shoulders and firing a fantastic ball to Harbor who makes a nice catch along the sideline for the aforementioned 32-yard gain. Sellers just absolutely ripped this thing down the field. A great play that helped them register a field goal to make it 20-18 with 18-seconds left in the third. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks that would be about the last good thing that would happen to them in this one as Missouri would register a touchdown (and convert on the two point conversion) to make it 26-20 before registering a field goal with 1:34 left in the game following back-to-back three and outs by the South Carolina offense. All in all the final would wind up being 29-20, with the Gamecocks picking up their second straight loss on the season. Despite the loss, LaNorris Sellers put on a very good showing from the quarterback position, making numerous big time throws that would help pick up either crucial first downs or touchdowns. He still has things to work on overall as a passer, but you can definitely tell he's making strides. This week South Carolina plays host to the Kentucky Wildcats, a team that possesses the worst total defense in the SEC. I think this would be a good bounce back opportunity for the Gamecocks, especially with this game being at night.
Wk 1 - 3
Wk 2 - 2
Wk 3 - 2
Wk 4 - 2
Wk 5 - v Kentucky
3. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Wk 4 - 21/23 267 yds 5 touchdowns 0 interceptions/7 carries 4 yds 0 touchdowns v no.9 Illinois (63-10 W)
Season - 76/99 975 yds 14 touchdowns 0 interceptions/22 carries 76 yds 2 touchdowns
Like I said before the season started, Indiana really got an upgrade at the quarterback position. As hard as that may have been to believe, that is absolutely the case. I say this in no disrespectful way to Kurtis Rourke, a dude who helped get the Hoosiers their first ever 10+ win season in program history while also guiding them to the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff while finishing ninth in the Heisman Trophy race all on a torn ACL. What Rourke did last season was nothing short of spectacular and got all the recognition that it deserved, but Fernando Mendoza is just a different animal when it comes to the quarterback position. A transfer from Cal, Mendoza put up solid numbers throughout last season, registering over 3,000-passing yards with 16-touchdowns to just six interceptions while helping the Bears win six of 11-games as the starter (missed the final regular season game and the bowl game) in their first year in the ACC. Though his numbers were solid, his skillset suggested that he could put up even greater numbers, he just needed to be at a place that properly utilized those skills. With the aforementioned Rourke gone, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti turned to Mendoza to lead his team going forward, and so far this season he's more than lived up to the price of admission. Though his performances in Indiana's first three games were good, the showing he put on this past weekend against the then ninth ranked Illinois Fighting Illini has really got people talking. In this one Mendoza went 21/23 for 267-yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in a 63-10 walloping in front of 56,000+ at Memorial Stadium. Though Mendoza put up some insanely impressive numbers it would actually be the Indiana special teams unit that would register Indiana's first points of the game, as the offense would go three and out to open the game. Following a three and out by Illinois, the Hoosiers would block the punt and take it back for the score, giving them a 7-0 lead midway through the first. The Illinois offense would respond with a touchdown of their own their next time out, as would Indiana's with Mendoza connecting with Elijah Sarratt for 14 and Omar Cooper Jr. for 39 before hitting Cooper (again) on a screen to the flat who would take it in 11-yards for the score, capping off a seven play 75-yard scoring drive to retake the lead with less than five minutes to go in the quarter. The Hoosier offense would struggle to get things going on their following possession, being forced to punt the ball away after going three and out once again. Things would go rather smoothly for them their next time out as after Mendoza would dump it off to Roman Hemby for a 29-yard gain, he would find E.J. Williams Jr. in the end zone from 11-yards out to further extend their lead early on in the second.
With the safeties playing shallow, Mendoza just floats this ball over the top and into the hands of Williams for the score, putting the ball in a spot where only his receiver could get it. Just a perfect throw from Mendoza to help give Indiana a 21-7 lead to kick things off in the second quarter. It wouldn't take long for the Hoosier offense to find the end zone again, as they would only need four plays to travel 80-yards to make it 28-7, with Mendoza connecting with Elijah Sarratt for 11 and 24-yards before dumping it off to Riley Nowakowski who would take it in 43-yards for the score.
Two throws back-to-back that may not look that impressive initially, but they are both really well timed and placed by Mendoza. On the first one Mendoza gets the ball out quick after seeing the linebacker creep up to stop the run. With a defender right in his face he's able to deliver a strong throw to Sarratt's body, keeping both him and the ball away from the streaking safety. The next one he sees the corner crashing, and with the safety over top he again puts this ball right on Sarratt's body, who is then able to make the safety miss before picking up 21-yards after the catch. Just two throws that show off Mendoza's impressive timing, placement, and decision making. Indiana would score from 43-yards out a couple plays later to make it 28-7 midway through the second quarter. The Hoosiers would run the ball right down the Illini's throats their next time out, picking up decent chunk plays before Mendoza would find a wide open Elijah Sarratt in the end zone from nine yards out to make it 35-7 with just over a minute to go until halftime. Illinois would register a field goal before half to make it 35-10 but Indiana would re-grow their lead on their first drive of the second half with Mendoza connecting with Sarratt for 10 on a nice little roll out to the left and Roman Hemby out of the backfield for 11 before Kaelon Black would take it in from 40-yards out to make the score 42-10 just over three minutes into the third quarter. Indiana would keep finding the end zone their next time out, as Mendoza would hit Sarratt on a slant from five yards out to further grow their lead to 49-10 with five minutes to go in the quarter. That would really be Mendoza's final contribution to the game as the back-ups would come in and see out a insanely impressive 63-10 victory. I think most people out there knew that Indiana was a good football team, but I don't know if they realize that they were this good. Like I said at the start and throughout the whole offseason, the Hoosiers got an upgrade at the quarterback position, as Fernando Mendoza continues to stake a claim on why he should not only be in consideration to be the Heisman Trophy winner, but the first overall pick in the draft as well. This week though him and the Hoosiers have a tough road test against the Iowa Hawkeyes, who are starting to find a little rhythm on the offensive side of the ball.
Wk 1 - 6
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - @ Iowa
4. Dante Moore, Oregon (+1)
Wk 4 - 21/31 305 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/7 carries 53 yds 0 touchdowns v Oregon State (41-7 W)
Season - 71/95 962 yds 11 touchdowns 1 interception/14 carries 87 yds 0 touchdowns
I don't think many people were surprised by the outcome of this game, right? I mean sure, Oregon State was probably really up for this game, traveling to Eugene to take on their much hated rivals in this year's "Civil War." As hyped as I'm sure they were, Oregon is just too damn talented and too damn good to slip up in this one, coming out with a resounding 41-7 home victory. I guess if the Beavers could taken anything away from this game, they can say that they made Oregon quarterback Dante Moore play the longest he ever has up to this point in the season. Prior to this one, Moore had played only one singular snap of football in the fourth quarter of any game this season, that one snap coming against Northwestern last week (though he did get picked off). Regardless of how much he's played though Moore has been putting up fantastic numbers all season, with this game being no different with him going 21/31 for 305-yards (season high) with four touchdowns and zero interceptions, along with a further 53-yards on the ground (another season high). Things would start off pretty smoothly for Moore and the Oregon offense, completing a couple passes to Gary Bryant Jr. and Kenyon Sadiq for 13 and 11-yards before hitting Dakorien Moore on a back shoulder throw for a 22-yard touchdown to put the Ducks up seven early.
If you know me, you know how much I like a back shoulder throw. With the defender matching Moore stride for stride down the sideline, Moore places this very nicely on his back shoulder for the eventual touchdown. What I love about back shoulder throws is that is shows the chemistry between quarterback and wide receiver, and despite Dakorien Moore only being a freshman, him and Dante Moore have seemingly built up a good understanding with one another. That said chemistry would be on display early on Oregon's next drive, with Moore hitting Moore down the near sideline on another back shoulder throw for 18-yards to get them to the Oregon State side of the 50.
Another play, another quality back shoulder throw from Moore to Moore to pick up 18-yards and get them to the other side of the 50. Great throw and great adjustment. The Moore's would nearly connect a few plays later as Dante would try to hit Dakorien up the far sideline but it would ultimately fall incomplete. Oregon's drive would stall out following that incomplete pass, as they'd end up turning it over on downs as Moore's pass to Jeremiah McClellan on fourth and seven would only go for three yards, giving the ball back the Beavers at their own 36-yard line. Oregon would fail to get anything going on their next drive as well following an Oregon State touchdown, punting the ball away after four plays after a holding call on third and six would ultimately put them in a fourth and 16 situation. Thankfully for them the Beaver offense would fail to get things going on their end, punting it away after five plays but would pin the Ducks back at their own eight yard line. Despite the rough starting field position, Moore and co. would put together a nice 12-play 92-yard drive to give them their second touchdown of the game with less than six minutes to go in the half. Prior to the score Moore would help Oregon convert on a couple third down attempts, hitting Jamari Johnson for eight on third and two and Malik Benson for nine on third and eight to get them closer to the Oregon State side of the 50.
Yes Benson finds himself open on this play, but this is still a very impressive throw from Moore. Putting this ball right on the sideline, away from the defender and in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. After a six yard loss on the ground, Moore would connect with Benson fro 31-more yards down the far sideline to get them to the Oregon State 29-yard line.
You can't really place a ball much better than this. With a defender tight tight in coverage, Moore has a very small window to work with, yet puts it in a spot where only his intended receiver could make a play on it. Just a dot of a throw from Moore, picking up 31-yards and eventually helping set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Moore to an open Kenyon Sadiq to make it 14-7 with less than six minutes to go in the second. Moore would flash the athleticism on Oregon's next possession, picking up 28-yards on the ground (relatively untouched) to get them from their own 34 to the Oregon State 38-yard line. Moore would then hit Jayden Limar out of the backfield for an 11-yard gain before connecting with Dakorien Moore down the near sideline on another back shoulder throw to pick up a further 23 and get them down to the Oregon State one yard line.
Again, I absolutely love a good back shoulder throw, and right now the Moore's are doing a damn good job at connecting on them. Just a great throw and catch from quarterback and receiver, helping set up an eventual touchdown run by Jordon Davison to give them a 21-7 lead with 21-seconds left in the first half. Oregon's first drive of the second half didn't seem to start off the greatest, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after going three and out. At least, that would seem to be the case, but punter James Ferguson-Reynolds would pick up 21-yards on the ground to not only extend Oregon's drive, but get them to the Oregon State side of the 50. Following the fake punt Moore would connect with Kenyon Sadiq on a hitch that would go for 24-yards on second and 19 before firing it into Jeremiah McClellan for a 13-yard score on third and seven midway through the quarter. Moore would connect on a couple screen passes on Oregon's next drive but it would be his legs that would pick up the biggest gain, going for 17-yards to get them down to the Oregon State eight yard line.
Moore is someone who may not put up the most eye popping numbers when it comes to the run game, but when he needs to he is more than capable of picking up decent gains with his legs. With nothing open down field, Moore smartly gets outside the pocket and tucks it upfield for the nice gain. He also does a nice job at just getting out of bounds, not taking any unnecessary hits in the process. The Ducks wouldn't really move the ball too much after this run by Moore, ultimately settling for a 24-yard field goal from Atticus Sappington to make it 31-7 with a minute to go in the third. Oregon would make quick work of things their next time out following an Oregon State three and out, with Moore hitting an open Gary Bryant Jr. down the middle of the field for a 49-yard touchdown on their second play of the fourth quarter to make it 38-7. Moore would come up with a nice 19-yard completion to Dakorien Moore while rolling to his right on second and 17, but the play would get called back due to an illegal block in the back penalty that would ultimately force them to punt the ball away after just five plays. Following an Oregon State fumble Oregon would get the ball at the plus 28-yard line. On second and five Moore would dump it off to Makhi Hughes while rolling to his right that would result in a 20-yard gain and get them down to the Beaver three yard line. The Ducks would ultimately have to settle for a field goal again to make it 41-7 which would ultimately seal up the game with five minutes to go in the fourth, giving the Ducks their fourth win on the season. Just another nice and easy go of things for Moore and Oregon offense, with this marking his third game with three or more touchdowns. This week though will be their toughest test as they travel to Happy Valley to take on the third ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. With this game being a white out and at night, Moore and co. will definitely have their hands full in this one.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 4
Wk 5 - @ no.3 Penn State
5. John Mateer, Oklahoma (+1)
Wk 4 - 24/36 271 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/10 carries 29 yds 1 touchdown v no.22 Auburn (24-17 W)
Season - 95/141 1,215 yds 6 touchdowns 3 interceptions/43 carries 190 yds 5 touchdowns
The John Mateer and Oklahoma Sooner train just keeps chugging along as they came away with their second top-25 win of the season this past weekend, taking down the then 22nd ranked Auburn Tigers and former starting quarterback Jackson Arnold. I was very intrigued to see how this game would go, mostly because I wanted to see how the two quarterbacks looked against each teams respective defenses. Would Arnold put on a show against his former team on the road, making them question why they went out to replace you, or would Mateer remind everyone why they brought him in to replace the inconsistent former five star recruit. In the end it would be Mateer and the Sooners coming away with the win, coming away with a 24-17 victory, with Mateer going 24/36 for 271-yards with one touchdown and no interceptions (first time this season he hasn't thrown an interception in a game) with 29-yards and another touchdown on the ground to boot. Things would start off pretty good for the Sooners, both offensively and defensively as the defense would force the Tigers to go three and out while registering -8-yards on the drive, and the offense would come away with a field goal after putting together a nice 12-play 39-yard drive. Now, there would be a near scare as Mateer's screen pass to Isaiah Sategna III was initially ruled a fumble and a scoop and score touchdown for Auburn, but the refs ultimately overturned the call and ruled it incomplete. A couple plays later Tate Sandell would convert from 49-yards out to give them the early 3-0 lead. Auburn would respond with a field goal of their own their next time out, with Oklahoma following that up by going three and out on their next possession. They would go three and out again on their next drive to kick off the second quarter, but would find the end zone after just two plays on their following possession with Mateer finding a wide open Sategna from 24-yards out to make it 10-3 with 10:45 left in the quarter. Mateer and Sategna would connect for 29-yards on their next drive, picking up a much needed first on third and seven at their own 22-yard line.
This is a really strong throw here from Mateer, driving it down the seam to his receiver before the safety could make a play on the ball. More impressively though, Sategna does an excellent job at hanging onto this ball through the massive hit by the defender. Overall just a great play from quarterback and receiver as it was a well waited ball from Mateer and an excellent job at going up and getting it while also bringing it down through the contact by Sategna to combine for the 29-yard gain. Mateer would then connect with an open Keontez Lewis for 19-more yards to get them down to the Auburn 30. Unfortunately for the Oklahoma offense the drive would go no further as Mateer and his running back would give up a mesh point fumble at the Auburn 34-yard line, killing what looked to be a really solid drive. Thankfully nothing would come from the turnover as the Tigers would punt the ball away after five plays. The Sooners would punt the ball away as well on their next drive after going three and out for the third time in the half. Auburn would put together a nice eight play 60-yard scoring drive to tie the game up with 1:08 to go in the half. Oklahoma would do nothing on their final drive of the half, leaving the score at 10-10 going into the locker rooms. The Sooner offense would go three and out again to open the second half but would get some things going on their second drive, registering a field goal after a 11-play 46-yard drive, with Mateer hitting Jaren Kanak across the middle of the field for what would result in a 16-yard gain on third and 11. Oklahoma would once again go three and out on their next possession and would again register a field goal on their following drive, with Mateer connecting Sategna for 10-yards to help extend the drive on second and five.
Sure Sategna had some separation between himself and his defender, but Mateer flashes his quick release while delivering an accurate ball with an Auburn defender barreling in on him. Just a good overall play that would help keep the drive moving on second and five. Mateer would take a shot up the seam on the following play, hitting Jaren Kanak for 23-more yards to get them to the Auburn 18-yard line.
Though Kanak has found himself in a nice window between the defenders, the room for error on this throw is still small due to the three defenders in front and the other playing over top. Mateer has to get enough on this pass to get it over the defenders, but not too much as to hand it to the safety overtop. As you can see Mateer does an excellent job at putting the ball in a spot where only his tight end can make a play on the ball, over the out stretched arm of the Auburn defender. Unfortunately nothing much more would come after those two 10+ yard plays with Oklahoma having to settle for a 28-yard field goal, making the score 16-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. Following an Auburn touchdown, Mateer would find Jaren Kanak for a 15-yard gain on second and five before hitting Isaiah Sategna III on a beautifully thrown ball down the far sideline for a 31-yard gain, getting them to the Auburn nine yard line.
Initially ruled incomplete, I would have included this regardless of if it had been ruled a catch or not. Like, you really could not have placed that ball any better if you tried. This was just an inch perfect throw from Mateer in the face of pressure to help get them down to the nine. On the following play Mateer would take it in himself into the end zone for the score, making it 22-17 (they failed on the two point conversion) with 4:54 left in the game. Auburn would start off their next drive with really rough field position following an illegal block in the back penalty on the ensuing kickoff return. Starting at the eight, they would ultimately pick up a first down but a couple penalties and a sack of Jackson Arnold pushed them back to their own four yard line. Down five with just over a minute to go Auburn would go for it on fourth and 29 from their own four. Unfortunately for them Arnold would get sacked in the end zone, resulting in a safety thus making it 24-17 with 1:06 left in the game. Oklahoma would ultimately see it out, coming away with a 24-17 home victory. Another solid showing from the Sooners as again they pick up their second win against a top-25 opponent. As for Mateer he put forth another big showing, making big throws when needed while also using his legs to help see out the win for Oklahoma. Now, he is expected to miss some time due to a hand injury, so we'll have to wait and see how long he's out for. Regardless of long he's out for, it's going to be a big loss for the Sooners.
Wk 1 - 9
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - BYE
6. Drew Allar, Penn State (-2)
Wk 4 - BYE
Season - 57/88 626 yds 4 touchdowns 1 interception/10 carries 27 yds 0 touchdowns
Wk 1 - 1
Wk 2 - 3
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 6
Wk 5 - v no.6 Oregon
7. Taylen Green, Arkansas (+1)
Wk 4 - 18/34 325 yds 1 touchdown 2 interceptions/12 carries 53 yds 0 touchdowns @ Memphis (32-31 W)
Season - 81/126 1,191 yds 12 touchdowns 4 interceptions/44 carries 360 yds 2 touchdowns
Following a tough 41-35 road loss last week to the Ole Miss Rebels, Taylen Green and the Arkansas Razorbacks faced another tough road test this past weekend as they traveled to Memphis to take on the Tigers. Despite there being a perceived gap between the two programs in regards to historical standing, the Memphis Tigers are definitely not a team to take lightly, as they have taken down a few other power four conference teams over the past few years, most notably Florida State (on the road) and West Virginia last season and Iowa State back in 2023. So with Arkansas coming in again off of a tough and emotional road loss in conference play an upset was definitely on the cards. As I have spoken about a few times before, the lull period following those types of loses in real, and it happened to the Razorbacks here as they fell on the road by the score of 32-31. Despite the loss quarterback Taylen Green put up a solid showing statistically, going 18/34 for 325-yards with one touchdown and two unfortunate interceptions. He also managed to put up 53-yards on the ground, with this being the first time since week one where he didn't lead the Razorbacks in rushing yards. All that being said things would start off as good as they could have for Arkansas offensively as Green would hit O'Mega Blake on a crossing route for 16-yards before finding a wide ass open Rohan Jones for what would result in a 62-yard touchdown, giving them the lead just over a minute into the game. Their next couple drives would see nowhere near the same amount of success, as they would go three and out on their next possession before Green would register his first interception of the game, coming at the 6:22 mark in the first quarter.
This is the type of play that Green just needs to throw it out of bounds and live to fight another day. Even in the cleanest of pockets, this throw was pretty much destined to get picked off. I like that he tries to roll out to his right to buy some more time but again, just throw it out of bounds. To make things even worse Memphis would march down the field on 11-plays and come away with their first touchdown of the game, making it 10-7 with 20-seconds left in the first quarter. Now thankfully the Razorbacks would be able to respond with a touchdown of their own, needing six plays to travel 77-yards and find the end zone. That being said the drive should have been shorter than that, as Green would toss up a beautifully thrown ball to O'Mega Blake for what should have been a 39-yard touchdown, but unfortunately it would fall incomplete.
This ball deserved to result in a touchdown. Like, this was just an inch perfect throw from Green, dropping it right in the bucket and leading Blake perfectly with three defenders in the area. As perfect as the throw as, the Memphis defender made a fantastic play by punching it away from Blake as he tried to bring it in. Unfortunate at the time, but Arkansas would eventually find the end zone thanks to a 16-yard run by Braylen Russell to give them a 14-10 lead with 12:37 left in the second quarter. Green would hit on some nice passes on Arkansas' next drive, connecting with Blake to the outside for six on second and four and CJ Brown across the middle for 21 to get them down to the Memphis 21. Following a 16-yard run by Mike Washington Jr. the Razorbacks would punch it in from five yards out with Rohan Jones taking the sweep through a couple defenders to make it 21-10 midway through the second. Arkansas would go three and out on their next drive but would find the end zone again their next time out with Green hitting Jaden Platt on a hitch for 15-yards and a further 29 on a crossing route to get them down to the Memphis one yard line, ultimately setting up a one yard touchdown run by Washington to make it 28-10 with 1:35 left in the second. The Razorbacks would go three and out on their final possession of the first half and their first of the second but would register some points on their next drive which was kicked off by Green hitting Raylen Sharpe across the middle for 17-yards on second and 13.
This is a really strong throw from Green, fitting it into Sharpe in a very tight window with three to four Memphis defenders in the area. Just a nice job at putting the ball on his receiver's body to keep the ball away from the defender(s) to help pick up the first down. A couple plays later Green would hit Rohan Jones while rolling to his right for what would result in a 40-yard gain, getting them to the Memphis 21-yard line.
With pressure diving at his legs after rolling to the right, Green throws a very accurate ball to Jones in another tight window for a 40-yard gain. One of the best throwers when on the move, Green flashes really good accuracy despite the fact that there were defenders both around him and his intended receiver. Just a good play overall that would help set up a 46-yard field goal by Scott Starzyk to make it 31-20 with 4:16 left in the third quarter. Memphis would follow up with a touchdown to make it 31-26 (they failed on a two point conversion) in the third, and on Arkansas' next drive Green would hit Jalen Brown on a beautifully thrown ball for a 42-yard gain to get them from their own 15 down to the Memphis 43-yard line.
You really can't ask for a much better throw from your quarterback here. Backed up on their own 15-yard line, Green would hit Brown perfectly in stride for an aforementioned 42-yard gain. Just a great play overall. Green would then hit O'Mega Blake across the middle for 15-yards on third and eight to get them to the Memphis 26. Unfortunately though the drive would stop there as Green would register his first interception of the game on third and six a few plays later.
I'm going to surmise that Green just flat out didn't see the Memphis defender on this play. I mean, with pressure right in his face Green tried to throw it where his receiver would end up after running what seemed like would have been a hitch. Instead of the receiver though he throws it right to the chest of the Memphis defender. Just an unfortunate play for Green and the Arkansas offense, but thankfully the defense would come away with an interception of their own of the fourth play of Memphis' next drive, meaning they didn't have to pay the ultimately sacrifice for Green's interception. Green would make some big plays for the Razorbacks on their next possession, picking up 18-yards on the ground on third and two before firing it into O'Mega Blake between two Memphis defenders to help extend the drive on third and eight.
I know this is just a simple hitch route, but I don't really understand how Green was able to fit this ball into Blake for the first down. Like, not only are there two Memphis defenders in the area, but I thought the one who jumped the route would have at least broke up the pass, if not even intercepted it. Like I stated earlier, Green absolutely zipped this thing into Blake for a big time first down on third and eight. Unfortunately the Razorbacks would find themselves in another third and eight situation, only this time Green would take a nine yard sack, forcing them to punt the ball away with 6:26 to go in the game. Memphis would only need four plays to drive 94-yards and take the lead, with Arkansas getting the ball back with 4:51 to go in the fourth. Things would start off pretty good on the drive as Mike Washington Jr. would register gains of 17 and 12 on the ground to help get them down to the Memphis 39-yard line. Green would then connect with Washington for 10-yards but unfortunately a few plays later on second and two Washington would cough up the ball. Memphis would recover it and take over at their own seven yard line, ultimately seeing out the game and coming away with a 32-31 home victory. Just an unfortunate day at the office for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Despite putting up 500-yards of offense you don't win many games if you lose the penalty and turnover battle. As for Green, apart from the two interceptions I thought he made some really good throws throughout the game. He still has some growing to do as a passer overall, but you can definitely see the potential in some of the throws he made in this one. This week him and Arkansas play host to the 22nd ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Despite being ranked 22nd, the Irish have just one win to their name, coming last week against Purdue. They have given up a lot of points so far this season, which could mean we're in for a shootout in Fayetteville come Saturday morning.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - 8
Wk 4 - 7
Wk 5 - v no.22 Notre Dame
8. Carson Beck, Miami (FL) (-1)
Wk 4 - 17/30 160 yds 0 touchdowns 1 interception/2 carries -7 yds 0 touchdowns v Florida (26-7 W)
Season - 82/112 972 yds 7 touchdowns 3 interceptions/10 carries 19 yds 1 touchdown
The resurgence of Carson Beck has truly been fun to watch so far this season, as he's helped guide Miami to wins over two top-25 opponents (Notre Dame and USF) and one of their in state rivals in Florida on their way to a 4-0 start to the season. Throughout these first four games he's looked calm, confident, and actually looks like he's having fun out there, which is something we really couldn't say about him during his final season at Georgia. One of the games where we saw Beck struggle the most last season was in his home city of Jacksonville where him and the Bulldogs faced off against the aforementioned Florida Gators. Though he threw for 302-yards and registered two passing touchdowns in Georgia's 34-20 win, he also threw a few rough interceptions, registering three on the game and all coming while the Bulldogs were down in the second quarter and early in the third. He did improve as the game went along but I'm sure there was part of him that wanted to stick it to the Gators in this year's match-up with his new team. Though the Hurricanes came out 26-7 home victors Beck didn't necessarily play his best game, going 17/30 for 160-yards with no touchdowns and one interception. That being said Beck would help lead a touchdown drive on their opening possession of the game, connecting with Malachi Toney for 13-yards on third and eight and CharMar Brown out of the backfield for 22-more yards before Brown would punch it into the end zone from two yards out to give them their first lead of the game midway through the first. Beck would help Miami convert on three third down attempts on their following drive, though his luck would run out on his fourth attempt as his pass to Alex Bauman would fall incomplete on third and 24, forcing the Hurricanes to settle for a 53-yard field goal from Carter Davis to make it 10-0 to start the second quarter. Miami would punt the ball away on their next two drives after six and three plays but would get things going on their next possession as Beck would hit Malachi Toney on a screen pass that would go for 16-yards and get them to the Florida side of the 50. Beck would then connect with CharMar Brown out of the backfield for nine and Elija Lofton on a little dump of pass for 17 before they'd have to settle for another Carter Davis field goal to make it 13-0 with 1:29 left in the first half. The Hurricanes would get duped out of a touchdown on their first drive of the second half as CharMar Brown's run on fourth and one would see the whistle bloom a little prematurely, despite him ultimately winding up in the end zone for what should have been a 48-yard touchdown run. To make matters worse Miami would eventually be forced to punt the football away, with Florida then marching down the field and registering a touchdown of their own with 3:24 left in the third. Things wouldn't get much better for the Miami offense on their next drive as Beck would be picked off on the very first play.
Beck just got baited into making this throw by the Florida defender. I mean, when Beck lets this ball go he seemingly has an open receiver but again, the defender read this very well and jumped the route to come away with the interception. Just a good play from the defender, and an unfortunate one for Beck. The Hurricanes would go three and out on their next possession following Florida turning it over on downs after the interception. Their next drive though would see Beck connect with CharMar Brown out of the backfield for 16 and Elija Lofton for a further nine which would ultimately lead to a one yard touchdown run by Brown to give them a 19-7 lead (following a failed two point conversion) with 4:08 left in the fourth. Miami would score quickly following another turnover on downs by Florida, needing only four plays for Mark Fletcher Jr. to register a one yard touchdown to make it 26-7 with less than two minutes to go in the game. That touchdown would ultimately seal it up as the Gators would fail to get anything going again on their next drive, as the Hurricanes would again come away with a 26-7 home victory against their in state rivals. This was a messy game, with most of Beck's completions coming via screens and dump offs out of the backfield. The interception wasn't ideal but I'm sure Beck will take the win, giving him a 3-0 record against the school he was a fan of as a kid. With a bye this week, Miami can fully prepare for their first road match-up of the year, as they face the now eighth ranked Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee.
Wk 1 - 7
Wk 2 - 9
Wk 3 - 7
Wk 4 - 8
Wk 5 - BYE
9. Josh Hoover, TCU (NEW)
Wk 4 - 22/40 379 yds 5 touchdowns 1 interception/8 carries 27 yds 0 touchdowns v SMU (35-24 W)
Season - 70/103 1,000 yds 11 touchdowns 2 interceptions/9 carries 30 yds 0 touchdowns
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover has been someone that has somewhat been flying under the radar up to this point in the season. Now this is not because no one knew how good of a quarterback he was, it's just that there aren't a bunch of eyes on TCU football games. I know that's bad to say but I believe that to at least somewhat be the case. Like last season Hoover put up fantastic numbers for a team that boasted the second best passing attack in the Big 12, throwing for 3,949-yards with 27-touchdowns and 11-interceptions. So far this season he's been putting up an insane clip, throwing for exactly 1,000-yards with 11-touchdowns and just two interceptions in just three game. This past week Hoover and the Horned Frogs played their (pretty much) same city rivals in SMU, a team that last season had the best scoring and total defense in the ACC. This year though their defense has been leaky to say the least, and Hoover took advantage by throwing for 379-yards with five touchdowns and an interception in a 35-24 home victory that would ultimately push TCU into the top-25 for the first time this season. Things would start off pretty good for Hoover and the Horned Frog offense on their first drive of the game, as Hoover would use his legs to help them go from third and 18 to fourth and five before taking it up the middle himself for a eight yard gain to pick up a first down and get them to the Mustang 20-yard line. A couple plays later following a loss of seven yards, Hoover would roll out to his right and hit Eric McAlister for what would result in a 27-yard touchdown to give them the lead midway through the first quarter.
Much like earlier in the drive, Hoover does an excellent job at getting outside of the pocket to try and make a play on third and long. With nothing seemingly open to the left he gets around the pressure coming from the right. With a defender on him in the entire time he's able to deliver a ball to McAlister who is not only able to bring in through the outstretched arm of the defender, but also able to break through the next defender's arm tackle to get into the end zone for the score. This is just a good overall play from Hoover, making something out of seemingly nothing to help the Horned Frogs register their first points of the game. Hoover would help lead another touchdown drive their next time out following an SMU field goal, connecting with Jeremy Payne for 12 and DJ Rogers for 10 mixed in with a couple nine yard completions before hitting Payne out of the backfield for an easy touchdown from 10-yards out to give TCU a 14-3 lead to kick things off in the second quarter. It looked TCU was in line for another touchdown on their next drive as they would get the ball down to the SMU 17-yard line. On second and six from the aforementioned 17 Hoover would try to find Eric McAlister in the end zone, only to be intercepted with 2:32 left in the first half.
This is just an unfortunate play for Hoover, as he's trying to hit McAlister in the end zone and the defender just flat out rips it away from him to come down with the interception. Was it under thrown a tad bit? Possibly, but I still don't think Hoover deserved to have this ball intercepted. Just again, an unfortunate play for him and the offense. TCU would struggle to get things going again following the interception as they would be forced to punt the ball away after four plays on each of their next two drives on either side of the halfway mark. That being said Hoover would come up with two long completions on each of those drives, connecting with Jordan Dwyer for 14 on their final drive of the first half before hitting McAlister for 17 across the middle on their first drive of the second half.
This is a very strong throw across the middle of the field from Hoover, putting the ball right on McAlister's body before the defender can make a play on it for a 17-yard gain. He just does a very good job at scanning the entire field before firing it into his receiver. A solid play from Hoover that unfortunately wouldn't amount to much as they'd be forced to punt the ball away three plays later. Hoover and McAlister would find each other again on TCU's next drive, with Hoover hitting his receiver across the middle of the field for a 47-yard gain.
First off, great protection from the offensive line, allowing Hoover to scan the entire field before firing it into McAlister for what would again result in a 47-yard gain. Though there's a decent window to work with for Hoover, I still think this is a strong throw that hit his receiver exactly where it should have so he could take it up field for the big time gain. A few plays later Hoover would hit Joseph Manjack IV in the flat who would battle through a couple SMU defenders to find his way to the end zone from four yards out to make it 21-10 with 10:50 to go in the third quarter. Hoover and Manjack would connect on third and two on TCU's next drive, with Hoover zipping it into his receiver for a five yard gain in between a couple Mustang defenders for a first down. The offense would wind up taking it all the way down to the SMU 30-yard line but would ultimately have to settle for a field goal. Unfortunately Nate McCashland would fail to convert from 47-yards out, keeping the score at 21-17 with 1:49 left in the quarter. TCU would be forced to punt the ball away after six plays on their next drive but would find the end zone after just three plays on their following possession with Hoover hitting Eric McAlister on a slant who would battle through a couple defenders before taking it 70-yards to the house to make it 28-24 midway through the fourth quarter. Hoover would hit McAlister again on their next drive, only this time McAlister would have to save his quarterback as his arm was hit on third and 15. Floating aimlessly down the field McAlister would ultimately bring it in for what would wind up being a 30-yard gain. A few plays later, much like the last drive Hoover would hit McAlister on a slant who would end up taking it in from 44-yards out for the score, now making it 35-24 with six minutes left in the quarter. Nothing much else would happen the rest of the game apart from an SMU interception, as the Horned Frogs would again come away with a 35-24 home victory. Another solid showing from them and quarterback Josh Hoover, who has again put up very solid number through just three games this season. This week him and the Horned Frogs travel to the desert to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils, who are coming off an impressive road win against the Baylor Bears. We could be in for a high scoring affair as neither defense has played great against the pass this season, with both teams ranking in the bottom two in the Big 12 in that category. Could be a fun one.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - 9
Wk 5 - @ Arizona State (Friday)
10. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Wk 4 - 25/39 250 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/2 carries -9 yds 0 touchdowns v Arizona State (27-24 L)
Season - 109/174 1,320 yds 13 touchdowns 3 interceptions/15 carries 3 yds 0 touchdowns
This was a tough match-up for Sawyer Robertson and the Baylor Bears, playing host to the Arizona State Sun Devils who were on the outside looking in at the top-25 despite bouncing back from their week two road loss to Mississippi State after taking down Texas State last Saturday. For the Bears, they were also coming off a win themselves, beating Samford by a score of 42-7. Though the scoreline would suggest they had their way with the now 0-3 Bulldogs the offense sometimes sputtered, punting the ball away on each of their first three drives of the second half along with Robertson throwing his first two interceptions of the season. Like, after watching Robertson and co. in their first two games of the season I thought they'd be in line to drop a calm cool 70-points on Samford last Saturday, but that just wasn't the case. They'll definitely take the win, but I'm sure they would have liked to have executed better on the offensive side of the ball throughout the course of the game. Though they came out on the losing side of things this week against the aforementioned Sun Devils (losing 27-24) I thought Robertson looked better, going 25/39 for 250-yards with three touchdowns and an interception. That being said things didn't start off the smoothest for the Baylor offense as though Robertson would connect with Kobe Prentice for 13 and Josh Cameron for 19, the latter would fumble the ball away less than a minute into the game, giving the Sun Devils the ball near the 50-yard line after just three plays. Thankfully the defense would hold them to a field goal to make it 3-0 early. The Baylor offense would register a field goal of their own their next time out, with Robertson hitting on a few eight to 15-yard passes to help set up a 53-yard attempt from Connor Hawkins to tie things up with 4:08 left in the first. Baylor would turn it over on downs on their following drive after nine plays but would find the end zone for the first time their next time out, with Robertson helping chug things along by hitting Josh Cameron down the far sideline for 23-yards on a beautifully thrown back shoulder ball.
Like I've said a couple times already in this blog post, if you know me you know how much I love myself a well worked back shoulder throw. With the defender matching Cameron stride for stride down the sideline, Robertson places this ball in a spot where only his receiver could get it. This just shows great chemistry between quarterback and wide receiver, resulting in a very solid gain to get them to the Arizona State side of the 50. Robertson would then hit Caden Knighten on a swing pass out of the backfield that would go for 10-yards to get them to the eight before hitting Kole Wilson in the flat for an eight yard touchdown, tying things up at 10 with 3:08 left in the half. Baylor wouldn't really get much going on their final drive of the first half, ultimately punting the ball away after just five plays with less than a minute to go. Much like their first drive of the game, we'd see Robertson connect with Josh Cameron for what should have been a first down, only for Cameron to fumble the ball away again, giving Arizona State the ball at the Baylor 32-yard line. The defense would again hold the Sun Devils to a field goal after the turnover, but the offense wouldn't be able to do much with it again as they'd be forced to punt after going three and out. Things would continue to spiral for the Bears on offense as on the fourth play of their next drive Robertson would register his first interception of the game.
Now, I don't know if the receiver was supposed to take his route to the outside or Robertson just missed him, regardless it's still an interception and a big takeaway for the Arizona State defense. With the receiver running the hitch, Robertson throws this ball too far to the outside, which the defender reads really well for the easy interception. Again the Baylor defense would hold the Arizona State offense to a field goal, making it 16-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. Baylor would finally start stringing things together on their next drive, with Robertson finding an open Michael Trigg for a 16-yard gain on fourth and two before Bryson Washington would pick up 41-yards on another fourth down conversion attempt to get them down to the Sun Devil one yard line. Two plays later Robertson would hit Trigg in the flat who would take it in from a yard out to give them the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Baylor would get the ball back with 5:21 to go in the fourth following an Arizona State touchdown (plus a successful two point conversion) that would make it 24-17. On the drive Robertson would be brought down in the backfield for a seven yard loss on second and 10, thus putting them in a third and 17 situation. The following play Robertson would step up in the pocket and deliver a strike to an open Louis Brown IV in the middle of the field for a 23-yard gain. A couple plays later Robertson would hit Trigg down the hash for what would result in a 33-yard touchdown, tying the game up with 1:52 left in the game.
First off, great job by Trigg at giving his quarterback an option to throw to on second and nine. With the linebacker in the area Trigg decides to turn up field, which Robertson sees and floats it in perfectly over the outstretched arm of the defender for the eventual score, tying the game up at 24 with less than two minutes to go in the game. Unfortunately Baylor would not see the ball again, as Arizona State would march down the field before attempting and making a 43-yard field goal as time expired to come away with a 27-24 road victory in conference play. Such a tough way to lose a game, but I guess it's pretty hard to win a game when you lose the turnover battle 3-0. As for Robertson I thought he made some good throws throughout the game, but definitely started the game better than how he finished. This week I expect him and the Baylor offense to put up some decent numbers, facing an Oklahoma State team that ranks in the bottom of the conference in regards to total and scoring defense.
Wk 1 - 10
Wk 2 - 8
Wk 3 - 10
Wk 4 - 10
Wk 5 - @ Oklahoma State
Others
Cade Klubnik, Clemson (9)
Wk 4 - 37/60 363 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/4 carries 1 yd 0 touchdowns v Syracuse (34-21 L)
Season - 89/148 996 yds 6 touchdowns 4 interceptions/34 carries 60 yds 1 touchdown
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
Wk 4 - 22/32 221 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/15 carries 62 yds 1 touchdown @ Baylor (27-24 W)
Season - 72/118 748 yds 6 touchdowns 3 interceptions/42 carries 219 yds 4 touchdowns
Jayden Maiava, USC (NEW)
Wk 4 - 20/26 234 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries 31 yds 2 touchdowns v Michigan State (45-31 W)
Season - 68/96 1,223 yds 9 touchdowns 0 interceptions/15 carries 55 yds 4 touchdowns
Arch Manning, Texas
Wk 4 - 18/21 309 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries 11 yds 2 touchdowns v Sam Houston (55-0 W)
Season - 65/106 888 yds 9 touchdowns 3 interceptions/28 carries 123 yds 5 touchdowns
Darian Mensah, Duke
Wk 4 - 19/28 269 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries -2 yds 0 touchdowns v NC State (45-33 W)
Season - 99/147 1,305 yds 11 touchdowns 2 interceptions/17 carries -8 yds 0 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!
While you're at it, go subscribe and/or follow me on all forms of social media!
Apple Podcasts: The Logan Blackman Show
Facebook: The Logan Blackman Show
Instagram (personal): @blackmanlogan
Instagram (show): @theloganblackmanshow
LinkedIn: Logan Blackman
Spotify: The Logan Blackman Show
Twitter: @logan_blackman
YouTube: The Logan Blackman Show
YouTube (podcast): The Logan Blackman Show Podcast
Comments