The Draft "Expert" - Wk 9 2027 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings
Hello everyone and welcome back to yet another exciting Draft "Expert" blog post! As I'm sure you can probably tell by the title, in this one we will be taking a look at my week nine quarterback prospect rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft!
Now before we really get into things here, I do want to start off by saying that yes, I am aware that Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons just re-signed to stay with the Tigers for the 2027 season. The thing is I finished this blog post yesterday morning. So with the Simmons news coming out yesterday afternoon, it made it too late to make any changes to the blog post. Which is a shame becuase I actually moved Simmons up from the previous week following his performance against Arkansas.
Along with Simmons multiple other quarterbacks moved up the ranks following their week nine performances, meaning that a few had to move down to make room. I will say that I'm sure some people may be upset or confussed by my rankings this week, so I emplore you to take your time and read through each section so you have a better idea of where I'm coming from!
What am I saying? Obviously you all take the time to read through each and every quarterback on here, as you want to know exactly what the self proclaimed Draft "Expert" thinks about the quarterbacks.
All jokes aside I am really excited for you all to read this blog post! So without any further delay, I Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show and again self proclaimed Draft "Expert" am proud to present to you my week nine quarterback prospect rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft! Enjoy!
Podcast Links
1. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Wk 9 - 27/42 323 yds 5 touchdowns 1 interception/4 carries 16 yds 0 touchdowns @ Iowa State (51-49 L)
Season - 184/281 2,649 yds 25 touchdowns 7 interceptions/33 carries 166 yds 2 touchdowns
Every single time the Oklahoma State Cowboys play football you know two things are going to happen. One, they're going to score a shit ton of points. Two, the game is probably going to be closer than you expected going into halftime. If you look at each of their Big 12 match-ups (barring the loss against Houston) each one of them saw the Cowboys come out on top by double digits. The thing is though that the wins against West Virginia, UCF, and Colorado were all single digit games at halftime. Against the Mountaineers they won 41-24, while being down 14-13 at halftime. Against the Knights they won 42-28, while being all tied at 21 at halftime. Then finally against Colorado they won 57-24, while being down 24-23 at halftime. So again, all double digit wins, and yet they still found themselves down or tied going into the locker room. The reason for this is because Oklahoma State just has so many ways to beat you on offense, whether that be through the air with Drew Mestemaker or on the ground with Caleb Hawkins. Those type of teams just can't keep up with them, and this week against the unranked Iowa State Cyclones I was expecting more of the same, so when the scoreboard read 24-21 in favor of the said Cyclones at the half I wasn't the least bit surprised. Iowa State has shown flashes of being able to score in bunches, just look at their win agains the aforementioned Mountaineers, but I honestly did not think they would be able to keep up with the same pace when the second half started. I mean hell, quarterback Jaylen Raynor's starting job has been anything but secure up to this point in the season, so why would I think the Cyclones would be able to not only keep it close, but ultimately come away with a resounding 51-49 home victory. Something about Oklahoma State traveling to Jack Trice Stadium at night, am I right? Even with the loss Mestermaker continued to prove why he's widely considered to be the top quarterback prospect in this year's draft, going 27/42 for 323-yards with five touchdowns (joint season high) and one interception while adding another 16-yards on the ground. At this point it's just a given that he's going to put up crazy numbers, kicking things off in this game by driving the Cowboys down the field before hitting Wyatt Young in the end zone from 10-yards out to give them their first score of the game, coming with 6:33 remaining in the first quarter.
I know I didn't mention the first throw above, but I will never get tired of Mestemaker's fearlessness when it comes to throwing the ball down the middle of the field. After pumping to the flat Mestemaker absolutely rips it to Young over the outstretched arm of the defender standing between quarterback and receiver. He also did a nice job at placing the ball right on his body, allowing him to get his head up quickly to pick up a few more yards after making the catch. As for the touchdown Mestemaker was able to fit the ball into Young despite the defender resembling a blanket in coverage. There's really not a whole lot more you could have done here as the defender, you just can't beat a perfectly placed throw, with Mestemaker seemingly throwing the ball through the defender's arm to come away with the score, tying the game up at seven just past the midway point in the first. The Cowboy offense would be set up with excellent field position on their next drive following a Jaylen Raynor interception. Despite starting at the plus 27-yard line they would not register a single yard on offense, with Mestemaker seeing all three of his pass attempts fall incomplete, forcing them to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt from Sam Keltner. Unfortunately the ensuing effort would wind up going wide left, leaving them tied at seven with just over six minutes remaining in the quarter. That being said it wouldn't take long for the Cowboys to rectify the missed field goal, needing only three plays with Mestemaker rolling to his right and hitting Caleb Hawkins out of the backfield for what would result in a 59-yard touchdown, giving them a 14-7 lead with 3:46 to go in the first quarter. The next time the Oklahoma State offense would take the field they'd find themselves down 21-14 thanks to Iowa State stealing a possession by perfectly executing a surprise onside kick. Despite the extended time on the sideline the Cowboy offense would show no signs of rust, with Mestemaker connecting with Justin Bowick for gains of 26 and 19-yards before hitting him in the end zone from 11-yards out to tie the game up at 21 with 6:19 to go in the second quarter.
For the first one as I've said hundreds of times before, I love Mestemaker's fearlessness when it comes to throwing the ball down the middle of the field. With the defender tight in coverage there really wasn't a lot of room for Mestemaker to work with, especially with a couple defenders blocking his line of site. Regardless he made an insanely strong throw with Bowick being able to bring it in (and pick up a few extra yards) despite the aforementioned tight coverage. As for the touchdown I more or less just highlighted it because I like the play design. At first it looks like Bowick is engaged in a block, that is until Mestemaker gets out to the left and cuts up the field, allowing him to get in behind the secondary for Mestemaker to hit for the easy score, again tying the game up at 21 past the midway point in the second quarter. Iowa State would wind up taking a 24-21 lead just before halftime thanks to a muffed punt return by Oklahoma State returner Bobby Deal Jr. that would se the Cyclones up at the plus 36-yard line. Things wouldn't get much better for the Cowboys to open things up in the second half, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after just six plays. Now down 31-21, it would take them only two plays their next time out to find the end zone, with Caleb Hawkins taking it into the end zone from 75-yards out, breaking a tackle along the way to bring them back to within three with 5:29 to go in the third quarter. Their next drive would be another short one, only this time they would go three and out with Mestemaker's passes on first and third down falling incomplete. Though they couldn't on that drive they would be able to convert on a couple third down attempts their next time out, eventually leading to Mestemaker hitting Justin Bowick down the near sideline for a 41-yard touchdown.
Though this is a quarterback related blog post, I do at times want to highlight the effort made by some of these receivers. Despite being one of the best deep ball throwers in the country, this was necessarily one of Mestemaker's best throws. With the defender playing on the inside, Bowick had to fight through the contact to bring this ball in for the score. Just an insane effort here by Bowick, helping the Cowboys bring the game back to within three less than four minutes into the fourth quarter. Speaking of effort Mestemaker would show that on Oklahoma State's next drive, fully extending while being brought down trying to pick up a first down with his legs on fourth and three, just barely getting the ball to the line to help extend the drive. Later on in the drive he would fire it down the middle of the field to Wyatt Young for what would ultimately go for an 18-yard gain, getting them down to the Iowa State one yard line.
With two to three defenders in coverage and an edge rusher coming around the back side, Mestemaker remains tall and calm and fires it down the field to Young, who would make an excellent effort to get the ball down to the one yard line. This was just a really strong throw from Mestemaker, that mixed with the aforementioned effort by Young helped set up a one yard touchdown run by Caleb Hawkins to make it a 45-42 game (in favor of Iowa State) with exactly eight minutes to go in the fourth. Oklahoma State would seemingly have the chance to take the lead on their next drive following a three and out by Iowa State. Unfortunately on just the second play of the drive, Mestemaker would register his first (and only) interception of the game, coming at the 4:35 mark in the fourth.
Long story short, Mestemaker just flat out never saw the linebacker in coverage. Tracking Mestemaker the entire time, the linebacker stays slightly behind the play so when Mestemaker throws it back to the middle of the field he's able to come away with the easy interception. As the old saying goes, never throw the ball back across your body, regardless of good your arm is (or you think it is). More often then not the pass will wind up being intercepted, which is exactly what happened here. Thankfully the defense would hold Iowa State's offense to a field goal, making it a 48-42 game with just under three minutes to go in the game. Mestemaker would more than make up for the interception, leading a 12-play 75-yard drive and capping it off with his fifth passing touchdown of the game, which would come via a toss to a motioning Wyatt Young for the seven yard score, giving them a 49-48 lead with 53-seconds to go in regulation. Unfortunately that would be too much time for Iowa State, ultimately getting into field goal range with kicker Kyle Konrardy converting from 34-yards out to give the Cyclones a 51-49 home victory. This was such an insane game from start to finish, with both teams racking up well over 500-yards of total offense throughout. As for Mestemaker he did his usual thing, posting another crazy stat line while registering a joint season high five passing touchdowns in the process. The interception towards the end of the game was unfortunate, but it was big seeing him being able to bounce back by leading what could have very well been a game winning touchdown drive. Unfortunately it just wasn't meant to be, giving them their second loss in their last three games. This week Mestemaker and co. take on the other half of Farmageddon as they're back on the road and traveling to Manhattan to take on the Kansas State Wildcats. Despite their 1-4 record in Big 12 play the Wildcats do boast the best passing defense in the conference, even ranking in the top six nationally. Now, will they be able to handle an offense like Oklahoma State's? I guess that remains to be seen, right?
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 2
Wk 3 - 1
Wk 4 - 1
Wk 5 - 1
Wk 6 - 1
Wk 7 - 1
Wk 8 - 1
Wk 9 - 1
Wk 10 - @ Kansas State
2. Austin Simmons, Missouri (+1)
Wk 9 - 20/31 179 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/3 carries 3 yds 0 touchdowns @ Arkansas (34-10 W)
Season - 152/240 1,952 yds 16 touchdowns 2 interceptions/23 carries 21 yds 0 touchdowns
Out of all the teams that were off two weeks ago, I don't think any of them were more in need of a break than the Missouri Tigers. After starting the season with a 5-1 record with the lone loss coming on the road to Mississippi State, the Tigers got absolutely blasted against another state of Mississippi school in the form of Ole Miss, falling by the score 31-3. It seemed like everything they tried left them wanting, with quarterback Austin Simmons trying everything in his power to get something going for them on the offensive side of the ball. With no semblance of a rushing attack whatsoever, Simmons was forced to put the ball in the air a season high 44-times, which when you don't have a run game, can make the windows in the secondary that much smaller. Still, I thought he made numerous big time throws throughout the game to at least try to keep them within striking distance, but there was only so much he could do in the end, ultimately registering an interception on his final pass of the game as the Tigers found themselves at the Rebel four yard line on fourth and goal. They needed a bye week in the worst way, and waiting for them on the other side of said bye week would be the best team ever to get things back on track, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Now, I've joked about this numerous times before, but the Razorbacks are pretty much the best power four conference "get right" team, as they boast the worst scoring offense and the fourth worst scoring defense in the SEC. Interestingly enough, Arkansas actually have the worst scoring offense in the country compared to the other power four conference schools, being one of two schools to average less than 20-points per game, with the other being Michigan State. Sure they were coming off of a bye themselves following a 31-21 road win against Vanderbilt, but I don't think anyone out there really thought they stood a chance against a hungry Mizzou team coming off of their second loss to a state of Mississippi university. Sure the rain kept things close for a little bit, but in the end the Tigers had too much for them, coming away with a 34-10 road victory. In the win the aforementioned Simmons put forth a solid performance, going 20/31 for 179-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while also registering a near hilarious season high three rushing yards (season high is eight). With that things wouldn't necessarily start off the smoothest for the Tiger offense, as though Simmons would complete passes of seven, eight, and 10-yards (two passes behind the line of scrimmage), they would ultimately be forced to punt the ball away after five plays (false start penalty pushed them to third and 14). Despite the poor opening drive the offense would be set up with plus field position their next time out, as a deflected interception would set them up at the Arkansas 43-yard line. In the end they would ultimately have to settle for a field goal, with kicker Blake Craig converting from 31-yards out to give them a 3-0 lead with 5:33 to go in the first quarter. The defense would come up massively once again, only this time they would come away with points themselves as a bobbled snap at the Razorback 34-yard would bounce and bobble it's way into the end zone, where the Tigers would recover to push their lead to 10-0 with 3:41 remaining in the quarter. Simmons would hit on a few screen passes on Missouri's next drive, leading them down to the field and ultimately settling for another Craig field goal, this one coming from 53-yards out to make the score 13-0 at the nine minute mark of the second quarter. Things would slow down for the Tigers their next time out, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after four plays after finding themselves in a third and 24 situation. Following an Arkansas touchdown, Missouri would take over with 41-seconds to go in the first half. After registering an incompletion on his first throw of the drive, Simmons would come back with back-to-back 10+ yard completions, going for gains of 14 and 11-yards to get them down to the 50-yard line.
Two really strong throws from Simmons, again helping Missouri get to the midway marker on the field. The first one he does an excellent job at scanning the entire field. Starting with his eyes to the right, he gradually works his way back to the left before firing it into Donovan Olugbode who would make a very nice extended catch to bring it in for a 14-yard gain. As for the second one, I don't think you can really place a ball much better. Fading to his right with pressure breaking through, Simmons is able to place an inch perfect pass to Naeshaun Montgomery along the sideline for an 11-yard gain. With that, Montgomery did a great job at knowing where he was on the field and getting a foot in bounds for the nice gain. Again, just two fantastic throws from Simmons, just a shame his next four would fall incomplete (with one of them nearly interception) as they would turn it over on downs with two seconds remaining in the first half. Simmons would come out like a bat out of hell on their opening drive of the second half, registering one of the throws of the season before hitting Donovan Olugbode in the back of the end zone from 15-yards out to give them a 20-7 lead just over four minutes into the third quarter.
I know saying that Simmons having a potential throw of the season contender sounds like I'm trying to sell you something, but after seeing the clip was I wrong? I mean, how good of a throw was that? Manipulating the defense with his eyes, Simmons held the safety off long enough by starting with his eyes to the right before flipping back to the middle and firing an inch perfect pass to Cayden Lee for what would result in a 46-yard gain. I know I've said this before, but you literally cannot throw a ball better than that, which of course would eventually help set up Simmons' 15-yard touchdown pass to Olugbode. Again, another fantastic throw from Simmons. With pressure in his face, Simmons remains calm and tosses a perfect ball to the back to the end zone to Olugbode who did an excellent job at getting a foot in bounds before going out of the back of the end zone. Two excellent throws from Simmons, helping the Tigers grow their lead to 20-7 with 10:53 to go in the third quarter. The run game would lead the way on their next drive, with Jamal Roberts registering a 43-yard carry before punching it into the end zone himself from two yards out to make it a 27-7 game midway through the quarter. Once again the run game would feature heavily on their following possession, that is before Roberts would be stripped of the ball at the Arkansas 16-yard line, with the defense jumping on it to end what should have been another scoring drive for the offense. Thankfully the Razorbacks would respond with a fumble of their own, setting the Missouri offense up at the plus 18-yard line (thanks to a Arkansas personal foul penalty). Four plays into the drive Simmons would register his second passing touchdown of the game, rolling to his left and hitting Roberts out of the backfield for what would result in a 10-yard score, giving them a 34-10 lead with 7:19 remaining in the fourth quarter. That score would really be the final nail in the coffin, as the Tigers would hold onto the lead and take home a 34-10 road victory. It was a messy one for sure due to the rain, but a win is a win, with the run game carrying them throughout most of the game. That being said Simmons also did his thing, registering a few big time throws while popping up with two passing touchdowns, his first multi-touchdown game since their 45-17 win against Florida. Let's see if Simmons and co. can stack wins this week, as they play host to their former Big 12 foe in the Texas Longhorns. With only one win against the Longhorns in the 21st century, I'm sure the Tigers would love nothing more than to add to that win total, pulling off a would be home upset in the process.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - N/A
Wk 3 - N/A
Wk 4 - N/A
Wk 5 - 7
Wk 6 - 7
Wk 7 - 3
Wk 8 - 3
Wk 9 - 2
Wk 10 - v no.7 Texas
3. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (-1)
Wk 9 - 22/34 263 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/7 carries 65 yds 1 touchdown v Auburn (45-15 W)
Season - 189/296 2,189 yds 18 touchdowns 8 interceptions/48 carries 199 yds 7 touchdowns
Following a disappointing loss on the road against the Texas Longhorns, Trinidad Chambliss and rest of the Ole Miss Rebels needed to bounce back in a big way to keep them from stumbling down the rankings. The team standing in their way, the 4-3 Auburn Tigers. Now don't let their unimpressive record fool you, remember this is a team that upset the then top ranked Georgia Bulldogs "between the hedges" a couple weeks ago. Sure they got taken down by double digits by the LSU Tigers the following week, but the Tigers are certainly not a team to take lightly, as they have come up close against some of college football's better teams. I mean hell, they came up just short against the Florida Gators early on in the season, ultimately falling by the score 44-39. Throughout the history of this match-up Auburn has more than been in control, winning 35 of 48 match-ups prior to this one. That being said Ole Miss has had their number in recent years, winning each of the previous two before taking them down this time around as well by the score 45-15, giving them their third consecutive win in the series. Now I wouldn't at all say that this is one of the biggest SEC rivalries or anything like that, but I wouldn't say these two teams are friends by any means either, especially considering that former Ole Miss head coach Tommy Tuberville said that they would have to carry him out of Oxford in a "pine box," before ultimately leaving for Auburn less than a week after the now infamous quote. Now don't let the massive gap in the final score fool you, there was a point in the game where the score read 17-15 (midway through the third quarter), but unfortunately the flood gates opened in the fourth quarter which saw the Rebel offense really explode. In the win quarterback Trinidad Chambliss did his thing, going 22/34 for 263-yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while also registering 65-rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Things seemingly looked to be going Ole Miss' way in a hurry, as Chambliss would hit Deuce Alexander in the middle of the field for a 19-yard gain, nearly getting them into Auburn territory. Unfortunately that would be the final positive play of the drive, as they would ultimately be forced to punt the ball away after five plays. Despite the slow start out the gate Chambliss would lead an extended drive their next time out, connecting on a few short to intermediate passes while guiding a 17-play 89-yard drive that would be capped off with a one yard touchdown run by defensive tackle Will Echoles to give them a 7-0 lead on the opening play of the second quarter. Unfortunately their next possession would be much much shorter, as Chambliss would be picked off on just the second play of the drive with 7:38 to go in the second quarter.
This is a very unfortunate interception for Chambliss, as the ball went right through the hands of Deuce Alexander before bouncing off his face mask and landing in the arms of an Auburn defender. Alexander had struggled seeing the ball in up to that point in the game, dropping what should have been a walk-in touchdown on the previous drive. This type of play proves that not all interceptions are created equal, as there's really nothing more Chambliss could have done to see this pass completed, and yet it still wound up in the hands of the opposition. Thankfully the football gods would be on their side, as Tiger quarterback Byrum Brown would be stripped of the ball at the plus 16-yard line, directly following a defensive pass interference penalty that should have set them up to take the lead midway through the second quarter. Ole Miss would capitalize on the second chance at life, with Chambliss once again hitting on a few short to intermediate passes to help get them down the field and help set up a one yard touchdown run by Shekai Mills-Knight, capping off a 14-play 86-yard drive to give them a 14-6 lead with 2:26 remaining in the second quarter. Chambliss would come out firing on the Rebels' opening drive of the second half, rolling out to his right and firing it down the sideline to Deuce Alexander for a 25-yard gain, taking them down to the Tiger 17-yard line.
On of the best ad-libbers in all of college football, when pressure starts breaking through the line Chambliss smartly rolls to his right and fires it down the sideline to Alexander for the 24-yard gain. He held onto the ball for as long as possible, letting it rip right before the defender could get a hit on him. Really solid throw on the move from Chambliss, again helping the Rebels get all the way down to the Tiger 17-yard line. Chambliss would use his legs to a greater extent a few plays later, picking up 15-yards on the ground on third and nine to take them all the way down to the one yard line. Despite having the Auburn defense on the ropes, Ole Miss would be unable to punch it across the goal line, ultimately having to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Lucas Carneiro to grow their lead to 17-9 with 9:46 to go in the third quarter. Chambliss would come out flashing the athleticism on their next drive, racking up a 13-yard gain on third and 11 before taking it up the middle and finding the end zone from 26-yards out on third one to make it a 24-15 game with 3:25 remaining in the quarter.
One of the easier 20+ touchdown runs Chambliss will ever have. With the slot defender tracking the motioning receiver, Chambliss just takes advantage of the gap in the defense and waltzes into the end zone for the score. As I've spoken about numerous times before, Chambliss is just an electrifying playmaker, picking up a much needed first down and more on third and one, helping the Rebels grow their lead to 24-15 with just under three and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. Chambliss would come up big for the Ole Miss offense on another third down early on their next drive, picking up two yards with his legs on third and one before firing a ball down the middle of the field to Caleb Odom, who would make a spectacular one handed grab in between two Auburn defenders for a 34-yard gain.
This is as good of a throw and catch as you're going to see from this past weekend. With pressure breaking through along the left side of the offensive line, Chambliss does an excellent job at sliding with the protection before firing an inch perfect ball down the middle of the field to Odom, who would again be able to bring it in with one hand in between two defenders for the 34-yard gain. You just really can't throw and place a ball much better than this if you're Chambliss, and you can't really ask for a much better catch from Odom. Both coming together to help get the Rebels down to the Tiger 27-yard line. Chambliss would again come up big for the offense on third down, helping convert two more times along the drive (once with his legs and once with his arm) before hitting Caleb Cunningham in the end zone from six yards out to give them a 31-15 lead just over two minutes into the fourth quarter. It wouldn't take long for the Ole Miss offense to find the end zone again, as they would start their next drive at the Auburn 42 following a 25-yard punt return by Traylon Ray. From there it would only take them three plays to punch it across the goal line, with Chambliss connecting on a pass of 12-yards to Samari Reed before hitting Horatio Fields down the far sideline for a 28-yard score, extending their lead to 38-15 with 10:23 to go in the fourth.
Though not necessarily Chambliss' best deep ball, it still wound up resulting in six. Despite beating his defender with relative ease, Fields did a very nice job at working back to the ball to bring it in through contact, drawing a defensive pass interference penalty in the process. Solid enough throw from Chambliss mixed with excellent effort by Fields helped the Rebels gain a 38-15 advantage with just over 10-minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss would be set up near the 50-yard line on their next drive following Auburn turning the ball over on downs. From there they would convert on a couple third downs, with Chambliss hitting Luke Hasz down the middle of the field for a 19-yard gain on third and 12, eventually helping set up a 17-yard touchdown run by Deuce Knight to make it a 45-15 game with 3:27 remaining in the fourth.
I mean this has been pretty common practice in this game has it not? I mean, damn near every time the Rebels were faced with a third and whatever situation, Chambliss seemingly always came through. This is just a really confident throw from Chambliss. Throwing from a clean pocket on third and 12, he is able to fit the ball over the outstretched arm of the initial defender and right onto Hasz body in between two other defenders for a 19-yard gain. You really can't ask for a much better throw from your quarterback, as it helped keep the drive alive later on in the fourth. Now Chambliss would nearly threw an interception that would have surely resulted in six points for Auburn (probably should have) but thankfully the defender failed to see the ball in, with the pass ultimately falling incomplete. I mean, he was rolling to the right and threw it completely across his body into the path of a defender, just a bad decision that would again thankfully fall incomplete. A couple plays later Deuce Knight would take it into the end zone from 17-yards out, ultimately sealing the game as Ole Miss would register an impressive 45-15 home victory over Auburn. Like I mentioned before this game was close in some portions of the game, but in the end the Rebels just had too much for them and came out on top. For Chambliss I thought he played a good game, consistently helping extend drives while beating the Tiger defense with his arm and his legs. With that his accuracy was a little wonky at times, and he was able to get away with some passes that probably should have wound up being interceptions. Regardless a win is a win, and this week Chambliss and co. are back at home as they take on the second ranked Georgia Bulldogs, the same team that Auburn beat just a couple weeks ago (on the road no less). This is a game that has seen it's winner alternate each of the past four seasons, with the Rebels coming away with the most recent victory as they famously took down the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff last season. Will they continue alternating winners, or while Chambliss back up his Playoff performance with another show this time around? Only time will tell, but we should be in for a good one.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 4
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - 3
Wk 6 - 3
Wk 7 - 2
Wk 8 - 2
Wk 9 - 3
Wk 10 - v no.10 Georgia
4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (+4)
Wk 9 - 19/24 301 yds 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions/13 carries 96 yds 2 touchdowns @ Oklahoma (42-25 W)
Season - 152/243 1,849 yds 16 touchdowns 7 interceptions/98 carries 603 yds 6 touchdowns
Weirdly enough, throughout the entirety of this blog post, LaNorris Sellers is the only quarterback I will mention who played in a game that did not feature a top-25 team (discounting Conner Weigman, who was on a bye). I don't know how many times that has happened before or if it even has, but I just thought that'd be a little interesting factoid for you to kick things off. With this match-up I really did not know what to expect, as though South Carolina was coming off of back-to-back wins against then top-20 opposition in the forms of Florida (16) and Tennessee (11) they came into this unranked match-up against Oklahoma as a -3.5-point underdog. Like I get this game was getting played in Norman, but the Sooners have been anything but a strong outfit up to this point in the season. Just looking at their results they have scored over 30-points just one time this season, which came in their 51-0 season opening win against UTEP, a team that has one singular win on the season (currently sit at 1-7). Along with that they've only actually managed to score above 20-points two times prior to last Saturday, both times coming on their only two wins in conference play against rival Texas and Mississippi State. So overall I get their records were the same going in, as both South Carolina and Oklahoma held 4-3 records, but they felt much different, which is what made the spread that much more interesting. In the end the spread couldn't have been any more wrong, as the Gamecocks absolutely had their way with the Sooners, taking them down in their own backyard by the score 42-25. Ironically this would be the sixth time South Carolina would register more than 30-points in a game, with this also being their third 40+ point performance of the season, though the first two don't really hold that much weight as they did that against Kent State and Towson. In the win Sellers put forth one of his best showings of the season. Sure he registered two interceptions, but he would also go 19/24 for a season high 301-yards with three touchdowns to go along with 96-yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. With that being said things wouldn't start off the smoothest for Sellers and the offense, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after six plays on their opening drive, with running back Matt Fuller nearly fumbling the ball away on just their second play from scrimmage. Despite the slow start Sellers would really flash the athleticism on their next drive, registering gains of eight and 17-yards before taking it into the end zone himself from 15-yards out to give the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter.
Like I've spoken aboout numerous times before, there aren't very many quarterbacks in all of college football tougher to bring down than Sellers. After seemingly being bottled up at the line of scrimmage, he is able to break two would be arm tackles while making another defender miss before finding the end zone from 15-yards out. Fantastic effort shown here by Sellers, helping the Gamecocks take their first lead of the game just past the midway point in the first quarter. Things would start getting worse for the South Carolina offense before they would get better, as they would go three and out on their next possession before Sellers would register his first interception of the game, with it being returned 30-yards in the opposite direction for an Oklahoma touchdown.
This was just a bad play from the jump. First off Sellers should have never pulled the ball from his running back's stomach, as the defensive end made a beeline for him rather than crashing down the line of scrimmage. That inital mistake lead to the interception, with Sellers panicking with the defender right in his face and just letting it rip, hitting the leaping defender in the chest thus resulting in an easy pick six. That score would tie the game up at seven less than a minute into the second quarter. Despite the interception Sellers would come out on their next drive firing, connecting with Mazeo Bennett down the middle of the field for a 19-yard gain before hitting Nyck Harbor down the near sideline for a further 38-yards, helping get them down to the Sooner one yard line.
Though the ball was a little bit inside, this was still a really good throw from Sellers. With the defender slipping after Harbor hit him with the double move, Sellers knew that he'd have a window to hit his receiver, even with the corner initially 10-yards off the line of scrimmage. Sellers really didn't even step into this throw, making it look so effortless with Harbor doing an excellent job at working through the defender to bring the pass in for the 38-yard gain. Two plays later Christian Clark would take it into the end zone from a yard out, giving them a 14-7 lead with 11:20 to go in the second quarter. The touchdowns would keep coming South Carolina's way on their next drive, with Sellers launching the ball down the field to DJ Black who would reel it in for what would result in an 84-yard score.
This is just an effortless throw from Sellers, hitting Black perfectly in stride for the 84-yard score. On third and 12 Sellers does an excellent job at stepping up in the pocket before absolutely launching it down the field from a pretty unbalanced base. With Black beating his defender for speed it makes for an easy walk-in touchdown, giving South Carolina a now 21-7 lead with 9:19 to go in the second quarter. Sellers would flash the athleticism on their next drive, pulling the ball from his running back and racking up a 30-yard gain with his legs, taking them all the way down to the Oklahoma 13-yard line. A few plays later Sellers would register his second passing touchdown of the half, hitting Nyck Harbor in the back of the end zone from eight yards out to further grow their lead to 28-10 with 16-seconds remaining in the first half.
Normally I'm very much against quarterbacks throwing the ball completely against their body, but in this case it worked out as Sellers would hit Harbor perfectly in the back corner of the end zone for the score. I know it was technically only an eight yard pass, but I still like the placement from Sellers to again help the Gamecocks take a 28-10 lead on third and six right before halftime. The scoring streak would come to a screeching halt on their opening drive of the second half, with Sellers throwing his second interception of the game, this one coming on third and 11 after getting the ball all the way down to the Oklahoma 33-yard line.
Long story short the ball just sailed on him here. Trying to hit the underneath crosser, Sellers just puts this ball too high with it landing in the waiting arms of an Oklahoma defender. Just an unfortunate throw from Sellers, killing what could have very well been another scoring drive for the offense on their opening drive of the second half. Thankfully nothing would come from theat turnover, as the defense would force the Sooner offense to punt the ball away after six plays. Sellers would come up big for the Gamecocks on their following drive, hitting on a few short to intermediate passes before using his legs to register his second rushing touchdown of the game, taking it up the middle from 11-yards out to make it a 35-10 game with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. The offense would make quick work of things on their next drive following a Sooner touchdown that would make the game 35-16 (failed two point conversion) with Sellers dialing up another deep ball, with Sellers rolling to his left and hitting Mazeo Bennett Jr. down the numbers for what would result in a 79-yard score.
This play perfectly encapsulates everything I've spoken about Sellers. One of the hardest players to bring down in all of college football, Sellers is able to escape a sure sack by rolling to his left, keeping his eyes down the field before effortlessly tossing a ball down the field to Bennett while on the move for what would result in a 79-yard score. How many other quarterbacks in all of college football are able to make this play? Not very many, if there are truly any out there at all. Just an insanely impressive play from Sellers, with him registering his fifth total touchdown of the game to help the Gamecocks take a 42-16 lead less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Sellers would play one more drive in this game but nothing would really come from it, as South Carolina would take home an impressive 42-25 road victory. Like I said at the beginning, though Sellers registered a couple interceptions this was one of his best games of the season. Some of the things he does you just can't teach, and if he's able to continue developing the way he has there's no reason why he can't be put back into first round conversations. He's playing soem great football right now, and I hope it continues as the season progresses. This week Sellers and the now 21st ranked Gamecocks are back at home, playing host to the Texas A&M Aggies. a team South Carolina has only beaten twice across 12-previous match-ups. Given how they're playing right now it's hard not to take the Gamecocks, but even at 1-4 in conference play the Aggies can make you pay if you're not careful. We should be in for a fun one come Saturday afternoon.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 7
Wk 3 - 10
Wk 4 - N/A
Wk 5 - N/A
Wk 6 - 10
Wk 7 - 10
Wk 8 - 8
Wk 9 - 4
Wk 10 - v Texas A&M
5. Arch Manning, Texas (+1)
Wk 9 - 16/20 220 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/13 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns v Mississippi State (31-3 W)
Season - 140/216 1,727 yds 15 touchdowns 7 interceptions/70 carries 120 yds 2 touchdowns
Introducing the proud new owners of the state of Mississippi, the Texas Longhorns. Following their impressive 34-27 victory against the then seventh ranked Ole Miss Rebels, the Longhorns would welcome in fellow Egg Bowl participant Mississippi State, who have seen their early season play turn sour since the start of the month of October. After kicking things off with an impressive 4-0 record, which included a home victory against then 19th ranked Missouri, the Bulldogs looked to be one of the dark horses for the College Football Playoff, lead by star quarterback Kamario Taylor. Though Taylor's play continued to impress, Mississippi State as a whole started struggling, losing by double digits to the likes of Alabama (56-23) and LSU (31-0) before falling at home by the score 23-15 to Oklahoma. That loss to the Sooners more than likely stung more than most, as they would wind up losing the aforementioned Taylor for the season due to a foot injury. With Taylor now out from under center, things may start looking a lot more bleaker than they once had been. There waiting in the shadows were the Longhorns, who were able to pounce on the seemingly floundering Bulldogs, beating them by the score 31-3. Not that this should be any real surprise, but this win marks Texas' third consecutive win against Mississippi State since joining the SEC, games that have seen quarterback Arch Manning put up some of his better performances. In this year's edition, Manning would go 16/20 for 220-yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, marking the first time since the Oklahoma loss where Manning registered three or more touchdowns through the air (also the third time this season (second time in three games) where he's registered 20-or less pass attempts). With that things really couldn't have started off much better for Manning and the Texas offense, with him connecting with Cam Coleman on third and nine for what would result in a 40-yard gain before hitting him again from 14-yards out to give them a 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, but in Manning's case on the first throw I would say it was a bit of both. Like, there's really no reason why this pass shouldn't have been intercepted, as two Bulldog defenders broke on the ball and jumped in front of Coleman. But the thing is the ball was really well placed from Manning, throwing it high and into spot where only his 6'4" receiver could grab it, bringing it in and turning up field for what would result in a 40-yard gain. The touchdown pass the defense sucks in due to the action in the backfield, freeing up Coleman in behind for Manning to hit for the score. A well placed ball from Manning mixed with strong hands from Coleman helped the Longhorns take a 7-0 lead with 12:59 still to go in the first quarter. Texas would struggle to get things rolling after their opening drive touchdown, going three and out on each of their next two drives while registering just six total yards in the process. The run game would really carry the load on their first drive of the second quarter, completing three passes on a 13-play drive that would see them come away with a field goal, making it a 10-0 game with 5:41 to go in the quarter. Three and out would rear it's ugly head on their following drive unfortunately as an illegal formation penalty on first down followed by a loss of three on the following play put them in a hole they could not ultimately climb out of. Thankfully though the defense would come up massive, stripping Mississippi State quarterback AJ Swann of the ball and taking it back 61-yards the other way for the score, giving Texas a 17-0 lead with 1:13 to go in the first half. Unfortunately Manning would follow suit on their opening drive of the second half, getting stripped in the backfield on third and 16, with the Bulldog defense ultimately jumping on it at the Texas 28-yard line. That being said Manning would make up for the turnover early on their next drive, hitting Emmett Mosley V down the near sideline for a 37-yard gain before connecting with Raleek Brown on a screen out of the backfield for a further 22-yards, taking them down to the Mississippi State 16-yard line.
Following a turnover that lead to Mississippi State's first points of the game, I love the fact that Texas came out and kept the ball in Manning's hands, as he was able to fire it down the field to an open Mosley for a 37-yard gain on the opening play of the drive. Though Mosley was open, I still do like the ball placement from Manning, as he placed it right on his receiver's body as to avoid the pass being broken up or intercepted by the defender coming in from over the top. It also allowed Mosley to get his head up quickly, allowing him to pick up a few extra yards before being brought down at the plus 38-yard line. Well designed play and well executed by both quarterback and wide receiver. Following the aforementioned 22-yard connection with Raleek Brown that would set them up at the 10, Texas would eventually take it down to the Mississippi State four yard line. From there Manning would be able to hit a wide open Brown out of the backfield for the easy score, making it a 24-3 game with 5:35 to go in the third quarter. The Longhorn offense would fail to get a whole lot going on their next couple of possessions, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after five plays (with Manning taking a six yard sack on third and seven) before going three and out on their opening drive of the fourth quarter (with Manning taking another sack on third down). Texas would be faced with another third down situation on their next drive, only this time Manning would be able to hit Emmett Mosley V in the face of pressure for what would result in a 42-yard score, giving them a 31-3 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
After taking back-to-back drive ending sacks, Manning comes back on another third down and in the face of pressure is able to deliver an accurate ball down the field to an open Mosley for the 42-yard score. With Mississippi State putting everyone in the box, Manning knows that will be no safety help for the defensive back who's guarding Mosley. With Mosley toasting his defender off the line, and knowing that he's running an out and up, all Manning has to do is remain tall and calm in the pocket and deliver a strong and accurate ball down the field, which of course he did for the score. That touchdown would really be the final nail in the coffin, as the Longhorns would come away with another victory against a university from Mississippi, this one ending with the final score reading 31-3. Despite the score this wasn't necessarily an insanely dominant performance from the Texas offense, and yet they were still able to pick up their second consecutive 30+ point victory. As for Manning he did an excellent job at taking what the defense gave him, never really forced the issue and wound up with three passing touchdowns and only four incompletions. Just an overall solid performance from him. This week Manning and co. are back on the road, as they travel to Columbia to take on their former Big 12 conference foe in the 19th ranked Missouri Tigers. Weirdly enough, this is the first time these schools will have played each other in the regular season since 2011 (they did play in a 2017 Texas Bowl), with Missouri coming out 17-5 home victors. I'm sure Texas would love to take their two game winning streak against "M" schools to three, let's just see if they're up to the task.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 1
Wk 3 - 2
Wk 4 - 2
Wk 5 - 2
Wk 6 - 2
Wk 7 - 6
Wk 8 - 6
Wk 9 - 5
Wk 10 - @ no.19 Missouri
6. Aidan Chiles, Northwestern (+1)
Wk 9 - 22/38 281 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/14 carries 93 yds 1 touchdown @ Oregon (34-26 L)
Season - 139/202 1,898 yds 13 touchdowns 1 interception/86 carries 274 yds 10 touchdowns
As I kind of alluded to last week, Northwestern has been a pretty decent surprise so far this college football season. I mean sure they were a solid enough team last year, but prior to this season starting I'm sure most people out there would have had the Wildcats finishing in the bottom half of the Big Ten conference. Could that still happen? Possibly, I guess anything can happen from now until the end of the season, but I don't think many people out there would have predicted Northwestern to be inside the top-25 at any point during the season, and definitely not the middle portion. Maybe they could sneak into the top-25 at the very end of the regular season, but not in the middle, right? Like I'm old enough to remember that their nail biting week three loss to then fifth ranked Indiana was seen as a fluke, with quarterback Aidan Chiles registering 293-yards and two touchdowns through the air as they fell on the road by the final score 29-23. Then came their dominant performance against Penn State, that saw them open up new Ryan Field by taking down the Nittany Lions by the score 34-13, and to be honest the game was never even that close. Following that they would continue stacking wins, getting them to a 6-1 record as they travel to Eugene to take on the unranked then 4-3 Oregon Ducks. What kind of crazy alternate reality are we living in, right? If I had to blindly guess who was 6-1 and who was 4-3 going into this game prior to the season starting, I would have said Oregon without a shadow of a doubt. But like I said in the beginning, literally anything can happen in college football. Despite the difference in records the Ducks still came in as the home favorites, ultimately coming away with a 34-26 victory. Despite the loss, the Wildcats still covered themselves well, registering more first downs (22 to 17), more total yards (456 to 441), more time of possession (35:54 to 24:06), and less turnovers and yet still came out on the losing end. As for the aforementioned Chiles he put forth yet another solid performance, going 22/38 (season high for attempts plus first time registering 30+ attempts) for 281-yards wth one touchdown and no interceptions while registering 93-yards (season high) with a rushing touchdown on 14-carries. Chiles would flash said athleticism on Northwestern's opening drive of the game, picking up a gain of 15-yards with his legs to pick up a first down on third and eight. He would also hit on a few short to intermediate passes that would eventually help lead to a 37-yard field goal from Jackson Kleather to give them a 3-0 lead with 9:35 to go in the first quarter. Following a three and out by Oregon, the Northwestern offense would make quick work of things on their next drive, only needing four plays before Chiles would hit an open Griffin Wilde down the middle of the field for a 64-yard touchdown, giving them a 10-0 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the quarter.
I will never get tired of all these wonky formations Chip Kelly keeps rolling out, especially since they're all seemingly working to perfection. Like, how many times have you ever seen this formation run, let alone result in a 64-yard passing touchdown? The bunch behind the right tackle through the defense off completely, making for a match-up nightmare in the secondary which allowed Wilde to sneak through unguarded for Chiles to hit for the aforementioned 64-yard score. Can't really draw it up much better than that, as it extended the Wildcats lead to 10 with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter. Chiles would connect on a few short to intermediate passes on their next possession following a Duck field goal, with his best throw coming on third and 10 as he would hit Wilde down the middle of the field through traffic for what would result in a 17-yard gain.
On third and 10, Chiles absolutely rips this ball throughout traffic into Wilde for a 17-yard gain. I mean there's three Oregon defenders in the area, giving Chiles very little room for error, and yet he places a strong ball right onto his receiver's body to help pick up a much needed first down. Fantastic throw from Chiles, which would help set up a 37-yard field goal from Jackson Kleather to give them a 13-3 lead with 10:50 to go in the second quarter. Chiles would continue making plays on third down for the Northwestern offense, rolling to his right and firing it into Wilde along the near sideline for a 24-yard gain on third and five, helping get them to th Oregon side of the 50.
With pressure coming around the back side, Chiles decides to use his legs to roll out to the right to buy some more time. In doing so he does an excellent job at keeping his eyes down the field and waiting for something to open up. With Wilde's route carrying him towards the sideline, and with two Oregon defenders in coverage, Chiles throws this ball behind his intended receiver, forcing him to make a play which he did with Wilde adjusting his body to bring it in for the 24-yard gain. Just a really good throw and catch to help extend the drive on third and five. Chiles would utilize his legs again later on in the drive, this time finding his way into the end zone from five yards out (while jawing with a defender) to give them a 20-6 lead with 1:53 remaining in the first half. The Ducks would come away with a touchdown of their own before halftime, with the Wildcats taking a now 20-13 lead into the locker room. Things would start off going Northwestern's way early on in the second half, as an Oregon fumble would set their offense up at the plus 49-yard line. Though the plus field position would not see them take it across the goal line, they would still be able to come away with a field goal, with kicker Jackson Kleather converting from 49-yards out to make the score 23-13 less than three minutes into the third quarter. The Ducks would continue cutting into the Wildcats' lead with another touchdown, making it 23-20 midway through the quarter. With that things would continue going in Oregon's favor, as despite a 21-yard run by Chiles to open up their next drive, Northwestern would be forced to punt the ball away after four plays. Chiles would again use his legs for another big time run their next time out, this time going for 24-yards but the end result would remain the same, punting the ball away after five plays. The offense would finally start to get things going again their next time out, with Chiles making a defender miss before hitting (guess who) Griffin Wilde down the near sideline for a 36-yard gain on second and eight, taking them to the Oregon 24-yard line.
What a play here by Chiles. After booting out to his left following the fake handoff, Chiles was immediately met with pressure in the backfield from all directions. Instead of panicking, he is able to side step the initial defender while keeping his eyes down the field, eventually finding an open Wilde right before he gets hit for what would result in a 36-yard gain. Just a really impressive play here from Chiles, again helping the Wildcats get all the way down to the plus 24-yard line. Unfortunately that would really be the final positive offensive play of the drive, as Chiles' next two passes would fall to the ground before taking a seven yard sack on third and 10, forcing them to settle for yet another Jackson Kleather field goal, this one coming from 49-yards out to make it a 27-26 game (in favor of Oregon) with 10:31 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Ducks would make quick work of things on their next drive, only needing one 75-yard play to grow their lead to 34-26 just 11-seconds after the Wildcat field goal. Northwestern would not have the same luxury on their next drive, with Chiles needing to complete a pass to Caleb Komolafe out of the backfield to convert on fourth and four (going for 18-yards) before Kleather's 42-yard field goal attempt would sail wide of the upright, with the Ducks ultimately holding onto a 34-26 home victory. As I alluded to before, it's weird to sit here and say that Northwestern can feel disappointed that they did not come out of here with a win, as they were the better of the two teams throughout a majority of the ball game. For Chiles, he once again put forth a very solid showing, continuing to prove that he is one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten. He has such a live arm and is able to make defenders miss with his legs, keeping plays alive in the backfield or picking up big gains down the field. I really like what I've seen from Chiles, and there's no reason why he can't continue climbing draft boards as the season progresses. This week though Chiles and co. are playing host to my Iowa Hawkeyes, who are coming off of a dominant 30-0 win against bitter rivals Wisconsin. Growing up I always hated when Iowa played Northwestern, as they always seemed to be their bogey team. The thing is I don't really know which Iowa team is going to show up, which makes me that much more nervous for the game. Now the Hawkeyes have won each of the last four match-ups, with the most recent game seeing them come away with a 40-14 home victory. For some reason I highly doubt we're going to get one of those games but hey, one can dream right?
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - N/A
Wk 3 - N/A
Wk 4 - N/A
Wk 5 - N/A
Wk 6 - N/A
Wk 7 - N/A
Wk 8 - 7
Wk 9 - 6
Wk 10 - v no.19 Iowa
7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (-3)
Wk 9 - 19/29 210 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/2 carries 4 yds 0 touchdowns v Navy (35-13 W)
Season - 148/222 1,849 yds 18 touchdowns 1 interception/25 carries 86 yds 3 touchdowns
I don't know if I'm alone in saying this, but I absolutely love watching the service academies take on some of the biggest team in college football. Why do I love these match-ups I hear you ask? Well, as someone who "played" quarterback in a triple option offense in college, I know first hand how hard they can be to prepare for, as there is no way you can properly simulate how fast the reads are in practice. I don't care if you have your quickest receiver or running back lined up at quarterback, everything is so quick to the point where if you blink, you might miss it. If the triple option is working and firing on all cylinders, it is the single hardest offense to stop in college football. Now, at the exact same time, if you are able to contain it and key in on their reads, it can be one of the easiest offenses to stop as you know that they're going to run the ball damn near every single play. In these types of match-ups if you're the bigger program, you hope that your overall talent is able to overcome the onslaught of quick reads you'll be facing throughout the course of the game. Early on in this match-up featuring the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen, you could see the triple option was working at full capacity, as the Midshipmen found themselves up 13-7 with less than two minutes to go in the first half. Obviously the Irish were able to make adjustments in the locker room as they ultimately came away with a 35-13 victory at Gillette Stadium. Real quick, I understand why they don't do it, but I would love to have seen Notre Dame travel to Annapolis rather than play at a neutral site, something they've never actually done since they started facing off in 1927. Random tidbit aside, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr put forth another solid showing in the win, going 19/29 for 210-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while taking zero sacks in the process. Weirdly enough, Carr has not been sacked since their 27-10 win against Michigan State back in the middle of September, totaling two the entire season up to this point which is pretty crazy. Like seemingly most Notre Dame games this one would start off with a pass down the field by Carr, as he would hit Jordan Faison down the far sideline for what would result in a 24-yard gain.
Nice and calm pass here from Carr. Despite a defender jumping to block the pass right as he lets it go, Carr is able to place an accurate ball to an open Faison along the sideline, who attempts to hurdle an oncoming defender for a 24-yard gain. Like I always say this is a much longer throw than what it may seem on TV, with Carr hitting it with ease to edge them closer to Midshipmen territory on their opening play of the game. Carr would connect on a couple short to intermediate passes throughout the rest of the drive, eventually leading to an 11-yard touchdown pass between himself and Micah Gilbert to give the Irish a 7-3 lead with 1:47 remaining in the opening quarter. The Irish would struggle to move the ball on their next drive, going three and out while racking up zero yards of offense. Their next drive would be another short one, only this time they'd find the end zone after five plays as Nolan James Jr. would take it into the end zone from 52-yard out to give them a 14-13 lead with less than a minute to go in the first half (Carr would complete two passes of 10-yards prior to the score). Carr would come out firing on their opening drive of the second half, hitting Jerome Bettis Jr. for gains of nine and 14-yards to help eventually set up a three yard touchdown run by Jonaz Walton to make it a 21-13 game with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter. The run game would feature heavily on Notre Dame's next possession, with Carr only registering two five yard completions before James would take it into the end zone from 23-yards out, capping off a seven play 69-yard drive and giving the Irish a 28-13 lead with 3:09 left in the quarter. The touchdowns would keep coming for Notre Dame on their next drive, only needing two plays before Carr would hit Bettis Jr. down the far sideline for a 31-yard score.
Doesn't get a whole lot easier than that, does it? I mean, this was just a great route by Bettis. After sucking the defense in with all these underneath routes, the defender in coverage bit hard on the double move by Bettis, allowing him to fly past un-evaded for Carr to hit in stride for the easy score. Sure Carr had some pressure coming down on him, but with Bettis creating that amount of separation it made for a nice pitch and catch between quarterback and receiver to help the Irish extend their lead to 35-13 on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Carr would continue firing down the field on their next possession, hitting tight end Jack Larsen in a tight window for a 21-yard gain on second and 11.
With this pass, Carr extended his streak to 10-consecutive completions up to this point in the second half, and what a completion it was. From a clean pocket, Carr stands tall and just rips one down the hashmarks to Larsen with three to four defenders in the area for the aforementioned 21-yard gain. With said defenders in coverage Carr knows to place this ball right on his tigh end's body, as to not only keep the ball safe, but the one catching the ball as well. Just a really well thrown and placed ball here from Carr, helping get the Irish to the Midshipmen side of the 50. Carr would connect on a couple more passes throughout the drive, but in the end his pass on fourth and seven would fall incomplete, with Notre Dame turning the ball over on downs with 5:58 to go in the fourth quarter. That incompletion would be Carr's final contribution to the game, as the Irish would take home a 35-13 road-ish victory. To many out there, this game may have been a lot closer than expected, but despite their record Navy are far from an easy out, especially when you're not used to lining up against a triple option offense. Eventually they keyed in on everything and were able to stop it, with the offense really finding their gear in the second half as they registered touchdowns on three consecutive drives. For Carr I thought he put forth a solid performance, I wouldn't say it was anything spectacular but he did enough to get the job done. He made smart throws and took what the defense gave him throughout, which is exactly what you want from your quarterback in games like this. This week though things get really tough, as Carr and co. play host to the top ranked Miami Hurricanes. Everyone and their moms will be tuned into this one, as we will get to see two of the top quarterback prospects in the draft square off against the others defense. We should be in for a really fun one come Saturday night.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 4
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 6
Wk 5 - 5
Wk 6 - 5
Wk 7 - 4
Wk 8 - 4
Wk 9 - 7
Wk 10 - v no.1 Miami (FL)
8. Darian Mensah, Miami (FL) (-3)
Wk 9 - 22/29 274 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries 36 yds 0 touchdowns @ North Carolina (38-35 W)
Season - 188/233 2,425 yds 25 touchdowns 1 interception/24 carries 109 yds 2 touchdowns
I could be wrong, but to the general public this game looked like a wash. Like obviously the top ranked Miami Hurricanes are going to wipe the floor with the North Carolina Tar Heels. I mean, prior to the season starting, I would guess that a majority of people out there would have assumed that the Tar Heels would finish as one of the worst teams in the country, as the whole Bill Belichick experiment seemed to have run it's course. The thing is though North Carolina has been anything but an easy out up to this point in the season with each of their previous three losses coming by eight, 11, and one, keeping the then third ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on their toes in a down pour a few weeks ago. Though Miami had pretty much had their way with damn near every team they've faced, this one did feel like it could be a little trickier than most may have expected. Sure the Hurricanes can put up points with the best of them, leading the country in scoring while also ranking second in total yards, but the team's overall performance against the Florida State Seminoles made me actually pick North Carolina to cover the -14.5-point spread in this week's edition of the Drive. With that, the Tar Heels would make the Hurricanes sweat a lot more than what they were probably expecting, with the final score reading 38-35 with both teams putting up over 400-yards of total offense. This game was all about offense, which is exactly what quarterback Darian Mensah and co. love. Speaking of Mensah, he would continue building upon his Heisman campaign in the win, going 22/29 for 274-yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, while also racking up a season high 36-yards on the ground. With that Mensah would flash the athleticism early on, using his legs to pick up a first down on third and four, registering eight yards in the process to help keep the drive alive. Mensah would use his legs to pick up another first down on a third and four situation, ultimately setting up a two yard touchdown pass to Malachi Toney, hitthing him on a well thrown fade ball to go up 7-0 with 8:33 to go in the first quarter.
It really doesn't get a whole lot better than this. I know it sounds dumb, but the closer you get to the end zone, sometimes the harder it is to score. Not only do you have to work through a condensed defense, but coaches can sometimes "out coach" themselves, sometimes making things more complicated than they should. As we've seen time and time again so far this season though, the most guaranteed way to punch it across the goal line from inside the five yard line is to throw it to Toney, which Mensah does here on a well thrown fade ball for the score. You really can't ask for a better placed ball from your quarterback, and as for Toney, he did an excellent job at adjusting his body to bring it in, helping give the Hurricanes their first lead of the game midway through the first quarter. Things wouldn't go as smoothly for the Miami offense their next time out, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after six plays. Not to worry though as they would be able to find the end zone after nine plays on their next drive, with Mensah hitting Mark Fletcher Jr. on a screen to the flat who would take it into the end zone from 31-yards out to make it a 14-7 game in favor of Miami with 7:41 remaining in the second quarter. Mensah would let it rip down the field on their next possession, hitting Cooper Barkate down the far sideline for a 40-yard gain, taking them all the way down to the North Carolina nine yard line with just 40-seconds remaining in the first half.
Nice and easy toss down the field from Mensah to Barkate to get them inside the Tar Heel 10-yard line. I say "nice and easy," but really Mensah did an excellent job at remaining tall and calm in the pocket, all while pressure is barreling down upon him from the edge. Like if he held onto the ball for even a half second longer he could have been stripped of the ball, instead he delivers a nice ball down the sideline to the open Barkate for the 40-yard gain. Despite the big gain they would fail to punch it across the goal line, ultimately having to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Jake Weinberg to give them a 17-14 lead with 22-seconds left in the second quarter. The run game would feature heavily on Miami's opening drive of the second half, with Mensah even using his legs to pick up 24-yards on second and four. He would also connect on two passes for gains of 12 and 19-yards before Mark Fletcher Jr. would take it into the end zone from two yards out to make it a 24-21 game in favor of Miami with 5:14 to go in the third quarter. Mensah would connect on a few passes for decent gains on their next drive, hitting Barkate and Malachi Toney for gains of 16 and 31-yards, helping lead to yet another touchdown run by Fletcher, with this one again coming from two yards out on fourth and one from the two yard line to help the Hurricanes regain the lead (31-28) with 7:49 to go in the fourth quarter. The Miami offense would be set up with excellent field position on their next drive, as a North Carolina fumble would set them up at the plus 37-yard line. From there it would only take the Hurricanes to find the end zone, with Mensah hitting (guess who) Malachi Toney on a slant from nine yards out to give them a 38-28 lead with 2:33 remaining in regulation. The Tar Heels would respond with a score of their own with 1:38 to go but would ultimately fail to recover the ensuing onside kick attempt, with Miami seeing out a 38-35 road victory. Like I said before this game was probably a whole lot closer than what most fans wearing orange and green may have thought going in, but at the end of the day a win is a win, right? As for Mensah he played yet another smart and efficient game, taking with the defense gave him without putting the ball in harms way, even using the legs to pick up some much needed first downs. With the numbers he's putting up it's hard to say he's not the current front runner for the Heisman Trophy, but the game coming up this week will put his resume to the test as they travel to South Bend to take on the fourth ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The unstoppable force meets the immovable object, as Miami's second ranked offense takes on the top ranked defense in the nation in Notre Dame. Despite sitting atop of the AP poll, the Hurricanes come into this game as +5.5-point underdogs. Regardless of who's favored, we should be in for a fun one.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - 6
Wk 6 - 6
Wk 7 - 5
Wk 8 - 5
Wk 9 - 8
Wk 10 - @ no.4 Notre Dame
9. Jayden Maiava, USC
Wk 9 - 15/22 222 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/1 carry -9 yds 0 touchdowns v no.2 Ohio State (30-18 W)
Season - 198/296 2,524 yds 20 touchdowns 5 interceptions/26 carries -71 yds 2 touchdowns
It's no secret that this season in college football has been a weird one, I mean just look at the AP top-25. Every single week you never truly know what's going to happen as it seems no one is truly safe, regardless of how high you're ranked. So far this season we have seen the likes of Texas and Georgia lose to unranked opponents (Oklahoma and Auburn) while being the top ranked team in the nation. In the same breath the second ranked team in the nation has now fallen in three consecutive weeks. First we saw Notre Dame lose on the road to then eighth ranked BYU. Then we saw that same BYU team lose to an unranked then .500 UCF team. That takes us to this week, when we saw the once top ranked Ohio State Buckeyes falling on the road to the unranked USC Trojans by the score 30-18. Now there is some context needed for this one, as the Buckeyes did lose starting quarterback Julian Sayin for the season after injuring his throwing arm in their 19-15 win against then fifth ranked Indiana. Despite not being the biggest Sayin fan myself, it is easy to see that there would be some growing pains for the Buckeyes going into this one. That being said the Trojans weren't necessarily coming in with the best form, as they fell on the road to the then unranked Wisconsin Badgers by the score 24-7, quarterback Jayden Maiava registering two interceptions on back-to-back drives in the first quarter. Nothing was working for them in that game, so even with Sayin being out I can't sit here and say I was fully expecting USC to come out on top. Now if you just looked solely at the numbers you would probably be surprised to know the Trojans won, registering less first downs (25 to 15), less total yards of offense (464 to 338), and way less time of possession (39:28 to 20:32), even registering the same number of turnovers (one each). As the old saying goes though, too bad the game is played on grass, where the Trojans would again emerge victorious. In the win Maiava saw his completions and attempts more than halved of what we saw last week, going 15/22 (31/50 last week) for 222-yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. It wouldn't take long for Maiava to register said touchdown pass, hitting Trent Mosley in the flat on a screen pass that would result in a 69-yard touchdown, putting them up 7-0 on just their second play of the game. You really could not have asked for a better start if you were the Trojans, needing only 39-seconds to take their first lead of the game. Their next drive would not be as successful, as they would go three and out with Maiava's passes on second and third down falling incomplete (probably should have been intercepted on third down). USC would be set up with excellent field position on their following possession, as a Mosley punt return (mixed with a personal foul penalty) would help set them up at the Ohio State 31-yard line. After a negative one yard run on first down, Maiava would fire one into the aforementioned Mosley for what would result in an 18-yard gain, taking them down to the plus 14-yard line.
With the linebackers sucking in due to the action in the backfield, Mosley was able to sneak in behind for Maiava to hit for what would result in an 18-yard gain. One thing USC has loved doing these past few weeks is hiding Mosley behind the line before sending him down the field on a route. He's a match-up nightmare for linebackers due to his speed, and Maiava has been able to find him for some nice gains. On this one Maiava did a very nice job at placing the ball right on his receiver's body, fitting it in between two Buckeye defenders and getting it on Mosley in a hurry allowing him to flip his head around and pick up a few extra yards after the catch. Just a solid play overall, helping set up an eventual nine yard touchdown run by Waymond Jordan to give them a 14-3 lead with 2:25 to go in the first quarter. Maiava would complete one pass for 12-yard early on their next drive, but the run game would really be the main focal point of the drive eventually setting up a 54-yard field goal from Ryon Sayeri to make it a 17-6 game less than five minutes into the second quarter. USC would seemingly start putting together a similar drive their next time out, that is until running back King Miller coughed up the ball at the plus 42-yard line, with the Ohio State defense ultimately jumping on it with 5:51 to go in the quarter. Thankfully for the offense the defense would come up massively on the ensuing drive, stuffing the Buckeye offense at the one yard line and forcing them to settle for a field goal with 1:46 remaining in the first half. Maiava would hit on a few short to intermediate passes on USC's final drive of the half, ultimately helping set up a 36-yard field goal attempt from Caden Chittenden to make it a 20-9 game going into the locker room. The Trojans offense would not hold onto the ball for very long early on in the second half, going three and out on their opening drive before needing just 1:36 to find the end zone again, with Maiava connecting with an open Mark Bowman (who would adjust his body well to bring it in) down the hash who would take it 70-yards down the field to the Ohio State three yard line. Two plays later King Miller would take it into the end zone, giving them a 27-9 lead with 6:11 remaining in the third quarter. USC's next few drives would each last no longer than five plays, as they would punt the ball away after four and five plays before Chittenden would register a 32-yard field goal after just four plays (following an onside kick attempt) to put the final nail in the coffin and seal up an impressive 30-18 upset victory over the then second ranked Buckeyes. Like I alluded to before, I was not sitting here expecting USC to pull off this upset, regardless of whether Sayin was under center or not. I mean, the same Wisconsin team that beat them 24-7 just got blasted 30-0 by Iowa, and it wasn't even that close. College football is a funny thing man, right? As for Maiava he was not asked to do a whole lot in this one, but I felt he played a smart game and took what the defense gave him, hitting on numerous short to intermediate passes throughout. Sure he maybe should have seen one of his passes intercepted early on, but for the most part he played a solid enough game for them to pull off the upset. This week the now 18th ranked Trojans are on a bye, but will be traveling to Bloomington the following week to take on the Indiana Hoosiers. Back-to-back top-10 opponents for USC, let's see if they're up to the task.
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - 9
Wk 3 - 9
Wk 4 - 9
Wk 5 - 10
Wk 6 - 9
Wk 7 - 9
Wk 8 - 9
Wk 9 - 9
Wk 10 - BYE
10. Conner Weigman, Houston
Wk 9 - BYE
Season - 153/233 2,053 yds 20 touchdowns 2 interceptions/67 carries 249 yds 6 touchdowns
Wk 1 - N/A
Wk 2 - N/A
Wk 3 - N/A
Wk 4 - N/A
Wk 5 - N/A
Wk 6 - N/A
Wk 7 - N/A
Wk 8 - 10
Wk 9 - 10
Wk 10 - v Cincinnati
Others
Noah Fifita, Arizona
Wk 9 - 33/45 417 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/10 carries -25 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.13 Texas Tech (34-26 L)
Season - 200/270 2,481 yds 19 touchdowns 4 interceptions/57 carries 97 yds 3 touchdowns
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Wk 9 - 29/36 351 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/13 carries -5 yds 0 touchdowns @ Syracuse (30-27 L)
Season - 185/251 2,414 yds 21 touchdowns 5 interceptions/56 carries 115 yds 2 touchdowns
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
Wk 9 - 20/37 120 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/5 carries -15 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.4 Indiana (23-16 OTL)
Season - 161/259 1,592 yds 10 touchdowns 6 interceptions/24 carries -39 yds 0 touchdowns
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Wk 9 - 13/23 101 yds 0 touchdowns 0 interceptions/12 carries 45 yds 0 touchdowns v no.17 Florida (27-8 W)
Season - 130/181 1,671 yds 16 touchdowns 4 interceptions/47 carries 205 yds 1 touchdown
Caden Veltkamp, Florida Atlantic
Wk 9 - 37/56 452 yds 5 touchdowns 1 touchdown/7 carries -8 yds 0 touchdowns @ North Texas (48-41 L)
Season - 227/316 2,536 yds 23 touchdowns 5 interceptions/41 carries -60 yds 2 touchdowns
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