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- CFB Week 3: YOU get POINTS! And YOU get POINTS!
CFB Week 3: YOU get POINTS! And YOU get POINTS!
Rivalries were renewed, Georgia nearly stumbled, and Heisman contenders shined.
Christian Medley & Noah Sausville
September 16, 2024
FBS offenses were making it look easy in Week 3, racking up point after point. Whether the points came in shootouts or blowouts, one thing is certain: the vast majority of defensive players are going to be sinking in their chairs during film review this week. The points barrage was highlighted by South Alabama’s 87-point performance, the most in a game since 1991.
In what was a week with only two ranked matchups, rivalries that have stood the test of time (and conference realignment) stole the show. This is all you need to know about Week 3:
1. Syracuse Orange 2-0 (1-0) |
2. Boston College Eagles 2-1 (1-0) |
3. Virginia Cavaliers 2-1 (1-0) |
4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 3-1 (1-1) |
5. California Golden Bears 3-0 |
6. Duke Blue Devils 3-0 |
7. #8 Miami Hurricanes 3-0 |
8. North Carolina Tar Heels 3-0 |
9. Pittsburgh Panthers 3-0 |
10. #19 Louisville Cardinals 2-0 |
11. NC State Wolfpack 2-1 |
12. SMU Mustangs 2-1 |
13. Virginia Tech Hokies 2-1 |
14. #21 Clemson Tigers 1-1 |
15. Stanford Cardinal 1-1 |
16. Wake Forest Demon Deacons 1-2 (0-1) |
17. Florida State Seminoles 0-3 (0-2) |
Key Performances
Miami 62 - 0 Ball State | The Hurricanes continued their stellar start by bludgeoning the visiting Cardinals after a two-hour rain delay. Miami QB Cam Ward padded his early Heisman resume by throwing for 346 yards and 5 TDs, while their defense smothered Ball State’s offense.
Pittsburgh 38 - 34 West Virginia | In the 107th edition of the Backyard Brawl, transfer QB Eli Holstein and the Panthers engineered a 10-point comeback with only 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The comeback victory was highlighted by Holstein channeling his inner Eli Manning on the final drive of the game.
Notable Developments
Missouri spoils early upset bid against BC | The Tigers erased an early 14-3 deficit against the visiting Eagles on the way to a 27-21 victory. WR Luther Burden III put on a show with 117 yards and a TD while Mizzou’s defense stuffed BC’s potent rushing attack, holding them to 49 total rushing yards.
Another abysmal performance for Florida State | Under 9.5 wins for Seminoles in 2024 became a lock yesterday with another lifeless performance at home against Memphis. Everyone at Florida State shares the blame: there was bad quarterback play, an ineffective run game, porous defense, turnovers, dropped passes. The Tigers not only bolstered their CFP resume with a win, they walked away with $1.3 million for agreeing to play in Tallahassee.
Look Ahead to Week 4
NC State @ #21 Clemson (-15.5), Saturday 12:00pm ET | Two teams that were gashed by SEC opponents, NC State by Tennessee and Clemson by Georgia, meet at Memorial Stadium. Both are looking to start off their ACC campaigns on the right foot.
Georgia Tech @ #19 Louisville, Saturday 3:30pm ET | The 2024 Cardinals will look to continue their 2023 momentum, when they made a run to the ACC Championship Game. They start off ACC play with a tough test in welcoming the Yellow Jackets to Louisville.
1. Indiana Hoosiers 3-0 (1-0) |
2. Michigan State Spartans 3-0 (1-0) |
3. #24 Illinois Fighting Illini 3-0 |
4. #22 Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-0 |
5. #9 Oregon Ducks 3-0 |
6. #3 Ohio State Buckeyes 2-0 |
7. #10 Penn State Nittany Lions 2-0 |
8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2-0 |
9. #11 USC Trojans 2-0 |
10. Iowa Hawkeyes 2-1 |
11. #18 Michigan Wolverines 2-1 |
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers 2-1 |
13. Northwestern Wildcats 2-1 |
14. Washington Huskies 2-1 |
15. Wisconsin Badgers 2-1 |
16. Purdue Boilermakers 1-1 |
17. Maryland Terrapins 2-1 (0-1) |
18. UCLA Bruins 1-1 (0-1) |
Key Performances
Indiana 42 - 13 UCLA | The Hoosiers simultaneously “welcomed” UCLA to the Big Ten while solidifying themselves as a Big Ten sleeper to watch under new head coach Curt Cignetti. QB Kurtis Rourke was outstanding in a game that was never close: throwing for 307 yards and 4 TDs. First-year head coach Deshaun Foster needs to right the ship for the Bruins before 2024 gets ugly.
Oregon 49 - 14 Oregon State | The Ducks finally got on track, and it came against their bitter rivals in the 128th Civil War. Star quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 291 yards and 2 TDs in an efficient performance. He also impacted the game on the ground, running for a 54-yard TD.
Notable Developments
WSU gets payback against Washington | The tension was palpable at Lumen Field in the first Apple Cup since Washington moved from the Pac 12 to the Big Ten. Washington State played like a team possessed and with something to prove in a 24-19 victory over Washington. QB John Mateer and the Cougars handed Jedd Fisch his first loss as the Huskies’ head coach.
Milroe puts on a show in visit to Wisconsin | Alabama left no doubt in a road trip to Camp Randall Stadium, winning 42-10 against Wisconsin. Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe rocketed up the Heisman Watch, accounting for 5 total TDs and 271 total yards. The Badgers not only left with injured pride, but also an injury to starting QB Tyler Van Dyke.
Look Ahead to Week 4
#11 USC @ #18 Michigan, Saturday 3:30pm ET | The Trojans face their first true Big Ten test in a hostile environment at the Big House. Michigan’s defense will need to be near-perfect to have a chance against Lincoln Riley and USC’s explosive offense.
#24 Illinois @ #22 Nebraska, Friday 8:00pm ET | Two Big Ten sleepers off to hot starts meet in Lincoln on Friday Night. The Fighting Illini’s early campaign is highlighted by an upset of Kansas, while the Cornhuskers demolished Colorado last week.
Shooting Our Shot
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
1. UCF Knights 3-0 (1-0) |
2. #13 Kansas State Wildcats 3-0 |
3. #12 Utah Utes 3-0 |
4. Arizona State Sun Devils 3-0 |
5. BYU Cougars 3-0 |
6. #14 Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-0 |
7. #20 Iowa State Cyclones 3-0 |
8. Arizona Wildcats 2-1 |
9. Baylor Bears 2-1 |
10. Cincinnati Bearcats 2-1 |
11. Colorado Buffaloes 2-1 |
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders 2-1 |
13. Houston Cougars 1-2 |
14. Kansas Jayhawks 1-2 |
15. West Virginia Mountaineers 1-2 |
16. TCU Horned Frogs 2-1 (0-1) |
Key Performances
Kansas State 31 - 7 Arizona | Kansas State outclassed Arizona in seemingly every aspect on Friday night. The Wildcats looked the more talented and physical team, especially on the defensive side of the ball against Arizona’s high-powered offense. KSU QB Avery Johnson continued his ascension with 2 TD passes.
UCF 35 - 34 TCU | Big 12 dark horse The Knights came back from 21 points down to survive their first Big 12 test on the road at TCU. There was no shortage of offense for both teams. UCF QB KJ Jefferson threw for 230 yards and 3 TDs while RB RJ Harvey rushed for 180 yards and 2 TDs. On the other side, QB Josh Hoover threw for 402 yards and 4 TDs for the Horned Frogs.
Notable Developments
Kansas continues to struggle | A wild fumble recovery that gained yardage for UNLV saved a game-winning drive and sealed Kansas’s second loss of the season, 23-20. It was a sloppy performance for both teams: Runnin’ Rebels QB Matthew Sluka completed <50% of his passes and Jayhawks QB Jalon Daniels threw 2 inexcusable interceptions. UNLV bolstered their CFP resume with a gritty road win versus a Power 4 opponent.
True Freshman leads Utah over Utah State | Isaac Wilson, the younger brother of NFL QB Zach Wilson, led the Utes to a 38-21 win over Utah State in the Battle of the Brothers. He threw for 239 yards and 3 TDs as the replacement for injured star QB Cam Rising.
Look Ahead to Week 4
#12 Utah @ #14 Oklahoma State, Saturday 4:00pm ET | The Utes have a demanding first test as a member of the Big 12, as they go on the road to Stillwater against Oklahoma State. Utah hopes they will have their star QB Cam Rising back to keep up with RB Ollie Gordon and the Cowboys offense.
#13 Kansas State @ BYU, Saturday 10:30pm ET | The Wildcats look to solidify their status as a Big 12 frontrunner versus a formidable BYU team in Provo.
1. #2 Georgia Bulldogs 3-0 (1-0) |
2. #16 LSU Tigers 2-1 (1-0) |
3. #25 Texas A&M Aggies 2-1 (1-0) |
4. South Carolina Gamecocks 2-1 (1-1) |
5. #4 Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0 |
6. #7 Missouri Tigers 3-0 |
7. #15 Oklahoma Sooners 3-0 |
8. #5 Ole Miss Rebels 3-0 |
9. #6 Tennessee Volunteers 3-0 |
10. #1 Texas Longhorns 3-0 |
11. Arkansas Razorbacks 2-1 |
12. Auburn Tigers 2-1 |
13. Vanderbilt Commodores 2-1 |
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs 1-1 |
15. Florida Gators 1-2 (0-1) |
16. Kentucky Wildcats 1-1 (0-1) |
Key Performances
Georgia 13 - 12 Kentucky | The Wildcats were the aggressor against the #1 ranked Bulldogs for the entire night in Lexington. Kentucky outgained Georgia in terms of total yards, but it was not enough to get the upset. Georgia finally took the lead in the fourth quarter behind a Branson Robinson TD run.
LSU 36 - 33 South Carolina | The Tigers had to quell an upset bid of their own from a stingy, young Gamecocks team that was coming off a blowout win versus Kentucky. QB Garrett Nussmeier orchestrated a game-winning TD drive after throwing for 285 yards and 2 TDs. The recipe for South Carolina’s success was in the ground game, where QB LaNorris Sellers and RB Raheim “Rocket” Sanders rushed for a combined 231 yards and 4 TDs.
Notable Developments
Arch Manning dazzles in extended appearance | Texas continued its dominance on the offensive side of the ball in a 56-7 win over UTSA. This time it was behind stellar performances by both their QBs. After star QB Quinn Ewers exited the game with an ab injury, Arch Manning threw for 223 yards and 4 TDs. Manning also flashed a skillset different from his uncles: he ran for a 67-yard TD.
Marcel Reed leads Texas A&M in Weigman’s absence | Redshirt freshman QB Marcel Reed impressed in his first collegiate start due to the absence of Conner Weigman. He threw for 178 yards and had 3 total TDs in a 33-20 win over a reeling Florida team. As for the Gators, rumor has it that the UF Board of Trustees called for a Sunday meeting to discuss head coach Billy Napier’s future.
Look Ahead to Week 4
#6 Tennessee @ #15 Oklahoma, Saturday 7:30pm ET | Tennessee’s electric offense meets Oklahoma’s stout defense on the road in Norman. This game will mean more to Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel. He starred as the Sooners QB in 2000 and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
Arkansas @ Auburn, Saturday 3:30pm ET | Two middle-of-the-pack programs with a lot to prove meet at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Razorbacks’ head coach Sam Pittman may be coaching to save his job, and new Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is looking to make a good first impression for a rabid fanbase.
Best of the Rest
Key Performances
Colorado 28 - 9 Colorado State | The latest edition of this rivalry was not short of drama, especially after last year’s fiery matchup. Colorado took care of business behind improved offensive line play and because of the dominant play of QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/CB Travis Hunter, who tallied 100 yards receiving, 2 TDs, and an interception on defense. There was also plenty of trash talk pre, during, and post-game, highlighted by Shedeur Sanders refusing to shake CSU QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi’s hand.
South Alabama 87 - 10 Northwestern State | South Alabama set the Sun Belt Conference record for points and scored the most points since 1991. The Jaguars scored 80 points through three quarters and finally took their foot off the gas. In the process, they amassed 622 yards, with 365 of those coming on the ground.
Notable Developments
Vandy falls to Georgia State | After starting the season with a surprising win over Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt are back down to earth. Georgia State flawlessly executed a game-winning drive to seal the upset with 15 seconds left on the clock, taking the contest 36-32. The Commodores SEC outlook looks a lot more bleak as a result.
Michigan still needs answers on offense | Michigan stifled a late rally by the Red Wolves, but quarterback play continues to be the limiting factor for the Wolverines. To explain this dilemma in one stat: QB Davis Warren went 11/14 for 122 yards. The three incompletions? All were intercepted. All signs point to it being a long season for the Maize and Blue.
Look Ahead to Week 4
James Madison @ UNC (-10.5), Saturday 12:00pm ET | The Dukes have a chance to legitimize their case to be included in CFP discussions. They’ll need to find a way to stop Tar Heels star RB Omarion Hampton if they’re to get the win on the road.
Bowling Green @ #25 Texas A&M (-23), Saturday 7:30pm ET | Think the Falcons performance at Penn State was a mirage? They’ll have a chance to prove you wrong as they visit the Aggies and Kyle Field. Uncertainty due to injuries at QB for Texas A&M could allow Bowling Green to hang around.
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