Week four of the college football season had plenty of big time games and provided some upsets also. These two reasons are a big contributing factor in why we love the college game, so let’s take a look at the main talking points from a riveting weekend of football.

1) Georgia Get Crucial Win Against Notre Dame

The marquee game of the weekend didn’t disappoint, with Georgia overcoming a very good Notre Dame side. The Fighting Irish tested Georgia on their home turf, and can take positives from a tough loss.

Georgia QB Jake Fromm was solid on the day, with D’Andre Swift good once again with 98 rushing yards and a touchdown. The defense for Georgia was key, forcing two turnovers and holding Notre Dame’s leading rusher to 21 yards. This was a statement win for Georgia and it’s play-off hopes, but Notre Dame ran them close and showed they are a very good side too.

2) Wisconsin Handle Poor Michigan Team

The top 15 matchup between Wisconsin and Michigan ended up being a convincing win for a good Wisconsin side. Star player Jonathan Taylor stepped up with 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns, showing his NFL potential on the national stage once again.

Michigan have been unconvincing in victories going into this game, and against better opposition they were punished for their mistakes. The passing game was solid if unspectacular, with the rushing game failing to get going all day. Wisconsin have jumped into the top ten now, with Michigan falling down to 20th.

3) Jonathan Taylor Goes Off

Wisconsin running back has been a household name in college football for two years now, with yet another massive performance last weekend against good opposition. The junior is on pace to challenge the all-time leading rusher in college football, Ron Dayne with 7,125 yards.

After a 2,194 yard season last year, he’s started slow by his standards with 237 yards in their opening two games. Last weekend he almost doubled that with 203 yards against a respectable Michigan team. It’s likely Taylor will declare for the 2020 NFL Draft, but this could be the springboard for another massive season at Wisconsin.

4) Auburn Win Big Against Texas A&M

Auburn have emerged as a dark horse for the College Football play-off after two statement wins in their opening four games. They went into College Station to face Texas A&M and handled them 28-20 in a massive win for the team.

They proved their comeback win against Oregon wasn’t a lucky win, only allowing Texas A&M to score three points until a 17-point fourth quarter resurgence. True freshman Bo Nix was solid for the Tigers, and gains yet more valuable experience with this win. Texas A&M drop to 23rd with their 2-2 record, with Auburn rising to seventh.

5) Joe Burrow Goes Off in LSU Rout

LSU were always expected to beat an 0-3 Vanderbilt team, but the way they dismantled them with have their fans feeling good about the season ahead. QB Joe Burrow added to his rising hype with another masterful performance, this time against limited competition.

25-34 for 398 yards and 6 TD’s is video game numbers, as LSU routed them 66-38. Burrow has emerged this season and has led LSU into the play-off places, whilst also redefining him as a future NFL Draft prospect, both of which was not expected going into the season. He might also be a dark horse for the 2019 Heisman Trophy too.

6) UCF Dreams Shattered by Pitt

The ultimate underdog team in college football was the UCF Knights, but their dreams of finally being nationally recognised were badly damaged with this loss to a tough Pitt team. After last weekends big win against Stanford, UCF struggled in this 35-34 slug fest.

Pitt are a well coached football team, and it appears that after such a statement win UCF struggled with this tough following fixture. The loss drops them to 22nd in the AP rankings, and it will be tough for them to regain ground because of their conference schedule.

7) Wild Pac-12 Shootout in Washington

Many college football fans struggle to watch Pac-12 games because of their awkward timings for most of the country, but the fans who tuned in for this game got a treat. UCLA got an important 67-63 win against Washington State. Yes, that scoreline is correct.

Both QB’s threw for over 500 yards, with Washington State QB Anthony Gordon throwing 9 TD’s. This was a vital win for UCLA and Chip Kelly, who have struggled massively to start the season. This loss has cost Washington State a AP Top 25 berth, something they may struggle to regain this season.

8) Houston QB D’Eriq King to Transfer

Houston QB D’Eriq King has announced he is sitting out the rest of this season and intends to transfer from Houston. The new redshirt rule means although he has played in all four games this season, he can use this year to redshirt and save a year of eligibility.

This is likely to be a big talking point in college football, as this appears the first example of a player choosing to sit out and transfer for his best interests. Some will see it as a savvy move and a chance to transfer to a more established program, with some likely to see it as him being selfish and quitting on his team.

9) Biggest Week Four Performances

Aside from those already mentioned, there were some standout performances from week four of the college football season. LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase stood out with 229 yards and 4 TD’s in their rout of Vanderbilt. He’s quickly developed in Burrow’s favourite target, and the sophomore is sure to be garnering NFL attention with his performances.

The two QB’s in the UCLA – Washington State matchup deserve some attention, with UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson recovering from a poor start to the year with 507 yards and 7 TD’s in their win. Washington State QB Anthony Gordon going for 570 yards and 9 TD’s is insane numbers.

10) College Football Week Five AP Top 25 Poll

The newest AP Top 25 rankings have been released, with very few changes at the top. The top four remain the same, with the biggest change being Ohio State jumping Oklahoma because of their bye week for fifth. Auburn jumped to seventh, with Wisconsin breaking the top ten in eighth.

Notre Dame dropped to tenth with their loss, with Utah and Michigan the biggest losers, each dropping nine places to 19th and 20th respectively. After beating Utah USC are now 21st, with Washington State (19th), Arizona State (24th) and TCU (25th) dropping out this week.

That wraps up my recap of the fourth week of the season, if you have any thoughts on these talking points let me know in the comments section below or find me on Twitter @JWjournalism. Finally, a massive thank you to everyone who read this article I really appreciate it!

Week three had very few marquee games scheduled, but still provided plenty of shock and intrigue as college football inevitably does. For the top ranked sides it was plain sailing, however for some lower down the AP Top 25 rankings there was plenty of drama. Let’s look back at some of the main talking points from the past weekend.

1) Georgia dominate Arkansas State

This headline is not shocking at all, but the Bulldogs are flying slightly under the radar this season. So far plenty of people are talking about Clemson and Alabama, but Georgia has looked convincing in every win.

The third ranked side are stacked with NFL talent led by Running Back D’Andre Swift, currently fourth in the nation for yards per attempt at 9.4. Quarterback Jake Fromm leads this team and will likely go in the first round of next years NFL Draft if he declares. They will face their first test this weekend with a matchup with seventh ranked Notre Dame.

2) Alabama Cruise Past South Carolina

Alabama beating South Carolina doesn’t usually create headlines, however their manner of victory will have the rest of the country on notice. It appears they have used last years defeat to Clemson to come back much stronger this year.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a career day going 28-36 for 444 yards and five touchdowns, both records for the junior. They have three of the best receivers in the nation in Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith and always have a stacked defense. Clemson still have questions surrounding them, unlike the Crimson Tide.

3) Clemson Win but Questions Remain

Clemson clobbered Syracuse 41-6 in what some had previously said could be a difficult matchup for the Tigers. Despite the convincing win, some are still questioning QB Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence has thrown five interceptions in three games, tied for second in the nation amongst all college quarterbacks. This is also one more than he threw all of last season. He’s already been anointed the chosen one, but we forget he’s still only a 19 year-old kid. Talk of being the first pick in the NFL Draft can wait, for now we need to let him develop as a player and person first.

4) UCF Stun Stanford, Shock the Nation

The University of Central Florida is not a powerhouse college football program, but they have everyone’s attention after this past weekend. They mauled Stanford 45-27 in a statement win for this program.

UCF had gone 25 straight games unbeaten before this season, but was never respected by the play-off voters because of their American Athletic Conference. A convincing win like this against a previously ranked Stanford side is massive for this team and has already seen them rise to 15th in the AP Top 25. If they go unbeaten they could rise into the top ten.

5) Iowa Win Crazy Cy-Hawk Game

The matchup of the weekend was this annual Cy-Hawk trophy game between Iowa and Iowa State, with the Hawkeyes coming out on top in a close encounter. The game was weather delayed twice and went on for over six hours.

Iowa State started strongly and fans began to dream of reclaiming the Cy-Hawk trophy after four years of Iowa wins, but their own mistakes cost them late in the game. With one minute to go they were set to get the ball back, but fumbled the return in bizarre circumstances, handing Iowa a narrow 18-17 win in Ames.

6) Upsets From Week Three

Week three saw some of the lower ranked top 25 sides fall in dramatic fashion. Arizona State shocked 18th ranked Michigan State 10-7, going ahead with 50 seconds left. Michigan State missed a game tying 47 yarder, having seconds before made a 42- yard kick, only for a penalty to negate it.

21st ranked Maryland were upset by Temple 20-17, only a week after shocking Syracuse to vault into the AP Top 25 rankings. 24th ranked USC fell in overtime to BYU 30-27, a loss that piles the pressure on head coach Clay Helton.

7) Feleipe Franks Likely Finished for Season

Florida QB Feleipe Franks is likely out for the season after breaking and dislocating his ankle in last weekends close win against Kentucky. The junior had looked good in the opening two games and was set for a big season for the Gators.

Whilst it hasn’t been officially confirmed he’s out, head coach Dan Mullen alluded to this during his post-game press conference. From here Franks may apply for a medical redshirt to preserve this seasons eligibility, or may choose to rehab and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.

8) Top Running Backs Through Week Three

Now that week three has past we’re beginning to see a good sample size to evaluate some of the top Running Backs this season. Leading the nation is Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard with 521 yards and seven touchdowns through three games. He wasn’t a highly rated player heading into the season, but could declare for the Draft next year if he continues on this form.

Of the more recognisable names it’s Ohio State’s J.K Dobbins and Florida State’s Cam Akers leading the way, with 425 and 387 yards respectively. The big surprise is Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts joint sixth with 373 rushing yards.

9) Top Wide Receivers Through Week Three

Much like with the Running Backs, we can begin to evaluate the early standout Wide Receivers from the first three weeks of the college football season. Oklahoma State junior Tylan Wallace leads with 390 yards and six touchdowns. Wallace was a draft sleeper heading into the year, but will already be climbing 2020 draft boards.

Of those leading the way going into the season, it’s Clemson’s Tee Higgins and Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy who have impressed the most. They have 318 1 TD and 308 4 TD’s respectively. Both will be early first round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

10) Week Three AP Top 25 

The week three AP Top 25 rankings have been released, and to nobodies surprise the play-off places haven’t changed at all this week after convincing wins by all four sides. Utah is the only move in the top ten, jumping Michigan for tenth, after Michigan had a bye week.

UCF has risen two places after destroying Stanford to 15th, with Virginia rising to 21st after their 31-24 win over Florida State. California, Arizona State and TCU all debut in the top 25 polls, replacing Michigan State, USC and Maryland.

That wraps up this look back at ten of the talking points from the past weekend of college football. If you have any thoughts about these points feel free to comment below or find me on Twitter @JWjournalism. Finally, a big thank you to anyone who read this article I really appreciate it!

The weeks are ticking by as the college football season gears up for the third weekend of action. So far there has been little movement in the play-off places, aside from surprise package LSU starting strong and pushing itself into contention. This weekend doesn’t have the all-star matchup’s of last weekend, but there is an important rivalry game and some great low key interesting games.

1) Iowa – Iowa State Preview

This rivalry going underplayed on the national scale, but it’s real and deserves the recognition it’s getting this weekend. The College Gameday crew are visiting Ames for the first time.

This matchup is tough to predict, much like most rivalry games. Iowa is nationally ranked and matches up well talent wise, led by potential top five pick edge rusher A.J Espinosa. On the other hand, Iowa State is at home and is coming off an impressive 8-5 season last year. Iowa State started slow this season, but I think they edge this close game.

2) Washington State – Houston Preview 

This is a game most would overlook as both teams are not powerhouse programs, but this will be a very interesting game. Washington State comes into this game ranked 20th, but they have yet to be tested this season.

This Houston side will be a stern test for the Cougars. The game is being played in Houston, and this team is led by quarterback D’Eriq King, one of the most exciting players in college football. Houston almost scared Oklahoma opening weekend and both sides will put up points in this game.

3) Virginia – Florida State Preview

This is also a game many would pass up, but for ACC fans this game will have long running implications throughout the season. Virginia are riding the crest of a wave, having been nationally ranked the past two seasons, for the first time since 2004-05.

Things couldn’t be more different at Florida State, a storied program that has started badly this season. Losing the home opener to Boise State brought back memories of last season, and scraping past ULM 45-44  asked more questions then answers. Virginia needs to beat Florida State to take control of the ACC Coastal Conference.

4) Under the Radar Games 

Week three specialises in these under the radar games like the ones mentioned above, with yet more hidden away. Stanford travel to Orlando to take on the UCF Knights, a key game for both sides. Stanford wants to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to USC, and UCF wants to prove itself against major competition after being overlooked in recent seasons.

Elsewhere, Arizona State travels cross-country to East Lansing, to take on 18th ranked Michigan State. Michigan goes in as favourite and they should get the home win. Ninth ranked Florida takes on a Kentucky side reeling from the loss of QB Terry Wilson.

5) Stanford OL Walker Little Out for Year

Stanford offensive lineman Walker Little is having season ending knee surgery, which is a big loss for the Cardinal. He was their best lineman and the junior was expected to be a first round draft pick if he declared next year.

His loss is massive for a team trying to bounce back after losing to USC last weekend. It’s unclear at the moment whether he will stay in school or simply leave the program to focus on his rehab for the 2020 NFL Draft.

6) Injuries to More Future NFL Draft Picks

Whilst these players are not household names nationally, their injuries have implications for the 2020 NFL Draft. Senior Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey is undergoing season ending knee surgery, and will most likely declare for the draft. He is a promising player that could have been a day two pick, but this is unclear now with this injury.

South Carolina QB Jake Bentley is a more recognisable name, but has struggled to improve his draft stock after early college hype. He is out for the year with a foot injury, and he may apply for a medical redshirt to come back for one more year and try to improve his diminishing draft stock.

7) Latest Heisman Rankings

As of week three there are a number of contenders for the 2019 Heisman Trophy, with a new front runner seemingly every week. After his remarkable debut at Oklahoma it was Jalen Hurts out front, now it seems after week two Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa leads the standings.

He played more snaps last weekend compared to Hurts, with both having the chance to boost their numbers as they face poor South Carolina and UCLA sides respectively. An outside emerging bet is LSU’s Joe Burrow, who just like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray before him is shooting up Heisman boards with his impressive start to the season.

8) Clay Helton on Hot Seat at USC

This will seem a weird headline to write after USC upset 23rd ranked Stanford last weekend, but he has this week lost a key ally within USC. Athletic Director Lynn Swann resigned earlier this week, removing a big supporter of head coach Clay Helton.

Many called for Helton to be fired after a disastrous 5-7 season last year, yet Swann was a keen supporter of Helton. Now that he has resigned, the athletic department will likely go in a different direction if they struggle again this year. They have a very difficult schedule, and starting QB J.T Daniels is out for the year also.

9) California Passes Law Allowing College Athletes to Get Paid

This is a story more for the future than the here and now, but this is a big step in the right direction for college players to get some compensation. This law would allow student-athletes at California college campuses to earn money from their likeness.

This has been a major talking point in college sports which divides opinion, with the NCAA likely to do everything in their power to stop this. They have already mentioned that if this becomes law in 2023 as currently scheduled all California universities would be removed from NCAA competitions. This is certainly not the last we will hear on this matter.

10) Top Players Entering Transfer Portal 

The transfer portal has increasingly become a key component of college football in recent seasons, and this week two more talented young players have entered their names into it.

2019 five star defensive end Antonio Alfano has entered his name, after running into issues at Alabama surrounding missing school to be with a relative as they deal with a medical condition. He may stay at Alabama, but will have a lot of schools contacting him for sure. Four star USC wide receiver Devon Williams also entered his name this week, seemingly unhappy with a lack of playing time at the school. He would be another big addition to any program in the country.

 

That wraps up my preview for the upcoming weekend of college football, let me know if you have any thoughts on this piece let me know either in the comments section below or find me on Twitter @JWjournalism.  Finally, a big thank you for anyone who read this article I really appreciate it!