Another week of college football is in the books, and this week was a doozy. It felt like every important game was close, and fans were treated to some amazing individual performances as well.
Despite that, it also felt kind of slow. For the most part, all of the favorites won, and there were no true upsets. But either way, let’s get into our winners and losers, starting out west.
Winner: Dorian Thompson-Robinson and UCLA
I think it’s time to have a discussion about UCLA.
The Bruins are riding high coming off a 42-32 victory over Utah where it never really felt as close as the score leads you to believe. The Bruins were able to get whatever they wanted on offense, running for 203 yards and passing for 299. A large part of why is that fifth-year senior QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson has finally found his groove in the Chip Kelly offense.
The guy we all believed he would become as a five star recruit, Thompson-Robinson was in complete control of the UCLA offense, delivering throws with timing and accuracy, and if the throws weren’t there, he can pull it and be a dynamic run threat as well.
The best thing about DTR isn’t just his play however, it’s the fact that he talks SHIT. Like, he talks cash shit and can back it up as well. It sets the tone for UCLA during games, and the flair and swag he plays with trickles down through the entire team.
UCLA is good, folks. We’ll find out how good in two weeks when they play Oregon in one of the biggest games of the Pac-12 season.
Loser: Brent Venables’ coaching seat
Look, I know he just got there.
I know he’s a defensive guru. Shoot I still call him a defensive guru.
I know he’s a former OU guy, making his second go-round at the program.
You CANNOT lose to that team, in the way that he did on Saturday.
If you haven’t heard, Oklahoma got steamrolled 49-0 on Saturday in the Red River Rivalry, which felt less like a rivalry and more like a public execution. Texas QB Quinn Ewers returned to action, but he didn’t have to do much—because people were running WIDE OPEN in said defensive guru Brent Venables’ defense.
Sooner QB Dillon Gabriel didn’t play, but still. FIVE different people threw passes for Oklahoma, and couldn’t even pass 50 total passing yards. That’s pathetic in one of the biggest games of the year.
Oklahoma and their fans don’t take kindly to losing, especially to Texas.
Especially in that way.
Venables is going to have to show some progress and find a way to knock off…uhh…Kansas, if he wants to keep his job.
If they lose to Kansas, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility, it won’t be fun for him or anyone involved.
Winner: The Third Saturday in October
For the first time in what feels like in my entire life (I’m 22), the Third Saturday in October feels…important? Has national stakes? Might actually be a very good game? 2022 is WILD.
Tennessee’s offense is somewhere between mind-meltingly explosive and incredible “fuck it we ball” vibes. Their spacing on offense creates mismatches if a defense is both not sure what they’re running and not good enough athletes. Hendon Hooker still hasn’t thrown an interception, and in their 40-13 demolition of LSU, he threw one of the best passes of the season:
Now, Tennessee is going to face their biggest test of the season in the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are still one of the best teams in the country, but something has been off about the Tide this entire season. They got by Texas A&M 24-20 on Saturday, but that’s largely because Jimbo Fisher galaxy brained himself on the last play of the game in the redzone. However, the two things Alabama does have going for them could be crucial in this game: Bryce Young’s return and one of the nastiest defensive lines in the country.
Against the Aggies, Tide pass rusher and overall game wrecker Will Anderson had EIGHT QB hurries by himself, and Dallas Turner (a terminator, Turnerator?) in his own right, had two sacks. If you got those two guys coming off the edge plus a deep interior defensive line rotation, they can cause problems for Tennessee’s offense up front.
Plus, last year’s Heisman trophy winner is probably coming back for this game. As we’ve seen already this season, you can’t count Bama out if he’s in the game. This game won’t only have SEC implications, but College Football playoff implications. I just hope we can make it to Saturday without any tomfoolery.
Loser: Northwestern’s defense
I just don’t understand, man.
Wisconsin came into Evanston less than a week after firing former head coach Paul Chryst, yet you probably wouldn’t have noticed if you watched them play. The Badgers poured it on Northwestern 42-7, and while you could highlight every other aspect of the sport for the Wildcats, it’s the defense that’s the most baffling.
Graham Mertz has thrown for 13 touchdowns this season.
FIVE of them came on Saturday.
He averaged 10.3 yards per completion, and quite frankly could’ve had more if they left him in for the rest of the game.
The Badgers ran for 193 yards on 5.1 yards per carry, and if you can’t stop the run in the Big Ten, you’re probably cooked.
The problem for Northwestern is that this isn’t a one year thing. The defense was an issue last year as well, but now they’re hitting rock bottom. There’s no way current DC Jim O’Neil should be allowed to return this season. Shoot there’s no reason he should still have a job today as of this writing.
Northwestern used to pride themselves on their defense, but now they’ve become a laughingstock.
Winner: Pitt RB Israel Abanikanda
I used to make a running back in NCAA Football’s road to glory all the time.
It was elite stat padding, running the ball 30+ times for 300 yards and multiple touchdowns, wouldn’t ask for anything better.
Pitt RB Israel Abanikanda had a road to glory game on Saturday vs. Virginia Tech.
Abanikanda ran for (/clears throat) 320 YARDS AND SIX TOUCHDOWNS vs the Hokies. He broke Panther legend Tony Dorsett’s single game rushing record and tied the single game TD record on Saturday, and also ran for almost nine yards a carry. These weren’t cheapo yards either. He was creating and showing off some nice burst through tackles. The final touchdown, however, was helped by beautiful blocking on the power run. I mean watch this and feel your heart grow:
“Izzy! Izzy! Is he? He is GONE! WOW!”
Bill Hillgrove was on the call in 1975 when Tony Dorsett set a Pitt record with 303 rushing yards against Notre Dame.
47 years later, Hillgrove voiced Pitt history yet again – this time by Israel Abanikanda.#H2P » @937theFan pic.twitter.com/YgVHRDD5Xn
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) October 9, 2022
Every time power gets run correctly, an angel gets its’ wings.
Loser: Florida International
The depths at which FIU is down in might be one of the deepest trenches in the entire world.
The Panthers lost to UConn on Saturday 33-12, and this is with UConn only throwing the ball for 107 yards.
The Panthers are a miserable program right now, only being 2-3 after beating Wagner and New Mexico State. It’s HC Mike McIntyre’s first year at the program, but sheesh it’s not looking pretty.
A lot of the problems with FIU go deeper than just on the field product. There’s no money in the program, and a lot of players have transferred out. Just for the Panthers to get back into competency is going to take a long time.
If they ever need a playcaller though, I’m free. (I’m not kidding I applied for the head coaching job last year for fun).
