We’ve already seen a good handful of awesome games this season, and this week was no different. The conference schedules are beginning and we’re starting to see teams who know each other pretty well face off. With that, the games are getting closer and even more fun to watch. So, what happened this week?
No. 1 Alabama (2-0) @ No. 11 Florida (2-0)
Result: Alabama: 31 – Florida: 29
The Tide jumped out to a huge lead in this one, as they were up 21-3 after a first-quarter that saw QB Bryce Young throw three touchdowns. However, Florida didn’t wilt under the deficit, and they fought hard for the comeback as the run-game led the way. The Gators averaged 5.7 yards per carry against a tough Bama defense, including a standout performance from senior RB Malik Davis, who rushed 10 times for 86 yards and a score. Meanwhile, the Gators passing game left something to be desired, as QB Emory Jones completed 18 of 28 attempts while gaining 195 yards and throwing an interception. On the receiving end, TE Keon Zipperer had failed to meet expectations so far this season, but he led the team in yards this week, catching 4 balls for 51 yards.
On the offensive side for the Crimson Tide, Young continued to spread the ball around, with WRs John Metchie III and Jameson Williams leading the way. Metchie caught 6 passes for 49 yards while Williams contributed 4 catches for 61 yards. In the backfield, talented sophomore Jase McClellan continues to be outplayed by the older Brian Robinson Jr in the rushing attack, but McClellan has been able to seize a lot of the passing down work. Robinson rushed 15 times for 78 yards and a score while catching one 7 yard pass that resulted in a TD while McClellan rushed 9 times for just 17 yards but caught 4 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Overall, the mettle of this Florida squad was impressive as they fought back into the game. The Georgia-Florida matchup later this season is looking like it could be quite the game, especially if Florida can figure out their QB situation as Anthony Richardson returns from injury this week to continue challenging Emory Jones.
Nebraska (2-1) @ No. 3 Oklahoma (2-0)
Result: Nebraska: 16 – Oklahoma: 23
Oklahoma seems to be sputtering out of the gate this season, but their struggles haven’t kept them out of the win column yet. However, barely escaping with wins against Tulane (W 40-35) and now Nebraska isn’t a good sign for the Sooners against tougher competition.
Back to this game specifically, Oklahoma saw star QB Spencer Rattler complete 24/34 pass attempts for 214 yards and a score while adding 35 yards and another TD on the ground. In the backfield, Tennessee transfer RB Eric Gray has finally found his footing on this team, as he ran 15 times for 84 yards while incumbent RB Kennedy Brooks ran 14 times for 75 yards and a score. Lastly, it was sophomore WR Jadon Haselwood who led the way in the receiving game, hauling in 6 passes for 61 yards.
On the opposing side, the Cornhuskers surprised a lot of people with their second-half heroics. Although they were unable to pull all the way back, very few pundits actually thought Big Red had a chance. QB Adrian Martinez put up one of the best performances of his career, as he completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards, a score, and this INT.
OH MY GOD WHAT AN INTERCEPTION BY OKLAHOMA pic.twitter.com/RL7KTcixXj
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 18, 2021
Although he played well passing the ball, Martinez struggled where he usually does well: in the rushing attack. Despite racking up 17 rushing attempts, Martinez was able to gain only 34 yards and 1 TD. Meanwhile, it was freshman WR Zavier Betts who led the Huskers in receiving yards, as he hauled in 3 balls for 61 yards, including a massive 55-yard reception. Conversely, Nebraska’s leading receiver, Montana transfer Samori Toure struggled in this game, catching just 3 passes for 27 yards.
Unfortunately for Nebraska, freshman RB Gabe Ervin went down with an injury in this game and, after surgery, is now slated to miss the rest of the season. Despite being a freshman, Ervin had been on the field quite a bit and was proving to be a solid weapon.
Georgia Tech (1-1) @ No. 6 Clemson (1-1)
Result: Georgia Tech: 8 – Clemson: 14
After Clemson lost their first game of the season to a strong Georgia team, many believed their offensive struggles had more to do with Georgia’s defense than Clemson’s offense. However, that stance lost some merit as the Tigers once again struggled to move the ball down the field.
QB D.J. Uiagalelei, who came into the season with high expectations, completed 18 of his 25 attempts, but gained just 126 yards through the air and lost a fumble. His main receiving threat, Justyn Ross, caught 7 passes but was only able to gain an average of 8.7 yards per reception, resulting in 61 yards total. However, some good did come out of the Tigers’ struggles in this game. Freshman RB Will Shipley has taken over the Clemson backfield and looks to be the next iteration of Travis Etienne. Shipley finished with 21 carries for 88 yards and 2 receptions for 6 yards, while accounting for both of the Tigers’ touchdowns. Meanwhile, no other Clemson RB surpassed 7 carries.
Meanwhile, Georgia Tech was able to move the ball down the field a couple of times, but Clemson’s defense stopped them time and time again. Redshirt-Freshman QB Jordan Yates completed 20 of his 34 attempts for 203 yards and an INT while standout RB Jahmyr Gibbs was only able to muster 30 yards on 11 attempts. For the Yellow Jackets, the season will continue to be a tough one. Georgia Tech takes on an ACC Coastal Division with plenty of talented opponents.
For Clemson, the defense will have to continue to play great for the Tigers to have a real shot at a championship later this year, and if the offense improves it would help their efforts a lot.
No. 20 Auburn (2-0) @ No. 10 Penn St (2-0)
Result: Auburn: 20 – Penn St: 28
Although Penn St boasts an impressive collection of offensive weapons, many were concerned that QB Sean Clifford was holding the offense back with his inaccuracies. This was especially apparent in week 1 against Wisconsin, where Clifford completed just 18 of 33 attempts. However, Clifford and the Nittany Lions showed up through the air this week. Clifford completed 28 of 32 passes for 208 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. Senior WR Jahan Dotson was a big reason for Clifford’s success, as the two connected 10 times and gained 78 yards and a score with their connection. Meanwhile sophomore WRs Brenton Strange and Parker Washington went for 4/71/1 and 8/49/0, respectively. Alongside those performances, the rushing game didn’t show up in the same way that the passing game did, as Junior RB Noah Cain was only able to gain 45 yards on 19 carries.
For Auburn, it was almost the opposite as the passing game never showed up in this game. However, standout runner Tank Bigsby kept the Tigers in the game, rushing for 102 yards and 2 TDs on 23 attempts while freshman RB Jarquez Hunter filled in admirably whenever Bigsby needed a break, gaining 63 yards on just 9 attempts. However, underwhelming QB Bo Nix went 21/37 for just 185 yards.
Fresno St (2-1) @ No. 13 UCLA (2-0)
Result: Fresno St: 40 – UCLA: 37
Despite neither of these squads being very highly-touted before the season, both teams have done well thus far. UCLA took down LSU and Fresno challenged a very strong Oregon team earlier this year. In fact, Fresno St QB Jake Haener is amongst the very top of the passing yards leaderboard this season, as he’s averaging 366 yards per game including this week. Alongside Haener, 5th-year Senior RB Ronnie Rivers also played very well, rushing 21 times for 136 yards and 2 TDs and standout Junior WR Jalen Cropper also played a great game, racking up 14 receptions for 141 yards and a score. Outside of the Bulldogs’ stars, Redshirt-Sophomore WR Josh Kelly caught 8 passes for 120 yards.
The Bruins showcased a strong rushing attack so far this season with Brittain Brown and Zach Charbonnet, but the Bulldogs shut them down, as the two combined for 42 yards on 15 attempts. However, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson kept the Bruins in the game, rushing for 67 yards while passing for 278 yards and 3 TDs with Kyle Phillips and Kam Brown being the main beneficiaries. Phillips caught 7 passes for 113 yards and 2 TDs while Brown caught 5 passes for 111 yards and a score.
Both teams should continue their good seasons moving forward, as both are led by elite quarterbacks and boast strong offensive attacks.
No. 19 Arizona St (2-0) @ No. 23 BYU (2-0)
Result: Arizona St: 17 – BYU: 27
The Cougars faced a big challenge coming into 2021 in replacing superstar QB Zach Wilson. While Jaren Hall has taken that mantle with poise, the entire team has stepped up so far this season. The defense is playing lights out, holding opposing offenses to just 16.7 points per game despite playing three power 5 opponents thus far (two of which were ranked). In addition, Hall has been managing games extremely well and consistently making plays to extend drives. Hall has accounted for 727 yards of offense so far this season.
Impressively, the Cougars were able to defeat the Sun Devils without a good performance from their QB, as Hall completed just 15 of 27 passes for 214 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs. The running game didn’t do them any favors either, as standout RB Tyler Allgeier accounted for just 69 rushing yards on 21 attempts and the entire team mustered just 3.7 rush yards per attempt. However, when the Cougars needed it most it was the Romney brothers who stepped up. WR Gunner Romney put together a strong performance, with 6 catches for 95 yards and a score, while backup QB Baylor Romney was forced into action with just 2:01 left on the clock and threw a touchdown to TE Isaac Rex to ice the game.
Just for fun, here’s the incredible throw from Baylor Romney to Isaac Rex to seal the game #byu #BYUvsASU pic.twitter.com/UHW8WtKr3G
— Ys Guide (@YsGuide) September 20, 2021
For the Sun Devils, this game has to be a massive disappointment as they gained yards but ended three drives by turnovers. Standout QB Jayden Daniels went 21/29 for 265 yards through the air, but failed to find the endzone and threw two interceptions. Meanwhile, State’s elite rushing attack also got it done despite being without RB Deamonte Trayanum. Redshirt-Freshman RB Daniyel Ngata posted 8 carries for 82 yards and a score, and Rachaad White chimed in with 71 yards and a score on 15 attempts, alongside his 9 receptions for 65 yards.
Make sure you’re starting to accumulate 2022 1st round rookie picks in #dynasty so you can draft Jayden Daniels
pic.twitter.com/62ISmugYDX— Tommy Mo (@2on1FFB) September 19, 2021
Mississippi St (2-0) @ Memphis (2-0)
Result: Mississippi St: 29 – Memphis: 31
Two of the most exhilarating offenses in the NCAA met this weekend, with Mike Leach’s air-raid attack taking on Ryan Silverfield’s spread offense. Leach and the Bulldogs’ offense definitely didn’t disappoint, as QB Will Rogers attempted a ludicrous 67 pass attempts, and completed 50(!!) of them, gaining 419 yards and tossing three TDs. With this insane volume, Mississippi State had SIX players with more than 5 catches, including WR Makai Polk, who caught 11 balls for 136 yards and a TD, WR Malik Heath, who caught 9 passes for 88 yards and a TD, and WR Jaden Walley, who contributed 5 catches for 58 yards and a TD.
On the other sideline, the Tigers did well on offense, but the performance wasn’t up to par for them considering how great their offense had performed in their prior two games. Freshman QB Seth Henigan went just 16/28 for 159 yards, 2 TDs, and an interception; while star RB Brandon Thomas saw 16 rushes for 83 yards. However, senior WR Calvin Austin III played yet another amazing game. Austin caught 9 passes for 105 yards and 2 TDs and added this ridiculous punt return TD (which may have been illegal).
WTF JUST HAPPENED pic.twitter.com/LGMWxtCKZW
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 18, 2021
It’s a tough loss for a Miss St team that’s staring down the gauntlet of the SEC West in their upcoming schedule, facing 5 ranked opponents before the season is over and LSU, Texas A&M, and Alabama in their next three games. For Memphis, this is a statement win and one that proves they can play with the big boys. The Tigers have a legitimate chance to be among the top 5 teams in college football this year, but they’ll have to keep playing well. The American conference will offer some tough competition later in the year with the likes of UCF, Houston, and Tulane.
Top Individual Performances
Passing
Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong @ UNC (L 39-59): 39-54, 554 yds, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Armstrong might deserve a permanent spot on this list, as the junior has been turning in great performances all season. Virginia is also second in the NCAA in pass yards per game. This was an important test for Armstrong against a good North Carolina defense. Looking forward, Armstrong has a couple of favorable matchups against Wake Forest and Miami. If Armstrong can keep up his statistical rampage through Week 11, he’ll likely be garnering significant NFL attention.
Tulsa QB Davis Brin @ Ohio St (L 20-41): 31-54, 428 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
With a considerable talent gap between the teams, Brin’s performance to keep Tulsa in this matchup was impressive. He showed a lot of poise, but this may be a one-off performance for Brin. It will be interesting to see if Brin can continue to play well throughout the rest of the season.
Props to Davis Brin for sticking in the pocket and making throws like this all game pic.twitter.com/VO7NFpKnk4
— Joe Broback (@joebroback) September 21, 2021
USC QB Jaxson Dart @ Washington St (W 45-14): 30-46, 391 yds, 4 TDs, 2 INTs
After starter Kedon Slovis went down with an injury, the true freshman Dart stepped in and didn’t look back. He made play after play, including some impressive deep balls to Drake London. You can read more about Dart and all the other freshman performances in our new series, The Frosh Report.
Rushing
Michigan St RB Kenneth Walker III @ Miami (W 38-17): 27 carries, 172 yards
Walker has been one of the biggest surprises of the college football season thus far. After three games, Walker leads the FBS in rushing yards with 493. The man in second, Memphis RB Brandon Thomas, has just 421. With these incredible performances, the junior RB is quickly moving up draftboards. However, the concern for Walker is his lack of receiving ability, as he has just 9 receptions across his three-year career.
Ohio St RB TreVeyon Henderson vs Tulsa (W 41-20): 24 carries, 277 yards, 3 TDs
The highest-ranked RB recruit in the 2021 freshman class, Henderson has been an absolute blast to watch for the Buckeyes. He’s already relegated two very good teammates, Miyan Williams and Master Teague, to depth roles and he’s already in the very elite tier in devy, with only Bijan Robinson coming close at the RB position. Just like Dart, you can read more about Henderson in The Frosh Report.
Oklahoma St RB Jaylen Warren @ Boise St (W 21-20): 32 carries, 218 yards, 2 TDs
Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders attempted just 13 passes in this matchup, as the running game took over as the star of the show. Warren’s performance came as a surprise, as the transfer had yet to establish himself in the Cowboys backfield, rushing for 46 yards in his first two games. It will be interesting to see if Mike Gundy continues to give Warren the same amount of opportunities moving forward.
Receiving
North Carolina WR Josh Downs vs Virginia (W 59-39): 8 rec, 203 yards, 2 TDs
The electric sophomore has started strong, elevating himself into the top WR discussion for 2023. In fact, the young wideout leads all power-5 WRs in yards so far this season. His connection with Sam Howell will be vital for the QB as he tries to cement his draft stock over the course of the year.
Josh Downs, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?! 😲
📺 https://t.co/H9gKbC6hi9 pic.twitter.com/YUKnwLhSo6
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) September 19, 2021
Colorado St TE Trey McBride @ Toledo (W 22-6): 9 rec, 109 yards
Despite playing for one of the weaker teams in the FBS, McBride has turned in a litany of elite performances. Last season, McBride averaged 82.5 receiving yards per game and he’s on track to surpass that mark. This year, McBride is on a mission. He has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in three straight games and with 30 receptions. He’s one of my favorite TEs for the 2022 draft class.
Miami WR Charleston Rambo vs Mich St (L 17-38): 12 rec, 156 yards, 2 TDs
After beginning his career with Oklahoma, Rambo was never able to gain a role in the Sooners’ offense. However, he’s getting another chance for Miami and he looks to be one of D’Eriq King‘s favorite targets, having caught 24 passes over his first three games for the Canes.
