2021 Post-Week Four CFB Roundup

 

Devin Leary, NC State

Reactions & Thoughts

The ACC Is An Absolute Mess: Clemson has ruled the Atlantic Coast Conference with an iron fist the past half-decade, with six straight conference titles to their name. A month into the season, their grip on the league appears to be the flimsiest it has been in years, with a loss to NC State dropping them to 2-2. The Tigers still do have a manageable schedule the rest of the way and they have a track record, but it's shocking how terrible the offense has looked over the season's first month. It's not helpful that Will Shipley, who has been their best offensive piece so far this season, is projected to miss significant time with injury, likely 3-4 weeks. With Clemson down, you would think somebody else could step up and fill the void left by the Tigers, but there's no obvious candidate. UNC lost again this weekend, Miami doesn't look good, and the current highest-ranked team, NC State, lost by two touchdowns to a mediocre Mississippi State team previously. How wacky are things right now? 4-0 Wake Forest and Boston College are probably two of the favorites to take the conference crown, and there's absolutely nobody on the Coastal side of things that inspires any confidence.

Arkansas Is The Real Deal: Possibly no team in college football had a better weekend overall than the undefeated Arkansas Razorbacks. They shut down Texas A&M, holding the Aggies to just 272 yards, while doing just enough offensively to come out on top. They also watched another one of their signature wins, Texas, go over and drop 70 points on Texas Tech, an indication that the Razorbacks have one of the best resumes in the sport right now. It will be interesting to see how Arkansas transitions from being an underdog to one of the favorites in the SEC. They go on the road and meet up with a true National Title favorite in Georgia, and are doing so with a hobbled K.J. Jefferson at quarterback. A win there would help them go from a great story to a legitimate and serious Playoff contender.

Oklahoma Continues To Underwhelm: Although they finished off September a perfect 4-0, Oklahoma's start to 2021 has been anything but impressive. They had another close call over the weekend, barely holding off West Virginia in a 16-13 win. Quarterback Spencer Rattler entered the season as the prohibitive Heisman favorite but has been so bad that Sooner fans began chanting for the team's backup, freshman Caleb Williams. To be fair to Rattler, he is not the only reason the Sooners have been so underwhelming so far over the fall. The offensive line has not been getting the usual push that has made Oklahoma teams so difficult to handle in the past, and the receiver corps has been surprisingly quiet. I still think there's time to figure things out, but the easy part of the schedule is over. The Sooners go on the road to Kansas State this next Saturday. The Wildcats might have lost to Oklahoma State this past weekend, but this is a program that has beaten OU in two consecutive seasons.

It's All Iowa In The Big Ten West: Iowa didn't have a dominant showing this Saturday, beating a bad Colorado State team by ten points at home. However, they still came out as winners with what happened in the rest of the division. Wisconsin's offensive woes continued in a neutral site loss to Notre Dame, dropping them to sub-.500 as they enter the season's second month. It seems like the right time for the program to start seriously questioning Graham Mertz and his status as starting QB, as he threw three interceptions in the loss. Aside from them, Nebraska lost to Michigan State in a thriller, neither Purdue or Illinois looked inspiring, and Minnesota was shocked by a terrible Bowling Green team. There's absolutely nobody in the division that comes anywhere close to the level of the Hawkeyes, and all indication points to them rolling to a Big Ten West Title. With that being said, Iowa is on sneaky upset alert upcoming, as they get Maryland on a Friday night. The Terrapins are a tough team, and the Hawkeyes could be looking ahead to the Penn State game.

Speaking Of Minnesota: Anybody that regularly reads this site should know that I'm a huge Minnesota Gopher fan, so Saturday's loss to Bowling Green hit very close to home. It was the largest upset of the weekend, as the Gophers entered as 31 favorites playing in their homecoming game, a perfect opportunity to figure things out before they jump into the thick of conference play. But wow, this was about as disastrous of a performance as you could imagine. The offense looked dreadful, for a couple different reasons. For one, the play-calling has been atrocious all season long and Mike Sanford Jr. has no business continuing to be the offensive coordinator. Every college football fan believes they can call a better game than their OC, but Sanford's ultra-conservative approach regularly put the Gophers in third and longs where everybody in the stadium knew they were going have to throw the football. Additionally, the offensive line play was shockingly bad. They were out-classed not just by a MAC team, but a really bad one at that. It also didn't help that wide out Chris Autman-Bell left with a nagging injury that has followed him all season, but Dylan Wright and Daniel Jackson have been tremendous this season, so the offensive staff shouldn't use that as an excuse. Head coach P.J. Fleck has done a really good job with this program, but playing down to weak competition absolutely needs to stop. There's zero reason this deep in his tenure this team should be struggling with a Bowling Green team that hasn't won more than four games in a season since 2015.

Don't Forget About SMU: Most of the attention in the American Athletic Conference and Group of Five in general has been focused on Cincinnati, and for good reason. The Bearcats look like a serious threat to crash the CFB Playoff conversation and have a golden opportunity upcoming when they meet up with Notre Dame. However, SMU showed this weekend that the Bearcats aren't the only AAC team that deserves your attention. The Mustangs went into Fort Worth and beat former Southwest Conference rival TCU 42-34, improving to 4-0 in the process. It's the type of victory that might not get a ton of national attention, but shows once again just how far the program has come under Sonny Dykes. With an explosive offense, led by former Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai, the Mustangs are going to be a tough out for anyone the rest of the way. With how light the schedule is in over the coming weeks, SMU has a legit chance to be 9-0 when they enter a stretch of games that includes Memphis, Cincinnati, and UCF.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Jeff Sims, QB, Georgia Tech

Jeff Sims has dealt with injuries for most of the young 2021 campaign, but his Week Four performance showed just how good he can be when fully healthy. Not only was the second-year quarterback efficient through the air, going 10-13 with a touchdown, but he ran all over North Carolina. He finished with 128 yards and three touchdowns, averaging nearly 13 yards per rush, as Georgia Tech pulled off a pretty major upset over the Tar Heels. With a healthy Sims now paired with Jahmyr Gibbs in the GT backfield, the Yellow Jacket offense will be fascinating over the rest of the season.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Jacub Panasiuk, DL, Michigan State

Jacub Panasiuk was crucial in Michigan State finding a way to hold off Nebraska in East Lansing. The veteran defensive linemen recorded seven total tackles and also led the team with a pair of sacks. His strip sack of Adrian Martinez in the fourth quarter was key in helping the Spartans stave off the Cornhuskers, with the game going into overtime. According to PFF, Panasiuk finished with 14 pressures on 39 rushes, earning him the site's Defensive Player of the Week.

Team of the Week: NC State Wolfpack

The 2021 Clemson Tigers clearly aren't as strong as past editions, but NC State's win over the ACC's Goliath was still huge for the program. It was the first time the Wolfpack have beaten the Tigers since 2011, and they managed to do so by holding off Clemson in overtime. It was a real coming out party for several Wolfpack players, most notably QB Devin Leary and wide out Emeka Emezie. Leary, who missed most of 2020, had four touchdowns against a tremendous Tiger defense, while Emezie finished with 14 receptions. The next step for NC State is proving they can be consistent and keep it all rolling. In the past, when the Wolfpack have gotten a big win, they've struggled to follow it up. This team has the chance to be a serious ACC Title threat, particularly with how the conference is shaping up.

"Small-School" Team of the Week: Bowling Green Falcons

A painful homecoming loss for Minnesota was a program-changing victory for Bowling Green. The Falcons had managed just 12 wins over the last three seasons and are fresh off a winless 2020 campaign. However, they went into Huntington Bank Stadium and outplayed the Gophers for the entire four quarters. It wasn't merely a couple fluke plays that went Bowling Green's way; they looked better prepared and more physical at the line. This doesn't make the Falcons a serious MAC contender just yet, but it does indicate they could be a bowl contender earlier than expected.

Top 25

Current Rank                Previous Rank

1. Alabama Crimson Tide    (1)

2. Georgia Bulldogs    (2)

3. Oregon Ducks    (4)

4. Oklahoma Sooners    (3)

5. Cincinnati Bearcats    (5)

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish    (7)

7. Iowa Hawkeyes    (6)

8. Penn State Nittany Lions    (9)

9. Ohio State Buckeyes    (10)

10. Arkansas Razorbacks    (18)

11. Florida Gators     (12)

12. Ole Miss Rebels    (15)

13. Texas A&M Aggies    (8)

14. BYU Cougars    (20)

15. Michigan Wolverines (22)

16. USC Trojans (19)

17. Michigan State Spartans    (25)

18. Arizona State Sun Devils    (23)

19. Oklahoma State Cowboys    (NR)

20. Fresno State Bulldogs    (NR)

21. Baylor Bears (NR)

22. Clemson Tigers (11)

23. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers    (NR)

24. Iowa State Cyclones    (13)

25. Wake Forest Demon Deacons    (NR)

Just Missed: Boston College Eagles, Kentucky Wildcats, UCLA Bruins, SMU Mustangs, NC State Wolfpack, Auburn Tigers, Maryland Terrapins, San Diego State Aztecs

Dropped Out: UNC Tar Heels (14), Liberty Flames (16), TCU Horned Frogs (17), Wisconsin Badgers (21), Kansas State Wildcats (24)

College Football Picks 2021: Week Four

Jack Coan, Notre Dame

Current Picks Record: 20-7

Upset: 2-1

Superdogs: 3-0

(#12) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. (#18) Wisconsin Badgers

Notre Dame and Wisconsin kick off Week Four at Soldier Field, in a game featuring two of the premier programs in the Midwest. This game is interesting not only because of the locale, but the fact that ND's starting QB, Jack Coan, was once the starter at Wisconsin before injury eventually forced in Graham Mertz. It's a superb opportunity for Coan to get revenge against his former team, while bolstering ND's underwhelming resume.

The Irish offense has been tough to read through the season's first three weeks. Coan has put up solid numbers and the passing statistics are some of the best they've been in years, but now the ground game has seemingly disappeared. The 1-2 punch of Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree simply has not found much success, as the duo is averaging just over 100 yards of yardage per game. It's hard to imagine Wisconsin being the team they get things going against; the Badgers have a deep and experienced linebacker corps, headlined by Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal, who is ready to go after missing time due to COVID-19. That puts more pressure on Coan and the aerial attack to open things up. Tight end Michael Mayer has been his go-to guy all season, but somebody else has to step up on the outside for ND, whether it be veterans Kevin Austin or Avery Davis, or possibly a young guy like Deion Colzie. The Irish and play-caller Tommy Rees simply haven't taken many shots down the field with Coan, but that is going to have to change as the schedule gets tougher. The Badger secondary is susceptible, as the Penn State offense showed in the opener.

Mertz has had a disappointing start to the season, without a single touchdown pass to his credit on the year. The Badgers simply need better production from the position, even with Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi leading the way on the ground. There's not a lack of playmakers on this offense, with the deepest collection of pass-catchers Wisconsin has had in years. Steady vet Danny Davis has been the big-play threat early on, but sure-handed Jake Ferguson and explosive Chimere Dike will also be featured. Dike in particular is interesting to me; he stepped up last fall when Davis and Kendric Pryor were injured, and he has the potential to hurt defenses in a variety of ways. However, the Badgers simply haven't looked to him much so far in the very early 2021 campaign, with only a handful of targets to his credit. Either way, Mertz is going to have to prove he's a better decision-maker than what we've seen early on this year. ND has one of the nation's best defenders in Kyle Hamilton, who is an absolute game-changer on the back-end. He's the early favorite for the Jim Thorpe Award, and could swing the game with a huge interception.

This is another matchup that's essentially a toss-up for me. Wisconsin enters as a touchdown favorite, but what we've seen early on from both teams doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Not to be simplistic, but I think that it's going to come down to quarterback play. Which QB is going to be able to take the necessary shot or two, but not turn the ball over? I have more confidence in Coan doing so than Mertz at this point. Coan is never going to be a game-changing QB, but he's proven to be serviceable enough to put the Irish in position to win. I like the Irish in a pretty ugly, low-scoring affair.

The Pick: Notre Dame, 23 Wisconsin, 20

(#7) Texas A&M Aggies vs. (#16) Arkansas Razorbacks

Even with Arkansas experiencing some down years over the past half-decade, the Southwest Classic between them and A&M has always been an exciting game. That should be the case once again and with both teams ranked, the rivalry takes on extra importance.

Texas A&M's 2021 hopes took a major hit when starting QB Haynes King fractured his leg in the win over Colorado. His absence has forced backup Zach Calzada into a larger role than expected, and while Calzada has done an admirable job, the Aggie offense has certainly taken a hit. Calzada did notch 275 yards and three touchdowns against New Mexico last week, but now faces one of the toughest defenses anywhere in college football in Arkansas. Needless to say, he'll need plenty of help from the other Aggie offensive pieces to put points on the scoreboard. That includes the two-headed Texas A&M backfield, with Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane splitting time. Both have put up strong numbers so far against pretty poor defenses, but Arkansas loads the box and has terrific linebackers. I wouldn't be shocked if Achane becomes the feature guy considering, as his explosiveness adds a different element to this offense than Spiller, who is more a power option. A&M needs more from the receiver corps, beyond steady Jalen Wydermyer and do-it-all Ainias Smith. Obviously, Jimbo Fisher will look to get those two the rock early and often, but who are the other threats Arkansas DC Barry Odom has to scheme against? Springy freshman Demond Demas interests me as a possibility. He went for a 70-yard score against New Mexico, and while he is raw, he could at least give Arkansas another weapon to worry about.

The good news for the Aggies is that there defenses matches up very well against Arkansas, with a stingy defensive front looking to stop the Razorback rushing attack. The Razorbacks are currently averaging over 280 yards per game on the ground, with Trelon Smith operating as the feature guy and QB K.J. Jefferson proving to be a dangerous dual threat. However, they have not faced a front with the type of athletes Texas A&M possesses and the offensive line is very beat up right now. That doesn't mean coordinator Kendal Briles is going to change up and start airing things out, but Arkansas might have to adjust things on the fly. K.J. Jefferson has a huge arm and Treylon Burks is among the most underrated receivers in the SEC, but you still wonder how aggressive Briles and company will be. The A&M secondary is one of the best anywhere in the nation, headlined by Antonio Johnson, Leon O'Neal, and Demani Richardson. It might not be a group that turns you over quite as much as other elite secondaries, but Jefferson is not going to have a pleasant time against it either.

Much like Notre Dame-Wisconsin, this game has a low-scoring and competitive slugfest feel to me. At full strength, I certainly like the Aggies but the Haynes King injury really complicates things. The defense is definitely good enough to keep them in every game they play the rest of the way, but I'm just not sure the offense has the firepower necessary to beat a really tough, physical Razorback team. On the flip side, Arkansas has been an awesome story, but beating a Top 10 Texas A&M in a neutral site is an even taller order than Texas at home. The Southwest Classic is always a thrilling watch and while this won't have very many points, I get the feeling it will end in an interesting way. I still think A&M is the smart bet right now, but Arkansas can set a tone by defeating Jimbo and company in Arlington.

The Pick: Texas A&M, 21 Arkansas, 18

(#25) Kansas State Wildcats @ Oklahoma State Cowboys

At this point in the very young season, the Big 12 Title race is wide open. Oklahoma and Iowa State still roam as the favorites, but neither has looked particularly dominant so far. TCU and Texas appear to still be in the hunt, but it's hard to feel supremely confident about either one of those teams just yet either. That leaves Kansas State and Oklahoma State as potential party crashers as they square off in a primetime contest to wrap up September.

Kansas State has been able to build a fairly decent resume so far, dominating Stanford and Nevada en route to their 3-0 start. They rolled past Nevada without the support of veteran quarterback Skyler Thompson, who will miss significant time after injury in the Southern Illinois game. Backup Will Howard is not the passer that Thompson is, but he can at least keep the Kansas State offense on track. Instead, this offense will once again lean on strong offensive line play to spell a potent ground game, as they've done throughout the Chris Kleiman era. Diminutive tailback Deuce Vaughn is having a superb beginning to his second year on campus, while sophomore Joe Ervin provides a nice change of pace. It's clearly not a flashy group but it's proven to be particularly effective so far. Oklahoma State's front seven has significantly improved over the years, thanks in large part to efforts from players like Malcolm Rodriguez. With that being said, their defensive line is simply not as physical or strong as Kansas State's O-Line, which puts them in a distinct disadvantage. Even if they load the box, Vaughn is enough of a weapon that he can open up this offense in other ways, with receivers Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles potentially making plays on the perimeter. 

Oklahoma State has had three close victories to begin the 2021 season, with a combined 13-point differential. However, the Cowboys have been banged up all season long, and are looking to move forward with key contributors out on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Spencer Sanders missed the opener due to COVID and has been underwhelming in his return over the last two weeks. With that being said, he's still got the arm strength and mobility to cause defenses issues when he's on. It would help if he got more support from an injured receiver corps, but it's unclear who will be lining up out wide. Brennan Pressley has been one of the team's most consistent weapons and should be ready to go, but Tay Martin's status is uncertain after he didn't travel to Boise. Expect names like Rashod Owens and Cole Cabbiness, who both made clutch plays against Boise, to continue to step into larger roles. I also suspect Oklahoma State will lean on the ground game more than past Mike Gundy-coached teams. Jaylen Warren has been a revelation at running back early on this fall, leading the team with 264 yards and four touchdowns. He's probably the most dangerous piece on this offense right now, but K-State is a notoriously tough team to run on. The Cowboy offensive line is solid, but any hope of this team moving the ball hinges on them getting enough push in the trenches and Warren getting opportunities.

It's not even October, and both of these 3-0 teams are seriously beat up. Kansas State will have to make do with Will Howard running the show, while Oklahoma State is seriously depleted at receiver and multiple spots on their defense. It's hard to imagine this being a high-scoring affair unless someone like Vaughn is able to break things wide open, with it instead resembling a competitive, field position battle. I like K-State's chances to move to 4-0 and move into serious Big 12 Title contention. This is a program that has always played hard under Kleiman, and there are legit weapons on the roster. They'll use this one as momentum before clashing with Oklahoma and Iowa State over the next two weeks, two games that will essentially decide their season.

The Pick: Kansas State, 20 Oklahoma State, 14

 

Other Picks

(#9) Clemson, 27 NC State, 10 -- Even though the Clemson offense is struggling, their defense has yet to allow a touchdown on the 2021 season. If Will Shipley can do just enough to get the Tigers in the end zone, the defense will shut down the Wolfpack on the other side.

(#19) Michigan, 34 Rutgers, 13 -- Rutgers has been a good story so far in 2021, off to a 3-0 start on the season. With that being said, they could be in store for a blowout against a Wolverine team playing incredible football on both sides right now.

(#11) Florida, 37 Tennessee, 21 -- How does Florida respond after nearly shocking Alabama last weekend? They seem to have figured out their offensive problems, but the Florida-Tennessee games are always interesting.

(#14) Iowa State, 28 Baylor, 24 -- An underrated upset watch, as the Bears enter this one 3-0 playing good football. The Cyclones will have to travel to an underrated atmosphere in Waco, but should have the horses to squeak this one out.

Upset: Nebraska, 24 Michigan State, 21 -- The Spartans have been a terrific story so far in 2021, but I think we may be reading too much into three wins against mediocre opponents. Nebraska's looked much improved after their "Week 0" loss to Illinois, but they need their kicking game to show up here.

Superdog (covers > 21 spread): Louisiana-Monroe (+24) vs. Troy -- Nice value in the Sun Belt, as Louisiana-Monroe gets 2-1 Troy at home. The Warhawks are not a good football team, but nothing in the Trojan offense gives me much confidence they'll score much more than 24 on their own.

2021 Post-Week Three CFB Roundup

TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

 

Reactions & Thoughts

Alabama's Not Invincible, But Still The Team To Beat: The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide went into "The Swamp" over the weekend as two-touchdown favorites over 11th-ranked Florida. After jumping out to a big lead in the first half, the Tide offense struggled down the stretch, allowing the Gators to give them quite a scare. A 17-yard touchdown run from Dameon Pierce with just over three minutes remaining gave Florida a chance to tie the game, but the two-point conversion came up short. The victory pads the Alabama resume early on, after it's taken a hit with Miami's struggles, but definitely showed that this 2021 team is not quite the 2020 edition. The Tide offense is extremely talented but far from perfect at this point in the season. Quarterback Bryce Young has earned recognition as a very early Heisman favorite, but you wonder if the other skill position pieces are where they need to be for this team to repeat as National Champions. Florida deserves a ton of credit for fighting themselves back in the game after it looked like it had blowout potential. They look to be a serious threat in the SEC East race and good enough to go toe-to-toe with a Georgia team that they beat last fall.

What's Wrong With Clemson's Offense?: Even though Clemson had to replace a pair of legendary pieces to their offense in Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, the assumption was that Dabo Swinney and OC Tony Elliott would be able to keep things humming in 2021. The offensive issues to begin the season against Georgia were understandable, but the performance this Saturday against Georgia Tech was fairly shocking. The Tigers managed just 284 yards of total offense against the Yellow Jackets and needed a goal-line stuff with under a minute remaining to improve to 2-1. It's hard to pinpoint just one issue for the Clemson offense to this point; D.J. Uiagalelei hasn't quite been what was advertised going into this season after two great showings in 2020, the ground game has obviously missed Etienne, and the O-Line also hasn't been up to par. I don't think it's time to sell Clemson stock just yet, even if the early returns have not been what was expected. They're way too talented to keep playing the way they have and at the very least, the defense should be able to carry them when needed. With that being said, a road tilt with NC State and then a clash with Boston College is one of their toughest parts of the 2021 schedule over the next two weeks.

The Big Ten East Is Not What We Expected: Imagine if someone had told you a month ago that Ohio State and Indiana would be a combined 3-3 going into late-September, while Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Maryland were all undefeated. To be fair, Ohio State and Indiana have faced a tough non-conference slate while Maryland, Rutgers and Michigan have all gotten off fairly easy, but Michigan State and Penn State got a pair of key non-conference victories over the weekend. The Nittany Lions withstood a test from Auburn at home to improve to 3-0, while the Spartans looked like the clear better team as they pounded Miami. I'll be the first to admit, I was completely wrong on this Michigan State program entering 2021. I didn't have a ton of confidence they had the offensive weapons to compete in the East, but have already matched my preseason win prediction (I had them going 3-9 overall). Mel Tucker should be an early contender for Big Ten Coach of the Year, but things don't get too serious until a late October-early November slate that includes Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State.

A QB Controversy In Los Angeles?: In the first game post-Clay Helton, USC blew the doors off Washington State, with the final score reading 45-14. It was a win that proved the Trojans would still be a factor in the wide-open Pac-12 South, but was perhaps more important in beginning an intriguing QB controversy. Starting signal-caller Kedon Slovis went down with an injury, prompting true freshman Jaxson Dart to come in and have a day. Dart finished with nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns, while leading the Trojans in rushing. With Slovis' MRI and X-rays coming back clean, interim head coach Donte Williams has announced that the two will battle for the starting job. It's a classic quarterback conundrum, with the young, highly touted freshman going up against the veteran in the room. I wouldn't be shocked if Dart becomes the guy moving forward. As a true freshman, he'll be prone to mistakes, but he opens up the offense a lot more than Slovis has the past year-and-half.

Will Mike Norvell Even Survive Year Two?: It's amazing how quickly things can change in college football. Florida State opened the 2021 campaign with a close loss to Notre Dame but still played well enough for many around the program to feel good about their direction, particularly with the success they've had on the recruiting trail. Two weeks later, there's open discussion on whether Mike Norvell will even last past Year Two, with the Seminoles currently 0-3 and currently an underdog against Louisville. I hate how quickly the "hot seat" conversations happen in college football, particularly given the circumstances Norvell took the job in. He took over a disaster from Willie Taggart and his first season there was a global pandemic that impacted everything his staff was able to do. But, the fact of the matter is that FSU is one of the most iconic brands in college football and Norvell is currently 3-9. It's not just the record, but how some of the losses have looked. They were terribly coached the last two weeks and have looked out-of-sync the entire Norvell tenure. Financially, it would be incredibly difficult for Florida State to move on from Norvell after they fired Taggart so recently, but one thing we've learned over the past few years? Teams looking to move on from head coaches will always find the money.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

Those around the Ohio State program knew it was only a matter of time before true freshman TreVeyon Henderson was putting up gaudy numbers, and his stats in Week Three show he has fully arrived. Henderson notched 277 yards on 24 carries and also contributed three touchdowns in a 41-20 victory over Tulsa, setting an OSU freshman record. On the very young season, Henderson now has 346 yards and four scores, while averaging 9.1 yards per carry. He's done all that damage despite splitting up the Buckeye workload with Miyan Williams and Master Teague.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Justin Rice, LB, Utah State

A tackling machine for Utah State over the last several seasons, Justin Rice played a major role in helping the Aggies improve to 3-0 with a 49-45 win over Air Force. He notched 14 total tackles, picked off a pass, and also forced a fumble as the Aggies survived. Rice now ranks tied for first in the country with three interceptions to his credit, tied atop those standings with seven other defensive backs, all of whom are defensive backs. He'll hope to keep it going as Utah State takes on a huge test this upcoming weekend in Mountain West power Boise State.

Team of the Week: BYU Cougars

Just about everyone in college football media assumed it was going to be a rebuilding year for BYU in 2021. For one, they had to replace Zach Wilson and several other key members to the 10-1 2020 team. More importantly, they went from one of the country's easiest schedules to one full of Power Five teams, including three straight to begin the fall. Not only have the Cougars answered the call and went 3-0 in that span, they've looked like the better football team each time. They hosted Arizona State in Provo this Saturday and proved that LaVell Edwards Stadium is among the most underrated venues in college football, pulling out a 27-17 win. This particular team might not be as flashy as the 2020 group, but they're well-coached and physical, with the makeup to go to battle with any team on their schedule. Don't be surprised if they are favored in just about every game the rest of the way, with the exceptions being road tilts against Baylor or USC.

"Small School" Team of the Week: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks

One of two FCS over FBS upsets of Week Three (Incarnate Word over Texas State was the other), Northern Arizona scored a massive upset of intrastate rival Arizona. The Lumberjacks, who entered this matchup 0-2, fell behind early but found momentum early in the second half with a touchdown run from tailback Kevin Daniels. Despite an Arizona score with just two minutes remaining, NAU stopped the two-point conversion and held on for their first win over the Wildcats since 1932. For Arizona, it continues a losing streak that first began back in October of 2019 and is likely to extend this next week, as they face Oregon.

Top 25

Current Rank____________Previous Rank

1. Alabama Crimson Tide    (1)

2. Georgia Bulldogs    (2)

3. Oklahoma Sooners    (3)

4. Oregon Ducks    (4)

5. Cincinnati Bearcats    (5)

6. Iowa Hawkeyes    (6)

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish    (8)

8. Texas A&M Aggies    (7)

9. Penn State Nittany Lions    (11)

10. Ohio State Buckeyes    (10)

11. Clemson Tigers    (9)

12. Florida Gators    (12)

13. Iowa State Cyclones    (13)

14. UNC Tar Heels    (15)

15. Ole Miss Rebels    (21)

16. Liberty Flames    (17)

17. TCU Horned Frogs    (20)

18. Arkansas Razorbacks    (24)

19. USC Trojans    (19)

20. BYU Cougars    (NR)

21. Wisconsin Badgers    (23)

22. Michigan Wolverines    (NR)

23. Arizona State Sun Devils    (14)

24. Kansas State Wildcats    (NR)

25. Michigan State Spartans    (NR)

Just Missed: Fresno State Bulldogs, UCLA Bruins, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Boston College Eagles, San Diego State Aztecs, Kentucky Wildcats

Dropped Out: UCLA Bruins (16), Miami Hurricanes (18), Virginia Tech Hokies (22), Nevada Wolfpack (25)

College Football Picks 2021: Week Three

 

Noah Cain, Penn State

Current Picks Record: 12-6

Upset: 1-1

Superdogs: 2-0

(#1) Alabama Crimson Tide @ (#11) Florida Gators

The first major SEC conference matchup of the 2021 season is here, with a rematch of last season's SEC Championship Game. Florida gave the 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide their toughest game of the entire campaign in that game, but the Tide are heavily favored as they travel into "The Swamp".

The amazing thing about Alabama so far is that their offense doesn't yet appear to be firing on all cylinders and they're still averaging 46 points per game over their first two. Quarterback Bryce Young has asserted himself as the very early Heisman favorite and operates behind a crushing offensive line, but it will be interesting to see how the skill positions develop over the coming weeks. A pair of newcomers, Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams & true freshman JoJo Earle, have taken the early lead on the perimeter, while bruising Brian Robinson Jr. is the feature option out of the backfield. No matter how those positions develop, Florida is going to be in for a tough time containing all the weapons Alabama can throw at you. This is a talented Gator defense that so far has played well against fairly poor competition, but they've struggled the last several years to get adequate pressure on the quarterback and stop offenses on third down. With all the dynamic weapons Alabama can bring out on any down, I'm just not sure how you can feel confident in the Gators making enough stops to keep things tight.

The Gator offense is also a question mark as they head into this one. Veteran Emory Jones has gotten the first crack at running the offense following the graduation of Kyle Trask, but he has long left something to be desired as a passer. Most people around the program seem to believe that it's time for Anthony Richardson, the current backup, to take things over. Richardson is a big-play machine who is even more dangerous with his legs than Jones, but he's questionable this week due to a hamstring. My guess is that both will still play, but with Richardson limited, it will have to be Jones that will have to try and get things going. He's already thrown four interceptions on just 49 attempts so far in 2021, and a ball-hawking Tide defense will make things difficult for him. Florida has leaned on the ground game heavily this year and has relied on an offensive line that has physically dominated their opponents, but that simply won't happen against Alabama. Not having to face Tide pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. is helpful, but 'Bama still appears to have a significant advantage in the trenches. There has to be somebody that is able to open things up outside, much like Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney were able to do last fall. Jacob Copeland, Xzavier Henderson, or possibly Justin Shorter are possibilities, but there just isn't enough proven weapons on this Gator offense right now.

Going into Gainesville and getting a victory is never an easy task, but there are just too many questions surrounding the Gators right now. There's a chance their defense may be able to hang with Alabama more effectively than it did in the SEC Championship a season ago, but their offense has significantly more questions than last year's group. Unless Richardson can come in and continue the magic he's had over the first two weeks, this has a chance to be a comfortable Tide win.

The Pick: Alabama, 41 Florida, 24

(#22) Auburn Tigers @ (#10) Penn State Nittany Lions

It's been too long since we've seen one of the greatest sights in college football: a "Whiteout" game at Penn State. There are few environments as intimidating and chaotic as the Whiteout, and now Auburn has to go into Happy Valley and defeat a Top 10 Penn State team. It's a chance to build a huge resume-boosting win, but may end up being their toughest game of the season (they get Alabama at home).

Penn State's season-opening win in Madison against Wisconsin has vaulted them into early Big Ten Title contention. It's not a team without flaws, but their defense looks significantly better than the unit they trotted out in the disastrous 2020 campaign and the offense has enough pieces to be serviceable. At the helm of that offense is quarterback Sean Clifford, who hasn't looked great in 2021, but does enough to put this team in a position to win. It helps that he has a potent 1-2 combo at wide out in Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington, plus a loaded backfield that includes a healthy Noah Cain. Cain in particular is the type of hard runner that really sets the tone for the entire offense and opens things up over the top. Auburn's defense can't get sucked into run support and leave their defensive backs over-exposed like what happened to the Badgers. If it does, however, Clifford has to make the huge throws that he missed several times in that Badger game. Either way, this doesn't seem like the explosive PSU offenses that won them a Big Ten Title under Joe Moorhead's leadership, but a much more methodical unit that can take the occasional deep shot. I don't think they will be dropping 35-40 points regularly, but they might not need to with this defense.

The Auburn offense is going to look quite a bit different under new head man Bryan Harsin than under Gus Malzahn. Malzahn leaned on trick plays and gadget plays, long pass attempts and options to try and manufacture yardage. Harsin instead will want to run the ball, play well in the trenches, and occasionally open things up with play-action. So far, the Tigers are averaging 61 points per game using that method, but their two opponents have been Akron, possibly one of the worst teams in FBS this year, and a poor FCS team in Alabama State. It's quite a different story lining up against a Penn State team that has fast, aggressive linebackers and has one of the early favorites for "Transfer of the Year" in defensive linemen Arnold Ebiketie. The fact of the matter is that quarterback Bo Nix is going to have to prove that he can make the plays in big games that he simply hasn't throughout his career. Outside of his first start, when he led a miraculous comeback against Oregon, Nix has consistently struggled to play well against the best opponents Auburn faces. It's one thing to take on this PSU secondary in front of your home crowd, but I worry about Nix and his effectiveness as they go into Happy Valley. Tank Bigsby, Jarquez Hunter, and this entire run game may be able to get things going, but they need to hit the big throws to pull off a road upset.

Bryan Harsin has had a nice introduction to his Auburn tenure, going up against a terrible FBS team and pummeling an FCS opponent. This is going to be his first real opportunity to show any early returns with this Auburn program and also use this game as a measuring stick against one of the best programs in the Big Ten. I wasn't very high on this Auburn team going into 2021 and even with a pair of blowout wins to their credit, my opinion has not yet drastically changed. They won't be an easy opponent considering that there is SEC talent throughout this roster, but they simply aren't good enough to go to Penn State and take this game.

The Pick: Penn State, 31 Auburn, 20

(#19) Arizona State Sun Devils @ (#23) BYU Cougars

The third ranked-ranked matchup of the weekend kicks off at 9:15 central time, with Arizona State and BYU meeting up in Provo. Arizona State has yet to face a significant test so far on the 2021 season after a tumultuous off-season, while BYU's been a surprise, beating two straight Pac-12 foes and ending Utah's hold on the "Holy War" rivalry.

Arizona State has run through Southern Utah and UNLV to open up the year. Neither win has challenged them much at any point, so it's hard to know much about them at this point in the campaign. We do know that quarterback Jayden Daniels is one of the best signal-callers anywhere in the nation, flashing both his huge arm and stellar running ability over the first two weeks. The Sun Devil ground game as a whole has been tremendous, with the trio of Rachaad White, Daniyel Ngata, and DeaMonte "Chip" Traynum all putting up strong numbers. I am curious to see who steps up at receiver and becomes the real go-to guy for Daniels and this offense. There are an abundance of options available, but none have really stepped forward at this point in the season. BYU's defense is also a top matchup, particularly early on in the season when they're fresh. They're disciplined and have always been a physical football team that plays differently than most Pac-12 schools. This game is going to tell us a lot about Arizona State in general, but also whether the program has instilled the toughness that Herm Edwards has long emphasized throughout his coaching career.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Cougars after a magical 2020, as Zach Wilson is now a New York Jet and the entire roster was hit hard by losses. However, BYU has beaten Arizona and Utah to begin the season and is looking to add another strong win to their resume. Sophomore Jaren Hall won the quarterback job out of camp and while he's no Wilson, he's been a rock-solid passer who doesn't turn the ball over. Hall has been the perfect type of QB for what BYU now wants to do offensively; with Wilson they aired it out more than past Cougar teams but with a quality running back situation, they've returned to a power-run attack. Leading the way is bruising back Tyler Allgeier, who has all the makings of a workhorse back. He's scored just once on the year so far, but has set the tone for the Cougar offense the entire way. At wide out, BYU has several playmakers available, namely Neil Pau'u and Washington transfer Puka Nacua, but you wonder how aggressive they'll be through the air. Although it's obviously extremely early, the Sun Devils currently have the nation's fourth best pass defense. This Sun Devil secondary has always been a group that knows how to force turnovers and the offense is good enough to capitalize on them. It's going to be interesting to see how head coach Kalani Sitake and new OC Aaron Roderick handle things.

To me, this has all the makings of a toss-up game. Arizona State is the more talented team top to bottom and having Jayden Daniels is clearly a huge advantage. With that being said, going into LaVell Edwards Stadium is significantly more dangerous than the average college football fan may realize. BYU has been a program that plays especially hard at home, and their brand of football wears you down over an entire four quarters. If Arizona State can handle it, they become neck-and-neck with UCLA in the Pac-12 South conversation. It's a tall order, but I think they can do it.

The Pick: Arizona State, 26 BYU, 21

Other Picks

(#8) Cincinnati, 27 Indiana, 17 -- I'm concerned about this Indiana offense after what we saw in the opener against Iowa. Cincinnati's defense is nearly as good and their offense is good enough for them to win a slugfest.

(#3) Oklahoma, 38 Nebraska, 14 -- A redux of a classic Big 12 rivalry, I don't see Nebraska competing with the Sooners past halftime. At this point, who on the 'Husker offense is supposed to strike fear into OU?

(#6) Clemson, 45 Georgia Tech, 17 -- Although I think GT is slowly making progress under Geoff Collins, this series has been a blowout as of late. Clemson begins their quest towards another ACC Title at this spot.

(#12) Notre Dame, 21 Purdue, 20 -- Real upset opportunity for Purdue, even though the game is in South Bend. The Irish hold a five game win streak currently, but it's hard to know what you're getting out of them from week-to-week.

Upset: Michigan State, 28 Miami, 25 -- I came up just short in picking against Miami last weekend, but I think the Hurricanes are on upset alert once again. Michigan State has looked really strong over the first two weeks and they go into Coral Gables and pull off the win.

Superdog (covers > 21 spread): South Carolina (+31) @ Georgia -- I understand Georgia is currently No. 2 in the country and this game is in Athens, but I'm still shocked at this spread. Less than two years ago, the Gamecocks went into Sanford Stadium and shocked the Bulldogs. I don't think that will happen here, but they're good enough to cover over four touchdowns.

2021 Post-Week Two CFB Roundup

Anthony Brown, Oregon

Reactions & Thoughts

Oregon & Mario Cristobal Get Their Signature Win: Mario Cristobal has done a superb job in Eugene since taking over, with the Ducks entering 2021 coming off two straight Pac-12 Titles and two straight New Year's Six Bowl appearances. However, Cristobal and Oregon were still waiting on a huge, statement win that would announce their return to national relevance. That happened this past Saturday, with the Ducks walking into Columbus and outplaying Ohio State in a 35-28 victory. It wasn't that Ohio State played a bad game either, but that Oregon simply outplayed them. They dominated the line of scrimmage, ran the ball all day, and made the right decisions when they needed to. Quarterback Anthony Brown heard all off-season about the possibility of him losing his job to highly touted freshman Ty Thompson, but came out and played a terrific football game. On the other side of the ball, the Ducks played surprisingly well considering they were without two of their best defenders, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Justin Flowe. There was the occasional breakdown in coverage, but that tends to happen to anybody facing these dynamic Ohio State receivers. For the Ducks, they now become the overwhelming favorite in the Pac-12, and should be favored in every game the rest of the way. The Pac-12 North undoubtedly is theirs to lose at this point, but they'll have to demonstrate they can stay above the fray in a league known for beating each other up.

Iowa Remains The Best In The State: After a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to the Big Ten playing a conference-only schedule, the Cy-Hawk rivalry returned over the weekend. Iowa State entered as a slight favorite and had a real opportunity to get a huge win at home, but they ran into an absolute buzzsaw in the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes didn't blow the doors off the Cyclones, but were in control of the game pretty much the entire way. They played better at the line of scrimmage, controlled the ball, and forced four Cyclone turnovers. The Iowa defense is on a run not talked about enough in the national media; they have now played 24 straight games allowing less than 25 points. Considering how explosive offenses have become nowadays, that may be one of the most amazing streaks we have seen in recent college football memory. With Ohio State losing, the Hawkeyes now become the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten and logically, the early favorite to win the league. Can they keep this train rolling? Home games against Kent State and Colorado State over the next two seem to indicate they'll get out of September with a perfect 4-0 mark.

So, Maybe Texas Isn't Actually "Back"?: Last week I sung the praises of Texas after they pummeled a veteran Louisiana-Lafayette team to begin the year. It was an awfully impressive way to begin the Steve Sarkisian era, and looked like this could team could set up to be a Big 12 Title contender. So naturally, a week later, they go on the road and lose to Arkansas by nearly three touchdowns. The same offense that looked crisp and comfortable in Week One couldn't get anything going against Barry Odom's defense, and the Longhorn defense couldn't contain K.J. Jefferson and the Razorbacks. It was the type of early setback that will test this new staff and teach them quite a bit about how this particular team battles through adversity. However, Arkansas deserves a ton of credit for the way they played in this game. They were a little slow out of the gates in the opener against Rice, but looked like the better team the entire way. It's a great story for a team that went through rough times later in the Bret Bielema years and the entire Chad Morris tenure. The win gave us this awesome video featuring AD Hunter Yurachek, and showing how important the victory was to this athletic department and school.

The Longest Hot Seat In CFB Is Over: Clay Helton has perpetually been on the hot seat at USC for what feels like his entire tenure. After a 5-7 2018 campaign, Helton managed to survive 2019 and a pandemic-shortened 2020 but after just two games this fall, AD Mike Bohn made the decision to let him go. The decision comes after a bad loss to Stanford, who was coming off a terrible showing against Kansas State. The loss was bad enough that several notable former Trojans came out and talked about their frustrations with the state of the program, most notably Matt Leinart and Keyshawn Johnson. The writing was pretty clearly on the wall, but I am shocked that this decision was made now. It essentially punts on USC contending for a Pac-12 South Title this year, which is surprising considering that this is an extremely talented roster with a veteran QB. The advantage is that the Trojans now have the whole regular season to look for a new head coach and are going to likely be the top job available for someone trying to move up. There will be some unique names thrown out there, such as Bob Stoops, Chris Petersen, and Urban Meyer, as well as current coaches who would be in line for a promotion, including Penn State's James Franklin, Cincinnati's Luke Fickell, and Iowa State's Matt Campbell. Franklin makes a lot of sense to me as a guy who would fit this job and area, but a young coordinator or head coach seems more USC's style.

BYU Turns The Tide In The "Holy War": Although it doesn't get a ton of national attention, the BYU-Utah rivalry is among the most heated anywhere in college football. The two schools and fanbases despise each other, and it's always an interesting non-conference test for Utah. As of late, the Utes have dominated the "Holy War" series, winning nine straight dating back to 2009. It looked like bad timing for a BYU team that was supposed to be rebuilding this season. Their best team in years, the 2020 one, didn't get to square off against the Utes due to the Pac-12 initially cancelling their season and going conference-only later on. The Cougars still got their revenge a year later, as they took down Utah at home, 26-17. It wasn't a flashy performance from the Cougars, but was simply hard-fought, good football. They earned an early lead and held it the entire way, beating the Utes in every major category and forcing a pair of turnovers. It was a massive win for Kalani Sitake and the entire BYU staff, showing that the program, which is soon to join the Big 12, has staying power.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Brennan Armstrong, QB, Virginia

Virginia and quarterback Brennan Armstrong had an impressive Saturday, beating Illinois 42-14 in front of their home crowd. Armstrong was the catalyst, finishing with over 430 yards of total offense and throwing for five touchdowns, while completing 75% of his passes. Sure, the Illinois defense does not look like the same group that handled Adrian Martinez and Nebraska for most of the opener, but throwing for those numbers against any Power Five defense is worthy of recognition. The Cavaliers are now 2-0 on the young season, but get a real challenge as they go on the road to meet North Carolina.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Hayden Henry, LB, Arkansas

Arkansas has one of the best linebacker corps anywhere in college football, and they proved it with a swarming defensive performance against Texas this past Saturday. The physical Razorbacks never let the Longhorns get comfortable and punished them the entire night, with Hayden Henry finishing as the team's leading tackler. Henry finished with 15 total tackles and also managed 2.5 tackles for loss, helping hold UT to an average of just 3.4 yards per carry. It must of been a special night for Hayden and the entire Henry family; Hayden is one of three Henry brothers who have played at Arkansas, and he had a tremendous game in a program-altering win in Fayetteville.

Team of the Week: Oregon Ducks

No matter how much talent you have on your roster, going into "The Shoe" and beating Ohio State is an incredibly tall order. Oregon, despite a Top 15 ranking, walked in as two touchdown underdogs and outplayed the Buckeyes the entire way, claiming a 35-28 victory. To do that without two of your best defensive players was extremely impressive and indicates how much Mario Cristobal and this staff have upgraded the depth on this roster. Saying that a "program has arrived" sounds cliche, but this really did feel like a turning point for the Ducks and the Pac-12 as a whole.

"Small School" Team of the Week: Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Coming off a game in which they went toe-to-toe with Notre Dame and nearly took down the Irish, Florida State was looking to breeze against Jacksonville State this weekend. The Gamecocks lost badly to UAB to open their season, and the Seminoles were a 28-point favorite in Doak Campbell. But, there's a reason college football games aren't played on paper. The Gamecocks held their own the entire way and then scored a miraculous long touchdown as time expired, shocking Florida State. It was particularly interesting that the two players that spearheaded the win, QB Zerrick Cooper and wide out Damond Philyaw-Johnson, were transfers from ACC schools. Cooper came from Clemson and Philyaw-Johnson from Duke, two guys who probably envisioned they'd be beating FSU on different teams than Jacksonville State when they began their careers.

Current Rank                Previous Rank 

1. Alabama Crimson Tide    (1)

2. Georgia Bulldogs    (2)

3. Oklahoma Sooners    (3)

4. Oregon Ducks    (6)

5. Cincinnati Bearcats    (5)

6. Iowa Hawkeyes    (11)

7. Texas A&M Aggies    (9)

8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish    (8)

9. Clemson Tigers    (10)

10. Ohio State Buckeyes    (4)

11. Penn State Nittany Lions    (13)

12. Florida Gators    (15)

13. Iowa State Cyclones    (7)

14. Arizona State Sun Devils    (16)

15. UNC Tar Heels    (17)

16. UCLA Bruins    (20)

17. Liberty Flames    (18)

18. Miami Hurricanes    (19)

19. USC Trojans    (12)

20. TCU Horned Frogs    (21)

21. Ole Miss Rebels    (22)

22. Virginia Tech Hokies    (23)

23. Wisconsin Badgers    (24)

24. Arkansas Razorbacks    (NR)

25. Nevada Wolfpack    (25)

Just Missed: Texas Longhorns, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Boston College Eagles, Michigan Wolverines, Indiana Hoosiers, BYU Cougars

Dropped Out: Texas (14)

College Football Picks 2021: Week Two

Ty Goodson, Iowa

Current Picks Record: 8-1

Upset: 1-0

Superdog: 1-0

(#12) Oregon Ducks @ (#3) Ohio State Buckeyes

Without a CFB Playoff participant in a half-decade, the Pac-12 is eager they still belong among the rest of the Power Five. Having the league's favorite, Oregon, go on the road and beat a top three Ohio State team in Columbus would go along way in showing that West Coast football deserves more respect. Of course, it's easier said than done, as the Ducks will have to find some way to slow down a Buckeye offense that has an abundance of weapons.

Ohio State's offense started slightly slow in their season opener against Minnesota last Thursday, but turned on the jets in the second half. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was okay; good enough to put his team in position to win, but not the reason the Buckeyes came out on top. Stroud's role will likely remain the same for much of the season, as he just has to get the ball to OSU's playmakers. Those playmakers include the best 1-2 wide receiver combo in college football in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, both who had superb showings against the Gophers. It will be interesting to see whether Oregon's secondary will be able to keep up, as this was a shaky pass defense a season ago, but there's enough talent to keep them in the game. The more important question for Oregon's defense is the status of stud defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was knocked out of the Fresno State game with a sprained ankle. Thibodeaux and the Duck pass rush has to apply pressure on Stroud, or else he'll sit back and pick them apart, like he was able to do for most of the night against Minnesota.

Oregon's offense also looked slightly out-of-sync in the opener against Fresno, which isn't much of a surprise considering it was the season's first live action. Quarterback Anthony Brown has become the full-fledged starter now that Tyler Shough is at Texas Tech, but his play last weekend was underwhelming. He's accurate and can make things happen with his legs, but his inability to throw the deep ball really limits what this offense can do. Fans have already begun calling for highly touted true freshman Ty Thompson, but I'd be shocked if his first action in his collegiate career is against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Brown does give them a fighting chance, but Oregon will also need more from a ground game that took a long time to get going a weekend ago. C.J. Verdell and Travis Dye are a load to handle when they get going but the offensive line didn't open up holes the way they needed to succeed. Ohio State's rush defense is susceptible, considering all the pieces they lost at linebacker this off-season, so Oregon will need to take advantage. 

It's hard to know exactly what we're getting from these two after just one regular season game against solid, but not elite, opponents. Oregon's more than talented enough on both sides of the ball to not just compete against OSU, but beat them. However, they haven't seen an offense with this many weapons in years, and I'm just not sure Brown and company can keep up. Perhaps if this game was in Autzen Stadium I'd think differently, but the Buckeyes are definitely the better bet at this point.

The Pick: Ohio State, 35 Oregon, 24

(#10) Iowa Hawkeyes @ (#9) Iowa State Cyclones

The Cy-Hawk rivalry is among the most heated in college football, but it's rare that the game has much relevance on a national scale. That is not the case in 2021, as the matchup will have major ramifications beyond just the state of Iowa and may even impact the Playoff race.

Iowa State was a media darling for much of the off-season, and for good reason. They return nearly everyone from a team that won the Fiesta Bowl a year ago, including a potential Heisman candidate in tailback Breece Hall. However, they didn't exactly blow the doors off of their FCS foe in Week One, as they beat Northern Iowa by less than a touchdown. It shouldn't be a reason to worry, as UNI is a tough FCS team that always plays the Iowa schools tight and the Cyclones are known as a program that oftentimes starts off the season slow. With that being said, the offense has to kick it into a different gear against an Iowa defense that has proven they can force turnovers. Hall provides them with a proven weapon to move the ball, but the real X-factor is Brock Purdy. Purdy's had a tremendous Iowa State career but too often, he's been prone to the big turnover, or has struggled in important games. The Cyclones need him to take care of the ball and make the right reads against a Hawkeye defense that is going to throw everything they have at him. Considering how much Michael Penix, an All-Big Ten QB, struggled against Iowa last Saturday, I'm definitely worried about the success of the ISU aerial attack here. The Cyclones do have a possible advantage in the trenches with a veteran O-Line, which will be huge in the field position battle.

Iowa's offense will be the same scheme we've seen for years now under Kirk Ferentz: control the ball and the line of scrimmage, and run the football. With that being said, it's been awhile since we've seen a Hawkeye back with the natural talent of Ty Goodson. Goodson's an explosive open field runner and decent pass-catcher out of the backfield, which could potentially open up this Iowa offense in ways we haven't seen in the past. The Cyclones have to be wary of the different ways the Hawkeyes can use him, but having the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Mike Rose to help out in coverage and run support is a huge benefit. For Iowa, the X-factor is their own quarterback, Spencer Petras, who plays like a typical Hawkeye QB but has struggled with accuracy. For this offense to be successful he doesn't need to be throwing the ball all over the field, but he has missed big throws in key points at times. The Cyclone secondary isn't easy to throw against, but Nico Ragiani, Tyrone Tracy, and tight end Sam LaPorta could put some pressure on them. The Hawkeyes also have to find a way to win out in the trenches on their own side; they have a strong O-Line led by anchor Tyler Linderbaum, but ISU has an impressive pass rush, headlined by Will McDonald. 

Expect this game to have many of the normal hallmarks of a Cy-Hawk rivalry game. Even though both offenses are talented, it could easily turn into a ball control, field position slugfest. There is no question the motivation levels for both programs after the rivalry was cancelled in 2020. Iowa is out to prove they are still the elite program in the state, while ISU is attempting to defeat the Hawkeyes for the first time in the Matt Campbell era. The Cyclones are favored, primarily because they are the home team here, but I'm actually leaning towards the Hawkeyes. Their performance last Saturday should have put the world on notice that this is an effective, methodical offense with a hungry, ball-hawking defense. They've owned this rivalry for some time now, and should add another victory to their win total here.

The Pick: Iowa, 24 Iowa State, 20

(#15) Texas Longhorns @ Arkansas Razorbacks

Old Southwest Conference foes collide in Fayetteville on Saturday, with the 15th-ranked Longhorns taking on a tough Arkansas squad. Texas had an impressive debut under Steve Sarkisian and the new coaching staff, rolling past a sneaky Louisiana-Lafayette team at home. However, the Razorbacks offer different challenges than the Ragin' Cajuns, and will be eager to offer the Longhorns a glimpse of what their future will be like in the SEC.

Both sides of the ball looked crisp and well-coached in the Longhorn season-opening victory. On offense, quarterback Hudson Card made the right reads, took care of the ball, and looked to be in complete control of the offense. It also helps that he has pieces like tailback Bijan Robinson and wide out Jordan Whittington to support him, both who had huge days last week. I do expect Texas to be more aggressive through the air this week, simply based on their opponent. Arkansas is a team with elite linebackers, Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool, who love to punish opposing rushing attacks. The Longhorns will still use Robinson in a variety of ways, but Card may also be asked to get the ball downfield more. He will need more help from this receiver corps beyond just Whittington and veteran Joshua Moore, so keep an eye on names like Xavier Worthy. Arkansas is a team that knows how to force turnovers, so while Card should be more aggressive, there are going to be plenty of situations where he'll check it down or throw the ball away.

We still aren't sure what the Arkansas offense will look like in 2021, but it could be an interesting challenge. They were slow out of the gate last Saturday against Rice, before turning it on in the fourth quarter. Quarterback K.J. Jefferson still leaves something to be desired as a passer, but his dual-threat abilities make things difficult. He'll help lead a Razorback rushing attack that should be their main fuel of their offense, as backs Trelon Smith and Raheim Sanders are intriguing playmakers. They could present a real challenge to a talented, but inexperienced, Texas defensive front. With that being said, Arkansas is going to need to pass the ball better in order to pull off an upset. The Longhorns never feared Louisiana's aerial attack a week ago, which helped them hold the veteran-led offense to just 18 points. Simply put, Jefferson is going to have to make some big throws, and he does have some pieces on the perimeter that can help him do so.

I'm not sure if we should overreact to Texas and their big victory last weekend. They looked great, but Arkansas is a pretty tough matchup for the second week of the season. The Razorbacks are a physical football team that plays hard for the entire sixty minutes, and Razorback Stadium is one of the more underrated venues in college football. Texas remains the smarter pick here based on their talent and what we've seen so far this fall, but don't be surprised if Arkansas seriously pushes them. This is a Razorback team and program with serious potential to cause chaos this fall.

The Pick: Texas, 30 Arkansas, 21

Other Picks

(#5) Texas A&M, 27 @ Colorado, 16 -- Former Big 12 rivals match up here in an interesting one in Denver. The Buffaloes don't have an answer for Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane on the ground, but the Aggies need more from Haynes King.

Michigan, 30 Washington, 20 -- After a shocking upset loss to Montana in Week One, it's a tall task for Washington to go into the Big House and take down a stingy Michigan squad.

(#21) Utah, 28 BYU, 21 -- The Utes have absolutely dominated "The Holy War" as of late and their superior defense helps them hold off the Cougars.

(#14) USC, 34 Stanford, 17 -- Stanford's offense looked terrible last week, and even with Tanner McKee set to take over full-time at quarterback, they don't have the legs to compete with USC for an entire four quarters.

Upset: Appalachian State, 37 Miami, 31 -- Miami may be slightly unfocused after their bad showing against Alabama last Saturday, and the last two Power Five teams App. State has met they've beaten.

Superdog (covers > 21 spread): Indiana State (+26.5) @ Northwestern -- Indiana State is a mediocre FCS program, but Northwestern looked really bad last week and I'm not sure if the offense will be able to score 26 on their own.

2021 Post-Week One CFB Roundup

Bryce Young, Alabama

College football is back in all its glory, with a stacked week of games turning the 2021 season into high gear. The first real weekend of the season had just about everything you could want: Top 25 matchups, notable upsets, awe-inspiring performances, and full stadiums providing the energy and enthusiasm that was missed so dearly a year ago. There is plenty to recap from a week that was spread out over five nights, so without further ado...

Reactions & Thoughts

Don't Overreact to Clemson-UGA: Georgia versus Clemson was the most notable game of the weekend, with a pair of Top 5 teams looking to build an initial CFB Playoff resume.Unfortunately the game was, quite frankly, a snoozer. Neither team scored an offensive touchdown, but a pick-six from Georgia safety Christopher Smith proved to be the difference. The offensive struggles weren't much fun to watch, but fans shouldn't read too much into either performance. The Bulldogs were operating without several key pass-catchers, while the Tigers were led by a QB making his third career start, facing a really good UGA defense. Both teams are way too talented not to be a factor in the Playoff race long-term, and both schedules are extremely favorable the rest of the way. 

Clemson has less margin for error if they still want to compete for a National Title, but they're still likely to be favored in every game the rest of the way. It is concerning how poor their offensive line played in this game, but there is no ACC foe that has a pass rush even comparable to Georgia's. My guess is Dabo and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott will go back to the drawing board and the Tigers will come out firing next week.

Surprise, Surprise Alabama is Alabama: Despite a staggering amount of production leaving Tuscaloosa this off-season, the Crimson Tide were nearly three touchdown favorites against a Top 15 Miami. That number proved to still be disrespectful to Alabama, who pummeled the Hurricanes en route to a 44-13 victory. It's still unbelievable how Nick Saban-led teams always look so crisp and poised during the first week of the season, especially when you consider there's a new OC here, new QB, and plenty of new faces at the skill positions. Bryce Young looks ready to become the next great Alabama quarterback, and unsurprisingly, the Tide defense looked fantastic. Until somebody proves they're better, I don't know how any honest college football viewer can put anyone at No. 1 other than the Tide.

On the flip side, it's the same old story for the Miami Hurricanes. They can beat up on mediocre ACC foes, but the program just doesn't have the legs to compete with the true elites of the college football world right now. You thought a healthy D'Eriq King may give them a fighting chance to at least make things competitive here, but King was neutralized from the first snap on. I still think this team should win 8-9 games and with UNC losing, the ACC Coastal is wide open. But, they are far, far away from even getting close to the glory years of the "U".

Yes, Texas Looks Legit (For Now): One of the more surprising performances of the weekend for me was Texas, who throughly manhandled a veteran Louisiana-Lafayette team that may end up winning the Sun Belt. Bijan Robinson ran through the Ragin' Cajuns on the ground, and explosive wide out Jordan Whittington killed them through the air as the Longhorns rolled to a 38-18 win. What was so impressive about the win is not just that Texas moved the ball so effectively and also played stingy defense. It's that they looked crisp, controlled, and disciplined. For so many years under Charlie Strong and Tom Herman, the Longhorns had loads of talent but seemed to forego the fundamental parts of game: not turning the ball over, committing penalties, poor special teams. This Texas team looked like a completely different team under Steve Sarkisian and his new staff. There will be people that criticize the fact it was "only a Sun Belt school" but this ULL team is a lot tougher team than the casual college football fan may handle, and the game was never really in doubt.

The next step for Texas is proving they can do it multiple weeks in a row. Next up is Arkansas, a team that plays a physical brand of football and should be ready to contain Robinson on the ground. That could put more pressure on quarterback Hudson Card, who will face the first road atmosphere of his young career. The fact that Oklahoma and Iowa State didn't exactly blow the doors of their Week One foes should be an extra motivator for a Texas program that always has conference titles on their mind.

FCS Over FBS Upsets: With primarily conference-only schedules being played and most FCS teams not even playing a fall season, we missed out on one of the funnest things of an early college football season: FCS teams pulling off upsets over FBS foes. There were several massive upsets over the weekend, including a ranked Washington team falling victim to Montana. Additionally, South Dakota State beat Colorado State, East Tennessee State beat Vanderbilt, UC Davis beat Tulsa, and Holy Cross beat UConn. These results served another reminder of how quality the talent is at the FCS level and the fact that the difference between FBS and FCS is not as much as you'd imagine. Don't be surprised if there's one or two next week as well, with my best bet being Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech. 

Coaching Carousel Begins to Spin: It's early September, and the 2021-22 coaching carousel has already begun to spin. UConn head coach Randy Edsall announced that he would be retiring at the season's end over the weekend then 24 hours later, he resigned effective immediately. It's not surprising considering how atrocious UConn has looked in their first two games of the season, but who would want that job right now? The Huskies don't even look like they want to be playing football anymore and it's not exactly easy to build a competitive football team in the Northeast at a basketball school. I have absolutely no idea which direction UConn goes in from here, but it's pretty amazing how far the program has descended after they were fairly respectable in the Big East during Edsall's first tenure as head coach.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky

Bailey Zappe joined both his offensive coordinator and several other members from Houston Baptist in transferring to Western Kentucky over the off-season. Those HBU teams were infamous for explosive, aggressive passing offenses, which appears to be continuing at WKU. Zappe threw for 424 yards and a jaw-dropping seven touchdowns, while completing 80 percent of his passes. Sure, UT-Martin is not exactly the most difficult team the Hilltoppers will face in 2021, but it was the type of performance WKU and head coach Tyson Helton were looking for when they brought in Zappe and company.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Riley Moss, CB, Iowa

Iowa at home was always going to be a tough matchup for Indiana to open the 2021 season, but I don't think many people expected the Hawkeyes to dominate the Hoosiers in quite the way they did. In addition to a strong offensive showing, the Hawkeye defense confused Michael Penix Jr. the entire sixty minutes, picking him off three times. Two of those three interceptions came from corner Riley Moss, who brought back a pair all the way to the house. It's hard enough for a defensive back to pick off two passes in a single game, but for both to be pick-sixes? Moss gets the nod as the first defensive helmet sticker of the young season.

Team of the Week: Alabama Crimson Tide

Miami may not end up being the most difficult test of the season for Alabama, but it was still awfully impressive how dominant the Tide looked in the opener. They looked dominant from the first minute on both sides of the ball, with a wide variety of big names getting in on the fun. Bryce Young had a tremendous debut as starting QB, former Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams emerged as the top wide out, and the stacked Tide linebacker corps shut down Miami all game long.

"Small School" Team of the Week: Montana Grizzlies

Montana has long been a respectable FCS program out of the Big Sky, but it was still quite the shocker that they were able to go into Husky Stadium and take down a Top 20 Washington squad. The Grizzlies never let Washington's offense get into any type of rhythm and turned over starting QB Dylan Morris three times. It could set up a special season for a Montana team that ranked second in the Big Sky preseason poll this fall, coming in just behind Weber State.

Current Rank                    Previous Rank (Preseason)

1. Alabama Crimson Tide    (2)

2. Georgia Bulldogs    (3)

3. Oklahoma Sooners    (1)

4. Ohio State Buckeyes    (4)

5. Cincinnati Bearcats    (8)

6. Oregon Ducks    (6)

7. Iowa State Cyclones    (7)

8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish    (9)

9. Texas A&M Aggies    (11)

10. Clemson Tigers    (5)

11. Iowa Hawkeyes    (13)

12. USC Trojans    (12)

13. Penn State Nittany Lions    (16)

14. Texas Longhorns    (22)

15. Florida Gators   (14)

16. Arizona State Sun Devils    (20)

17. UNC Tar Heels    (10)

18. Liberty Flames    (21)

19. Miami Hurricanes    (15)

20. UCLA Bruins    (NR)

21. TCU Horned Frogs    (25)

22. Ole Miss Rebels    (NR)

23. Virginia Tech Hokies    (NR)

24. Wisconsin Badgers    (17)

25. Nevada Wolfpack    (NR)

Just Missed: Indiana Hoosiers, Utah Utes, Boston College Eagles, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, UCF Knights, Michigan Wolverines

Dropped Out: Indiana (19), Washington (23), LSU (24)