College football Week 7 highlights – top plays, games, takeaways

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  • David Hale, ESPN Workers AuthorOct 13, 2024, 12:29 AM ET

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    • School soccer reporter.
    • Joined ESPN in 2012.
    • Graduate of the College of Delaware.

Change may be scary. It is simple to go searching on the school soccer panorama in 2024 — realignment, playoff enlargement, NIL, the portal, lawsuits, Michigan’s offense — and suppose the entire thing’s gone haywire. The game actually seems to be little prefer it did 25 years in the past or, actually, 25 months in the past.

And but, Saturday supplied us a vivid reminder that change generally is a good factor. It may be refreshing and rewarding and exhilarating. It could actually present us a path ahead we by no means would’ve imagined however, as soon as it exists, we surprise how we ever lived one other manner.

It may give us absolutely the fireworks of Oregon 32, Ohio State 31.

It may give us the dizzying back-and-forth of Penn State 33, USC 30.

It may give us playoff previews, star-making performances and Massive Ten soccer that appears extra like Pac-12 After Darkish.

Let’s face it, the Massive Ten has a observe document of easing into most seasons like an outdated man right into a heat tub. The normal powers of Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan are inclined to backload the slate in favor of MAC showdowns, Rutgers beatdowns and the occasional slugfest in opposition to Notre Dame. So lots of the league’s latest seasons have performed out just like the “Surf Dracula” meme about status TV. The entire season is spent explaining how Dracula purchased his surfboard earlier than we ever see him catch a wave. So it’s with the Massive Ten — a protracted slog of pointless diversions earlier than The Sport.

Not in 2024, although. Not with Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA becoming a member of the convention.

Now, we’ve got actual stakes earlier than the bottom freezes in Ann Arbor.

Now, we’ve got epic battles that look much less like the normal heavyweight slugfests between two getting old boxers plodding their manner towards a 12-round choice and extra like a toddler’s celebration — managed chaos, the place each second requires some leisure lest somebody set the curtains on hearth and a mum or dad finally has to step in when a sport of pin the tail on the donkey goes awry.

How totally different is the Massive Ten this 12 months? Iowa put up 40 factors, Wisconsin appears to have discovered the Air Raid and Purdue confirmed indicators of life in Week 7. Heck, Michigan had the week off however nonetheless threw for 50 yards greater than its season common. However the primary occasions got here in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon, and boy did they ship.

For the opener Saturday, Penn State erased a 13-point second-half deficit, delivered a drive for the ages to tie the sport at 30, then linked on a kick to win it in extra time.

Drew Allar threw three picks, however that is not what anybody in Glad Valley will bear in mind. As an alternative, it will be the 2 magical completions he made on fourth down on that game-tying drive — 17 yards to Julian Fleming on fourth-and-7 at his personal 44, then a nifty escape from a collapsing pocket to hit Fleming once more on fourth-and-10 on the USC 39.

Tyler Warren caught 17 balls for 224 yards, a factor receivers in Michigan did not suppose was attainable in a full season. He was someway at all times open all through the primary three quarters, forcing USC to regulate simply sufficient to depart Fleming free for these large grabs down the stretch.

It was a sport during which Penn State confirmed extra offensive creativity than it had throughout the entirety of Allar’s first season on the helm in 2023.

That all of it fell aside for USC due to Lincoln Riley’s brutal clock administration on the ultimate drive — someway getting off simply 5 performs within the closing two minutes, presumably as a result of the Trojans are on Pacific time whereas the Massive Ten refs solely function on Central time — and a missed kick in extra time does nothing to make it much less of an epic.

However then there was the headlining act at Autzen Stadium, the place each Oregon and Ohio State completely appeared the a part of top-five groups, there have been seven lead modifications within the closing 40 minutes of motion, and in a operating theme that should’ve fully baffled any Florida State followers watching, a participant named Uiagalelei made one important play after one other down the stretch.

The sport had its share of ridiculousness: a missed PAT, an onside kick that resembled an NBA out-of-bounds play, a participant ejected for spitting, and, once more, some brutal late clock administration.

Greater than something, although, it had two of the very best groups within the sport enjoying at their peak.

Freshman Jeremiah Smith appeared like a famous person as soon as once more, catching 9 balls for 100 yards and a rating. Emeka Egbuka was simply pretty much as good. And QB Will Howard threw for 326 yards, however his lack of clock consciousness within the closing 30 seconds of the sport proved Ohio State’s undoing.

Dillon Gabriel had 373 yards and three touchdowns. Evan Stewart, oft criticized for his lack of physicality, completely devoured Ohio State’s secondary to the tune of 149 yards. With star edge rusher Jordan Burch out with an harm, Matayo Uiagalelei had 5 tackles, a sack, 2 TFLs and a couple of QB hurries within the win.

None of that is to counsel there is not any have to complain about this new period of faculty soccer. For each Ohio State-Oregon we’ll get this season, there shall be a Rutgers-UCLA. And for all the joy in Autzen on Saturday, the sport probably meant little past flip-flopping spots within the prime 25 for Oregon and Ohio State. Odds are, these two will see one another once more — within the Massive Ten title sport or the School Soccer Playoff or at Chip Kelly’s annual above-ground pool social gathering.

That is the factor about change. It is by no means all good or all unhealthy. It is simply totally different — generally enjoyable, generally irritating, and at all times simply one other step on an ever-evolving journey. The purpose is to take pleasure in all of it whereas it lasts as a result of, if the previous 12 months has taught us something, it is that nothing lasts endlessly, however there are nonetheless so many recollections to be made in these wonderful moments, like Week 7, when the world slows down simply lengthy sufficient for us to understand how good we’ve got it.

Soar to:
Alabama survives | Red River | Midseason awards
Vibe shifts | Under the radar

Alabama survives — barely

It has been a protracted week in Tuscaloosa. After the loss to Vanderbilt, the Tide devoted have been left shell-shocked — parting their bangs at an affordable level, dipping sourdough into their Dreamland BBQ sauce, totally melting down when calling in to Finebaum.

However what was primarily a “unhappy middle-aged dad considers life after divorce” week got here oh-so-close to melting down right into a full-blown “We’re getting hair plugs and a Cybertruck” state of affairs as Alabama noticed a 14-0 lead evaporate in opposition to South Carolina, then struggled deep into the second half.

Desire a actually wild stat to totally grasp how totally different this season has been at Alabama? The Gamecocks took a 19-14 lead halfway by means of the third quarter after a 16-play, 85-yard landing drive, capped by a 1-yard run from Raheim Sanders. It was the third landing drive of 16 performs or extra in opposition to Alabama this 12 months, after Wisconsin and Vanderbilt each had 17-play TD drives. From 2014 by means of 2023, Alabama’s protection surrendered precisely one such drive (in opposition to Ole Miss in 2020).

However put aside the esoteric stats and focus on one thing extra troubling: After the Tide could not get off the sector late in opposition to Vandy final week, they’d the identical struggles in opposition to South Carolina on Saturday. Main 27-19 with simply 1:54 to play, Alabama allowed the Gamecocks to march the size of the sector on six performs for the rating. Solely a failed two-point attempt stored the sport from being tied.

The Gamecocks weren’t performed, although. They completely executed an onside kick with 43 seconds left for an opportunity to win, however poor clock administration and a passing sport that resembles a roomful of toddlers operating into the partitions for enjoyable doomed the trouble.

So, Alabama survived 27-19, which staved off full-blown anarchy for now. However per week after its protection imploded in opposition to the Commodores, its offense mustered simply 313 yards — the Tide’s fewest in opposition to an unranked SEC foe since going through LSU in 2021 — and its particular groups almost price the sport.

In different phrases, Finebaum needs to be good once more on Monday.

Texas owns the Crimson River

Coming off the sector at halftime, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was stopped for his TV interview and was requested a easy query: Together with his Sooners trailing 21-3, would Venables make a QB change away from Michael Hawkins Jr.?

Venables answered instinctively: “No, he is been — ” then caught himself, thought of it for a second, and concluded, “He is been — OK.”

It was like when a coworker says, “How’s it going,” and also you reply, “Good,” even when your automobile is presently on hearth.

So sure, Hawkins was OK, insofar as he didn’t set Venables’ automobile on hearth, however by just about some other customary, the Sooners’ offense stays an unmitigated catastrophe. Oklahoma mustered simply 237 yards of offense in a 34-3 loss, averaging lower than 5 yards per move and fewer than 3 yards per rush.

On the opposite facet of the Crimson River Rivalry, Texas benched Arch Manning in favor of some man it discovered promoting deep-fried Beef-N-Cheddars on the state honest. It was like going to see Taylor Swift and as a substitute getting Katy Perry. One is a goddess. The opposite was upstaged on the Tremendous Bowl by a felt shark.

Anyway, Quinn Ewers performed nicely, finishing 20 of 29 passes for 199 yards and accounting for 2 touchdowns. It virtually appears unfair for Texas to have two good QBs when Oklahoma is pressured to make use of three toddlers in a trench coat.

Regardless, Texas is now 6-0 with two dominant wins in opposition to top-25 opponents and has completely upended any “Texas is again” jokes, which now appear fully anachronistic. Gen Z ruins all the things.

Midseason awards

Seven weeks of the school soccer season are within the books, which suggests it is time to hand out some midseason {hardware}. So, put in your finest night robe or tuxedo T-shirt and prepare for the pink carpet.

Finest actor in a drama or soccer sport: Ole Miss

No staff within the nation has the appearing chops of the Rebels. They’re the Meryl Streep of faculty soccer. Or, at the very least the Vin Diesel.

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Ole Miss’ Matt Jones fakes harm

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart tells operating again Matt Jones to go down with an harm.

Already this season, Ole Miss has seen gamers require an harm stoppage resulting from narcolepsy, the meat sweats and each facet impact listed within the Jardiance industrial.

Certainly, the pretend accidents have prompted a little bit of a stir, and this week, the Rebels admitted fault, releasing an announcement noting they’d “conduct ourselves correctly” transferring ahead.

It is unhappy to see such professional thespians retire from the career, however as Lane Kiffin famous, Ole Miss remains to be large. It is the sport that acquired small.

On the sector Saturday, Ole Miss led LSU till the ultimate 23 seconds, when Aaron Anderson drilled a 23-yard kick to ship the sport to extra time despite a number of Rebels gamers falling to their knees earlier than the snap, fanning themselves dramatically and declaring, “I do consider I’ve a case of the vapors!”

However, Ole Miss settled for a protracted discipline objective in extra time, whereas Garrett Nussmeier hit Kyren Lacy for a 25-yard game-winning landing.

The win strikes LSU to 5-1 on the 12 months, guaranteeing Brian Kelly’s assembly along with his anger administration counselor on Monday will contain far much less screaming right into a pillow than traditional.

Finest Plucky Underdog (participant): Desmond Reid

The Pitt tailback is 5-foot-6, 170 kilos and someway is essentially the most electrical all-purpose participant west of Travis Hunter.

On Saturday, Reid ran 16 occasions for 120 yards and two touchdowns, added a 19-yard catch and likewise lifted a 1983 Chevy Malibu over his head to entertain the gang at halftime.

Reid keyed Pitt’s 17-15 win over Cal with a 72-yard landing run, transferring the Panthers to 6-0 on the season.

However Reid and Pitt aren’t the one wonderful underdog tales this season.

Pitt, BYU, Arizona State and Indiana had been a mixed 14-34 final 12 months. By Week 7, they seem to be a mixed 23-1 and completely drenched in Banana Boat.

Finest Plucky Underdog (staff): Louisiana-Monroe

ULM upended Southern Miss 38-21 on Saturday, transferring to 5-1 on the season.

Ahmad Hardy ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns within the win, marking the primary time ULM has received 5 video games in a season since 2019.

Within the Guide of Revelation, this begin for the Warhawks comes simply after the locusts however simply earlier than the horsemen, so the excellent news is we have all acquired a while to place our affairs so as.

Finest thought whose time has come: Goalpost lasers

Washington pulled to inside a landing late within the first half courtesy of a controversial made discipline objective.

The kick actually appeared broad proper, however that is hardly the purpose. The larger difficulty is why, in 2024, we’re nonetheless arguing about this. In spite of everything, did not Jimbo Fisher advocate for goalpost lasers a decade in the past? Someplace Saturday, Fisher was pointing at his TV like DiCaprio in “As soon as Upon a Time … In Hollywood” earlier than sitting again down onto his sofa made out of cash and lighting a cigar with a $100 invoice.

Regardless, Iowa went on to win 40-16, which is yet one more reminder that, if the Hawkeyes can dangle 40 on somebody, absolutely we will determine a method to measure if a discipline objective above the uprights is sweet or not.

Finest efficiency in a superhero film: Army‘s Bryson Daily

The Black Knights moved to 6-0 with an emphatic 44-10 win over Trent Dilfer’s flaming husk of a UAB soccer program Saturday, and Day by day was the indeniable star. He ran for 136 yards and 4 touchdowns and threw for 102 yards and a rating and likewise delivered a truck stick that was the equal of Thor’s hammer.

For the season, Baily has racked up 20 touchdowns and not using a turnover, whereas additionally saving a number of infinity stones and efficiently halting that pipeline venture set to run by means of his fortress of solitude.

However nonetheless, hazard lurks within the distance. Blake Horvath and Navy are additionally undefeated, establishing a showdown between these two bitter enemies in Commander In Chief Cup: Endgame. Coming this December.

Week 7 vibe shifts

Every week, the school soccer ecosystem sustains its share of seismic disruptions, however loads of different, extra delicate tales fly beneath the radar. We attempt to seize them right here.

Trending up: Vanderbilt‘s bowl odds

Diego Pavia threw for 2 touchdowns, and Vandy went 8-of-13 on third down to flee Kentucky 20-13 on Saturday.

It was a woeful offensive sport throughout, with Pavia throwing for simply 143 yards and Kentucky QB and famous Foghat fanatic Brock Vandagriff throwing for simply 158.

However, Vandy is 4-2 by means of six video games for the primary time since 2008 and now wants to simply beat Ball State and win considered one of its closing 5 SEC video games (Texas, at Auburn, South Carolina, at LSU and Tennessee) to make its first bowl since 2018.

Trending down: Florida‘s bowl odds

The Gators had their photographs in opposition to Tennessee on Saturday, however after 5 possessions in Vols territory within the first half — together with 4 within the pink zone — they managed simply three factors. Nonetheless, Tennessee’s personal offensive struggles continued after final week’s ugly loss to Arkansas, with sophomore Nico Iamaleava successfully providing up the QB equal of that sound ketchup makes if you squeeze a virtually empty bottle.

The upshot of all of it: Florida scored with 29 seconds to play to ship the sport to extra time however missed a discipline objective try to finally fell 23-17.

Afterward, Billy Napier stated it was for the very best the sport did not go to extra extra time intervals, as a result of he is working the in a single day shift at a comfort retailer and his boss docks his pay if he reveals up greater than quarter-hour late.

The loss is especially problematic for the Gators, who are actually 3-3 with solely two remaining video games in opposition to groups presently unranked. That makes attending to a bowl sport an uphill battle that can require beating each Kentucky and Florida State and pulling an upset someplace alongside the best way in opposition to Georgia, Texas, LSU or Ole Miss.

Trending up: Our AARP membership

Within the fall of 2005, a time we’re fairly certain was, like, six months in the past, the QB depth chart for the Arizona Cardinals included starter Kurt Warner and backup Josh McCown.

On Saturday evening, the QB matchup within the UTSA–Rice showdown: E.J. Warner (Kurt’s son) and Owen McCown (Josh’s son).

Each QBs had been distinctive. McCown threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Warner threw for 347 and accounted for 3 scores of his personal.

Nevertheless it was finally Warner who stole the present, engineering an eight-play, 65-yard drive within the closing two minutes, capping it with an 18-yard TD to Matt Sykes for the sport winner with 4 seconds to play. Rice prevailed 29-27, and we will simply go forward and canopy our furnishings with plastic and begin yelling at children to get off our garden.

Trending down: Maryland and Rutgers

The Terps and Knights are primarily the Massive Ten’s model of the Philadelphia Phillies — far more gratifying earlier than the calendar turns to October.

On Friday, Maryland was whitewashed by Northwestern, 37-10, because of 4 turnovers.

On Saturday, Rutgers was demolished 42-7 by Wisconsin, permitting greater than 300 speeding yards to the Badgers.

Maryland had began 3-1 however has now misplaced two straight. Rutgers began 4-0 however has additionally misplaced its previous two.

And that is all a part of a far longer development line. Up to now 5 seasons, these two have opened 3-1 or higher 9 occasions. In August and September video games since 2020, they seem to be a mixed 29-6. And if they might spend the remainder of the season enjoying Akron and Temple, there’d be rather a lot to love about each groups. Sadly, October begins convention play, and the Terps and Knights fall off a cliff. From Oct. 1 on, the 2 are a mixed 22-46. The story goes all the best way again to Maryland and Rutgers becoming a member of the Massive Ten in 2014. Earlier than Oct. 1, their win share is .687. After Oct. 1, it is .258.

On the upside, Greg Schiano loves pumpkin spice season, so he is acquired that going for him.

Trending up: Fascinating street journeys

On Saturday, Missouri — as soon as the No. 6 staff within the nation — performed on the street at UMass.

Sure, that UMass.

That is the tough equal of Gordon Ramsay shoveling fistfuls of nachos grandes into his face whereas sitting in his 1994 Ford Tempo on the Taco Bell drive-through. In different phrases, totally nice.

And true to kind, UMass did not disappoint the house followers who confirmed up for the massive sport, making it by means of virtually a whole 10 minutes of soccer earlier than the sport was sufficiently out of hand. The followers additionally acquired to see Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz showcase the SEC’s newest know-how, which sadly grew to become sentient at halftime, realized it was watching UMass soccer and instantly activated its self-destruct mode.

Missouri finally received 45-3, whereas the majority of the staff hit the street halfway by means of the third quarter so it may take pleasure in a number of the majestic New England foliage.

Trending up: Frontiersmen on the sideline

Jacksonville State downed New Mexico State 54-13 on Wednesday, transferring to 2-0 in Convention USA play. Extra importantly, nevertheless, this member of the Gamecocks workers raised a barn, loved a raucous Rumspringa and churned a number of the finest butter south of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Trending down: The Calgorithm

The vibes round Cal had been off the charts for the primary month of the season, thanks largely to a brilliant social media presence that concerned an esoteric mixture of politics, Photoshop and a few stuff they present in considered one of Jerry Garcia’s outdated coats.

However what Cal has realized in these previous three video games is that there isn’t a optimistic counterpoint to the facility of #goacc.

After a 3-0 begin, together with a win at Auburn, Cal has misplaced three straight ACC video games.

A recap:

Outgained Florida State by 126 yards however misplaced by 5. It is nonetheless FSU’s lone win of the 12 months.

Led Miami by 20 with 14 minutes to go however misplaced by one.

And on Saturday, held Pitt to simply 277 yards of offense, gaining seven extra first downs than the Panthers, and misplaced by two.

The ACC life ain’t for the faint of coronary heart, however simply bear in mind, Cal: You are additionally not getting any TV cash for this.

Below-the-radar sport of the week

On Saturday, Illinois survived a scare from Purdue, taking residence the prized trophy of a cannon of some kind.

The Illini led 27-3 early within the second half and 40-28 with simply 5:05 to play, however Purdue roared again within the closing 2 minutes of play to take a 43-40 lead. Devin Mockobee scored on a 2-yard rush with 1:35 to play, Illinois recovered the onside kick, then Mockobee scored once more on a 13-yard move with 46 seconds to go.

However Purdue has firmly established it will probably’t have good issues, and promptly allowed Illinois to arrange a 38-yard kick to ship the sport to extra time. The 2 groups traded touchdowns in OT, however Purdue’s 2-point attempt fell incomplete, giving Illinois the 50-49 win.

Purdue is now 1-5 general and 0-3 in Massive Ten play this 12 months, and now the one trophies the Boilermakers presently retain are the Outdated Oaken Bucket (vs. Indiana), the Golden Deep-Dish Pizza (vs. Minnesota) and a lifeless pigeon (vs. Rutgers).

Below-the-radar play of the week

Georgia head coach Kirby Sensible delivered an emphatic blow in opposition to Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren Jr. whereas attempting to get defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s consideration throughout the Bulldogs’ 41-31 win Saturday.

The shape is strong. Sensible takes off his hat earlier than contact, so he cannot be referred to as for main with the crown of his helmet. He hits Van Buren sq. and knocks the QB again. And the hit sends a transparent message that Sensible is not going to take no for a solution.

It was truly a number of the finest protection proven by the Dawgs, who by no means had been in any actual hazard, but in addition by no means fairly may put Mississippi State away.

Scouts from the Eagles are rumored to be fascinated with choosing Sensible on Day 2 of subsequent 12 months’s draft.




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