Dear Readers,
In case you are wondering about this SAT, I found out that FOX Big Noon Kickoff will emanate from Lawrence, KS for the Oklahoma at Kansas game this SAT (Noon, FOX) while ESPN College Gameday will emanate from Salt Lake City, UT for the Oregon at Utah game.
I forgot to address this issue in case anybody would ask which teams were a surprise and a disappointment. Teams such as Air Force (First 7-0 start since 1997), Liberty, and Rutgers (6-2 start after 4-8 mark last season) have surprised me this season. If there is one team that has disappointed me it is Arkansas, who is on a current six-game losing streak, including an 0-5 start in SEC conference games this season, after a 2-0 start. Recently. Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman fired his Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos. The jury is still out on every team this season to form an opinion on.
This past week I had an easy time determining who should on my Weekly Heisman Trophy Ballot. Oregon RB Bucky Irving (rushed 15 carries, 129 yards, and 2 TDs, including a 43-yard TD) was considered but we had bigger performances than his in that 38-24 home win over Washington State. Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen is doing good but if he could have 100 rushing yards and lead the UW Badgers to an upset home win over undefeated Ohio State, he could be back in the Heisman Trophy conversation. The next six week should be intriguing for this annual Heisman Trophy race.
Who is one of the best players nobody in the nation is talking about? One player is Troy RB Kimani Vidal, who leads the nation with 951 rushing yards. His 135.9 rushing yards per game also lead the nation. The Trojans are 4-0 in games in which this Marietta, GA resident has 100 rushing yards, including 2-0 in games that he has 200 rushing yards. His best game of his career took place in a 48-30 season-opening home win over over Stephen F. Austin in which he rushed 25 carries for 248 yards, including a 59-yard carry. Troy is tied with a suprising Texas State football team for first place in the SBC West Division. The Sun Belt is a conference not to take your eyes off with undefeated James Madison being ranked #25 in the nation.
(Keep in mind, I refer the the Sun Belt Conference as the SBC)
Take Care All! Sincerely, RICH
RICH’S WEEKLY HEISMAN TROPHY BALLOT
1. Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Ohio State
(Received 11 catches, 162 yards, and 1 TD of 18 yards in the OSU Buckeyes’ 20-12 home win over undefeated Penn State. Also had a 35-yard catch. His 12 career games with 100 receiving yards are second-most in school history. His 766 receiving yards lead the Big Ten and seventh nationally.)
2. J.J McCarthy, QB, Michigan
(Passed 21-27, 287 yards, and 4 TDs in the UM Wolverines’ 49-0 road win over in-state rival Michigan State. His 45 career passing TDs are tied sixth-most with QB Shea Patterson, 2018-19, in school history. His 78.1 completion percentage and 199.1 efficiency rating lead the Big Ten and second nationally.)
3. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
(Rushed 29 carries, 282 yards, and 4 TDs of 2,16,46, and 53 in the OSU Cowboys’ 48-34 road win over West Virginia. Scored that 53-yard rushing TD-on 2nd and 2 with 1:40 remaining- to win this game. His 996 all-purpose running yards are second in the Big 12 and seventh nationally.)
RICH’S TOP TEN
1. Michigan
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Florida State
5. Oklahoma (6)
6. Washington (7)
7. Oregon
8. Texas
9. Alabama (OTM)
10. Penn State (5)
OTHER TEAMS TO MENTION (OTM):
Oregon State, Utah, Mississippi, James Madison, Air Force, and Liberty
RANKINGS ANALYSIS:
As you can see, the top four remain the same but I have to address the elephant in the room… North Carolina is no longer ranked #8 in my rankings after a disappointing 31-27 upset home loss against Virginia, who had a 1-5 mark before the opening kickoff of that game. Everybody, including me, thought the UNC Tar Heels were going to coast by the Cavaliers but those visiting underdogs had other thoughts and came to play to eventually beat that undefeated home football team. Had North Carolina beat Virginia in comeback fashion, I would have the Heels ranked #7 in my rankings. North Carolina will look to regroup for a road game against Georgia Tech this SAT (8 PM, ACCN). Remember what happened last season? The Yellow Jackets had an upset road win over the Heels, who just clinched the ACC Coastal Division while being on the start of a four-game losing streak to end last year. History can repeat itself.. I had to move Oklahoma and Washington up a spot in my rankings after surviving tougher than expected homecoming wins over their respective opponents Oklahoma had a 31-29 home win over UCF. The Sooners prevented the Golden Knights from scoring a two-point conversion, which would’ve forced OT and led to who knows what. Washington had a 15-7 home win over Arizona State. The ASU Sun Devils has given the UW Huskies all kinds of hell and plays this game (of this series) lights out. Both these teams have a lot of work to do with some big road games coming up Oklahoma will play a road game against Kansas this SAT (Noon, FOX), which will be their last game against each other as members of a same conference (Big 12). Washington will have a road game against Stanford this SAT (7 PM, FS1)… .Michigan remains #1 in my rankings after a 49-0 road win over Michigan State. Yes, big brother showed little brother who rules and blanked those MSU Spartans. The UM Wolverines are on a current 20-game winning streak in Big Ten conference games, which is a school record. This football team will have a bye-week before a Nov.4 home game against Purdue…Georgia remains ranked #2 after a bye-week. The UGA Bulldogs are on a current 24-game winning streak, which is a school record and the longest active streak in the nation. This 24-game winning streak is also the fourth-longest in SEC history. This football team will have their annual neutral-site game (in Jacksonville, FL) against Florida, which is nicknamed “the world’s largest cocktail party”….Ohio State remains ranked #3 in my rankings after a 20-12 home win over then-undefeated Penn State, who moved down from #5 to #10 after this past SAT. If the OSU Buckeyes remain undefeated after a road game against Wisconsin this SAT (7:30 PM, NBC), I can’t see this football team lose another game before their Nov.25 road game against Michigan. The Nittany Lions will look to regroup for their home game against Indiana this SAT (Noon, CBS)… Florida State remains ranked #4 after a 38-20 homecoming win over Duke. The FSU Seminoles responded by scoring 3 unanswered TDs after the Blue Devils had a 20-17 going into the 4th quarter. This football team has a road game against Wake Forest, who is coming off a 21-17 comeback homecoming win over Pittsburgh, this SAT (Noon, ABC)…Oregon remans ranked #7 in my rankings after a 38-24 homecoming win over Washington State. This Ducks defense played great in September but became a different story this month (October 2023), such as allowing Washington State QB Cameron Ward passing 34-48, 438 yards, and 1 TD and WR Lincoln Victor receive 16 catches for 161 yards, including a 37-yard catch. The backfield of this offense are doing a great job of moving those 1st down markers and scoring points to put on the board. This football team has a challenging road game against Utah, who I decided to add among my OTMs after a 34-32 comeback road win over USC, this SAT (3:30 PM, FOX). Both the Ducks and Utes are on a 6-1 start and the winner can still maintain all kinds of hope to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game…Texas remains ranked #8 in my rankings after a 31-24 road win over upset-minded Houston. The UT Longhorns started this game with a 21-0 lead before the UH Cougars tied this game up at 21-all. Had Texas kept being able to dominate Houston, I would’ve had the ‘Horns ranked ahead of Oregon. This football team better watch last week’s game by seeing what they did right and wrong last week as they get ready for a home game against BYU (3:30 PM, ABC)… I choose move Alabama up from among my OTMs to #9 in my rankings after a 34-20 home win over rival Tennessee. The Crimson Tide responded by scoring 27 unanswered after the UT Volunteers had a 20-7 lead on them going into halftime. This football team has become better and better after that home loss against Texas six weeks ago. ‘Bama will have a have a bye-week before a Nov.4 home game against LSU. This Crimson Tide defense better use up this bye-week to prepare for this high-powered Tigers offense. If LSU has a road win over Alabama, we could see the Tigers play in the SEC Championship game for a second straight season. Also, you could see LSU QB Jayden Daniels be in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist…I added Oregon State among my OTMs after a 36-24 homecoming win over UCLA. The OSU Beavers are on a current three-game winning streak after a 48-35 road loss against Washington State. This football team has a road game against Arizona this SAT (10:30 PM, ESPN)…I decided to add Mississippi among my OTMs after a 28-21 road win over Auburn, which doesn’t always happen often for the Ole Miss Rebels over the Tigers. This football team is on a current three-game winning streak after a 24-10 road loss against Alabama and should win the next two games before a Nov.11 road game against Georgia. Mississippi will have a homecoming game against Vanderbilt this SAT (7:30 PM, SECN)…James Madison remains among my OTMs after a 20-9 road win over Marshall this past THURS. Like I said last week, the JMU Dukes are playing every game like it is a bowl game because they are playing in their second year of NCAA Division I FBS college football and can’t participate in postseason action until the 2025 season (or something) because of NCAA transition rules. This football team has a homecoming game against Old Dominion this SAT (8 PM, ESPNU)…. Air Force remains among my OTMs after a 17-6 road win, including a 17-0 lead, over Navy. The AFA Falcons are on a current 12-game winning streak, including a 7-0 start this season. That 12-game winning streak is the second-longest in school history. This football team will have a road game against in-state rival Colorado State this SAT (7 PM, CBSSN). Should Air Force win, that win should set a new single-season school record the longest winning streak in school history…Liberty remains among my OTMs after a 31-13 road win over Jacksonville State. New Head Coach Jamey Chadwell is making his new football team, who are on an 8-0 start, forget about last year as the Flames finished with an 8-5 mark, which ended with a four-game losing streak. If Liberty has a road game against Western Kentucky this TUES (7 PM, CBSSN). If the Flames beat the WKU Hilltoppers, Liberty should win their next three games, which are all at home games, before a Nov.25 road game against UTEP…We all thought Iowa had a comeback home win over rival Minnesota because of a punt return scored for a TD late in that game. Had RS Cooper DeJuan not waived for a fair catch before Had the Hawkeyes been allowed to have that home win over the Golden Gophers, the Hawkeyes would’ve been among my OTMs because their only loss was a 31-0 road loss against a quality team such as Penn State and had a tough as expected 15-6 road win over Wisconsin…I can’t wait for the games to be played this weekend.
GAMEBALLS and HELMET STICKERS
Florida State DT Fabien Lovett- Produced 4 tackles (3 solo) and 2 TFLs in the FSU Seminoles’ 38-20 homecoming win over Duke.
Florida State CB Fentrell Cypress II- Produced 4 tackles (3 solo) and 2 PBUs in the Seminoles’ home win over Duke.
MIami LB Te’Corey Couch- Made that game-winning TFL/sack (on 4th and 1 in 2nd OT period) to seal the Hurricanes’28-20 home win over Clemson. Also produced 4 tackles (3 solo), 1 forced fumble, and 1 PBU.
Miami DE Rueben Bain Jr- Produced 8 tackles (3 solo), 2 TFLs/sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 QB hurries in the Hurricanes’ home win over Clemson.
UCF WR Javon Baker- Received 5 catches, 134 yards, and 2 TDs (86 and 12) in the Golden Knights’ 31-29 road loss against Oklahoma.
UCF DE Tre’Mon Morris- Produced 8 tackles (5 solo), 2 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 QB hurry in the Golden Knights’ road loss against Oklahoma.
South Florida LB Mac Harris– Made that game-winning fumble recovery (on last play) to seal the USF Bulls’ 24-21 road win over Conneticut.
South Florida RB Nay’Quan Wright- Rushed 26 carries, 186 yards, and 2 TDs (1 and 4) in the Bulls’ road win over Conneticut.
South Florida S Jaelon Stokes- Produced 7 tackles (6 solo), 2 TFLs, 1 INT (30 yards), and 1 fumble recovery in the Bulls’ road win over Conneticut.
FIU DT Jack Daly- Made that game-winning TFL/sack (on 4th and 15 in the 2nd OT period) to seal the Panthers’ 33-27 road win (2 OTs) over Sam Houston. Also produced 2 tackles (all solo), 1 PBU, and 1 QB hurry.
FIU LB Reggie Peterson- Produced 10 tackles (led team; 9 solo) and 1 INT (61 yards) in the Panthers’ road win over Sam Houston.
