Dear Readers,
If two weeks ago wasn’t Judgement Weekend, then this SAT should be Judgement Day in college football in which we have multiple games. I think at least game has to have team who is 8-0 be one of the combatants in a battle of undefeated teams playing eachother in order to have a Judgement Day. For a second time in three weeks, we have three games in which undefeated teams will play each other, such as Penn State at Michigan, Alabama at Tennessee, and Oklahoma State at TCU Alabama and Michigan are already bowl-eligible this season. I predict Michigan, Alabama, and Oklahoma State will come out on the winning end on Judgement Day. ESPN College Gameday will be in Knoxville, TN (aka Rocky Top) for the Alabama at Tennessee game while FOX Big Noon Kickoff will in Ann Arbor, MI for the Penn State at Michigan game.
As a longtime Oklahoma football fan, it su((s that the Sooners suffered a 49-0 neutral-site loss against rival Texas. This shutout is the Longhorns’ first shutout win in this series since 1965. Oklahoma Head Coach Brent Venables better talk to top recruits on defense and get them on a recruiting trip to Norman, OK.
Another week in which I had a hard time determining who should be on my Weekly Heisman Trophy Ballot. UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (4 TDs responsible for). I really wanted Pittsburgh RB Israel Abanakanda to be on my weekly ballot but I came to the conclusion that the three players I choose were very deserving as him. Michigan QB Blake Corrum could’ve done better than 120 rushing yards in 24 carries from last SAT. Alabama LB Will Anderson Jr was also thought of but he would need more than 1 TFL and 8 QB hurries to make this weekly ballot. I also wanted to consider Notre Dame TE Micahel Mayer for his performance in that Shamrock Series win (in Las Vegas, NV) over BYU.
Speaking of the Shamrock Series, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are 11-0 in that annual “home away from home” event, including a 28-20 win over BYU this past SAT.
I know most of you don’t’ watch or have the ACC Network but you missed a great performance by Pittsburgh RB Israel “Izzy” Abanakanda. Izzy came back after missing the 2nd half of the the PITT Panthers’ disappointing home loss against Georgia Tech to put on a show during a 45-29 homecoming win over Virginia Tech. His 320 rushing yards against the Hokies is a new single-game school record. His 6 rushing TDs scored ties a single-game school and ACC record.
TAKE CARE ALL!
Sincerely, RICH
RICH’S WEEKLY HEISMAN TROPHY BALLOT
1. Zach Charbonet, RB, UCLA
(Rushed 22 carries, 198 yards, and 1 TD from 1 yard out in the Bruins’ 42-32 home win over Utah. Also had a 49-yard carry. His 615 rushing yards lead the Pac-12.)
2. C.J Stroud, QB, Ohio State
(Passed 21-26, 361 yards, 6 TDs, and 1 INT in the OSU Buckeyes’ 49-20 road win over Michigan. His 68 career passing TDs are second-most in school history. His 24 TDs, 207.6 efficiency rating, and 10.9 yards per attempt lead the nation among these passing categories.)
3. Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
(295 total offensive yards in the UT Volunteers’ 40-13 road win over LSU. Passed 17-27, 239 yards, and 2 TDs. Rushed 10 carries for 56 yards, including a 26-yard carry. His current streak of 239 straight pass attempts without an INT is a school record and sixth-longest in SEC history. His 10.2 passing yards per attempt led the SEC and third nationally.)
RICH’S TOP TEN
1. Ohio State
2. Georgia (3)
3. Michigan (4)
4. Alabama (2)
5. Clemson
6. Oklahoma State
7. Mississippi
8. USC
9. Penn State
10. Tennessee
OTHER TEAMS TO MENTION (OTM):
UCLA, TCU, Syracuse, Coastal Carolina, and Cincinnati
RANKINGS ANALYSIS:
As you can see, I only made one change in my top ten rankings. I had Alabama and Michigan changing places…I am not surprised that Alabama moved down from #1 to #2 in the major polls after escaping with a 24-20 home win over Texas A&M and I opted to move them down from #3 to #4. I really thought the Crimson Tide would get a decisive win over the Aggies by at least two possessions because the Aggies used a back-up and the Alabama DBs were more talented than those passing targets for that Texas A&M offense. By escaping two close wins this season, ‘Bama better get it together because the Tide has a road game against a rebuilt Tennessee football team this SAT (3:30 PM, CBS). I must say that the UT Volunteers, who remain #10 in my rankings, looked impressive in a 40-13 road win over LSU. I really thought that game was gonna be a tough battle but it was no-contest in Death Valley….Michigan deserves to be ranked #3 in my top ten rankings after a 31-10 road win over Indiana. After the Hoosiers tied that game at 10-all and the UM Wolverines missed a FG attempt before halftime, this football team really responded and made adjustments by scoring 21 unanswered points to remain undefeated with their second straight season with a 6-0 start. Michigan has a home game against undefeated Penn State, who is ranked #9 in my rankings and coming off a bye-week. If the PSU Nittany Lions get a road win over the Wolverines, Penn State has to be in everybody’s top five before their Oct,.29 home showdown against Ohio State… I had to move Georgia up from #3 to #2 because of how impressive the Bulldogs were in their 42-10 home win over rival Auburn. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett keeps getting better and better under center. I have the Bulldogs move up to #2 because they have a better chance remaining undefeated going into November better than everybody ranked beneath them. This football team will have a homecoming game against Vanderbilt this SAT (3:30 PM, SECN) before having a bye-week and then their annual neutral-site game (in Jacksonville, FL) against rival Florida…Clemson remains ranked #5 after an impressive 31-3 road win over Boston College. The Tigers scored 28 unanswered points after the BC Eagles tied that game up at 3-all. This football team will have a road game against Florida State this SAT (7:30 PM), which will mark their third straight week in which they play a prime time night game on ABC….Oklahoma State remains ranked #6 after a 41-31 home win over Texas Tech. The OSU Cowboys have won each of their first five games by at least 10 points but now the remainder of their schedule will get tougher and tougher, including a road game against fellow undefeated TCU, who is among my OTMs this SAT (3:30 PM, ABC). The Horn Frogs are coming off a 38-31 road win over then-undefeated Kansas. If Oklahoma State remains undefeated going into the Big 12 Championship Game, QB Spencer Sanders will be a Heisman Trophy finalist…Mississippi remains ranked #7 after a 52-28 road win over Vanderbilt to remain undefeated. After trailing from a 20-10 deficit against the VU Commodores, the Ole Miss Rebels really responded. This football team has home game against Auburn this SAT (Noon, ESPN)… USC remains ranked #8 after a 30-14 home win over Washington State to become bowl eligible. If the Trojans thought that comeback road win over Oregon State a couple weeks ago was challenging, wait until this football team has a road game against Utah this SAT (8 PM, FOX). The Utes were among my OTMs until last week in which they had a 42-32 road loss against UCLA, who is on their first 6-0 start since 2005. If Utah defeats USC, consider the Utes still in the race for a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game. If the Trojans beat the Utes, the winner of the USC at UCLA game (on Nov.26) will earn a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The undefeated Bruins will have a bye-week before an Oct.22 road game against Oregon. UCLA will move into the top ten rankings after this weekend after an undefeated team loses to a fellow undefeated team this SAT…Syracuse is coming off a bye-week and is one of the most surprising teams this season. The Orange are on their first 5-0 start since 1987. This football team has a home game against N.C State this SAT (3:30 PM, ACCN). The Wolfpack will be without star QB Devin O’Leary, who suffered shoulder injury during a 19-17 home win over Florida State this past SAT. Whoever wins this game will be bowl-eligible this season…Coastal Carolina remains among my OTMs after a tougher than expected 28-21 road win over UL-Monroe last SAT. The CCU Chanticleers could’ve done better than last week but this football team is one of the most established teams from the SBC. This football team has a homecoming game against Old Dominion this SAT (Noon, ESPNU)… Cincinnati is coming off a tougher than expected 28-24 homecoming win over South Florida. The Bearcats is one of the odds-on favorite teams to play in the AAC Championship Game. This football team has a bye-week before an Oct.22 road game against SMU…I can’t wait for the games this weekend because at least three undefeated teams will start suffering defeat this season.
GAMEBALLS and HELMET STICKERS
Florida LB Ventrell Miller- Produced 11 tackles (led team; 10 solo), 2 TFLs, and 1 QB hurry in the Gators’ 24-17 homecoming win over Missouri.
Florida DE Princely Umanielen- Produced 6 tackles (4 solo), 3 TFLs, and 1 sack in the Gators’ home win over Missouri.
Florida CB Jaydon Hill- Produced 3 tackles (all solo) and 2 INTs (54 yards, incluidng a 49-yard TD) in the Gators’ home win over Missouri.
Florida State QB Jordan Travis- Rushed 7 carries for 108 yards, including a 71-yard carry, in the Seminoles’ 19-17 road loss against N.C State.
Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke- Passed 42-57, 496 yards, 3 TDs, and and 1 INT in the Hurricanes’ 27-26 home loss against North Carolina. His 42 completions and 57 attempts are single-game school records among these passing categories.
Miami TE Will Mallory- Received 8 catches for 115 yards, including a 31-yard catch, in the Hurricanes’ home loss against North Carolina.
UCF WR Ryan O’Keefe- Received 6 catches, 117 yards, and 2 TDs (26 and 58) in the Golden Knights’ 41-19 home win over SMU.
UCF DE Tre’mon Morris- Produced 6 tackles (4 solo), 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 QB hurry in the Golden Knights’ home win over SMU.
UCF S Divaad Wilson- Produced 7 tackles (5 solo), 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 1 PBU, and 1 QB hurry in the Golden Knights’ home win over SMU.
South Florida QB Gerry Bohannon- 256 total offensive yards in the USF Bulls’ 28-24 road loss against Cincinatti. Passed 11-21, 139 yards, and 2 TDs. Rushed 14 carries for 117 yards, including a 59-yard carry.
South Florida LB Dwayne Boyles- Produced 11 tackles (led team; 4 solo), 1 TFL, and 1 PBU in the Bulls’ road loss against Cincinatti.
