Dear Readers,
First and foremost, I apologize for an error I made last Week. I listed Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders as a WR when I discussed the Longhorns’ 34-24 road win over Alabama a week ago. I still have egg on my face for ranking the Crimson Tide at #1 in my preseason rankings prior to their home loss last week. With that performance, if any official voters don’t have Sanders on their watch list for the Mackey Award, you better have him on there now. Forgive me for that error.
Another week in which I had a hard time determining who should be on my Weekly Heisman Trophy Ballot. I did consider North Carolina QB Drake Maye (448 total offensive yards, including passing 29-40, 414 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs) and Notre Dame RB Audric Estime (20 carries, 176 yards, and 1 TD of 17 yards) to be on this weekly ballot. And yes EICH, whoever has a top performance on the winning side of the Ohio State at Notre Dame game has a great shot of being on next week’s Heisman Trophy ballot.
I want to point something out to you guys who saw that highlight of Missouri PK Harrison Mevis scoring that last play FG in a 30-27 home win over defending Big 12 Champions Kansas State to prevent OT. That FG scored was 2nd-longest in school history but the longest in SEC history. I am pulling for Mevis to win SEC Special Teams Player of the Year honors OR become a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
I just found out that FOX Big Noon Kickoff will emanate from Cincinnati, OH for the Oklahoma at Cincinnati game this SAT while (not surprisingly) ESPN College Gameday will emanate from South Bend, IN for the Ohio State at Notre Dame game this SAT.
Take care! sincerely, RICH
RICH’S WEEKLY HEISMAN TROPHY BALLOT
1. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
(425 total offensive yards and 4 TDs in the Tigers’ 41-14 road win over Miss. State. Passed 30-34, 361 yards, and 2 TDs. Rushed 15 carries, 64 yards, and 2 TDs of 5 and 11. Also had a 23-yard carry.)
2. Malik Nabors, WR, LSU
(Received 13 carries, 239 yards, and 2 TDs of 26 and 33 in the Tigers’ road win over Miss. State. His 239 receiving yards are fourth-most for a single-game in school history.)
3. Michael Penix, QB, Washington
(Passed 27-35, 473 yards, and 4 TDs in the UW Huskies’ 41-7 road win over Michigan State. His 473 passing yards are third-most for a single-game in school history.)
RICH’S TOP TEN
1. Michigan
2. Georgia
3. USC
4. Ohio State
5. Penn State (6)
6. Florida State (5)
7. Washington (8)
8. Texas (9)
9. Oregon (10)
10. North Carolina (OTM)
OTHER TEAMS TO MENTION (OTM):
Notre Dame, Utah, and Mississippi
RANKINGS ANALYSIS:
There is another shake-up in my rankings for a second straight week. Tennessee, who I had ranked #7 in my rankings last week, had a 29-16 road loss against Florida. It shows me that the Gators have grown up since that season-opening road loss against two-time defending Pac-12 Champions Utah. The UT Volunteers had a trap game in front of them and fell into it. Tennessee will have a home game against UTSA this SAT (4 PM, SECN) while Florida has a home game against Charlotte (7 PM, SECN+)…As you can see, I had Florida State and Penn State trade places in my rankings. I had to move Florida State down from #5 to #6 because of their performance in a 31-29 road win over Boston College. The FSU Seminoles did have a 31-10 lead but almost blew this game against the BC Eagles. It made me think about how tough their road game will be against Clemson this SAT (Noon, ABC). The PSU Nittany Lions had a better than expected 30-13 road win over Illinois and have a history of the Fighting Illini playing them tough almost every time they played each other. I want to think there is more than something more to this about this 2023 Penn State football team, who are on a current streak of 10 straight games with scoring 30 points, including a 3-0 start this season. The Nittany Lions will have a home game against Iowa, who is another undefeated team with a 3-0 start this year and ranked #22 in the Coaches’ Poll, this SAT (7:30 PM, CBS). Should the Hawkeyes have a road win, they oughta be mentioned IF not ranked….I will keep defending National Champions Georgia ranked #2 after a 24-14 road win over South Carolina. The UGA Bulldogs responded by scoring unanswered 3 TDs after the Gamecocks had a 14-3 lead on them going into halftime. This football team has a home game against UAB this SAT (7:30 PM, ESPN2) before a first road game of this season, which will be against Auburn… USC remains ranked #3 after a bye-week. The Trojans will have a road game against Arizona State this SAT (9:30 PM, FOX). After cruising past the ASU Sun Devils, the remainder of this season will be tougher and tougher for this football team. USC is talented enough to take on all challenges coming their way…I will keep Michigan ranked #1 in my rankings after a 31-6 home win over Bowling Green. The rushing game of this UM Wolverines offense is starting to pick up with star RB Blake Corrum having 101 rushing yards. This football team has a home game against Rutgers, who is on an undefeated 3-0 start for a second straight season, this SAT (Noon, BTN)…Ohio State remains ranked #4 after a 63-10 home win over Western Kentucky. After their lead was cut to 14-10 following an opposing team score, the OSU Buckeyes really responded by scoring 7 unanswered TDs on the WKU Hilltoppers to remain undefeated with a 3-0 start. Now, Ohio State is ready for their primetime showdown with a road game against Notre Dame this SAT (7:30 PM, NBC). The Fighting Irish, who are working their way from being among my OTMs to finally being ranked in my top ten with a home win over the Buckeyes, are coming off a 41-17 home win over Central Michigan. Keep in mind, Notre Dame hasn’t defeated Ohio State since 1936…Washington moved up from #8 to #7 in my rankings after a 41-7 road win over Michigan State. No surprise that the UW Huskies had a blowout win over the MSU Spartans, who are playing without their permanent head coach (Mel Tucker) on the sideline, prior to beginning Pac-12 conference play. This football team has a home game against California this SAT (10:30 PM, ESPN)…Oregon moved up from #10 to #9 in my rankings after a 55-10 home win over Hawaii. Now, the Ducks await a tougher challenge from a better Colorado football team from their last three meetings against the Buffaloes. Colorado, who are ranked #19 in the polls, won’t be those teams who were blown out by an average of 35 points per game in those last three losses of this series against Oregon and have enough talent on offense to put up points against anybody in the nation. We can’t wait for this shootout this SAT (3:30 PM, ABC)…North Carolina is becoming a better football team each and every week. The UNC Tar Heels have held off all challenges to remain undefeated with a 3-0 start, including a 31-13 home win over Minnesota this past SAT. Like I said last week, this football team will remain undefeated before an Oct.28 road game against Georgia Tech, who had that unexpected upset road win over North Carolina last season. The Tar Heels have a road game against Pittsburgh this SAT (8 PM, ACCN)…Utah, who remain among my OTMs, have come together after star QB Cam Rising still has to sit out of the first three games because of an ACL injury from that Rose Bowl loss (against Penn State to end last season) before he could come back in the starting lineup. This Utes offense keeps switching QBs and do what they have to do to win to remain on a 3-0 start this season. This football team is coming off a 31-7 home win over Weber State before beginning Pac-12 conference play. Utah has a home game against UCLA, who is a fellow undefeated Pac-12 team this SAT (3:30 PM, FOX). Should the Bruins beat the Utes, something more should than something to be said about them and deserve to be among my OTMs. I will admit that coming into this season, I was IFFY about UCLA after losing star QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (aka DTR)…Missississippi is among my OTMs because the Ole Miss Rebels are better than I imagined in their 3-0 start. This football team did better than I thought in that road win over defending AAC Champions Tulane in two SAT’s ago and had a 48-23 home win over Georgia Tech this past SAT. I like Mississsippi’s chances of having a road win over Alabama this SAT (3:30 PM, CBS) because their defense doesn’t have an All-SEC-caliber QB such as a Mac Jones or a Bryce Young under center in the backfield. Last season, the Crimson Tide held on to have a road win over the Rebels to eventually finish with an 11-2 mark….Whoever wins in a battle of undefeated teams in the Pac-12 between Oregon State at Washington State this SAT (7 PM, FOX) will definitely be among my OTMs if not ranked in my top ten rankings. The OSU Beavers, who are favored to win this game by 3 points, are ranked ahead of the WSU Cougars by more than five spots in both of the major polls. Last year, Oregon State’s home win ended an eight-game losing streak against Washington State….LOOK OUT-some one loss teamscould be welcome into being among my OTMs next week….I can’t wait for the games this weekend.
GAMEBALLS and HELMET STICKERS
Florida State WR Johnny Wilson- Received 4 catches for 105 yards, including a 44-yard catch, in the FSU Seminoles’ 31-29 road win over Boston College.
Florida State LB Tatum Bethune- Produced 7 tackles (led team; 5 solo), 1 TFL, and 1 PBU in the Seminoles’ road win over Boston College.
Florida State LB Kalen DeLoach- Produced 5 tackles (4 solo), 2 TFLs, and 1 sack in the Seminoles’ road win over Boston College.
Florida RB Trevor Etienne- Rushed 23 carries, 172 yards, and 1 TD (62 yards) in the UF Gators’ 29-16 home win over Tennessee.
Florida LB Scooby Williams- Produced 8 tackles (6 solo), 1 TFL, and 1 QB hurry in the Gators’ home win over Tennessee.
UCF QB Timmy McClain- First career start. 365 total offensive yards in the Golden Knights’ 48-14 home win over Villanova. Passed 20-28, 321 yards, and 2 TDs. Rushed 9 carries for 44 yards, including a 19-yard carry.
UCF WR Kobe Hudson- Received 6 catches for 147 yards, including a 69-yard catch, in the Golden Knights’ home win over Villanova.
UCF DE Tre’mon Morris- Produced 4 tackles (all solo), 2 TFLs, and 1 sack in the Golden Knights’ home win over Villanova.
Miami WR Xaver Restrepo- Received 6 catches for 120 yards, including a 26-yard catch, in the Hurricanes’ 48-7 home win over Bethune-Cookman.
Miami DL Thomas Gore- Produced 3 tackles (2 solo), 2 TFLs, and 1 forced fumble in the Hurricanes’ home win over Bethune-Cookman.
FIU NB Jamal Potts- Produced 3 tackles (all solo) and 1 PBU in the Panthers’ 24-17 home win over Conneticut. Made that game-winning solo tackle (on 4th and 14 with 0:51 remaining) to win this game.
FIU LB Alex Nobles- Produced 6 tackles (4 solo), 2 TFLs, and 2 QB hurries in the Panthers’ home win over Conneticut.
