2023-24 College Football: Week 3 Review

It was not a fun weekend to be in the Top 15. While most of the nation's best teams survived their tests, some struggled. There were a few surprising results, including an SEC record being broken to ensure an upset. The ACC continued to surge despite their top team struggling to keep their lead. The SEC continued to beat up on itself, allowing the #1 in the country to tighten its grip on the conference. It was a fun time as we played through the third week of the season. 

Game of the Week- #18 Colorado 43, Colorado State 35 (2OT) (Boulder, CO)

The mist of Deion Sanders and this Colorado team continues to cover the nation. ESPN and Fox were on hand for the rivalry game between in-state combatants. The words were flying early, adding tension to an already volatile situation. For as much love as Shedeur Sanders gets, Shilo is often lost in the mix. He earned his moment to open the scoring, returning an interception 80 yards for a touchdown. Colorado State struck back for 14 straight points, highlighted by a fumble by Travis Hunter returned for a touchdown. Speaking of Hunter, he'd be knocked out of the game early after an egregiously late hit by Henry Blackburn. The Rams led the game 21-14 at halftime and 28-17 midway through the fourth quarter. After kicking a field goal to pull within eight points, Colorado would get the ball back on their own 2-yard line, needing to go 98 yards and get the two-point conversion to tie the game. That's precisely what they did. Shedeur led the Buffaloes down the field, got the conversion, and sent the game to OT, tied at 28. Each side scored in the first overtime, Sanders threw for his fourth touchdown in the second overtime, and the defense got the stop with an interception in the endzone to clinch the victory. Despite being 23.5-point favorites coming into the game, Colorado managed to escape and remain undefeated. 

Upsets of the Week

South Alabama 33, Oklahoma State 7 (Stillwater, OK)

Sacramento State 30, Stanford 23 (Stanford, CA)

Neither of these games had the largest spreads, but they are a cautionary tale about paying schools to play them. Oklahoma State and Stanford paid their opponents this week to come and play them. Stanford's loss to Sacramento State made them the first Power 5 team to lose to an FCS school this season. Oklahoma State's loss was just embarrassing, losing by 26 to a Group of 5 school at home. 

Other Notable Games

#1 Georgia 24, South Carolina 14 (Athens, GA)

In their first real test of the season, the Bulldogs didn't pass with flying colors. South Carolina gave them a more challenging game than expected. The Gamecocks kept Georgia in check in the first half, leading 14-3 at the break. The second half was much better for the Bulldogs, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter to take the lead, adding another in the fourth quarter, and intercepting Spencer Rattler twice to win their SEC opener. 

Florida 29, #11 Tennessee 16 (Gainesville, FL)

Tennessee's woes in Gainesville continue after a disappointing performance against the Gators. Florida used a 20-point second quarter to get themselves out to a 26-7 lead at halftime. The Volunteers never hit their stride in the second half. Trevor Etienne ran all over the Tennessee defense. He finished the game with 172 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown in the first quarter, as the Gators earned the biggest win of Billy Napier's tenure at Florida. 

Missouri 30, #15 Kansas State 27 (Columbia, MO)

This game took a physical toll on every player. Kansas State quarterback Will Howard was hobbling for most of it. Still, the Wildcats found themselves in the middle of a very tight game. After trailing at halftime, Kansas State took a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands about halfway through the fourth quarter, but Kansas State tied it with 5:25 left on a short field goal. Mizzou initially had a 56-yard field goal opportunity to win the game, but a delay of game penalty pushed it back to 61 yards. That didn't matter as Harrison Mevis stepped up and drilled it, setting a new SEC record and earning an upset victory for the Tigers. 

#3 Florida State 31, Boston College 29 (Newton, MA)

Florida State's conference opener with Boston College was a rollercoaster of emotions. After the Eagles led 10-3 into the second quarter, Florida State rattled off 28 unanswered points, leading 31-10 just after halftime. Before the break, there was a slight scare with Jordan Travis going down hard on his shoulder. He'd be fine, helping the Seminoles jump out to their lead. Boston College did their best to come back. The difference in the game was a missed PAT. It forced the Eagles to go for two points after they made it 31-22, but they'd fail, meaning it'd take two possessions to win the game. They'd get within two points but couldn't complete the comeback. 

#10 Alabama 17, South Florida 3

Alabama rarely plays a true road game against a non-conference opponent. After this game, we may have our answer as to why. The Crimson Tide struggled to find any offense through the air for 60 minutes. At halftime, the score was tied 3-3. Alabama finally found the endzone late in the third quarter, and they'd do it again late in the fourth to prevent a major catastrophe. Alabama's defense saved the day, holding the Bulls to 87 yards through the air. 

What We Learned About Each Power 5 Conference in Week 3

ACC- It feels pretty clear that the Duke is the second-best team in the ACC this season. There has been no letdown from their big opening win over Clemson. The Tigers have responded with two lopsided victories over lesser opponents. North Carolina likely has a lot to say about Duke's position, but they struggled with Appalachian State last week and took their time separating from Minnesota this week. Miami is another team that deserves some love in the group of 3-0 teams in the ACC. 

Big Ten- Despite what the records suggest, the East is still going to come down to Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. The Buckeyes finally found their stride on offense, blasting Western Kentucky out of the water. Out west, it's still wide open. Iowa is the only 3-0 team. Minnesota is the only team in the division with a conference victory. Even the teams with a loss or two have a fighting chance at competing for the conference championship. 

Big 12- It still feels like Texas and Oklahoma are on a collision course for the conference crown, but the Big 12 remains the most unpredictable conference. BYU has shown they belong, starting 3-0 after a win over Arkansas. Kansas and UCF also sit at 3-0. Oklahoma State and Iowa State each took embarrassing losses this week. TCU beat Houston to earn the first conference win of the season. The picture isn't clear, which sets up some fun weeks once conference play begins. 

SEC- The disappointing start for the SEC continued. For as much as Georgia struggled, they still managed to add some separation between them and the rest of the conference. Florida's win over Tennessee will have its effects, but it doesn't change Georgia being the favorite in the East. The battle in the West is a little tighter. LSU and Alabama each have a loss, with the Crimson Tide struggling for two straight weeks. Ole Miss and Auburn are undefeated, but I doubt they can beat either LSU or Alabama. 

PAC-12- More than half of the conference is ranked in the Top 25, and they all have solid cases to win the conference. USC is still my pick to win the conference, but Colorado is becoming more popular. I'll be more convinced if they can beat the historically strong teams in the PAC-12, like USC and Oregon. There seem to be few weak links at the top of the conference. This has easily been the most exciting conference through three weeks. 

 

My Top 25

1. Georgia (3-0, W 24-14 South Carolina) (-)

2. Michigan (3-0, W 31-6 Bowling Green) (-)

3. USC (3-0, OFF) (+1)

4. Florida State (3-0, W 31-29 Boston College) (-1)

5. Ohio State (3-0, W 63-10 Western Kentucky) (-)

6. Penn State (3-0, W 30-13 Illinois) (-)

There is little movement at the top of my rankings. It's the same six teams, with Florida State and USC swapping spots after the former struggled to get the job done against Boston College. Michigan's offense looked almost human in their win as JJ McCarthy threw three interceptions in the Wolverines' victory. The Big Ten East teams will weed themselves out once they play each other. 

7. Texas (3-0, W 31-10 Wyoming) (-)

8. Washington (3-0, W 41-7 Michigan State) (-)

9. Notre Dame (3-0, W 41-17 Central Michigan) (-)

10. Utah (3-0, W 31-7 Weber State) (+3)

Every voter in the AP Poll loves the Longhorns after they beat Alabama. After the Crimson Tide struggled this week to beat USF, I maintain that Texas is in the right spot. I have them just on the fringe of the Top 6. Washington and Notre Dame took care of business, scoring 41 points in lopsided victories. One of my biggest risers of the week was Utah. They benefited from Florida's victory and Alabama's narrow victory. 

11. Alabama (2-1, W 17-3 South Florida) (-1)

12. LSU (2-1, W 41-14 Mississippi State) (-)

The best 1-loss teams in the country are in the SEC West. Alabama needs to find its identity on offense because Jalen Milroe and Tyler Buchner have failed to live up to the hype through three weeks. LSU has bounced back beautifully from their loss to Florida State. Jayden Daniels continues to be dynamic, lighting up Mississippi State's defense this week. 

13. Oregon (3-0, W 55-10 Hawai'i) (+1)

14. Oregon State (3-0, W 29-6 San Diego State) (+2)

15. Oklahoma (3-0, W 66-17 Tulsa) (+3)

16. Ole Miss (3-0, W 48-23 Georgia Tech) (+1)

It was an excellent week to be an "O" school. Both schools in Oregon earned lopsided victories, Oklahoma continued to be one of the best offenses in the country, and Ole Miss beat a Power 5 school to remain undefeated. 

17. Duke (3-0, W 38-14 Northwestern) (+3)

18. North Carolina (3-0, W 31-13 Minnesota) (+1)

19. Colorado (3-0, W 43-35 (2OT) Colorado State) (+2)

20. Tennessee (2-1, L 29-16 Florida) (-9)

The battle for the second spot in the ACC Championship Game runs through North Carolina, the state, not the university. Duke and UNC are separating themselves from the rest of the conference. Colorado has proven a legitimate threat in the PAC-12, though they've faced two close calls in three weeks. Tennessee takes a nice free fall down the rankings after their loss, though I'm optimistic it won't derail their season. 

21. UCLA (3-0, W 59-7 NC Central) (+1)

22. Iowa (3-0, W 41-10 Western Michigan) (+3)

23. Clemson (2-1, W 48-14 Florida Atlantic) (+1)

24. Kansas State (2-1, L 30-27 Missouri) (-9)

25. Miami (3-0, W 48-7 Bethune-Cookman) (+3)

UCLA and Iowa are both still undefeated after ugly victories over lesser opponents. Clemson is also finding the right steps after beating Florida Atlantic convincingly. I can't give Kansas State much grief because they lost on a miracle kick with a hobbling quarterback. There's only one new team in the Top 25 this week, as Miami has joined the fun. 

The Next 5

26. Washington State (3-0, W 63-14 Northern Colorado) (NR)

27. TCU (2-1, W 36-13 Houston) (-1)

28. Wisconsin (2-1W 35-14 Georgia Southern) (-1)

29. Louisville (3-0, W 21-14 Indiana) (-)

30. Florida (2-1, W 29-16 #11 Tennessee) (NR)

Week 4 Preview

1. #6 Ohio State at #9 Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)

The lineup for Week 4 is loaded with fun matchups, headlined by a Top 10 battle between two titans in college football. Sam Hartman has fit in beautifully with Notre Dame, leading them to a 4-0 start. Ohio State found its groove this week against Western Kentucky, proving why they are regarded as one of the best. 

Prediction- #9 Notre Dame 31, #6 Ohio State 27

2. #19 Colorado at #10 Oregon (Eugene, OR)

It will be a big weekend for the PAC-12, with three Top 25 battles. This is Colorado's first big test as they travel to Eugene to face one of the strongest teams in the conference historically. Bo Nix and Shedeur Sanders will go to war, with the latter doing so without one of his best weapons. 

Prediction- #10 Oregon 37, #19 Colorado 31

3. #14 Oregon State at #21 Washington State (Pullman, WA)

Oregon's second-best team will travel to face Washington's second-best team. While that statement likely wouldn't sit well with their fanbase, this is the perfect time to prove it wrong. DJ Uiagalelei is another quarterback who has transferred and made an immediate impact in his new setting. 

Prediction- #14 Oregon State 30, #21 Washington State 21

4. #22 UCLA at #11 Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)

Rounding out the big weekend out west is a game that could be the return of Cameron Rising for Utah. The Utes have performed well without their star quarterback through three games, but he could be a big boost for the offense. UCLA has yet to get much attention in the PAC-12 after its 3-0 start. 

Prediction- #11 Utah 34, #22 UCLA 24

5. #24 Iowa at #7 Penn State (University Park, PA)

Elsewhere in the country, Penn State will face its toughest test of the season when Iowa comes to town. The Nittany Lions offense didn't have a great weekend, though the defense made up for it with five takeaways. Iowa is riding high two weeks after its big rivalry win over Iowa State. 

Prediction- #7 Penn State 27, #24 Iowa 14

6. #15 Ole Miss at #13 Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)

I'd have more faith in Alabama heading into a big home game like this. These last two weeks have changed my mind on them completely. Their defense could be enough to get them the win, but their offense needs to find some magic quickly. 

Prediction- #15 Ole Miss 31, #13 Alabama 28

7. #4 Florida State at Clemson (Clemson, SC)

This was a huge matchup between two Top 10 teams for control over the ACC during the preseason. After Clemson's opening week loss to Duke, that feeling has left. It's still an important game because two conference losses for Clemson could be a problem. 

Prediction- Clemson 34, #4 Florida State 30

8. #16 Oklahoma at Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)

After an uncharacteristically bad season a year ago, the Sooners are one of the least talked about teams in the country. Their offense has been lethal, albeit against teams they should blow out of the water. They'll head to Cincinnati for the Bearcats' first conference game in the Big 12. 

Prediction- #16 Oklahoma 45, Cincinnati 27

9. Arkansas at #12 LSU (Baton Rouge, LA)

I've loved the Tigers' response to their season-opening loss over the last two weeks. They destroyed Mississippi State this weekend to earn a conference victory. Now, they will host a conference opponent that lost at home to BYU.  

Prediction- #12 LSU 41, Arkansas 24

10. UCF at Kansas State (Manhattan, KS)

This game likely means more if Kansas State doesn't lose to Missouri, but it still will be a big game for the conference. Undefeated UCF will get its first taste of Big 12 action in Manhattan against the Wildcats. This feels like a proving ground game for the Knights. 

Prediction- Kansas State 31, UCF 20