We currently sit at the hallway point of the college football regular season, and it has not disappointed. With a potential three-peat from the Georgia Bulldogs, Deion’s complete overhaul with the Colorado Buffaloes, and a wide open College Football Playoff field, this college football season has not left us short with its storylines.
Teams On The Rise:
After making their first College Football Playoff appearance nearly a decade ago, the Seminoles find themselves in the mix once again. Led by quarterback Jordan Travis, this offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging over 40 points through their first four games. Travis has often turned to his top two wide receivers, Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman, who each have 20 receptions on the season. The Seminoles started off the year strong with a 45-24 win over the LSU Tigers in the Camping World Kickoff, where Coleman boasted nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Going forward, the Seminoles host the Duke Blue Devils on October 21 and the Miami Hurricanes on November 11. These games should really test the Seminoles and their chances at another College Football Playoff Berth.
In their last year in the Big 12, the Oklahoma Sooners are making a statement to the SEC that they are going to be a problem. Halfway through the season, the Sooners are 6-0 and show no signs of slowing down. After starting the season ranked #20 in the AP Top 25 poll, the Sooners have vaulted up the ranks to the number five spot, winning each game by an average of over 31 points. The Sooners have been led by Dillon Gabriel, who has 16 passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns. In their statement 34-30 win over Texas, Gabriel had 398 total yards and two total touchdowns. Not only did Gabriel stuff the stat sheet, but he executed a clutch drive in the final minutes with a go-ahead touchdown pass, leaving only 15 seconds on the clock. Looking forward to the rest of the season, the Sooners only have one more ranked matchup on the schedule against Kansas on October 28. Beyond that, the Sooners should be able to run through the rest of their schedule and return to the College Football Playoff.
Heisman Watch:
Each season, the most outstanding player in College Football is named as the Heisman Trophy Winner at the end of the season. As the season progresses, many of the top players move up and down the board based on their performance. This year, three game-changing quarterbacks in the PAC-12 lead the race and seem to be extending from the competition. Michael Penix Jr. (+220), Caleb Williams (+260), and Bo Nix (+420) are the top three candidates for the Heisman award, according to Caesars Sportsbook in ESPN Sports Betting.
Caleb Williams (Quarterback, USC Trojans):
This year, Caleb Williams has the chance to make history as the first player to win the Heisman twice since Ohio State running back Archie Griffin did so in the 1970s. Leading the Trojans offense, Williams leads the nation with 22 touchdown passes, and only has one interception. Despite having a shaky defense, Williams has been able to put the Trojans on his back and lead them to a 6-0 start, scoring at least 42 points in every game this season. For the remainder of the season, Williams will have his hands full, with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Utah Utes, Washington Huskies, and Oregon Ducks all upcoming on the schedule.
Michael Penix Jr. (Quarterback, Washington Huskies):
Senior Michael Penix Jr. has been nothing short of phenomenal this season. He has launched the Huskies up the rankings week by week and has made them a popular pick for the College Football Playoff. So far, Penix Jr. has thrown the second most yards with 1,999 and leads the country in average yards per pass attempt. However, Penix Jr. and the undefeated Huskies will have a tough rest of their schedule with ranked matchups in five of their last seven games.
Bo Nix (Quarterback, Oregon Ducks):
Bo Nix has truly found his home in Eugene after transferring from the Auburn Tigers last year. In his second season as a Duck, Nix has been superb with 1,459 passing yards and a 15:1 passing touchdown to interception ratio. Nix has also been super efficient, completing over 80% of his passes. In the Ducks’ only AP Top 25 matchup so far, Nix showed out, racking up 276 passing yards and four total touchdowns in a 42-6 win over the Colorado Buffaloes. However, Nix will have his hands full this weekend, traveling to Husky Stadium to take on a red hot, undefeated Washington squad.
Predicting Notable Matchups Down the Stretch:
(19) Washington State Cougars at (8) Oregon Ducks
On October 21, the Oregon Ducks will host the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium. These two PAC-12 opponents will battle it out in a game that could possibly influence who is in contention for the PAC-12 Championship.
The Ducks have looked dominant so far, posting an average of 51.6 points over their first five games. Quarterback Bo Nix has been stellar for the Ducks, posting 1,459 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns. In addition, for quarterbacks with at least 25 passing attempts, Nix has the highest completion percentage. Nix’s efficiency will be key for the Ducks to keep their win streak rolling.
On the other side, the Cougars have looked solid. The Cougars are 4-1 and currently are ranked T-19 in the AP Top 25, after starting the season unranked. Junior quarterback Cameron Ward is off to a remarkable start, totaling 1,587 passing yards and 17 total touchdowns. The Cougars had an impressive 38-35 win over the Oregon State Beavers, solidifying their spot in the rankings. The Cougars have had the help of an impressive wide receiver trio, with Lincoln Victor, Josh Kelly, and Kyle Williams all racking up at least 300 receiving yards each and a combined 12 touchdowns.
I predict that the Oregon Ducks will be able to take down the Washington State Cougars 31-23. While the Washington State Cougars have an impressive squad this year, the Oregon Ducks should be able to shut down the Cougar’s receiving core and use a big game from Heisman candidate Bo Nix.
(7) Washington Huskies at (15) Oregon State Beavers
On November 18, the Washington Huskies will travel to Reser Stadium to take on the Oregon State Beavers. Given that this game is the second to last of the regular season, it will surely have large implications for the PAC-12 standings and PAC-12 Championship participants.
The Beavers have looked sharp this season, led by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. In his first six games in a Beavers uniform, the Clemson transfer has been a great dual-threat quarterback, throwing for 13 touchdowns and running for five. The Beavers have used the ground attack to their advantage, depending on Damien Martinez and Deshaun Fenwick. The dynamic duo has combined for 961 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns so far this season.
As stated before, Michael Penix Jr. has led the Husky offense to a different level. The left handed gunslinger has transformed the Huskies into an offensive juggernaut. On the defensive side of the ball, the Huskies have forced eight interceptions.
I predict that the Oregon State Beavers will take this one 34-28 behind their vaunted rushing attack. Even though Penix Jr. has been lighting up the scoreboard, the Beavers will be able to use their next level ground game to take the Husky defense down, leading to a Beaver win.
(3) Ohio State Buckeyes at (2) Michigan Wolverines
On November 25, the Ohio State Buckeyes will head into Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines in a highly-anticipated matchup. In the past couple years, it seems like the structure of the College Football Playoff has been based on this game, and it looks like this year will be no different.
So far, the Michigan Wolverines have been rolling with Blake Corum dominating the rushing attack with 494 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. At quarterback, J.J. McCarthy has posted a solid 1,290 passing yards and 11 passing touchdowns. On the defensive side, the Wolverines have been stout, allowing the lowest points per game at just under seven.
On the other side, the Buckeyes have looked impressive yet again. Starting at the wide receiver spot, Marvin Harrison Jr. has looked excellent with 499 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. The Buckeyes’ highlight of the season so far was a 17-14 win on the road at Notre Dame that needed a rushing touchdown from Chip Trayanum as the clock winded down. Defensively, the Buckeyes aren’t far behind the Wolverines, letting up only 10.6 points per game on average.
I predict that the Wolverines will feed off their home-field advantage to win 24-21, essentially clinching a spot in the College Football Playoff. Each of these teams are top notch on both sides of the ball, and this is setting up to be one of the best matchups of the year.
