CFB Overtime: Notes, quotes analysis from Week 6

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Nick Saban, how are you feeling about your team following a 27-19 road win over Texas A&M?

“All that stuff you write about how good they are, all that stuff they put on ESPN that’s poison,” Saban said. “That’s like taking poison, rat poison. I’m asking them, ‘Are you going to listen to me or are you going to listen to them?’”

This isn’t new. Saban is a master at using the media to reach his players. And those players were a reflection of Saban after an SEC road win.

Ask redshirt junior Rashaan Evans about how the Tide played and he said: “The fact that we gave up 19 points is not that good at all since we’ll be playing better teams. Any time you give up 19 points it could easily be pretty bad.

“I don’t think anybody was happy after this game. Everybody felt like we could play a lot better.”

That’s Alabama under Saban – a competition against themselves.

Saban is right, of course.

The Tide held a 24-3 halftime lead early in the third quarter, but they needed an onside kick recovery to end the game. Texas A&M and a resurgent Kevin Sumlin – he’s put questions about his future to rest for now – played well. But the fact remains Alabama struggled at times to pass the ball despite facing seven- and eight-man fronts most of the night (Jalen Hurts finished 13-of-22 for 123 yards) and the Tide also yielded several off-schedule plays when they couldn't tackle slippery Aggie quarterback Kellen Mond.

Alabama didn’t finish, and it gave Saban the opportunity to drive his message home.

“We didn’t finish the game, and that’s not how good teams play,” Saban said.

But even that is just another example of how good the Crimson Tide are. They beat a good team on the road, and “nobody is happy” in Alabama’s locker room.

Saban uses his bully pulpit in the media to drive his message home, and his players spit the idea back out like he’s pulling on their strings. It’s what Alabama does and it's why the Tide win titles.

With that we present College Football Overtime for Week 6.

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Spotlighting the Reverberations of Oklahoma’s Loss

Iowa State’s no stranger to a massive upset in the Big 12. Like in 2011 when the Cyclones knocked off No. 2 Oklahoma State with two weeks remaining in the regular season, Iowa State's stunning 38-31 victory at Oklahoma has massive reverberations across college football.

First, there are the No. 3 Sooners.

Prior to this week, Oklahoma (4-1) controlled its own College Football Playoff fate. Win out, or even suffer a single, quality loss, and the Sooners were going to make the CFB Playoff thanks to the strength of its non-conference win over Ohio State. It would be a statement season for first-year head coach Lincoln Riley, and the second time in three years Oklahoma reached the CFB Playoff. Instead, the Sooners lost to Iowa State for only the second time since 1962.

It can’t be overstated how big a blow this is to Oklahoma’s playoff chances – not to mention the Big 12 race. The Cyclones are quickly improving, but this won’t be considered a quality loss. In order to reach the playoff, the Sooners are must win out in convincing fashion and then hope for some help. That’s a far cry from their status entering Saturday.

Second, there is the Big 12’s CFB Playoff status.

A conference perceived to be the weakest in the Power Five entering the year had an opportunity to make a statement this year. But through six weeks, its Top 10 teams from the Sooner state – Oklahoma and Oklahoma State – both have a loss, and the only remaining unbeaten in the conference is TCU. The Big 12 isn’t done when it comes to the CFB Playoff, but it’s in danger of missing the party for the third time in four years. That would be a devastating blow.

This loss, unless the Horned Frogs go on a tear, gives the Pac-12 the inside track for a CFB Playoff berth as the last conference in. It’s impossible to predict where the season will go between now and December, but this loss is a huge knock on the Big 12. Sure, Iowa State proved there’s plenty of depth to be found in the conference. But that won’t much matter if the Big 12 can’t present a swaggering top dog. That’s what the Big 12 needs to reach the CFB Playoff. Oklahoma was supposed to be that team. Now, it’s unclear if that contender will emerge at all.

Finally, there’s the Heisman Trophy race.

With Louisville’s loss Thursday, Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley moved into the pole position for the stiff-arm trophy. Mayfield, a two-time Top 4 finisher in the voting, looked like he might finally break through. He’d been playing inspired football, a mix of swagger and controlled dominance.

Mayfield didn’t play bad against Iowa State, of course. When you throw for 306 yards, two touchdowns and complete 72.7 percent of your passes, you should win. But Heisman winners don’t let their teams lose those games. It’s probably unfair to say that when your defense gives up 38 points, but it’s what the narrative will be exiting Saturday.

The season isn't a wrap for OU, Mayfield or the Big 12.

But this loss sure does damage all three in significant ways that will only be felt in full at season’s end.

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A Quartet of Noteworthy Storylines

1. Michigan’s fall: It was going to happen eventually. The Big Ten couldn’t have four juggernauts all year; Michigan (4-1) is the first to fall off that pedestal after a 14-10 loss to Michigan State (4-1). The weather conditions were far from ideal in the fourth quarter. But both teams had to suffer through it. And the fact remains that championship-worthy teams can score. Right now, Michigan can’t do that with any kind of consistency.

The No. 7 Wolverines lost a game in which their defense held the Spartans to 94 yards passing and 2-of-13 on third-down attempts. Think about that. That should be a win for any team. Instead, the Wolverines sputtered and turned the ball over five times. There was a thought John O’Korn could spark the offense in place of an injured Wilton Speight – wait, I thought that – but O’Korn ended the afternoon with a 46 percent completion rate on 35 passes and a trio of interceptions. Michigan couldn’t run the ball, either, averaging 2.6 yards per carry.

Out of context, this game had some fluke elements to it – namely the weather. But this Wolverine team hasn’t been able to score all year. It cost them Saturday. Unless Michigan gets that fixed, and soon, the Wolverines are done in terms of Big Ten contention this year with a schedule that still includes games with Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

2. Welcome back, Miami! Now, don’t get confused. Miami isn’t back in the way people think about the word. This isn’t yet an NFL-star producing super team. But welcome back to the national landscape all the less.

That’s a status the Hurricanes (4-0) earned Saturday with their 24-20 win over Florida State (1-3). No, this isn’t the Top 3 team the Seminoles were at the beginning of the season, but this is still a quality road victory for Miami. It snapped a seven-game losing streak to FSU and also signaled that Mark Richt and the Hurricanes won’t be pushed around in a state the Seminoles have dominated this decade for any longer.

Miami was far from perfect in the victory. It allowed 406 yards of offense, had a big deficit in time of possession and averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. But when it mattered, the Hurricanes made plays. Florida State went up 20-17 with 1:24 remaining, and all Miami did in response was put together a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. That happened with first-year starter Malik Rosier under center, by the way. His 23-yard last-second TD pass to Darrell Langham might become one of the most critical plays of the 2017 season. Miami could have played for OT. Instead, Richt trusted his offense to make a play.

With back-to-back road wins over Duke and Florida State, the Hurricanes have made a statement. Things are favorable for Miami the rest of the way, too. The Hurricanes draw Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Virginia at home, and they avoid Clemson in the cross-divisional matchup. This should be the year Miami returns to the ACC title game.

If Saturday is any indication, it will.

3. Iowa State’s huge victory: Matt Campbell inherited an Iowa State team from Paul Rhoads that had won eight games the previous three seasons. And if you weren’t paying attention a year ago, the results would’ve looked like more of the same as the Cyclones finished 3-9. But it was a team that played Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas State and Oklahoma into the fourth quarter in losses. There were a lot of near-misses a year ago, and that trend continued early this year when the Cyclones lost to Iowa in OT and couldn't pounce on Texas at home.

That's longer the case. The Cyclones’ road victory over the No. 3 Sooners is all the evidence you. Campbell has Iowa State playing disciplined, aggressive and inspired football, so much so that it didn’t matter that a former walk-on QB started under center. Kyle Kempt threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns in a near unblemished 18-of-24 performance.

Campbell is weaving magic in Ames. A team that hasn’t reached a bowl game since 2012 is now well in position to do so in arguably the toughest conference in the country to crawl out of the cellar from. The Big 12 isn’t as top-heavy as some other conferences, but it’s deep, and the climb up the pecking order is difficult – just look at Kansas. But, in less than two years, Campbell has the Cyclones humming. It won’t be long before Campbell is a hot name in offseason coaching searches, which for Iowa State is at least better than having to fire coaches after 3-9, 2-10 and 3-9 stretches.

4. NC State’s place in the ACC: It’s hard to put into perspective just how big of a win No. 24 NC State’s 39-25 victory over No. 17 Louisville on Thursday. The victory lifted the Wolfpack to 5-1 overall and gave the team its first 3-0 start in ACC play since 2002. It’s NC State’s first home victory over a ranked opponent while ranked since 1992. Football matters again this year for the Wolfpack. This victory announces them as legitimate challengers to Clemson in the ACC Atlantic Division.

But what’s behind the jump? First, a steady rebuild by head coach Dave Doeren. Second, a fearsome defense that’s led by an all-senior front seven. Third, and most importantly to this jump, the Wolfpack have an offense capable of scoring against anyone.

Junior QB Ryan Finely is a pro prospect, and he showed that Thursday outdueling Lamar Jackson. Finley, who ranks fourth nationally in passing yards (through Friday), threw for 367 yards and a touchdown in the victory. He’s complimented by a diverse group of receivers, four of whom have 250 yards plus receiving. Add in the versatility of Jaylen Samuels (425 yards receiving, 129 yards rushing) and running back Nyheim Hines (513 yards), and this is a dangerous and balanced group. That makes all the difference in the world when a defense gets after you like NC State’s does – the Wolfpack rank seventh nationally with 17 sacks.

Add in a special teams unit that is among the best in the country in the return game, and the Wolfpack have the type of balanced unit to challenge anyone. They have the schedule to make things happen, too. NC State already owns victories over Louisville and Florida State. It will draw Clemson at home, and the Wolfpack also avoid Miami and Virginia Tech in the cross-divisional schedule. Manage to upset Clemson, and they have an easy road into the ACC title game.

That’s a big if, of course, when it comes to Clemson. But this NC State team looks legitimate.

Forget the loss to South Carolina: this NC State team is good. 247Sports made a bold prediction at the beginning of the year that the Wolfpack would upset at least one of the three Atlantic juggernauts. Halfway through the season, they’ve already upset two. Is Clemson up next? The Wolfpack seem to believe. The nation is starting to pay attention, too.

"Told our team it was coming, told y'all it was coming, some of you believed me, some of you didn't," Doeren said postgame, per the Associated Press. "But I'm really excited and you can just feel it right now in our locker room. They believe they're the best team. And they're playing hard and they're playing together and they're tough -- and it's fun, a lot of fun."

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Three Teams That Are Feeling Better

1. TCU: Who had TCU in first place in the Big 12 midway through 2017? A team that finished 6-7 a year ago and ranked fifth in the Big 12 preseason poll is now ranked in the Top 10 and alone at the top of the Big 12 following a 31-24 win over West Virginia. The Horned Frog offense was impressive, of course – just check out this trick play featuring Kenny Hill the receiver – but it was the defense that carried the day for TCU. A Mountaineer (3-2) team that entered Saturday averaging 49 points per contest was held to just 10 points in three trips to the red zone. It wasn’t a great effort by a TCU defense that surrendered 508 yards. It also didn’t have to be. With the way the Horned Frogs score, a bend-but-don’t-break unit will do the trick. TCU still has a long way to go in order to finish this season unscathed, but Oklahoma is the only ranked team left on its schedule. Right now, things are looking pretty good for Gary Patterson and crew.

2. LSU: A week after a loss to Troy and a few days after fans questioned his job status on his weekly radio show, Ed Orgeron earned the biggest win of his LSU career on the road against Florida. The Tigers (4-2) held Florida (3-2) to 302 yards in the victory, gutting out a defensive battle in the most tumultuous of circumstances. Things could’ve gone sideways quickly for Coach O. Instead, he figured out a way to right the ship in short order. That’s a quality of perseverance that can’t be overstated for Orgeron or the Tigers. Coach O did some of his best work in interim roles at USC and LSU when things were trending down for both programs. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to do so in Baton Rouge. That’s not how things are supposed to work there, of course. But sometimes culture establishment takes time. Sure, the Tigers still have issues moving the ball and are far from dominant along the line of scrimmage, but nobody can question this team’s toughness this week against the back-to-back SEC East champs. That’s a credit to Orgeron.

3. Bowling Green: Not much has gone right for Bowling Green in 2017, but you earn a spot on this list when you move off the list of winless teams. The Falcons moved to 1-5 with a 37-29 victory over Miami (Ohio). It’s been a rough start for Mike Jinks so far at Bowling Green. He inherited a 10-win team following the 2015 season and then won just four games last year. Things haven’t been much better this year as the Falcons lost to an FCS team (South Dakota) and started 0-5. This win doesn’t change any of that, but it does give Bowling Green something to cheer about in 2017.

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Three Teams That Are Feeling Worse

1. Louisville: Let’s start by saying the Cardinals (4-2) are in no way a bad team. Really, they’ve been beaten this year by two very good ones (Clemson and NC State). But Louisville is also a disappointment in some respects. Had the Cardinals not lost their final two regular season games a year ago, they would’ve had an outside chance of making the playoff. That wasn’t going to happen this year after their loss to the Tigers. But to already be out of the ACC race halfway through the season is tough when you have a player like Lamar Jackson. Heisman winners are supposed to be program-changing players. It’s just unfortunate the Cardinals haven’t been able to put a title-winning team around him. Jackson could still come back as a senior and give Louisville another crack at a title. But if he doesn’t, Jackson’s tenure with the Cardinals will be a missed opportunity. Things won’t get any easier for the Cardinals moving forward in a division with two juggernaut coaches – Dabo Swinney (Clemson) and Jimbo Fisher (Florida State). Jackson was the advantage for Louisville over those teams. If you can’t win with him, you’ll have a hard time breaking through at all.

2. Arkansas: Things weren’t going well for Arkansas early in the second half against South Carolina. The Razorbacks were down 20-10, and they’d have had little luck moving the ball with consistency. Then things got worse. Austin Allen had a pass intercepted by Skai Moore, which was promptly returned 34 yards for a TD. The next series, Allen was sacked and fumbled, which resulted in a 73-yard scoop and score by T.J. Brunson. South Carolina grabbed a 34-10 lead at that point. It only got worse for Arkansas (2-3) in a 48-22 loss to the Gamecocks (4-2). Arkansas isn’t a bad football team, but the fact remains its 0-3 this year against Power Five competition. That includes losses to Texas A&M and South Carolina, two of the easier games remaining on their schedule. Things are only going to get worse, too. The next two weeks include games with Alabama and Auburn. Two weeks after that the Razorbacks have to travel to LSU. With just two wins, it’s far from a guarantee the Razorbacks reach a bowl. Matchups with Ole miss, Costal Carolina, Mississippi State and Missouri provide an opportunity, but Arkansas needs to win all of those. And honestly that line of thought shows what’s wrong with the Razorbacks at the moment. Bret Bielema didn’t go to Arkansas to maybe win a bowl game. He came to win championships, and that’s nowhere close to happening right now.

3. Georgia Southern: It wasn’t long ago when Georgia Southern entered the Sun Belt as a first-year FBS team and messed around and won the conference. Three years later, led by Tyson Summers instead of Willie Fritz, and the Eagles are 0-4 following a 43-25 loss to Arkansas State (2-2) on Wednesday evening. It hasn’t been an easy opening stretch for Georgia Southern. Road games with Auburn and Indiana make it so, but that doesn’t really explain the team’s loss to FCS school New Hampshire. Willie Fritz is doing good things over at Tulane, but things haven’t really carried over under Summers. The loss Wednesday dropped Southern to 5-11 in his two-year tenure.

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Cool Story of the Day

Joel Lanning’s story is already pretty incredible.

Iowa State’s starting quarterback a year ago before he lost his job to Jacob Park, Lanning made the switch to middle linebacker this offseason so he could help the team. Linebacker, by the way, is a position Lanning hadn’t manned since junior high.

Impressive, right?

Now consider he secured the starting role at his new positon before the Cyclones finished spring practice. On top of that, he’s been playing well. Lanning, heading into Saturday, led the Cyclones with 46 tackles, had 1.5 sacks and an interception. Those 46 tackles rank him 19th nationally. Not bad for a guy throwing passes a year ago, right?

OK, now that you’ve digested that, let’s take a look at what Lanning did this week against Oklahoma.

Not only did the senior play middle linebacker – he finished with eight tackles and a critical fourth-quarter sack – but he severed as a change-of-pace QB the day after Park announced he’d take a leave of absence from the program. Kyle Kempt started, but Lanning provided a spark on more than one occasion, finishing the afternoon with 25 yards passing and nine carries for 35 yards.

Lanning started at one of the most physically demanded positions on the field. Then, during a period he’d normally rest, he moonlighted as both a quarterback and a wildcat option at QB.

It was old school, and it was a sight to see.

Lanning might or might not have an NFL future at middle linebacker – it’s looking more and more like he will – but one has to appreciate the collegiate player he’s been. Iowa State could not ask for a better leader.

Crazy Story of the Day

If you hate college football overtime, skip this section. If you love it, embrace the beauty that was Western Michigan vs. Buffalo.

First, just savor the final score: Western Michigan 71, Buffalo 68

Then read all the FBS records that were set in this seven-overtime clash: Most combined points in a single game (139), most points by a losing team (68 by Buffalo) and the most overtime periods (tied with North Texas/FIU in 2006).

This game had it all.

It had a combined 1,328 yards of offense. It had 597 yards and seven touchdowns passing by Buffalo junior quarterback Drew Anderson. It had a kicker score 12 points (Buffalo’s Adam Mitcheson) and clutch overtime stops to keep extending the game. Oh yeah, it even had a fan run onto the field to celebrate the game’s conclusion, but the game wasn’t even over!

Honestly, how could you not love the result of this game?

College football is unique in that anything can happen any week as opposed to the sterile product that is the NFL. This type of score and journey could only happen on Saturdays, and that’s what makes the game great.

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Offensive Player of the Week

Khalil Tate, Arizona: The Wildcats are quietly 3-2 after a win over Colorado, and Rich Rodriguez has Tate to thank for that. The sophomore QB rushed for an eye-popping 327 yards – an FBS rushing record for QBs – and four touchdowns on just 14 carries, which means he averaged 23.4 yards per tote. That’s a great number for a wide receiver in terms of catches. To boot, Tate went 11-of-12 passing for 142 yards and a touchdown. Now that’s how you fill up a box score.

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Defensive Player of the Week

Kenny Willekes, Michigan State: The Spartan defense came up huge in an upset win over Michigan, allowing just 2.6 yards per carry and limiting Michigan to 300 total yards. Willekes, a sophomore defensive end, was a big part of that. A first-year starter, Willekes totaled nine tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss in the win.

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Ranking The Top 10

(Note, this is my personal Top 10 following Week 6 action)

1 Alabama
2 Clemson
3 Georgia
4 Penn State
5 Washington
6 TCU
7 Wisconsin
8 Miami
9 Washington State
10 Ohio State

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Let’s go rapid-fire with a Top 25 Breakdown for the rest of the games not mentioned above:

- No. 2 Clemson could’ve had a challenge this week when a quality Wake Forest team came to town. Instead, the Tigers (6-0) suffocated the Demon Deacons (4-2) in 28-14 victory. Kelly Bryant had a bounce-back game through the air passing for 203 yards and two touchdowns against a quality defense, but he didn’t have to be spectacular. Clemson surrendered just 306 yards on the afternoon with both of Wake Forest’s touchdowns coming in the fourth quarter.
- Saquon Barkley had -(7) rushing yards deep in the third quarter, and then he did Heisman-worthy things. Penn State’s star broke off a 53-yard TD run, which you can see below, that will highlight No. 5 Penn State’s 31-7 victory over Northwestern (2-3). The defense doesn’t get much attention for the Nittany Lions (6-0), but the unit is quietly improving having allowed a balanced Northwestern attack to total just 265 yards and 3.6 yards per play on the day.
- Vanderbilt’s 3-0 start was impressive … then the Commodores hit SEC play. Alabama, Florida and Georgia are a monstrous start to conference play, and Vanderbilt didn’t fare well. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs won 45-14 led by a pair of 100-yard rushers (Sony Michel and Nick Chubb) and the efficient play of true freshman QB Jake Fromm – Derrick Mason was right, there was no chance Kirby Smart would move away from Fromm. Georgia’s defense, by the way, remains dominant. The Commodores managed just 236 yards in the loss. Since a win over No. 18 Kansas State, Vanderbilt’s been outscored 142-38. Things do get easier from here for Vandy, though.

- No. 6 Washington had another late, late start but still did what it usually does: Beat up on people. The Huskies won, 38-7.
- Wisconsin true freshman Jonathan Taylor continues to have a disregard for his age, as he rushed for 249 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-17 win over Nebraska (3-3). The No. 9 Badgers (5-0) may have already completed the toughest stretch of a weak schedule. Other than a home game against Michigan, they don’t see a ranked team the rest of the season.
- No. 10 Ohio State was supposed to have more of a challenge this week against Maryland. It didn’t turn out that way. The Buckeyes (5-1) smothered Maryland (3-2) in a 62-14 victory. Things got so bad, the Terrapins managed just 26 total yards in the first half.
- Shea Patterson is very good, but that didn’t much matter in No. 12 Auburn’s 44-23 victory over Ole Miss (2-3). The Tigers (5-1) surrendered just 2.8 yards per carry, and the Rebels couldn’t consistently stay on the field. Oh yeah, junior Tiger running back Kerryon Johnson had quite the day running for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. Auburn’s backfield workhorse seems to have emerged out of the three-man group of Johnson, Kam Martin and Kamryn Pettway.
- It wasn’t a dominating performance, but No. 14 USC (4-1) had little trouble with Oregon State (1-5). Sam Darnold did throw another interception, but he also cleared the 300-yard mark and threw a trio of touchdowns.
- Virginia Tech bounced back after its loss to Clemson with a 23-10 road win over Boston College (2-4). The No. 16 Hokies were led by QB Josh Jackson, who threw for 322 yards. Leading receiver Cam Phillips did leave the game in the fourth quarter with a right foot sprain.
- No. 21 Notre Dame moved to 5-1 with a 33-10 victory over North Carolina (1-5) despite starting backup QB Ian Book, who threw two interceptions. The Irish won on the strength of their run game with both Deon McIntosh and Josh Adams clearing the 100-yard rushing mark. Adams has now rushed for 100-plus in four of six games this season.

- The No. 25 UCF Knights are rolling and beat Cincinnati on the road, 51-23.

Other Games of Interest

- Willie Fritz notched his 200th career win when Tulane blitzed Tulsa 62-28. The Green Wave (3-2) put up 653 yards of offense, including 488 yards on the ground, on a day the Golden Hurricanes could do little to nothing to stop the run. This is just the latest stumble for Tulsa following a 10-season. Thus far, the Golden Hurricanes are allowing 44 points per game.
- It’s been a rough go of it for Scottie Montgomery at East Carolina so far. The Pirates dropped to 1-5 this season with a 34-10 loss to Temple (3-3). That means in two years since taking off for Ruffin McNeal, the Pirates own just three wins over an FBS opponent – though one is against NC State – and a 4-14 overall record.
- Texas Tech’s offense took on a bit of a new flavor against Kansas (1-4) in a 65-19 win. The Red Raiders rushed for 313 yards as a team, while junior running back Desmond Nisby scored four rushing touchdowns. Tech also continued to force turnovers, adding two fumble recoveries and interceptions to their Big 12-high total.
-Virginia (4-1) is off to its best start since 2007 with its 28-21 win over Duke (4-2). Cavs QB Kurt Benkert threw two early interceptions, but he rallied to finish the game with 182 yards passing and two TDs.
-Dino Babers continues to slowly make Syracuse better with the Orange earning their first win over Pittsburgh (2-4) in five years on Saturday. Syracuse (3-3) is playing well this season, its only three losses came in close games with Middle Tennessee, NC State and LSU.
-UAB (3-3) continues to be one of the coolest stories of the 2017 season as it knocked off Louisiana Tech, 23-22. The Blazers didn’t play college football the last two years. The Bulldogs (3-3) won three games the last two seasons. That’s how good UAB’s been this season.
- Texas (3-2) may have found a quarterback. And yes, I know that gets said nearly every year. But true freshman Sam Ehlinger was really good! He passed for 380 yards, ran for 107 more and totaled two touchdowns in Texas’ 40-34 double-overtime win over Kansas State (3-2). This came with Shane Buechele hurt, but it’s hard to see Tom Herman going away from Ehlinger at this point. The job is Ehlinger’s to lose heading into the Red River Rivalry.
- Jeff Brohm is doing work at Purdue. A year after the Boilermakers won just three games, they’re already 3-2 following a 31-17 win over Minnesota (3-2). The game included a 88-minute weather delay and four Purdue turnovers, and it didn’t much matter. The Boilermakers endured, and they seem to be headed for a quick turnaround – by Big Ten standards – under Brohm.
- Houston won an in-state battle with SMU thanks to 177 yards rushing and two touchdowns by Duke Catalon. The Cougars (4-1) allowed 544 yards of offense, but they endured. SMU (4-2) puts up points, but it hasn’t been able to stop anyone this year. Still, it’s clear how much better this team is in Year 3 under Chad Morris.
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Gaudiest Stat Lines of the Week

Passing

Drew Anderson, Buffalo: 35-of-61 for 597 yards & 7 TDs in a 71-68 loss to Western Michigan
Caleb Evans, Louisiana-Monroe: 24-of-37 for 433 yards & 3 TDs in a 45-27 win over Texas State
Riley Ferguson, Memphis: 34-of-48 for 431 yards & 7 TDs in a 70-31 win over UConn

Rushing

Khalil Tate, Arizona (QB): 14 carries for 327 yards & 4 TDs in a 45-42 win over Colorado
Phillip Lindsay, Colorado: 41 carries for 281 yards & 3 TDs in a 45-42 loss to Arizona
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin: 25 carries for 249 yards & 2 TDs in a 38-17 win over Nebraska

Receiving

Anthony Miller, Memphis: 15 catches for 224 yards & 4 TDs in a 70-31 win over UConn
Teo Redding, Bowling Green: 8 catches for 197 yards & 2 TDs in a 37-29 win over Miami (Ohio)
Anthony Johnson, Buffalo: 11 catches for 195 yards & 2 TDs in a 71-68 loss to Western Michigan