Tigers, Bulldogs face off
Last weekend was the most exciting yet in this young college football season, with two top-10 teams going down and another making a miraculous comeback in the final minutes.
This weekend only offers a handful of big-time matchups, highlighted by No. 7 Auburn vs. No. 4 Georgia, but there’s plenty to get excited about. Here are the storylines to watch heading into Week 5:
A tale of two offenses:
Things could not be any different for Georgia and Auburn. Sophomore Bo Nix showed improvement as a passer in Auburn’s season-opening win over Kentucky, throwing three touchdown passes, while D’Wan Mathis struggled in his first start for Georgia before being replaced by Stetson Bennett, who helped right the ship with 211 yards and two touchdowns. JT Daniels might be back in the mix for the Bulldogs, with the former five-star prospect and Southern California transfer getting medical clearance to return after a season-ending knee injury last year. This is going to be a slugfest, pitting the nation’s two most efficient defenses against each other. Whichever offense can avoid turning the ball over and hit some chunk plays through the air will be the winner, but it’s nearly impossible to predict how these quarterbacks will fare under pressure — and in Georgia’s case, which quarterback is going to take the most snaps.
Alabama is back: The Crimson Tide never really left, though a season without a playoff berth is a disappointment in Tuscaloosa. With quarterback Mac Jones at the helm, the offense could be just as scary as it was with Tua Tagovailoa throwing passes thanks to a star-studded group of weapons in running back Najee Harris and receivers Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith. The Tide dispatched Missouri and its talented defense with ease last week, 38-19. Even after struggling a bit in a 17-12 win over Vanderbilt, Texas A&M ranks 19th in efficiency, according to ESPN’s SP+, through two games. If Alabama beats the Aggies handily, look out.
More cowbell: What will Mike Leach and Mississippi State do for an encore against Arkansas after a thrilling upset of LSU? Stanford transfer K.J. Costello threw for an SEC-record 623 yards and f i ve t ouchdowns in Leach’s debut, proving his Air Raid offense not only works in the nation’s top conference, but it can be downright devastating. Expecting Costello to keep up this kind of production week-to-week is a fool’s errand, but he clearly feels comfortable directing Leach’s passing attack. Things will get really interesting for the Bulldogs when they face Texas A&M and Alabama in back-to-back games in October, but until then, let’s savor the “Mad Scientist” experience down south.
Kyle Trask’s rise: The senior entered a season as the full- time starting quarterback for the first time since ninth grade. It was worth the wait, as he torched Mississippi for 416 yards and an SECrecord-tying six touchdown passes in Florida’s 51-35 win. The Gators jumped to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll this week, putting bigger expectations on Trask’s shoulders. Can he make a Joe Burrow-esque leap?