WEEK 5: WINNERS & LOSERS
WINNERS
Kirby Smart’s defense: Nick Saban’s former assistants have been a mixed bag as head coaches. And none of them have really been able to replicate the Alabama formula with success. But Georgia’s defense has a mini- Alabama look about it at the moment, making the Bulldogs a big favorite to win the SEC East. They held lifeless Tennessee to 142 yards of offense, but this is getting to be quite a nice body of work. James Blackman’s confidence: The Florida State freshman quarterback didn’t have an easy assignment going into Wake Forest to try and get the Seminoles’ first win of the year. And though Blackman struggled for much of the game, completing just 11- for- 21 for 121 yards, it was his last pass that made all the difference. With the game tied 19- 19 and less than a minute remaining in regulation, Jimbo Fisher had enough confidence to call a deep shot for Blackman, and he threw a perfect ball to Auden Tate for a 40- yard touchdown. Georgia Tech: If not for a bad fumble against Tennessee in the season opener, opening the door for a Vols comeback, the Yellow Jackets would be 4- 0. Instead, they’re 3- 1, but it’s been a promising start nonetheless for Paul Johnson’s team, which demolished North Carolina 33- 7.
LOSERS
Saquon Barkley’s Heisman hopes: Though you obviously can’t and shouldn’t count him out based on one game, voters look at numbers. And Penn State’s 38- 14 win vs. Indiana simply wasn’t great for his numbers, being held to 56 yards on 20 carries. Though Barkley did return the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown with a spectacular run, you typically measure running backs by their 100- yard games. Barkley has had some big moments this season to boost his Heisman case, but a blowout win over a team like Indiana should be a stat- padder. Instead, it might have been a bit of a setback. Minnesota: Though the Gophers’ 3- 0 start under P. J. Fleck was not quite as impressive as it looked on paper, they had a golden opportunity to win their Big Ten opener against luckless Maryland and keep the momentum going before reality set in. After losing two quarterbacks to season- ending injuries, it seemed that Maryland might have trouble winning any of their remaining games. Tennessee: Getting blown out at home by Georgia should be a wakeup call. This isn’t about whether the Vols’ fan base has unrealistic expectations ( it probably does) or whether coach Butch Jones has improved the program from the Lane Kiffin- Derek Dooley double whammy of dysfunction ( he has).
— Dan Wolken, USA Today