Midterms! Who’s hot so far
The midpoint of another season has arrived and the burning question is — yet again — can anybody beat Alabama?
This is the third straight year the Crimson Tide has started the season No. 1 and ripped through its first seven games with little resistance. In 2016, the Tide outscored its first seven opponents 318-105, spent the entire regular season at No. 1 and did not lose until the national championship game against Clemson
Last year, Alabama outscored everyone 299-71 through seven games and did not stumble until the regular-season finale at Auburn, which the CFP selection committee excused and the Tide went on to win its fifth national championship under coach Nick Saban.
This year, Alabama is 7-0 by a margin of 375-106. Granted, part of this first-half dominance is because the Crimson Tide’s early season schedule always contains at least two nonconference pushovers, and its typically toughest Southeastern Conference games against LSU and Auburn are always in November.
But here we are again, halfway home waiting to see if and when the machine in Tuscaloosa will malfunction.
Time to put a capper on the first half, acknowledging the good and bad, and forecast what’s to come.
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama The NCAA passer rating might not be the best way to measure how well a quarterback is playing, but it does provide a consistent data point that’s been used for a long time. Last year, Baker Mayfield set an NCAA record for rating in a season at 198.9 on the way to the Heisman Trophy. Look back at the statistics over the years and you will find that good quarterbacks have good ratings. It’s not a bad tool, even if it is not perfect.
Tagovailoa currently leads the country in passer rating at 248.09. He has thrown 21 touchdowns, no interceptions and is averaging 14.3
yards per pass. Even accounting for inflation because of competition — and Alabama’s schedule is really not that bad relative to other top teams — the sophomore has delivered on every bit of his hype.
Also considered: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State; Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis; Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma; Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado; Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston If you thought Oliver might cruise through his junior season, having already declared that he will enter next year’s NFL draft, not a chance. Despite drawing loads of attention from opposing blockers , Oliver is putting up almost two tackles for loss per game (third in the nation). If advance measurements are your thing, Oliver has graded out as one of the best defensive players in the country , according to Pro Football Focus. There is also a cool bobblehead doll version of Oliver riding his horse, Oreo.
Also considered: Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky; Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington; Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama; Gerald Willis III, DT, Miami; Oshane Ximines, DE, Old Dominion.
BEST FRESHMAN
Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue.
Coach Jeff Brohm swiped Moore away from Texas in recruiting and the 5-foot-9, 175-pound doit-all receiver has thrived in the Boilermakers’ bigplay attack. He is fourth in the country in all-purpose yards (167.8 per game) and is averaging 13.8 yards every time he touches the ball. He has four 100-yard receiving games and has packed a season’s worth of highlights into six games.
Also considered: Alan Bowman, QB, Texas Tech; Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State; Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon; Caden Sterns, S, Texas; Pooka Williams, RB, Kansas.
MOST SURPRISING TEAM
No. 5 LSU (6-1) The Tigers were preseason No. 25, but it seemed even their fans were not quite convinced this would be a successful season. Now they are thinking playoff after LSU walloped Georgia last weekend. The offense still lacks explosiveness, but it has limited mistakes.