Bennett belongs in Heisman discussion
It’s time to ramp up Stetson Bennett’s Heisman campaign.
The Georgia quarterback continues to make the case to be included in any Heisman Trophy discussions after leading the Bulldogs to an impressive 3-0 start. Bennett has completed 72% of his passes for 952 yards and five touchdowns while adding another three scores on the ground. With a passer rating of 183.48, the senior is second in the SEC ahead of reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young (162.11).
Michigan picked up right where it left off last season.
With so much attention being given to the top three in Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State, Michigan has quietly put together its own impressive start. The Wolverines are 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 166-17. Even a friendly quarterback competition between Cade Mcnamara and J.J. Mccarthy hasn’t dampened things as Jim Harbaugh’s team prepares to enter Big Ten play.
Mistakes cost Miami a chance to make a statement.
Even before the season, Miami’s showdown at Texas A&M seemed an excellent barometer of how far the Hurricanes have come under new coach Mario Cristobal. After Saturday’s disappointing 17-9 loss to the Aggies, it seems more work to be done as Miami failed to score a touchdown in four trips to the red zone with penalties stacking up.
Penn State continues to have an impressive start.
The Nittany Lions looked dominant in their doubledigit rout of Auburn on Saturday, snapping a 17-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents and sending the Tigers to their worst home loss in a decade. Quarterback Sean Clifford has been efficient for Penn State, taking care of the football and limiting mistakes, while the defense has forced five takeaways — four of those against Auburn.
Let’s hear it for Kansas Jayhawks.
What coach Lance Leipold has done at Kansas is miraculous, as the Jayhawks are 3-0 for the first time since the 2009 season after knocking off Houston on the road Saturday. Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels has thrown for 566 yards with 10 total touchdowns as the Jayhawks are among the best teams in the nation in red zone offense. Even more impressive is that Kansas, Kentucky and Duke are all undefeated to start the season.
Appalachian State avoids a monumental letdown.
Riding high off their stunning upset of then-no. 6 Texas A&M last week and with ESPN’S “Gameday” on campus, things were ripe for a monumental day to remember for Appalachian State. Still, all those good feelings nearly went up in smoke, with the Mountaineers needing a 53-yard Hail Mary by Chase Brice on the game’s final play to lift them to a come-from-behind victory over visiting Troy.
Marshall finds out life comes as you pretty fast.
A week after pulling off one of the most shocking upsets in college football by knocking off then-no. 8 Notre Dame, Marshall watched a 14-point first-quarter lead evaporate as the Thundering Herd turned the ball over three times, allowing Bowling Green to rally and pull off a 34-31 overtime win. For the Falcons, it was their first win of the season as they beat a double-digit favorite for the third time in the last two seasons.