CFB 2024 Week Three Capsule: Derailment
Crimson Tide storm into Camp Randall and ransacks the Badgers, 42-10.
Jake McCreven
15 September 2024
Notre Dame responded from last week’s loss to Northern Illinois with a 66-7 route of rival Purdue in West Lafayette. Florida State lost again… and it cost the Seminoles $1.3 million. Texas lost Heisman frontrunner quarterback Quinn Ewers early in Saturday’s contest against UTSA and replaced him with one of the highest ranked recruits in history. Two weeks after upsetting ACC-favorite Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt was shipwrecked (get it) by Georgia State. Peaks and valleys. In what was a gloomy day for the Sunshine State, Power-Four teams in the state of Texas finished a collective 5-1 with a point differential of +160. That’s part of the beauty of college football, nothing is predictable. Who would’ve possibly predicted that not even a year after Florida State became the sport’s community object of sympathy after going 13-0 just to be left out of the College Football Playoff that it’d become the laughingstock of the same sport?
IN THIS ARTICLE
Week three games that sent teams in complete opposite directions
Teams with changed looks
Top-25 Poll updates — Magic Ball Poll
Initial tight-end draft rankings
CFB: Week 3 games that sent teams in opposite directions
Alabama @ Wisconsin — 42-10 Alabama
After the Badgers kicked off the scoring with a Nate Vakos field goal, Alabama went on a 42-3 run across the remaining three-and-a-half quarters, racking up 407 yards and 18 first downs in a detonation of the Wisconsin defense.
Tyler Van Dyke, the coveted transfer quarterback for the Badgers, was carted off the field and ultimately ruled out with a knee injury as the offense sputtered, ending the first half with drives of: downs, punt, fumble, punt, missed field goal.
The Tide were rewarded with a promotion in the AP Poll, or at least, not a demotion, as Jalen Milroe ripped the Badgers for five touchdowns and true freshman Ryan Williams recorded his fourth score in three games.
Wisconsin’s lopsided loss at home both deflated its momentum in the polls as well as how Luke Fickell’s team is to be looked at by the rest of the Big-Ten: not ready. I predicted the Badgers to lose this game, but to see a beat down this severe following two close wins against inferior opponents reminds me that this team is still a project.
Memphis @ Florida State — 20-12 Memphis
After jumping out to a 20-3 lead in the third quarter, the Tigers held on to defeat the Seminoles by one possession to conclude the early window of Saturday’s games. Florida State fell to 0-3 for the first time since… 2021.
Seth Henigan threw for two scores in the Tigers’ impressive victory in Tallahassee, as Memphis controlled just about every aspect of game. Florida State turned the ball over three times in its third loss of the season.
Memphis catapults itself into the Playoff conversation along with G-5 contenders Boise State, UNLV and NIU. The Tigers received the most votes out of any team not ranked in the latest AP Poll.
Florida State slips again as a once salvageable season has now fallen into a story book of nightmares for Seminoles fans. Florida State is the first team to ever start 0-3 following a preseason top-10 ranking. The Seminoles will now look towards reviving an offense averaging 1.3 touchdowns a game and maintaining its star-studded recruiting class.
West Virginia @ Pitt — 38-34 Pitt
The 107th rendition of the Bakcyard Brawl was won by the home team, as were five of the last six match ups. Pitt rallied down 14-points with three minutes remaining, including a a goal line touchdown with 32-seconds left to stun the Mountaineers, dropping Neil Brown’s squad to 1-2.
Eli Holstein accounted for 360 yards and three touchdowns, which included a miraculous escape to save the game for the Panthers. Garrett Greene was once again plagued by turnovers, throwing two interceptions.
The Panthers move to 3-0 (blowing up my preseason predictions) as Holstein has garnered Heisman hype with a 2-0 Big-XII record under his belt. Pitt has moved to ACC-contender status following weak starts from both Florida State and Clemson.
The Mountaineers slide down the Big-XII totem pole after sustaining its second loss following a hype-filled off season in Morgantown. The offense hasn’t clicked and the defense has trouble stopping most of everything.
UTSA @ Texas — 56-7 Texas
The Roadrunners were not expected to compete, nevertheless win in Austin against the now-top-ranked Longhorns. Yet after a demoralizing loss against Texas State last weekend, UTSA needed some sort of bounce back after scoring just 10 points against the Bobcats.
The Roadrunners caught what they thought was a break following Quinn Ewers’ abdominal strain, just for Texas to replace the All-American quarterback with one of the highest rated prospects of all time in blue-chip Arch Manning.
UTSA drops to 1-2, with both losses coming at the hands of Texas-named schools. The Longhorn loss all but insinuates the Roadrunners’ elimination from the College Football Playoff, as Jeff Traylor’s squad will now look to play underdog to other AAC-hopeful schools.
Arch Manning’s five touchdown debut vaulted the Longhorns to the number one rank in the Associated Press Top 25. The former five-star-plus recruit threw touchdowns of 19, 51, 75 and 12 yards, respectively.
CFB: Teams whose week three game changed its perception
Wisconsin –
The Badgers established themselves as a tough-nosed defensive team following two gritty wins against FCS opponents, allowing no more than two touchdowns in either game. Alabama then waltzed into Camp Randall and scored six touchdowns on the Badgers in a ransack of Madison. Jalen Milroe accounted for five scores and the Badger secondary went up in flames as Alabama racked up 407 yards of offense. Whatever cautious optimism had spread around the Badger program is now gone, as Wisconsin re-affirmed off season critics’ worries of a sustainable offense.
South Carolina –
In a different light, the Gamecocks established themselves as a pesky SEC threat following its 36-33 loss to No. 16 LSU. Even without quarterback LaNorris Sellers for the entire second half, the Gamecocks still managed nine go-ahead points late in the fourth quarter before the Tiger offense shored up and went 55 yards in eight plays to ice the game. With a healthy – and functional offense – the Gamecocks may very well pick off an upper tier SEC team before season’s end.
Boston College –
Despite its 24th rank in the AP Poll, the Eagles were not expected to rival No. 6 Missouri in Columbia. After the Eagles took an early 14-3 lead, heads started to turn and look at the Eagles as a genuine threat in the ACC. BC eventually lost the game 27-21, but with a relatively easy conference slate remaining, the Eagles could very well sneak their way into a top-five placement in its conference standings.
CFB: Week 4 Magic Ball Sports Top 25 Poll
Notes (11-25)
USC and Penn State drop while on their idle week. A product of impressive performances from Kansas State, Oklahoma State.
Utah moves up to No. 11 after defeating rival Utah State (I weigh rivalry wins heavier than normal wins). The same applies, albeit less, for the Pokes.
Oklahoma falls one after pulling away late from Tulane — another ugly win for the Sooners.
LSU jumps both Iowa State and Louisville following its 17-point comeback victory in Columbia.
Texas A&M, while not on the AP’s list, remains inside my top-20. The Aggies went into the Swamp and were up by three scores at the end of the third quarter.
Nebraska continues to impress, moving inside my top-20.
Notre Dame is back… again.
Wazzu! John Mateer has the Cougs playing great football so far, including a signature Apple Cup win.
Iowa falls two spots following a shaky win against Troy
Notes (1-10):
A new number one for the first time this season. Texas leapfrogs Georgia after dismantling UTSA with its backup quarterback. The Bulldogs escaped Lexington by one point, dropping one spot.
My top seven is identical to the AP’s top seven — I made mine before their’s released.
Alabama jumps SEC-foe Ole Miss following its 32-point victory in Madison.
Missouri falls after beating a ranked team? Tennessee was remarkably impressive despite the talent of its opponent.
Oregon maintains its No. 8 ranking after dismantling rival-Oregon State in Corvallis, 49-14.
Kansas State is the farthest jumper of the week, moving up four spots to No. 10 following a 24-point victory against previously ranked Arizona.
CFB: Tight-end Draft Rankings
Notes:
Loveland’s time as the clear-cut TE1 may be shortlived with Delp’s surge in the early season.
Mitchell Evans is the largest tight end on this list but has yet to be unlocked in Notre Dame’s offense.
Both Bryson Nesbit and Oronde Gadsden II are borderline wide receivers in the NFL considering both are under 240 pounds.
I am a huge fan of Briningstool’s game. Offers a rangy catching radius and is not afraid to use his frame when blocking. He needs to bulk up a little, however.
Harold Fannin Jr. has been a lights-out performer for the Falcons and really put his name on the map following the Penn State game.
Mason Taylor is your protoypical NFL tight-end and will most likely go in the mid-rounds.