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2 years ago

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  • ESPN staff

Week 5 of the 2022 college football season gave us a close call (Georgia), a stunning upset (TCU), a backup quarterback stepping in for a Heisman winner to lead ranked Alabama to victory (Jalen Milroe), and no shortage of moments that make us love the sport.

Best catch

Javaian Lofton. That’s it. Watch it. Then watch it again.

It’s easily one of the better catches of the season from the Liberty wide receiver.

Best celebration

The sold-out Vaught-Hemingway Stadium crowd wasn’t the only group celebrating Ole Miss‘ thrilling 22-19 win over Kentucky on Saturday in Hotty Toddy fashion.

So were the Ole Miss defensive coaches in a raucous coaches’ booth after Jared Ivey jarred the ball loose from Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in the final minute, preserving the Rebels’ 13th straight home win.

It was that kind of game, back and forth, with both teams making big plays and big mistakes. But the Rebels’ defense, as coach Lane Kiffin said, had a “big-time defensive day” when it had to. Not just once, either, but twice. The Rebels forced Levis fumbles on Kentucky’s last two possessions of the game.

“It came down to the last play, and our guys showed up,” Kiffin said.

Ole Miss (5-0) won 10 games in the regular season a year ago for the first time in school history. The Rebels could very easily start out 7-0 this season with their next two games against Vanderbilt on the road and Auburn at home.

The Ole Miss sideline (and not just the coaches’ booth) was equally wild after holding on there at the end over a Kentucky team that entered the game ranked No. 7 nationally.

“It was so crazy,” Ole Miss receiver Malik Heath said. “We were like, ‘Ain’t no way we just did this.’ We believed in our defense. We believe our defense is the best defense in the country. … We weren’t worried. They held them one time, so we thought they would do it again.”

They did, and the party was on.

— Chris Low

Best quote

If Mike Leach had to manufacture a game plan for a wedding, the Mississippi State head coach would keep it simple and keep reiterating one point over and over:

Elope. Elope. Elope.

Whether speaking from experience or otherwise, that was Leach’s wedding advice to SEC Network reporter Alyssa Lang on Saturday.

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2:27

After a win vs. the No. 17 Aggies, Mike Leach credits the Bulldogs for being strong on both sides of the ball and gives his two cents on proper wedding arrangements.

“As soon as the season is over or even an off week, go elope,” Leach said. “Trust me on that, go elope. ‘Cause basically every female in the family is going to terrorize you guys until it’s over. Once it’s over, I mean, they’ll be upset for a few days, but it’ll be over and then you’ll cruise along and have a happy marriage, have a happy life.”

Leach even added that he has told all his children he’d give them an extra $10,000 if they did elope.

“So far they haven’t done it,” Leach said. “But I would too.”

— Paolo Uggetti

Small-school moment of the week

North Dakota State has become the FCS’ premier program by figuring how to combine the modernity required to produce two top-five picks at quarterback in the past decade with loads of hilariously old-school physicality. While the typical college football offense doesn’t see much use for fullbacks, NDSU lists five of them on its roster, including the 236-pound Hunter Luepke, last year’s national title game MVP and a Walter Payton Award Watch List nominee.

Luepke gained 106 combined rushing and receiving yards and scored his seventh and eighth touchdowns of the season in Saturday’s 27-14 win over Youngstown State; the second one went viral, not necessarily because of his exploits but because of those around him.

Luepke and three other fullbacks shared the field for his 12-yard score late in the first quarter. It’s fun when you can double down on your brand and score a touchdown at the same time, huh? (Also on brand: The Bison’s win was over in under three hours. The clock rarely stops running when NDSU has the ball.)

— Bill Connelly

Best mascot moment

BYU knocked off Utah State 38-26 on Thursday in Provo to hang on to the Old Wagon Wheel in the last scheduled meeting between the two schools before the Cougars’ move to the Big 12.

Quarterback Jaren Hall led BYU by completing 17 of 37 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Christopher Brooks added 90 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Though, depending on whom you ask, the most impressive BYU performance of the evening might have come from Cosmo the Cougar, who did the following:

The table stunt is just the latest in an already impressive arsenal of talents by Cosmo.

— Harry Lyles Jr.

Takeaways

TCU makes a statement

Sonny Dykes grew up in the footprint of what is now the Big 12 while his dad, Spike, was coaching as an assistant at Texas and as head coach at Texas Tech. After his father retired, Dykes returned to coach wide receivers for Mike Leach at Tech from 2000 to 2006. Dykes made a triumphant return to the league in his first Big 12 game as a head coach on Saturday, throttling first-year head coach Brent Venables and Oklahoma 55-24. There’s no doubt it meant something to him to get his first win against the Sooners.

“This was a good one,” Dykes said after the game. “I’ve coached against Oklahoma for a long time and hadn’t had a whole lot of success against these guys. They’re one of the blue bloods of college football, and anytime you have a chance to play against those guys, you’re going to be excited about it. You’re gonna see it as an opportunity to make a name for yourself and as a program to take a step. And I certainly think we did that today. We weren’t outclassed. We didn’t look that way.”

That would be an understatement. The Frogs moved the ball however they wanted, rushing for 361 yards and passing for 307, with no turnovers. A week ago, the TCU student section chanted Dykes’ name at SMU, where he previously coached, which he said was a little embarrassing. This week, though, Dykes looked like he felt at home again.

— Dave Wilson

DTR and UCLA put on a show

On a night when his competition on the other side was a quarterback who was starting to get Heisman buzz, UCLA‘s fifth-year senior quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, transformed the Rose Bowl into his own personal playground. DTR, as he’s known, hurdled and juked Washington defenders on his way to an upset victory, but no play looked more smooth than this pirouette near the goal line.

As Thompson-Robinson reached the end zone on a short run, he deftly slid to the right of a diving defender, causing him to crash into a teammate. It looked like something out of a choreographed dance routine, and it allowed DTR to walk into the end zone untouched.

The play put the Bruins up by 23 and embodied the kind of statement they produced Friday night. After being ignored for beating four lesser teams to start the season, Chip Kelly’s team announced its presence in the Pac-12 with a signature win, one the Bruins have been lacking in seasons past.

Thanks to some continuity led by DTR and the additions of transfers such as wide receiver Jake Bobo, UCLA suddenly looks like a conference contender that will, at the very least, present tough matchups for the Pac-12’s upper echelon of Utah, Oregon and USC. Who knows, in a few weeks we might be considering the Bruins a part of that bunch too.

— Uggetti

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Sources: QB Ewers not likely to play vs. Bulldogs

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7 hours ago

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September 28, 2024

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Sources: QB Ewers not likely to play vs. Bulldogs

  • Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 09:00 AM ET

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      College Football Senior Writer for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is not expected to play against Mississippi State on Saturday, per sources, as the Longhorns staff is expected to sit him out in order for him to be fully healthy for the game against Oklahoma on Oct. 12.

A final decision on Ewers is expected later Saturday, per sources, but the decision is trending toward allowing him to use Texas’ week off following the Mississippi State game to get healthy. Ewers has been considered week-to-week since injuring his oblique against UTSA on Sept. 14.

Ewers finished the week at nearly 70%, as he practiced Tuesday, was limited Wednesday and ended up limited in practice Thursday to allow him to fully heal. Per sources, the Texas coaching staff wanted to give Ewers the extra rest to ensure he’d return at full strength.

The decision means that Texas will against start backup quarterback Arch Manning, who will make his first career start in an SEC game. Manning made his first start against Louisiana Monroe, completing 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards. He had two touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Ewers’ oblique injury came in the wake of him displaying one of the season’s best performances at Michigan in Week 2, as he threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout Texas win in Ann Arbor.

Mississippi State enters the game on a three-game losing streak, which includes back-to-back blowout home losses to Toledo and Florida. The Bulldogs are trending toward finishing at the bottom of the SEC, as they have one of the country’s worst defenses. They are No. 111 nationally in total defense and No. 107 in scoring defense.

Mississippi State will also be without its starting quarterback, as starter Blake Shapen is out for the year after suffering a shoulder injury against Florida. Michael Van Buren, a true freshman, will make his first career start for the Bulldogs.

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Sources: Georgia DL Williams is a game-time call

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7 hours ago

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September 28, 2024

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Sources: Georgia DL Williams is a game-time call

  • Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 10:31 AM ET

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      College Football Senior Writer for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.

Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a “true game-time decision” for the No. 2 Bulldogs at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night, according to ESPN sources.

Williams has missed the previous two games with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, which he suffered against Clemson in the opener. He’ll be evaluated in pregame warmups and a decision will be made on his status.

Williams has been limited in practice this week, and it’s expected that if he does play it’ll be at less than 100 percent. He’s also unlikely to play a heavy snap count if he does play, as he’s working his way back.

Williams is a marauding defensive end who is the best player in Georgia’s front seven and is a high-end NFL prospect. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked No. 4 overall player for the 2025 NFL draft.

Williams started the season hot before injuring his ankle against Clemson, as he had two tackles for loss and three quarterback pressures in that game.

They will be an onus on Georgia’s defensive line, especially on the ends, to help slow Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa.

Georgia’s defensive line will benefit from the return of senior Warren Brinson, who is listed as probable after missing the past two games. Sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Hall is questionable for the SEC showdown.

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Sources: Utah’s Rising game-time call vs. Arizona

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September 28, 2024

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Sources: Utah's Rising game-time call vs. Arizona

  • Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 09:00 AM ET

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      College Football Senior Writer for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.

Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who has been snakebit by injuries the past two years, is again expected to be a game-time decision against Arizona on Saturday night, sources told ESPN.

Rising has missed No. 10 Utah’s past two games after an injury to his throwing hand that he suffered against Baylor on Sept. 7. He missed all of last season after an ACL tear in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season.

Rising’s status will undergo the same evaluation process with the Utah staff as before the Oklahoma State game last week. He’ll throw the ball pregame, and his ability to deliver spin and velocity on the ball will determine whether he’ll play, per sources.

As Rising has struggled to recover and get back on the field, one factor that could weigh into the decision is the chance to get him back fully healthy in two weeks. Utah has a bye before they play at Arizona State on Oct. 11.

Rising has practiced this week but remained limited as the staff has attempted to rest his finger.

Freshman Isaac Wilson has started the past two weeks, leading the Utes to victories over Utah State in Logan and in Stillwater against the Cowboys.

Wilson has shown both moments of promise and interspersed those with moments that have illuminated his youth. He threw for 207 yards on 17-of-29 passing against Oklahoma State. He also threw two interceptions. He threw for three touchdowns and 239 yards against Utah State.

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