College Football: B/R Experts Answer Biggest Questions for Week 6
If you've become tired of the same old storylines in every college football season, Week 6 is a lovely departure from the norm.
On a day featuring Oklahoma and Texas, the Red River Rivalry is merely a sidebar. In fact, the showdown in Dallas isn't even the biggest game on the Big 12 calendar. That matchup, as if TCU isn't rare enough, includes Kansas.
Bleacher Report's experts—Max Escarpio, David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Morgan Moriarty and Brad Shepard—are back for another week of projections, analysis and more.
Along with those Big 12 headlines, we have Utah taking on UCLA in a critical Pac-12 matchup, LSU hosting Tennessee in an SEC affair and some major questions to address at Texas A&M and Wisconsin.
What's the Best Matchup Outside the Top 25?
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Max Escarpio
There’s a tremendous Big 12 battle this weekend featuring Oklahoma and Texas. With healthy lineups, this would be a runaway pick for the best matchup outside the Top 25, although both would likely be ranked if their star quarterbacks weren't already on the injury report.
Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel may return and Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers is reportedly set to play, but they’ll continue to be evaluated throughout the week. If they're in, these high-scoring offenses can highlight one of the biggest conference games of the season.
If the two signal-callers are unable to suit up this Saturday, other marquee matchups include North Carolina at Miami and Oregon State at Stanford. All of these games feature offenses that have the ability to light up the scoreboard.
Kerry Miller
Buddy, I'm going to rank the unranked options.
No. 5: Purdue at Maryland. The Terrapins are flying under the radar at 4-1, with the lone loss coming by seven points at Michigan. But Purdue knocked off Minnesota this past Saturday right when the Gophers started to look like a possible contender. We'll see if the Boilermakers can do it again.
No. 4: James Madison at Arkansas State. If Appalachian State couldn't do it in Boone, can anyone stop JMU from running the table in its first season at the FBS level? It's a shame the Dukes are ineligible for bowl season, but they're eligible for a great story and eligible for the AP Top 25. Win at Arkansas State, and maybe they find their way into next week's poll. (They're already No. 22 in our Top 25. Get with the program, AP.)
No. 3: UNLV at San Jose State. The 4-1 Rebels vs. the 3-1 Spartans? Is that even allowed? In seven of the last eight meetings, both of these MWC teams had a sub-.500 record. But we might have to start taking UNLV seriously as a threat to win the MWC if it wins this Friday night road game.
No. 2: Iowa at Illinois. Are the Illini actually good? Can Iowa avoid what would be its first 3-3 start since 2008? (Even the 4-8 team in 2012 started out 4-2.) Will either team score 17 points? Even if all three answers are "no," it should be an entertaining affair.
No. 1: The Red River Rivalry. It's the first time since 1998 that neither Oklahoma nor Texas is ranked for this annual contest. The losing coach is going to face some serious "hot seat" questions for the foreseeable future.
Which Breakout Player Has Become Appointment Viewing?
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Morgan Moriarty
Love this question, as there have been a number of pleasant surprises here. But I have to go with Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins. He's a true freshman, but the numbers he's putting up would make you think he is a veteran running back.
Through five weeks, Judkins has run for 535 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He had 106 yards against Kentucky last week and scored a touchdown on this career-long 48-yard run:
As the season goes on, Judkins' role in the Ole Miss offense will likely get bigger. He apparently doesn't come off as a running back who wants to run you over off the field, either. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin compared Judkins to Troy Polamalu earlier this week:
"It's just unique. You would not guess that being around him. His personality is very calm, very quiet. ... The most unique we had [at USC] was Troy Polamalu. He was unbelievable off the field, and then the switch would go and he would just want to knock everybody out on the field. Q kind of reminds me of that off the field. It's really neat. He was raised really well."
Ole Miss has some big games remaining against LSU, Alabama and Mississippi State on its schedule. I wouldn't be surprised if Judkins has some game-defining moments in any of those matchups.
Brad Shepard
The Heisman Trophy candidate you aren’t hearing enough about is Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. You may think he’s boring, but all the guy does is go out and efficiently produce the type of offense that wins titles.
UT is in the AP Top 10 for the first time in what feels like 100 years. While Josh Heupel’s scheme is very quarterback-friendly, Hooker is far from a "system quarterback." He simply doesn’t make mistakes.
Since taking over the starting quarterback job in the third game last year, the redshirt senior has accounted for 45 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 15 starts. He's an electrifying athlete who can beat teams with his arm and his feet.
As the Vols exorcised their demons against Florida, Hooker was a megastar, tallying 349 passing yards, 112 rushing yards and three total touchdowns in a huge win.
After Firing Paul Chryst, What Should Wisconsin Do Next?
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Brad Shepard
What Wisconsin will do and what it should do are two totally different things.
What the Badgers will do, ultimately, is hire interim head coach and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but the Badgers could go out and get a guy who is much closer to a sure thing.
Three quality candidates with ties to Madison would have to strongly consider the job, especially being in a much easier Big Ten division with the College Football Playoff expanding. You may be able to extend the elite candidate pool, too.
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold is perhaps the hottest up-and-comer right now (as much as any 58-year-old can be), and he is a Wisconsin native. Two strong current head coaches— Baylor’s Dave Aranda and North Carolina State’s Dave Doeren—are both former Badgers defensive coordinators. It would be malpractice not to at least call them and gauge their interest, right?
Iowa State's Matt Campbell could use a call, too, giving the Badgers four strong candidates who’ve already been head coaches. Leonhard has a strong personal pedigree and would be a good hire, but Wisconsin should carry on a national search.
David Kenyon
Considering all of the money and NFL opportunities he's turned down in the past, Leonhard is the heavy front-runner here. The former UW safety clearly loves coaching in Madison.
If that happens, it's time to modernize the offense.
Wisconsin has a very proud tradition of developing running backs, and that doesn't have to change. Look at the players who've gone through Alabama and Georgia recently, even though both programs have committed to spread-heavy offenses. But the Badgers dramatically fell behind the times during Chryst's tenure.
Otherwise, two names stick out to me.
Leipold is a tremendous candidate. He grew up in the Madison area, went to UW-Whitewater and turned his alma mater into a dynasty with six national titles in an eight-year stretch as the head coach. He made Buffalo a MAC contender and has overseen Kansas' rise in 2022.
Kent State head coach Sean Lewis is a former Wisconsin tight end, but he previously served as the coordinator on two Dino Babers-led offenses. Babers' influence is clear; Lewis would bring a high-tempo spread. Kent State, though, had a pair of 800-yard rushers plus 703 from quarterback Dustin Crum last season. Lewis is an enticing, logical option.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Which Ranked vs. Unranked Game Matters Most?
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Morgan Moriarty
I have to go with Auburn vs. No. 1 Georgia here for a few reasons. The first being that Georgia looked pretty beatable last week against a mediocre Missouri team. The Dawgs' offense, which came in averaging more than 42 points per game, didn't find the end zone until the fourth quarter. It's not like Missouri has a dominant defense, either. The Tigers are 65th in scoring defense.
I think Georgia needs a big offensive day against Auburn to renew some confidence in this team. Auburn has allowed 21.6 points per game this season and is tied for 77th in opponent red-zone conversions, having given up 11 touchdowns and five field goals in 19 trips this season. If Auburn can give Georgia another scare, that would make the Dawgs look vulnerable with important upcoming games against Tennessee, Florida and Kentucky.
On the flip side, this game is also important for Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin. Auburn is coming off of a disappointing loss against LSU during which it had a 17-0 lead but lost 21-17 after turning the ball over four times. If the Tigers manage to pull off an upset against Georgia, that would certainly renew some confidence in Harsin. Giving Georgia another scare might buy him some time, too.
David Kenyon
Morgan's answer is the correct one. For a second option, let's shift to the other side of the country.
During the prime-time window, No. 16 BYU takes on Notre Dame in Las Vegas. Not only is this the first matchup between these two programs since 2013, but it's the final of three contests—in theory—as independents, because BYU is preparing to join the Big 12 next year.
BYU's hopes of a New Year's Six bowl are still alive. But the Cougs cannot afford a loss to Notre Dame this weekend and Arkansas next Saturday to stay in the conversation.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, is aiming to build on much-needed wins over Cal and North Carolina. No matter the result on Saturday, the Irish face an uphill climb to 8-4 or 9-3 this season. But their risk of missing a bowl altogether will drop precipitously if they successfully navigate BYU.
That offseason war of words between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher sure has fizzled out, huh?
Scale of 1-10: Where Is Texas A&M on the Panic Meter?
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Max Escarpio
The panic meter is currently at 7. The Aggies are deeply invested in a coaching staff that hasn’t made any noise in the CFP and has barely dented the SEC in terms of a true threat.
They’re currently 3-2 on the season and are set to face No. 1 Alabama this weekend. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Jimbo Fisher and Co. with a plethora of conference matchups in the near future.
While their playoff hope is out the window, the Aggies still have a chance to turn the season around and show they’re continuing to improve. But that likely won’t be the case. This program has the money and the talent to compete with some of the best teams in the country, but losses to Mississippi State and Appalachian State prove the Aggies are still multiple pieces away from genuinely competing.
Fisher’s contract doesn’t end until 2031, so the Aggies don't have another choice at this moment but to ride with his system and see where it takes them. They came into the season with high hopes, ranked as the No. 6 team in the country, which was clearly overhyped. Aggies fans have something to cheer for when blue-chip prospects post their commitment edits, but not so much on game days.
Adam Kramer
This is a difficult one, because it depends on what your expectations were for this team was to begin with. With that said, this isn’t working. With so many resources and so much talent on the roster, Texas A&M cannot afford to be a middle-of-the-road program in the SEC.
On the positive side, there is an abundance of talented young players on the roster. While the short-term panic is high, a blueprint for long-term success is buried in there. To be frank, we’ve said this for about three years now, and we’re about where we started with the discussion.
As for the negative side, Texas A&M owes Jimbo Fisher nearly $100 million. Heck, he just received a contract extension through 2031. There’s not much A&M can do but hope all of its young talent finally develops.
Fisher needs to find his Lane Kiffin. The moment Nick Saban admitted he needed help running the offense at Alabama is the moment the trajectory changed forever. Given the level of struggles, one would hope that Fisher would reach a similar breakthrough.
Call it a 7. Things are rough, and they need to be better. All hope isn’t lost, but it’s getting harder to say the same thing time and again.
No. 17 Kansas or No. 19 TCU in the Battle of Unbeatens We All Expected?
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Kerry Miller
Even after last week's, uh, let's call it "less than spectacular" showing in the 14-11 win over Iowa State, I'm still fully on board the Kansas bandwagon.
As impartial national analysts, we aren't supposed to root for any team. We also weren't supposed to look directly at that total solar eclipse a few years ago. When something like this only comes along every decade or so, it's hard to resist.
I will say, I don't love this matchup for the Jayhawks. TCU has been ridiculously potent on offense, leading the nation at 8.3 yards per play. The Horned Frogs can both pass and run the ball at a high level, and Kansas isn't exactly elite on defense.
However, TCU's offense hasn't been nearly as dominant on the road as it has been at home. And with College GameDay in town, Lawrence should be buzzing to a degree unlike anything seen there (for football) in well over a decade.
KU quarterback Jalon Daniels bounces back from last week's dud, outduels Max Duggan in a high-scoring affair and puts the fear of God back in all of the bookies and sportsbooks that had to take those early 125-1 bets on him to win the Heisman. Kansas gets the W and becomes the first bowl-eligible team of the 2022 season.
David Kenyon
The single most important question for this matchup, to me, is whether Daniels can run effectively.
Kansas overcame a quiet day from its dual-threat star against Iowa State, but TCU's offense won't be anywhere near as forgiving. While this game has high-scoring upside, there's a very real chance KU struggles considerably.
As always, competition level must be considered. Still, TCU is a solid 38th nationally with 3.4 yards allowed per carry and hasn't surrendered four-plus yards per attempt in any contest so far.
Can the Horned Frogs continue the trend? They failed to hold any FBS opponent below the four-yards-per-carry mark in 2021, so their improvement is dramatic and perhaps unsustainable. But it's also worth noting that TCU's strongest game on run defense last season came against KU.
Gut says home-field advantage wins out. But my head is picking TCU to put a dent in KU's incredible year.
No. 8 Tennessee at No. 25 LSU: Who You Got?
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Brad Shepard
If it feels like we’re writing a lot about the Vols, it’s been nearly a decade since that happened, so it’s long overdue.
This Tennessee team seems different than recent ones that drew hype with no substance. Major defensive deficiencies make this team imperfect, but there’s a lot to love about these Vols because of their explosive offense.
If star receiver Cedric Tillman can return this week—he’s practicing after a tightrope surgery on his ankle following an injury against Akron—the Vols are going to throw the whole arsenal against LSU in Baton Rouge.
It’s tough to win in Death Valley, but the Bayou Bengals are having to play UT at 11 a.m. CT when fans aren’t as lathered up, and quarterback Jayden Daniels is banged up. Plus, the Vols are coming off an idle weekend where they’ve been able to game-plan and get healthy. That's not great for LSU, as the Tigers have been bad in the secondary, too.
Look for Tennessee to play its best, most complete game of the year while gearing up for showdowns with Alabama and Kentucky in October. This isn’t going to be easy, but the Tigers don’t have the offensive firepower to hang with the Vols. Tennessee will win 37-28.
David Kenyon
We have indeed written a fair bit about Tennessee lately. But, hey, the Vols keep playing themselves into marquee games. Thanks to LSU's surge, this matchup is one of only three Top 25 clashes on the slate.
If the Vols had Tillman, I wouldn't hesitate in picking them on the road. Even without him, Hendon Hooker has UT's offense buzzing.
The storyline in my head is LSU's secondary.
Look, it was pretty rough last weekend. Everything from shaky footwork to bad coverage to miscommunication popped up against an unspectacular Auburn offense, and that's concerning at best as Tennessee comes to town.
I think the breakdowns can be attributed to a transfer-heavy secondary adapting to a new system all at once. As the season continues, I believe the unit will be a legitimate strength for LSU. But the timing is ideal for Hooker and the Vols to capitalize on the group's learning curve and steal a win in Baton Rouge.
Early Pac-12 Showdown: No. 11 Utah or No. 18 UCLA?
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Adam Kramer
If this game was being played at Utah, the Utes would be an easy selection. But because it’s being played in California, we must at least pause and assess the possibilities.
UCLA is unbeaten, and the Bruins’ win over Washington changes the outlook of their season moving forward. I’m not sure we know yet what the win over the Huskies means, although quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson put on a show, and he’s capable of doing the same here.
However, Utah might be up for it. Since Week 1, the Utah defense has not allowed a team to score more than 16 points in a game. Last week’s 42-16 win over Oregon State was one of the more impressive showings we’ve seen all year.
As for the game, I’m leaning Utah. I don’t think it will be a blowout. It will be a tough, competitive game, although the Utes find a way to win with just enough offense against a good team.
For all the talk about DTR, Cam Rising is having quite a season himself for Utah. He delivers, and the Utes head into their game week against USC with a ton of momentum.
Kerry Miller
UCLA opened a lot of eyes last Friday in carrying a 40-16 lead into the fourth quarter against Washington. The Huskies did make things more interesting in those final 15 minutes, but the Bruins still improved to 5-0 in what was their first game of the season against a legitimate opponent.
Can they keep it rolling against this Utah defense, though?
It's one thing to score at will against atrocious Colorado, or even against a Washington defense that has allowed at least 20 points in each of its four games against FBS opponents. Utah is another story, allowing 14.4 points per game for the year and 10.8 since that season-opening loss to Florida.
It is certainly worth considering Utah lost that opener on account of its woeful inability to contain Anthony Richardson, and that Thompson-Robinson has more than a few dual-threat skills of his own. But it's also worth considering that the worst rushing performance of DTR's career came in his only previous game against Utah (minus-26 yards because of sacks and two lost fumbles in 2019).
Even if DTR has a solid day, though, I don't think it will be enough to make up for what Utah's offense will do to UCLA's unproven defense. The Utes get the road W and keep their CFP dream alive in advance of next week's colossal showdown with USC.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
