Grading the Top 25 College Football Offenses Heading into Week 3

The college football season is only two weeks old, yet things are fully underway, so it's time to break down the top 25 offenses across the nation, stats-wise. 

Many programs used the first two opportunities with a NFL preseason-type mentality. Schedule cupcakes, shake off the cobwebs, pad some stats and get players ready for tougher conference games that are around the corner.

The other school of thought is to hit the ground running. Georgia and Clemson went at it hard in Week 1, a Top 10 battle where the Tigers eked out the 38-35 win. The Bulldogs quickly rebounded, welcoming South Carolina to Athens, getting the win and sending the Gamecocks into regroup mode.

This past weekend had marquee games, like Notre Dame at Michigan and an SEC vs. ACC showdown when Florida trekked south to take on Miami. This week it's Alabama headed to Texas A&M, while UCLA hits the road to take on Nebraska. 

Two weeks into the season and we're yet to see what most have to offer, but the fact remains that no matter the competition, many offenses are already showing mid-season form and haven't missed a beat. 

Yes, it's early in the season, but these 25 teams are racking up yards, putting points on the board, striking fear into opponents and deserve some recognition as Week 3 gets underway. 


Note: All stats were used courtesy of ESPN.com and CFBstats.com. 

Oregon Ducks

Opponents: Nicholls State, @Virginia

Total Points: 125 

Total Yards: 1,329 

Yards per Play: 9.49


Exit Chip Kelly, enter Mark Helfrich, and Oregon hasn't missed a beat offensively. Thumping FBS program Nicholls State 66-3 might not have raised many eyebrows, but a 59-10 beat down of Virginia certainly does. Mike London's proud Cavaliers' squad isn't used to giving up 557 total yards per game, but Helfrich's Ducks came cross country and dominated—especially on the ground, where the Ducks ran for 350 yards.

De'Anthony Thomas and Marcus Mariota were unstoppable for Oregon, putting up 124 and 122 yards, respectively, while Mariota completed 14 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Oregon welcomes Tennessee this week, followed by Cal and a road trip to Colorado, with none of the above expected to provide much of a defensive challenge. That said, away games at Washington (10/12) and Stanford (11/7) are weeks when this Ducks squad could look a bit more human.

Until then, it should be smooth offensive sailing for UO. 


Grade: A+

Baylor Bears

Opponents: Wofford, Buffalo

Total Points: 139 

Total Yards: 1,470 

Yards per Play: 9.69


The competition hasn't been fierce, but Baylor's offense certainly has. Quarterback Bryce Petty is 32-of-40 after two games and has thrown for 650 yards and four touchdowns. At running back it's been a steady dose of Lache Seastrunk and freshman Shock Linwood, who have accounted for 396 combined yards on the ground. 

Baylor made the most of showdowns against lesser programs like Wafford and Buffalo, racking up an NCAA-leading 139 total points, and with Louisiana-Monroe on deck after this week's bye, the Baylor scoring machine will roll on. 

West Virginia, @Kansas State, Iowa State and @Kansas make up October's schedule before a November 7 home game against Oklahoma. 


Grade: A+

Georgia Bulldogs

Opponents: @Clemson, South Carolina

Total Points: 76

Total Yards: 1,329 (second)

Yards per Play: 7.40


Georgia has put up 76 points combined. Quarterback Aaron Murray has thrown for 629 yards, with four touchdowns. Running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall have combined for 389 and four scores—yet the Bulldogs are sitting at 1-1 after two weeks. 

Why? Because it's been the opposite of Cupcake City for Georgia, having traveled to Clemson for the opener, followed by a visit from SEC rival South Carolina last week. No program has taken on a bigger early season challenge than Mark Richt's squad, yet even against tough competition, the Bulldogs offense is racking up yards and points in mid-season form. 

Where Georgia paid a price for a brutal early schedule, it will help the Bulldogs in the long run. This squad welcomes North Texas this week, which will help pad some stats before a visit from LSU. From there the Bulldogs play a manageable schedule, thanks mainly to an explosive, balanced offense. 

While the Bulldogs might not have the gaudiest stats, what Murray, Gurley and Marshall did against the nation's toughest schedule to date deserves praise. 


Grade: A+

Texas A&M Aggies

Opponents: Rice, Sam Houston State

Total Points: 117 

Total Yards: 1,200 

Yards per Play: 7.84


A lot of off-the-field distractions for Texas A&M this summer, courtesy of their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel. Manziel was suspended for the first half against Rice, but returned to throw three touchdowns after halftime, leading the Aggies to a 52-31 win over the Owls. Manziel kept it going Week 2 in a 65-28 win over Sam Houston State, throwing for 403 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 36 yards and a score. 

Running back Ben Melena has also gotten it done on the ground with 173 yards and two touchdowns in two games, while wide receiver Mike Evans is proving to be Manziel's favorite target, leading all Aggies receivers with 13 receptions for 239 yards on the year. 

Texas A&M welcomes top-ranked Alabama to College Station this weekend, with the Crimson Tide seeking revenge for last season's 29-24 loss.

The Aggies have given up 59 points in two games, so Manziel will have to put some points on the board against the defending national champions if Texas A&M has a shot at another upset. 


Grade: A

Wisconsin Badgers

Opponents: Massachusetts, Tennessee Tech

Total Points: 103 

Total Yards: 1,204

Yards per Play: 8.48


Wisconsin has also padded stats against lesser squads in Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech, but has exploded for 780 rushing yards in two games, trailing only Oregon's 850 on the ground. Running backs Corey Clement, Melvin Gordon and James White have been a three-headed monster for the Badgers.

Gordon leads the pack with 284 yards in two games, while White has picked up 252 and Clement, a freshman, has 250.  

Quarterback Joel Stave has 33 completions, 416 yards and five touchdowns in two games. A road trip to Arizona State looms this weekend, and with the Sun Devils defense looking to stop the run, the pressure will be on Stave to keep his completion rate up—currently at 71.1%—and to keep the chains moving. 

Wisconsin might not be as explosive as some other offenses, but in the ground-and-pound Big Ten, a stable of running backs and a smart quarterback will go a long way this season. The Badgers have also outscored their first two opponents, 103-0. 


Grade: A-

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Opponents: @Southern Methodist, Stephen F. Austin

Total Points: 102

Total Yards: 1,192

Yards per Play: 6.97


The Kliff Kingsbury era is underway in Lubbock as the 34-year-old former signal caller is officially the youngest head coach at a BCS school. Kingsbury's freshman quarterback Baker Mayfield, a walk-on, has already racked up 780 passing yards in two games and has thrown seven touchdowns without an interception. 

Mayfield is also getting it done with his legs, having carried 21 times for 82 yards, but was helped out by freshman Quinton White this past week. White missed the season opener, but carried five times for 71 yards and a touchdown against Stephen F. Austin.

Things have been one-dimensional thus far for the Red Raiders, but the high-flying attack former coach Mike Leach implemented years back is still in place.

Next up for Texas Tech is a Thursday night nationally televised showdown against No. 24 TCU in Lubbock.

Something has to give in this showdown as Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson always fields a stout defensive unit and will be coming after the young Mayfield. 


Grade: B+

Louisville Cardinals

Opponents: Ohio, Eastern Kentucky

Total Points: 93

Total Yards: 1,090

Yards per Play: 8.20


Fewer quarterbacks will have a road as easy as Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater this season. The Cardinals don't face one ranked team as members of the American Atlantic Conference and rolled lesser foes Ohio and Eastern Kentucky to start the season.

Bridgewater totaled 46 passes for 752 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two outings this season with a 76.7 completion percentage, and those numbers should improve with teams like Florida International, Temple, Rutgers, Central Florida and South Florida on the schedule between now and late October. An early December road game at Cincinnati could be the only hiccup in what should be an undefeated season, thanks to this potent offense. 

Running backs Senorise Perry and Michael Dyer will carry the load for the Cardinals on the ground, but as long as Bridgewater is healthy and under center, Louisville will remain pass-happy and successful. 



Grade: A

California Golden Bears

Opponents: Northwestern, Portland State 

Total Points: 67

Total Yards: 1,164

Yards per Play: 6.00


An opening-season loss at home to Northwestern had a hangover effect, as proven by a close 37-30 win over Portland State last week. The Bears trailed the Vikings early in the third quarter before eventually pulling away. 

Freshman quarterback Jared Goff has passed for 930 yards in two games, has a 62.3 percent completion rate and has thrown four touchdowns and three interceptions—the turnovers all coming in the season opening loss to the Wildcats.

Goff's 485-yard performance against Portland State was 19 yards shy of the all-time Cal passing record. Coupled with a 445-yard performance against Northwestern, Goff became the first Bears quarterback since 1996 to post back-to-back games of 400+ yards. 

Brendan Bigelow leads Cal's ground attack with 140 yards on the season, but offensively it's been all Goff after two games, but that could soon change.

Next up, Cal welcomes Ohio State, and after next week's bye, heads to Eugene to take on Oregon. With both defenses looking to rattle Goff, the Bears' ground attack will be counted on to produce.


Grade: B

Maryland Terrapins

Opponents: Florida International, Old Dominion

Total Points: 90

Total Yards: 1,163

Yards per Play: 8.31


Coming off a 4-8 campaign that closed with six-straight losses, Maryland needed a fast start this season, and they got one. The Terps eked out a 7-6 win over William & Mary in 2012, but has disposed of this year's lightweight openers with relative ease, racking up 90 total points. 

Senior quarterback C.J. Brown is back from an ACL injury that sidelined him all of last season, and the results have been solid. In two outings, Brown has combined for 556 yards through the air with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He's also rushed for 135 yards on 15 attempts and has scored four times. 

Brandon Ross is carrying the load at tailback, rushing for 170 yards on 28 attempts, but Brown has been the focal point—both through the air and on the ground. 

Maryland gets another tune-up at Connecticut this weekend before welcoming West Virginia. An October 5 road trip to Florida State will be a true measuring stick for Brown and the offense, as well as the Terps in general. 


Grade: B+

Wyoming Cowboys

Opponents: @Nebraska, Idaho

Total Points: 76

Total Yards: 1,166

Yards per Play: 7.67


Wyoming almost scored the biggest upset of this young season, taking Nebraska to the wire in the opener. Quarterback Brett Smith threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns in Lincoln, but the Cornhuskers prevailed, 37-34. A week later, Smith threw for an effective 295 yards in a rout of Idaho. 

Smith has also been solid on the ground, carrying 14 times for 156 yards. Running back Shaun Wick has 211 yards on the season, carrying 27 times and finding the end zone once. 

After a showdown at home against Northern Colorado this weekend, Wyoming travels to Air Force for what should be a high-flying affair. 


Grade: B

Oregon State Beavers

Opponents: Eastern Washington, Hawaii

Total Points: 79

Total Yards: 1,035

Yards per Play: 6.85


Oregon State made headlines for all the wrong reasons opening weekend when Eastern Washington pulled the colossal upset in Corvallis. The Beavers rebounded with a 33-14 win over the Rainbows a week later, and the season's bright spot has been the arm of junior quarterback Sean Mannion. 

Mannion has passed for 794 yards and seven scores in two games, completing 68 passes for a 79.1 completion percentage. Running back Storm Woods has done his part with 118 yards and two touchdowns, but Mannion has been the strength of the Beavers' offense early on. 

Next up for Oregon State, back-to-back road games against Utah and San Diego State. Stanford visits the final weekend of October, and the Beavers end the season with a road trip to Eugene to take on arch-rival Oregon, both of whom could give Mannion fits. 



Grade: B-

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Opponents: Mississippi State, @Texas-San Antonio

Total Points: 77

Total Yards: 1,037

Yards per Play: 7.01


Oklahoma State looks to rebound from an 8-5 campaign last season after going 12-1 in 2011. The Cowboys won the season opener against Mississippi State 21-3 and followed up with a 56-35 win at Texas-San Antonio last weekend. 

After replacing starter Clint Chelf in the opener, sophomore quarterback J.W. Walsh was a near-perfect 24-of-27 for 326 yards and four touchdowns last weekend in San Antonio. Walsh earned the Week 2 start after throwing for 135 yards and running for 125 and a touchdown against the Bulldogs. 

Senior running back Jeremy Smith has 136 yards on the season—102 coming in the opener against Mississippi State—and looks to be the Cowboys' workhorse this year. 

Oklahoma State takes on Lamar this weekend and then has a bye before a road trip to West Virginia. The Big 12 schedule beefs up in November as the Cowboys are @Texas (11/16) and then welcome Baylor (11/23) and Oklahoma (12/7).

Oklahoma State must also now deal with the fallout of a recent Sports Illustrated investigative report that could be a huge distraction as the season rolls on. 


Grade: B

Missouri Tigers

Opponents: Murray State, Toledo

Total Points: 96

Total Yards: 1,078

Yards per Play: 6.78


Quarterback James Franklin is off to a solid start for Missouri, having completed 42 passes for 530 yards in two outings. After rolling Murray State, 58-14, Franklin helped his Tigers pull away from Toledo in the second half. Franklin is getting it done on the ground, as well, rushing for 121 yards on 23 attempts. 

L'Damian Washington and the highly-touted Dorial Green-Beckham are Franklin's top targets. Green-Beckham has nine receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown, while Washington has racked up 110 yards on eight receptions and a score. 

Running back Marcus Murphy has 112 yards on 15 attempts and two touchdowns, helping Franklin carry the load. 

Missouri is off this week and faces a light load until mid-October when the Tigers travel to Georgia (10/12) and then host Florida (10/19) and South Carolina (10/26). 


Grade: B

Indiana Hoosiers

Opponents: Indiana State, Navy

Total Points: 108

Total Yards: 1,113

Yards per Play: 7.27


Indiana is putting up some yards and points, but unfortunately the defense came up short in a recent loss to Navy. The Hoosiers throttled Indiana State, 73-35 in the opener, but gave up 515 yards and 41 points to the Midshipmen. Indiana scored 35 in the loss and racked up 481 yards. 

Quarterback Nate Sudfeld has 582 yards through the air and eight touchdowns to two interceptions this season. Sudfeld has also spread the ball around nicely as four receivers have five-plus receptions. Kofi Hughes has 171 yards on nine grabs, while Ted Bolser has caught 11 passes for 134 yards. Bolser also leads all receivers with four touchdowns. Shane Wynn is next with three touchdowns, with six receptions for 104 yards. 

Tevin Coleman is proving to be the go-to back with 203 total yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns. 

Indiana's offense should slow down as the season progresses as the away schedule beefs up. The Hoosiers hit the road to take on Michigan State (10/12), Michigan (10/19), Wisconsin (11/16) and Ohio State (11/23). 


Grade: A-

UCLA Bruins

Opponents: Nevada, Bye Week

Total Points: 58

Total Yards: 647

Yards per Play: 7.89


UCLA is one of the few teams who welcomed a second-week bye, but opening game stats against Nevada were gaudy enough to bring the Bruins' offense some praise. 

Quarterback Brett Hundley completed 22 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Jordon James led the way with 155 yards and a score on 21 attempts. Hundley's main target was senior wideout Shaquelle Evans, who hauled in six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Devin Fuller also got in the action, pulling down four receptions for 39 yards. 

The Bruins found themselves in a 17-13 brawl with the Wolf Pack, but turned it on in the second half, outscoring Nevada 41-7. 

UCLA heads out of its Pac 12 comfort zone this weekend with a road trip to Nebraska and will be challenged mid-season with road games at Stanford (10/19), Oregon (10/26) and Arizona (11/9). 

On a side note, the Bruins will have heavy hearts and extra motivation this weekend, playing for beloved freshman wide receiver Nick Pasquale. Pasquale was killed last Sunday after being struck by a motor vehicle. 


Grade: B

Michigan Wolverines

Opponents: Central Michigan, Notre Dame

Total Points: 100

Total Yards: 923

Yards per Play: 6.59


Michigan opened the 2012 season against eventual national champion Alabama and was thumped, 41-14. This season, a warm-up against Central Michigan resulted in a 59-9 beat down, leaving the Wolverines loose when the Fighting Irish came to Ann Arbor last weekend. 

Quarterback Devin Gardner completed 21 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns against Notre Dame, and Michigan rolled, 41-30. The previous week, Gardner was used sparingly, completing 10 passes for 162 yards against the Chippewas. 

Gardner is also leading the Wolverines in rushing, racking up 134 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Fitzgerald Toussaint has 128 yards on 26 attempts and two scores. 

Jeremy Gallon is proving to be Gardner's favorite target with 12 receptions, 231 yards and four touchdowns on the year. Devin Funchess and Drew Dileo have a combined 10 haul-ins for 127 yards. 

Michigan gets a little breathing room with back-to-back games against Akron and Connecticut before getting into Big Ten action. Tough road games at Penn State (10/12) and Michigan State (11/2) are off-set by home games against Nebraska (11/9) and Ohio State (11/30). 



Grade: B+

Houston Cougars

Opponents: Southern, @Temple

Total Points: 84

Total Yards: 1,151

Yards per Play: 6.26


After an opening week rout of Southern, Houston struggled in a 22-13 win at Temple. Running back Ryan Jackson carried the Cougars, rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Quarterbacks David Piland and John O'Korn both saw action. Piland threw for 148 yards and a score, while O'Korn, a freshman, made the most of mop-up duty, going 11-of-15 for 107 yards and three touchdowns. 

Trailing Temple 13-9 at the half, O'Korn replaced the struggling Piland, completing 23 passes for 233 yards, helping set up two Richie Leone field goals and a 10-yard Jackson touchdown in the final minutes to put the game out of reach. 

Houston has a bye this week and a light load (Rice, @Texas-San Antonio, Memphis) before welcoming a Brigham Young squad that recently upended Texas. The Cougars are going to need to figure out their quarterback situation sooner than later. 


Grade: C+

Texas Longhorns

Opponents: New Mexico State, @BYU

Total Points: 77

Total Yards: 1,160

Yards per Play: 7.48


Texas busted out the gate with a 56-7 win over New Mexico State in the opener but was humbled at BYU a week later. The Cougars thumped the Longhorns 40-21 and cast serious doubt on the UT program under long-time head coach Mack Brown. 

Quarterback David Ash has been an early bright spot for Texas, completing 39 passes for 594 yards and six touchdowns. Most of that damage came against New Mexico State, but a lack of defense was the reason the Longhorns fell to the Cougars, not quarterback play. 

Mike Davis and Jaxon Shipley have been Ash's favorite targets early. Davis has 13 receptions for 177 yards and three touchdowns while Shipley has 145 yards on 13 grabs. 

Ash leads the ground attack with 125 yards on 24 carries, but Johnathan Gray has a respectable 118 yards on 19 carries after two games. 

Ash is questionable for this weekend's showdown against Ole Miss, meaning senior Case McCoy could be thrust into action in a must-win, bounce-back game. 


Grade: B

Northwestern Wildcats

Opponents: @Cal, Syracuse

Total Points: 92

Total Yards: 1,089

Yards per Play: 7.21


A comeback win at Cal and a quick start against Syracuse have Northwestern undefeated, and the offense is the biggest reason why. Quarterback Trevor Siemian has thrown for 535 yards in back-to-back games against quality opponents, while running back Treyvon Green has 195 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries. 

Siemian is spreading the ball around nicely. Tony Jones leads the Wildcats with 255 yards on 14 receptions, while Dan Vitale nine grabs for 143 yards and Christian Jones has eight for 129 yards. The three have combined for four touchdowns. 

Northwestern and Siemian should pad the stats with Western Michigan and Maine over the next two weeks, but reality hits when welcoming Ohio State (10/5) and traveling to Wisconsin (10/12) soon thereafter. 


Grade: B+

Brigham Young Cougars

Opponents: @Virginia, Texas

Total Points: 56

Total Yards: 1,041

Yards per Play: 5.42


After a season opening loss at Virginia, BYU upset Texas in Provo a week later behind the legs of quarterback Taysom Hill. Hill completed nine passes for 26 yards and tossed an interception but was lethal on the ground, running for 259 yards on 17 carries and racking up three touchdowns. 

Hill hasn't done much through the air, though to this point he hasn't had to. Hill has 22 completions for 304 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. His main receivers have been Ross Apo and Cody Hoffman, who have five total receptions for 134 yards.

The Cougars will look to ride Hill's legs to victory, which should be doable for much of the schedule, but not all. Georgia Tech (10/12) and Boise State (10/25) head to Provo, while road trips to Wisconsin (11/9) and Notre Dame (11/23) could prove painful with a one-dimensional offense. 

Grade: B-

Kentucky Wildcats

Opponents: Western Kentucky, Miami (Ohio)

Total Points: 67

Total Yards: 1,094

Yards per Play: 8.16


Much like Oregon State—caught in the wrong end of a high-scoring shootout with a lesser squad—Kentucky is 1-1 and regrouping. The Wildcats put up 419 yards against the Hilltoppers, but fell to former Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino and Western Kentucky, 35-26. 

Kentucky rebounded with a 41-7 win over Miami (Ohio), amassing 675 yards and riding the arm of quarterback Maxwell Smith. Smith has thrown for 435 yards on 23 completions and has four touchdowns. 

Wide receivers Javess Blue and Anthony Kendrick have been Hill's favorite targets. Blue has 139 yards on nine receptions while Kendrick has hauled in five grabs for 102 yards. Jeff Badet isn't far behind with 80 yards on three receptions. 

On the ground, it's been Raymond Sanders with 137 yards on 20 carries and Jalen Whitlow with 123 yards and 14 attempts. 

First-year head coach Mark Stoops has his hands full the next few weeks, especially with his defense having given up 487 yards to Western Kentucky in the opener. Next up, Louisville (9/14), Florida (9/28), a road trip to South Carolina (10/5) and then a visit from Alabama (10/12). Smith and crew are going to need to score plenty to hang in all four outings. 

Grade: A-

Marshall Thundering Herd

Opponents: Miami (Ohio), Gardener-Webb

Total Points: 102

Total Yards: 1,100

Yards per Play: 6.55


Two games in, Marshall has been a scoring machine. Quarterback Rakeem Cato had five touchdowns passes and threw for 235 yards in the season opener against Miami (Ohio), while running back Steward Butler ran for 151 with three touchdowns a week later against Gardener-Webb. 

Butler and Essray Taliaferro are the Thundering Herd's running back tandem. Together they've combined for 391 yards on 57 attempts and have scored four touchdowns. 

Cato has thrown for 483 yards in two games with 38 completions and six touchdowns. He's also Marshall's third-leading rusher with 65 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. 

Marshall travels to Ohio this weekend and then to Blacksburg for a showdown with Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off a 7-6 season, lost the opener to Alabama 35-10 and could be ripe for the upset if Cato can get going. 


Grade: C+

Utah Utes

Opponents: Utah State, Weber State 

Total Points: 100

Total Yards: 1,078

Yards per Play: 8.04


Utah has used a balanced attack in racking up 1,078 yards in two games; 592 through the air and 486 on the ground. The Utes survived rival Utah State before demolishing Weber State, 70-7, last week.

Quarterback Travis Wilson has completed 31 passes for 566 yards and five touchdowns in two games, and only played two quarters against the Wildcats. Wilson also has 102 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. 

Lucky Radley is getting it done on the ground with 111 yards on 13 carries with two scores, while three Utes are putting up gaudy numbers at receiver. 

Sean Fitzgerald has eight receptions for 166 yards, while Dres Anderson has six for 162 and Anthony Denham has seven for 129. Fitzgerald and Anderson each have two touchdowns, as well. 

A recently-added member to the Pac 12, Utah has a rough road, especially when taking on good defenses like Stanford and Oregon later in the season. 



Grade: B

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Opponents: Wyoming, Southern Miss

Total Points: 93

Total Yards: 1,009

Yards per Play: 6.35


Bo Pelini and his Nebraska squad got their biggest home scare in a lifetime when the Huskers almost fell to Wyoming in Lincoln to start the season. Nebraska put up 530 yards of offense, while the Blackshirts defense inexplicably allowed 602 yards by quarterback Brett Smith and the Cowboys. 

Nebraska took out the frustration on Southern Miss last week, putting 479 yards on the Golden Eagles, mostly behind the legs of running back Ameer Abdullah, who racked up 114 yards and two touchdowns. Abdullah has 228 yards on 36 carries in two games. 

Taylor Martinez is still under center for the Cornhuskers with respectable outings, though more is needed from the senior if Nebraska is going to make any noise in the Big Ten. Martinez has 32 completions for 325 yards with six touchdowns and has carried 22 times for 114 yards. 

Nebraska welcomes UCLA this weekend. The Bruins are coming off a bye, and this anticipated showdown will be a battle for conference bragging rights. 


Grade:B

Troy Trojans

Opponents: UAB, Savannah State 

Total Points: 100

Total Yards: 1,028

Yards per Play: 7.14


Troy is making some noise in the Sun Belt Conference with an explosive offense. Quarterback Corey Robinson has thrown for 499 yards, even with just over two quarters of action last week in a 66-3 rout of Savannah State. 

Robinson also set an NCAA accuracy mark with a 30-of-32 performance against UAB in the opener. Robinson finished with 319 yards and a touchdown in the come-from-behind win. 

Wideout Eric Thomas has been the most productive with 135 yards on eight receptions and four touchdowns. At running back, it's been a steady dose of Deon Anthony and Jordan Chunn, who have combined for 233 yards on 35 carries with three touchdowns. 



Grade: C