College Football Week 6: Top 25 Winners and Losers from Saturday’s Action
Another exciting Saturday is in the books. As always, there were astounding finishes as well as tough defeats. We had heroes, goats, and everyone in between. Let’s sort out the mess and look at some winners and losers in week 5 in the NCAA.
1: Winner Andy Dalton (TCU)
1 of 25
Andy Dalton did what a quarterback at a top football school should do. He beat a lesser opponent. Actually he did a bit more than that. He beat them into submission then asked for their lunch money.
Dalton threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns. You know a walk in the park.
2: Loser Jacory Harris (Miami Hurricanes)
2 of 25
Jacory Harris has been doing his best impression of Brett Favre this season. With every touchdown he throws, it seems he tosses just as many interceptions. Well Saturday was a bit different as he had no touchdowns to show. He did have a pick however.
His also less than stellar completion rate of 19-47 will not do at most schools especially at the “U” where excellence is demanded. Harris' job is quickly becoming in jeopardy.
3: Winner Wes Byrum (Auburn)
3 of 25
While #1 Alabama was getting beat, #8 Auburn was being put to the test. One hero that will be heralded is kicker Wes Byrum who knocked in the season saving field-goal late in the game. It isn’t often that kickers get noticed and they mostly supply frustration than glee, so lets give the guy a few rounds of applause here at number 3.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
4: Loser Denard Robinson Michigan Wolverines
4 of 25
Michigan State went into Saturday’s grudge match against Michigan hoping to halt the weekly flourish of Denard Robinson. Lofty goals can sometimes breed their desired results and that is just what happened this weekend.
Robinson looked more Clark Kent than Superman as he threw three picks. The Spartans grounding of Robinson was exactly what they needed to take care of the Wolverines.
5: Winner Jordan Wynn (Utah)
5 of 25
Jordan Wynn showed a great deal of poise against Iowa State. Falling behind early to the Cyclones 14-10, there could have been cause to panic. Wynn went the other route and calmly put together one of the better performances we have seen in the second quarter.
Wynn would end up throwing 325 yards and two touchdowns. After his calming effort in the second quarter, the Utes went onto score 31 unanswered points. A quarterbacks job is to calm the ship on unsteady seas. Wynn showed he can step in and do just that.
6: Loser Rick Neuheisel UCLA Bruins
6 of 25
After their raucous defeat of the Texas Longhorns, Rick Neuheisel was supposed to have the UCLA Bruins on the rise. With a thorough beat-down given to them by California and an upcoming game against the surging Oregon Ducks, the Bruins season could be over right as it was getting started.
7: Winner Shane Vereen (California Golden Bears)
7 of 25
Cal coach Jeff Tedford is supposed to be the quarterback guru. He lifted the careers of Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers. What has become completely evident is that Cal is much more a running back school than it is a quarterback mecca. After Marshawn Lynch, there was Jahvid Best.
Now Cal touts one of the premier backs in the Pac-10 in Shane Vereen. Vereen rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. What is more is the extra effort Vereen gets in every carry. Just when you think he is down he pops out of a scrum for a couple more yards. The NFL will have another feature back to fawn over next season.
8: Loser Joe Paterno (Penn State)
8 of 25
When the Nittany Lions are winning, Joe Paterno looks like a wise old man. This season has him looking more past his time elder than anything else. His defense looks just as feeble as Illinois tore them up for 33 points. Paterno’s offense was just as horrible. Pleas of his retirement are starting up yet again, with good cause. Penn State is now 3-3 and 0-2 in conference.
9: Winner Colin Kaepernick (Nevada Wolf Pack)
9 of 25
Nevada kills you with speed. They run the pistol offense better than anyone in college. It is fitting as they have the tools to do so. Colin Kaepernick has the foot speed of a wide out and arm power of a gunslinger. He is the pivotal force that drives the offense and he did so again on Saturday as he passed for 273 yards and ran for 91.
Kaepernick keeps the defenses guessing as they have to protect not only against a seemingly wildcat front but also a pinpoint pass that could come from the crafty Senior
10: Loser Miami Hurricane Defense
10 of 25
The Seminoles seemed to score at will against Miami. Chrsitian Ponder was hoking up with receivers all over the field. The game was typified in the last run by Chris Thompson, a 90 yard run. Thompson’s run was never challenged as he broke through a soft line that was beleaguered by the day’s events. Anything Jimbo Fisher threw at the Canes seemed to work. It was a lesson in defensive futility.
11: Winner Andrew Luck (Stanford)
11 of 25
The Pac-10 is filled with suitable candidates for best quarterbacks in conference. Andrew Luck happened to have a drive that may have put him near the top on Saturday. With USC up by one with 1:08 to go in the game, the plan was as simple as getting into field goal range. Luck delivered with poise and precision. His two consecutive first down completions followed by a 13 yard run by Stephan Taylor would be more than enough to get Stanford in line to win the game.
12: Loser Florida Gators
12 of 25
The Gators have just lost a second game in as many weeks. A quick look at their schedule shows that every game is a pivotal one for this storied program. With late games in the season against South Carolina and Florida Sate accentuates the importance of the home loss to LSU.
13: Winner Jim Tressel Ohio State
13 of 25
Jim Tressel’s 100th win may be a bit fortuitous. It seems as though he has his program on the right track. They will take the number one spot from Alabama this week and he has one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Terrelle Pryor, guiding his offense every game.
What should always make a coach beam is when he can readily employ a stingy defense. He did just that on Saturday as the surging Hoosiers were left to scrounge for 10 point and 200 total yards. They entered the game averaging 40 points a contest.
14: Loser Lane Kiffin USC
14 of 25
You can’t be on the hot seat this early into a career, can you? Well anything is possible in the Trojan’s case. For the second week in a row USC gave up a winning field goal late. It seems nothing is learned or gained from the previous week in Trojan camp. The staff that Kiffin has specifically put in place is letting the USC faithful down. Kiffin is yet to face Oregon, Arizona, Cal, or Oregon State. A four or five loss season is not out of the question. It is also not tolerated from boosters.
15: Winner Ryan Mallet (Arkansas Razorbacks)
15 of 25
Arkansas tried their best to give this game to Texas A&M but in the end managed to squeeze out the win. Their edgy victory was due in large part to Ryan Mallet who drove the Razorbacks to three touchdowns.
Mallet did this all the while being punished by the Aggie line. He was sacked three times and seemed to be rushed all second half. His initial production would prove to be enough in the end as an Aggie Hail Mary late proved to be unsuccessful.
16: Loser Iowa State’s Ego
16 of 25
Getting your butt kicked is never good. It is even worse when it is front of your home crowd. Utah basically did anything they wanted on Saturday. They had interceptions, sacks, great tackles, amazing runs. They even managed to throw in a 100-yard run back by Reggie Dunn. For Utah it was a laugher. For Iowa State it was cause for concern. They may want to rethink showing up next week against Oklahoma.
17: Winner Blaine Gabbert Missouri Tigers
17 of 25
File this one under a win with a tinge of a loss. Gabbert does what his coaches have come to expect from him. He stepped in a produced throwing 191 yards and two touchdowns. He had to leave the game in the fourth with a hip pointer that he seemingly hid from the staff.
It is an enviable task to lead your team to victory as you selflessly disregard injury. Gabbert did just that on Saturday.
18: Loser Washington Huskies' Consistency
18 of 25
The Huskies have been up and down all year. This weekend was no different. Coming off a stunning victory over USC last weekend, the Huskies were looking to oust Arizona State. Well, besides Jake Lockers weekly production, Washington had nothing to offer in the way of a threat. A once annual contender to the Rose Bowl, Washington has fallen upon trying times.
It seems as though some weeks they challenge the best the Pac-10 has to give and other times they are matching wits with another conference also ran Washington State.
19: Winner Air Force’s Offense
19 of 25
Already tough on the ground, Air Force was a monster in the air this weekend. Tim Jefferson lofted the ball for 160 yards and added another dimension to Air Force’s attack. If teams now have to worry about the pass, Air Force may make some noise now that they are firmly set in the top 25.
20: Loser BCS
20 of 25
With another big upset this weekend and more to surely follow, questions of the accuracy of the BCS will yet again be challenged. Alabama was an out an out favorite by many to remain the number one team barring any setbacks. Now that they mighty have fallen teams will challenge that they deserve to go to the title game besides current number one Ohio State.
A tight competition is encouraged in all sports, but in the BCS, it has become a reason to doubt the systems decisions.
21: Winner Ohio State
21 of 25
At least for one week Ohio State will reign supreme over all others. They should enjoy it. Their time at number one may prove fleeting. It is getting mighty packed at the top. Ohio State has Oregon, Boise State, TCU, and Nebraska nipping at their heels. Let’s not completely forget about Alabama who may have received a loss but with it gained a chip on their shoulder. A crowded group of BCS contenders may be just what they need to get back into this thing.
22: Loser USC Defense
22 of 25
As I mentioned, for the second week in a row the Trojan defense allowed a late game drive that lead to a game ending field goal. What we now know about the SC defense is that it is porous. The Hawaii game this season showed that it is possible to score at will on the Trojans. A few games in I realize it is not only possible but a weekly trend.
Late against Stanford, Andrew Luck threw two consecutive first down passes. This would be enough to sneak with field goal range and snag a win for the Cardinal.
23: Winner LSU Three-Headed Monster
23 of 25
LSU won a close one in Florida. Florida gave it all they had on Saturday but in the end they did not have an answer for the offensive attack of LSU. The three weapons were working on all cylinders for the Tigers.
Jarret Lee threw for over a hundred yards while tossing two into the end zone. If it weren't enough to have one quarterback killing it, LSU went with Jordan Jefferson as well. His line was just as impressive. Jefferson was seven of twelve passing and ran two scores in. Caught in the middle of this production was receiver Terrence Tolliver who caught two in the end zone and picked up 111 yards receiving.
24: Loser Alabama
24 of 25
For a team touted as indestructible the seemed pretty defenseless Saturday. If their game against Arkansas was a wake up call, then their loss to South Carolina was an epiphany. Lou Holtz called it correctly Saturday when he stated that Bama was susceptible simply because they haven't played a well-rounded team like the Gamecocks.
South Carolina threw for over 200 yards and ran for over 100. What we now know is a balanced attack can be successful against Alabama.
25: Winner South Carolina
25 of 25
The Gamecocks sent a message that they should be considered the best team in the SEC. Their argument actually holds validity. They now have wins against Georgia and then number one Alabama. Their only loss was away to ranked Auburn.
With their win Saturday they should taste the top ten with three upcoming games against lesser opponents. They can take the next three weeks to hone their craft until they improve their strength of schedule argument Arkansas and Florida. The future looks mighty bright in South Carolina.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
