RJ Younger
FOX Sports activities Nationwide School Soccer Analyst
Michael Cohen
School Soccer and School Basketball Author
Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma and USC have been all ranked within the preseason AP Prime 25 school soccer rankings, with each the Seminoles and Wolverines listed within the prime 10. Quick-forward 10 weeks, and never solely are all 4 packages presently ranked outdoors the highest 25, however all 4 have at the very least three losses simply eight weeks into the season.
Michigan, the defending nationwide champions, together with Oklahoma, each sit at 4-3 heading into Week 9. USC, taking part in in its first season within the Large Ten, is 3-4 with three straight convention losses, basically ending its convention title and School Soccer Playoff hopes on the halfway level of the season. And whereas these three colleges have struggled mightily to satisfy expectations, nobody has it as unhealthy as Florida State, because the Seminoles sit at 1-6, with the crew’s lone win coming in opposition to a 3-4 Cal crew again in Week 4 of the season.
So, the query is: which of those 4 conventional powerhouse packages has been probably the most puzzling by means of the primary eight weeks of the season?
FOX Sports activities school soccer writers Michael Cohen and RJ Younger are right here to reply that query, in addition to preview a pair of big-time matchups, together with this weekend’s “Large Midday Kickoff” recreation on FOX between Nebraska and No. 4 Ohio State (Midday ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities App).
Nebraska travels to Columbus to tackle No. 4 Ohio State Saturday on FOX. What do you count on to see from Ryan Day’s crew coming off a bye following the Buckeyes’ loss to Oregon?
Michael Cohen: After dropping to Oregon within the method that Ohio State did two weeks in the past — with its ballyhooed protection shredded for large achieve after massive achieve by the Geese — there’s little query that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles must make adjustments if the Buckeyes need to obtain their aim of not simply reaching the School Soccer Playoff, however successful it. And the obvious place to look is within the trenches, the place Ohio State’s go rushers proceed to underwhelm regardless of their lofty recruiting rankings and sky-high expectations.
Among the many giant group of veterans who bypassed the possibility to enter the NFL Draft in favor of returning to Ohio State for an additional season, edge rushers Jack Sawyer (senior) and JT Tuimoloau (senior) have been two of crucial gamers. A pair of former five-star recruits, they mixed for five.5 sacks and 74 quarterback pressures final season to guide the Buckeyes in each classes. Most followers and native beat writers anticipated them to mild the world on hearth in 2024 as one of the skilled and extremely touted edge-rusher pairings within the nation.
However within the largest recreation of the season, and in opposition to an Oregon offensive line that was uncovered, at occasions, by the likes of Idaho (three sacks) and Boise State (4 sacks), the duo of Sawyer and Tuimoloau fell flat of their pursuit of the Geese. They didn’t report a sack, they solely mixed to make one sort out for loss, and Sawyer by no means bought a lot as a hand on quarterback Dillon Gabriel, in line with the official field rating. For Tuimoloau, it was his second-worst outing of the season primarily based on the pass-rushing metric on Professional Soccer Focus. For Sawyer, it was his worst. That may’t occur shifting ahead if the Buckeyes need to beat the very best groups within the nation.
RJ Younger: The Buckeyes are a CFP crew. And they should present that in opposition to Nebraska.
You’ve got constructed a roster and a workers to replicate an ambition to not simply make the playoff, however to do the entire rattling factor proper right here, proper now. You’ve got spent your bye week reflecting on a one-point loss to the No. 1 crew within the sport.
The Buckeyes are gonna bang by means of what’s left of their common season, reload, and go looking duck.
However they’ve to start out with pummeling the Huskers. In 2020, Ryan Day apologized for not taking a knee within the Buckeyes’ 52-17 hammering of the Huskers. This 12 months, he will not have that luxurious. The CFP choice committee wishes dominance the remainder of the way in which from a crew like OSU. Nebraska simply occurs to be a degree Ohio State has to clear on the way in which to the ultimate boss combat.
Given the Huskers rank ninetieth in scoring offense, 99th in dashing yards and 57th in passing yards, the scoreboard should not look a lot completely different for Ohio State than it did for Indiana final week in opposition to Nebraska.
Conversely, Nebraska is coming off a blowout loss to Indiana final weekend and has now misplaced 26 straight video games in opposition to top-25 opponents. How does Matt Rhule’s crew keep away from one other embarrassing loss to a convention foe this weekend?
RJ: Can Nebraska flip into Oregon in a single day? I doubt it.
It is not simply that Nebraska has misplaced 26 straight in opposition to prime 25 opponents. It is that Nebraska is 0-5 when a win would grant them bowl eligibility within the Matt Rhule period. That is the definition of folding below strain.
And that is what Indiana did to the Husker protection: fold them right into a Ric Aptitude determine 4 with 495 yards, 215 of which got here on the bottom — 6.5 per carry — and 56 factors. And in a single fell swoop, a protection many believed to be elite, appears much less like Voltron and extra like getting zapped by Zakron.
I count on Ohio State to indicate its energy, the energy of the Buckeye empire flowing by means of its veins and their wrath felt. Nevertheless it ain’t the primary time a Matt Rhule Huskers crew bought wrecked by a Large Ten title contender.
Michigan stomped a 45-7 mudhole in Nebraska final 12 months.
“Final 12 months, it was Michigan, proper?” Rhule stated Monday. “Then, we rebound from that and get ourselves to 5-3 and simply cannot fairly recover from the hump.”
A loss to Ohio State places Nebraska proper there at 5-3 with 4 pictures left to earn a spot within the postseason for the primary time in eight years.
Michael: With out the power to rework into Oregon in a single day, as RJ instructed, there is no great way for Nebraska to keep away from one other loss this weekend except Ohio State journeys itself up with sufficient turnovers and penalties to offset an apparent expertise hole between the 2 sides. And the probabilities of that occuring after the Buckeyes endured two straight weeks of cover chewing — from each inside and with out the Woody Hayes Athletic Middle — appears extremely unlikely. Head coach Ryan Day and his crew may have loads of motivation forward of Saturday’s recreation at Ohio Stadium.
However from Nebraska’s perspective, probably the most disheartening a part of final week’s 56-7 loss to then-No. 16 Indiana was the referendum it provided on two packages present process seismic rebuilds — and extra particularly, the tempo at which these rebuilds are occurring. There’s little doubt that head coach Matt Rhule has reinvigorated the Cornhuskers throughout his first two seasons in Lincoln, the place successful soccer had grow to be little greater than a fond reminiscence for a once-proud program. However even after a large roster overhaul, the arrival of a five-star freshman quarterback that was pursued by each blue blood within the nation, an unimaginable new soccer facility and an improved NIL program, Nebraska nonetheless cannot discover a strategy to beat ranked opponents.
Juxtapose that with what Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has accomplished in a matter of months — launching the Hoosiers into the highest 15 within the nationwide rankings and pummeling groups on each side of the ball, all with out the identical college and neighborhood funding that Rhule has — and what occurred in Bloomington, Indiana, final Saturday needed to be alarming for the Cornhusker devoted. This weekend will not be a lot completely different in opposition to Ohio State.
Steve Sarkisian made the choice to bench Quinn Ewers for Arch Manning throughout Texas‘ loss to Georgia, after which return to Ewers within the second half. Sarkisian went on report saying, “Quinn’s our beginning quarterback” on Sunday, however what do you make of this case as Texas will get set to journey to Nashville to tackle No. 25 Vanderbilt?
Michael: Given the way in which Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has spoken in regards to the perceived competitors between quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning because the finish of final season, together with his repeated votes of confidence within the former and a normal dismissal of the concept his two signal-callers are even jockeying for the highest spot in any respect, the choice to make a brief swap when issues weren’t going effectively in opposition to Georgia felt like simply that — a coach making an attempt one thing, something, to cease the bleeding on an uncharacteristically tough evening for one among his greatest gamers. It was trying to find a spark reasonably than a full-fledged altering of the guard.
And proper now, after one robust outing for Ewers, that looks as if the best method. Whereas the youthful Manning definitely injects the Texas offense with extra mobility and a stronger arm — traits that make his future tantalizing to consider — he falls effectively in need of Ewers with regards to the expertise, veteran management and poise which might be important to creating a run on the School Soccer Playoff. Not solely has Ewers already demonstrated these traits on the sector by main the Longhorns to inside a play or two of reaching the nationwide championship recreation final 12 months, however he is additionally outperformed Manning in moments that take a look at these traits throughout video games. When below strain this season, Ewers has accomplished 18 of 35 passes (51.4%) for 237 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 44 dropbacks, in line with Professional Soccer Focus. Manning, in the meantime, is 6-of-16 (37.5%) for 150 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 24 dropbacks. When blitzed, Ewers’ completion share is 63.3% with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. Manning’s completion charge in opposition to the blitz is 60.6% with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Trip with the veteran some time longer.
Georgia arms Texas its first lack of the season with an upset win in Austin
RJ: Vandy is ranked. Vandy is sweet. Vandy strikes. What is going to Texas do?
Transfer or die.
Within the 2018 nationwide title recreation, Nick Saban pulled the extra cellular risk however the worse deep-ball passer and starter in Jalen Hurts for the much less cellular however higher deep ball-passer in backup Tua Tagovailoa to make the most of a matchup Alabama believed it might exploit on the perimeter. Spoilers forward? It labored. Alabama gained the nationwide title.
Transfer or die.
Within the 2021 version of OU-Texas, Lincoln Riley pulled seasoned starter Spencer Rattler for the extra explosive and athletic Caleb Williams when OU trailed Texas, 35-17. Spoilers? That labored too. Oklahoma gained 55-48 on the Cotton Bowl.
Transfer or die.
Steve Sarkisian noticed that unfold earlier than him in his Yr 1 at Texas. He most likely noticed Saban do it first at Mercedes-Benz Stadium the place he coordinated the Atlanta Falcons in 2018. He most likely locked that away. He most likely put that transfer in his again pocket for only a second just like the one he was gazing with 4:43 left within the first half of a recreation the place Texas could not transfer the ball. So, he pulled the seasoned and proficient deep-ball passer in Quinn Ewers for the extra athletic and explosive playmaker in Arch Manning. Spoilers? It did not work.
Transfer or die.
He went again to No. 1 on the depth chart. Ewers gave the Longhorns the very best likelihood to win, and he nonetheless does. Certain, pocket consciousness wants to enhance for Ewers. However in opposition to UGA’s entrance seven, that’s like saying transfer or die.
Florida State, Michigan, USC and Oklahoma are among the many prime manufacturers in school soccer, however the 4 colleges have a mixed report of 12-16. Which of those packages has been probably the most puzzling by means of the primary eight weeks of the season?
RJ: Michigan gained the nationwide title final 12 months. Hit the mute button and go shine the trophy, Wolverines.
However USC — woof!
USC being this unhealthy, this quickly, is eyebrow-raising. It is not simply that the Trojans are 3-4. It is that they are seemingly 7-0 if Lincoln Riley makes a play as a head coach. Making a play means calling the best timeout, utilizing the clock properly, forcing the offense you name to decelerate to go with the protection you set collectively.
Now, Riley is 11-11 in his final 22 video games. He is farther away from successful a league title than he is ever been as a head coach. USC reportedly paid $4.5 million to Oklahoma to provide him the Grapes of Wrath exit he desired. After which they made him the very best paid coach within the sport on the time of his signing. Because it stands in 2024, Riley is the fourth-highest paid coach within the sport, making a reported $10 million this season. If Mike Norvell did not make the identical quantity, and FSU wasn’t a fair worse crew thus far — 1-6 for the worst begin by a Noles crew since 1975 — there would have been extra consideration given to what has been a primary half failure of their first season of Large Ten play for USC.
Even with out stable QB play, like USC has, and an offense that ranks 128th within the nation, Oklahoma has gained extra video games than it has misplaced. And that’s who Lincoln Riley’s USC program can be in comparison with till he or Brent Venables are now not head coaches at both place. Count on the Chilly Conflict between the packages’ respective fan bases to proceed.
Oklahoma and USC have to play one another in a bowl recreation this 12 months like we wanted Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to throw down earlier than every bought too outdated to matter. Carry it to us right here and now, soccer Gods. Allow them to combat.
Michael: It is tough to say which of the 4 groups is most puzzling so far as a result of so lots of the pitfalls which have doomed their respective seasons are considerably logical, even when not all of them have been evident throughout the spring and summer time. Let’s take this program by program:
Michigan: The defending nationwide champions can at all times level to their banner and their trophy as justifications for why the struggling Wolverine followers have endured this season is price it. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh and his workers went all in on successful earlier than his anticipated departure for the NFL, and with that got here sure compromises within the roster-building division. The collective determination by new head coach Sherrone Moore and first-year offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell to enter the 2024 season with out including a switch quarterback can solely be described as a catastrophic misidentification of expertise. Having been on Harbaugh’s workers for a number of seasons, they knew precisely what the Wolverines had — or did not have — in Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji, Davis Warren and Jayden Denegal, and for no matter motive, they determined that group was adequate to contend within the Large Ten.
Florida State: Head coach Mike Norvell and his workers solely returned 10 starters from final 12 months’s crew that completed the common season unbeaten and narrowly missed reaching the School Soccer Playoff. And whereas there are definitely groups that endured extra roster turnover forward of the 2024 marketing campaign, Florida State misplaced gamers at a number of the recreation’s most crucial positions: quarterback Jordan Travis; go rushers Jared Verse and Braden Fiske; defensive backs Renardo Inexperienced and Jarrian Jones; wideouts Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson — all of whom have been chosen on this 12 months’s NFL Draft. So, Norvell and Co. have been pressured to reside by the portal and die by the portal, not not like what Michigan State skilled below former head coach Mel Tucker following his spectacular run to the Peach Bowl in 2021. They added an inconsistent quarterback in former Clemson and Oregon State switch DJ Uiagalelei, and a number of other of the high-profile transfers they added from Alabama after Nick Saban’s retirement have not panned out.
USC: Regardless of head coach Lincoln Riley’s declare at Large Ten Media Days that USC’s aim is to compete for Large Ten championships and nationwide championships yearly, starting with their first season within the new league, it was cheap to count on that there can be hiccups. Armed with a first-year beginning quarterback and first-year defensive coordinator, the Trojans have labored by means of the nation’s third-toughest schedule so far, in line with Professional Soccer Focus. They scored arguably the Large Ten’s most spectacular non-conference win over then-No. 13 LSU at a impartial web site, however the wheels ultimately teetered amid a cacophony of puzzling teaching selections and accidents that examined a roster nonetheless missing high quality depth.
Oklahoma: Through the closing season in which there’s widespread utilization of an additional 12 months of eligibility stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the priceless property in school soccer is a veteran quarterback with a number of years of expertise. Oregon, Georgia, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, Miami, Clemson and Iowa State all have one, which signifies that the one colleges ranked within the prime 10 of the newest AP Ballot with out such a signal-caller are Tennessee and LSU. The primary crew on that listing — Oregon — bought its Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback from Oklahoma when Dillon Gabriel entered the switch portal. Maybe Gabriel needed to go away following the departure of offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, who turned the top coach at Mississippi State. Maybe the Sooners nudged him into the portal as a result of a former five-star recruit, Jackson Arnold, was ready within the wings. Or maybe it was one thing else totally. Both manner, a part of roster administration in fashionable school soccer is retaining the gamers that may assist win video games. And Oklahoma let among the best quarterbacks within the nation depart and catapult one other program to No. 1 within the nation.
RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Quantity One School Soccer Present.” Comply with him at @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers school soccer and basketball for FOX Sports activities with an emphasis on the Large Ten. Comply with him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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