David Hale, ESPN Workers Author
At first, it was a quaint footnote.
Then, it was all vibes, the bandwagon filling up with wide-eyed pleasure riders, and all of the breaks going their manner.
And now, 9 weeks into the season, it is getting more and more tough to shrug off all we have seen as dumb luck, comfortable schedules and complete flukes.
As we shut in on November, it is time to take Indiana, BYU and Pittsburgh critically.
The momentum has constructed slowly, cautiously — like when somebody suggests going to Waffle Home as a celebration winds down. Everybody has a great snort, however the subsequent factor you already know, Indiana’s within the Huge Ten title recreation, a waitress is poking you with a fork to ensure you’re alive and your face is glued to the desk with maple syrup.
To see Pitt, BYU and Indiana among the many small handful of groups nonetheless undefeated as we attain the ultimate Saturday in October is incongruous and perplexing and but undeniably exhilarating — like seeing Mr. T on the airport. It is mindless, however right here we’re, shaking our heads, smiling ear to ear and pitying any idiot who does not recognize simply how cool that is.
Sure, the nation’s greatest group should be Georgia, which had the week off so Kirby Good might analysis the house addresses of every official from final week’s recreation in opposition to Texas, or maybe Oregon, which completely demolished Illinois 38-9 on Saturday, or any one in all a half dozen different totally predictable success tales. However with a lot soccer nonetheless to be performed on this new period of the 12-team playoff, there is no have to focus an excessive amount of on fixing the thriller of who’ll in the end hoist the trophy at yr’s finish when these probably pink herrings are nonetheless a lot enjoyable.
Indiana is 8-0 after overwhelming Washington 31-17, even with out beginning QB Kurtis Rourke. Up to now, shedding the beginning QB would solely lead to a brutal loss and better insurance coverage premiums for the Hoosiers, however not this group. We’re eight video games into the season, and Indiana nonetheless hasn’t trailed at any level. In line with ESPN Analysis, no different program in at the very least 20 years has carried out that. A program greatest identified for offering miserable lyrics to John Mellencamp songs is all of the sudden doing issues even Nick Saban could not handle.
We knew when the season started that the Huge 12 can be chaos, however of all of the attainable eventualities — Kansas State, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State — how many individuals predicted BYU can be the lead canine? It is a full fever dream, this offense led by a Jewish quarterback at a Mormon college bouncing from rollicking come-from-behind wins to defiant dominance, similar to Saturday’s 37-24 win over hapless UCF. Jake Retzlaff accounted for 3 touchdowns, LJ Martin ran for 101 yards and the protection picked off UCF twice.
FAKE FIELD GOAL FROM BYU 🫢 pic.twitter.com/5ahmgTfWKW
— ESPN Faculty Soccer (@ESPNCFB) October 26, 2024
After which there’s Pitt, which stumbled its option to a 3-9 season in 2023 however discovered new life this offseason with a new-look offense, a 5-foot-6 tailback and a head coach who has rebuilt his program by going in opposition to each defensive intuition he has ever had like some form of Yinzer George Costanza. On Thursday, the Panthers’ protection stole the present, swarming Syracuse as Kyle McCord handed out interceptions like he was Oprah giving freely automobiles. Pitt has the third-lowest time of possession within the nation, trailed by double-digits within the fourth quarter twice in September and is counting on an offensive famous person who’s not tall sufficient to journey the Tilt-a-Whirl, and but all of it works.
Are any of them championship materials? What does that even imply? There are simply seven undefeated groups left within the energy conferences, and Indiana, BYU and Pitt are amongst them. In the meantime, a forged of final yr’s champions — the groups that gained the Huge Ten, Pac-12, SEC, ACC, Solar Belt and MAC — are a mixed 19-27 in opposition to FBS competitors this yr.
In an period when the switch portal is meant to sap the second-class applications of their greatest expertise, a QB who left Alabama is main the way in which at Pittsburgh.
In an period when the most effective coaches are imagined to be cashing eight-figure checks on the largest colleges, Curt Cignetti took a large portion of his roster from James Madison to one of the moribund applications within the sport and is working circles across the Huge Ten whereas only a win shy of matching Indiana’s all-time document for victories in a season.
In an period when the most effective groups have the largest budgets to lure elite recruits, BYU has a roster full of fellows who by no means wished to be wherever else, and so they’ve confirmed to be the proper mixture of grit and efficiency and drive — like if Food regimen Mountain Dew have been a soccer group. Nobody understands it, however it’s nice.
RIDE IT. THAT SADDLE. pic.twitter.com/lqEapm1MQY
— TCU Soccer (@TCUFootball) October 26, 2024
There are different good tales in faculty soccer this season — from Cam Ward’s magic to Ashton Jeanty’s heroics to Sonny Dykes’ short-lived profession ready tables at Coyote Ugly lastly paying dividends. However in a sport that has spent the majority of the previous 5 years taking part in the function of depraved stepmother for each would-be Cinderella, it is becoming that a lot of the 2024 season, the primary on this new period of faculty soccer, has been concerning the little guys who’ve found out a option to construct a group with castoffs and duct tape and remind the nation that it is nonetheless OK to root for the underdog.
Bounce to:
Horns up in Nashville | Irish eye playoff
Alabama rolls| Ohio State escapes | Vibe shifts
Below the radar
Horns up in Nashville
In another yr, taking part in Vanderbilt is the proper likelihood to get proper after a very brutal loss such because the one Texas endured final week in opposition to Georgia. This yr although, Vandy is the tough equal of the DIY plumbing mission that seemed really easy on YouTube solely to lead to a damaged rest room, a close to drowning and a narrative your spouse will inform at cocktail events whereas everybody laughs at you.
So it was Saturday, as Texas struggled to place the Commodores away, even after QB Quinn Ewers performed almost flawless soccer earlier than the half. After throwing a decide on Texas’ first drive of the sport, Ewers accomplished 17 straight passes because the Horns jumped to a 21-7 lead.
Nonetheless, Vandy refused to roll over, scoring with 46 seconds left to tug to inside three, however the subsequent onside kick try discovered a Texas participant, and Diego Pavia did not get a final likelihood at some magic, with the Horns holding on 27-24.
Irish eye playoff
A lot for the feel-good story of Navy’s 6-0 begin to the season. Notre Dame marched into MetLife Stadium and completely dominated the Midshipmen’s protection, cruising to a 51-14 win behind 265 yards and 4 touchdowns on the bottom.
Riley Leonard threw for 2 touchdowns within the win, and the Irish protection picked off Blake Horvath as soon as and recovered 5 fumbles within the recreation. The win is the second of the season for the Irish over a ranked opponent, which helps to cowl for what’s the most embarrassing lack of the yr (in opposition to Northern Illinois) of any playoff contender, however it additionally upends all of the enjoyable of the undefeated begins to the season for Military and Navy.
All of this begs the query: Why could not Notre Dame simply let America have this one unifying storyline? Why could not we simply come collectively as a rustic to get pleasure from supporting one thing nonetheless untarnished by divisiveness and outrage?
And the reply is as a result of Notre Dame does not imagine in an America that does not think about Notre Dame to be America’s group. It is egocentric. It is irritating. It is the American manner.
Tide turns in T-town
A win over Missouri is not prone to take the strain off Kalen DeBoer for lengthy, however Alabama did put collectively an emphatic all-around efficiency Saturday that ought to at the very least persuade a number of Finebaum callers to skip this week’s tirade and focus their outrage on Ulysses S. Grant once more for some time.
Jalen Milroe accounted for 265 yards and a rating, the protection picked off Drew Pyne 3 times, and Alabama delivered a convincing 34-0 win Saturday, serving to erase the recollections of final week’s exploding cigar in opposition to Tennessee.
1:06
Spotlight: Balanced Bama bounces again, blasts Missouri
The No. 15 Crimson Tide grind out 486 yards of complete offense (271 speeding) and shuts out No. 21 Missouri, 34-0.
The Tide nonetheless finish October with a number of losses for the primary time since 2007, however because of the 12-team playoff, there is no purpose to imagine a championship is out of attain — significantly since LSU is the one offense with a pulse nonetheless on the docket.
Brady Cook dinner tried to do his impression of Monty Python’s Black Knight, explaining that his ailing hand was however a flesh wound, however Alabama probably delivered a mortal damage to Missouri’s time within the high 25. After Missouri narrowly escaped Boston Faculty, Vanderbilt and Auburn this yr, the Tide formally pulled the “contender” masks off the Tigers, revealing them to be mainly simply Kentucky with a greater receiving corps.
Cease us in case you’ve heard this earlier than: Nebraska misplaced an in depth recreation to a ranked opponent, letting all of the air out of what had as soon as felt like an encouraging season.
Ohio State was the most recent to topple the Cornhuskers, escaping with a 21-17 win Saturday after Dylan Raiola threw a decide on Nebraska’s ultimate drive, ending hopes of a late comeback.
For the Buckeyes, it was a less-than-flattering efficiency, however a gritty win however. For Nebraska, it was the most recent little bit of futility in a string of distress that may’ve been deemed “too darkish” for the “Noticed” franchise.
It was Nebraska’s twenty seventh straight loss to a ranked opponent, a streak courting again to 2016. In that very same span, the Huskers have misplaced 35 video games by a landing or much less, eight greater than another FBS program. And Matt Rhule is now 2-22 as a head coach in opposition to ranked groups, which does not even depend his tenure with the Carolina Panthers, which has been described as “like getting a root canal at a Creed live performance.”
The win for the Buckeyes retains their hopes for a Huge Ten title recreation look alive, however it was a giant blow for the road of groups ready outdoors Ryan Day’s home hoping he’ll get fired to allow them to be his rebound relationship.
Week 9 vibe verify
Every week, massive swings upend playoff projections, however a number of smaller shifts additionally alter the faculty soccer panorama. We preserve tabs on these right here.
Trending up: Do-it-all ACC QBs
Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones threw a 20-yard landing, caught a 6-yard TD on a move from Jaylin Lane and ran in a rating from a yard out within the Hokies’ 21-6 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Drones is the primary ACC QB with a passing, speeding and receiving TD in the identical recreation since Jordan Travis did it in 2022 and simply the fourth of the playoff period.
To not be outdone, Cal QB Fernando Mendoza threw and caught a landing — on the identical play.
WHAT A HEADS-UP PLAY FOR THE TD 🤯 @CalFootball pic.twitter.com/argQ3QyBbn
— ACC Community (@accnetwork) October 26, 2024
Mendoza tossed to Jaivian Thomas, who was rapidly wrapped up however lateraled the ball again to the QB, who scampered for a simple landing in a 44-7 win over Oregon State.
In the meantime, Florida State QBs additionally joined within the enjoyable by shedding the helmet with the speaker in it, unintentionally setting the group bench on fireplace and giving out Mike Norvell’s social safety quantity to a person claiming to be a Nigerian prince all in the identical recreation.
Trending down: Sooners’ new OC
After final week’s 35-9 unraveling in opposition to South Carolina, Oklahoma determined it had gone so far as it might with offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. Looking back, having all the offensive playbook printed in Comedian Sans ought to’ve been an early warning. Regardless, Week 9 was an opportunity to show the web page, and for the primary half, it seemed as if the Sooners may need some actual mojo. Sadly, mojo will not be an offensive lineman.
As a substitute, essentially the most thrilling offensive weapon on the sphere in Oklahoma’s 26-14 loss to Ole Miss was a squirrel, who ran 20 yards for a landing within the first quarter.
0:35
A squirrel scores a TD within the Oklahoma-Ole Miss recreation
A squirrel will get on the sphere within the Oklahoma-Ole Miss recreation and scores a landing, making the Rebels followers go wild.
Brent Venables tried to signal the squirrel to play tailback for the rest of the season, however the sides couldn’t agree on NIL compensation, after the squirrel demanded a deal which Oklahoma’s collective known as “utterly nuts.”
Trending up: Sam Pittman’s job safety
Taylen Inexperienced threw for 5 touchdowns and ran for a sixth in Arkansas’ 58-25 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, shifting the Hogs to inside one recreation of bowl eligibility and pushing them over final season’s win complete of 4.
Inexperienced was distinctive, almost matching his season complete for passing TDs (6) within the recreation, throwing for 314 yards and speeding for 79 extra, clearly flourishing beneath offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.
This marks the primary time in historical past Petrino had a hand in saving a coach’s job, and albeit, he should be as confused as the remainder of us. That stated, if Billy Napier does not win one other couple video games, he’d wish to remind the oldsters at Florida they’ll view an up to date CV for him on LinkedIn.
Trending up: Winless groups
Kent State is the final group standing. Or, sitting. Or, maybe, curled up within the fetal place on the 50-yard line.
Regardless, the not-so-Golden Flashes have been annihilated by Western Michigan 52-21 on Saturday, falling 0-8, the final FBS group nonetheless searching for a victory in 2024.
In the meantime, the opposite previously winless FBS group, Kennesaw State, picked up victory No. 1 with fashion, knocking off undefeated Liberty 27-24 on Wednesday.
It marked the primary time a winless group beat an undefeated group 5-0 or higher since North Texas toppled Center Tennessee in 2001. It was additionally Kennesaw’s first win as an FBS program, marking the second-greatest accomplishment at school historical past after that one time somebody remembered there have been two Ns and just one S in “Kennesaw” with out having to look it up.
Trending up: Iowa being Iowa
Iowa trounced Northwestern on Saturday, 40-14. Within the recreation, the Hawkeyes recorded a security, a particular groups landing, three takeaways and a simple win regardless of no QB within the recreation throwing for greater than 100 yards.
So, please money in your Iowa B-I-N-G-O card on the entrance desk to say your prize, and sure, the prize is a mosaic portrait of Hayden Fry product of corn kernels.
Trending up: Punting
After flirting with the Huge 12, UConn continues to search for a convention house, and after Saturday’s recreation, the Huskies are wanting fairly tempting to the Huge Ten.
UConn and Rice performed the undercard match within the Paint Drying World Championship, with the 2 groups combining for 20 punts in a 17-10 UConn win. Rice managed simply 10 first downs and 178 yards of offense, together with simply 88 yards via the air.
Earlier than both group discovered the tip zone, the sport featured 14 punts, two turnovers, a missed area objective and an intentional grounding penalty that ended the primary half.
Trending up: Foodborne sickness
Hugh Freeze skipped the group flight to Kentucky this week on account of an upset abdomen introduced on both by watching recreation movie of his QBs or consuming a McRib he discovered behind his sofa. Regardless of the trigger although, it was a stroke of genius by the Auburn coach.
Freeze joined his group Saturday after chugging a mix of 7-Up and Pepto, and Auburn clearly seemed impressed by its coach’s resilience. The Tigers shut out Kentucky within the second half and cruised to a 24-10 win — their first SEC victory since Nov. 11 of final yr — behind 278 yards and two touchdowns from tailback Jarquez Hunter.
Freeze stays undefeated in his profession when teaching after medical points, and he has promised to maintain the streak going by downing a bath of Gus Malzahn’s chili that is been sitting within the coaches workplace fridge earlier than subsequent week’s recreation in opposition to Vandy.
Below-the-radar recreation of the week
There are blown leads, after which there’s what occurred to UTSA on Saturday, which was one thing extra akin to getting kicked whereas an anvil falls in your head.
Simply checking in on how the UTSA-Tulsa recreation ended and… oh pricey lord. pic.twitter.com/v4dV7odIxJ
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 27, 2024
The Roadrunners led 35-7 at halftime, 42-17 with 5:30 to go within the third and 45-32 with 3 minutes left within the recreation.
They led by 6 with Tulsa going through a second-and-13 at its personal 5-yard line with 1:55 to play.
And so they misplaced.
Tulsa went 95 yards on the subsequent seven performs, scoring in lower than a minute to take a 46-45 win. Cooper Legas threw 5 touchdowns, together with three to Kamdyn Benjamin, within the win. UTSA gained the turnover battle, outgained Tulsa by 113 yards, allowed simply 63 yards on the bottom and nonetheless misplaced. It was a surprising end, even for a college named for a metropolis identified for memorable losses.
Below-the-radar play of the week
Sometimes this house is reserved for significantly noteworthy faculty soccer video games, however since Texas highschool soccer is definitely higher than Convention USA, we’re making an exception.
On Thursday, Lone Star was poised for a rollicking win over Frisco Wakeland, driving for a game-winning rating in additional time, handing the ball off from the 9-yard line with an opportunity to win. Karece Hoyt pushed the pile ahead to the 1 earlier than being enveloped by a scrum of defenders wanting the objective line, solely to see Wakeland’s Austin Wilson emerge with the soccer, returning the fumble 99 yards for a rating and a 65-59 win.
You will not see a extra loopy end to a soccer recreation…
Frisco Wakeland with a 99-yard fumble return in additional time to win…#txhsfb pic.twitter.com/AvAvT5FFdq— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) October 25, 2024
On one hand, it was a tribute to Wakeland’s never-say-die strategy to the sport’s ultimate moments. However, it was a reminder that pushing for additional yards with the sport in hand isn’t worthwhile, and easily giving up, kicking a area objective and hitting the Dairy Queen is a much better choice.
