Another loaded slate of college football is in the books, and some stars shined bright on Saturday. A few faded too, so let’s take a look at both sides of that coin.
Who Shined?
Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is a legitimately good football team thanks to Pavia. The Commodores took down LSU in Nashville this weekend, which says plenty on its own. But Pavia was the engine behind it, throwing one touchdown, running for two more, and finishing with 160 passing yards and 86 on the ground. The nation better start paying attention because Vandy is no longer a pushover.
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Stockton led the Bulldogs past Ole Miss with five touchdowns, four of them through the air. What stood out most was his poise on key downs. Georgia’s offense did not stall once all game, scoring on every drive and outlasting an Ole Miss team that refused to go away.
Alonza Barnett III, QB, James Madison
Seventeen carries, 153 rushing yards, and four touchdowns would be impressive for any running back, but Barnett is a quarterback. Add in 295 passing yards and two more scores and you get one of the most complete performances of the year. James Madison hung 63 points on Old Dominion and put the rest of the Sun Belt on notice.
Who Struggled?
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
The box score does not tell the whole story here. Sellers went 17 of 25 for 124 yards and a touchdown, and while that stat line is pretty bad by itself, it looked much worse in real time. He never found a rhythm, forcing throws and missing reads all night as South Carolina’s upset hopes fizzled fast. This was his worst performance of the season, by far.
Hunter Simmons, QB, Wisconsin
Simmons was not supposed to start, and it showed. Thrown into the fire against a loaded Ohio State defense, he completed just six of twelve passes for 54 yards and an interception. It was a tough spot, but the Badgers looked completely out of sync from the jump.
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
I cannot figure Texas out, and that starts with their quarterback. After looking great in the Red River Shootout, Manning fell flat against a struggling Kentucky team. He went 12 for 27 for just 132 yards and a passer rating of 24. Texas escaped in overtime, but that inconsistency continues to be a problem.
My Heisman Four As Of Today:
- Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Alabama has looked like a top-five team since its early loss to Florida State, and Ty Simpson is a big reason why. He ranks tenth in passing yards, sixth in touchdowns, and has thrown only one interception all year. He followed a three-touchdown game in Columbia with 253 yards and two scores against Tennessee. Steady, smart, and winning every week, Simpson has firmly placed himself among the Heisman favorites.
2. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
It feels like there’s a big separation after the first two candidates, but the battle between Mendoza and Simpson is heating up. He started slow against Michigan State but settled in, finishing with 332 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 38-13 win.
3. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Oregon dominated Rutgers behind another strong performance from Moore. After taking some criticism following the loss to Indiana, he bounced back with a near perfect day to keep Oregon in the playoff mix.
4. Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M
The Aggies stayed unbeaten with a 45-42 win over Arkansas, and Reed was once again the difference. He threw for three touchdowns, ran for another, and has clearly taken a big step forward this season.
Who Fell Out?
Carson Beck, QB, Miami
Miami’s loss to Louisville was one of the weekend’s biggest letdowns, and Beck was at the center of it. He threw four interceptions and looked completely rattled. I was high on Beck earlier in the year, but he has some serious work to do to climb back into the conversation.
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