College Football Weekend Recap: Oct 31, 2020

Each week we will have our recap of the weekend that was in college football. A quick look at the teams who impressed, the players who starred, some takeaway and final thoughts. A few big games and a few upsets highlighted the day. Here is our recap of the weekend that was in college football.

Teams That Impressed

Cincinnati

The Bearcats were coming off a big win against SMU and had another AAC test with Memphis. Like the game against SMU, The Bearcats dominated for the second week in a row putting on a clinic on both sides of the ball. The result was a lopsided 49 – 10 victory for the Bearcats.

Even in the 42 – 13 win against SMU the Cincinnati offense was dependent on the running attack to move the ball. In previewing the game with Memphis, it appeared this was the opponent to get the passing game on track against. Desmond Ridder and the Bearcats did just that, passing for a season high 271 yards, 10.4 yards per attempt and 198.71 passer rating. Ridder spread the ball around to his receivers with five players making multiple catches and gaining over 30 receiving yards on the day. Just because the offense threw the ball effectively, they did not abandon the running game that has been a strength for the team all season. The Bearcats ran for 242 yards on 41 carries and four rushing touchdowns. The result was a well rounded offensive attack that was practically unstoppable against the Tigers, to the tune of 513 yards and 7.7 yards per play. Cincinnati finished seven drives with touchdowns, punting just three times and turning the ball over only once. If they can continue to play with this level of efficiency on offense, the Bearcats will win the AAC comfortably.

As good as the offense was, it’s the Cincinnati defense that has been dominant all season. As they have all season, the defense delivered again on Saturday. Memphis came into the game averaging 38.8 points per game, but was only able to muster 10 points against the Bearcats. Cincinnati shutout the Tigers’ running game limiting them to just 5 yards on 29 carries, an abysmal 0.2 yards per carry. By making Memphis one dimensional, Cincinnati was able to get after the quarterback, racking up 6 sacks and stifling the Memphis offense all game. The Tigers scored on a 92 yards touchdown pass in the first quarter and did not find the endzone again the rest of the game. Defensive end Myjai Sanders led the way with 6 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry. Cincinnati’s defense is the best in the AAC and could be one of the best in the country, they dominated against a good offense for the second week in a row.

Luke Fickell’s team has dominated this season. Another high powered offense awaits next weekend when the Bearcats take on Houston, but the defense should be ready for the challenge. Things are breaking the right way this season for Cincinnati to have a memorable 2020 season if they can stay focused on a weekly basis.

Auburn

Auburn and LSU had both struggled going into this weekends game, but Auburn put on a show and added to LSU’s misery in the process. Auburn jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter and never looked back, crushing LSU 48 – 11.

Bo Nix and the Auburn offense have not always lived up to expectations, but against LSU on Saturday the offense was running on all cylinders. Auburn passed for 300 yards and ran for over 200 yards while averaging 7.2 yards per play. Bo Nix has had his ups and downs but was excellent in this game, completing 18 of 24 passes for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running for 81 yards and another touchdown on 11 carries. He was comfortable in the offense, making good decisions with the football and spreading the ball around to his receivers. The LSU defense has been one of the worst in the conference, but Nix’s efficient performance was an encouraging sign for an Auburn team looking to finish the season strong.

LSU may not have a good defense, but the offense had been scoring points on a weekly basis. Auburn brought the LSU offense to a screeching halt this weekend, holding them under 34 points for the first time this season. Auburn held LSU, to just 11, with 8 of those 11 coming after they had built a 45 point lead. LSU’s rushing offense was non existent, Auburn held them to just 32 rushing yards on 27 carries. LSU was able to gain yards throwing the football but two interceptions negated some of that yardage. Derrick Hall led the way from his defensive end spot, recording two sacks and forcing a fumble that would end another LSU drive. LSU only gained 50 yards or more on two drives this Saturday, the last two drives of the game, one resulted in a touchdown and time ran out on the second one. By this time the game was already decided, LSU padded the stats a bit late but they were dominated on Saturday.

Auburn needed a big win to build momentum down the stretch. The schedule still has games against Mississippi State, Tennessee, Alabama and Texas A&M to finish the year but Auburn gets a bye week before that stretch begins. It will be a much happier week off after the big win over LSU.

Stars From The Weekend

QB – Sam Howell, North Carolina

The Tar Heels came up just short against Virginia on Saturday, but Howell was excellent throwing the football. In fact, his success throwing the ball makes us wonder why North Carolina did not throw more against Virginia. Howell completed 23 of 28 pass attempts for 443 yards and 4 touchdowns. Howell was sharp in the passing game despite being sacked five times by the Virginia defense. North Carolina’s running game struggled, which is uncharacteristic for the Tar Heels in 2020. Howell did all he could to bring his team back but despite leading the team on touchdown drives on the last three possessions of the game. Unfortunately the Tar Heels made too many mistakes on Saturday and the rally fell just three points short against the Cavaliers.

RB – Khalil Herbert, Virginia Tech

Khalil Herbert has been everything Virginia Tech could have asked for when he transferred from Kansas. The running back has been a star in the Hokies backfield this season and Saturday was another big day for Herbert. In a 42 – 35 victory over Louisville, Herbert led the way for the Hokies with 21 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. He was steady, picking up chunks of yardage all game and keeping the chains moving for the offense. Most running backs who have a big game rely on a few big runs to pad the stats, but Herbert had a long of just 28 yards. He was a consistent runner who controlled the game for the Hokies en route to a big win against the Cardinals.

WR – DeVonta Smith, Alabama

After Jaylen Waddle’s unfortunate injury, Alabama needed DeVonta Smith and John Metchie to carry a larger load at receiver. Smith showed why he is one of the best receivers in the country against Mississippi State, catching 11 passes for 203 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was excellent as a route runner creating separation downfield, and getting open underneath for big plays. The few times a defender was able to stick with him, Smith made tough catches in contested situations. Smith has good speed and fluidity, but also focuses on the technical aspects of the position making it very difficult to cover him. Mississippi State had zero chance against Smith on Saturday night.

DT – Tommy Togiai, Ohio State

Ohio State lost a ton of impact talent from the 2019 defensive line and needed new stars to emerge in 2020. One of the players being counted on at tackle this season is Tommy Togiai. Saturday night against Penn State, he showed why there are so many around Columbus that believe he will be a star. He played more snaps than any other defensive lineman for the Buckeyes and made a big impact, recording seven tackles and three sacks, leading the team in both categories from his tackle position. Togiai took on double teams, got penetration on passing plays, clogged up running lanes and even pursued Sean Clifford to the sideline on a scramble forcing him out of bounds. He was a big reason for Ohio State’s stout run defense that held Penn State to 44 rushing yards on 27 carries. Ohio State needs impact players to emerge on the defensive line, Tommy Togiai is doing just that.

LB – Joseph Ossai, Texas

Texas came into the game with Texas with just seven sacks in their first five games of the season. Ossai made it a point to change that trend against Oklahoma State. He racked up 12 tackles with 6 tackles for loss including 3 sacks and a fumble forced and recovered, leading the team in each category. Ossai was unblockable against Oklahoma State, terrorizing Spencer Sanders and dominating any blocker the Cowboys could throw at him. Fittingly, he ended the game with a fourth down sack of Spencer Sanders where he beat the right tackle around the edge and chased Sanders down to secure the win for the Longhorns. Ossai has been the best player on Texas’ defense all of 2020, Saturday he was one of the best in the country.

Mel Tucker Wins The Big Game He Needed

Mel Tucker’s debut at Michigan State went about as poorly as it could have, with the Spartans turning the ball over seven times and losing to a Rutgers team that went winless in conference play the last two years. On the other hand, Michigan was riding high after beating Minnesota soundly in their season opener. Michigan was a big favorite against their in-state rival and there was little reason to think the Spartans could pull off the improbable upset. The first sign that Michigan State had a shot against the Wolverines actually came the night before when Maryland beat up on Minnesota’s abysmal defense. It was an indication that maybe Michigan’s season opening win was not as impressive as it appeared earlier in the week.

The Spartans may not have looked sharp against Rutgers, but Mel Tucker had his team ready to go against the Wolverines. The Spartans had a plan of attack against the Michigan defense, they attacked Michigan’s defensive backs in man coverage, similar to how Ohio State and Alabama did a year ago, and made big plays in the passing game. True freshman receiver Ricky White abused the secondary catching 8 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Spartans keyed in on the Michigan running backs and limited them to 93 yards rushing between the four of them. Wolverines first year starter Joe Milton was forced to throw the ball 51 times and run it another 12, but in the end was not able to make enough plays to outscore the Spartans. The result was a wire to wire victory where the Spartans never trailed against Michigan on Saturday.

In the end Tucker beat his rival in his first try, something a first year Michigan State coach had not done since Nick Saban in 1995. The loss against Rutger was a tough pill to swallow, but the team looked significantly better on Saturday. Beating a hated rival is an excellent way to energize the fan base and send a clear message to recruits that the program is in good hands. Michigan State will need to show they can play this way against the rest of the schedule, but this was a great spring board for the program to take advantage of going forward. Mel Tucker’s just getting started in his Michigan State tenure but he has already achieved something Jim Harbaugh has struggled with at Michigan, he beat his rival.

The Big 12 Race Opens Up

Going into the weekend three teams had a leg up in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma State and Kansas State were undefeated in conference play and Iowa State had one loss against Oklahoma State but also held a key tie breaker against Oklahoma. Oklahoma State and Kansas State were a week away from a big showdown where the winner could have essentially clinched a spot in the Big 12 title game, all they had to do was beat Texas and West Virginia first.

Oklahoma State out played Texas most of the game, converting 32 first downs against the Longhorns 17 and accumulating 530 yards of offense against just 287 for Texas. Unfortunately they turned the ball over three times giving Texas the ball in the red zone each time and leading to 13 Longhorns points. In the end, those three turnovers proved costly as Texas was able to tie the game and send it to overtime where they would eventually win the game. Oklahoma State lost a game they dominated in most areas because they gave Texas a short field too many times, now they are in danger of missing the Big 12 title game.

Kansas State was riding high after a blowout win over Kansas, but we felt like the West Virginia game was a tricky spot for the Wildcats. The Wildcats appeared flat from the start of the game and played their worst game of the season against the Mountaineers. The Wildcats trailed the entire game and never got closer than two touchdowns after the 8:00 mark in the second quarter. West Virginia built a 24 – 10 halftime lead and continued to shutout Kansas State 13 – 0 in the second half. The West Virginia defense took advantage of the inexperience at quarterback for Kansas State, making Will Howard look like a true freshman for the first time this season. Kansas State was in great position in the Big 12 with an undefeated record and win over Oklahoma, but now will need to battle through a tough schedule to finish the season to qualify for the conference title game.

It’s a complicated web of outcomes to determine who will play for the Big 12 title, but six teams are still very much in the race. Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Kansas State still only have one loss, but two loss teams like Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia have a clear path to the title game as well if they can win out.

Northwestern Spots Iowa 17, Still Wins

Northwestern cruised to a 45 – 3 win against Maryland to open the season. Iowa would prove a much tougher test in the second game of the season and Northwestern did all they could early to make the game tough on themselves. Northwestern fumbled on two first quarter possessions setting Iowa up on the plus side of the fifty, the Hawkeyes capitalized on both opportunities with touchdowns. Iowa would add another field goal before the quarter ended and appeared well on their way to a win with a 17 – 0 lead after the first quarter.

The Wildcats clamped down on defense allowing three points the rest of the game while intercepting three Iowa passes. The offense clawed back, cutting the Iowa lead to 20 – 14 at halftime. The only score of the second half was a Northwestern touchdown set up by an interception by Brandon Joseph that gave the team possession at the Iowa 35. It was an ugly game, neither team topped 300 yards of offense and both teams committed three turnovers, but Northwestern prevailed and has set themselves up with a nice start in a wide open Big Ten West division.

Clemson Comes Back Without Lawrence

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence tested positive for Covid last week and missed the Boston College game. The Eagles came out on fire and went on three long touchdown drives in the first half and also benefited from a long fumble return for a touchdown to build a 28 – 10 lead with just over a minute to play in the first half. Clemson’s true freshman quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei, was making the first start of his young career but performed like a seasoned star for the Tigers.

He led Clemson on five scoring drives to bring Clemson back for the win, completing 30 of 41 passes for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also running for 25 yards and another touchdown. He was able to lean on do-it-all running back Travis Etienne who caught 7 passes for 140 yards and 1 TD, and ran for 84 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. The Clemson defense made the adjustments they needed to in the second half and shutout the Eagles, holding them at 28 and allowing the offense to chip away at the lead, before finally pulling in front in the fourth quarter. This was an important win for Clemson, who will be without Lawrence again next week against Notre Dame. With a strong performance from Uiagalelei and a defense that can dominate the Tigers should be confident they can win without their starting quarterback.

Closing Stats

• Maryland gained 675 yards of offense against Minnesota averaging 10.2 yards per play.

• West Virginia held Kansas State to 41 rushing yards on 23 carries (1.8 yards per carry).

• Georgia held Kentucky to 91 passing yards.

• Cincinnati held Memphis to 5 rushing yards on 29 carries (0.2 yards per carry).

• Auburn held LSU to 32 rushing yards on 27 carries (1.2 yards per carry).

• Iowa allowed just 130 passing yards against Northwestern.

• Indiana held Rutgers to 126 passing yards on 35 attempts.

• Mississippi had 35 first downs against Vanderbilt.

• Mississippi gained 641 yards of offense against Vanderbilt.

• Oklahoma State outgained Texas 530 to 287 and still lost.

• Texas made 12 tackles for loss against Oklahoma State.

• Ohio State held Penn State to 44 rushing yards on 27 carries (1.6 yards per carry).

• Florida held Missouri to 40 rushing yards on 23 carries (1.7 yards per carry).

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