Ezekiel Elliot
10 Storylines-Week 4
I know it has been more than a week since I last blogged, but school work comes first! I am your typical high school student, not to mention a college football blogger on the side. After an upset filled Saturday across the nation, I will break down all of the five upsets and a preview of week 6 action.
- Arizona State Upsets No. 7 UCLA In First PAC 12 South Win- UCLA’s freshman, Josh Rosen, almost mirrored Sun Devils’ senior, Mike Bercovici. Rosen threw for 280 yards, 7 yards more than Bercovici. Both playcallers threw for a pair of touchdowns and an interception. But the real hero for Arizona State was sophomore running back, Kalen Ballage, who dived into the end zone for the game’s winning touchdown in Arizona State’s 38-23 conference win over UCLA. The Sun Devils’ offense relied on both their running backs and their receivers. Arizona State can now contend in the PAC 12 South with the underrated Bercovici leading the way. The Sun Devils’ QB does not need to rely on eye popping numbers each week, but can come up on huge plays when called upon. This is a trait that has helped another behind the curtain player from the past, Jake Plummer. Plummer threw for less than 2,600 yards each of his 3 seasons at Arizona State. He focused more on helping his teammates find good looks, as is the same with Bercovici. The Sun Devils take on a weak Colorado secondary next Saturday. UCLA has a bye week, than an anticipated week 7 matchup at #18 Stanford on Thursday night.
Arizona State’s Kalen Ballage (9), swarmed by Bruins’ defenders, falls into the end zone to secure the upset. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin) - No. 6 Notre Dame Misses Tying Two Point Conversion As No. 12 Clemson Hangs On: Do not count out Coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers out of the playoff race just yet. QB DeShaun Watson threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for another in Clemson’s 24-22 upset win over Notre Dame. The win was the Tigers’ 12th straight victory at Memorial Stadium, the third longest streak in the school’s history, and fourth longest in the FBS. Watson looked composed, facing a blitz of 5 or more defenders on both passing touchdowns. The Tigers’ offensive line deserves the most credit for keeping their QB protected. Clemson hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday. Notre Dame has to deal with another great quarterback, in Navy’s Keenan Reynolds next Saturday. Expect Notre Dame’s defense to bounce back and stop Reynolds when he rushes.
- Florida Stays Undefeated, Upsets No. 3 Ole Miss: Ole Miss QB, Chad Kelly, could not follow up last week’s great performance against Alabama this week against Florida. Will Grier proved to be the “it” factor for Florida, throwing for more than 270 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 38-10 victory over Ole Miss. Grier focused more on finding open teammates in the endzone. This is evident as the Gators’ passing game saw 4 different receivers catch touchdown passes. This performance will definitely move Florida up the AP Top 25 Rankings. On the flip side, the Gator’s defense flooded the Rebels’ pocket, by sacking Kelly 4 times. Ole Miss faces a must win next week when New Mexico State comes to Oxford, MS. Florida faces a tough Missouri secondary next week, captained by power linebacker, Kentrell Brothers. Expect Grier to throw for shorter gains against a good MIZZOU defense.
Ole Miss’ defense was no match for Florida QB, Will Grier (7), who threw 4 TDs and spread the wealth(Kim Klement/USA Today) - #13 Alabama Defense Key In Rout of No. 8 Georgia: It is hard to imagine Alabama as a 2 point underdog against SEC rival Georgia. The Crimson Tide’s defense proved to be key in a 38-10 rout over the Bulldogs. Alabama’s defense “Roll Tided” all over Georgia quarterbacks, holding them to a combined passing yards of 106. The Crimson Tide’s junior defensive back, Eddie Jackson, picked off Georgia backup quarterback, Brice Ramsey, less than 2 minutes into the second half, and ran 50 yards untouched into the end zone. Not many defensive linemen could run half the football field for a touchdown. Also, Crimson Tide running back, Derrick Henry, rushed for almost 150 yards and a TD in the victory. Up next for now #8 Alabama is a favorable SEC West matchup against Arkansas. Georgia travels to Neyland Stadium to take on Tennessee.
- No. 19 Wisconsin Turns the Ball Over 4 Times, Upset By Iowa: Desmond King and the Iowa defense showed Wisconsin what playing with guts felt like. The junior defensive back picked off Badgers’ Joel Stave twice in the Hawkeye’s 10-6 win in Madison, WC. Iowa power back,Jordan Canzeri, rushed for 125 yards. Stave lost two fumbles in the loss. This was the first time Iowa did not score in the second half, since defeating Minnesota 21-16, in 2007. The win earned the Hawkeye’s the Heartland Trophy, presented to the winner of the annual Wisconsin-Iowa game. The victory could shift the balance of power in the Big 10 West standings. Next up for the now no. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes is Illinois. Both teams have conference wins. Wisconsin travels to Lincoln to take on Nebraska.
Iowa’s Desmond King (14) recorded two picks to lead the Hawkeyes to their first Heartland Trophy since 2009. (Byron Houlgrave/The Register)
Big Games to Watch For:
6. #13 Northwestern at #18 Michigan Saturday (3:30): This Big 10 matchup is quite an interesting one on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats rank tenth in the nation passing defense, allowing an average of 130 yards per game. However, Northwestern will be without standout safety Kyle Queiro, as he is deemed out for the season with a broken arm. Michigan will have to rely on their power back, De’Veon Smith to carry the load. Expect a grind-it-out kind of game involving two good passing offenses and solid defenses.
7. #23 California at #5 Utah Saturday (10:00): Who would have thought that the Utes would have claimed Oregon’s spot in the AP Top 25 Rankings! By the way, Oregon is not ranked because of a 62-20 loss to Utah back in week 4. Utah’s power running back, Devontae Booker is carrying his team by rushing for over 100 yards every home game. California ranks below the top 20 in total rushing yards allowed this season. This is good news for Booker and his offensive linemen, who are the reason their star running back finds holes in defenses. The Utes’ defense faces a tough task in forcing Cal’s QB, Jared Goff, out of the pocket. Goff threw for over 320 yards against a mediocre Washington State defense last week. Both teams are undefeated, adding more emphasis to obtaining the win. Expect Cal’s defense to step up against Booker and the Utes’ awesome running game.
8. #21 Oklahoma State at West Virginia Saturday (7:00): This is a must win game for both teams. OSU barely defeated Kansas State last week, 36-34, dropping them from no. 20 to no.21. This seems like nothing, but if the Cowboys loose to the Mountaineers, they could drop their AP Top 25 Ranking to their opponent, West Virginia. It helps that Oklahoma State has 2 Big 12 wins under their belt. The stakes are high for Cowboys’ quarterback, Mason Rudolph, who is going up against a top 30 passing defense in the Mountaineers. OSU’s defense is facing Skyler Howard, the Mountaineers QB, who averages above 230 yards per game. The bad news for him is that Cowboys’ star defensive end, Emmanuel Ogbah ranks 6th in the nation in sacks(6.0 per game). Expect Ogbah and the Oklahoma State defense to put pressure on Howard.
9. Favorable Matchup:
Ezekiel Elliot(#1 Ohio State) vs. Maryland Defensive Line: Ohio State’s power back,Ezekiel Elliot, ranks in the top 10 in the nation in average rushing yard per play(7.3 yds.) and has rushed for over 100 yards each week. The Terrapins’ rushing defense will have try to limit the Buckeyes’ running back to less than 100. Maryland’s rushing defense ranks 110th out of 128 FBS teams, allowing opposing backs almost 200 yards per game. This is music to Ohio State coach, Urban Meyer’s, ears. He likes to integrate Braxton Miller in as a halfback, too. Double trouble for the Terps!
10. Unfavorable Matchup:
Matt Johns(Virginia) vs. Pittsburgh Defense: Notice how I said Pitt defense as a whole, not an individual position. Pittsburgh brings in a top notch defense in this ACC Coastal matchup. The Panthers rank 12th in the nation allowing 690 passing yards through 4 games and average 172.5 yards per game. The Steel City averages 4.25 sacks per game, ranking 2nd in the nation. Virginia’s quarterback, Matt Johns, will have to handoff the rock to Taquan Mizzell, the junior halfback, who is yet to score a touchdown. But the Panthers are not all about defense. Redshirt freshman running back, Qadree Ollison, ran for 122 yards and a TD against Virginia Tech, after last year’s ACC Player of the Year, James Conner, tore his MCL in week 1 action. Expect Pitt’s defense to force turnovers on a below average Virginia team.
Week 2-Breakouts
Following a thrilling second week of college football, I chose five players that had the biggest impact on their games. Here are the top performers from week 2:
- Leonard Fournette LSU RB– LSU players who have worn jersey number 7 have gone on to achieve great success. Perhaps most recently and notably, is Odell Beckham JR, the New York Giants star wideout, who graduated two years ago. Running back, Leonard Fournette, resembled his prior wearer last week against Mississippi State, in which he rushed for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns, to lead #14 LSU past their SEC rival 21-19. Fournette received solid blocking from the Tigers offensive line and was able to run either up the middle or on the right side. Bulldogs defenders had a tough time trying to bring down the power back. Leonard Fournette has since worked his name amid the Heisman candidate mix, predominantly a quarterback’s trophy. The last running back to win college football’s most prestigious award was Alabama’s Mark Ingram in 2009. The now #13 Tigers will host #18 Auburn Saturday afternoon, in an SEC West matchup. Fournette is a power back; look for him to pound the middle. Auburn’s defense is solid on the pass rush, favoring a man to man zone coverage. The Tigers’ offensive line will have to do an outstanding protecting their star halfback.
Leonard Fournette, the jersey wearer successor to Odell Beckham JR, had a spectacular performance in a close game, defeating Mississippi State 21-19. (Derrick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports) - Trevone Boykin TCU QB– The reason TCU is ranked # 3 in the nation and a potential College Football Playoff Champion is because of Trevone Boykin, their senior quarterback. The Horned Frogs’ offensive play caller threw for 285 yards and 4 touchdowns, in a monstrous 70-7 rout over Stephen F. Austin. Boykin is separate from other Heisman quarterback nominees because he is an actual team leader. In the huddle, he looks for plays that will give his teammates good looks. This was evident when for each of his 4 touchdowns, the TCU QB threw each complete end zone pass to 4 different receivers. The Horned Frogs host SMU in an in-state battle Saturday night. Watch Boykin’s composure in the huddle. SMU’s defense will never faze him, he will just keep moving forward. Completion after completion.
The obvious Heisman candidate, senior QB Trevone Boykin, is a team player, and has been compared to USC’s Matt Leinart. (Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports) - Ezekiel Elliot Ohio State RB-When you think of #1 Ohio State’s star running back, Ezekiel Elliot, the quick legs come to mind. That is an understatement. He has power legs. In last week’s shutout 38-0 win over Hawaii, Elliot rushed for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns. All of his touchdowns came off of short runs, where the offensive line was the foundation for multiple holes in the Rainbow Warriors’ defensive line. Ohio State was lucky that Elliot showed up, as the receivers only had 20 targets. The running game fueled the Buckeyes’ win, having almost 50 carries. Ohio State faces Northern Illinois on Saturday. Expect Elliot to try for more longer runs, facing a Huskies team that cannot defend the long run.
- Kentrell Brothers MIZZOU LB– Kentrell Brothers’ game was under-looked due to QB Matty Mauk’s 3 touchdowns last week. Brothers picked off Arkansas State’s James Tabary twice in the second quarter. The senior linebacker racked up 16 total tackles for the second consecutive week and assisted on 6 of them. Brothers was chosen as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Don’t be surprised if Brothers bursts into UCONN’s pocket on Saturday, when the Tigers host the Huskies, and sacks their QB, Bryant Shirreffs. Two power offenses, but MIZZOU has the upper hand with its defensive line and its secondary, captained by none other than Kentrell Brothers.
If you’re a running back or a receiver, good luck trying to outrun MIZZOU star LB, Kentrell Brothers.(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports) - Dalvin Cook Florida State RB– You thought Everett Golson was the main man in Florida State’s offense, think again! Sophomore running back, Dalvin Cook, stole the show where he rushed for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. Of course, Golson threw for 163 yards and a touchdown, but the ball was handed off to Cook almost 80% of the time. Golson threw for short gains, and a pair of long bombs, too. However, Cook’s speed fueled the Seminoles’ offense. The sophomore tailback utilized the strong ‘Noles offensive line to run up the gut. This would result in about 8 yards for each of Cook’s carries, an average higher than his freshman year(5.9 yards). Florida State travels to Chestnut Hill, MA to face Boston College on ESPN’s Saturday Night Showcase. The Eagles held the ‘Noles to 110 rushing yards last season, where BC was defeated in a close game. This time around Florida State has a power back in Dalvin Cook. Expect Cook to utilize the offensive line more in shorter runs, though.
First 5 Storylines-Week 1 Reveiw
After an exciting first week of college’s favorite sport, my focus is breaking down the storylines from the previous week that will carry over into the second week of football.
- Northwestern Stuns #21 Stanford: Freshman qb Clayton Thorson threw for 105 yds without an interception and ran for the game’s only touchdown, as Northwestern upset Stanford 16-6. Defense was the key to the Wildcats’ win, as the defensive line sacked Cardinals’ qb, Kevin Hogan three times. Sophomore safety, Kyle Querio, picked off Hogan in the end zone, in the fourth quarter to eliminate any chance of a last minute comeback. Northwestern has not been to a bowl game since 2012, including back to back 5-7 records in the Big 10. This could change if they can quickly develop Thorson. Next up for the Wildcats is Eastern Illinois on Saturday. Stanford hosts Central Florida late Saturday night.
- Virginia Tech Unable to Upset #1 Ohio State a Second Time: Looks like the transition from quarterback to wide receiver for Ohio State’s Braxton Miller went smoothly Monday night. The senior wideout scored his first two touchdowns at his new position, including a 54 yard touchdown pass, to help the #1 Buckeye’s defeat VT 42-24. Virginia Tech’s last major upset was against Ohio State last season, but came up short on primetime. Miller’s sweet spin move on Hokies defensive tackle Corey Marshall, punctuated by an Ezekiel Elliot block, would go viral over social media and ESPN. Elliot lived up to his Heisman hype, scoring on a long run, from the Buckeyes twenty yard line. Cardale Jones threw for 2 tds. Up next for the defending champs, on Saturday afternoon, are the Hawaii Warriors, who defeated Colorado by four last week. Look for even more opportunities for Miller, and the same workload for Elliot. Cardale Jones looks to make his home opening start a good one.
Braxton Miller (1) broke Corey Marshall’s ankles, going the distance on a 54 yarder straight to the end zone. (USA Today) - Winston Who? Everett Golson Leads Florida State to Victory: Everett Golson has brought his Notre Dame success with him to a Florida State team that mourned the loss of their NFL bound star, Jameis Winston. The transferred senior quarterback resembled the 2012 Heisman winner by throwing for 302 yds and 4 tds in 59-16 dominant win over Texas State. The Seminoles hosts the South Florida Bulls on Saturday, that last upset FSU in 2009. Potential upset? Maybe not with the way Everett Golson’s playing.
- Early Bloomer in Hollywood: QB Josh Rosen: UCLA has a new lead actor, the second best quarterback in the recruiting class of 2015. Freshman Josh Rosen carried the #13 Bruins by throwing for 351 yds and 3 tds, in a 34-16 win over Virginia. Rosen finished his dominant performance by throwing 9 complete passes. Give credit to the O-line, though. The protection blocked Cavaliers defensive ends from stepping a foot in Rosen’s pocket, which resulted in him not facing any pressure from the D-line. Next for the nationally ranked Bruins is UNLV. UCLA will go into Las Vegas with a freshman qb playing more like a veteran pro scouts should be watching. Could Rosen ultimately reach elite level?
Josh Rosen is the next Hollywood star in the new blockbuster: 50 Shades of a Bruins Star QB. (Gary A Vasquez-USA Today Sports) - Backup BYU QB Tanner Mangum Wins Game on Hail Mary: Do you believe in miracles? No, I am not discussing the 1980 Miracle on Ice team that defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid. I’m talking about how freshman qb Tanner Mangum launched a prayer, 42 yards into the end zone to Mitch Matthews to defeat Nebraska 33-28. Replacing injured Heisman candidate Taysom Hill, Mangum, with no NCAA experience whatsoever,was put in a situation that all athletes dream of as kids. That is of course, to score the winning touchdown with no time remaining. The Cougars qb sealed the game with a 42 yard spiral at the cathedral of college football in Memoiral Stadium, in Lincoln, Nebraska. The stunned Cornhuskers will have another shot at their first dub of the season, hosting South Alabama. Up next for BYU is #20 Boise State on Saturday night. Keep a watchful eye on Tanner Mangum, who will start at qb for the ailing Taysom Hill.
BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum congratulates Mitch Matthews(4) for his heroic catch in perfect storybook ending form. (Salt Lake Tribune)
2015 College Preview-First Week Games, Heisman Candidates, Senior Watch
The next 5 storylines will cover important games and matchups that you, the viewer, must see this first week. In addition, I will be breaking down the Heisman watch and which players could surprise you in the running for college football’s most prestigious award. And finally, top college seniors will be discussed as they hope to impress scouts in the 2015 season.
Big games:
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Marquise Williams, UNC’s dark horse. (Getty Images) Battle of the Carolinas: UNC at South Carolina. Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC Thursday night at 6. This game marks the first time the game is not played at either schools campus since 1955. Tar Heels qb, Marquise Williams, had over 3,000 passing yds and 500 rushing yds last season, making him one of four remaining FBS quarterbacks to do so. Since the departure of star defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina’s defense has struggled. The Gamecocks gave up 2630 passing yds, ranking below the top 50 at 52. Look for Williams to throw the short ball more for big gains to UNC’s receivers.
- Texas Longhorns at #11 Notre Dame:Saturday at 7:30. Notre Dame has most of its starters returning, an FBS record 19 of 22. This includes returning senior Malik Zaire, who was a strong backup for senior Everett Golson last season. Zaire’s strength is his legs. In the Music City Bowl, in his only start against LSU, the Notre Dame quarterback ran for 96 yds on 22 attempts with a touchdown. On the Texas side, their offensive line is considered one of the best, if not the best in the Big 12. Senior center, Taylor Doyle, anchors the offensive line.
Heisman Watch:
3. Ezekiel Elliot Ohio State RB-Elliot was in the running last season and was third in the nation with almost 2,000 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The Junior tailback rushed for 246 yds and 4 tds in the Buckeyes route over Oregon in the College Football Championship.
Senior Watch:
4. Tajae Sharpe UMass WR– Looks like the Minutemen will have a second Victor Cruz. The senior wideout from Newark ranked in the top 10 for receiving with 1281 yds and 7 tds. Massachusetts went 3-9 last season, but Sharpe could contribute to a winning season, which has not happened since Victor Cruz played.
5. Dadi Nicolas Virginia Tech DE– VT is known for producing major contributors on defense, specifically lineman. Nicolas is a major threat for ACC quarterbacks, recording 18 tackles for a loss last season. Though he may not be a Heisman candidate, the Hokies 236 lbs. lineman could prove himself to be an NFL draft sleeper, presumably in the late first round.
First and Ten 