Week 13 of the college football season brought very little suspense. All the teams in the top-10 coasted without resistance. However, some had it easier than others.
Texas A&M and Alabama beat their respective opponents this week by a combined score of 104-0. Alabama blasted Eastern Illinois, who had dropped their previous six games before getting beaten 56-0 in Tuscaloosa. Meanwhile, Marcel Reed watched the second half from the sideline as his team steamrolled a Samford program that had only won one game this season. However, this week we are guaranteed to have much more meaningful matchups. Before we look ahead to a pivotal slate in Week 14, here’s one last look back at last week.
College Football Week 13 Recap
Saturday Spotlight: USC vs. Oregon
Early on, we were treated to a back-and-forth game between two very good offenses. However, around the second quarter, the wheels fell off for the USC offense. They couldn’t get out of their own way, particularly on special teams.
Malik Benson ran back a punt for an 85-yard score for the Ducks. He also chipped in on the offense with four catches for 67 yards. Meanwhile, USC kicker Ryon Sayeri missed a short 27-yard attempt. Sprinkle in a few interceptions by Jayden Maiava, and you have all the makings of a game that got away from the Trojans.
Shout out to the Oregon defense also for taking away the running game and shutting down King Miller, holding him to 30 yards rushing. Matayo Uiagalelei, specifically, was excellent for the Oregon defense. He was disruptive, threw off the running game, and, along with Bryce Boettcher, were the stars for the Ducks’ defensive efforts.
On the other hand, Oregon found its footing offensively. Dante Moore did a great job of spreading the ball around to all his weapons. USC squandered a golden chance to place itself in the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Oregon safely placed itself in the CFP with only Washington left on their schedule. The one question left for USC is, How much more patience does the program have for Lincoln Riley to adjust to life in the Big Ten? Oregon has placed itself in the CFP in each of its years in the conference, and even Indiana is crashing the CFP this year.
It’s something to think about.
Upset Special: Virginia Tech over Miami
Going into the game, you wondered whether Virginia Tech would be able to run the ball against Miami. They did pretty well, except the game got away from them defensively. They couldn’t keep up with Miami’s offense, which scored on its first four possessions.
Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones was under intense pressure from Miami throughout the game. He was sacked five times, including twice by Ahmed Moton. Drones never got comfortable in the pocket, and it showed. The Hokies were 3-of-12 on third down and were easily outmatched.
Also, give credit where it is due. Since their loss to SMU, Carson Beck has been on a heater, and that trend continued against Virginia Tech. Beck was 27-of-32 for 320 yards, four passing touchdowns, and a QBR of 95.3. He has been on fire the last few weeks. Beck has thrown for 858 yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Meanwhile, Malachi Toney exploded for 12 catches for 146 yards, including a score from 56 yards out.
It’s clear that Virginia Tech’s new head coach, James Franklin, has his work cut out for him to rebrand the program.
Who Helped Themselves the Most in Week 13?
The Heisman Trophy winner has been one of the hardest awards to sort out a favorite this season. Entering the year, Heisman hopefuls like Cade Klubnik and Arch Manning failed to cement themselves in the competition. A few names, like Oklahoma’s John Mateer, entered the conversation but quickly faded. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is certainly a candidate, guiding the Buckeyes to an undefeated season. Yet, no one seems individually as superior as running back Jeremiyah Love.
In last week’s dominating performance over Syracuse where he ran for 171 yards on eight carries, Love surpassed his production from last season and is poised to make significant damage in the CFP. Love has everything you ask from a runner. He has speed, power, vision, and excellent balance after contact. With how terrific the Fighting Irish have been over the last two months, Love has been the centerpiece and alleviated a lot of the burden off quarterback CJ Carr.
Love appears to be the most outstanding player in the nation. With a date this weekend against Stanford, a team that allows 113 rushing yards per contest, expect him to put the finishing touches on the Heisman award. With how good he’s been, particularly last week, Love helped himself the most last week.
College Football: Week 14 Spotlight and Upset Special
Saturday Spotlight: Miami vs. Pitt
Once again this week, all eyes are on Miami after its decisive win at Blacksburg. This time, the Hurricanes are on the road to Pittsburgh in what will be a test of strength on strength. The key matchup to watch will be Miami’s offensive line versus the Panthers’ front seven. Pitt’s base 4-3 is predicated on stopping the run and using the athleticism of their linebackers to cover underneath. However, with how the conditions are expected to be on Saturday, a high of just above freezing, the Hurricanes are coming out of their element to take on a Pitt team with a lot at stake. The Panthers are tied for first in the ACC standings and could earn a bid into the ACC title game with a win and a loss by Virginia or Duke.
Pitt still has to rebound after an embarrassing showing at home against Notre Dame. They also need to redeem themselves in the trenches. Miami has a 14-percent chance at making the ACC title game, so their hopes are to stay alive in the race for the CFP and beat Pitt soundly.
Pitt freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel needs to come up huge in this game. He must play like he did last week against Georgia Tech, and avoid making the big mistake. Will the Hurricanes rain all over the Panthers, or will they leave themselves out in the cold and lose their spot in the CFP?
Upset Special: Texas Over Texas A&M
This has less to do with confidence in Arch Manning, and more of a lack of confidence in Marcel Reed to win from the pocket. Reed’s a terrific dual threat, but Texas has shown that it is capable of stopping running quarterbacks. The Longhorns allow opposing quarterbacks just 19 yards rushing per game this season.
Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill will have a heavy hand in limiting Reed from escaping the pocket and gaining chunk runs. Malik Muhammad will have a big game against the Aggies, but he’s going to get some help. Expect the Longhorns to roll coverage to KC Concepcion and force Reed to work the ball to Mario Craver instead, with Muhammad in coverage, and taking away the secondary option for Reed.
Colin Simmons will nightmare for the Aggies on third down and get a sack or two. All Texas needs to do is generate a few explosive plays to build a lead and take care of the football. Manning doesn’t have to thrust the game on himself, and Steve Sarkisian doesn’t have to overthink anything. Put the ball in the hands of your playmakers and get out of Austin with a win. Texas is on the fringe of the CFP and can immensely help themselves by winning against an undefeated rival, currently ranked No. 3 in the nation. Hook ‘em.
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