College football winners, losers: Alabama offense continues to spiral, top contenders underwhelm in Week 3

rewrite this content material with complete duration and stay HTML tags The Week 3 faculty football agenda used to be lackluster on paper, however everybody must know by means of now that the game at all times delivers regardless of the slate. A couple of top-15 groups fell amid an afternoon that used to be filled with deficient showings from marquee groups. We even witnessed noticed the primary FCS-over-Power Five disillusioned of the season as Sacramento State greeted former trainer Troy Taylor with a win over his Stanford crew. Upsets abounded throughout the remainder of the board, too. Miami (Ohio) beat Cincinnati in additional time, whilst Ohio beat Iowa State. BYU defeated Arkansas at the street, whilst Syracuse beat Purdue by means of two touchdowns. UNLV even notched its first win over an SEC opponent since 2001 after surprising Vanderbilt 40-37. Additionally, the struggles at Alabama have quietly taken over faculty football. One week after shedding towards No. 4 Texas, the Crimson Tide put in combination a lackluster efficiency towards South Florida, which has now not gained an FBS recreation since Oct. 23, 2021. College football is moving earlier than our eyes. Let’s take a look on the greatest winners and losers from the Week 3 motion, together with a few nationwide championship contenders taking a look a ways beneath expectancies in tune-up video games.  Loser: Alabama’s offenseSome enthusiasts sought after Jalen Milroe at quarterback. Others had been Ty Simpson enthusiasts. Tyler Buchner labored his method into the dialog, taking the beginning snaps in Week 3. Ultimately, none of it issues as a result of Alabama’s offense is totally incorrect. With Milroe benched, Simpson and Buchner blended for simply 107 yards on 23 makes an attempt towards a South Florida crew that ranked a hundred and thirtieth in general protection a 12 months in the past. Alabama’s operating recreation discovered some alternatives however slightly averaged 5 yards according to raise towards the Bulls. The offensive line is continuously coping with errors and miscues. The Tide had been ranked No. 3 getting into the season off the recognition of Nick Saban. Three video games in, it is transparent that Alabama has little pathway to reputable SEC rivalry as a result of offensive answers are nowhere at the roster.  Winner: MissouriThe Eli Drinkwitz generation at Missouri has been outlined by means of bobbing up brief towards sturdy combatants. The Tigers have gained two-thirds of video games towards unranked combatants underneath Drinkwitz however had been 0-8 towards groups ranked upper than No. 25 in the AP Top 25 … till Saturday. Behind the leg of (*3*) Harrison Mevis, the Tigers nailed a 61-yard box purpose as time expired to surprise No. 15 Kansas State. The Wildcats obliterated Mizzou 40-12 in the matchup remaining 12 months. KSU, in normal, has wildly outperformed Missouri during the last decade — two times as a lot since ex-Tigers trainer Gary Pinkel retired. However, Drinkwitz in spite of everything has a significant victory to promote. This used to be Missouri’s first victory over a top-15 opponent since 2019 and the Tigers celebrated by means of touchdown some of the top avid gamers in the state of Kansas at the recruiting path. Winning most of these matchups can be key to Missouri cementing itself a spot in the SEC heading ahead.  Loser: Title contendersThe top 4 groups in the AP Top 25 performed on Saturday. None confirmed anything else certain. No. 1 Georgia trailed by means of 11 issues on the part towards South Carolina. No. 2 Michigan most effective led by means of one rating towards Bowling Green till the 3rd quarter. No. 3 Florida State allowed Boston College to mount a past due comeback and just about win the sport. No. 4 Texas used to be in a 10-10 recreation towards Wyoming till the fourth quarter. In general, the top 4 groups underperformed their respective traces by means of 65 issues. Granted, the problems don’t seem to be centralized on the top. No. 7 Penn State let Illinois stick round a ways too lengthy in a 30-13 victory. Alabama laid the clunker towards South Florida. No. 11 Tennessee fell in embarrassing style. Looking on the top of the sport, nobody appears unimpeachable. Could that lead to a in reality unpredictable season? Loser: TennesseeAny hope that Tennessee may mirror its magical 2022 season seems totally off the desk once you have blasted by means of a lackluster Florida squad. After blocking off a 46-yard box purpose at the first power, the Vols allowed 4 immediately landing drives towards the Gators in the primary part, together with one arrange by means of a nasty interception.  Milton’s stat line — 20 of 34 for 287 yards and two touchdowns — is not brutal however hides the inaccuracy and loss of concord that endured all the way through the night time. The sixth-year senior finished fewer than 60% of his passes and 6 drives ended in both punts or turnovers on downs. Playing FCS Austin Peay to a 30-13 rating used to be a sign that there are huge structural problems for the Volunteers in 2023. A crushing loss to a Florida crew with a two-touchdown lack of its personal on its resume may push the Vols the entire method out of the AP Top 25. Certainly any actual nationwide name aspirations are slipping off the desk. Winner: Michael Penix Jr.On an afternoon the place lots of the top nationwide systems struggled, give Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. credit for raining hellfire early and continuously. Penix put in combination a fantastic first part, throwing for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns in a dominant 41-7 win over long term Big Ten foe Michigan State. Penix averaged 13.5 yards according to go try and produced 3 receivers with no less than 96 yards.  Since the start of the 2022 season, Penix has thrown for almost 6,000 yards, greater than every other quarterback in faculty football. The Huskies are quietly 14-2 over that span with wins over Texas, Oregon, Oregon State and Michigan State two times underneath Kalen DeBoer. After the spectacular 3-0 get started, Washington merits to be increased into the top crew of faculty football systems. Loser: The Big 12At one level, the Big 12 gave the look of a deep convention top-to-bottom with a variety of groups excellent sufficient to soar into nationwide relevance. After 3 weeks, the league hasn’t held up its finish of the discount. No. 15 Kansas State used to be at the improper finish of Mevis’ 61-yard kick. Iowa State dropped a clunker towards Ohio. Texas used to be tied thru 3 quarters towards Wyoming. The worst may were in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the place South Alabama embarrassed Oklahoma State 33-7. The Cowboys had been held scoreless till the fourth quarter and allowed 243 yards speeding to a Sun Belt opponent. Similarly, Cincinnati flopped one week after beating Pittsburgh with a 31-24 loss to Miami (Ohio). Baylor wanted a past due effort to pull clear of FCS Long Island.  Granted, a handful of Big 12 groups got here away victorious. BYU got here from at the back of to surprise Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. No. 19 Oklahoma cruised towards Tulsa. However, just one Big 12 trainer got here clear of Saturday taking a look like a large winner …Winner: West Virginia trainer Neal BrownFew coaches in faculty football wanted a large second greater than West Virginia trainer Neal Brown. Five years into his profession in Morgantown, West Virginia, Brown used to be desperately on the lookout for a signature second. He in spite of everything has one after the Mountaineers beaten rival Pitt in the primary Morgantown iteration of the Backyard Brawl since 2011. Despite shedding quarterback Garrett Greene in the primary quarter, Brown leaned on a bodily run recreation to the song of 164 yards on 37 carries between operating backs CJ Donaldson and Jaylen Anderson. Backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol most effective wanted to throw 9 passes in the win, together with a go-ahead landing.  There are a variety of sides about this recreation that might not be replicated heading ahead. The Mountaineers pressured 4 turnovers. Pitt threw for 81 yards. But, what must raise over is the sensation that West Virginia can win with physicality. Moving to 2-1 heading into Big 12 play provides Brown a brand new rent on existence. Loser: UABThe Blazers had been quietly probably the most constant systems in the Group of Five underneath trainer Bill Clark, profitable 68% in their video games after returning as a program earlier than Clark had to step apart for well being causes. Unfortunately, the magic has now not translated to first-year trainer Trent Dilfer, who UAB employed to try to emulate the Deion Sanders impact. In two FBS video games, the Blazers were outscored 90-56 towards Georgia Southern and Louisiana. The stretch ranks as the primary time that UAB has misplaced consecutive video games by means of more than one rankings since 2019. Suddenly, this system’s transition to the AAC appears daunting. Oh, and by means of the way in which, the Blazers head to No. 1 Georgia subsequent week. Winner: Iowa offensive coordinator Brian FerentzFinally, the explosive Iowa offense the folks have dreamed of has arrived. The Hawkeyes jumped out to…