College football winners, losers in Week 7: USC not title contender, Michael Penix Jr. delivers Heisman buzz

All eyes had been at the Pac-12 in Week 7 with the convention’s 3 best powers all taking part in — two in opposition to one any other in an already heated contention. After the weekend, just one stays undefeated: The No. 7 Washington Huskies, who edged No. 8 Oregon in an exhilarating 36-33 sport that used to be a neon billboard for the greatness of West Coast college football. 

From the weekend, a brand new Heisman Trophy favourite emerged. Another fell in the back of as Caleb Williams and USC fell to Notre Dame in a decisive 48-20 beating. Down the board, Rutgers and Colorado performed video games that might regulate bowl eligibility to finish the season. Two long-tenured coaches proceed to win their approach. Others wilted beneath new force. 

Here are key winners and losers from Week 7 of faculty football. 

Needing a landing with beneath two mins last in opposition to Oregon’s tricky protection, Washington pulled its trump card: Michael Penix Jr. The quarterback wanted simply two performs – a 35-yard go to Ja’Lynn Polk and an 18-yard landing throw to Rome Odunze – to win the sport. 

The ultimate force capped off an outstanding day for Penix in Washington’s best second of the yr. Penix threw for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns regardless of lacking certainly one of his elite trio of receivers, Jalen McMillan, and being noticeably hobbled. He gained at each and every degree of the sphere, hitting on large performs and retaining the Huskies on time table. 

Penix merits to be the brand new chief in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Washington is now the one undefeated last in the Pac-12 and its splendid case for the College Football Playoff. Everything is at the desk. 

Loser: USC

The Trojans flew via the seat in their pants for a lot of the season, and it just about value them in a triple-overtime win over Arizona one week in the past. Against Notre Dame on Saturday, the Trojans’ good fortune in any case ran out because the Fighting Irish put USC’s high-flying offense right into a straitjacket. 

Williams threw 3 interceptions in his worst single-game efficiency. The Trojans proved utterly not able to dam Notre Dame’s bodily entrance, which left Williams working for his existence mere seconds after each and every snap. 

The protection performed rather smartly regardless of the stunning ultimate rating, however the problems proven in the loss to Notre Dame are extra existential. There aren’t any solutions at the roster for USC’s offense to dam high-powered defensive strains in 2023. USC is not an actual title contender. 

Rumors of trainer Mike Gundy’s death, as soon as once more, could have been overstated. After dropping to South Alabama and Iowa State in consecutive weeks, Oklahoma State all of sudden sits at 2-1 in Big 12 play after stunning Kansas 39-32 in the back of 15 unanswered issues in the overall 21 mins of the sport. 

Three video games in the past, Oklahoma State mustered seven issues and 208 overall yards in opposition to South Alabama. The Cowboys submit 554 yards of offense in opposition to the Jayhawaks – 336 during the air, 218 at the flooring – keyed via 284 yards and two touchdowns from working again Ollie Gordon. The offense that after appeared misplaced has all of sudden discovered its rhythm, and the Cowboys are actually proper again into the Big 12 race. 

Oklahoma State now has tiebreakers over each Kansas and Kansas State after consecutive wins. Games in opposition to West Virginia and Cincinnati glance completely winnable sooner than Bedlam on Nov. 4. And, via the best way, control Iowa State. That loss to the Cyclones, now 3-1 in Big 12 play, does not glance just about as dangerous. 

The Hurricanes desperately wanted a win after an embarrassing clock control snafu value them a win over Georgia Tech ultimate week. Unfortunately, the whole thing went incorrect for Miami in a 41-31 loss to No. 12 North Carolina in a sport that wasn’t as shut as the overall rating. 

After nailing a box objective to finish the primary part, Miami allowed 24 unanswered issues to totally take itself out of the sport. The ‘Canes had an interception, a fumble, a turnover on downs and a punt all through the run. On one notable play, trainer Mario Cristobal declined a penalty that might have made it second-and-20. One play later, UNC quarterback Drake Maye threw a 33-yard landing. 

Miami no less than fought in the fourth quarter to make it a sport once more, however the Hurricanes are actually certainly one of simply 4 ACC groups with out a win in convention play, becoming a member of Wake Forest, Syracuse and Virginia. That’s not moderately the gathering any aspirational program hopes to enroll in. 

Winner: Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights trailed 24-6 getting into the fourth quarter in opposition to Michigan State in a supremely disappointing effort at house. The ultimate quarter-hour had been any other tale. Rutgers hit a scoop-n-score and a couple of offensive touchdowns (one passing, one dashing) over a five-minute stretch to rally for a 27-24 win. 

The win used to be a robust praise for Rutgers, led via working again Kyle Monangai’s 148 yards and game-winning landing. More importantly, the Scarlet Knights are 5-2 and appear poised to seize elusive bowl eligibility. Rutgers performs Indiana subsequent week and has a sport in opposition to a disappointing Maryland workforce to finish the yr. It’s at the desk. 

Of direction, Rutgers technically earned a bowl bid in 2021 due to a excessive APR rating. Earning an actual six-win season for the primary time since 2014, Rutgers’ first yr as a Big Ten member, could be a forged accomplishment for trainer Greg Sciano and his group of workers. The fourth quarter in opposition to the Spartans may just finally end up being a season-defining second. 

Loser: Colorado

Teams main via 28 or extra issues at halftime had been 248-0 since 2019, in keeping with Tru Media… till Colorado performed Stanford on Friday. The Buffaloes blew a 29-0 merit, the fourth-biggest blown lead in Pac-12 historical past, in a 46-43 loss in double beyond regular time. 

Losing is hard sufficient, however Stanford set some large data. Receiver Elic Ayomanor posted a program-best 294 yards and 3 touchdowns. The comeback used to be additionally the biggest in Stanford historical past. 

The lasting worry for the Buffs is a have a look at the remainder of the time table. Stanford would were win No. 5, however now the Buffaloes want two to be bowl eligible. Four of the 5 last groups at the time table are ranked in the AP most sensible 20. The activity has all of sudden develop into a lot more tough. 

The Hawkeyes misplaced tight finish Erick All to an damage, becoming a member of quarterback Cade McNamara and tight finish Luke Lachey. Quarterback Deacon Hill threw for 37 yards and the Hawkeyes scored 15 issues. Naturally, that used to be sufficient to overcome Wisconsin, achieve 6-1 and firmly take regulate of the Big Ten West race. How does Iowa stay doing this? Few groups are as dedicated to the bit, however it is laborious to argue with the consequences, although attaining the contractually mandated 25 issues in keeping with sport seems all however unimaginable. 

The Wazzu interest is now formally over after the No. 19 Cougars dropped a 44-6 stinker to Arizona. Wazzu posted simply 234 yards in opposition to an inconsistent Arizona protection and allowed the Wildcats to blow up for 516 yards. Washington State nonetheless sits at 4-2 with various winnable video games left at the time table, however the pathway to last in the AP Top 25 feels bleak. The Cougars should temporarily regroup as Oregon is at the time table subsequent week. Otherwise, the race to the Pac-12 Championship Game feels all however over for this workforce. 

The Falcons had been undervalued getting into the yr, picked first-place on MWC ballots via simply two of 37 citizens. However, Air Force has now zoomed out to a 6-0 get started after John Lee Eldridge’s 58-yard run iced the sport in opposition to Wyoming and is the prohibitive favourite in the Mountain West. Air Force ran for 356 yards and 3 touchdowns in opposition to a bodily Wyoming protection and confirmed legit nationwide upside. After the win, it is time to rank Air Force and perhaps get started nudging them against the Group of Five New Year’s Six dialogue. 

Loser: West Virginia

The Mountaineers misplaced a stunner to Houston via being at the incorrect finish of a Hail Mary. It hurts the Mountaineers not simplest as a result of it is a dangerous loss — the Cougars had been prior to now winless in convention play — but additionally as it got here in opposition to Dana Holgorsen. West Virginia trainer Neal Brown must have a large yr if he’ll stay his activity. Beating Pitt helped, beating Houston would were even higher. 

The loss itself got here on a 49-yard Hail Mary, however Houston held an 11-point merit with simply 7:28 last. A miracle 50-yard landing with 12 seconds left gave the Mountaineers what gave the impression to be an iron-clad comeback for the ages.

Houston’s win over West Virginia used to be the primary win via any of the brand new Big 12 additions over a legacy member. The Mountaineers have a variety of winnable video games last, however virtually each and every last opponent charges higher than the Coogs.