Washington, Oklahoma top college football things you missed in Week 3

There’s been some darkish days for the Washington football program. Saturday night time offered some sunshine that may very well be a harbinger of constructive things to come back.  

The Huskies, in their third sport underneath coach Kalen DeBoer, merely blew away No. 9 Michigan State with a passing sport led by Indiana switch quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and a protection that throttled the Spartans for 3 quarters till the sport was not in doubt.

DeBoer’s arrival from Fresno State got here after a disjointed 4-8 season that noticed Jimmy Lake fired after 9 video games and the offense battle to attain with any consistency. Penix’s arrival seems to have solved the latter downside. The senior led the Hoosiers to a historic season in 2020 earlier than struggling an ACL damage late in the marketing campaign that appeared to linger final 12 months. 

He regarded just like the 2020 model Saturday and his 4 landing passes have been an excessive amount of for the Spartans and secured a big top-10 win. More of that play will make the Huskies a Pac-12 contender because the protection has been the one fixed in current years – and this 12 months’s group seems in the identical vein. 

So whereas Southern California, Utah and Oregon have garnered many of the headlines, the convention ought to beware of what is lurking in Seattle.

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Here’s 4 different things you might have missed throughout a busy Week 3:

Oklahoma exhibits mettle at Nebraska

At first look, the Sooners dominating Nebraska on the street would not account for a lot discover, nevertheless the circumstances of the journey to Lincoln have been less-than-ideal. Yeah, the Cornhuskers fired their coach six days earlier than the sport, however Oklahoma was strolling right into a hostile atmosphere with a first-year coach taking his crew for its preliminary street journey. And whereas Nebraska has been piling up losses, the overwhelming majority of them have been by one rating. So after recognizing the house crew the early lead and with the gang at a frenzy, the Sooners simply methodically floor them down with a working sport and uncharacteristic nasty protection. The mature efficiency is the newest signal that the Brent Venables period may very well be one thing particular and even higher than predecessor Lincoln Riley’s tenure.

Start the Brock Bowers for Heisman marketing campaign

A decent finish hasn’t received college football’s top particular person honor since 1949 and none have positioned increased than tenth since 1977. However, Bowers ought to be in competition this 12 months with method he’s thriving in the Georgia offense. Saturday in opposition to South Carolina, the sophomore had 5 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns and likewise added a 5-yard scoring run because the Bulldogs rolled to a straightforward victory. These blowouts by Georgia may be the largest obstacle to him getting consideration because the starters are sometimes out early and the stats that voters love cannot be gathered from the bench.

Perfect begins for Big Ten East underdogs

Let’s be very clear: Indiana, Rutgers and Maryland will not be going to win the Big Ten East. But every have opened the season at 3-0 and have the chance to push for bowl video games if things fall their method.

It hasn’t been fairly for the Hoosiers and Scarlet Knights, however profitable ugly is best than shedding. The better of the group seems to be the Terrapins, who rallied previous SMU at house Saturday with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa throwing for 2 scores. His go-ahead go halfway by way of the fourth quarter units Maryland up for a showdown with Michigan subsequent week.

The news is not nearly as good for the non-favorites in the Big Ten West. Purdue imploded after taking a late lead at Syracuse. Northwestern dropped a house sport in opposition to Southern Illinois. Nebraska, as talked about above, merely was overrun by Oklahoma. 

Nearly a Virginia two-step for Old Dominion

Shocking Virginia Tech at house had already made this a memorable season for the Monarchs. What a few second victory in opposition to the opposite ACC college in the commonwealth? It nearly occurred, this time on the street. Old Dominion performed gamely by way of three quarters and solely trailed by six when it received the ball with 3:07 left. Hayden Wolff then directed an 80-yard drive in two minutes that culminated in an 18-yard landing go to Zack Kuntz. The Cavaliers would rally and kick a game-winning discipline aim on the ultimate play, nevertheless that does not diminish the hassle by the Monarchs. It was one other close to miss by the Sun Belt in opposition to the Power Five after South Alabama suffered the identical destiny earlier in day when UCLA’s discipline aim as time expired received the sport.