Devy Roundup: Week Six
The game I was most intrigued by heading into last week was Ohio State at Penn State and it did not disappoint. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins and the Buckeyes started off very slow but entered halftime only down by six after a nice touchdown by running back JK Dobbins. Later on, Dobbins scored again in the third quarter to put the Buckeyes ahead. Penn State then answered back with a couple touchdowns of their own.
Down by 12, Haskins and the Buckeyes showed some moxie as they clawed their way back to a 27-26 lead, including a 96-yard touchdown drive for the go-ahead score sparked by another long Dobbins screen catch-and-run. Penn State had the ball in the final minute and was closing in on field goal range, but head coach James Franklin made the puzzling decision to run the ball on fourth and five and lost a couple yards on the play. As a result, Ohio State escaped with a thrilling victory.
I was also intrigued by the Syracuse/Clemson game. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was making his first collegiate start and Syracuse handed the Tigers their only regular season loss last season. Speaking of Lawrence, he exited the game late in the first half after a head/shoulder injury he suffered while scrambling for extra yards. Backup quarterback Chase Brice stepped up big, making a huge throw on fourth down as the Tigers drove down the field for the go-ahead score.
It was running back Travis Etienne who scored the game-winning touchdown, one of his three on the day. Oh so close for Syracuse, a much better team than many gives credit to.
You can find the final results of each week five game here.
Top Performers
Some of the top performers of the week
Travis Etienne, RB Clemson (203 yards rushing, 3 TDs)
With starting quarterback Lawrence exiting the first half with a head/shoulder injury, Clemson desperately needed someone to step up against Syracuse last Saturday. Etienne was up to the challenge, using his rare combination of power and balance to muscle his way to three touchdowns, including the game-winning score in the last minute of the game.
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Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma (432 yards passing, 6 TDs, 45 yards rushing, 1 TD)
Murray continues to put up “video-game” numbers every week. Last Saturday was no different against the weak Baylor defense. Murray accounted for seven total touchdowns and continues to remain a front-runner for the Heisman trophy alongside Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR Liberty (11 rec, 245 yards, 1 TD)
Antonio Gandy-Golden does not play for a prominent college, but he should not be ignored. This wide receiver has impressive balance and technique that could help him be one of the most productive receivers in the country this season.
Jermar Jefferson, RB Oregon State (254 yards rushing, 2 TDs)
Oregon State was blown out by Arizona State, but running back Jermar Jefferson torched Arizona State for more than 250 yards rushing. He is only a freshman too.
Eno Benjamin, RB Arizona State (312 yards rushing, 3 TDs, 3 rec, 27 yards, 1 TD)
If Jefferson impressed, Eno Benjamin took it to another level. He broke off numerous long runs on his way to more than 300 yards rushing. He showcased his elusiveness all night, tying the Pro Football Focus college record for broken tackles by a running back with 20.
Honorable Mentions: Laviska Shenault (12 rec, 126 yards, 1 TD, 18 yards rushing, 1 TD), Jaylen Waddle (3 rec, 138 yards, 2 TDs, 63-yard punt return TD), Henry Ruggs (5 rec, 116 yards, 2 TDs), Trace McSorley (286 yards passing, 2 TDs, 125 yards rushing), Dwayne Haskins (270 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT), Joe Burrow (292 yards passing, 3 TDs, 96 yards rushing, 1 TD), Marquise Brown (5 rec, 132 yards, 2 TDs), Ian Book (278 yards passing, 4 TDs, 47 yards rushing), Will Grier (370 yards passing, 3 TDs), McKenzie Milton (328 yards passing, 4 TDs, 51 yards rushing, 2 TDs), Karan Higdon (115 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 1 rec, 9 yards), Trayveon Williams (152 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 1 rec, 13 yards), Justice Hill (189 yards rushing, 1 TD), AJ Dillon (161 yards rushing, 2 TDs), Ryquell Armstead (171 yards rushing, 4 TDs, 2 rec, 16 yards), JD Spielman (10 rec, 135 yards, 2 TDs), Devine Ozigbo (170 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 2 rec, 28 yards), Kalija Lipscomb (9 rec, 174 yards, 2 TDs), Aca’Cedric Ware (173 yards rushing, 2 TDs)
Poor Performers
Performances which did to live up to expectations
Trey Sermon, RB Oklahoma (8 carries, 19 yards rushing, 1 rec, 51 yards)
On a day the Oklahoma Sooners scored 66 points, it was disappointing to see Trey Sermon only manage 19 yards rushing. He did salvage his day with a long catch and run, but he was outperformed by teammate Kennedy Brooks, who ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Bryan Edwards, WR South Carolina (3 rec, 25 yards)
Edwards only caught three passes for 25 yards in South Carolina’s loss to Kentucky on Saturday. He suffered an ankle injury as well. Edwards admitted he had his worst game as a Gamecock last Saturday. Look for him to bounce back the next time he steps on the field.
Positional Battles
Below are some positional battles I continue to keep my eye on early in the season to see how they play out.
1.) Clemson Quarterbacks
Freshman Trevor Lawrence started Saturday’s game, but did not have the debut many expected. He fumbled early in the game and only threw for 93 yards before suffering a head/shoulder injury near the end of the first half. With Kelly Bryant set to transfer, it is still Lawrence’s team, but if he were to miss any time, backup Chase Brice would fill in as he did on Saturday. There is still an outside chance Bryant returns to Clemson if Lawrence was to miss significant time, but it seems like a long-shot at this point.
2.) Alabama Quarterbacks
While sophomore Tua Tagovailoa remains the starter, junior Jalen Hurts decided to remain with the Crimson Tide instead of transferring and trying to start somewhere else. I respect this decision. It shows Hurts’s high character to willingly accept a backup role after being the starter on a National Championship team and maturity to realize he probably has a better chance of making it to the NFL with another year of learning from Nick Saban and his staff than if he were to transfer somewhere else and be placed into a new system.
3.) Georgia Quarterbacks
Neither Jake Fromm nor Justin Fields threw a touchdown last Saturday, but neither had to. Georgia dominated on the ground against Tennessee, rushing for five touchdowns, including two by Justin Fields. The freshman did see some more game action in this one compared to previous games, but coach Kirby Smart has repeatedly said he “has no plan” for how to use his quarterbacks. Of the three quarterback situations I have been tracking, this one has easily been the least controversial. Fromm continues to start while Fields comes in for a few drives each game.
4.) Georgia Running Backs
D’Andre Swift revealed he has been battling a groin injury, which could help explain his slow start to the season. Many pegged the talented sophomore as a prime breakout candidate, but that prediction has not come to fruition yet. However, it could quickly change as Swift gets healthy. Elijah Holyfield started once again against Tennessee, but Swift entered the game on the opening drive and almost saw as many carries as Holyfield did.
My Rankings
It is never too early to start thinking about upcoming rookie drafts. Below is a sneak peek at how the top of the projected 2019 class stacks up against the previous two classes in my rankings. You can find my full set of Cornerstone rankings here.
As you can see, Bryan Edwards is my top-ranked player from the projected 2019 class. These rankings tell me I value players like Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, and Leonard Fournette similarly to Edwards. While it probably will not reach the value the top 2018 rookie pick reached, the 2019 1.01 pick will still hold tremendous value come April.
I currently have a bit of a drop off in my rankings after the top two players from the 2019 class – Bryan Edwards and N’Keal Harry – which is evident by the nine-player gap before my third-ranked player from the 2019 class, Deebo Samuel. Of course, a lot can and will change between now and next year’s rookie drafts.
Marquee Match-ups
Below are some of the more intriguing match-ups on this upcoming week’s slate. You can check out the full week six schedule here.
1.) #19 Texas vs. #7 Oklahoma – 10/6 @ 12 PM EST on FOX
Collin Johnson is a player to keep an eye on for Texas. The 6’6’’ receiver has a great catch radius and superb body control. Also watch Texas running back Keaontay Ingram.
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray continues to impress throwing to receivers Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb. Running back Trey Sermon has also stepped up after the injury to starter Rodney Anderson.
2.) Arizona State @ #21 Colorado – 10/6 @ 4 PM EST on PAC12
If you have access to PAC12 network games, be sure to tune into this showdown between two of the most talented wide receivers in the country. N’Keal Harry is arguably the top receiver of the 2019 class and Laviska Sheanault is trending toward the top of the 2020 class.
3.) Florida State @ #17 Miami – 10/6 @ 3:30 PM EST on ABC
What used to be one of the best yearly match-ups in college football, this rivalry has lost its luster in the last few years. Regardless, it still boasts some top play-makers, including Cam Akers and Tamorrion Terry for Florida State and Travis Homer and Jeff Thomas for Miami.
4.) #4 Clemson @ Wake Forest – 10/6 @ 3:30 PM EST on ESPN
Will freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence be able to play in this one? Regardless, I am tuning in to watch one of my favorite running backs of the loaded 2020 class, Travis Etienne.
For Wake Forest, wide receiver Greg Dortch is becoming one of the best play-makers in the country. He is a small receiver who is dangerous with the ball in his hands.
5.) #6 Notre Dame @ #24 Virginia Tech – 10/6 @ 8 PM EST on FOX
Notre Dame looks like a completely different team with Ian Book at quarterback. He accounted for five total touchdowns two weeks ago and threw four more last Saturday. He has really lifted up the Irish offense, delivering the ball to players like Chase Claypool, Myles Boykin, and Alize Mack much better than Brandon Wimbush did.
Damon Hazelton will look to extend his streak of four-straight games with a touchdown for the Hokies.
Other News/Notes
It is still early, but the Heisman race looks like it is between four quarterbacks right now: Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, and Will Grier. It is going to be tough to beat Tagovailoa if Alabama keeps playing like they are right now and runs the table, but anything is possible. This is what makes college football so great.
Feel free to reach out in the comments section or on Twitter @KyleHoldenFF with any questions as we look ahead to week six of the college season.
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- Devy Roundup: Week 14 - November 26, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 13 - November 20, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 12 - November 12, 2019
