Devy Roundup: Week Five
A few teams put up video-game numbers this past week but none as crazy as the ones UCLA and Washington State did. A glance at the score and you would think they just played a basketball game. The Bruins scored 50 points in the second half to come back from a 32-point deficit and win 67-63.
Speaking of numbers, a few players continue to have impressive outings to help solidify their Heisman resumes. Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, Jonathan Taylor, Sam Ehlinger, and Joe Burrow are the current favorites in my eyes.
MY RANKINGS
This week I preview the top of my quarterback rankings. You can find my full set of devy rankings here.
Trevor Lawrence still sits at the top of the rankings in a tier of his own after a few games below the lofty standards he set for himself last year. Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields are still in the elite second tier and are close to Lawrence. They might make it one tier of three players by the end of the season.
Jordan Love and Justin Herbert are two more prospects I enjoy watching and believe both will be selected in the first round of the NFL draft next year.
The fourth tier is where things start to open up a bit. There are a lot of players with potential in this group but each still has a few things to prove. Sam Ehlinger, Jalen Hurts, and Joe Burrow are the most productive of the tier and could all continue to rise if the keep their strong play up. I see more potential in Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler, and Matt Corral but I will admit they are riskier devy assets at the moment.
Top performers
Below are some of the top performers of the week. Of course, I could not list everyone who played well, but here are a few who stood out. You can find the full set of statistics from the week here.
Brock Purdy, QB Iowa State (435 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 75 yards rushing, 3 TDs)
Purdy carried the Cyclones on Saturday, leading the team in receiving and rushing while accounting for six total touchdowns. He is an underrated prospect who is only a sophomore.
Joe Burrow, QB LSU (398 yards passing, 6 TDs)
This new LSU spread offense is so much fun to watch. For years, their defense helped make them championship contenders but this year it might be their offense’s turn. Burrow has improved tremendously over the past two years and has a trio of talented receivers at his disposal.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU (10 rec, 229 yards, 4 TDs)
Chase exploded for over 200 yards and four touchdowns against Vanderbilt. While Rondale Moore and Justyn Ross sit atop the 2021 wide receiver rankings, Chase is making his case this year. Teammate Justin Jefferson suffered an ankle sprain while teammate Terrace Marshall broke his foot. The absence of Marshall and maybe Jefferson could give Chase a few more targets.
Justin Fields, QB Ohio State (223 yards passing, 4 TDs, 36 yards rushing 2 TDs)
Fields continues his impressive Heisman campaign as he scored all six of his touchdowns in the first quarter! Just imagine the stat line he could have put up if he played the entire game.
Michael Pittman, WR USC (10 rec, 232 yards, 1 TD)
With teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown receiving most of the hype last year, Pittman quietly had a solid season as well. He is on pace to easily beat those numbers this year thanks to a huge game in USC’s win over tenth-ranked Utah. While the Trojans continue to cycle in new quarterbacks due to injuries, Pittman continues to put up big numbers.
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
Below are some of the games I will be sure to tune into for this upcoming week’s slate. You can check out the full week five schedule here.
#18 Virginia @ #10 Notre Dame – 9/28 @ 3:30 PM EST on NBC
Notre Dame hung in there with Georgia last week so they did not drop too far in the rankings. This week, they take on a Virginia team headed by Bryce Perkins who is leading the team in both passing and rushing.
#21 USC @ #17 Washington – 9/28 @ 3:30 PM EST on FOX
USC is down to their third quarterback of the season, Matt Fink, but the replacements keep producing at a high level. Fink threw for over 350 yards and three touchdowns after coming in for an injured Kedon Slovis and led the Trojans to an upset over Utah. Fink will try to lead them to another upset over Washington this week.
Many, including myself, doubted Washington quarterback Jacob Eason entering this season. However, he has played exceptional football and has Washington eyeing a PAC-12 championship. Let’s see if running back Salvon Ahmed can return after a surprise injury last week.
Minnesota @ Purdue – 9/28 @ 3:30 PM EST on ESPN2
If you like wide receivers you are going to like this game. Three of the top devy wide receivers, Rondale Moore, Rashod Bateman, and Tyler Johnson will play in this one.
Mississippi State @ #7 Auburn – 9/30 @ 7 PM EST on ESPN
Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill is one of my favorites and has been very productive to start the year, gaining over 100 yards rushing in all four games.
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix is still developing as a true freshman but has a couple of nice weapons to make that process easier. Seth Williams is the big-bodied wide receiver who wins the contested catches while Anthony Schwartz has world-class speed. Both are tremendous weapons for Nix.
#5 Ohio State @ Nebraska – 9/30 @ 7:30 PM EST on ABC
Quarterback Justin Fields has looked dominant so far this year but Ohio State has yet to be tested. Nebraska could make this one a contest playing at home with a talented quarterback in Adrian Martinez.
- Devy Roundup: Week 14 - November 26, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 13 - November 20, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 12 - November 12, 2019
