School soccer Week 4 highlights

There are Saturdays when the true playoff contenders emerge with such ferocity and dominance they can’t be ignored.

There are Saturdays when the entire system feels rigged, and upsets knock one crew after one other from the ranks of the elite.

After which there are Saturdays like Week 4, the place the aim is solely survival.

In Winston-Salem, upstart Wake Forest decimated Clemson‘s battered secondary to such a level that, after the sport, Dabo Swinney advised he was one drive away from taking part in quarterback himself.

On the Palouse, Washington State delivered physique blows to Oregon in a quest to upend the Pac-12’s energy construction.

Within the Huge Home, Maryland refused to go away, irritating Michigan repeatedly.

Out west, Lincoln Riley’s offense lastly met its match in Oregon State, which tormented QB Caleb Williams till the Trojans’ ultimate drive.

In every case, nevertheless, the favourite survived.

It was the identical story up and down the highest 25. Georgia struggled to place away Kent State, permitting greater than twice as many factors Saturday because the Bulldogs had all season. Baylor had two takeaways, held Iowa State to only 66 yards on the bottom, and nonetheless needed to maintain its breath on a ultimate onside kick attempt. Ole Miss barely scraped by Tulsa. Kentucky went to halftime tied with Northern Illinois. Tennessee dominated Florida, then practically let the Gators come again in a frenetic ultimate couple of minutes, saved, partially, by Billy Napier’s inexplicable choice to go for 2 with 4:49 to play, trailing by 11.

Saturday was like one lengthy thriller, the principle character narrowly escaping one harrowing state of affairs after one other, rising battered, bloodied and bruised … however alive.

The identical couldn’t be mentioned for everybody.

Texas noticed a 14-point second-half lead disappear as Texas Tech roared again to take a 34-31 lead with 21 seconds remaining. Nonetheless, the Longhorns fought again, sending the sport to extra time, solely to witness Bijan Robinson fumble on the primary play of additional time. It was the Longhorns’ seventh loss by a landing or much less of their previous 11 video games.

Arkansas went to Dallas and appeared poised to trounce Texas A&M, however a KJ Jefferson fumble as he leaped for the tip zone was a 97-yard landing for the Aggies, and all the script was flipped. Jimbo Fisher dove deep into his Cheesecake Manufacturing facility menu — wait, no, we’re being instructed these are his play sheets — and eventually discovered a spark for the Aggies’ offense, knocking off the Razorbacks 23-21. It was a surprising end result, provided that Jerry Jones normally has to attend till the NFL playoffs to witness his crew incomprehensibly crumble.

Jimbo apparently doing expense stories on the sideline between performs. pic.twitter.com/mNDwVPfxFe

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) September 25, 2022

Oklahoma turned the newest sufferer of the curse of Scott Frost. Northwestern beat Nebraska in Week 0, and it hasn’t gained since. Georgia Southern surprised the Cornhuskers in Week 2, then misplaced the next week to UAB. Oklahoma delivered a rout of Nebraska final week, then couldn’t cease former Huskers QB Adrian Martinez on Saturday, as Kansas State knocked the Sooners from the ranks of the unbeaten, 41-34. Nebraska is just like the VHS tape in “The Ring.” All who come into contact with it are doomed to perish inside seven days.

It is perhaps straightforward to seek out fault with Clemson, which wanted extra time to conquer Sam Hartman and Wake’s downfield passing assault, however the Tigers nonetheless gained and stay within the playoff hunt. Maybe that is all of the narrative that issues. Plus, Swinney got to scold reporters for criticizing his QB.

Did Georgia sleepwalk by means of what it moderately anticipated to be a straightforward win? In all probability. Nevertheless it’s OK for 21 guys to sleepwalk, as long as Brock Bowers is sometimes operating.

Did J.J. McCarthy look mortal in opposition to Maryland? Maybe. However after taking part in three of the worst groups within the nation to open the season, Michigan was sure to seek out more durable sledding in Huge Ten play.

Riley may’ve added transfers from 2019 LSU, 2013 Florida State and a number of other members of the 2001 St. Louis Rams, and it won’t have been sufficient to reply the terrific defensive efficiency from Oregon State. However Williams, who accomplished fewer than half his passes, accomplished the mandatory throws.

See, profitable is difficult, and for a number of potential contenders the job proved too huge Saturday.

For the remaining, they will survive a bit longer. However as with all horror movies, there shall be sequels, and what finally determines who’s prepared for an actual playoff push and who’ll merely get a cameo within the subsequent film would possibly come all the way down to what classes they realized from a brutal Week 4.

Kansas is truly good

It’s written within the Ebook of Revelations (or possibly it is in “Invoice and Ted’s Bogus Journey”) that in the long run occasions all mountains and valleys shall be leveled to the plains and, we assume, from these Nice Plains a Jayhawk will rise from the ashes.

Properly, the apocalypse is upon us. Thanks rather a lot, Lance Leipold.

Sure, Kansas is 4-0. And it isn’t only a schedule-aided, paper-thin 4-0. The Jayhawks upended undefeated Duke on Saturday, throwing for 324 yards, speeding for 204 and searching like one of the crucial dynamic offenses within the nation. This comes on the heels of an extra time win in opposition to West Virginia and a shocking upset of Houston.

Kansas, dare we are saying, is for actual.

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Daniel Hishaw Jr. breaks tackles left and proper as he goes 73 yards for the Kansas landing.

To know simply how wild that sounds, keep in mind that the final time Kansas gained 4 video games in a complete season, “Avatar” was in theaters. (OK, we’re being instructed “Avatar” is one way or the other in theaters once more now. Is that this Kansas season all simply CGI from James Cameron?)

The Jayhawks went to the Orange Bowl in 2007, gained eight video games in 2008, then stumbled to a 5-7 end in 2009. What adopted was probably the most prolific comedic run since Bob Hope. Now what is going to we chortle at? Will it even nonetheless be humorous the subsequent time Kansas beats Texas?

Kansas spent a decade making an attempt past-their-prime fast fixes akin to Charlie Weis and Les Miles and up-and-coming coaches akin to Turner Gill and David Beatty. We’re pretty sure at one level the Jayhawks resorted to a shaman and a wax statue of Bear Bryant. None of it helped. Then Leipold arrived and it was as if this system woke up from an extended sleep.

Consider the litany of gamers who’ve come by means of Lawrence previously 15 years. Significantly, consider them as a result of, frankly, we will not keep in mind any. For a technology of faculty soccer followers in Kansas, the closest thing they had to a celebrity was Child Mangino, and he is now a retired sanitation employee residing exterior Sarasota, Florida, and amassing social safety (once more, we assume).

However now, there are stars. Jalon Daniels threw for 324 yards Saturday, ran for 83 extra and accounted for 5 touchdowns. Jayhawks boosters would possibly as effectively begin chipping in for a statue of the man now. 4 totally different Kansas receivers caught a landing in opposition to Duke. In 2020, 4 totally different Kansas receivers caught a landing all season! Kansas has a cornerback named Cobee Bryant. Certain, it is spelled in a different way from the better-known Kobe, however “C” is a extra versatile letter than “Okay” and the additional “E” is for “finally we’re gonna be ranked.”

And no, it in all probability would not signify the tip is close to. Had Kent State pulled the upset over Georgia or Central Michigan stayed with Penn State or Wake Forest completed off a win over Clemson, then possibly it would be time to move for the underground bunker.

However these are unusual occasions. The Jayhawks aren’t simply related, they’re truly good.

Maybe there is a lesson in right here for all of us — one thing about persevering by means of adversity and figuring out that sometime laborious work shall be rewarded. Or, maybe, it is that it is best to by no means give Charlie Weis a long-term contract. Each choices are good recommendation.

The remaining schedule shall be more durable with Iowa State, undefeated TCU after which three straight ranked foes. Maybe that is the Jayhawks high-water mark for 2022. If that’s the case, that is OK. As a result of we have seen a brand new horizon for a crew that spent the previous 15 years steadily strolling right into a brick wall like a online game character after your cat sits on the controller. However now, Kansas is one thing extra — a program with a pulse, a crew shifting in the correct path, a fan base that is not merely counting down the times till basketball season.

We’re 4-0, too

Kansas could have lastly earned some respect with its win Saturday to maneuver to 4-0, however the Jayhawks aren’t the one remaining undefeated groups nonetheless hoping to draw a number of ballot voters.

P.J. Fleck likes to inform his crew to “row the boat,” however at this level, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are crusing a yacht confiscated from a Russian oligarch. The Gophers dominated Michigan State on Saturday, and Tanner Morgan & Co. proceed to impress. However the actually attention-grabbing factor about Minnesota is the protection. The Gophers have held 16 straight opponents to fewer than 30 factors — the longest energetic streak within the nation.

Florida State demolished Boston College 44-14 on Saturday to get to 4-0. Jordan Travis returned to motion and threw for a career-best 321 yards. In Travis’ previous 13 begins, Florida State is 10-3.

UCLA narrowly escaped in opposition to some lesser opposition earlier this season, however Saturday, Chip Kelly’s crew delivered a dominant win over woeful Colorado 45-17. Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, which is spectacular for a man who needs to be in his mid-50s by this level.

Syracuse survived Virginia on Friday to maneuver to 4-0, and the Orange seem on a path to emerge as a 12-seed to face Kansas within the Elite Eight.

After Tulane fell to Southern Miss on Saturday, Coastal Carolina is the final remaining crew exterior the Energy 5 with a 4-0 report. In fact, with QB Grayson McCall leaving this week’s win over Georgia State with an damage, the Chanticleers’ hopes could possibly be dashed.

Maybe it is nonetheless too early to totally endorse any of them, nevertheless it appears effectively previous time for every to get some consideration from voters and just a little love within the top-25 ballot.

Punt-a-palooza on the Plains

Saturday would possibly’ve been the day all of it ended for Bryan Harsin at Auburn, with Missouri — the SEC’s model of the child in “Previous Yeller” — placing him out of his distress.

The faculty soccer gods would not let him off so simply.

As an alternative Harsin — and the remainder of us — had been pressured to endure as unlucky a pillow combat because the season is more likely to provide (although Iowa actually will attempt to match it).

A fast overview of the drive chart from the second half, with the rating tied at 14: punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, turnover on downs, missed area aim.

(To reply your query, sure, Kevin Warren has prolonged a suggestion for each groups to hitch the Huge Ten.)

That ultimate drive was probably the most insulting. Auburn had mustered nothing on offense and was all the way down to its fourth-string quarterback. Missouri drove to the 3-yard line to arrange a first-and-goal with 45 seconds left. Then, the Tigers — the, um, Missouri ones — took a knee twice to arrange a game-winning area aim on third down.

And, in fact, the kicker missed.

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Missouri RB Nathaniel Peat fumbles on the aim line in extra time for a touchback, giving Auburn the win.

Auburn gained it in extra time 17-14 after kicking a area aim following a drive wherein it ran three performs and misplaced 2 yards. However to be truthful, Mizzou actually misplaced the sport after fumbling the ball in the long run zone when it had its probability to win in OT.

So it was with nice ache that Harsin needed to cancel his tee time subsequent Saturday, so he can coach this crew once more. Hasn’t the person suffered sufficient?

Stroud leads Buckeyes in rout

Whereas various the nation’s high groups stumbled by means of the Saturday motion, Ohio State appeared each bit the a part of a possible nationwide champion, annihilating Wisconsin 52-21.

C.J. Stroud threw 5 landing passes. The Buckeyes had two 100-yard backs. The protection held Wisconsin to only 296 yards and 11 first downs.

The 52 factors was probably the most scored in opposition to a Wisconsin protection since 2014, when the eventual nationwide champion Buckeyes beat the Badgers 59-0 within the Huge Ten title sport.

And all of Saturday’s dominance got here in a sport wherein Jaxon Smith-Njigba shut issues down early, and the Buckeyes performed with out a few beginning defensive backs.

If the sluggish begin in opposition to Notre Dame in Week 1 supplied any opening for doubt, Ohio State has clearly delivered an emphatic rebuke. The remaining schedule seems to supply few critical challenges — a street journey to Penn State on Oct. 29 and the season finale in opposition to Michigan excepted — and Stroud’s Heisman push is in full stride.

The most important risk for Ohio State for the subsequent month would possibly merely be boredom. Or Iowa. They’re sort of the identical factor.

JMU ends the mountain magic

It had been a magical begin to the season for Appalachian State. Within the second half Saturday, nevertheless, the Mountaineers’ solely trick was making their New Yr’s Six hopes disappear.

After leaping out to a 28-3 lead, App State’s second half included 4 punts, two turnovers on downs and a backbreaking interception that arrange a go-ahead landing for JMU. Not because the Federalist papers has James Madison delivered such an emphatic defeat to the pursuits of America’s majority.

So maybe America’s Cinderella story wasn’t meant to be App State in spite of everything. How in regards to the Dukes?

JMU is 3-0 in its first season as an FBS crew, and quarterback Todd Centeio has thrown 11 touchdowns with out an interception. JMU now has as many wins as an FBS program in three video games as UMass has over the previous 4 seasons.

Essentially the most school soccer factor to occur Saturday

Middle Tennessee delivered a dagger to Miami to open the fourth quarter, when quarterback Chase Cunningham related with DJ England-Chisolm, who corralled the move behind the protection and sprinted into the tip zone for a 98-yard landing.

Ah, however Miami had a solution. On the following kickoff, Key’Shawn Smith burst up the center and ran 91 yards to pay filth, too.

So, to recap: It took 22 seconds and one offensive play for the 2 groups to rack up 189 all-purpose yards and 14 factors.

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After a 98-yard Center Tennessee State landing, Miami solutions proper again with a 91-yard landing of its personal.

It would’ve been an thrilling change for the upwards of 9 followers in attendance to take pleasure in, however sadly, Miami supplied little else to cheer for. MTSU surprised the Hurricanes with a 45-31 win. However take coronary heart, Canes followers. Nick Saban misplaced to Louisiana-Monroe in his first season at Alabama, so Mario Cristobal continues to be proper on monitor to win a half-dozen nationwide titles within the coming years.

Essentially the most school soccer factor to occur this week (FCS version)

Stephen F. Austin had an opportunity to hold 100 on Warner (which Google tells us is a non-public Christian faculty in Florida with an enrollment of 815 college students). Quite than hit the century mark, nevertheless, the Lumberjacks took a knee on a 2-point attempt.

By some means, this feels much more insulting.

Stephen F. Austin simply scored a TD to take a 98-0 lead on Warner.

The offensive was on the sphere for a 2pt conversion

BUT THEY TOOK A KNEE! pic.twitter.com/EYqfFhvnpC

— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) September 25, 2022

Heisman 5

Now we have formally eradicated Tyler Van Dyke from Heisman consideration. Anthony Richardson narrowly stays within the combine by throwing his first landing of the season.

1. Alabama QB Bryce Young

Saturday marked the very best day of the season for Alabama’s passing sport, with 11 gamers hauling in a seize and Younger throwing for 385 yards and 4 TDs. Extra importantly, the sport supplied a check-in on Clark Lea’s preseason prediction that Vanderbilt would finally change into the very best crew within the nation. Maybe no opponent affords a greater measuring stick than Alabama, however the Tide rolled 55-3. It needs to be famous that the final time these two groups performed was 2017, and Alabama gained 59-0. So, Vandy is on target, and if this pattern continues, Lea could possibly be confirmed right by 2043.

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Bryce Younger throws for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns because the Crimson Tide roll previous the Commodores with a 55-3 victory.

2. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett

Within the Bulldogs’ win over Kent State, Bennett threw for a mere 272 yards and no TDs, whereas additionally tossing a decide. A blemish on the Heisman resume, you ask? Ha! Bennett is subsequent stage, guys. He handed over the offense to Brock Bowers in a superb transfer to spice up crew chemistry. The remainder of the world is taking part in checkers and Bennett is taking part in — what’s even higher than chess? Backgammon? Hungry Hungry Hippos?

3. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud

Stroud threw his first interception of the season. What a bum! Oh, the opposite throws? Allow us to examine on that and … ah, 235 yards and 5 TDs.

4. Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim

Tanner Morgan tossed three touchdowns and had simply three incompletions in a win over Michigan State, which meant rather less work than regular for Ibrahim. Nonetheless, he stored his 100-yard sport streak intact, racking up 103 yards on 22 carries with a landing. He is now hit the century mark in 13 straight video games relationship again to 2020, matching Nick Chubb and D’Onta Foreman because the second-longest stretches of the playoff period. The one participant with an extended streak is Ezekiel Elliott, who went for 100 in 15 straight video games from 2014-2015.

5. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

Hooker is the primary quarterback with 300 passing yards, 100 speeding yards and a TD each methods in an SEC sport since 2018. Since his first begin in Week 3 final 12 months, Hooker has performed in 15 video games, averaging 10 yards per move, accounting for 45 touchdowns and throwing simply two interceptions. He is been unimaginable.

Bowers kilos the rock

Brock Bowers is a decent finish. He is an extremely gifted tight finish, in fact, however a decent finish, however.

And but, Georgia has seen match to make use of Bowers as a runner on three events this season. These three runs resulted in a 5-yard landing, a 75-yard landing and a 2-yard landing.

To recap for individuals who aren’t nice at math, that is three rushes and three speeding touchdowns.

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Brock Bowers takes the handoff and scores to place the Bulldogs up 7-0.

How spectacular is that? Properly, Massachusetts is a complete soccer crew. Bowers is one man. UMass has 201 speeding makes an attempt this 12 months. Bowers has three. UMass has two speeding TDs. Bowers has three.

We will not assist however surprise, if Mike Bobo had Bowers in his backfield as an alternative of simply Todd Gurley and Sony Michel and Nick Chubb and Keith Marshall, how a lot heartache may’ve been saved amongst Georgia Twitter customers?

Below-the-radar sport of the week

You are forgiven if you did not have Fordham at Ohio circled on the TV schedule Saturday, however the Rams and Bobcats placed on one heck of a present.

Each groups had greater than 600 yards of offense. Each had greater than 500 passing yards. Each had greater than 100 penalty yards.

Last rating: Ohio 59, Fordham 52.

However the rating was hardly the very best a part of the motion. The spotlight was Fordham receiver Fotis Kokosioulis, who completed with an astounding 320 yards receiving on 13 catches, 4 of which went for TDs. And he did all that regardless of lugging round all these letters on the again of his jersey. Superb.

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Fordham’s Fotis Kokosioulis has 13 receptions for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns vs. Ohio.

Below-the-radar play of the week

We have seen far too few big-guy touchdowns up to now this season, however fortunately Lehigh‘s Dean Colton gave the viewing public what we most crave.

The 285-pound defensive lineman caught a batted ball and returned it 52 yards for the rating in opposition to Princeton.

LEHIGH WITH THE THICC SIX 💨 pic.twitter.com/l3fo3dMuPi

— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) September 24, 2022

Huge bets and unhealthy beats

DJ Uiagalelei managed to rescue Clemson from the precipice of defeat in opposition to Wake Forest on Saturday, however he did not salvage a hefty contingent of bettors. Clemson closed as a 7.5-point favourite at Caesars Sportsbook, with 82% of tickets and 87% of cash on the Tigers. When the 2 groups made it to a second extra time, issues arrange properly for Clemson to muster a surprising cowl. The Tigers scored first after which, by rule, needed to go for two. Uiagalelei’s move fell incomplete, nevertheless, and Clemson gained 51-45.

After trailing for the majority of the sport, Oregon roared again within the second half and appeared poised to cowl a 6-point unfold. However the betting gods intervened. Washington State backers needed to watch their crew crumble within the ultimate quarter, however the Cougars obtained the ball with 1:01 to play, drove 75 yards and scored with one second remaining. Last rating, 44-41 Oregon and a really fortunate cowl for Washington State.

Center Tennessee was Week 4’s upset particular. The Blue Raiders closed at +25.5, and +1550 on the cash line, in opposition to Miami. They by no means trailed within the sport and gained by 14. It was a tricky day in case you wager the Miami cash line, which didn’t pay out at -4500.