With one other Saturday of faculty soccer motion within the books, here is our winners and losers from an eventful Week 7.
Winner: Indiana Hoosiers
Not a plucky underdog, Related Press No. 7 Indiana (6-0, 3-0 in Huge Ten) has become one of the best teams in the country beneath head coach Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers scored a historic 30-20 win over No. 3 Oregon Geese (5-1, 2-1 in Huge Ten), the primary on the street in opposition to an AP top-five workforce in program historical past.
The victory was no fluke, with Indiana out-gaining Oregon 326-267. The Hoosiers scored on all 5 of the crimson zone alternatives, together with three touchdowns, whereas limiting the Geese to 2 discipline targets on their three journeys contained in the 20. Indiana’s protection wreaked havoc, ending with six sacks (eight tackles for loss), 4 quarterback hits and two interceptions, and quarterback Fernando Mendoza confirmed nice resolve, bouncing again from a pick-six that tied the sport at 20, going 5-of-7 for 62 yards and a landing on the possession straight following the turnover to place Indiana again on high.
Regardless of going 11-2 final season, losses to Ohio State and Notre Dame saved individuals from taking the Hoosiers too critically. However after touring to Eugene and defeating Oregon, Indiana’s earned respect.
Loser: Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State’s unfathomable collapse continued with a 22-21 residence loss to Northwestern, the workforce’s third loss in a row after a 3-0 begin. Making issues worse, senior quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending damage late within the fourth quarter.
This has rapidly develop into the season from hell for Penn State, which may very well be compelled to have severe conversations a couple of James Franklin buyout if the skid continues. Shedding Allar should not present the beleaguered coach with insulation. The Nittany Lions seemed disengaged and uninterested properly earlier than his damage, as if the loss two Saturdays in the past to Oregon sucked the life from them. That is on the top coach, which Franklin won’t be for much longer.
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson
No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0 in SEC) are rolling, and they have their quarterback to thank. Simpson continues to play like a future Heisman Trophy finalist, making a number of massive throws in key conditions to guide Alabama to a fifth consecutive win, defeating Related Press No. 14 Missouri Tigers (5-1, 1-1 in SEC), 27-24.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer saved the ball in Simpson’s palms on two fourth downs late, and he rewarded that religion with completions on each, the latter a landing, giving the Tide a 27-17 benefit. Because of Simpson’s regular play, Alabama is correct again within the thick of the SEC race, one in every of two groups 3-0 in convention play, becoming a member of No. 4 Ole Miss (6-0).
Loser: Florida State Seminoles
Did Alabama and Florida State swap our bodies in Week 1? That is one of many few explanations that is smart for Florida State’s fast decline, which continued in Week 7 with a 34-31 residence loss to Pittsburgh (4-2, 2-1 in ACC). The Seminoles have misplaced three consecutive video games — all in convention — to look at their playoff hopes evaporate and name into query this system’s future beneath head coach Mike Norvell, who has now lost eight consecutive ACC games.
Winner: Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns (and quarterback Arch Manning) salvaged their season with an emphatic 23-6 win over No. 6 Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1 in SEC). Texas has quite a bit to show earlier than being thought-about a convention contender, however with a good schedule earlier than an enormous Nov. 15 street sport at No. 10 Georgia, it ought to really feel quite a bit higher about itself heading into the 2024 SEC championship sport rematch.
Loser: Closing two minutes within the first half of Georgia–Auburn
They could nonetheless be taking part in out the primary half’s last two minutes on The Plains. Due to means too many critiques — none extra controversial than a referred to as fumble on what seemed like a transparent Auburn landing — and suspect flags, it took a ridiculous 37 minutes to achieve halftime following the two-minute timeout within the first half of No. 10 Georgia’s 20-10 win over Auburn. Nobody tunes into these video games due to the refs, but the crew was the star of the present.
Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese
Ohio State’s protection is the unquestionable greatest unit within the nation, and Reese is its beating coronary heart. On Saturday, the junior linebacker was sensational in a 34-16 win over No. 17 Illinois (5-2, 2-2 in Huge Ten). Reese tied for a team-high eight solo tackles and had 9 general whereas including 1.5 sacks, giving him 4.5 this season.
Reese can declare for the professionals following this season, and he’d definitely be one of many high names to look at subsequent draft cycle if he makes the transfer. He confirmed what might make him a tantalizing prospect on every of his sacks, utilizing pace to complete one play and bull-rushing an offensive sort out into Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer on one other.
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