Florida State is already one of many greatest disappointments in current Bowl Subdivision historical past.
Truly, disappointment is simply too tender a phrase. the Seminoles needs to be thought-about a flat-out catastrophe after shedding 20-12 at residence to No. 25 Memphis, dropping the Seminoles to 0-3 after getting into the yr No. 10 in US LBM Coaches Ballot. Amid intense expectations on the heels of final yr’s ACC championship and unbeaten common season, Florida State is the second group prior to now 35 years to open the yr within the prime 10 through the ballot period and lose its first three video games, becoming a member of 2020 Penn State.
The Tigers are the highest group within the Group of 5 and the selection at this level to land within the 12-team School Soccer Playoff. The Seminoles may very well be there, too — they’re going to simply have to purchase tickets like the remainder of the nation.
As in final week’s loss to Boston School, the numbers on offense have been ugly for reeling Florida State.
The Seminoles transformed simply two of 12 third-down makes an attempt. They gained 37 yards on 24 carries when counting sacks, a mean of 1.5 yards per tote. The offense turned the ball over thrice and failed to attain a landing till halfway via the third quarter.
The best rationalization for Florida State’s intense swoon since final season may be tied to the switch portal. Mike Norvell and his employees had executed higher than most with transfers, bringing in skills reminiscent of eventual All-America defensive finish Jared Verse, however this yr’s haul has fully did not fill spots on the two-deep and preserve this system’s trajectory.
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei encapsulates the Seminoles’ switch woes. The senior has been a misfire from the beginning, shortly reverting again to his Clemson-era play after a really stable one yr because the starter at Oregon State. Uiagalelei hit on 16 of 30 makes an attempt for 201 yards and an interception in opposition to Memphis, leaving him with extra picks (2), than touchdowns (1) via three video games.
In the meantime, Memphis senior Seth Henigan accomplished 65.7% of his throws for 272 yards and two touchdowns. On the subject of faculty soccer in 2024, you solely go so far as your quarterback can take you; whereas Henigan has the Tigers aimed for the playoff, Uiagalelei and FSU are going to stomach flop onto the checklist of school soccer’s all-time greatest duds.
Florida State, Memphis and Alabama prepared the ground for the largest winners and losers of Week 3:
Winners
Memphis
Northern Illinois has made some noise. UNLV is 3-0 after Friday evening’s win at Kansas. Coastal Carolina’s unbeaten, although in opposition to a flimsy schedule. All these different contenders can take a backseat: Memphis is the unquestioned favourite for the Group of 5’s playoff spot. The preseason hype has performed out to the letter for the Tigers, who broke out final season with 10 wins and a bowl victory in opposition to Iowa State. Whereas it will not be straightforward to go unbeaten via the American, Memphis has the respiratory room to lose as soon as and even twice through the common season and nonetheless make the 12-team discipline so long as it captures the AAC crown.
Alabama
No. 4 Alabama had 407 yards of offense in opposition to Wisconsin however made virtually each inch rely, averaging 7.3 yards per play throughout 56 snaps and burying the overmatched Badgers 42-10. This included one other run of splash moments from quarterback Jalen Milroe, who went 12 of 17 for 196 yards and three scores with a team-best 75 dashing yards and one other two touchdowns on the bottom. Two extra traits have developed via the primary three video games of the Kalen DeBoer period. One is the eye-popping play of true freshman Ryan Williams, a 17-year-old receiver who had 78 receiving yards and a landing. Williams already has 10 receptions for 285 yards (28.5 yards per seize) and 4 scores. The second is the efficiency of the Crimson Tide protection, which clamped down on Wisconsin and is giving up simply 3.4 yards per play.
Missouri
Whether or not beating Boston School 27-21 finally ends up transferring the needle with the playoff choice committee will not be identified till that group convenes in early November. (It undoubtedly will not harm, you may say now.) However there are some good optics round a non-conference win in opposition to an opponent that had made some early noise and inched onto the doorstep of the High 25. Make no mistake: Missouri may use the assistance. The Tigers play two ranked groups — Alabama on the highway and No. 13 Oklahoma at residence — however miss the SEC’s better of one of the best, so topping the Eagles may find yourself being an enormous enhance to the group’s at-large playoff hopes. The win featured one other dynamic sport from star wideout Luther Burden III, who had 117 yards and a landing whereas persevering with to make even defenders look silly within the open discipline.
Notre Dame
Let’s not make an excessive amount of out of trouncing hapless Purdue, even with this many type factors: Notre Dame led 42-0 and had a jaw-dropping 278 dashing yards at halftime earlier than cruising to a 66-7 win. However this bounce-back efficiency is step one towards overwriting final week’s upset at residence to Northern Illinois and benefiting from a schedule that would nonetheless go away the Combating Irish within the thick of the playoff chase in November and December. The Irish completed with 362 dashing yards on 8.2 yards per carry and 6 touchdowns, the group’s most in a single sport since six in opposition to South Florida on Sept. 19, 2020.
Oregon
After two weeks of less-than-impressive wins in opposition to Idaho and Boise State to get issues began, No. 6 Oregon appeared the half in a 49-14 romp in opposition to rival Oregon State within the (now non-conference) Civil Conflict. The Geese did it behind a balanced assault, with 306 yards via the air and 240 on the bottom, and regardless of racking up all that yardage throughout 59 performs confronted solely six third downs — and transformed 4 of them for good measure. Rolling over the Beavers in Corvallis is a very constructive signal based mostly on how Oregon had appeared out of the gate and what’s forward in Huge Ten play, starting with acquainted face UCLA on Sept. 28.
Losers
Michigan
The No. 16 Wolverines did beat Arkansas State 28-18 to kick off a brand new profitable streak after final week’s lopsided loss to No. 3 Texas, however the points on offense have come to a head after one other subpar efficiency from quarterback Davis Warren. The previous walk-on had three interceptions and not using a landing and was changed by backup Alex Orji, signaling the excessive risk of a quarterback change within the close to future. Will that make a distinction? The offense is clearly a multitude for brand spanking new coach Sherrone Moore, making it tougher and tougher — if not outright unimaginable — to image how the defending champs cobble collectively a playoff push.
Washington
Down 24-19 with simply over a minute left and dealing with 4th-and-goal on the Cougars’ 1-yard line, Washington went with the choice … and received stuffed for a lack of two. Cue the jubilation for Washington State, which received left behind with the disintegration of the Pac-12 however received a small sliver of revenge by beating Washington on the highway. This smells like simply the primary lack of a number of for the new-look Huskies, clearly in a level of rebuilding mode after reaching final yr’s nationwide title sport however getting into this season with a brand new coach, new quarterback, new receivers, new linemen and simply two returning starters.
West Virginia
A wild-and-wacky Yard Brawl lived as much as expectations with six lead modifications, a heavy sprint of bitterness and a go-ahead landing with 32 seconds left that sends West Virginia staggering into Huge 12 play at a discouraging 1-2. Up 34-24 with slightly below 5 minutes left, the Mountaineers allowed Pittsburgh to attain on a five-play drive, went three and out after which punted again to the Panthers, who went 77 yards in six performs for the win. West Virginia coach Neal Brown obtained a really modest one-year contract extension this offseason however is shortly transferring again onto the new seat amid the group’s gradual begin. However, Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi’s standing is trending in the best path after going 3-9 a yr in the past. He is discovered an actual participant in redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein, an offseason addition from Alabama.
