OKLAHOMA STATE FIRES FOOTBALL COACH MIKE GUNDY AFTER 20-PLUS YEARS
Mike Gundy, one of college football’s most colorful coaches over the last two decades, was fired by Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old Gundy had a career record of 170-90 at his alma mater, where he was a star quarterback in the late 1980s. He posted winning records every season from 2006 to 2023, but had losing records in his final two years.
“Cowboy Football reached an unprecedented level of success and national prominence under Coach Gundy’s leadership,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said in a statement. “I believe I speak for OSU fans everywhere when I say that we are grateful for all he did to raise the standard and show us all what is possible for Oklahoma State football.”
Gundy arrived as head coach in 2005, and the Oklahoma City native’s charm and sense of humor appealed to fans and recruits and helped the Cowboys compete with better-funded programs. As late billionaire T. Boone Pickens poured millions into the program, Gundy turned Oklahoma State into an unlikely powerhouse that often affected the national championship race. The Cowboys won the Big 12 in 2011 and played in the Big 12 title game in 2021 and 2023.
But the Cowboys couldn’t keep up as college football changed. The transfer portal and NIL made it more difficult for a coach who made his name mining diamonds in the rough. Gundy lost 11 of his final 12 games with the program. In his final two seasons, he emerged as a refreshingly open and honest voice about the changes in the sport.
On Monday, Gundy said he wanted to stay.
“Ever since I was hired, I’ve put my heart and soul into this, and I’ll continue to do that until I don’t want to do it anymore, or until someone else says we don’t want you to do it,” he said.
For all his positives, Gundy came with quirks. He is known as much for his “I’m a man, I’m 40” rant that he made defending a player — a diatribe that remains a part of pop culture through a Consumer Cellular commercial — as for his success.
In 2020, he apologized for calling COVID-19 the “Chinese Virus, ” and again months later after he wore a T-shirt featuring the far-right One America News Network that created a disagreement with running back Chuba Hubbard.
All those things were forgiven as the team won. But the Cowboys lost their last nine games last season, the final defeat a 52-0 blowout at Colorado.
This season, Oklahoma State struggled out of the gate against FCS program Tennessee-Martin, winning 27-7 but raising eyebrows with its struggles after quarterback Hauss Hejny went down with a broken foot in the first quarter.
The next week, the Cowboys lost at Oregon 69-3. Ducks coach Dan Lanning said Gundy got his team fired up by talking about how much money Oregon had at its disposal.
After a bye week, the Cowboys lost at home to Tulsa for the first time since 1951. The fans booed him during the loss to Tulsa, with some chanting “Fire Mike Gundy.”
“If you want to be angry at Coach Gundy, then you can do whatever you want that makes you feel better, but don’t do it to the team,” Gundy said on Monday. “I think that’s what’s best for Oklahoma State football, Oklahoma State’s athletic department and Oklahoma State in general.”
Oklahoma State hosts Baylor on Saturday.
SEC UNVEILS LEAGUE MATCHUPS FOR THE NEXT FOUR SEASONS AND KEEPS MOST RIVALRIES INTACT
The Southeastern Conference announced league matchups for the next four years Tuesday, including designating three annual — not permanent — opponents for each of its 16 teams. The nine-game slates retain several traditional rivalries and renew some old ones.
And there are no more lengthy waits to play everyone.
The new format begins next year and runs through 2029, with the SEC having the option to tweak it every four years to maintain competitive balance.
Each team will play three opponents annually and rotate through the remaining 12. The setup ensures that rotating teams square off every other year and every team plays at every SEC venue at least once over a four-year span.
Georgia, for example, will play at Alabama in 2026 and host the Crimson Tide in 2028. The Bulldogs will then host LSU in 2027 and travel to Baton Rouge in 2029.
Fans are sure to gripe about the loss of some traditional series. Alabama-LSU (played every year since 1964) and Florida-LSU (played every year since 1971) will no longer be annual events. But those teams will meet every other year, home and away, under the new format.
Geography and competitive fairness were factored into the decisions but not as prominently as maintaining long-standing rivalries like the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl, the Red River Rivalry, the Magnolia Bowl, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, the Third Saturday in October and the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
The league also renewed rivalries that had been largely on hiatus since conference realignment. But the recent addition of former Big 12 heavyweights Oklahoma and Texas have a few back in the mix.
The Lone Star Shootout featuring Texas and Texas A&M, a game held every year between 1915 and 2011, will now be played annually. So will the Missouri-Oklahoma series. which was played nearly every year between 1910 and 1995. Same for Arkansas-Texas, which ended in 1991 after a 60-year run.
Here are each school’s annual opponents through 2029:
Alabama: Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee.
Arkansas: LSU, Missouri, Texas.
Auburn: Alabama, Georgia, Vanderbilt.
Florida: Georgia (neutral site), Kentucky, South Carolina.
Georgia: Auburn, Florida (neutral), South Carolina.
Kentucky: Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee.
LSU: Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M.
Mississippi State: Alabama, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt.
Missouri: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M.
Oklahoma: Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas (neutral).
Ole Miss: LSU, Mississippi State, Oklahoma.
South Carolina: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky.
Tennessee: Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt.
Texas: Arkansas, Oklahoma (neutral), Texas A&M.
Texas A&M: LSU, Missouri, Texas.
Vanderbilt: Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee.
BUZZ BUILDS IN ATLANTA AS THE GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS SURGE TO NO. 16 IN AP TOP 25
ATLANTA (AP) — Long-time Georgia Tech fan Luke Cowart can’t remember the last time the football program entered an ACC matchup as a two-touchdown favorite. Need proof? His name on X is Georgia Tech pain account. He’s been let down by this team a time or two.
But this week, BetMGM Sportsbook listed Georgia Tech as 14-point favorites over Wake Forest — a reflection of a program off to its first 4-0 start since 2014, now ranked No. 16 in the AP Top 25.
It’s more than just buzz. No. 16 is the Yellow Jackets’ highest ranking since 2015. The ceiling appears high for a Georgia Tech team likely favored in all but one of its remaining regular-season games. The stands at Bobby Dodd Stadium are filling up on Saturdays as the Yellow Jackets have entered national chatter and quarterback Haynes King creeps into the Heisman conversation.
Cowart would know best that it hasn’t always been like this. His family has been season ticket holders for 32 years. He didn’t miss more than 10 home games from age 2 to 18.
“Opposing fan bases would completely take over our stadium,” he said. “The lowest point of that was when I went to watch us play Ole Miss in 2022 and we lost 42-0, and it was the first time I had heard us boo our own team and coach.”
The Key to success
Coach Brent Key should be credited for fostering this new era of Georgia Tech football. Key took over as interim head coach midway through the 2022 season, succeeding former coach Geoff Collins. He was promoted to head coach the next fall, and in 2024 he was given a five-year extension, keeping him with the Yellow Jackets through 2029.
For eager fans, it’s felt like a somewhat slow build. But what Key and his supporting crew have accomplished in recent years is admirable. The Yellow Jackets have gone 22-16 under Key. The team has steadily brought in new talent through recruits and the transfer portal. And in an era where retaining players is just as challenging as recruiting them, the core group has continued to lead the charge.
“This season is different simply due to the talent on the roster,” Cowart said. “Coach Key building talent over the last few years has culminated to this season, where we have guys on the field who will play on Sundays, and that, combined with great coaching and an extreme lunch-pail tough mentality, really makes this season feel so much different.”
Kenneth Shannon, 36, has been a fan since he was 8 years old. He says that ticket sales have reached unheard of numbers in recent years. Bobby Dodd Stadium may not be filled completely, but for a program once an afterthought in its community, 45,123 fans in attendance against Temple is an impressive feat.
The team can feel the energy radiating from the stands. Those numbers translate directly to noise, momentum and confidence on Saturdays.
“It’s always an amazing feeling to see the stands filled up to max potential because that gets us juiced up,” senior defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee said. “For us on defense, us hearing third downs being called and you just hear the stadium rocking, it’s like ‘OK, we’re here to play some ball.’”
It’s a striking contrast to the days when boos echoed through Bobby Dodd Stadium, a visible marker of how far the program has come.
“Our home-field events now,” King said, “we essentially really have a home-field advantage with how they come out and support and stay the whole game.”
AHMAD HARDY’S RISE: FROM LIGHTLY RECRUITED MISSISSIPPI PROSPECT TO SEC SENSATION FOR NO. 20 MISSOURI
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — It was clear that Ahmad Hardy hadn’t spent much time behind a microphone, or in this kind of glaring spotlight, every time he had to answer a question Saturday night. Hardy would lean into the podium, getting as close as possible to the mic, as if he was worried it wouldn’t be able to capture his voice.
Not much is capturing him these days. Certainly not tacklers.
After transferring to Missouri in the offseason, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound running back has emerged as the talk of the SEC, and perhaps all of college football. He’s gone over 100 yards rushing in six straight games, dating back to his freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe, including a 250-yard effort against Louisiana and an arguably more brilliant 138-yard performance last week against South Carolina, when he led the No. 20 Tigers to a 29-20 conference-opening win.
Hardy is the nation’s second-leading rusher with 600 yards through his first four games, 24 yards behind UT-San Antonio’s Robert Henry, who has had the benefit of beating up on the likes of Texas State and Incarnate Word.
“I didn’t think he was going to be this good. Let’s be honest,” said Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, whose team faces UMass this weekend. “The dude is running through guys like he’s a dump truck. He’s a Clydesdale among a bunch of fillies. It’s unbelievable.”
Hardy’s highlights against South Carolina seemed to be endless.
Early in the second half, after the Gamecocks had taken a 17-12 lead, he broke no fewer than six tackles on a 38-yard rumble to start the drive. Five plays later, on first-and-goal at the 5-yard line, he appeared to be stood up at the line of scrimmage — both of his feet were off the ground — and managed to spin off the pile and into the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.
“I didn’t even know I was off the ground until I started spinning and my legs started kicking,” Hardy said.
“I’ve never seen that on tape before,” Drinkwitz added.
Who has?
“You watch anybody, whether it’s Central Arkansas or Kansas or Louisiana, he’s really good at contact balance and he can break tackles and he runs physical,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said after the game. “He was the Sunbelt freshman of the year last year for a reason. He’s been a great addition to them in the portal.”
Hard to believe Hardy was so lightly recruited out of Lawrence County High School in Monticello, Mississippi. He wasn’t even a top-50 prospect in the state, and Louisiana-Monroe turned out to be his best option for college ball.
Then he ran for 1,351 yards as a freshman, the 12th-best total nationally, and the big-time schools suddenly came calling.
He wound up choosing Missouri, where Drinkwitz has developed quite a running back factory. Two years ago, Cody Schrader set the school record with 1,627 yards rushing — he’s now with the Jacksonville Jaguars — and last year, Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll ran for nearly 1,500 yards in a quintessential thunder-and-lightning pairing.
Hardy has shared some of the load this season, too, making his numbers even more impressive. He only had 22 carries against the Gamecocks because Jamal Roberts also was effective; he ran 13 times for 76 yards and a score.
“It’s just a mindset we’ve got. We’re a tough team. We’re going to run it, and when they know we’re going to run it, we’re just going to execute,” Hardy said. “We know what’s expected. We expect to win, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Just like they have been for years. The Tigers have quietly been to four consecutive bowl games, and they’ve had at least 10 wins each of the last two seasons, when they spent time inside the top-10 of the AP Top 25 college football poll.
But they lost longtime quarterback Brady Cook to graduation last year, along with Noel and Carroll from the backfield. Left tackle Armand Membou was drafted sixth overall by the New York Jets, standout wide receiver Luther Burden III was picked in Round 2 by the Chicago Bears, and right tackle Marcus Bryant selected in the seventh round by the New England Patriots.
So expectations were tempered for the Tigers this season. They weren’t even ranked in the preseason Top 25.
Yet the outlook has changed. Along with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula at quarterback, and several other transfers who are making their mark, Hardy has Missouri rolling along through a six-game season-opening homestand.
Next up is UMass, then comes a week off, before a potentially pivotal game against No. 17 Alabama on Oct. 11.
“We don’t look down the road. We don’t look behind us,” Pribula said. “It’s one week at a time.”
ACC MOVING TO 9-GAME FOOTBALL SCHEDULE STARTING NEXT YEAR, ALIGNING WITH REST OF POWER FOUR PEERS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference is moving to a nine-game league schedule for football while having teams play at least 10 games against power-conference opponents, though there will be variables due to the league’s odd number of football-playing member schools.
Commissioner Jim Phillips announced the decision in a statement Monday, saying athletic directors had “overwhelmingly supported” the move after “incredibly intentional” discussions about scheduling options.
Going from an eight- to a nine-game model would align the ACC with its power-conference peers in the Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences after unbalanced scheduling between the conferences had been a topic of discussion, and disagreement, when it came to access for the College Football Playoff.
The ACC would join the SEC — which announced its move from eight to nine last month — as the only leagues playing 10 games against Power Four opponents as a baseline in the so-called “9+1 model.”
Still, the ACC being the only power conference with an odd number of football-playing members (17) means there are wrinkles.
A person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press that most league teams will transition to the nine-game slate next year, though multiple teams will play eight league games and two against Power Four opponents — an “8+2 model” — to accommodate nonconference games already on the books.
By 2027, the person said, 16 of the 17 teams will play a “9+1 schedule,” while one team will have to play an “8+2” slate.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league hasn’t publicized specifics of the model. Phillips said the league will present the plan to its faculty athletic representatives for formal adoption.
“There will be additional discussions and more details to be determined, but Monday’s decision showcases the commitment and leadership of our ADs in balancing what is best for strengthening the conference and for their respective programs,” Phillips said in his statement.
The ACC had used an eight-game football schedule since Florida State’s arrival for the 1992 season, the outlier being a 10-game schedule in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That included Notre Dame giving up its cherished independent status for one year and playing a full ACC schedule, losing to Clemson in the league championship game.
The Fighting Irish, a member of all other league sports, typically play four to six football games per year against ACC schools and those would fit into the nonconference column in the “9+1” or “8+2” scheduling models.
Phillips had discussed the possibility of going to a nine-game schedule publicly in July during the ACC’s preseason football media days, noting it had been discussed internally multiple times. He said then that he “liked where our league is” and that playing marquee nonconference matchups had been good for the league, but added: “We’ll adjust if we have to.”
The change could theoretically get trickier now with one less spot available for teams to schedule outside of league play, though ensuring 10 games against power-conference opponents — either inside or outside the ACC schedule — would add another selling point when it came to teams’ CFP résumés.
Some teams had already been hitting that 10-game target through traditional means, such as Clemson playing nonconference games against now-No. 4 LSU to open the year and its annual instate rivalry game with South Carolina out of the SEC to cap the regular season.
Others had taken some creative routes to 10, such as N.C. State scheduling a nonconference game against longtime ACC member Virginia this month to go with next month’s trip to Notre Dame as part of the league’s scheduling partnership with the Irish.
Playing nine league games and 10 against power-conference teams could potentially lead to a financial boost with the league’s revenue-distribution model being revised to factor TV viewership ratings into the payouts. That change offers the league’s biggest brands in football and men’s basketball to make more money with higher ratings against top-tier opponents, coming as the league has spent years battling a revenue gap behind the Big Ten and SEC.
CLEMSON’S SWINNEY SAYS TIGERS MUST RESET GOALS FOLLOWING 1-3 START TO THE SEASON
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Still stinging from a devastating 34-21 home loss to Syracuse that dropped his team to 1-3 on the season, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said it’s time to reset season goals heading into the bye week. He added that he doesn’t anticipate making a change at quarterback or firing any of his coaching staff.
“We’re not going to win the national championship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t win the season,” a subdued Swinney said Monday night on a Zoom call.
The Tigers began the season ranked No. 4 in the nation, were selected as the overwhelming favorite to win another Atlantic Coast Conference championship and one of the favorites to win a fourth national championship. The Tigers were returning the most experienced team in the country, which included first-team preseason Associated Press All-American quarterback Cade Klubnik.
But Klubnik and the rest of the Tigers have been awful.
After losses to LSU, Georgia Tech and Syracuse, the Tigers find themselves 0-2 in league play and all but out of the national championship picture. The Tigers were 17 1/2-point home favorites against the Orange, but were completely outplayed and trailed most of the game by double digits.
Television cameras showed Swinney fighting back tears as he stood with his players on the field at Memorial Stadium on Saturday as the Clemson band played the school’s alma mater.
“Disappointed, painful, hurt,” Swinney said in his postgame media session Saturday. “I’m human. I’m not a cyborg. This is my life. I’ve been here 23 years. I love this place. I give this place the best I’ve got every single day.”
Swinney said Monday that the Tigers will spend the week reevaluating the issues that have led to slow starts in all four games, including in their lone victory over Troy. Klubnik’s starting job is safe for now, although Swinney emphasized that he and other players have to be better.
This is the first time Clemson has started 1-3 under its star coach and only a few thousand fans stuck around to watch the final few minutes of the Syracuse game.
“This is a tough moment for us, but it will make us better,” Swinney said. “… We will rally. The open date is coming at a really good time for us.”
Swinney, who has led Clemson to eight of the past 10 ACC championships and is 181-50 in 18 seasons, was much more subdued than a week ago when he lashed out during a 14-minute rant that including talk of his future as Clemson’s coach.
“If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way,” he said after his team’s road loss to Georgia Tech. “I’ll go somewhere else and coach. I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I got a long way to go.”
The Tigers next game is Oct. 4 against North Carolina, another team that has failed to live up to expectations.
The Swinney-Bill Belichick contest was billed as one of the biggest on the college slate this season, but the game was recently listed in the noon Eastern time slot — something few could have imagined a few months ago — a reflection of each team’s struggles.
The ACC normally saves its better games for prime time programming.
Swinney said he hadn’t heard about Syracuse being fined $25,000 and publicly reprimanded for feigning injuries in the win over Clemson. He refused to comment on the news, saying that is something that is up to the officials. Instead, he praised Syracuse coach Fran Brown for the way his team competed.
For now, Swinney’s only concern is on what is ahead.
“We just have to flush it, bury it and focus on what is in front of us,” Swinney said. “I have no doubt these guys will respond. … We will come back stronger than ever.”
Swinney said there is no quit in his players and staff, while acknowledging how painful this season has been for everyone in the Clemson program — especially the team’s seniors.
“We all have a job to do and it’s my job to make sure we are better,” Swinney said. “We have not achieved what we expected to achieve. …. It’s not been what we have worked for.”
NO. 4 LSU’S STINGY DEFENSE NEEDS TO BE AT ITS BEST VS. NO. 13 OLE MISS
LSU and Ole Miss have played each other more than 100 times.
It’s such a significant rivalry that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) reportedly has designated it to continue annually even as the conference transitions to a nine-game league schedule next season.
And it’s as significant as ever as the No. 4 Tigers (4-0, 1-0) face the No. 13 Rebels (4-0, 2-0) on Saturday in Oxford, Miss.
The home team has won a very close game in each of the last two meetings. LSU won 29-26 last season while Ole Miss won 55-49 two years ago, outgaining the Tigers 706 – 637.
“You feel better about those games because you’re taking a defense that you know can stand up against the environment,” Tigers coach Brian Kelly said.
Since that loss two years ago, Kelly has brought in a new defensive coordinator (Blake Baker) and transformed the roster through recruiting and the transfer portal.
“We’re a much more cohesive group,” Kelly said. “The roster’s better. The players are better. … We bring a defense with us now.”
LSU ranks No. 9 in the country in scoring defense (9.25 points per game) and No. 17 in total defense (246.2 yards per game).
“They’re the best they’ve been on defense since we played them,” Rebels sixth-year head coach Lane Kiffin said. “I think the second year in a system defensively helps a lot of times, and they’ve improved their personnel also.”
Kiffin’s offense will test Kelly’s defense more than anyone else this season. Ole Miss is No. 9 in the country in total offense (543 yards per game) and No. 12 in scoring (44.8).
“Their tempo is the best in the league,” Kelly said. “You have to get lined up and in some instances, it keeps you from doing too much. You’ve got to get your cleats in the ground. You’ve got to be fundamentally sound.”
The Rebels’ quarterback situation remains unclear. Austin Simmons is the starter, but he has not started either of the last two games because of an ankle injury.
Early last week, Kiffin said he expected Simmons to start against Tulane, but when the game arrived Kiffin started Trinidad Chambliss for a second consecutive week. Chambliss passed for 307 yards and two touchdown passes and rushed for 112 yards in a 45-10 thrashing of the previously undefeated Green Wave.
“We’ll have to evaluate (Simmons’) health and then make a decision,” Kiffin said. “At 100 percent he is our starting quarterback, but we don’t know what percentage he’ll be.”
LSU finally had a breakout offensive performance in a 56-10 victory against FCS Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday.
The Tigers hadn’t scored more than 23 points in any of their first three games, but scored touchdowns on eight consecutive possessions and finished with 530 yards.
“I just don’t think they’ve had the numbers that they were probably thinking, but that happens sometimes early in the year,” Kiffin said of the LSU offense. “I look at the players more than scheme when I watch things, and I see elite players. So we’re going to have to play really well and be really challenged.”
NO. 5 GEORGIA EAGER TO END HOME DROUGHT VS. NO. 17 ALABAMA
Only Georgia’s oldest players were alive the last time the Bulldogs beat rival Alabama in Athens, Ga.
It’s been 22 years since the Bulldogs took down the Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium.
Saturday night presents a chance for No. 5 Georgia to end its home woes against visiting No. 17 Alabama, and Georgia coach Kirby Smart knows how much his team can benefit from the partisan crowd’s energy in a Southeastern Conference showdown.
“Being at home is an advantage,” Smart said. “Going on the road is hard. Playing at home, it helps. The atmosphere helps. The crowd noise helps. Being familiar with your surroundings helps, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to go play football. It comes down to matchups. Certainly glad it’s at home, but we’ve still got to play well.”
Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) enjoyed a week off after its thrilling 44-41 overtime victory at No. 15 Tennessee on Sept. 13.
In his first full season as the Bulldogs’ starter, quarterback Gunner Stockton has thrown for 721 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He also has run for 124 yards and three TDs.
“He’s a physical kid. He’s tough. He’s gritty,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said of Stockton. “He makes the right decisions the vast majority of the time. And so he has certainly brought an element to their run game that maybe they didn’t have as much with Carson (Beck) a year ago. And I think that’s something that certainly we’re going to have to account for.”
After an ugly season-opening loss at Florida State, Alabama (2-1, 0-0 SEC) has temporarily silenced its doubters with blowout wins over UL-Monroe and Wisconsin. The Crimson Tide prepare to hit the road for the first time since their 31-17 setback in Tallahassee, eager to push their way back into the conversation of national elites.
“Going to Athens, it’s going to be a great atmosphere, great environment, and something our guys are looking forward to,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “You can tell with the way we’ve practiced, just high energy and looking forward to the challenge.”
Alabama has won nine of 10 against Georgia since 2007, the lone exception being the 2021-22 national championship game in Indianapolis.
Last year, DeBoer saw his team squander a 28-0 lead before Ryan Williams’ 75-yard touchdown reception with 2:18 remaining gave the Crimson Tide a 41-34 win. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of one of the series’ most memorable games, DeBoer won’t let his players forget it.
“It’s never over until it’s over,” DeBoer said. “Last year (against Georgia) was exactly one that we lived out. It was great. Then it was hard. Then we found a way. You play because crazy things happen. You play because you love to compete, and that’s what our guys are going to do here on Saturday.”
Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson has taken a similar route as Stockton. Following three years as a backup, Simpson was handed the reins to the offense, throwing for nine scores without an interception through the first three starts of his career. Aiding his production is Williams, a Freshman All-American last year who had 165 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns two weeks ago against Wisconsin.
“He’s a dynamic receiver,” Smart said of Williams, “when you’ve got a guy that’s a 100-meter champ and has the ball skills he has. He possesses all the traits of elite wideouts. He’s an all-around great player, and he’s proven to be an explosive play waiting to happen.”
NO. 24 TCU SET TO OPEN BIG 12 SEASON AT ARIZONA STATE
Defending Big 12 champion Arizona State, coming off a win at Baylor on a last-second field goal, will face No. 24 TCU on Friday night at Tempe, Ariz., in a matchup of what likely will be two of the conference’s top teams this season.
The Horned Frogs (3-0 overall) will open their Big 12 slate after defeating North Carolina on the road, followed by in-state wins at home against Abilene Christian and SMU.
Arizona State (3-1, 1-0) started its conference play victorious last week at Baylor, 27-24, behind the passing combination of Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson and the game-winning, 43-yard field goal by Jesus Gomez.
Leavitt completed seven passes to Tyson, for 43 yards and a touchdown. Leavitt finished 22 of 32 for 221 yards and the TD, with no interceptions.
The 19-yard scoring strike to Tyson with 5:29 to play put Arizona State ahead 24-17 before Baylor drove for a touchdown on the following possession. Leavitt then engineered an 11-play, 49-yard drive in the last 1:52 that set up Gomez’s field goal as time expired.
Arizona State finished with 400 total yards; the Sun Devils are averaging 406 yards a game this season.
Aside from Leavitt’s passing production, he rushed for 62 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown, and Raleek Brown amassed 80 yards on 21 carries, but Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said he wasn’t completely satisfied with his team’s performance.
The Sun Devils settled for four field goals by Gomez, which prompted Dillingham to say in his Monday press conference: “We kicked four field goals. It just pains me to say it out loud. Like, golly, how do we kick four field goals? That’s usually not a recipe for success. It also shows the amount of drives we put together on offense, the ball control we created on offense, all of those positives.”
Former walk-on Derek Eusebio helped with that ball control, catching a 61-yard pass on a third-and-13 play at the Arizona State 13 that led to Leavitt’s touchdown pass to Tyson.
As for TCU, Josh Hoover is coming off a career-high five-touchdown performance in a 35-24 win over SMU. Hoover completed 22 of 40 passes for 379 yards, with one interception.
Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes said he wasn’t pleased about his team’s lack of discipline and Hoover’s interception in the end zone, which ended TCU’s threat at the SMU 17 with his team leading 14-10 late in the first half.
TCU was penalized nine times for 65 yards, prolonging some of the Mustangs’ possessions.
“We played hard today, and we did some good things, but you can’t throw a pick in the end zone, and then you can’t stop them in a critical situation and get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty,” Dykes said. “That’s what losing football teams do. We were able to overcome those things, but we can’t do that on Friday. We’ve got a lot of things to learn.”
The Hoover-to-Eric McAlister connection will set up a matchup with Arizona State’s Leavitt-to-Tyson pair.
McAlister caught eight passes for a career-best 254 yards and three touchdowns against SMU.
The two programs are meeting for the first time in 50 years; they did not meet in the Sun Devils’ first year in the Big 12 last season.
Arizona State won the only two games played in the series in 1974 and 1975.
ZACHARIAH BRANCH’S EXPLOSIVE PLAY LEADS GEORGIA TO FIRST SEC WIN; ALABAMA LIES AHEAD
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Two weeks ago, after No. 5 Georgia beat Austin Peay 28-6 in a game that didn’t feel much like a win, quarterback Gunner Stockton felt like he needed answers. How can the offense maximize explosive plays, the kind that will be essential in SEC competition?
Stockton may have found the answer in Week 3, when the Bulldogs delivered a 44-41 overtime win against No. 15 Tennessee. Junior transfer Zachariah Branch played a key role, catching a team-high five passes for 69 yards, a touchdown and hauling in the two-point conversion to force overtime.
Through three games, Branch leads the Bulldogs with 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His two scores came on nearly identical plays — short screen passes taken 30+ yards to the house. It might not have been the deep shot downfield Stockton envisioned, but when Branch reached a top speed of 21.4 mph on his 36-yard touchdown in Week 3, it was hard to describe as anything but explosive.
Kirby Smart likes what he’s seen out of the junior transfer from USC.
“Zachariah’s been great,” Smart said on Monday. “He’s a hard worker. He practices every day, regardless of what touches he gets. He’s never been a me guy. He just wants to win, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes.”
Branch’s speed and versatility will be needed Saturday as the Bulldogs host No. 17 Alabama. Smart is 1-6 against Alabama, his sole triumph coming at the right time in the 2021 National Championship game. The Bulldogs are 0-1 against the Crimson Tide with Kalen DeBoer at the helm, losing 41-34 in Tuscaloosa last September.
It won’t be an easy task for Stockton, Branch and Co. against a strong Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide’s defense has held opponents to an average of 108 passing yards per game — the lowest in the SEC.
“They’ve got a lot of moving parts, a lot to prepare for,” Smart said. “They have different coverages, they mix man and zone well, but their physicality is the biggest thing. At the point of attack, they’re really physical and they play really hard. I think they have a really good defense and they’re well coached.”
With Alabama’s secondary in mind, the Bulldogs may need to lean on the run to spark the offense. But whether highly targeted or relied on for blocking, Branch is prepared to bring 100% effort every snap, aiming to spark the explosive play required to beat ‘Bama.
“I try to affect the game as much as possible every single play, whether I’m getting the ball or not,” Branch said. “If I’m not getting the ball, I have to block. I’m not going to just be out there just being a player on the field. I’ll try to affect the game in a positive way for my team as much as I can.”
BIG GAME IN THE BIG TEN: WILL OREGON-PENN STATE GAME HAVE CFP IMPLICATIONS?
Week Five in the Big Ten brings a big test at the top.
The sixth-ranked Oregon Ducks visit No. 3 Penn State in the annual White Out game on Saturday.
A lot can happen between now and December, but barring a complete meltdown by either team, the game could have conference championship and College Football Playoff implications.
For Oregon coach Dan Lanning, though, the game will simply be a good indication where the Ducks (4-0, 1-0) are at after four games.
“I think we’ll get a really good gauge of that when we play Penn State. It’s a team that’s obviously extremely talented,” Lanning said. “I feel good about our team, I really like our team. This will be a good environment for us to go play in. We’re going to be playing people that have a lot of talent, as well as a good scheme on both sides of the ball. It’ll be a real challenge for us.”
It’s also a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship game, which the Ducks won 45-37.
There’s a lot of hoopla surrounding the game. It’s just the second White Out game involving top 10 teams, with the only other one in 2018 when No. 4 Ohio State beat the ninth-ranked hosts. ESPN’s Game Day will be on hand and there’s an effort to bring the biggest crowd ever to Beaver Stadium.
It’s already the hottest ticket in town.
“I get these text messages from people I haven’t talked to for I don’t know how long,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “They’re talking about all these other topics. I’m like, ‘All right, get to the point.’ The answer is no. You’ve waited until the last minute to request tickets.”
The excitement is somewhat reminiscent of last year’s big midseason conference matchup, when Ohio State was ranked No. 2 and came to Eugene to face third-ranked Big Ten newcomer Oregon. The Ducks announced their conference arrival in a big way, downing the Buckeyes 32-31.
Oregon went on to roll undefeated through the season but the good fortune ran out in the CFP quarterfinals, losing the rematch to Ohio State 41-21 at the Rose Bowl.
Proving that even a loss — or two — may not mean much difference in the end, the Buckeyes went on to win the national championship. And Penn State’s lone loss last season before the conference championship was to Ohio State in early November, but the Nittany Lions went all the way to the CFP semifinals.
This season, Oregon, Ohio State (the current No. 1) and Penn State (3-0) are again expected to be the Big Ten’s top teams, with perhaps all three again making the CFP field.
As for the conference’s other big games to circle on the calendar, Penn State will play at Ohio State on Nov. 1. The Nittany Lions have another tough test a week later on Nov. 8 against current No. 11 Indiana. And Ohio State faces a challenge in the regular-season finale against Michigan at the Big House.
After visiting Penn State, Oregon gets a bye week before hosting Indiana. Oregon and Ohio State don’t meet during the regular season this year.
Certainly the Hoosiers can’t be counted out. This past weekend Indiana routed then-No. 9 Illinois 63-10 for the team’s first win over a top 10 foe in five years. They visit the Ducks on Oct. 11.
“I don’t know,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said about his team’s potential. “I mean, you guys control all that stuff. I just gotta get them ready. And then we all play our games and see where it shakes out at the end of the year.”
So far, the Big Ten has four undefeated teams after four games: USC, Indiana, Maryland and Oregon. There are also three 3-0 teams: Ohio State, Penn State and Washington.
Seven of the league’s teams are ranked. In addition to Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana, Illinois fell to No. 23 with the loss to the Hoosiers, Michigan is No. 19 and USC is No. 21.
Ultimately, at least for Ohio State, opponents and `Big Games’ are secondary. If the Buckeyes are playing the right way, the wins will come, coach Ryan Day said.
“We want to play a certain way. And when that’s met, we know it’s met. When we’re playing to our standard, we know what that looks like. So we hold ourselves to our standard, not our opponents. And so whether it’s practice or a game, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. It’s about how we play,” Day said. “And then we grade ourselves on that, trying to identify what the issues are regardless of the opponent. And then we go from there.”
NO. 3 PENN STATE OUT FOR PAYBACK IN ‘WHITE OUT’ GAME VS. NO. 6 OREGON
No. 3 Penn State looks to deliver a little payback in a loud atmosphere when it entertains No. 6 Oregon on Saturday night in a Big Ten showdown in University Park, Pa.
The Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions in last season’s Big Ten championship game, a loss that still smarts for Penn State. The hurt was so deep that Saturday’s contest has been designated as this season’s famed White Out game, where all the Nittany Lions’ fans dress in white.
“Obviously we need this place rocking,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “Need to have a distinct home-field advantage. We always do, but I’m expecting this to be an environment like no one has ever seen.”
Approximately 110,000 fans are expected to attend as the Nittany Lions (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) strive to be unpleasant hosts to the Ducks (4-0, 1-0).
It will certainly be a raucous atmosphere for Oregon to solve.
“It’s gonna be a great game,” Oregon standout quarterback Dante Moore said. “It’s gonna be a great environment, a hostile environment.”
Moore is the replacement for Dillon Gabriel, who guided the Ducks to the win in last season’s conference title game.
Moore took a few visits to Penn State when he was in high school before choosing UCLA. He left the Bruins after one season, redshirted last season for the Ducks and has stood out early this season with 962 yards and 11 touchdowns against one interception.
“I think he’s one of the calmest, if not the calmest quarterback I’ve ever played with,” Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq said of Moore. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him panic. No, he just does a great job of keeping the vibe and that energy in the huddle very just where it needs to be.”
Sadiq caught two touchdown passes in the Big Ten title game and has scored in three of Oregon’s first four games this season.
Last weekend, Moore established career highs of 305 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 rout of visiting Oregon State.
Oregon has outscored its first four opponents 203-37. The Ducks ranks seventh in scoring offense (50.8 points per game) and 12th in total offense (523.8 yards per game).
Penn State is excelling on defense as it ranks third in scoring defense (5.7) and is tied for ninth in total defense (224.0). Star linebacker Dani Dennis-Sutton has 4.5 tackles for loss (including two sacks) and has forced two fumbles.
Of course, the offense is prolific as well with quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen leading the charge.
In last year’s meeting, Allar passed for 226 yards and three touchdowns and added 54 yards and a score on the ground. Singleton had 148 scrimmage yards (105 rushing, 43 receiving) with a touchdown catch and Allen rushed for 124 yards and a score.
Overall, Penn State racked up 297 rushing yards against the Ducks.
“Those guys are really good at sticking their foot in the ground and getting vertical,” Lanning said of the backs. “They’re both different runners. (Singleton) hits it and builds the speed quick. (Allen), he’s playing as good as anybody right now. He’s got great vision, he’s got good patience and he’s able to get vertical as well.”
This season, Allar has passed for 626 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, while Allen has rushed for 273 yards and three scores and Singleton has 179 yards and five scores.
Penn State will be relying on more than its run game. It is definitely counting on the atmosphere being a difference-maker.
“It’s going to be extra loud obviously on Saturday, but I don’t think it’s anything we’re not prepared for,” Dennis-Sutton said. “We’ve been practicing for it for the past two to three months since training camp.”
Oregon running back Noah Whittington is expected back after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. He had 82 rushing yards against Penn State in the Big Ten title matchup.
DEION SANDERS DOWNPLAYS ‘GET-BACK’ ANGLE AGAINST NO. 25 BYU AFTER LAST SEASON’S LOSS IN ALAMO BOWL
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A drizzly morning drove the Colorado Buffaloes inside for practice Tuesday and their coach to some rainy-day musings.
Deion Sanders offered thoughts on a variety of topics, from condensing the transfer-portal window, to providing injury reports for Big 12 games, to fans leaving Folsom Field early, to the Buffaloes (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) possibly playing up the revenge factor as they face No. 25 BYU (3-0, 0-0) this weekend in a rematch of last season’s Alamo Bowl.
Sanders wants no part in using the memories of a 36-14 bowl loss to the Cougars last December as motivation.
“We ain’t with that get-back stuff,” Sanders said. “I ain’t with that get-back stuff. I’m with that let’s get-them stuff. They played their butts off, kicked our butts in the bowl game. Now we have a whole new team.”
Sanders was asked about the NCAA’s FBS Oversight Committee recently recommending the elimination of the spring transfer window and having just a 10-day window starting on Jan. 2. As someone who dabbles in the portal quite a bit, Sanders didn’t seem all that concerned.
“It’s the same rules for everyone, right?” Sanders said. “So we’re gonna get what we want. We always do, and when we don’t get what we want, that means somebody offered more money. That’s it.
“As long as the playing field is level for everyone, I’m good. I have no complaints.”
He also didn’t fuss over the Big 12 requiring injury and availability updates before conference games. He has quite a few this week, with offensive linemen Jordan Seaton and Zy Crisler along with tailbacks DeKalon Taylor and Simeon Price dinged up after a 37-20 win over Wyoming on Saturday.
“That’s for gambling purposes. Ain’t got nothing to do with us,” Sanders said. “That’s my thoughts.”
He understood why a good chunk of Colorado fans bolted from the stands after halftime last weekend. The Buffaloes were up 28-3 early in the third and it was family weekend.
“You would love that to happen, because when they’re leaving, what does that mean? That means the game is over. They’re going to party. I’m cool with that,” Sanders said. “I know where they’re at, so I don’t mind them emptying.”
A week ago, the Buffaloes were unsettled at QB.
Now, they may have just found some stability. Transfer Kaidon Salter threw three TD passes and ran for another against Wyoming.
“I think you just saw a kid hit another switch and say, ‘I’ve got to get this together, and I’ve got to play up to my ability,’” Sanders explained.
Salter’s leadership was on display after running back Micah Welch fumbled with the Buffaloes deep in Wyoming territory. Salter went over and comforted Welch.
“It goes a long way with your teammates when they see, in a time of despair, that you’re able to pick that guy up,” Sanders said.
The Cougars are a team that Sanders respects. Their coach, Kalani Sitake, is someone he admires. But this game holds the same amount of importance.
“Every week is a proving ground,” Sanders said. “We’ve got to win these type of games. We’ve got to be dominant in these type of games.”
Honorary Sanders
Sanders is a big fan of offensive lineman Yahya Attia, who’s from London and only started playing American football a few years ago. Last season, Shilo and Shedeur Sanders took Attia under their wing.
“He wants to change his name to Sanders. He really does. That’s no joke,” Deion Sanders said. “Everyone on the team knows that he’s one of my favorites. Shilo and Shedeur took care of him, looked out for him, treated him like he was the big little brother last year. He’s on private jets. He’s going to Vegas. He’s going to Texas. He was everywhere, and he didn’t have to reach in his pocket for a dime last year. He was taken care of well.
“So he wants to become a Sanders to continue that.”
Podcast guest
Sanders recently went on the “ New Heights ” podcast with the Kelce brothers, Jason and Travis, and offered his thoughts on how Jacksonville is using two-way standout Travis Hunter: “They’re not using him enough.”
Sanders also offered up thoughts on why his QB son, Shedeur, wouldn’t have wanted to be drafted by a team like Baltimore last April and back up Lamar Jackson for 10 years: “I’ve never sat on the bench and said: ‘Wow, I learned a lot today.’”
