The Bum's 2017 College Football Picks-Trends-News Etc. !

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Arizona QB Tate taking Pac-12 by storm
October 16, 2017

Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate is the newest college football sensation.

The sophomore earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week, coming off another impressive rushing performance. Tate led the Wildcats to their first win over UCLA since 2011 as he ran for 230 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to pace the offense in his second career start.

He also contributed with 148 passing yards and a touchdown through the air in the 47-30 victory.

This week, the coaching staff removed the "or" separating Tate and redshirt junior Brandon Dawkins atop the weekly depth chart.

"When he's got his opportunity he's made the most of it," Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said of Tate.

"So, I'm not totally surprised that he's performing really well, but at the same time this is the healthiest he's been in a month. He's actually playing better than even we anticipated he would. ... I love where his mindset is right now and how he's taking charge of his opportunity."

The sophomore continues to rack up stats that have not been seen in quite some time. He rushed for a FBS quarterback record 327 yards against Colorado two weeks ago and on Saturday became the first FBS quarterback to run for at least 200 yards in consecutive games since Navy's Chris McCoy did it in 1997.

He has touchdown runs of 58, 28, 47, 75, 45 and 71 yards in the past two games.

On only 39 carries this season, he has more runs of 30-plus yards (nine) than 118 FBS teams.

Tate played some as a 17-year-old true freshman last season, forced out of redshirt because of injuries to Anu Solomon and Dawkins.

The question that Rodriguez has been getting lately is, "Why wasn't Tate the starter earlier this season?"

"He plays really well and I know everybody is thinking, 'Well where has he been, why hasn't he been starting?' And I completely understand the question," Rodriguez said.

"Frankly, he was a very young guy, still learning, and Brandon Dawkins played better in August camp. He got to start off the season to reflect his performance in preseason. Also, Khalil Tate couldn't throw for about three weeks due to injury."

Tate hurt his shoulder in the second game of the season, missed two games, and then came in early against Colorado when Dawkins was banged up.

And now Tate is totally in charge.

"His decision making has been pretty good," Rodriguez said.

"During the Colorado game, it was phenomenal for a guy who had had little extending playing time. It was good again in this game. Whether he makes the right decision or not, he's been decisive either way. He's not sitting there, freezing up, he's making things happen."

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QB Huntley nearing return for Utah
October 17, 2017

Utah sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley, out of action since hurting his shoulder at Arizona on Sept. 22, could be cleared to play this Saturday against visiting Arizona State.

The Utes (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) have lost the last two games without Huntley, a dual-threat quarterback who led the Utes to a 3-0 start before suffering the injury against Arizona.

Utah went on to beat Arizona with backup Troy Williams, a senior who was the starter last season, playing for most of the last three quarters. After a week off, the Utes have narrowly lost to Pac-12 division leaders Stanford and USC by a combined four points with Williams at quarterback.

Huntley reportedly will resume practicing with the team this week.

"Every week that goes by, (Huntley) gets healthier and closer to being cleared," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said during his Monday press conference. "Like I said last week, from this point on, it's just day-to-day until they say yes or no. Every day is a yes or no."

Williams, who started all 13 games in 2016, told the media Monday he is preparing as if he will start against the Sun Devils.

"I know (Huntley) is getting healthy. I'm happy for him," Williams said. "So I'm sure whenever he feels 100 (percent) and he can go, he'll be ready to go. I just have to continue to be myself."

Either Huntley or Williams will face an upstart ASU defense that yielded only 136 passing yards to Washington quarterback Jake Browning in the Sun Devils' 13-7 upset win over the Huskies last week in Tempe, Ariz.

"They had great pressure on the quarterback first and foremost," Whittingham said of Arizona State, which sacked Browning five times. "They hadn't given up less than 30 points in any of their last five games, so it was a complete turnaround on how they played on defense.

"It was a home game and they were juiced up and excited. It is such a game of emotion and that is one example right there on how your mental state of mind and preparedness is so key in football. It is huge. They were ready."

NOTES: LB Sunia Tauteoli had a career-high two pass breakups in the loss at USC last week. He finished with six tackles. He leads the Utes in tackles (42) and tackles for loss (7.5). ... RB Zack Moss had a career-high 141 yards rushing on 20 attempts at USC. He also had 26 yards receiving on three catches. ... Arizona State leads the series against Utah 20-8, but the Utes have won the last two meetings, including a 49-26 triumph in Tempe, Ariz., last season.

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WSU deals with loss, coaching rumors
October 17, 2017

Washington State coach Mike Leach is preparing his 15th-ranked team to bounce back from last week's humbling loss at Cal while dealing with the questions surrounding a potential move to Nebraska.

Former Washington State athletic director Bill Moos, who hired Leach before the 2012 season, is Nebraska's new athletic director. Leach must work past that distraction while game-planning for visiting Colorado this Saturday.

"I don't have any plans to do that," Leach said during his Monday news conference when asked about the possibility of following Moos to Lincoln, Neb.

"They already have a head coach there. He's a pretty good one -- Mike Riley."

Leach mentioned that Moos "is the best AD I've ever met."

"Of course, a bunch of Nebraska media is hammering on me," Leach said. "I don't really have time to do any of that until we get done game-planning."

Colorado (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12) is coming off its first Pac-12 win while the Cougars (6-1, 3-1) are trying to recuperate after suffering their first loss, a 37-3 rout suffered against the Golden Bears.

Washington State returns home to face a less-demanding challenge defensively against the Buffaloes, who have allowed 35.5 points per game in Pac-12 play.

Last week, Colorado allowed 33 points to Oregon State, which had only reached 30 points once before this season. That's promising news for Washington State, which ranks third nationally in passing (380.9 yards a game) behind quarterback Luke Falk.

Falk is coming off a five-interception performance against Cal, which sacked him nine times.

"We played sorry and got what we deserved," Leach said of the loss. "The team is pretty determined to improve, pretty determined to focus in. We have to coach everybody better."

Most of the press conference on Monday was about Moos and the loss to Cal. Not much was mentioned about Colorado. Leach said what is most important is what his team does focusing on itself.

"We just have to worry about ourselves and be the best we can be," he said. "We just have to focus on ourselves."

NOTES: QB Luke Falk's career win total also remains at 24, which is tied with Jason Gesser for the school record for a starting quarterback. ... WR Isaiah Johnson-Mack led the Cougars with six receptions for 59 yards last week. He ranks 10th in the Pac-12 with 39 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns. ... S Jalen Thompson ranks third in the Pac-12 with three interceptions. He is also among the top 20 players in the league with five passes defended. ... OLB Hercules Mata'afa leads the conference with 10 tackles for loss.

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Midseason checkup: SEC twofer in playoff?
October 17, 2017

To mark the halfway point of the college football season, a sampling of statements that seemed true a month and a half ago but no longer do:

- Alabama-Florida State, a College Football Playoff preview.

- Sam Darnold, Heisman Trophy front-runner.

- Clemson is bound to take a step back without Deshaun Watson.

- Brian Kelly is on the hot seat at Notre Dame.

The takes were not all cold. Only one of the teams that started the season ranked in the top 15 has tanked - and who knows how Florida State's season might have played out if not for an injury to quarterback Deondre Francois and weather-induced schedule changes.

Penn State's Saquon Barkley has delivered on his Heisman Trophy hype. Butch Jones is most definitely in trouble at Tennessee. And, as expected, Alabama is crushing everything in its path.

Time to hand out some first-half awards and look forward to the teams, players, coaches and games that will determine where the season goes from here.

BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER

Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

The numbers games that can be played with Love's stats are great fun. For example: Love has nine runs of at least 50 yards this season and nine straight games, dating to last season, with at least one 50-yard run. UCLA has not had a 50-yard run since 2015 when the Bruins had two. Love is averaging 10.27 yards per carry, earning him the mathematically correct nickname The Human First Down from former ESPN college football reporter Brett McMurphy.

Next: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma; Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State; Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville; Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER

Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

The versatile Fitzpatrick lines up everywhere. He can cover like a cornerback, fill gaps like a linebacker and pressure quarterbacks like an edge rusher. He is also as close to being an extension of coach Nick Saban on the field as any player can be. His stats are not overwhelming - 32 tackles, one sack, one interception - but his impact is huge.

Next: Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State; Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan; Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia; Hercules Mata'Afa, DT, Washington State.

BEST FRESHMAN

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

The Badgers have found their next star tailback. The 214-pound Taylor is a yards-after-contact machine . Taylor is third in the nation in rushing at 164.33 yards per game and averaging 7.76 yards per carry. Running backs often make an early impact and there are plenty of freshman runners doing that this season, including J.K. Dobbins of Ohio State; Travis Etienne of Clemson; Cam Akers of Florida State; Trey Sermon of Oklahoma; Spencer Brown of UAB; and A.J. Dillon of Boston College.

MOST SURPRISING TEAM

Virginia (5-1)

No. 4 TCU, No. 13 Notre Dame, No. 18 Michigan State, Arizona and Iowa State have already surpassed last season's win totals, but none of those turnarounds was more unexpected than Virginia's. Reasonably picked to finish last in the ACC Coastal, the Cavaliers have already more than doubled their win total while beating three teams they lost to in 2016. The competition gets tougher in the second half but a solid defense led by star linebacker Micah Kiser has second-year coach Bronco Mendenhall looking good to get Virginia back in a bowl game for the first time since 2011.

MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM

Louisville (4-3)

Tennessee and Florida both started the season ranked and now have some heavy lifting to do just to get bowl-eligible, but coming off a home loss to Boston College the Cardinals take the title here.

Toss out automatic wins against Kent State and Murray State and Louisville is 2-3 against Power Five competition, after finishing last season with three straight losses. The defense under new coordinator Peter Sirmon has been brutal and the Cardinals still can't protect Lamar Jackson. At least basketball season starts ... never mind.

COACH OF THE HALF SEASON

Gary Patterson, TCU

Kirby Smart makes a great case in year two at Georgia for turning the Bulldogs into a national championship contender, and, really, Nick Saban could be coach of the year every year at Alabama. But Patterson is the choice for again proving to be college football's Mr. Fix-it. TCU can't consistently recruit at an elite level. It's a player development program. Occasionally, the Horned Frogs are going to hit a rough patch, like last year when they went 5-6. But since joining the Big 12, Patterson has been adept at making sure the Frogs not only don't stay down for long, but can contend for conference titles.

MOST PROMISING FIRST-YEAR COACH

Jeff Brohm, Purdue

The Boilermakers won nine game total in the previous four seasons. Brohm has them 3-3, playing a creative and entertaining style of offense, and looking good to reach the postseason.

HOT SEAT WATCH

SCORCHING - Butch Jones, Tennessee; Tyson Summers, Georgia Southern.

SIZZLING - Mike Riley, Nebraska; David Bailiff, Rice.

TOASTY - Jim Mora, UCLA; Bret Bielema, Arkansas; David Beaty, Kansas; Barry Odom, Missouri.

WARMING UP - Jim McElwain, Florida.

COOLING OFF - Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M; Todd Graham, Arizona State; Rich Rodriguez, Arizona; Steve Addazio, Boston College.

HOT COACHES

Scott Frost, UCF

Mike Norvell, Memphis

Chad Morris, SMU

Neal Brown, Troy

MOST INTERESTING TEAM OF THE SECOND HALF

Notre Dame

The 13th-ranked Fighting Irish face the toughest second-half schedule in the country, with four ranked teams plus Navy and Wake Forest (combined 9-3). The possibilities for Notre Dame range from serious playoff contender to total collapse and renewed talk of Kelly's job status.

MOST SIGNIFICANT GAMES REMAINING

Oct. 21 - No. 11 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame.

Oct. 28 - No. 2 Penn State at No. 6 Ohio State.

Nov. 4 - No. 7 Clemson at No. 16 North Carolina State; No. 14 Virginia Tech at No. 8 Miami.

Nov. 10 - No. 12 Washington at No. 22 Stanford.

Nov. 11 - No. 4 TCU at No. 8 Oklahoma; No. 3 Georgia at No. 21 Auburn.

Nov. 18 - No. 19 Michigan at No. 6 Wisconsin.

Nov. 24 - No. 16 South Florida at No. 20 UCF.

Nov. 25 - No. 1 Alabama at No. 21 Auburn; No. 6 Ohio State at No. 19 Michigan.

HEISMAN TROPHY WATCH

Mayfield, Love and Barkley are trending as the front-runners for the Heisman heading into the second half. All three have plenty of big-stage games to either enhance their candidacies or sink them.

Three players who could surge in the second half: Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame; J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State; Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona.

PROJECTING NEW YEAR'S SIX BOWLS

Sugar (CFP semifinal) - No. 1 Alabama (SEC champion) vs. No. 4 Georgia (at-large).

Rose (CFP semifinal) - No. 2 Miami (ACC champion) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (Big Ten champion).

Peach - North Carolina State (at-large) vs. TCU (at-large).

Orange - Clemson (at-large) vs. Wisconsin (at-large).

Fiesta - USC (Pac-12 champion) vs. San Diego State (Group of Five).

Cotton - Oklahoma (Big 12 champion) vs. Penn State (at-large)

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Maryland strives to improve worst defense
October 17, 2017

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) Maryland's season is spinning out of control, and the Terrapins find themselves defenseless in their bid to stop it.

Although much of the attention at Maryland this season has focused on the quarterback position, the team's most obvious flaw is its porous defense.

The Terrapins have yielded an average of 36.5 points per game, which ranks last in the Big Ten and 115th of 129 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. They are permitting 439 yards per game - last in the Big Ten and 104th in the FBS.

Over the past two games, Maryland (3-3, 1-2) has given up 99 points and 1,115 yards. One big reason is that the Terrapins have one sack in their last three games.

''We definitely need more pressure on the quarterback,'' coach DJ Durkin said Tuesday. ''That's pretty much a staple of football. If you allow a quarterback to be patient and calm in the pocket, they usually find a guy open.''

That's happened more times this season than Durkin would care to remember, and goes a long way toward explaining why Maryland's pass defense is 107th in the FBS.

Even though injuries have cost the Terrapins their top two quarterbacks , perhaps the most notable injury is the broken ankle sustained by defensive end Jesse Aniebonam in the season opener. Aniebonam had nine sacks, 14 tackles for a loss and 30 quarterback hurries in 2016.

''It's been a little shaky getting through it,'' defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr. said.

''When you lose Jesse off the bat like that, he's your main pass rusher,'' end Brett Kulka said. ''So it's going to be an issue to work through.''

Durkin got the job at Maryland after a successful runs as a defensive coordinator at Florida and Michigan. In his second season at Maryland, he's tried just about everything to turn things around with this unit.

In the end, though, it comes down to individual effort.

''I'm sure there's always times when you can have a better call in certain situations, but guys have to win 1-on-1s,'' Durkin said. ''If they keep enough guys in the block, someone's got to win a 1-on-1. It's really an attitude and a demeanor. It's about having the right attitude of, `I'm going to go win. I'm going to beat a block.'''

That didn't happen often last weekend in a 37-21 loss to Northwestern. Not only did the Wildcats pass for 293 yards, but tailback Justin Jackson rambled for 171 yards.

It was the third defeat in four games for the Terps. Things don't get any easier Saturday against No. 5 Wisconsin and Big Ten rushing leader Jonathan Taylor, who amassed 219 yards on the ground last week in a win over Purdue .

''He's hard to tackle,'' Durkin said. ''He's got good speed, good vision. He understands what they do. Where to hit the hole, when to be patient how the blocks are going to unfold.''

It's going to take a huge effort from the Maryland defense to pull off an upset.

''We need to go back to the basics,'' Brooks said. ''We need to run to the ball more, make more tackles, cause more turnovers.''

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Patterson putting up numbers for Ole Miss
October 17, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Mississippi quarterback Shea Patterson arrived on campus as one of the most celebrated recruits in program history.

Less than two years later - and in the face of some daunting adversity - the sophomore has mostly delivered on those expectations.

Patterson leads the Southeastern Conference with 2,143 yards passing, 17 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season while completing nearly 66 percent of his passes. He's second among starters in passing efficiency, first in total offense and on pace to break the program's single-season record for yards passing.

''Whatever you want done, he can get it done,'' Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown said. ''A touch pass? He can do that. Long ball? He can do that. He can do everything.''

Patterson's ample passing ability is a huge reason Ole Miss (3-3, 1-2 SEC) has remained fairly competitive despite having several legitimate reasons to fall apart.

Among them: The Rebels are ineligible for the postseason because of a self-imposed one-year bowl ban stemming from an NCAA rules infractions case. They also lost their head coach Hugh Freeze just before the season when he stunningly resigned following a university investigation into his phone records.

There have been some rough moments during season's first half - most notably a 66-3 loss at No. 1 Alabama - but the Rebels are coming off a 57-35 victory over Vanderbilt and have some momentum heading into a home game against No. 24 LSU (5-2, 2-1) on Saturday.

Patterson said he didn't think the win against Vanderbilt represented a huge turnaround for the Rebels. Instead, it was just another indication that an inexperienced team is getting better.

''In the meal line, when they call the seniors up to go eat, it's kind of quick,'' Patterson said. ''And when they call the freshmen and sophomores it takes a while. We're young and we're growing as a team every game.''

Patterson certainly has the attention of LSU coach Ed Orgeron. The Tigers have won two straight games over Florida and Auburn since a stunning loss to Troy on Sept. 30 .

''Shea Patterson is a tremendous quarterback,'' Orgeron said. ''He has a tremendous release. Ole Miss has the best group of receivers we'll see. They have big, physical receivers. The quarterback will play in the NFL.''

Patterson's not a huge running threat, though his mobility in the pocket and ability to throw on the move keeps teams on their toes. The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder ran for a 4-yard touchdown against Vanderbilt, plowing through a defender before falling into the end zone.

''He's a winner, that's the only thing on his mind,'' Ole Miss running back Jordan Wilkins said. ''And of course, he has all the playmaking ability that anyone would need.''

The Ole Miss offense will always be dependent on Patterson's arm, but the group is still trying to find a little more balance. The Rebels are next to last in the SEC in yards rushing, but had 252 yards on the ground against the Commodores, which was easily a season high.

Ole Miss interim coach Matt Luke said better play along the offensive line has helped make the Rebels a more balanced offense.

''They've accepted the challenge. The last two games have been their best two,'' Luke said. ''I think they took a step against Auburn and another step against Vanderbilt. They need to continue to improve, because when they play well, Shea feels more comfortable and we get our run game going.''

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South Carolina looks to keep improving
October 17, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina has been one of the Southeastern Conference's biggest surprises this fall heading into its bye week. Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp believes his players will keep working hard during the time off to continue surprising people when they get back on the field.

Muschamp said he'll give his banged-up players like offensive line starters Zack Bailey, Cory Helms and Malik Young time to heal from their injuries. He expects the rest of the Gamecocks (5-2, 3-2 SEC) to keep grinding to improve for the stretch run, which starts at home against Vanderbilt on Oct. 28.

''It's about working on South Carolina,'' Muschamp said . ''It's not about working on any opponents right now. We have plenty of time next week to get ready for Vanderbilt. We need to work on South Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday. The guys who are nicked up, we will be smart with them in practice, but we need to continue to progress and improve.''

Few were quite sure what direction the Gamecocks were headed at times this season. They opened by defeating North Carolina State, which has won its six games since and is tied for No. 16 in this week's Top 25. Then came SEC losses at home to Kentucky and on the road to Texas A&M to end September as South Carolina's offense struggled to move the ball and score points.

That's when South Carolina's defense stepped up for this latest surge. The Gamecocks had a school-record three defensive touchdowns in a 48-22 rout of Arkansas two weeks ago, then followed that up by limiting Tennessee to nine points and keeping the Vols out of the end zone with a last-second goal line stand to preserve the 15-9 victory .

''Anytime you get a win, especially like that, it takes the weight off of your shoulders and then you feel a lot more confident,'' South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards said. ''We can go into the open week with a good feeling and get a good week of practice in and come out next week ready to play.''

And perhaps with more to play for.

South Carolina's final two conference games after Vanderbilt are at Georgia and Florida at home. With a strong finish, the Gamecocks could certainly have something to say about the SEC Eastern Division and who heads to Atlanta for the title game.

The Gamecocks haven't had a winning SEC record since going 6-2 in 2013, the last of three straight 11-2 overall seasons under Steve Spurrier. Muschamp has had just one winning league season in five previous years as an SEC head coach, going 7-1 with Florida in 2012.

Muschamp said he and his team won't worry about anything beyond the here and now.

''I think every week is a season and our guys understand that part,'' Muschamp said.

South Carolina has hung together despite several key injuries. Receiver Deebo Samuel was lost for an extended period after a left leg fracture in mid-September in the Kentucky loss. Senior linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams went down with a shoulder injury and will not play again this fall. And just last week, starting tailback Rico Dowdle fractured a bone in his left leg. He'll need surgery and be out for several games.

Muschamp will use to the open week to get his younger guys not in the regular rotation some extra, intense practice time. When the Gamecocks take the practice field this week, the offense will focus on executing especially on third downs. The Gamecocks are ninth in the SEC in third-down conversions at 38 percent this season, a number Muschamp would like to see go up.

''I really think that our guys will handle things well as far as the open week and heading into the final five games of the season,'' he said.

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Notre Dame QB Wimbush '100 percent'
October 17, 2017

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) No. 13 Notre Dame will have quarterback Brandon Wimbush ready for Saturday night's home game against No. 11 Southern California

Coach Brian Kelly pronounced the junior ''100 percent'' on Tuesday after Wimbush missed the 33-10 win at North Carolina two weeks ago with a foot injury.

''There are no questions about his health so I think we can put that to rest in terms of how he is,'' Kelly said. ''I know he wanted to play in the (North Carolina) game.''

Kelly instead gave the start to sophomore Ian Book, who passed for 146 yards and ran for 45 more in the victory for Notre Dame (5-1), which kicks off a daunting stretch of games with the rivalry matchup against the Trojans (6-1).

The week off allowed Wimbush to heal and also allowed the coaching staff to look over his work through the first five games: Wimbush completed 52.3 percent of his passes for 782 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions, and he was second to leading rusher Josh Adams with 402 yards (a 5.9 average) and a team-leading eight touchdowns on the ground.

''He's done a lot of really good things to get us to where we are today,'' added Kelly, who doesn't think Wimbush will get caught up in the moment against USC. The Irish enjoy a 46-37 edge in the 88-game series that began in 1926.

''We've seen that he settles in nicely as the game kind of unfolds,'' Kelley said. ''His production numbers are really, really interesting in terms of big plays with his feet and big chunk throws (and) conversions in third and fourth-down situations.''

The Irish coach learned during the past two weeks that Wimbush likes wearing a helmet instead of headphones on the sideline.

''I think there was too much angst and anxiety of wanting to play and trying to get in the game and him feeling like he was out of place,'' Kelly said. ''I don't know that he was totally in the right place in terms of mentally trying to learn things and see things as they unfold.''

INJURY UPDATES

Kelly said senior inside linebacker Greer Martini, who is third on the team in tackles, suffered a knee injury during a recent workout and is day to day. If Martini can't play, junior Te'von Coney will see more snaps at the ''Buck'' position. Kelley said running backs Adams, Dexter Williams and Tony Jones (all ankles) are ''good to go'' but he ruled out junior defensive lineman Elijah Taylor (foot) for the game.

I'M HERE ALL WEEK

Notre Dame is currently on fall break but many of the students should be back for a night game that figures to add to the electricity of the rivalry.

''You know, I'm sure our students will be back for it,'' Kelly said. ''I saw something that Father Sorin put out on Twitter, so I'm sure that is going to get all of our students back.''

That would be Edward Sorin, a priest who founded Notre Dame 175 years ago. One writer chuckled.

''That's a joke,'' Kelly told the others. ''You guys (the media) are really tight today. You guys nervous about the big game?''

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GT tries to shake off excruciating losses
October 17, 2017

ATLANTA (AP) ��� Georgia Tech has trailed for all of four seconds in the second half.

Yet somehow, the Yellow Jackets have two losses.

In a season that could be so much better, coach Paul Johnson must walk a tightrope - yes, he wants his players to be ticked off at their inability to close out games, as long as they don't let the pain linger into Saturday's contest against Wake Forest.

"You hope that it hurts," Johnson said Tuesday. "You try to learn from it, then put it behind you and move on. You can't go back and change it."

In the season opener, Georgia Tech squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter against Tennessee, losing 42-41 in double overtime when the Volunteers thwarted a 2-point conversion.

This past Saturday, it was another excruciating defeat at No. 8 Miami. The Yellow Jackets were up 24-16 heading to the final period, but they surrendered a touchdown that gave the Hurricanes a chance and an 85-yard drive in the last 2 1/2 minutes to set up a chip-shot field goal with 4 seconds remaining.

Miami escaped with a 25-24 victory .

Georgia Tech (3-2, 2-1) was left to ponder what might've been, what should've been.

Again.

"Obviously, we're frustrated," offensive lineman Parker Braun said. "Obviously, we're angry that we lost both games the way in which we did."

The anguish was certainly evident in Johnson, who got a bit snippy at a reporter's question about the team's late-game woes.

"You guys are going to write what you want to write anyway," the coach said. "Whatever I say, I can't be right. I try to tell you what happened. But if I tell you what happened, then I'm blaming the coaches. Or if I tell you it's not the coaches, then it's the players. Pick one."

The loss to Miami was an especially tough blow, given it was an Atlantic Coast Conference game and a chance for the Yellow Jackets to gain an upper hand in the divisional race.

Johnson stressed there's still a long way to go.

"I told the team, 'We're halfway through the season. ... Most of your goals are in front of you,'" he said. "Who knows what's going to happen? If we win the rest of our games and Virginia Tech beats Miami and Virginia beats Miami, then all of a sudden we could win the division."

The Yellow Jackets return home to face the Demon Deacons (4-2, 1-2), who are mired in a two-game losing streak but coming off a bye week.

"We're trying to get win No. 4," Johnson said. "That's all we're focused on. That's all we can control."

Georgia Tech is the first ACC team to have a pair of one-point defeats in a season since Clemson and Duke in 2006.

No conference team has lost three games by that narrowest of margins.

Against Tennessee, Georgia Tech piled up a staggering 655 yards and had a two-touchdown lead with just over 13 minutes remaining. But Tennessee converted a third-and-9 just before hitting a 50-yard touchdown pass, J.J. Green had a crucial fumble in Vols territory when it looked as though the Yellow Jackets were driving for a clinching score, and Shawn Davis' 36-yard field goal on the final play of regulation was blocked.

In the second overtime, Johnson passed on a chance to kick a tying extra point. TaQuon Marshall was stopped short, his desperation heave ruled incomplete.

The Miami game followed a similar path, with missed opportunities galore.

In the third quarter, Georgia Tech was up 21-13 and had first-and-goal at the Hurricanes 6. But Clinton Lynch was stuffed for no gain, Marshall was sacked for an 8-yard loss and the Yellow Jackets were forced to settle for a field goal.

Then, after stopping a 2-point try that would've tied the game, Georgia Tech got the ball back at its own 45, knowing a couple of first downs would likely ice the victory. The Yellow Jackets failed to capitalize, punting the ball back to Miami at its own 8. The Hurricanes ripped off three first downs, moving across midfield, only to face a fourth-and-10 at the 43 with less than a minute to go.

With two defenders in position to make a play, Miami's Darrell Langham pulled off a brilliant, juggling catch down the sideline that set up the winning field goal .

"We had all kinds of chances in both games to win," Johnson said. "When you come right down to it, we didn't make the critical plays."

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Auburn trying to keep season from slide
October 17, 2017

The Auburn Tigers went from flying high to falling hard against LSU.

Now, the 21st-ranked Tigers are trying to keep the season from taking a similar tumble. Losing a 20-0 lead in Baton Rouge left coach Gus Malzahn answering questions Tuesday about his job security and the offensive play calling and trying to reassure a disgruntled fan base wondering how Auburn let that one slip away.

Auburn (5-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) plummeted out of the Top 10 with the loss. Making matters tougher, Malzahn announced Tuesday the dismissal of one of his top wide receivers , Kyle Davis, for breaking team rules.

''Blowing a 20-point lead was tough to take,'' Malzahn said. ''And I just want to say this: I've got good coaches, I've got good players, and anytime that happens that's on the head coach. That's on me. That can't happen again. It's not going to happen again. But I take full responsibility.''

Malzahn insisted he's not thinking about his job security leading up to Saturday's visit to Arkansas (2-4, 0-3).

Auburn flopped after winning four straight games and seeming to be on an offensive roll.

The fast start led to some predictable play calling partly under the assumption that a Top 10 defense would be good enough to make the lead stick.

''The reality is, how many points can they really score on your defense?'' Malzahn said.

Too many for Auburn, it turns out.

Auburn ran the ball on 17 consecutive first downs, most of them after building the big lead. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham went just 2-of-13 passing for 6 yards in the second half.

The second-half offensive troubles aren't that unusual for the Tigers under Malzahn. They have scored 12 points collectively after halftime in the past six defeats.

''We get leads in the second half, we can't let that happen again,'' Malzahn said. ''I can't let that happen again. We've got to do better. I've got to do better in those type scenarios. Just from a head coach's standpoint the reality is we have a good team. We've got to put that loss behind us and we've got to improve. We're going to do that - there's no doubt in my mind we will.''

They'll have to do it without Davis, who had seven catches for 210 yards despite missing two games. He didn't travel with the team to LSU and was suspended for the opener against Georgia Southern.

Center Casey Dunn is also out against Arkansas with a leg injury against LSU. Safety Tray Matthews (right hamstring), guard Mike Horton (ankle) and Tre' Williams (shoulder) are also trying to return from injuries.

Auburn's challenge is bouncing back from a disheartening loss. The Tigers are 15 +-point favorites over the Razorbacks and trying to keep alive their hopes of contending with No. 1 Alabama in the SEC West.

The rest of the SEC schedule is unforgiving: at Texas A&M before closing league games against No. 3 Georgia and the Crimson Tide.

''I really believe in this team and I believe that we'll bounce back and not only will we bounce back but we'll have a chance to finish this thing like we wanted to when we first started the season,'' Malzahn said.

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Iowa enters crucial closing stretch at 4-2
October 17, 2017

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Iowa made it to the middle of October at 4-2, right about where most pundits had pegged the Hawkeyes to be halfway through the season.

How Iowa finishes over the next six weeks will determine whether 2017 will be a season to remember.

The Hawkeyes (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) have a thrilling win over Iowa State, an agonizing loss to No. 2 Penn State and a frustrating defeat to No. 18 Michigan State on their resume so far.

The schedule doesn't get any easier, starting with Saturday's matchup at Northwestern (3-3, 1-2). Iowa still has to host No. 6 Ohio State, travel to No. 5 Wisconsin and finish at Nebraska, a wounded rival that could view the Hawkeyes as its last chance to salvage some respectability.

''I think for the most part we've done a good job,'' Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. ''We've moved forward here a little bit and played good competition, combined I think the teams that we've played, somebody told me the record is 25-11. We've played a really competitive schedule.''

Injuries along the offensive line led to a surprisingly sluggish rushing attack. But the Hawkeyes used the recent bye week to get more work for freshman tackles Alaric Jackson and Tristan Wirfs - the latter a true freshman - and the hope is that the line can find its groove.

Sophomore quarterback Nate Stanley has been a pleasant surprise, throwing for 15 touchdowns against just two picks after barely winning the starting job. He's missed on a number of deep balls, and some improvement could open things up for a rushing attack averaging just 3.7 yards per attempt.

Running back James Butler won't be back for Saturday's game, though Ferentz said Tuesday that he's hopeful Butler can play against Minnesota.

''We want to improve our yards per carry. That's lower than we want and something we want to get better at after the bye,'' Stanley said.

Iowa's defense, led by senior Josey Jewell, is on pace to match last year's unit - which is a good sign for the program. The Hawkeyes are sixth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally with 18.7 points allowed per game.

Iowa had a hiccup in its second game against Iowa State, allowing 41 points to a team that has turned out to be a major surprise in the Big 12, but kept its other five opponents at 21 or fewer points.

Iowa's young, deep and talented defensive line has been a strong point, and Jewell on Tuesday was a midseason first-team All-America pick.

''I'm encouraged for the second half of the season. We're looking forward to the up-front guys,'' Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. ''The linebackers are playing solid, and I feel very comfortable where we're at in the secondary.''

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Croft forces another QB decision for Fleck
October 17, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota's quarterback situation is again unclear, with the Gophers starting the second half of the season still seeking their first Big Ten win under first-year coach P.J. Fleck.

Demry Croft's return to the mix has at least given them some life.

After relieving an ineffective Conor Rhoda late in the first half and scooting around the field for three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Tyler Johnson on a soggy Saturday night against 18th-ranked Michigan State, Croft has forced Fleck to make yet another significant decision regarding the team's most important position.

For now, Fleck has held off. Making a media appearance for the fourth straight day, Fleck again declined Tuesday to declare a starter for the homecoming game this Saturday afternoon against Illinois.

''I want to continue to watch them perform,'' Fleck said.

Watching Croft perform down the stretch against a Spartans defense that's fifth in the FBS in fewest yards per game allowed was a big lift for the Gophers (3-3, 0-3), who trailed 23-6 and 30-13 before falling 30-27 . An interception at the Michigan State 17-yard line ended Croft's first drive late in the second quarter, and when Minnesota took possession with 12:45 remaining he was just 3 for 7 for 32 yards.

Then came the first scoring pass, when Croft dropped back and found Johnson on a post pattern for a juggling 28-yard catch. A little later, on third down, Croft stepped forward in the pocket and threw off balance for a short gain before Johnson turned the crossing pattern into a 17-yard touchdown. Finally, Croft completed a 73-yard drive with a 9-yard completion to Johnson on a skinny post route with 1:06 left.

''It's a blessed feeling to be out there with the guys and just keep rowing the boat and seeing the smile on everybody's faces,'' Croft said after the game.

The redshirt sophomore from Rockford, Illinois, finished 11 for 20 for 163 yards and also ran seven times for 31 yards. The way Croft can move around behind the line and create what Fleck called ''the second play'' was the spark the Gophers needed after Rhoda made several mistakes in the first quarter including dropping a snap, taking an accidental knee for a loss after a low snap and causing a fumble with a handoff running back Shannon Brooks wasn't expecting because the play call was different.

''It just came at the right time, where I felt like I had to be able to give him an opportunity to show what he can do,'' Fleck said, making sure to praise Rhoda's contribution to each of the three nonconference victories.

Croft was suspended for three weeks last month for an unspecified off-the-field issue, missing two games. He was reinstated to the team the previous week. Cautiously optimistic about Croft's improved attitude and behavior, Fleck and his staff agreed the day before the Michigan State game to work him into some action.

''Trust is very hard to gain and very easy to lose,'' Fleck said. ''That's going to be a process as we continue to go forward.''

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Pac-12 parity is both blessing and curse
October 17, 2017

Big upsets in the Pac-12 Conference point to more parity across the league than perhaps ever before.

That's good for the conference, right? Certainly it's good for fans.

But for now only this is certain: This season the Pac-12 will have no undefeated teams. And that could mean a tougher path to the College Football Playoff for the league.

''We eat each other,'' UCLA coach Jim Mora said. ''And I don't mean that rhetorically. We just gobble each other up. Every game's just a complete battle for survival.''

This weekend was particularly brutal for the Pacific Northwest.

Previously undefeated Washington State - which knocked USC off in a memorable game on the way to a 5-0 start - stumbled dramatically last Friday in a 37-3 loss at California.

The Cougars had climbed to No. 8 in the rankings before the loss to the Golden Bears, who were 0-3 in conference play going into the game. The loss dropped Washington State (6-1, 3-1) to No. 15.

Washington won the Pac-12 championship game last season and went to the playoffs. This season the Huskies were undefeated until Saturday night, when they fell 13-7 to Arizona State.

The Huskies (6-1, 3-1) fell from No. 5 to No. 12 with the loss.

''There's no gimmes in this league,'' Mora said. ''There's no teams that you can look at and say, `Oh yeah, we should win this game even if we don't play our best.' Every week you have to play your best. This conference is just like the NFL, where every game is a complete battle.''

Stanford coach David Shaw weighed in: ''There are no upsets in our conference. There's no such thing.''

It's not just the cliched notion that anyone can win on any given Saturday. Some say the Pac-12 schedule lends itself to cannibalism.

The No. 22 Cardinal (5-2, 4-1) were hurt by a non-conference loss to San Diego State but they've since won four straight.

''In our conference we play, most of us, five, six, or seven conference games in a row. Whereas in other conferences, they'll play a couple of conference games and then they get a bye, or they have a I-AA opponent or a non-conference opponent,'' he said. ''In our conference, a lot of times it's attrition. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back conference games, and those are tough.''

Asked if that hurts the league when it comes to a shot at the national championship, Shaw said it's up to the CFP committee.

''I have talked to a couple of committee members in the past. They do recognize that what we do in our conference is difficult. It is different,'' he said.

There are other schedule issues. The Trojans lost on the road to Washington State on a Friday night, a short week after playing another road game the Saturday before. Same thing happened to Washington State, a road game on a Saturday was followed by another road game (this time a loss) on Friday.

Washington faces a challenge in that three Pac-12 opponents this season are coming off byes.

Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre pointed out that the Pac-12 plays nine conference games, while other leagues play eight.

The nine-game schedule has been criticized because it's obviously more difficult, and there's less likelihood that a team will finish undefeated - which lowers the odds of getting coveted playoff berths. That challenges a conference where some key matchups are played late.

Both the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference play eight-game slates in league play.

''The conference games, no matter what you say, always seem tougher. Especially in November,'' MacIntyre said. ''Stanford's playing, I'll just say Arizona, and somebody else (in another conference) is playing a I-AA team. That's like comparing apples to oranges, especially late in the year when everything's on the line. It's a big difference to me.''

Of course, Washington was able to get to the playoff last season with a loss. So it's not impossible for a Pac-12 team to make it to the playoffs.

The top five teams in the AP Top 25 are currently undefeated: Alabama (7-0), Penn State (6-0), Georgia (7-0), TCU (6-0) and Wisconsin (6-0).

It appears the No. 11 Trojans - with that lone loss to Washington State this season - could get a playoff nod if they win out, claim the league championship and a few top teams lose. Washington and Washington State face off in the Apple Cup to end the season, and one of those teams could also emerge with one loss.

The Trojans (6-1, 4-1) visit No. 13 Notre Dame this weekend.

''The Pac-12 is top to bottom, inside and out, the most competitive conference,'' Mora said. ''I'm not saying it is the best conference, that's to be determined. But it is so incredibly competitive and it's been like that for a while, but it seems even more so this year than it has in the past.''

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Michigan's Hurst could be No. 1 senior
October 17, 2017

Here is a look at NFL prospects who helped and may have hurt themselves this past weekend:

Who helped themselves?

--Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan, rSR. (6-2, 282, 4.93, #73)

With the Michigan offense struggling to put together a complete game, the Wolverines' defense has had to carry the team this season, led by Hurst on the defensive line. Against Indiana, he posted six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack and a blocked field goal, but, as is often the case, the box score doesn't do him justice.

Hurst, who was the only returning starter on the Michigan defensive line, has the versatile skill-set to play any position up front, including his primary position at nose tackle. Indiana had few answers for his combination of power and quickness, using his initial burst to surge off the snap and explosive power to reset the line of scrimmage.

Hurst flashed the body control and hip flexibility to sidestep blocks, swim and penetrate without losing his speed. Although he plays mostly as a nose, he projects best as a three-technique or even on the edges where his quickness and backfield instincts lead to disruption.

Hurst, North Carolina State DE Bradley Chubb and Boston College DE Harold Landry have separated themselves as the three best senior prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft class, regardless of position.

--Steve Ishmael, WR, Syracuse, SR. (6-1, 211, 4.53, #8)

Few outside of Syracuse anticipated Clemson losing Friday night, but that was the result as the Orange offense did just enough to outscore the Tigers, 27-24. Junior QB Eric Dungey (6-3, 225, 4.67, #2) had a fantastic game, often relying on Ishmael, the only FBS player with 60-plus receptions so far in 2017. Against the Tigers, Ishmael posted six catches for 73 yards and one touchdown and was sought out by Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney postgame to compliment his performance.

Lining up inside and outside on both sides of the formation, Ishmael was excellent vs. the Tigers' jam technique, fighting through contact, staying on his route and staying unfazed by hands-on coverage. He has adequate vertical speed, but what makes him so impressive deep is his ability to create last-moment separation with his frame.

Ishmael's physical nature will get him in trouble at times as he was flagged twice for offensive interference for pushing off, but he is a very detailed receiver who gets the most out of his ability and relies more on instincts than physical measureables. Ishmael is a senior prospect on the rise.

--Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, DE/OLB, Oklahoma, rSR. (6-0, 242, 4.78, #31)

If the Oklahoma jerseys didn't have names or numbers, one would still be able to easily spot Okoronkwo because he always has the dirtiest uniform on the field. And that was certainly the case against Texas as the Houston native lived in the Longhorns' backfield, finishing with five tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and five quarterback hurries.

At 6-0 and 245 pounds, Okoronkwo doesn't have the prototypical build of an edge rushers, but he rushes with the initial burst and balance to bend the edge and infiltrate the pocket. While he is short, he certainly isn't small, sporting a muscle-bound frame with the core strength to fight off blocks and maintain his forward momentum through contact.

Okoronkwo needs to expand his pass rush repertoire, which especially shows if he doesn't win with his first step, but he earns extra points for his relentless nature, leaving it all out on the field (hence the dirty jersey each week). Although he doesn't fit the traditional mold of what NFL teams look for at the position, Okoronkwo has intriguing tape and shows flashes of Yannick Ngakoue.

--Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UTSA, SR. (6-6, 255, 4.77, #93)

If you're looking for a prospect who will "rise" throughout the draft process, Davenport is a name to remember. An athletic big man with a basketball background, he was nearly unblockable against North Texas on Saturday, finishing with a team-best eight tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Davenport is quick off the snap and converts speed to power with his initial quickness, forward lean and physical attitude. He has great feet for his size to play in space and uses his flexibility to leverage the edge, dip and capture the corner.

From a technical perspective, Davenport plays tall and is still figuring out how to efficiently string together hand/arm moves, but the effort never quits. Tipping the scales at 198 pounds when he arrived at UTSA, he is close to his goal of 265 pounds, developing his body and building his muscle, which backs up the glowing words from his coaches regarding his work ethic.

Look for Davenport to continue to rise this season and throughout the pre-draft process.

--D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland, JR. (5-10, 215, 4.55, #1)

Entering last weekend, Moore had three 100-yard receiving performances in his career and on Saturday he produced his first 200-yard receiving performance against Northwestern. He finished with a career-best 12 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Moore has impressive playmaking skills with the ball in his hands, showing the ability to create after the catch, turning short catches into big gains.

He doesn't simply rely on his athleticism, however, separating from man coverage due to sharp angles in his routes and quick feet out of his breaks. Moore doesn't have ideal height for the position, but he is physically put-together with excellent functional strength to out-physical defensive backs and win 50-50 throws his direction.

Due to injuries, Maryland is now on their third starter at quarterback, but Moore has been a constant for the offense, leading the Big Ten in receiving through six games with 44 receptions for 624 yards and seven touchdowns.

Who hurt themselves?

--Luke Falk, QB, Washington State, rSR. (6-3, 225, 4.87, #4)

Falk has enjoyed an impressive collegiate career at Washington State with several productive performances. But when he is off, it can get ugly, which gives NFL scouts pause about his next level future. Against Cal on Friday night, it was one of those ugly performances with five interceptions after throwing only two in the first six games of the season.

When in a rhythm, Falk is one of the best touch passers I've ever scouted. But when defenses crowd his first read and put pressure on the pocket, he often wilts and makes mistakes. That was the case against the Bears as he was stubborn with his reads and forced throws instead of reading the coverage, coming off his preferred target and finding the open man.

With his production and toughness, it is understandable why he has fans across the NFL. But he has never been a tight-windowed passer and will need time to learn how to operate an NFL offense to have a future at the next level.

Other notes:

--The Oklahoma State offense set a school-record with 747 yards against Baylor on Saturday, including 235 yards receiving by senior WR James Washington (6-0, 205, 4.50, #28). In six games this season, Washington has gone over 120 yards receiving in five of them (he posted 98 yards on two catches in the one game he fell short) and he leads the FBS with 147.0 receiving yards per game. He also leads the nation with eight catches of 40-plus yards and needs 782 yards in the final seven games of his career (eight if OSU makes the Big 12 conference championship game) to become the Big 12's all-time receiving yards leader. With his athleticism and strong hands, Washington is the favorite to be the first senior wide receiver drafted next spring.

--While understandably overlooked at times playing next to Washington, Oklahoma State redshirt senior WR Marcell Ateman (6-3, 215, 4.57, #3) also had a 100-yard performance against Baylor with 119 yards on four catches and a touchdown. In fact, Washington and Ateman each have 100-plus yards in four straight games, which has never happened by a pair of teammates in Big 12 history. Ateman is a big, sturdy athlete with good straight-line speed, using his physicality before and after the catch to be effective. He has worked himself into the draftable territory as a possible No. 4 receiver at the next level.

--Washington Huskies' fans received good news and bad news regarding junior LT Trey Adams (6-7, 320, 5.30, #72), a projected first round pick. First, the bad news: Adams suffered a torn ACL on Saturday in the loss to Arizona State, an injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. The good news? According to The Seattle Times, Adams plans on returning for his senior season at Washington.

--With 191 yards rushing against LSU and a strong senior season overall, Troy redshirt senior RB Jordan Chunn (6-0, 231, 4.59, #38) is a lot closer to being a draft pick than anyone thought over the summer. However, one key area that could keep him undrafted is ball security. Chunn holds the ball too loose and has fumbled three times over the past two games with several other close calls. His surprisingly productive final season at Troy is a great story, but NFL teams won't be as impressed if they can't trust him to hold the football.

--The performance by USC redshirt sophomore QB Sam Darnold (6-3, 225, 4.74, #14) on Saturday night was basically a microcosm of his 2017 season thus far. Facing a physical Utah defense, he played maybe the worst two quarters of his collegiate career in the first half with three fumbles (one returned for a Utah touchdown), a dropped interception and only one score. But in typical Darnold fashion, he was at his best when it mattered. USC had five drives in the second half, which resulted in three touchdowns, one punt and one victory formation. Darnold faced eight money downs (third or fourth down) in the second half and he converted seven of them, using his legs to extend plays and his arm to give his receivers a chance to make a play. Despite the three turnovers, it was the first game this season Darnold didn't record an interception.

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Turnovers troubling UCLA's Josh Rosen
October 17, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA's offense is prolific in many areas, including turning the ball over.

That has to change for the Bruins to pull out of a funk where they have lost three of four games, including a 47-30 defeat at Arizona last week during which quarterback Josh Rosen threw three interceptions and running back Soso Jamabo lost a fumble.

''We can be a lot better than we are,'' offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said Tuesday. ''I know that because we leave too many plays out there and we turn the ball over too much. If we could avoid those things, then we'd have a chance to have a special run, one of those runs you don't get very often.''

UCLA (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12) has turned the ball over 15 times this season, which is tied for 118th in the FBS. Coincidentally, Oregon, which visits the Rose Bowl on Saturday, has the same number of turnovers. But the Ducks have somewhat offset those issues with 15 takeaways on defense, while the Bruins have five.

That equates to a turnover margin that is tied for second-worst in the nation. Those mistakes put even more pressure on a beleaguered defense, which in turn can force the offense to adopt a mindset that the only way to win is to take more chances and score on every drive.

And UCLA might be capable of that, considering Rosen threw interceptions in the red zone and kicker J.J. Molson missed a 45-yard field goal against Arizona. Better ball security could have erased the 10 points Arizona got off turnovers, including a 42-yard pick-six, and kept UCLA from having to play from behind.

Fisch pointed to Jamabo's fumble on the second series, which resulted in a field goal and a 10-0 lead for Arizona halfway through the first quarter.

In spite of the turnover trouble, UCLA still ranks 12th in yards per play and is averaging 39.5 points per game.

''Do we have a chance to be good? Yeah, we have a chance, but we have to really maintain improvement. This week has to be better than last week, and then for the next five weeks it has to be better,'' Fisch said.

One area Fisch wants to build on is the use of the tight end in the passing game. Finding emerging star Caleb Wilson wasn't a problem for Rosen before the one-time walk-on at rival Southern California suffered a season-ending foot injury against Colorado.

Against Arizona, UCLA tight ends caught one pass for 28 yards. The lone reception was made by redshirt junior Austin Roberts on UCLA's first possession.

Roberts is still adjusting to what it will take to replace Wilson as the starting tight end. Though Roberts often played in two tight-end sets before Wilson was hurt, being the featured option comes with different responsibilities.

''There are some things I kind of left on the field, mainly from the effort standpoint,'' Roberts said. ''I would do my job but I wouldn't kind of make the extra push to run down the field and try to get a guy off our running back or make sure that the play is secured, so I just got to do a better job with that.''

[StarDust Bum]

Michigan St. run defense rejoins elite
October 17, 2017


EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) When the Michigan State coaching staff dissected last year's unexpected collapse, they knew that one of the main culprits was an uncharacteristically porous run defense.

So far this season, it's proven to be a one-year anomaly. The 18th-ranked Spartans have returned to their old, hard-nosed, run-stuffing ways, paring more than 65 yards per game off their average.

''We go back to that `Spartan Dawg' thing I talked about all offseason: That's something that's a part of it. We're not allowing teams to run on us. We're priding ourselves on that, and that's our No. 1 goal, every week,'' middle linebacker Joe Bachie said. ''Just playing with confidence. Last year, it maybe got away from us a little bit. But I don't really like to talk about that much. This year, we're flying around, having fun, and the confidence is growing.''

Heading into Saturday's game against Indiana (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), the Spartans (5-1, 3-0) are ranked third in the conference against the run (93.3 yards per game) and eighth in the FBS. They had finished in the top 25 in the nation in stopping the run in six of the previous seven seasons - including five straight in the top 11 - before dropping to 51st a year ago, ninth in the Big Ten (158.7 yards per game).

''Well, we've improved greatly. ... We're halfway through the season, so it'll be interesting to see how it shakes out at the end of the season - do we continue to do what we've done? At this point, we have stopped the run,'' Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said. ''A lot of different reasons for this, but I think we've gone back and reaffirmed who we are a little bit, looked at what we've done, done some things differently.''

Last year's dip could be attributed in part to graduation and injuries, which forced the Spartans to pair a couple of graduate transfers with a wholly inexperienced crew on the line. Things only got worse when, at one point, they lost all three starting linebackers to injury.

''So it was a situation where we were down a little bit,'' said Dantonio, who shuffled his defensive staff during the offseason. ''They're bigger, stronger, faster. It's tough when you play as a true freshman - it's just hard - as we had a lot of very young players. I think they're growing up.''

With the glaring exception of Notre Dame's 182 yards at 4.6 yards per carry, Michigan State has been stingy, holding four of its other five opponents to less than 3 yards per carry and three times holding an opposing offense under 75 yards.

The standard the Spartans aim for is 3.3 yards per carry, or 100 yards total, said Bachie, who leads the team in tackles and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after the win against Michigan on Oct. 7.

''We try to keep teams underneath that, and if we do, we've been successful,'' the sophomore said. ''Our D-line's playing great right now. We're filling gaps hard, because they're allowing us to. ... If we keep playing fast on defense, I don't know that it's going to be a big deal for us (who we face).''

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UGA starters Thompson, Godwin return
October 17, 2017

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Two key starters, defensive tackle Trenton Thompson and wide receiver Terry Godwin, have returned to practice for No. 3 Georgia in its bye week.

Thompson has missed two games with a right knee injury. Godwin left last Saturday's 53-28 win over Missouri with injured ribs.

Also, outside linebacker Davin Bellamy has shed the club he wore to protect a broken bone in his left hand.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says Godwin was ''great'' and Thompson is ''bouncing back'' and expected to play against Florida on Oct. 28 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Linebacker Reggie Carter, who has had an undisclosed injury, also practiced on Tuesday.

Two defensive linemen who missed the Missouri game with injuries, David Marshall and DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle, did not practice.

[StarDust Bum]

Illinois' Adams out after shoulder surgery
October 17, 2017

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Illinois defensive back Tony Adams underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Illini coach Lovie Smith announced Tuesday. Adams suffered the injury two weeks ago at Iowa and didn't play this past Saturday against Rutgers.

Adams appeared in five games for the Illini and had eight tackles, one sack and one interception. He also became the first true freshman cornerback to start in the season opener in over a decade.

This is not Adams' first season-ending injury. Last year at St. Louis University High School, he also tore his ACL.

''Unfortunately, you know he was doing some good things for us,'' Smith said. ''But, you know Tony had a serious knee injury in high school and came back from it so he'll come back from this.''

Smith also said that linebacker Tre Watson underwent knee surgery on Tuesday. Watson is second on the team in total tackles with 45 and also has one interception and one fumble recovery. Smith didn't rule Watson out for the season, but also didn't offer a timetable for his return.

Watson's injury adds to a litany of ailments that have struck Illinois' linebacker unit this season. Jack Hansen tore his ACL back in training camp, and Julian Jones, Del'Shawn Phillips, Dele Harding and Ayo Shogbonyo were all injured against the Scarlet Knights.

Smith said that their statuses are unclear for the remaining practices of the week and Saturday's road game at Minnesota.

''We have three days where we really put the bulk of our work in,'' Smith said. ''But when you're banged up those rules all kind of go out of the window a little bit. If a guy is healthy and ready to go, they'll be available to play this weekend.''

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Oregon St.'s Seth Collins out indefinitely
October 17, 2017

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) Oregon State receiver Seth Collins is out indefinitely with an undisclosed health issue.

Collins did not play in Oregon State's 36-33 loss at home to Colorado this past Saturday. The junior also missed the first three games of the season with a broken finger.

The issue was not related to the illness that hospitalized Collins and kept him out of Oregon State's final two games last season.

A dynamic playmaker, Collins was a quarterback for the Beavers his freshman year. This season he has 12 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

His best game came on Oct. 7 against USC, when he caught five passes for 91 yards.

Because of his limited play this season, Collins could obtain a medical redshirt.

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No. 5 Wisconsin aims to limit cold streaks on offense
October 16, 2017

MADISON, Wis. (AP) No. 5 Wisconsin can look unstoppable at times with a punishing rushing attack and efficient passing game.

Coach Paul Chryst is hoping to correct the long spurts of mistakes and inconsistencies that have plagued the offense at times during the first half of the season for the Badgers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten).

''A lot of the negatives come from indecision,'' Chryst said Monday. ''If you can make sure that your players know what they're doing, know how to do it, understand it, then they go out and play. There is a lot you can do during the week and need to do.''

Jonathan Taylor has emerged as a go-to player, earning his third Big Ten Freshman of the Week award after recording a career-high 30 carries for 219 yards and one touchdown against Purdue on Saturday.

Wisconsin scored more than 30 points in each of its first five games. But after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions against the Boilermakers, the Badgers were held to a field goal the rest of the way in a 17-9 victory .

Wisconsin had a punt blocked, eight penalties and three turnovers. The offense hopes to make corrections when the Badgers host Maryland (3-3, 1-2) this weekend.

''That's definitely something that can cause us to lose games. We have to be sharper there. We can't afford it,'' left tackle Michael Deiter said. ''It's something we can clean up.''

Chryst, though, did like how his team finished against Purdue. The Badgers took advantage of linebacker Leon Jacobs' interception at the Wisconsin 13 to grind out a 16-play, 77-yard drive that consumed the final 8:14 of the game.

The stout defense limited the Boilermakers to just three field goals.

''Sometimes our offense might put us in that predicament, but that's why they feel like they've got one of the best defenses in the nation,'' cornerback Derrick Tindal said after the game. ''We get them out of there and we help them out. You can't stop our offense for too long, not with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield.''

NOTES: Jacobs was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. . DE Chikwe Obasih (left leg) will miss a sixth straight game. . Starting WR Jazz Peavy (right leg), who missed the Purdue game, is listed as questionable on the injury report along with RBs Taiwan Deal (right leg) and Chris James (left leg), WR Danny Davis (left leg) and DE Isaiahh Loudermilk (left leg).

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Virginia's trio of captains sparking Cavaliers' turnaround
October 16, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Virginia is a victory from bowl eligibility for the first time since 2011 and receiving votes in the Top 25. It's all very impressive considering the Cavaliers are one year removed from finishing 2- 10.

The Cavaliers' trio of captains are at the center of the turnaround.

Kurt Benkert, in his second season as the starting quarterback and first as a captain, has provided a steadying force on offense and the ability to hit deep passes that had been mostly lacking in the Cavaliers' attack. He's also become a leader, along with linebacker Micah Kiser and safety Quin Blanding, the most respected players on the defensive side.

But it may be Benkert who is the most critical.

''I think he's accelerated the turning around, not turnaround yet,'' said coach Bronco Mendenhall, cautioning against any notion that four consecutive victories - two on the road - suggest Virginia (5-1, 2-0) has things figured out.

They can secure their first postseason appearance on Saturday when Boston College (3-4, 1-3) comes to Scott Stadium.

Benkert talked like he was in command last season, but has acknowledged he was still trying to fit in with his new team. He also replaced popular fifth-year senior Matt Johns as the starter just before the season.

This season has been much smoother, and the captains all appreciate the value the others bring.

''The quarterback, that's what drives the team,'' Kiser said. ''That's what really drives win and losses. If you look at the ACC right now, we're a team that has one and we're 5-1.''

But, he joked, they could have done without Benkert fumbling the ball way at the North Carolina 27 yard-line on Saturday with under 3 minutes to play and Virginia leading 20-14. The defense, which limited the Tar Heels to just 46 passing yards, eventually forced UNC to turn the ball over on downs.

''Kurt, bro, if we just punted right there then we're good. They're not going to go 90 on us,'' Kiser joked. ''But you love that in him that he thinks he can make a play at any time and he always wants to make a play.''

Benkert's appreciation for Kiser and Blanding gets stronger each game. The pair have finished first and second in the ACC in tackles in each of the past two seasons, and they each considered leaving after last season.

Having them back, he said, is ''everything. Having them to solidify our defense and being the middle of our defense. ... Knowing that they're going to do their jobs more times than not and that they're going to make big plays when we need them and they're going to make the guys around them better. I think that's the biggest testimony to who they are - they make everyone on that field, on that defense, better, and that's huge for us.''

Mendenhall did very little to influence either Kiser's or Blandings' decision, but their choices to come back - fueled in part by a season-ending 52-10 loss to Virginia Tech - was huge for the rebuilding job, too.

''It's like Kurt on the other side,'' Mendenhall said. ''They had plenty of reasons not to come come back. A new coach and a 2-10 season on top of very little winning football. ... To this point, I feel good just because I think they're having a great experience. That's what I wanted for them, if they did come back.''

And with one more victory, they will get to experience their first bowl game with the program.

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Syracuse coach Dino Babers ready to get back to work
October 16, 2017

Syracuse coach Dino Babers spoke in low tones. His voice was noticeably hoarse in the aftermath of one memorable night.

''I'm just kind of going through the motions,'' Babers said Monday at his weekly press conference, back in town after a whirlwind round of recruiting in the New York City metro area.

A year ago, in his first season at Syracuse, Babers coached the Orange to an upset of No. 17 Virginia Tech at home. He directed Syracuse to a stunner of greater magnitude on Friday night - a 27-24 victory over Clemson.

The loss dropped the Tigers (6-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to No. 7 this week and gave the Orange a jolt of confidence as they moved closer to becoming bowl-eligible.

''When you play on Friday night, everyone sees you. It's a big moment,'' Babers said. ''As the millennials were saying, that's a trending moment. Everyone's watching, social media is buzzing, everybody knows what's going on. It's big.''

Both victories came inside the Carrier Dome, the latter prompting hundreds in the crowd of 42,475 to gather at midfield with Babers and his players to soak in a rare moment. The Orange had never beaten the second-ranked team in the nation and only twice before had defeated the defending national champion.

''It will be something that they'll be able to share with (family members),'' said Babers, who gave another one of his riveting postgame speeches.

The victory puts Syracuse (4-3, 2-1) in the uncustomary spot of third place in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, ahead of Florida State, Wake Forest, Louisville and Boston College.

The Orange didn't land any votes in this week's AP Top 25 , but a victory on Saturday at No. 8 Miami (5-0, 3-0) likely would attract even more attention. Syracuse hasn't been ranked since finishing at No. 14 in January 2001.

''Now the bar is raised again, and game on,'' Babers said.

Quarterback Eric Dungey, wideout Erv Philips, and linebacker Parris Bennett were honored Monday by the conference for their roles in the upset. Syracuse never trailed in the game, but Clemson pushed hard for the road win despite losing starting quarterback Kelly Bryant just before halftime to an apparent concussion. The Tigers tied the game four times before Cole Murphy's 30-yard field goal won it with 6:04 to play.

''The way the momentum kept changing, how we'd go ahead and they'd come back, we'd go ahead and they'd come back, we'd go ahead and they'd come back, but the guys never put their heads down,'' Babers said. ''They never had any doubts.

''When everybody believes, they don't care who gets the credit, there's an opportunity for great things to happen,'' Babers added. ''That's the part I'm most proud of, how they kept fighting back, because that team's a champion, a national champion. They're not going to give up.''

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, whose Tigers embarrassed Syracuse 54-0 last year in Death Valley, was effusive in his praise. He congratulated Babers at midfield and later ventured into the Orange locker room to speak with the players, a gesture that caught the Orange by surprise.

''It was just one of those games where you wanted to right a wrong,'' Babers said. ''We just felt we were better than 54-0.''

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No. 12 Huskies head into off week with sudden concerns
October 16, 2017

SEATTLE (AP) Instead of easing as expected into their bye week, the Washington Huskies are dealing with offensive issues and injuries that contributed to a surprisingly punch-less performance in a loss at Arizona State.

Washington lost left tackle Trey Adams and cornerback Jordan Miller to season-ending injuries during Saturday's 13-7 upset loss to the Sun Devils, which dropped the Huskies from No. 5 to No. 12 in The Associated Press rankings.

Adams, who has been mentioned as a possible first-round NFL selection, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Miller broke his ankle late in the game.

''It's tough. You feel bad for those guys, and plus they're good players, and feel bad for the team,'' coach Chris Petersen said Monday. ''But next man up. This is how it goes and our team knows that. We talk about it ad nauseum early in the season. You just don't know when it's going to hit, but it is what it is.''

Senior Andrew Kirkland replaced Adams against Arizona State but Petersen said they have several possible offensive line combinations to consider.

The Huskies (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12), who next host UCLA (3-3, 1-2) on Oct. 28, also must quickly address their kicking game and the general offensive inefficiency that resulted in Washington scoring just one touchdown Saturday.

''For sure, when you don't play well, you want to get back right out there,'' Petersen said. ''For sure, this is painful. This is a painful two weeks, without question. I think everybody in the building would be like, `Can we please just go back out there and try to play better,' certainly on offense.''

''But it's also right in the middle of the season and a good time to really get a chance to look at ourselves and our tendencies and figure out what we need to change and tweak and clean up, and what we like about what we're doing,'' he said.

One area of immediate concern is the kicking game.

Freshman Van Soderberg missed chip shot field goals of 21 and 27 yards against Arizona State and is one-for-three on the season. Soderberg replaced senior Tristan Vizcaino, who is four-for-nine on field goal attempts and missed two extra points.

''It's frustrating because if you watch them in practice, they would never miss those,'' Petersen said. ''It's not even kind of, it's like clockwork. And then for whatever reason, we get in the game and it changes a little bit. So, we're back to work.''

''I think it's more the mental thing than a technique thing,'' he said. ''Because they just trust their technique and focus on that, they're going to be fine most of the time.''

Washington, which averaged 43 points in its six victories, managed just 230 yards of total offense against the Sun Devils, including 91 yards rushing in 31 attempts. Quarterback Jake Browning, pressured throughout, completed 17 of 30 passes for 139 yards without a touchdown and was sacked five times.

''I would say Jake played very solid, which I think is interesting, because again, we don't score a bunch of points,'' Petersen said. ''It's all driven through the quarterback. I think Arizona State did a great job. They took away a lot of his answers when he's back there.''

Petersen said he was not concerned about how the loss would affect the Huskies' chances to return to the College Football Playoff, where they lost 24-7 to Alabama in the semifinal last season.

''We don't talk about that during the season at all,'' Petersen said. ''That has nothing to do with nothing, just like rankings don't and all that. All we're trying to do is get better and figure out a way to beat UCLA.''

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Frost preparing 20th-ranked UCF for Navy's triple option
October 16, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) UCF coach Scott Frost will stress to his football team that preparing for Navy's triple-option offense is no different than any other week.

It's always about playing sound football, maintaining assignments and filling gaps.

Frost, whose 20th-ranked Knights travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to take on the Midshipmen in clash of top American Athletic Conference teams on Saturday, sounds almost convincing.

''This is no different'' than any other week, Frost said Monday. ''It's a different way of presenting it. This is a really good team and I don't mean to say that we're taking them lightly or not excited for the challenge, but we also are not going to make too much of the fact that they run a different offense.''

Everything about how the Knights have prepared for nation's top rushing offense, however, indicates Frost and his coaching staff know better. UCF started taking periodic practice repetitions against the option attack in spring practice on into fall camp.

And Frost, a successful option quarterback for the Nebraska Huskies in the mid to late 1990s, has traded in his coaches cap for a chin strapless helmet this week to give the defense a true look at what they will see when they come up against Navy quarterback Zach Abey.

''It's kind of exciting to see him running around,'' UCF senior outside linebacker Shaquem Griffin said after Monday morning's practice. ''You're not going to get a better look than having Coach Frost in there. He knows what we will see from Navy.''

What the Knights will see is a finely tuned option attack that will find any vulnerability in a defense and continuously exploit it. Led by Abey, whose has 1,016 yards rushing in six games this season, the Midshipmen are averaging 397.5 yards rushing per game this season.

Until Saturday's loss, Navy (5-1, 3-1 AAC) had been undefeated and ranked 25th in the country.

The Knights (5-0, 3-0) know that it will take playing assignment football and being disciplined for the first 6-0 start in program history.

''You can't be a selfish player,'' senior UCF inside linebacker Chequan Burkett said. ''You have to play your part of the play, read your keys because it's three plays within one of their offensive plays. The quarterback can keep the ball or he can hand it to the fullback.

''It's a team effort so everyone has to be bought into their assignment.''

So far this season the Knights defense has been fairly stout against the run, holding opponents to 110.2 yards of offense per game and 3.67 yards per carry. But they haven't faced a team as committed to the run as the Midshipmen.

The Knights would have some live game experience against the option had their game against Georgia Tech not been canceled last month due to Hurricane Irma. Frost sees the positives and negatives of not playing that game before Navy.

''It would have given us a chance to get a good look at it and play against a team that is really good at doing it,'' he said. ''On the flip side of that, Navy would have seen our approach to how to stop it and would have game planned for it.''

[StarDust Bum]

Ateman quietly putting up huge numbers
October 16, 2017

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Though he may be overshadowed a bit by his more productive and highly touted teammate James Washington, wide receiver Marcell Ateman also is putting together an impressive season for No. 10 Oklahoma State.

After recording four receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown in a 59-16 victory over Baylor last weekend, Ateman now has 29 catches for 568 yards and four touchdowns on the season, including 100 or more yards in four straight games for the Cowboys (5-1, 2-1 Big 12).

It has been a nice comeback for Ateman, who compiled 45 receptions for 766 yards and five touchdowns in 2015 but missed last season with a broken foot. Now fully healthy, he has provided Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Mason Rudolph with a dangerous second option opposite Washington. Oklahoma State has taken advantage, leading the nation in total offense (610.7 yards per game) and passing offense (411.2 ypg), while ranking second with an average of 48.8 points per contest.

''He's been very good,'' OSU coach Mike Gundy said of Ateman. ''We anticipated him playing well. He was without it for a year and he realized how much he loved the game. Sometimes, that's one of the best things that can happen to a young player, and he's used his body. He's got terrific hands and he's got good body control, and he's played the role that really benefits our offense.''

By having Washington, a speedy deep threat who leads the Big 12 and ranks second in the nation with 882 receiving yards (on 34 receptions, along with six TDs), on one side of the field and the 6-4, 220-pound Ateman on the other, it presents opposing teams with a pick-your-poison type of decision on how to defend them.

''That allows (Washington) to play the role that he does on one side of the field and then Ateman plays a different type of game on the other side,'' Gundy said. ''He can be more of a control guy, a rebound guy, and he uses strong hands with good reach, so they offset themselves really well. James doesn't get a lot of catches because of the way some teams choose to take him out. So then we have to play on the other side of the field or play in the middle of the field. But the two of them work well together.''

Ateman also has improved his blocking in the run game. Against Baylor, one of the key plays came early in the second quarter with the Cowboys leading 14-10 when running back Justice Hill broke free for a 79-yard touchdown run. That would not have happened without a crucial block by Ateman about 20 yards downfield.

''It's been something that our coaches have been instilling into us, perimeter blocking,'' Ateman said. ''For our backs to get in the end zone, we've got to be able to block on the perimeter.''

Gundy believes heady plays like that will help give Ateman, a fifth-year senior, an opportunity to play in the NFL next season.

''Ateman's going to get a chance to play this game beyond this level, because of what he brings to the table,'' Gundy said. ''I've never coached in the NFL so I don't know a lot about it, but I know there's a lot of man coverage and he's got a body that can be hard to defend in man coverage. And then he blocks really well. He's been really good without the ball in his hands and he'll be a good special teams player.

''He likes to play the game. He likes to catch, he likes to block. Some guys don't care to do that as much at that position. He does. Not only is it good for our team, it's going to improve his stock and I'm sure he's aware of that.''

Ateman is just happy to be back on the field again, with a renewed focus after the year off, during which he had a son.

''I stay hard into my faith and I'm really practicing,'' Ateman said. ''I really just wanted this year, having that year off. I have a lot of things to play for - my son, my family. It's just a blessing. I'm just going out there and performing.''

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DiNucci? Pickett? Pitt still searching for answers at QB
October 16, 2017

PITTSBURGH (AP) Pat Narduzzi is intent on creating a competitive atmosphere at every position on his team. Especially quarterback.

So the Pittsburgh coach is hardly apologetic about his unusual approach for handling a carousel that shows no signs of slowing even as Halloween approaches.

''I guess we're odd,'' Narduzzi said Monday.

At the beginning of the season he kept shuttling between Max Browne and Ben DiNucci. With Browne now out for the year with a right shoulder injury , DiNucci now finds himself splitting snaps with true freshman Kenny Pickett, an arrangement Narduzzi will keep in place until someone - anyone - lays claim to the starting spot for good.

While DiNucci will run out with the first team on Saturday when the struggling Panthers (2-5, 0-3 ACC) travel to Duke (4-3, 1-3), what happens after the opening series is anyone's guess, Narduzzi seemingly included.

''Ben will be our guy, and then we'll see how it goes from there,'' he said.

DiNucci worked into the third quarter last weekend against N.C. State before Narduzzi made the unorthodox move of going to Pickett with the Panthers trailing by just a touchdown. Pickett moved around the pocket effectively but the Panthers managed just a field goal during his three series. When DiNucci finally returned, the game was well out of reach.

''I've never necessarily been in a situation like this,'' DiNucci said after completing 19 of 32 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception. ''I think, you know, the biggest thing like I said is just control what I can control. Try to make plays, move the sticks and score points and when I'm not, support whoever is in the game.''

Pickett allowed it's ''different'' being unsure of how you're going to be used in a given week.

''I'm not used to it and neither are the other quarterbacks, but you adjust to it and you go from there,'' Pickett said.

Pickett is also grateful for the opportunity. Pitt planned on redshirting him before Browne hurt his shoulder in a loss to Syracuse and DiNucci was forced to sit out the final play from scrimmage after his helmet came off on the penultimate snap.

Just like that, Pickett found himself in the mix. He completed 5 of 13 passes for 61 yards and tied for the team lead in rushing with 18 yards against the Wolfpack, drawing raves from his teammates for his poise.

''He came in and said, `What's up? Let's go,''' tackle Brian O'Neill said. ''As a lineman, you're kind of excited about that, a freshman coming in and he doesn't care about the moment. He didn't get all rigid and scared and nervous per se. He let it fly and we knew that's kind of how it is and I give him a lot of respect for that.''

Narduzzi said the gap between DiNucci and Pickett isn't substantial. He'd like it to be one way or another. It isn't. Until it is, he's going to keep the pressure on. He initially planned to put Pickett in earlier against N.C. State, but DiNucci started off so well he didn't see the need.

Three empty series to open the second half changed Narduzzi's mind.

''It comes down to consistency,'' Narduzzi said. ''Again, it's not just quarterbacks. As I've told Ben, we've got to run the ball. ... The poor kid can't do it all by himself.''

The Panthers are currently 10th or worse in the ACC in nearly every major offensive statistical category. The running game, a serious strength during consecutive eight-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, is averaging just 113 yards a game. Pitt managed just 95 on the ground against N.C. State even though Narduzzi finally settled on five offensive linemen for the first time.

The quarterback is an issue. For a team in danger of missing a bowl game for the first time in a decade, there's plenty to go around.

''We talk way too much about the quarterback,'' Narduzzi said. ''There's some other things that we should be talking about, too.''

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

More NBA over/under win totals for the coming season:

Minnesota Timberwolves 48.5

Miami Heat 43.5

Philadelphia 76ers 42.5

New York Knicks 30.5

Brooklyn Nets 28.5

Atlanta Hawks 25.5

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Wednesday’s List of 13: Mid-week musings……..

13) 5:15 into the Boston Celtics’ season, Gordon Hayward severely injured his leg/ankle when he came down on an attempted alley-oop. It was a gruesome injury, reminiscent of Jason Kendall or Joe Theismann’s grotesque leg injuries.

12) Damn, this is Lebron James’ 15th year in the NBA? Time flies. I remember sitting in a bar having dinner, watching his high school game that ESPN showed. Think Bill Walton was the TV analyst that night; people were excited that Lebron scored 31 points.

Hell, I thought, if he’s going to be in the NBA next year, he SHOULD score 31 points in a high school game, shouldn’t he?

Obviously, Lebron has outperformed those huge expectations; good for him.

11) By the way, sounds like pretty soon, kids will able to go straight from high school to the NBA once again, which helps everyone, except veterans trying to hang on in the G-League.

10) Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter this season: they’ve been outscored 85-22, allowing 1,034 yards on 139 plays, an average of 7.4 yards per play.

Colts are 2-4, but they haven’t trailed at halftime since Week 1 against the Rams.

9) Tennessee Titans have 7 takeaways in six games, but they’re the only team in NFL that hasn’t scored a touchdown after one of their takeaways.

Titans-Colts game Monday night had no punts in the first half, the first game in NFL this season without a first half punt.

8) Injured Vikings’ QB Teddy Bridgewater is practicing this week, as he comes back from his severe knee injury; Minnesota has three weeks to decide whether to activate Bridgewater or IR him for the rest of the season. Bridgewater and Sam Bradford are both in the last year of their contracts; Vikings have some interesting decisions ahead of them.

7) Chicago Bulls Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic got into a fight today at practice and Mirotic wound up with broken bones in his face; he’s going to be out for a few weeks, at least.

Curious how the analytics geniuses take this into account when they measure Portis, Mirotic as players. There is a human element to sports that can never be quantified— these guys live and travel together for months at a time. Part of being a good teammate is staying out of fights that send yourself or teammates to the hospital.

6) Best red zone offenses in NFL:
Packers 5.68 pts/possession, Eagles 5.56, Cowboys 5.33, Texans 5.25— Aaron Rodgers is gone for the year, so going forward, Green Bay’s numbers figure to drop dramatically.

5) Best offenses on drives starting 75+ yards from end zone:
Saints 2.47, Chiefs 2.46, Titans 2.37, Patriots 2.16

Worst offenses on drives starting 75+ yards from end zone (includes points lost on TD”s scored by the opposing defense):
Colts 0.42, Bengals 0.51, Buccaneers 0.91, Lions 0.97

4) Most plays of 20+ yards this season:
Rams 31, Vikings 30, Patriots/Cardinals 29, Chiefs 27

3) Most TD’s on plays of 20+ yards:
Raiders 8 (out of 13 total TD’s), Chiefs 7 (18 total TD’s), Titans 7 (13 total TD’s), Jets 6 (11 total TD’s), Lions 6 (14 total TD’s)

2) Baseball update:
AL: New York 6, Houston 4— Astros’ bullpen imploded; series is tied 2-2.
NL: Dodgers 6, Cubs 1– Chicago is going down meekly.

1) One of the best days of the year for me is when the Blue Ribbon Yearbook arrives at my door every October; the bible of college basketball, Blue Ribbon has a ton of useful information in it, and it got here Monday. If you like college basketball, it is well worth your time.