Week seven of the college football season had what was one of the most anticipated matchups of the year, and it did not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination. And even going beyond that, there were some entertaining bouts and some shocking results. But, I’m going to save the game I know everyone is thinking about for last. It’s like they say, “save the best for last,” right?
Anyway, there’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump in!
Georgia is No. 1 until proven otherwise
Now, I think I know what most of you are probably thinking. “But, Joe, Georgia hasn’t looked like the consensus best team in the country at all! They only beat Vanderbilt by 17 points!” And I understand that while they’ve looked quite good, they haven’t been the same dominant, earth-shattering team that they looked like last year.
But the important thing is that they won and they won in a big way. Slice it any way you want, winning by 17 points is still a big win no matter what angle you look at it from. And while quarterback Carson Beck played good-not-great, finishing with 261 passing yards, two total touchdowns and an interception, the running game was what largely spearheaded this win.
Daijun Edwards ran all over the Commodores’ defense, running 20 times for 146 yards and a score. Beck also added a rushing touchdown, but Edwards was the best offensive player for the Bulldogs in this one.
This Georgia team is reminiscent of this year’s Philadelphia Eagles through seven weeks: they might not look quite as dominant as they did last season, but they are still finding ways to win games. And that’s what great teams do: they find ways to win when they aren’t necessarily playing their best.
They’re just stacking up wins. And until they lose, they still deserve to hold that top spot.
Kyle McCord is slowly growing more comfortable
Now, it’s worth mentioning that the Ohio State quarterback’s completion percentage was south of 60. However, it’s worth mentioning that he carved up Purdue’s defense for 276 yards and three touchdowns, and particularly in the second half of the game, he looked more comfortable throwing from the pocket, making difficult throws and throwing strikes with consistency and confidence.
He also has a legit connection with Marvin Harrison Jr., although I’m not sure if that had ever been questioned. Harrison Jr. racked up six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, as he had one of his patented big games against an overmatched Purdue secondary.
Ohio State fans out there have been patiently (or, perhaps, not-so-patiently) waiting for McCord to finally put it all together and perform consistently. Yes, there were some throws he missed in this game. He did make a few bad throws. But he has been looking a little more comfortable with each passing week as he gets used to being the starter in this offense, and it was, for the most part, evident in this 41-7 shellacking of the Boilermakers.
The Buckeyes aren’t going anywhere.
North Carolina is firmly in the race for the ACC crown
It is time to admit that the Tar Heels are a legitimately good team. For those of you who have not admitted as such, it is time to do so.
And they should be considered contenders for the ACC title along with Florida State. The proof exists in 1) their 6-0 record, and 2) their offense dropping 41 points on a good Miami team in a 41-31 win on national television. Quarterback Drake Maye was once again fantastic, and while he was only 17-for-33, he threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns. I mean, does anyone really care if you only complete 51 percent of your passes if you throw for over 250 yards and four scores while doing it? Running back Omarion Hampton also had a monster game, thrashing the Hurricanes’ defense to the tune of 24 carries for 197 yards and a score.
But the story of this game might be the connection between Maye and wideout Devontez Walker. The two have some undeniable chemistry, and that chemistry was on full display during this one, as Walker hauled in six catches for 132 yards and was on the receiving end of three of Maye’s four touchdown throws.
The Heels and their offense keep on humming, and right now, I see them and Florida State as the two best teams in the ACC. I would not be surprised whatsoever if the year ended with them clashing for the conference title.
This could be the end for USC’s CFP hopes
Maybe this is a little bit of an overreaction, but considering how incredibly awful the Trojans’ defense is, and how good the Pac-12 is this year, there is a real possibility that it might be true.
This showdown with then-No. 21 Notre Dame (now No. 15) was supposed to be one of the most hyped-up and entertaining games of the weekend. Instead, it was an incredible offensive performance for the Fighting Irish and an incredibly rude awakening for USC as the Trojans lost 48-20.
Their defense is absolutely putrid. I mean, it’s really, really bad. Sam Hartman picked them apart, and while his statline might not seem that gaudy (126 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions), it was a balanced attack for the Irish, as he made efficient, confident, consistent throws, and Notre Dame balanced his good play with the rushing attack, as Audric Estime wore down the Trojans’ defense, carrying the ball 22 times for 95 yards and two scores.
USC’s defense just didn’t look like it had an answer for the Irish’s offensive game plan for the entirety of the game, and while normally the offense can carry them to a win, that was far from the case in this one. Caleb Williams had his first truly bad game in quite a long time, throwing three interceptions and just looking like he was trying to do too much on nearly every play.
Now, I understand that fellow Pac-12 foe Oregon lost this weekend to Washington (more on that in a minute!). But there is no denying that Oregon looked so much better than USC on both sides of the ball this weekend, and they played well throughout that contest in Seattle. USC, on the other hand, didn’t. And their path to the College Football Playoff just got a whole lot more difficult.
Louisville might have been a tinge overrated
Okay, maybe a little more than a tinge. They might have just been overrated, period.
The Cardinals looked largely outmatched in this 38-21 loss to Pitt, as quarterback Jack Plummer struggled and the defense looked to be one step behind the Panthers’ offense throughout the game.
Plummer did throw for 350 yards, but he only managed to throw for one score while giving away two interceptions, as the Pitt defense was aggressive throughout the night, and they were consistently looking for opportunities to make plays and give their offense back the ball.
On the other hand, Pitt quarterback Christian Veilleux played relatively well, and while he completed fewer than half his passes, he didn’t turn the ball over and threw two touchdown passes. Similar to Notre Dame’s effort against USC, it was a balanced effort overall, as running back C’Bo Flemister found paydirt twice and wide receiver Bub Means racked up 71 receiving yards and a score.
Pitt improved to 2-4, and this is a great win, don’t get me wrong, but I’m unsure how well they are going to end up doing in the ACC race. But nonetheless, this is a win to hang your hat on, as it takes a really good game to beat a Top-25 team.
The Cardinals suffered their first loss of the season, but are still 6-1 and toward the top of the ACC. However, at this moment, I don’t see them in the same tier as Florida State and North Carolina. As I alluded to, those are the two best teams in the conference to me right now. Louisville’s home showdown with Duke next weekend could have massive implications to how the ACC standings will end up shaking out.
And last but not least, the one you’ve all been waiting for…
Washington just got the biggest win of the season
Forget Texas’ win over Alabama, forget Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame, forget about all of those games for a second. The 36-33 win Washington got over Oregon was one of the best games of the year, just like we all thought it would, and it was the biggest win in terms of resume-building on the season so far.
A hot take? Maybe so. But both of these teams played well, and to be frank, it was a shame someone had to lose. The quarterback duel was absolutely spectacular, as Bo Nix threw for 337 yards and two scores for Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns for Washington.
However, in my opinion, Bucky Irving was Oregon’s best player during this game, as he ran 22 times for 127 yards and a score, and for a little while there in the fourth quarter, it seemed that he was going to will Oregon to run the clock out and win the game, until the Huskies got the ball back with about a minute and a half to go.
However, when Washington got the ball back, Penix Jr. showed why he is the current Heisman favorite, as he connected with Rome Odunze, who had eight catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns on the day, for an 18-yard score to give the Huskies a lead that they would never relinquish.
From there, Oregon did manage to get its offense going again and drove down the field, but with time running low the Ducks were forced to try a 43-yard field goal that went wide, giving Washington the win.
The Huskies maintain their undefeated record, and the College Football Playoff is within sight as of right now. Penix Jr. is now the Heisman Trophy favorite thanks in part to Caleb Williams’ struggles against Notre Dame, and he looks to take the momentum into another home game against Arizona State.
But right now, this team looks incredible. The chemistry between Penix Jr. and his two top receivers, Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, is absolutely undeniable, and that connection is easily the best in the country. And to be completely honest, this team feels like a team of destiny.
Elms' Essentials: Week 12
