Alabama...Top RB Brian Robinson returned to action against Ole Miss after sitting out Southern Miss with a rib injury. Robinson came into that game with a team-high 205 YR (5.7 ypc) and 2 TDs and then had a huge game against the Rebels, rushing 36 times for 171 yds. and 4 TDs in a dominating performance by the Tide.
Arizona State…Frosh WR Johnny Wilson (12 recs., 154 yds, 1 TD) was held out against UCLA due to a hamstring injury.
| Ball State | Ball State…5th-year sr. TE Dylan Koch (a starter, but has just 2 catches on the season) has missed the Army and Toledo games for undisclosed reasons, again leaving the duties to fellow 5th-year sr. Jordan Williams, who has 7 catches in his last 4 games. The Cardinals were also without left tackle Kaleb Slaven, forcing o.c. Kevin Lynch to use a 4th different offensive line in the past 5 games. |
| Boise State | Boise State…WR Stefan Cobbs, who caught 5 passes in the first 1+ games this season before being injured, returned to action against Nevada but re-injured his ankle and was removed against the Wolf Pack. |
| BYU | BYU…QB Jaren Hall missed his 2nd straight game with an undisclosed injury, leaving the QB duties to Baylor Romney. Romney was very accurate, completing 15 of 18 passes for 187 yds. and a TD with no ints., but it was Cougar RB Tyler Allgeier and the BYU OL that controlled matters, as Allgeier ran for 218 yds. (9.9 ypc) and 3 TDs in the 34-20 victory. |
| California | Cal…RB DeCarlos Brooks sat again with a lower body injury and has no timetable for return after missing 2 straight games. Brooks had his moments with sparing carried the first few games but wasn’t being heavily counted on. Soph Damien Moore has carried 59 times for 304 yards (5.2 YPC and 5 TDs) has been the top dog for the Bears on the ground. |
| Central Florida | UCF…UCF was shorthanded offensively against Navy, as QB Dillon Gabriel is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury suffered against Louisville. Gabriel threw for 3570 yds. and 32 TDs LY and had 814 YP and 9 scores this year. Top Knight rusher Isaiah Bowser (Northwestern transfer who has 51 carries for 268 yds. 5 TDs) also sat out the Navy game after being injured against L’ville as well and top WR Jaylon Robinson (234 yds. rec., 19.5 ypc) was also unavailable (undisclosed). |
| Cincinnati U | Cincinnati…Sr. G Vincent McConnell was out again this past week against ND. McConnell also sat out the team’s last game (Sept. 18 vs. Indiana) for undisclosed reasons. |
| Clemson | Clemson…A number of players including but not limited to TE Braden Galloway, WRs Frank Ladson, Justyn Ross and EJ Williams are suffering from undisclosed injuries according to Dabo Swinney. |
| Coastal Carolina | Coastal Carolina…Star QB Grayson McCall was KO’d with a foot or ankle problem against ULM. McCall (80% completions, 1113 YP with a 11-1 ratio in 4½ games before the injury) was in a boot on the sidelines after going 13 of 13 against the Warhawks and then being removed. |
| Florida State | Florida State…HC Mike Norvell switched back to soph QB Jordan Travis as the starter against Syracuse and he was instrumental in the Seminoles collecting their first SU win of the season, throwing for 131 yds, and 2 TDs on 22 of 32 passing plus rushing 19 times for 113 yds. (5.9 ypc). RB Lawrance Toafili returned to limited action and had 1 carry for 3 yds. and 3 receptions for 12 yards against the Orange. |
| Georgia | Georgia…QB JT Daniels was held out of the Arkansas game due to a shoulder injury and was replaced by Stetson Bennett who just minded the store (7 of 11 passing, 72 yds., 0-0) while the Dawg defense did its thing (held Arkansas to 162 total yards and no points, while special teams contributed all the points Georgia would need. Bulldogs whipped the Hogs 37-0. |
| Hawaii | Hawaii…Rainbow Warriors upset Fresno State without the services of starting QB Chevan Cordeiro (1406 YP, 7 TDs), who was held out as a late scratch due to an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by frosh Brayden Schager who completed an unspectacular 11 of 27 passes for 116 yds., but 2 of the completions went for scores and he didn’t throw an interception. |
| Illinois | Illinois…RB Chase Brown returned after missing the Purdue game in a major way, rushing for a school-record 257 yds. against Charlotte, eclipsing Illini Hall of Fame alumni Red Grange’s mark. LB Seth Coleman (17 Ts, 1 sack TY) suffered a leg injury and was KO’d against Charlotte and star LB Jake Hansen missed his 2nd straight game vs. the 49ers. |
| Indiana | Indiana…Star QB Michael Penix, no stranger to injury problems, went down in a heap, was injured his throwing shoulder and had to leave the game against the Nittany Lions after completing 10 of 22 for 118 yds. with 0 TDs and an interception. He did not return, but the Hoosiers have a bye this week but then have to play Michigan State and Ohio State in the ensuing weeks. Jr. backup Jack Tuttle went 6 of 12 for 77 yds. with an interception in the 24-0 Penn State victory. WR DJ Matthews, one of the top targets early in the season, was previously lost with an ACL injury and now soph AA CB Tiawan Mullen was held out of the Penn State game due to a leg injury. The 2ndary was hurting before as CB Christopher Keys was also previously lost with a torn ACL and S Devon Matthews, CB Jaylin Williams (concussion; ready to return) have missed some games and CB Reese Taylor and S Raheem Layne were both left the Penn State contest injured. |
| Iowa | Iowa…FB Monte Pottebaum suffered what appeared to be a neck “stinger” as he scored his first TD of the season in the 2nd Q against Maryland, but he returned to the game in the 2nd half. Pottebaum, who is called upon only sparingly to carry the ball and is primarily a blocker, finished with 3 carries for 15 yards. Iowa QB Spencer Petras produced a tour de force performance with 3 TDs passing and 2 rushing in the 51-14 destruction of the Terrapins. |
| Kansas State | Kansas State…The Wildcats welcomed back starting QB Skylar Thompson against Oklahoma after he had missed the previous 2 games with injury. Thompson completed 29 of 41 passes for 320 yds. with 3 TDs and 0 interceptions. However, K-State was without backup QB Will Howard in that game. |
| Louisville | Louisville…QB Malik Cunningham was banged up and temporarily left the game after rushing the ball and was attended by trainers but returned a bit later to finish the game. Cards also might’ve lost RS frosh T Renato Brown (9 starts LY, 14 appearances L2Ys), who suffered a knee injury against Wake Forest. |
| LSU | LSU…WR Trey Palmer (12 catches, 142 yds., 2 TDs) left the Auburn game with a shoulder injury, but returned to action in that contest. |
| Maryland | Maryland…WR/KR Sr. Dontay Demus, the Big Ten’s leading receiver, was carted off in first half against Iowa after an awkward tackle on a KO return resulted in a fumble and, more importantly, a leg injury. That fumble was just one in a number of miscues the Terps made against the Hawkeyes Friday in the 51-14 defeat, including Terp QB Taulia Tagovailoa throwing 5 interceptions for the majority of the Maryland total of 7 turnovers (and 10 penalties, for good measure). |
| Miami Florida | Miami-Florida…QB D’Eriq King warmed up but then sat out the 30-28 loss to Virginia with a shoulder problem. He similarly missed the week before against C. Conn. St. with the injury and the absence was initially thought to be a precaution, but King ultimately couldn’t go against the Cavs. The Virginia loss was particularly bitter, as it slipped through Miami’s hands on the final play of the game, when frosh PK Andres Borregales missed a 33-yd. FG as time ran out. The Hurricanes were also without backup frosh QB Jake Garcia (listed as co-No. 2 with fellow frosh Tyler Van Dyke). Van Dyke started and completed 15 of 29 throws for 203 yds. with a TD and 0 ints., as well as rushing for a 24-yard TD in the 4th Q and then driving the team to the 16 to put Miami in position for the win except for the errant last-second FG. |
| Miami Ohio | Miami-Ohio…QB Brett Gabbert was KO’d against Central Michigan after throwing a pair of TD passes. Backup AJ Mayer finished the game, and tossed 2 TDs of his own to rally the RedHawks back from a 17-14 deficit to a 28-17 victory in the 4th Q. Mayer was 13 of 18 passing for 179 yds. with an int. along with the 2 TDs. |
| Mississippi | Mississippi…WR Jonathan Mingo, the team’s 2nd-leading receiver, missed the Alabama game with a broken foot and is out indefinitely. Ole Miss was stymied by the ‘Bama D and couldn’t handle the Tide running game as well. The offense gained just 291 total yards, by far the fewest gained since HC Lane Kiffin took the job at the beginning of last season. |
| Missouri | Missouri…DT Darius Robinson (a listed co-starter with sr. Kobie Whiteside) missed the Tennessee game for undisclosed reasons, and the Tigers were also without a couple of reserve WRs Mookie Cooper (10 recs.; foot) and Barrett Bannister (9 recs.; undisclosed). Wouldn’t have made a ton of difference as the Tigers were pummeled 62-24 and outgained 683-396. |
| New Mexico | New Mexico…WRs Andrew Erickson and Emmanuel Logan-Greene returned to action against Air Force and combined to make 3 receptions for 49 yards. |
| North Texas | North Texas…WR Tommy Bush (3 recs.) has been declared out for the season after a leg injury a few weeks ago, and WR Jyaire Shorter (6 recs.) will continue sidelined for a while with a serious, yet unnamed injury and is likely being set up to redshirt. Both were slated to be primary targets for Mean Green QBs Jace Ruder and Austin Aune this season. Instead soph Roderic Burns (25 catches) and sr. TE Jason Pirtle (13) are the pass catchers in what passes for an air game in Denton (team completing 49%). |
| Notre Dame | Notre Dame…QB Jack Coan (ankle injury), who split practice reps with backup Drew Pyne during the week, started against Cincinnati but was ineffective again (14 of 22 passing, 0 TD, 1 int.) and was pulled in favor of Pyne, who was even more inaccurate but did throw a TD pass. The Irish fell from the ranks of the undefeated with Cincy taking a 24-13 victory and knocking off ND. The Irish OL still not in great shape, as T/G Tosh Baker, who had been filling in for injured starters Fisher, Carmody and Bauman at various times this season, was held out against the Bearcats. On the plus side, Carmody returned from his sprained ankle against Cincy after sitting out against Purdue and Wisconsin. |
| Ohio State | Ohio State…QB CJ Stroud returned to action against Rutgers after resting his ailing shoulder the week before against Akron. Stroud exploded for 330 passing yards and 5 TDs against the Scarlet Knights. |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State…Jr. WR Braydon Johnson, the team’s top returning pass catcher, is through for the season after catching just one pass in the opener and then not playing again. OSU is also without anticipated starting SR. RB LD Brown, who was injured 2 weeks ago against K-State, for the foreseeable future with an undisclosed injury. Sr. Jaylen Warren carried 36 times for 125 yds. with 2 TDs and has now gained 466 yards in his last 3 games. Vet jr. S Tre Sterling underwent season-ending surgery and will be lost for the remainder of the season after playing in only 2 of the team’s first 4 games. Sterling had 74 tackles LY (2nd on the team) as well as a team-high 11½ TFLs. |
| Oregon | Oregon…Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead was not with the team last week against Stanford as he was being evaluated for a non-Covid health issue. The Duck offense was okay (although QB Anthony Brown couldn’t connect on a 4th-down OT pass, ceding Stanford a 31-24 OT decision. It was the Oregon D that let the team down, giving up a last-second Cardinal TD that allowed the Tree to tie the game and force the extra time. AA DE Kayvon Thibodeaux was ejected for targeting late in the 4th Q in the game and he will not be available for the first half of Oregon’s next game (Fri., Oct. 15 against Cal). |
| Purdue | Purdue…AA WR David Bell and leading RB King Doerue both returned to action in loss to Minnesota. Bell had 6 catches for 120 yards and Doerue had 21 carries for 95 yards as well as 6 receptions for 39 yards in the 20-13 setback at the hands of the Gophers. TE Payne Durham remained out in concussion protocol against Minny. |
| San Jose State | San Jose State…QB Nick Starkel (arm injury suffered vs. W. Michigan) was held out against New Mexico State because of an arm injury. Soph Nick Nash took over and completed a tidy 15 of 18 passes for 193 yards and 3 TDs with no ints., in the 37-31 victory over New Mexico State. |
| SMU | SMU…The Mustangs were without top RB Ulysses Bentley vs. USF Saturday for undisclosed reasons. Bentley was coming off a 20-carry, 153 YR game in leading a 42-24 victory at TCU but was unable to go against the Bulls. |
| South Florida | USF…Bulls RB Darrian Felix and slot receiver Bryce Miller were held out of 41-17 loss at SMU. |
| Stanford | Stanford…WR Bryce Tremayne suffered what appeared to be a season-ending lower leg injury in the OT win against Oregon. Tremayne has 20 catches for 245 yds. and 5 TDs this season. |
| Syracuse | Syracuse…TE Luke Benson (3 recs., 17 yds.) missed his 2nd game of the season against Liberty, warmed up against Florida State and should be ready for Wake Forest. WR Taj Harris, the leading pass catcher for Syracuse, has entered the transfer portal and is no longer associated with the team. |
| TCU | TCU…WR Quentin Johnston (12 recs., 170 yds., 2 TDs) hyperextended his knee and was forced out of the Texas loss in the first half and didn’t return. |
| Tennessee U | Tennessee…QB Joe Milton appeared much closer to 100% but was held out against Missouri. RB Jabari Small (No. 2 on the team in rushing yards with 232) was KO’d against Missouri with an undisclosed injury after carrying 3 times for 38 yards. |
| Texas | Texas…Top returning WR Joshua Moore (30 catches LY), but who had been limited to 7 recs. this season, turned an ankle in practice during the week but caught 3 short passes against TCU. Moore, now-unavailable frosh Troy Omeire (season-ending knee surgery) and soph Jake Smith (transferred) were the projected starting WRs coming out of spring. Soph Jordan Whittington led the team with 3 catches for 79 yds. and a TD, as the offense leaned even more heavily on the run, with star RB Bijan Robinson carrying 35 times for 216 yds. and 2 TDs and catching a pair of passes for 22 more yards in the 32-27 victory at TCU. CB Josh Thompson missed the TCU victory with a concussion suffered in practice. |
| Texas Tech | Texas Tech…RB Tahj Brooks (296 YR, 4 TD, 8.5 ypc 1st 3 games) remained sidelined with a leg injury that kept him out against West Virginia. The Red Raiders were without star WR Erik Ezukanma (team-high 23 catches for 407 yds. and TT QBs Henry Colombi and Tyler Shough’s favorite target) who did not make the trip (undisclosed). |
| Tulsa | Tulsa…The team’s 2nd-leading rusher, RB Deneric Prince (261 YR, 5.6 ypc, 2 TDs), was held out against Houston Friday for undisclosed reasons after he was battered against Arkansas St. in the previous game. |
| UAB | UAB…QB Tyler Johnston, who was pulled out of the North Texas game Sept. 18 and then didn’t play at Tulane is out indefinitely for an undisclosed reason allegedly not related to an injury. Johnson had been pulled in favor of soph Dylan Hopkins, who has completed 41 of 65 passes on the season for 653 yds. with a 7-2 ratio. |
| UL Lafayette | Louisiana Lafayette…Ragin’ Cajuns took a pair of hits to the OL depth when starting LT Carlos Rubio was declared out for the season after being injured against Ga. Southern, and backup T Jax Harrington was similarly declared out with a lower body injury. Louisiana also lost PK Kenneth Almendares (9 for 10 FGs, 37-38 PATs L1+ seasons) to an undisclosed injury. The backup PK, Nate Snyder, missed half his FGs and 2 PATs LY. |
| UTEP | UTEP…Top RB Quardraiz Wadley (1080 YR, 4.7 ypc over the past 4 years) who appeared in 3 games this season with 14 carries for 76 YR, was not right again and sat out against Old Dominion. |
| Virginia | Virginia…PK Justin Duenkel (4 of 6 FGs TY) wasn’t available against Miami after injuring himself late in the Wake Forest loss. The Cavs were also without starting sr. S De’Vante Cross (undisclosed), TE Jelani Woods (foot), DE Adeeb Atariwa (undisclosed) for the improbable win against the Hurricanes. |
| Washington State | Washington State…Starting QB Jayden de Laura returned to the starting lineup against Cal and went 25 of 41 passing for 219 yds. with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions. However, backup and sometime starter Jarrett Guarantano was unavailable due to an undisclosed absence. |
| Western Michigan | Western Michigan…G Jacob Gideon hurt his knee against Buffalo and didn’t return. Gideon is a frosh who is the only new starter this year on the Bronco frontline and his replacement is RS jr. Trevor Campbell. |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin…QB Graham Mertz and TE Jake Ferguson were both KO’d with chest injuries against Michigan. Mertz, who was hospitalized and released, has been a terrible disappointment this season, but remained the starter against the Wolverines, and Ferguson was 2nd on the team with 13 catches this season. Backup Chase Wolf was just 3 of 8 passing for 52 yds. with a TD and an interception in relief. Soph LB Leo Chenal, who was the 2nd-leading tackler for the Badgers last season, made 8 stops against ND the previous week after missing the beginning of the season with Covid. Chenal was the Badgers’ 2nd leading tackler against Michigan with 12. |