Sports

College football Week 3 highlights - leading plays, games, takeaways

.David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the College of Delaware.If college regulation football were an animation, there would've been actually an instant final December, after the committee brushed off an undefeated Fla Condition team from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly've ended this was as negative as things can obtain, all while unconsciously standing up beneath a piano perilously being actually uplifted to a 20th-floor window.Of course, after Florida State fell to Norvell's former school, Memphis, 20-12 on Saturday, it is actually totally achievable the Seminoles will like the piano to reality.Nine months back, Florida Condition had the world's sympathy-- a minimum of the parts of the globe that don't chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at weddings, memorial services as well as youngsters's celebrations. It was actually simple to just like that staff. It was actually a team that dealt with more challenging after losing QB Jordan Travis, that offered all it must maintain succeeding, that skipped its shot at the playoff certainly not due to its personal blunders however as a result of the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is no compassion. There is merely an odd mix of pity, frustration and black humor, like splashing a cocktail down the front of your pants.The named beneficiary of the committee's choice was Alabama, and also traits can possess easily switched towards a hopeless 2024 for the Trend, too. They lost their playoff game, waved bye-bye to the best trainer in the sporting activity's background, at that point viewed a departure of players in to the gateway, consisting of 5 that left for Tallahassee.And however, on the very same day Florida Condition struck a brand-new nadir, Alabama flexed the very same muscular tissue it therefore often carried out under Scar Saban, annihilating Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown efficiency from Jalen Milroe.In a much more merely planet, Florida State might possess made a little excellent fate after the indignity of its own playoff snub. In an extra reasonable globe, Alabama might, merely as soon as, be actually given a poor hand.But university volleyball has verified, again and again, it does not love justness, but it performs possess one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Tide came to acquire down.Alabama players dive about in the course of Dive Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And also in Tallahassee, Florida State prepares to stuff it up as well as pack it in.For Alabama, the roster turn over only clearance for brand new celebrities, like freshman receiver Ryan Williams, that captured 4 receptions for 78 backyards as well as a goal in Sunday's gain. Williams is actually just 17-- born just 7 months before Saban trained his 1st video game at Alabama, certainly not outdated sufficient to also don't forget there was a time something like an 0-3 start would be actually unbelievable at Fla State.For FSU, there is actually no crystal clear course onward. DJ Uiagalelei has been dreadful, the ground activity has rounded up little, the annoying line that was expected otherwise be actually a durability obtained manhandled through a Group of 5 system, and the self defense, which played its own ideal video game Sunday, still hases plenty of gaps. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to extract from this unpleasant beginning to the season is it might possess decreased the course's media valuation enough that it can easily leave the ACC for a typical leave cost and some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there might be an affordable debate concerning the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama and Fla Condition. On Saturday, during business rests of the Trend's clunk of Wisconsin, it was actually achievable to flip between adds for "9-1-1: Lone Star" including a massive learn derailment and also an FSU activity including an even more scary train wreck.To witness what's happened Fla State while due to the fact that the committee supplied its judgment is challenging to comprehend, an avalanche of ceaseless agony generally reserved for "Viewed" films or minor weather condition problems at LAX.But it deserves taking into consideration how utterly incomprehensible it is actually for Alabama to become right here, as well-- 3-0 along with a roadway succeed in Big Ten nation simply months after Saban's departure. Alabama has been the style for continual effectiveness for a production, and that consistency was usually credited to Saban's relentlessness. But also he connected with a factor through which it was actually opportunity for one thing brand-new, and also but Alabama goes on plugging along-- one dominant win after an additional, as dependable as the sunrise.None of this particular is actually verification the board got its own decision straight, naturally. That was final season-- a various group, a different opportunity. However it is actually verification that in this disorderly sporting activity, greatness is short lived as well as option usually brushes past like a Fla State linebacker missing a tackle at free throw line of scrimmage.And also at an area like Alabama, a system that has actually stood certainly against the winds of modification for 16 years right now, it's always better to cherish the benefits while you have them. Considering that if there's anything our team've gained from watching Florida State these past 9 months it's this: It may consistently obtain worse.Jump to: LSU makes it through|Ambiance switches|Arizona's trendiest staff The very first 56 minutes of Saturday's game versus South Carolina was actually much coming from positive for LSU.A series of special groups gaffes, pair of turnovers as well as some major operates through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers playing catchup usually. South Carolina leapt out to a 24-10 top, viewed LSU take ahead for a while in the fourth quarter, after that saw Spacecraft Sanders burst for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block refuses LSU punt, sets up South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks out the LSU punt, which sets up a Raheim Sanders goal to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than 4 mins to participate in, LSU tracked by 4, and Brian Kelly had actually undergone all 6 phases of despair: Irritation, indignation, violence, anger, asking to contact the manager and, finally, considering the implementation his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the saving along with his 29-yard conclusion to Kyren Lacy to start a 55-yard touchdown ride to put LSU up 36-33. South Carolina possessed one final crack at the win, attempting a 49-yard basket as time expired, however it skipped, offering Kelly an opportunity to commemorate a hard-earned succeed prior to going back to his workplace to check out movie and howl right into a pillow.Week 3 atmosphere shiftsTrending down: Completing all your throwsThe excellent news for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every elapsed he included Michigan's 28-18 gain Arkansas Condition on Saturday was actually caught.The problem is actually, 3 of all of them were seen by Arkansas Condition players.So, below's where our experts are with the standing up for champs: After decades revolving via a slide carousel of quarterbacks who won their setting through finding a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually managed to 2 times of J.J. McCarthy and believed perhaps factors had changed completely. Instead, Warren is balancing 6.1 yards-per-pass with 2 touchdowns and six picks by means of three games.Now, USC performs deck upcoming full week, as well as Michigan is actually left trying to find a response in between Warren or even Alex Orji or even to hope there is actually another QB stowed away in Jim Harbaugh's abandoned locker behind those boxes tagged "signs for each enemy, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's scenario for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown push that ate 9:31 off the appear the 4th one-fourth Friday night, and also UNLV upset Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' second sway an Electrical power 4 opponent already this period after discarding Houston in the opener. Exactly how impressive is actually that? Getting Into Sunday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was actually the only various other Team of 5 win over an electrical power event foe.Like along with anything in Vegas, it is actually a little skill and also a bunch of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow creates crazy fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka screws up the round, yet somehow UNLV maintains possession after the ball styles a number of Kansas players' hands.Still, it is actually secure to state Barry Odom possesses the Rebels reaching the top at the right time, along with UNLV's purchases sound to the growing Pac-12 currently looking fairly tough: A large market, a really good crew, and accessibility to myriad all-night smorgasbords. At that point all Odom needs to have to carry out is take that Pac-12 payment in potato chips, bet all of it on dark on a single roulette twist, double down pair of or even 3 more opportunities, and upsurge-- UNLV is actually having fun with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sun DevilsA year back, Arizona was actually the beloved of the university regulation football globe after a frisking 10-3 time, while Arizona Condition was a laughing inventory compelled to begin a carolers of battling quarterbacks probably featuring a married couple fellas they located waiting outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a difference a year makes.Arizona swayed goodbye to move coach Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, as well as opened this period along with two unimpressive draw New Mexico and Northern Arizona prior to being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst repulsive functionality because being locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sun Devils, however, discovered a QB in Sam Leavitt as well as are actually riding high after discontinuing Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, starting 3-0 for the very first time due to the fact that 2019. Arizona Condition is the shock group of 2024 up until now (unless you count negative unpleasant surprises, which Florida State hopes you do not), and also Dillingham's turn-around of a system left behind in shambles after the Herm Edwards period finished specifically as everybody claimed it will.