The college football schedule for Week 3 was sparse on paper, but everyone should know by now that the sport always delivers, no matter what roster it’s on. Two top 15 teams failed on a day full of poor performances from the top teams. We even witnessed the FCS’s first upset of the season against Power Five, as Sacramento State welcomed former coach Troy Taylor with a win over his Stanford team.
There were also upsets in the rest of the team. Miami (Ohio) defeated Cincinnati in overtime, while Ohio defeated Iowa State. BYU beat Arkansas on the road, while Syracuse beat Purdue by two touchdowns. UNLV even picked up its first win over an SEC opponent since 2001 after shocking Vanderbilt 40-37.
Additionally, Alabama’s struggles have quietly taken over college football. A week after losing to No. 4 Texas, the Crimson Tide had a lackluster performance against South Florida, which hasn’t won an FBS game since October 23, 2021. College football is changing before our eyes.
Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers of Week 3, including some national championship contenders who fell far short of expectations in preseason games.
Loser: Alabama’s offense
Some fans wanted Jalen Milroe at quarterback. Others were fans of Ty Simpson. Tyler Buchner joined the conversation and took the first snaps in Week 3. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because Alabama’s offense is completely flawed.
With Milroe on the bench, Simpson and Buchner combined for just 107 yards on 23 attempts against a South Florida team that ranked 130th in total defense a year ago. Alabama’s running game found some opportunities but barely averaged 5 yards per carry against the Bulls. The offense is constantly struggling with mistakes and misjudgments.
The Tide were ranked third early in the season due to Nick Saban’s reputation. After three games, it’s clear that Alabama has little chance of legitimate SEC competition with offensive solutions nowhere on the roster.
Winner: Missouri
The Eli Drinkwitz era at Missouri was notable for coming up short against tough opponents. The Tigers have won two-thirds of games against unranked opponents under Drinkwitz, but were 0-8 against teams ranked higher than No. 25 in the AP Top 25 … until Saturday.
Behind the leg of “Thicker Kicker” Harrison Mevis, the Tigers scored a 61-yard field goal as time expired to shock No. 15 Kansas State. The Wildcats defeated Mizzou 40-12 in last year’s matchup. KSU has generally outperformed Missouri by a wide margin over the last decade – twice as much since former Tigers coach Gary Pinkel retired.
However, Drinkwitz finally has a big win to sell. This was Missouri’s first win over a top-15 opponent since 2019, and the Tigers celebrated by bringing in one of the best players in the state of Kansas on the recruiting trail. Winning such matchups will be crucial for Missouri to secure a spot in the SEC going forward.
Loser: title contender
The top four teams in the AP Top 25 played on Saturday. Nobody showed anything positive. No. 1 Georgia trailed by 11 points at halftime against South Carolina. No. 2 Michigan led Bowling Green by just one point until the third quarter. No. 3 Florida State gave Boston College a late comeback and nearly won the game. No. 4 Texas trailed Wyoming 10-10 until the fourth quarter. Overall, the top four teams fell behind their respective lines by 65 points.
Admittedly, the issues are not centralized at the top. No. 7 Penn State allowed Illinois to hang on far too long with a 30-13 victory. Alabama made a breakthrough against South Florida. No. 11 Tennessee fell in embarrassing fashion. Viewed from the top of the game, no one looks untouchable. Could this lead to a truly unpredictable season?
Loser: Tennessee
Any hope that Tennessee could repeat its magical 2022 season appears to be completely off the table after it was destroyed by a lackluster Florida squad. After blocking a 46-yard field goal on their first drive, the Vols allowed four straight touchdown drives against the Gators in the first half, including one set up by a bad interception.
Milton’s stats — 20 of 34 for 287 yards and two touchdowns — aren’t brutal, but they mask the inaccuracy and lack of cohesion that continued throughout the night. The sixth-grader completed less than 60% of his passes and six drives ended in either punts or turnovers on downs.
The game against FCS Austin Peay with a score of 30-13 was an indication that there will be massive structural problems for the Volunteers in 2023. A crushing loss to a Florida team with a two-touchdown loss of their own on the record could put the Vols in a lot of trouble and find themselves way out of the AP Top 25. Surely any real national title ambitions disappear from the table.
Winner: Michael Penix Jr.
On a day when many of the nation’s top programs struggled, you have to give credit to Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. for raining hellfire early and often. Penix had an incredible first half, throwing for 375 yards and four touchdowns to secure a dominant 41-7 win over future Big Ten foe Michigan State. Penix averaged 13.5 yards per pass attempt and fielded three receivers with at least 96 yards.
Since the start of the 2022 season, Penix has thrown for nearly 6,000 yards, more than any other quarterback in college football. The Huskies are quietly 14-2 in that span, winning twice under Kalen DeBoer against Texas, Oregon, Oregon State and Michigan State. After an impressive 3-0 start, Washington deserves to be ranked among the top tier of college football programs.
Loser: The Big 12
At one point, the Big 12 looked like a deep conference from top to bottom, with plenty of teams good enough to achieve national prominence. After three weeks, the league has reneged on its agreement. No. 15 Kansas State found itself on the wrong end of Mevis’ 61-yard kick. Iowa State dropped a clunker against Ohio. Texas was tied for three quarters against Wyoming.
The worst may have happened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where South Alabama embarrassed Oklahoma State 33-7. The Cowboys went scoreless until the fourth quarter and allowed 243 yards to beat a Sun Belt opponent. Cincinnati also failed with a 31:24 defeat against Miami (Ohio) a week after beating Pittsburgh. Baylor needed a late attempt to pull away from FCS Long Island.
Granted, a handful of Big 12 teams emerged victorious. BYU came from behind and shocked Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. No. 19 Oklahoma cruised against Tulsa. However, only one Big 12 coach emerged as a big winner on Saturday…
Winner: West Virginia coach Neal Brown
Few coaches in college football needed a big moment more than West Virginia coach Neal Brown. Five years into his career in Morgantown, West Virginia, Brown was desperate for a special moment. He finally has one after the Mountaineers defeated rival Pitt in the first Morgantown iteration of the Backyard Brawl since 2011.
Despite losing quarterback Garrett Greene in the first quarter, Brown relied on a physical running game that accounted for 164 yards on 37 carries between running backs CJ Donaldson and Jaylen Anderson. Backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol only needed to throw nine passes, including a go-ahead touchdown, for the win.
There are many aspects of this game that will not be repeated in the future. The Mountaineers forced four turnovers. Pitt threw for 81 yards. What should remain, however, is the feeling that West Virginia can win with physicality. Being 2-1 heading into Big 12 play gives Brown new life.
Loser: UAB
The Blazers were quietly one of the most consistent programs in the Group of Five under coach Bill Clark, winning 68% of their games after returning as a program before Clark had to retire due to health reasons. Unfortunately, the magic didn’t carry over to first-year coach Trent Dilfer, who UAB hired to try to emulate the Deion Sanders effect. In two FBS games, the Blazers were beaten 90-56 by Georgia Southern and Louisiana. The stretch marks the first time since 2019 that UAB has lost consecutive games by multiple points. Suddenly, the program’s transition to the AAC looks daunting. Oh, and by the way, the Blazers travel to No. 1 Georgia next week.
Winner: Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz
The explosive Iowa offense people have been dreaming of is finally here. The Hawkeyes cruised to a 41-10 victory over Western Michigan after a 27-0 run in the second half. Running back Leshon Williams recorded 145 yards rushing, the best performance by an Iowa rusher since November 5, 2022. Most importantly, Iowa has surpassed the 25 points per game plateau Ferentz needs to return in 2024. The Hawkeyes are leading the way, averaging 28.3 points per game.