Week 2 recap:

Although week two of the young college football season may have seemed uneventful, there were some games that deserve recognition.

Everything went according to plan for the top 7 teams in the country as Alabama, USC, LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida State, and Georgia all cruised to victory.

The same can’t be said for #8 Arkansas who was upset by Louisiana-Monroe in overtime.  Louisiana-Monroe rallied back from a 21-7 deficit at halftime.  They also accumulated 550 total yards compared to Arkansas who only totaled 377 yards.

Michigan State kept the train rolling with a 41-7 win over Central Michigan. Le’Veon Bell didn’t go over 200 yards.  In fact he didn’t even go over 100 yards, but he did add 2 touchdowns to the beat down.

Tajh Boyd kept Clemson rolling as well as they took down Ball State down with ease in a 52-27 victory.  Boyd threw for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns keeping his case as a possible Heisman candidate in tact.

Wisconsin had a very disappointing road loss to Oregon State in what many thought should have been a fairly easy win.  Ohio State was less than impressive in their 31-16 victory of UCF even though Braxton Miller did have 3 rushing touchdowns along with a passing touchdown.

Virginia Tech looked like Virginia Tech in a 42-7 rout over Austin Peay and Texas destroyed New Mexico.  Arizona upset Oklahoma State a week after they put up 84 points.

Michigan upset fans again by squeaking by Air Force.  However, Denard Robinson threw for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns, and rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns.  Kansas State put a beat down on Miami, 52-13 and Florida took down Texas A&M 20-17 in Texas A&M’s SEC debut.

Although, it wasn’t as exciting as week one, it was still an exciting weekend of football, and as week three comes along there should be quite a few good games that could shake up the national championship discussions.

Once the Heisman Trophy winner was announced the discussions began for the favorites for the next season.  As we approach the upcoming season it is a good time to take a look at the early favorites.

The Favorites (Alphabetical Order):

Montee Ball, Senior, Running Back, Wisconsin:
Ball rushed for 1,923 yards, and 33 touchdowns while adding 306 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns giving him a total of 39 touchdowns for the season tying Barry Sanders record. Ball will be carrying the offensive load with the departure of Russell Wilson.  The Badgers also will have a new offensive line, but that shouldn’t worry Ball as Wisconsin always seems to have one of the best offensive lines in the country. The stats he put up a season ago are going to be very difficult to repeat, but he should be able to have another great season and be a potential finalist for the Heisman.

Matt Barkley, Senior, Quarterback, USC:
Barkley is by far the best quarterback coming into this season.  Barkley is a complete quarterback and would have been the second overall pick in the NFL draft had he decided to leave school early.  However, the NFL teams will be lining up for him after this season.  Barkley threw for 3,528 yards with 39 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions.  The Heisman Trophy could be sitting there waiting for him as he is the clear favorite.  The Trojans did not lose many players to the draft and they will be returning Robert Woods who was Barkley’s favorite receiver hauling in 111 catches last season as a sophomore.

Marcus Lattimore, Junior, Running Back, South Carolina:
Lattimore is an interesting candidate for the Heisman as he is going to be bouncing back from a knee injury that ended his year last season.  Lattimore rushed for 818 yards and 10 touchdowns before his season ending injury.  He is the most talented running back in the SEC and possibly the entire country.  The offense of the Gamecocks will run through him and if he comes back 100% and remains healthy he could see himself in New York as a Heisman finalist.

Aaron Murray, Junior, Quarterback, Georgia:
Coming off a great sophomore season throwing for 3,149 yards with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions Murray is set to be the best quarterback in the SEC this coming season.  The Bulldogs could be serious contenders for the national title this season because of Murray.  He is a very talented quarterback and he has experience since this will be his third season as Georgia’s starter.  If Murray continues to improve he could be not only a Heisman finalist, but a hot NFL prospect as well.

Denard Robinson, Senior, Quarterback, Michigan:
Back to back 2,000 yard passing and 1,000 yard rushing seasons have Denard Robinson as the top contender to beat Matt Barkley.  He his electric and creates havoc for opposing defenses.  Michigan is returning a number of starters and they look to be favorites for the Legends Division in the Big Ten with possible National Championship discussions.  Denard Robinson looks to complete his career with both a Heisman and National Championship.

Geno Smith, Senior, Quarterback, West Virginia:
Smith’s 407 yard and 6 touchdown performance in the Orange Bowl victory against Clemson put his mark in the Heisman discussion.  He threw for 4,385 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 7 interceptions last season.  Geno Smith has the Mountaineers back in the National Championship discussions.  He also has a talented receiving group returning which creates an arsenal of weapons for him to succeed and potentially win the Heisman Trophy.

On the Outside Looking In:

Tajh Boyd, Junior, Quarterback, Clemson

Rex Burkhead, Senior, Running Back, Nebraska

Landry Jones, Senior, Quarterback, Oklahoma

Logan Thomas, Senior, Quarterback, Virginia Tech

Robert Woods, Junior, Wide Receiver, USC

The Heisman Trophy race this season is set to be a great one.  There are a number of potential contenders that have not been named and the greatest thing about sports is that they are unpredictable.  So as we can discuss the favorites, it is unknown what will happen during the season.

College Sports Feed’s Preseason Top 25 continues this week, and as the numbers get lower, the competition gets fiercer and the teams have greater chances of playoff contention. Here to kick off Week 2 is:

20. Stanford

“While the departure of #1 overall NFL draft pick Andrew Luck will definitely hurt Stanford this fall, head coach David Shaw picked up right where Jim Harbaugh left off, not only with the team’s performance, but also in recruiting. Despite Stanford’s elite academic standards, they fielded a top 5 recruiting class last year, and they will give Pac 12 foes fits again in 2012. With a ton of weapons gone at Oregon, look for the Cardinal to make a serious run at the Pac 12 North Title.”

Jeff Dunbar, CSF Senior Editor

“Stanford has proved in the last couple of seasons that they aren’t simply a school known for their academics. They have shown that they can play football as well. I don’t think that they will do anything extremely amazing during this season like make it into the top 10, but I do expect them to do well in the rest of the polls. I think that in the next few years they have the potential to really be good but they are still working on it this season.”

Allie Balog, CSF Associate Editor

19. Texas

“After underachieving since their National Championship appearance in the 2009 season, the Longhorns look to return to form in 2012. Sophomore QB David Ash will enter the season as the starter after showing promise during his first year in Austin. He will have help in the backfield with the RB duo of Malcolm Brown, a former 5-star recruit, and Jonathan Gray, the top ranked freshman RB in the country.”

Anthony Manzella, CSF Writer/Contributor

“After a rough 5-7 season in 2011, Texas is looking to rebound and be a much stronger force in 2012. David Ash will be the day 1 quarterback with Case McCoy right behind him. They have the number 1 ranked freshman running back in Jonathan Gray, according to the ESPN 150.”

Garrett Mayers, CSF Writer/Contributor

18. Clemson

“Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins put up a ton of offense last season. The only problem was that their defense was gashed against any decent offense they faced, ranking 81^st in points allowed in 2011. Unless the defense improves dramatically, look for the Tigers to finish behind Florida State in the Atlantic Division in 2012.”

Jeff Dunbar, CSF Senior Editor

“Their toughest matchup may be against South Carolina, but with Brent Venables joining the coaching staff, they have just as much competition as Oklahoma did when they had him. They may not immediately be looked at as a BCS Championship contender, but they can definitely make a run and will hopefully finish with a higher winning record.”

Elizabeth Garabedian, CSF Writer/Contributor

17. Ohio State

“The Buckeyes enter this season after a very disappointing 6-7 season in 2011. Urban Meyer presents a breath of fresh air and a new look on offense that Buckeye fans have never seen with past coaches. Meyer already has taken recruiting by storm. Although they have to replace a few leaders, Braxton Miller showed some great flashes last season of what he could do in the spread offense. The bowl ban will sting this season, but they will definitely be playing with a purpose and have a very bright future under Urban Meyer.”

Garrett Mayers, CSF Writer/Contributor

“Good ol’ Ohio State. It’s plain and simple with them. They are out to prove that they are better than they were last season and that regardless of the NCAA restrictions that have been placed on them that they can be great. They have a new coach and a crop of new players. It’s time for this team to show what they are really made of and that they aren’t a team that is willing to be stomped on.”

Allie Balog, CSF Associate Editor

16. Nebraska

“Although Taylor Martinez had only 57.4 percent of his passes completed, with enough practice, he can easily build that up in the off-season. And with receivers looking deeper into more dynamic plays and covering more ground, Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers may be on their way to a Big Ten title game.”

Elizabeth Garabedian, CSF Writer/Contributor

“Bo Pelini may be feeling pressure in Lincoln, but the Cornhuskers will remain competitive for the fourth time in his four years as head coach. QB Taylor Martinez should continue to play better and 1,300-yard rusher Rex Burkhead will provide a sensational option in the backfield. The defense will be solid once again, and will face competition early and often within their conference schedule. Look for Nebraska to contend for a championship in the tough Big 10.”

Anthony Manzella, CSF Writer/Contributor

Sorry for the delay, folks….we generally like to get this recap up before the following week’s games are set to begin.  I have a good excuse, though.  I didn’t return from ASU until Sunday night, and I think my liver is somewhere back on Mill Ave, so if any folks in Tempe see it, please let me know.  Now, on to last weeks recap.

Stanford at USC…Hopefully, you took the over:  If you like offense, you had to have loved this one.  504 total points, 948 total yards and three TD passes a piece for future first rounders Matt Barkley and Andrew Luck.  In the end, Stanford was able to create a critical turnover, forcing and recovering a fumble in the end zone during the epic battle in LA.  The win kept Stanford in the national title hunt and sets the table for a huge match up on November 12th, when the Cardinal play host to Oregon, which will determine who plays in the Pac 12 Championship Game.

 Michigan State dominated in Lincoln:  Nebraska, whose defense has been suspect in big games this season, held Sparty to 187 total yards and suffocated the MSU passing game, holding them to a measly 86 yards.  The Huskers’ victory has set up a wild finish for the Big Ten, and they got help from Wisconsin, who lost their second straight game last weekend to Ohio State.  The Big Red made their official statement last weekend–they plan on getting to the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game.

Clemson falls:  The ACC’s last hope at any respect in the college football world came to a screeching halt last weekend as the Tigers were gashed for 383 rushing yards against Georgia Tech.  The bigger story is that sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd, who was among the leaders in nearly every statistical offensive category, was held to a humbling 23-40 passing for 295 yards with one TD and two picks.  Luckily for Clemson, they have defeated Florida State head to head and the ‘Noles already have two losses in the conference.  They should still be in the ACC Championship, but any outside shot at a BCS title game is long gone.

 OU makes a statement:  The worst thing that could have happened to Kansas State in their miracle season was Oklahoma losing a game.  That happened two weekends ago against Texas Tech, so the Sooners were not in a good mood when they showed up in Manhattan to take on the Wildcats.  KSU is still a great story, but the Sooners made it a short story last weekend.  QB Landry Jones and the plethora of wideouts on the OU roster tore through the Kansas State secondary all day.  When the dust settled, Jones had  505 yards passing and 5 TDs, and Ryan Broyles continued his quest for the Biletnekoff Award by hauling in 14 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown.

 Last but certainly not least…..Arizona State doesn’t disappoint:  The game ended up being a side note, as the Sun Devils smoked Colorado 48-14 on their homecoming day.  ASU had a balanced attack on offense, but the rest of the college football world needs to take notice of the nastiest defensive player in college football–Vontaze Burfict.  I have seen a lot of football, but not since Ray Lewis have I seen a single player intimidate and control a football game the way he did.  Sure, it was against a one-win Colorado team, but this kid is special and will continue to dominate in the NFL.  The game, periled in comparison to the tailgating and Mill Ave–on Halloween weekend no less!  I still have a headache, but it was sooooo worth it.  We’ll see you again soon, ASU!

CSF breaks down a wild week of the week that was. Week 8 had its share of upsets and surprises. Check it out, as CSF takes a look at five key highlights.

Bye-bye BCS Championship: Two teams that were not only expected to win their conferences, but also have a shot at a BCS National Championship saw their hopes flash before their eyes last weekend.  Wisconsin–who needed a lot of help to get to a title game anyway, due to their weak out of conference schedule–lost on the last play of the game at Michigan State.  Sparty presented a defensive front that the Badgers hadn’t seen in their marquee match ups like South Dakota and UNLV didn’t quite have.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Sooners saw their hopes of a BCS title and the nation’s longest home winning streak (39 games) dash away at the hands of Tommy Tuberville’s Texas Tech squad.  Usually, when the Sooners lose a game they should easily win, it is because of poor QB play, but not this time.  Landry Jones was sharp, throwing for 412 yards and 5 TDs, but the Sooner defense was scorched by TT quarterback Seth Doege for five touchdowns of his own (4 passing, 1 rushing).  The Sooners will need a lot of help, including a win at Oklahoma State in December to sneak back into the BCS Championship.

Kansas State continues to roll: In the “Where did they come from” category, the Kansas State Wildcats improved to 7-0 last weekend as they play host to a pivotal match up this weekend against a thoroughly ticked off Oklahoma squad.  You can’t say enough about head coach Bill Snyer who has brought this program from the brink twice now.  How have the Wildcats come back from the depths of the FBS in such a short amount of time?  The answer…the running game–on both sides of the ball.  KSU ranks 19th in the nation in rushing offense at 213 yards per game, and they are 13th in rushing defense, holding opponents to just 93 yards a game.

Tajh Boyd getting some Heisman hype: Clemson keeps winning, and their quarterback continues to be the major reason why.  The sophomore QB has passed for 2,379 yards with a whopping 24 touchdown passes with only 3 interceptions.  Compare those numbers to Heisman front-runner Andrew Luck who has 1,888 yards and 20 TDs with 3 picks as well.  Luck has played one less game, but Boyd has 4 more TDs on the ground, compared to Luck’s one, and Clemson has faced a much more competitive schedule.  Luck, without question, belongs in New York at season’s end, but it’s time to give Boyd his due, as well.

A legitimate “Game of the Century” officially set: As expected Alabama and LSU rolled to huge victories last weekend, and each team has a bye weekend to prepare for the much anticipated Nov. 5 match up between these two powerhouses in Tuscaloosa.  The “Game of the Century” cliche is so overused in college football, but this one actually fits the bill.  Hope you like defense because this game has easily the best two defenses in the country.  Bama and LSU are ranked #1 and #3 in scoring defense and total defense.  Year to date, Bama is ranked #1 against the run, giving up just over 44 yards rushing a game.  LSU isn’t too shabby, either, as they rank #4 against the run with only 76 yards rushing per contest.  All eyes in the college football world will certainly be on this game, and the winner will be the clear-cut favorite to bring home the BCS Title.

Another Big 12 Little Brother is taking his ball and leaving: Texas A&M confirmed earlier this season that it will, indeed, make the move to the SEC, and last week, Mizzou laid all the necessary ground work to bolt for the best conference in college football as well.  If you’re in Columbia, don’t worry about cleaning up any ticker-taped parades.  The Tigers only won one–count it, one–Big 12 championship in any of their sports, and that did not come in football.  Had they been in the Big 12 South instead of the weak North division, they wouldn’t have even sniffed a shot at a Big 12 title.  In the end, the money the SEC brings is too much to turn away, but Mizzou will quickly find out that their mouths were bigger than their stomachs.  Competing in the SEC will likely bury them into obscurity much faster than it took head coach Gary Pinkel to get them into the top 25 in the first place.

Week 5 of college football is officially in the books, and we had several bigtime match ups, the results of which have given us a clearer picture of who is legit and who isn’t. CSF breaks down last weekend’s action in our weekly College Football Recap.

Russell Wilson has officially thrown his hat into the Heisman race: The knock on the Badgers going into last weekend’s bigtime match up against Nebraska was that they hadn’t played anyone of substance yet. No one, however, argued the fact that Wilson had been lights out–he entered the weekend with 11 TDs and only one pick. Although he may not rip off as many highlight reel plays as Denard Robinson or Robert Griffin III, consistency is the name of the game, and Wilson has been consistent ever since he started his college football career at NC State. Wilson made critical play after critical play on Saturday night and led the Badgers to a convincing 48-17 victory to open conference play. On the year, he is completing just under 75% of his passes for 13 TDs and just one interception. He has also added two rushing TDs as well. The forced transfer from NC State head coach Tom O’Brien may have been the best thing for Wilson, who now has a shot at a BCS title and a Heisman…neither of which would have been on the table had he stayed in Raleigh.

Bama imposes their will: The highly anticipated clash between Nick Saban’s defense and Charlie Weis’ offense turned out to be all hype with zero substance. The Crimson Tide held Florida’s speedy backfield tandem of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey to a measly 8 yards rushing on their way to a 38-10 rout in the Swamp. The Bama defense is holding opponents to less than 40 yards rushing per game, which is the tops in the FBS. They also rank first in scoring defense, they are #3 in total defense and #5 in passing defense.

Clemson passes another big test: Although the Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins connection was held in check for the first time this season, it was the Clemson defense that took care of business as the Tigers passed their first road test at Virginia Tech 23-3. And here is a name for all the folks that are already taking a peak at the 2012 NFL Draft–Dwayne Allen. The junior is the best TE in the nation and has presented match up problems for every defense the Tigers have faced. He currently has 291 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Dabo Swinney’s team has now beaten three ranked teams in three consecutive weeks.

Andrew Luck lights up UCLA: The most NFL-ready quarterback from last year’s class shocked everyone when he announced that he would play his senior season at Stanford. While other college football players may have more flash, Luck has led the Cardinal to one of the most quiet 4-0 starts in recent memory. The signal caller shredded the Bruin defense last weekend, going 23-27 for 227 yards and three touchdowns. A bye week in week 4 and a pretty weak schedule has kept Luck’s stats under the radar, but when the dust settles, he will be one of the last men standing in the Heisman race.

Ohio State hasn’t earned any free tattoos this year: The Buckeyes were expected to struggle a bit through the first few games because of the suspensions from last year, but very few people would have thought they would be 3-2. The quarterback play simply hasn’t been there for OSU, and it is about to get much worse. The meat of Big Ten schedule has now arrived, with the Buckeyes traveling to Nebraska, a surprising Illinois team and playing host to Big Ten favorite Wisconsin. If things don’t change fast, OSU could easily be 3-5 going into November. Those kinds of results won’t even cover the most basic body piercing.

Image courtesy of thexlog.com