Sports

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

.David Hale, ESPN Workers WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege soccer reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the College of Delaware.If university regulation football were an anime, there would've been actually a moment last December, after the board brushed off an undefeated Florida State staff from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly've concluded this was actually as bad as factors could possibly get, all while unwittingly standing up below a piano perilously being elevated to a 20th-floor window.Of course, after Fla Condition was up to Norvell's previous college, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it's entirely achievable the Seminoles would like the piano to reality.Nine months earlier, Fla State possessed the planet's compassion-- a minimum of the component of the planet that don't shout "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding ceremonies, funeral services and little ones's parties. It was easy to like that crew. It was actually a group that fought more challenging after dropping QB Jordan Travis, that gave all it needed to maintain succeeding, that skipped its shot at the playoff certainly not due to its own blunders however because of the board's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no sympathy. There is actually merely a weird mix of pity, irritation and also black humor, like spilling an alcoholic beverage down the front end of your pants.The named beneficiary of the board's selection was actually Alabama, as well as points can've easily shifted toward a bleak 2024 for the Trend, as well. They dropped their championship game, swayed adieu to the greatest instructor in the sport's history, then observed a departure of players right into the gateway, including five that left for Tallahassee.And yet, on the same day Fla Condition hit a brand new low point, Alabama flexed the same muscle it so often performed under Chip Saban, wiping out Wisconsin 42-10 responsible for a five-touchdown functionality coming from Jalen Milroe.In a much more only planet, Florida State may've made a little bit of great fate after the indignity of its own playoff snub. In a more decent globe, Alabama might, simply once, be actually inflicted a poor hand.But university football has confirmed, repeatedly, it does not care about fairness, but it performs possess one hell of a sense of humor.So in Madison, the Tide came to obtain down.Alabama players leap all around throughout Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And also in Tallahassee, Florida State prepares to load it up and also stuff it in.For Alabama, the lineup turnover simply clearance for brand-new superstars, like freshman receiver Ryan Williams, who caught 4 balls for 78 lawns and a goal in Sunday's gain. Williams is actually only 17-- birthed merely 7 months prior to Saban coached his very first video game at Alabama, certainly not outdated sufficient to also always remember there was actually an opportunity something like an 0-3 start will be actually unbelievable at Fla State.For FSU, there's no very clear course forward. DJ Uiagalelei has actually been actually terrible, the ground video game has collected little, the objectionable line that was supposed typically be actually a toughness obtained battered through a Group of 5 system, and the protection, which played its own best video game Sunday, still is full of gaps. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to derive from this miserable beginning to the period is it may possess reduced the course's media assessment good enough that it can easily leave the ACC for a common leave expense and some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there can be a realistic debate about the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama and also Fla State. On Sunday, throughout office breathers of the Trend's thumping of Wisconsin, it was possible to flip between ads for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" featuring an enormous learn derailment and also an FSU video game including a much more horrifying train wreck.To witness what is actually become of Fla Condition while given that the board delivered its own judgment is challenging to know, a barrage of ceaseless torment normally scheduled for "Viewed" movies or even minor weather condition issues at LAX.But it deserves looking at how completely incomprehensible it is for Alabama to be below, also-- 3-0 with a street win in Big 10 nation simply months after Saban's exit. Alabama has been the version for sustained effectiveness for a creation, which uniformity was usually credited to Saban's relentlessness. However even he reached an aspect through which it was opportunity for something brand new, as well as but Alabama keeps connecting along-- one dominant win after one more, as trustworthy as the sunrise.None of this particular is actually evidence the board got its own selection right, naturally. That was last time-- a different staff, a different opportunity. However it is evidence that in this turbulent sporting activity, greatness is actually fleeting and option often run-ins past like a Fla State linebacker skipping a handle at free throw line of scrimmage.And even at a place like Alabama, a program that has stood up defiantly versus the winds of modification for 16 years now, it is actually always far better to appreciate the good ideas while you have all of them. Since if there is actually anything our company've picked up from seeing Florida State these previous nine months it's this: It can easily constantly receive worse.Jump to: LSU endures|Vibe switches|Arizona's most popular crew The initial 56 mins of Sunday's game against South Carolina was far from positive for LSU.A collection of special crews gaffes, two turnovers as well as some major runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers possessed the Tigers having fun catchup typically. South Carolina jumped out to a 24-10 top, observed LSU draw ahead of time temporarily in the fourth one-fourth, at that point found Rocket Sanders blow up for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Leaping block denies LSU punt, establishes South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II blocks out the LSU punt, which sets up a Raheim Sanders touchdown to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With lower than 4 minutes to participate in, LSU trailed through 4, as well as Brian Kelly had looked at all 6 stages of grief: Frustration, indignation, violence, anger, asking to talk to the manager and, ultimately, reflecting the implementation his players.But Garrett Nussmeier used to the rescue with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to jumpstart a 55-yard goal ride to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one last crack at the gain, trying a 49-yard field goal as opportunity ran out, yet it overlooked, providing Kelly an opportunity to commemorate a hard-earned succeed just before returning to his office to check out movie and shout in to a pillow.Week 3 character shiftsTrending down: Finishing all your throwsThe really good headlines for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every pass he threw in Michigan's 28-18 get Arkansas State on Sunday was actually caught.The trouble is, 3 of all of them were found through Arkansas State players.So, here's where our company are actually along with the speaking up for champs: After many years revolving by means of a carousel of quarterbacks who succeeded their setting through finding a gold ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were dealt with to two periods of J.J. McCarthy and also believed possibly factors had transformed forever. Rather, Warren is balancing 6.1 yards-per-pass along with 2 goals and also 6 selections via 3 games.Now, USC gets on deck upcoming full week, and Michigan is actually left looking for an answer in between Warren or Alex Orji or even to hope there's another QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's left locker behind those containers labeled "indicators for every single rival, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's case for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard goal push that ate 9:31 off the appear the 4th quarter Friday evening, and also UNLV dismayed Kansas 23-20. It was the Rebels' second sway an Energy 4 challenger already this time after dumping Houston in the opener. Exactly how excellent is that? Getting In Sunday, Northern Illinois' upset of Notre Dame was the only other Team of 5 win over a power conference foe.Like with just about anything in Vegas, it is actually a little skill-set and also a considerable amount of luck.play0:40 UNLV somehow creates wild fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka fumbles the sphere, but in some way UNLV maintains ownership after the ball flairs multiple Kansas players' hands.Still, it is actually secure to say Barry Odom possesses the Rebels peaking at the correct time, with UNLV's sales pitch to the extending Pac-12 right now appearing quite strong: A huge market, a really good group, and also access to myriad all-night smorgasbords. At that point all Odom requires to carry out is actually take that Pac-12 payment in potato chips, bet it all on dark on a solitary roulette twist, double down pair of or even three even more times, and also advancement-- UNLV is actually playing with SEC money.Land of the increasing Sunshine DevilsA year ago, Arizona was the beloved of the university regulation football world after a frisking 10-3 time, while Arizona Condition was a laughing sell required to start a carolers of straining quarterbacks probably including a couple fellas they found hanging around outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a difference a year makes.Arizona swung bye-bye to move instructor Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington, and opened this time with 2 unimpressive sway New Mexico and Northern Arizona prior to being up to Kansas Condition 31-7 on Friday. It was Arizona's worst objectionable functionality since being shut out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, on the contrary, located a QB in Sam Leavitt and also are actually using higher after knocking off Texas State on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the very first time given that 2019. Arizona State is the unpleasant surprise crew of 2024 thus far (unless you consider poor unpleasant surprises, which Fla State wishes you do not), and Dillingham's turnaround of a system left behind in mess after the Herm Edwards time ended exactly as everyone said it will.