Week 5 of the 2017 college football season began and ended with a bang in a weekend full of surprises. Here are the highs and lows of a fun weekend in the NCAA, especially for USC, LSU, Clemson, Georgia, and Tennessee:
Highs
1. Clemson looks unstoppable
The Clemson Tigers entered the 2017 season loaded with talent but missing former star quarterback Deshaun Watson. The team’s inexperience under center led many experts to believe that repeating as national champions would be a far cry from reality. Well, it appears that Clemson’s doubters could be eating crow by the end of the season.
The second-ranked Tigers dismantled No. 12 Virginia Tech 31-17 in a game that wasn’t even that close. Clemson’s defense suffocated the Hokies throughout the game. They held Virginia Tech to 90 yards on 28 carries for a 3.2 yards-per-carry average and forced three turnovers. The Tigers’ team speed constantly forced the Hokies into passing situations that they couldn't handle.
Clemson doesn’t need a dominant offense when it can field a defense as strong as it is. The Tigers are the real deal and should win the ACC title with ease.
2. Troy wins in Death Valley
Homecoming in Death Valley should have been a walkover for LSU. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Troy didn’t get the memo. The Trojans broke LSU’s 49-game winning streak over non-conference opponents at home, 24-21. They forced four turnovers and rushed for 206 yards in the stunning victory.
Troy has long fielded a respectable program. They earned the win at LSU, and it serves notice that there is good football in the south outside of the SEC. Oh, and who can forget the epic troll job on Twitter from the Trojans?
Hey @LSU, thanks for having us down for homecoming! We really enjoyed it! 😁
— Troy University (@TROYUnews) October 1, 2017
3. Josh Rosen is a star
UCLA continues to put mediocre teams on the field, which is unfortunate. The Bruins start one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Josh Rosen, and they still can’t put it all together. Rosen deserves credit for keeping this team in games that the defense almost seems to want to give away.
In the Bruins’ 27-23 victory over Colorado, Rosen completed 28 of 45 yards for 372 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His numbers include completions to eight different receivers. Rosen's poise and competitiveness keep this team in games that most quarterbacks would fall apart in. UCLA’s season rides on Josh Rosen’s arm.
Lows
1. USC’s struggles
USC entered the 2017 season with high expectations. The Trojans appeared ready to not only win the Pac-12, but also earn a spot in the college football playoff. Instead, Washington State left them stunned in a 30-27 game that was dominated statistically by the Cougars.
Washington State earned this victory, but it’s clear that USC is a paper tiger. The Trojans have struggled at times throughout this season against supposedly inferior competition. It’s possible that USC will fail to win the Pac-12 South Division with tough games against Utah and UCLA still on the schedule. The Trojans need to get it together now before they waste another talented roster on an underachieving season.
2. The mighty Tennessee…
Once upon a time there was a great football school that featured future hall of famers like Peyton Manning. This school currently owns six national titles, including its most recent in 1998. Now, after a brief resurgence, the once respected Tennessee Volunteers are once again on hard times. Their 41-0 loss to Georgia will go down as one of their most embarrassing defeats in recent memory.
Suddenly, the future of head coach Butch Jones appears to be in trouble. The Volunteers have some soul-searching to do, or this season could go down as one of the worst in school history.
3. Ole Miss struggles
Speaking of faltering SEC teams, Ole Miss continued its plummet into oblivion in their 66-3 loss to top-ranked Alabama. The hardest part of this defeat is that Ole Miss entered the game just two years removed from back-to-back victories over the Crimson Tide. Now they are fodder for the league’s elite and an embarrassment to the conference.
The school’s NCAA infractions and resignation of head coach Hugh Freeze quickly buried the team, and it’s going to take some time to recover. Unfortunately, Ole Miss might be in for more beatings like this as the school deals with its sins. Hopefully, other schools learn from the team’s fate.
Follow Us
Subscribe