Sports

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

.David Hale, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 14, 2024, 06:14 PM ETCloseCollege soccer reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the University of Delaware.If university soccer were actually an animation, there would've been an instant final December, following the board shunned an unbeaten Florida State team coming from the playoff, when Mike Norvell would certainly possess ended this was actually as negative as things can receive, all while unconsciously standing up below a piano perilously being lifted up to a 20th-floor window.Of training program, after Fla Condition was up to Norvell's former college, Memphis, 20-12 on Sunday, it's completely possible the Seminoles would prefer the piano to reality.Nine months ago, Florida Condition possessed the planet's compassion-- a minimum of the aspect of the planet that do not chant "S-E-C, S-E-C" at wedding ceremonies, funerals and also little ones's events. It was very easy to as if that group. It was actually a group that dealt with more difficult after shedding QB Jordan Travis, that offered all it must maintain succeeding, that missed its own shot at the playoff not due to its very own oversights however because of the committee's whim.Editor's Picks1 RelatedNow, there is actually no compassion. There is merely a peculiar mix of pity, irritation and dark humor, like splashing an alcoholic beverage down the front end of your pants.The recipient of the committee's decision was Alabama, and also things could possibly possess effortlessly switched toward a gloomy 2024 for the Trend, also. They lost their playoff game, waved adieu to the best instructor in the sporting activity's record, at that point viewed an exodus of gamers in to the website, including five that left behind for Tallahassee.And yet, on the exact same time Fla State attacked a brand-new nadir, Alabama stretched the same muscle mass it therefore frequently did under Nick Saban, annihilating Wisconsin 42-10 behind a five-touchdown efficiency coming from Jalen Milroe.In a much more merely planet, Fla Condition may possess earned a little good karma after the indignity of its playoff snub. In an even more reasonable world, Alabama might, only the moment, be dealt a bad hand.But university soccer has actually shown, time and again, it doesn't respect justness, but it does possess one heck of a feeling of humor.So in Madison, the Trend related to get down.Alabama gamers hop all around during Jump Around pic.twitter.com/OytiNveT43u2014 Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024 And in Tallahassee, Fla State prepares to pack it up and stuff it in.For Alabama, the lineup turn over only clearance for new celebrities, like freshman recipient Ryan Williams, that caught 4 balls for 78 backyards and a goal in Sunday's win. Williams is actually just 17-- birthed just 7 months just before Saban trained his 1st video game at Alabama, certainly not aged sufficient to also keep in mind there was an opportunity one thing like an 0-3 begin will be actually unthinkable at Fla State.For FSU, there's no very clear pathway onward. DJ Uiagalelei has been actually dreadful, the ground video game has actually summoned little bit, the offensive line that was actually meant otherwise be a durability received battered through a Group of 5 system, as well as the self defense, which played its own ideal activity Saturday, still contains holes. For the Seminoles, the only silver lining to draw from this unpleasant start to the time is it may possess reduced the course's media assessment enough that it may leave the ACC for a regular departure charge and some Kohl's cash.Nine months back, there might be a reasonable dispute concerning the relative resumu00e9s of Alabama as well as Florida State. On Sunday, in the course of office breathers of the Trend's clunk of Wisconsin, it was feasible to turn between advertisements for "9-1-1: Lone Celebrity" including a substantial train derailment and an FSU game featuring an even more horrifying train wreck.To witness what's become of Florida State in the time considering that the committee provided its decision is tough to understand, an avalanche of ceaseless suffering normally booked for "Saw" films or even minor weather problems at LAX.But it deserves thinking about exactly how totally incomprehensible it is for Alabama to become right here, too-- 3-0 along with a street win in Big Ten nation only months after Saban's exit. Alabama has been actually the style for continual achievement for a creation, which consistency was normally credited to Saban's relentlessness. But even he reached out to a factor in which it was actually opportunity for something brand-new, as well as however Alabama continues connecting along-- one prevailing win after one more, as dependable as the sunrise.None of the is actually evidence the board got its own decision right, certainly. That was last time-- a different team, a various time. But it is actually proof that in this chaotic sporting activity, greatness is short lived as well as opportunity often run-ins past like a Florida State linebacker skipping an address at the line of scrimmage.And also at a spot like Alabama, a plan that has stood up certainly versus the winds of modification for 16 years right now, it's constantly much better to appreciate the good ideas while you have all of them. Given that if there is actually just about anything we have actually profited from watching Fla State these past nine months it's this: It may consistently obtain worse.Jump to: LSU survives|Atmosphere switches|Arizona's most popular crew The initial 56 moments of Sunday's activity versus South Carolina was actually much coming from positive for LSU.A collection of special teams gaffes, 2 turnovers and also some huge runs through Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers had the Tigers playing catchup usually. South Carolina dove bent on a 24-10 lead, saw LSU pull ahead of time for a while in the fourth one-fourth, after that viewed Rocket Sanders blow up for a 66-yard score.play1:20 Jumping block rejects LSU punting, establishes South Carolina TDMaurice Brown II obstructs the LSU punting, which puts together a Raheim Sanders goal to pad the Gamecocks' lead.With less than four minutes to participate in, LSU routed by four, and also Brian Kelly had actually looked at all six phases of pain: Irritation, indignation, violence, anger, inquiring to speak with the supervisor and also, lastly, deliberating the implementation his players.But Garrett Nussmeier rode to the saving along with his 29-yard finalization to Kyren Lacy to start a 55-yard touchdown drive to place LSU up 36-33. South Carolina had one last crack at the win, attempting a 49-yard field goal as time expired, however it overlooked, giving Kelly an odds to celebrate a hard-earned succeed before going back to his workplace to watch film and also shriek in to a pillow.Week 3 character shiftsTrending down: Accomplishing all your throwsThe good information for Michigan QB Davis Warren is every elapsed he included Michigan's 28-18 sway Arkansas Condition on Saturday was caught.The trouble is actually, 3 of them were gotten through Arkansas State players.So, here's where we are actually with the speaking up for champs: After many years turning with a slide carousel of quarterbacks that succeeded their position by locating a golden ticket under a Detroit-style pizza, the Wolverines were actually handled to pair of periods of J.J. McCarthy as well as presumed perhaps traits had actually modified permanently. Rather, Warren is actually averaging 6.1 yards-per-pass with two touchdowns and also six picks through 3 games.Now, USC gets on deck next week, and also Michigan is left behind trying to find a solution in between Warren or even Alex Orji or even to hope there's yet another QB tucked away in Jim Harbaugh's left storage locker behind those cartons designated "signs for every opponent, 2020-2023." Trending up: UNLV's case for Pac-12 expansionMatthew Sluka led an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown push that chewed 9:31 off the clock in the fourth one-fourth Friday evening, and UNLV dismayed Kansas 23-20. It was actually the Rebels' second draw an Electrical power 4 challenger currently this time after discarding Houston in the opener. Exactly how remarkable is actually that? Getting In Saturday, Northern Illinois' distress of Notre Dame was actually the only other Group of 5 sway an electrical power conference foe.Like along with just about anything in Vegas, it is actually a little bit of ability and a great deal of luck.play0:40 UNLV in some way comes up with crazy fumble vs. KansasMatthew Sluka stumbles the ball, but somehow UNLV keeps things after the sphere styles numerous Kansas gamers' hands.Still, it's safe to say Barry Odom has the Rebels coming to a head at the correct time, along with UNLV's sales sound to the extending Pac-12 currently appearing fairly sturdy: A significant market, a really good crew, and also accessibility to myriad all-night smorgasbords. After that all Odom needs to do is actually take that Pac-12 payment in chips, bet all of it on black on a single roulette spin, double down two or three even more opportunities, and boom-- UNLV is actually enjoying with SEC money.Land of the climbing Sunshine DevilsA year earlier, Arizona was actually the darling of the university football globe after a frisking 10-3 time, while Arizona State was a laughing supply pushed to begin a carolers of straining quarterbacks possibly featuring a couple fellas they discovered waiting outside a Tempe In-N-Out Burger.What a distinction a year makes.Arizona swayed farewell to head train Jedd Fisch, who left behind for Washington, as well as opened this period with 2 unimpressive wins over New Mexico and also Northern Arizona just before falling to Kansas State 31-7 on Friday. It was actually Arizona's worst offending efficiency since being actually locked out at Colorado in 2021. The Sunlight Devils, however, found a QB in Sam Leavitt as well as are actually using high after knocking off Texas Condition on Thursday 31-28, beginning 3-0 for the first time because 2019. Arizona Condition is actually the shock crew of 2024 so far (unless you count bad unpleasant surprises, which Florida Condition hopes you don't), as well as Dillingham's turn-around of a system left in disarray after the Herm Edwards age finished specifically as everybody mentioned it will.