College Football Week 3 Observations

Week Three gave us some very exciting games, as at least 11 games were decided in the closing minute(s) of the game. 

• Missouri struggled with San Diego State, needing a last-minute Blaine Gabbert -to- T.J. Moe 68-yard touchdown pass to win 27-24.  Gabbert seems to have found his two favorite recovers in Moe and Michael Egnew, who had 14 catches for over 130 yards.

•  Some believe that Georgia may be playing for Mark Richt's job this year.  If they play as they did against Arkansas in the fourth quarter of last week's game, that may not be the case.  Up 17-7 and 24-10 at one point, the Bulldogs tied the score and Arkansas needed a last minute Ryan Mallett touchdown to eek out the 31-24 win.  And even after that, the game wasn't guaranteed a win, as the Razorbacks needed a sack at midfield to close out the game.  Georgia has struggled without star receiver A.J. Green.

• Temple is now 3-0 for the first time since 1979, when the Owls finished 10-2. It was the first win for the Owls over a BCS opponent since a 34-24 win over Syracuse on November 13, 2004.

• North Texas is down to their third-string quarterback after losing the starter of that game for the second week in a row.  Riley Dodge, son of coach Todd Dodge, takes over for the Mean Green, who haven't been too mean as of late.  In his fourth season in Denton, Dodge is 5-34 as head coach.

• Kansas State's Daniel Thomas is showing the country what the Big 12 already knew: He is one hell of a running back.  Thomas has 552 yards through three games and has helped lead the Wildcats to their first 3-0 start since 2006.

• With their win over Ole Miss, Vanderbilt snapped a 10-game conference losing streak dating back to 2008. The Commodores have beaten the Rebels four of the past six seasons. 

• Wisconsin has started 3-0 in every season under Bret Bielema. Wisconsin is 9-1 in its last 10 games against Pac-10 teams.  The Badgers have won 27 straight nonconference regular-season games, the third-longest active streak (behind LSU and USC). Arizona State had 261 kick-return yards (including a 97-yarder and 95-yarder), more than either its rushing or passing total in the game.  Yet Wisconsin needed a last-second blocked PAT to win.

• Auburn came back from a 17-0 deficit to defeat Clemson in overtime.  It is the Auburn's 14th straight win over Clemson.  The game appeared headed to another OT when Chandler Catanzaro made a 27-yarder after a defensive stand kept Clemson shy of a winning touchdown. After a 5-yard illegal procedure penalty on the kick because center Dalton Freeman double-clutched the ball, the redshirt freshman's second attempt hooked wide left.

• Ryan Nassib threw a school-record five touchdown passes, and Syracuse pulled away in the second half to beat Maine 38-14 on Saturday night in the Orange's home opener.  Nassib was 19-for-28 for 260 yards.

• With Dan Conroy lining up for a 46-yard field goal to tie the game in overtime and the play clock running low, holder Aaron Bates took the snap, stood up and waited for Charlie Gantt to come open downfield. The stunning fake worked to perfection, and Gantt's 29-yard touchdown catch gave the Spartans a 34-31 win Saturday night.   The Spartans started 3-0 for the first time since 2007 and earned their third win over the Fighting Irish in four years.  Saturday was the ninth time in the last 11 meetings between Notre Dame and Michigan State that the game was decided by seven points or less and it was the second OT affair since 2005.  The Spartans' 28 victories against Notre Dame are the second most of any Irish opponent (USC has the most with 34). 

• Nick Foles hit William Wright with a late 4-yard touchdown pass and No. 24 Arizona held its ground in the national spotlight with a momentum-swinging 34-27 win over ninth-ranked Iowa.  Keyed by their stingy defense and special teams, the Wildcats rushed out to a 27-7 halftime lead before having the Wright touchdown pick up the vital win.  Arizona beat a nonconference opponent ranked in the top 10 at home for the first time since 1989. Iowa allowed at least 30 points for the first time since 2007 vs. Purdue, a span of 33 games. Iowa has lost six straight games when playing a regular season game west of the central time zone. The last win came in 1987.  Arizona sacked Ricky Stanzi six times, including three straight times on Iowa's final drive. 

• North Texas isn't the only school with significant quarterback injuries this weekend.  Houston lost their top two QB's, including Heisman hopeful Case Keenum, in the SAME GAME.  They will now be forced to go to freshmen as their starters.  With the win over Houston, UCLA avoided their first 0-3 start since 1971.  Houston had scored at least 20 points in 29 straight games before Saturday's game.