Ken Schreiber: It's really a 3-school race atop college football, and it's all because of the QBs
I don't need much of a sample size to again reiterate it's Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State in no particular order at the top of the rankings. You can pick among several other schools for the fourth spot but what is becoming more noticeable is the obvious difference between these teams and others is their quarterbacks. Bryce Young, Stetson Bennet IV and CJ Stroud — players who may not have first-round NFL talent, but are the best in college football.
I was in Arkansas last week to see 'Bama visit the Razorbacks and with Young at the helm for Tide, it was clearly going to be a rout. Suddenly, Young went down in the second quarter and, although 'Bama extended its lead to 28-0, the Tide offense was clearly not running on all cylinders. Arkansas made it close, trailing 28-23 with a quarter to play, but 'Bama's backup QB Jalen Milroe scampered for a 77-yard run to the Razorback 3 and followed with a touchdown to let the air out of Arkansas' balloon. Fayetteville fans were left silenced after that.
Coaching carousel keeps spinning
This week the hammer came down on Paul Chryst of Wisconsin and Karl Dorrell of Colorado. Chryst was 9-4 last year but the Badgers were heading in the wrong direction after an embarrassing loss at home to Illinois, 34-10, dropping them to 2-3 this season. Former AD Barry Alvarez, who makes all the final decisions at Wisconsin, apparently thought the program was not progressing and it was time to relieve Chryst of his duties. Colorado lost its fifth straight to Arizona, 43-20, their closest losing margin yet. The Buffaloes just have not played inspired or competitive football all year. Years ago, athletic directors waited until the end of the season to fire their coach but these days it doesn't matter what week we are in. The total buyout for these two is almost $20 million so it's hard to feel too sad about their plight. Expect more casualties next week.
Deion likes his son for Heisman
Jackson State coach Deion Sanders has started a Heisman campaign for his son, Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose stats are impressive (75.5 completion for 14 touchdowns and averaging 341 yards per game). But it's the FCS. The last player to finish in the top three for the Heisman who played at that level was Holy Cross' Gordie Lockbaum in 1987, who finished third in the Heisman. Lockbaum played both sides of the ball as an all-purpose running back and a safety on defense. He was drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers but never played a down in the NFL. So, unfortunately, Primetime always gets an audience but it won't translate into any serious Heisman consideration for his son.
Texas rivalry lacks 1 thing — a ranked team
The Red River Rivalry is Saturday in Dallas but what's noteworthy is that neither Oklahoma nor Texas is ranked (both are 3-2). How the mighty have fallen. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is expected to return and Oklahoma is now reeling and vulnerable after their CFP aspirations were crushed last week by TCU, 55-24. ... Did you see where Air Force was placed on probation for NCAA violations? Air Force? Can you believe we can't even trust extensions of our government?
Treat 'em like pros
Mississippi State coach Mike Leach was talking about Name, Image and Likeness and offered a "solution." Treat them like professionals. Have a draft, a salary cap, trades, cut players, etc. While that may not be considered practical for a "student-athlete," it will actually reduce, in my opinion, the disparity between the rich blue-blood schools and the rest of the field because it creates a more level playing field economically. For that reason alone, fuhgeddaboudit!
On the field
No. 17 TCU (5-0) -7 at No. 19 Kansas(4-0): ESPN "Gameday" is traveling to Lawrence, Kansas, today for the Horned Frogs' battle with undefeated Kansas, the first visit to Kansas for "Gameday" ever. The Jayhawks are ranked for the first time since 2009. The coaches are the story here — Sonny Dykes at TCU and Lance Leipold at Kansas — arguably the most coveted coach for an open position at this juncture. While both are ranked, there are a lot of tough games left on their schedules and expect Cinderella to strike midnight for both of them. For now, remember the name Max Duggan who is the highest-rated quarterback in the nation and plays for TCU. Horn Frogs roll!
No. 8 Tennessee (4-0)-2.5 at No. 25 LSU (4-1): The Vols can make their mark by winning on the road in hostile territory. Not many games in Death Valley start at 11 a.m. but television has once again dictated this. LSU escaped Auburn last week, 21-17, after falling behind, 17-0. Can't do that here. Tennesse quarterback Hendon Hooker has thrown for almost 1,200 yards without an interception. He is also a dual threat as a runner. LSU has its own dual threat in quarterback Jayden Daniels, who also hasn't thrown an interception. The Tiger defense is loaded with talent but at times it is not disciplined. This game will be close but I'm picking the Vols because they will win the battle in the trenches.
No. 11 Utah (4-1) -3 at No. 18 UCLA (5-0): The Bruins have only one solid win, against Washington (40-32), and have played a cupcake schedule. The Utes are for real and have the personality of their coach Kyle Whittingham, who has built a national program based on toughness, physical dominance and always being prepared. While their quarterback Cam Rising has shown an ability to extend plays, he needs to play turnover-free football. UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has a history of playing great or playing very poorly. Which one shows up? I think Utah is the more mature team and finds a way to win in Pasadena.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Ken Schreiber: It's really a 3-school race atop college football
