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Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs separate from the pack in Week 5

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Last week, the sport’s leadership met to discuss the merits of expanding the College Football Playoff. It amounted to nothing. On Saturday, Alabama and Georgia offered a convincing counterargument. Perhaps we should just end the 2021 season after the SEC championship game.

For all the September buzz about chaos and parity in 2021, college football emerged from Week 5 with a clear line of demarcation. There is Alabama. There is Georgia. Everyone else amounts to little more than fries and a Coke, complementary pieces to complete your combo meal.

There was more chaos further down the pecking order. Five top-12 teams lost — Oregon, Arkansas, Florida, Notre Dame and Ole Miss — while upstarts like Michigan State, Michigan and Oklahoma State kept plugging along. Ohio State got its confidence builder against Rutgers. Clemson escaped another embarrassment, but the Tigers’ offensive woes remain. But it was all window dressing to the two heavyweights at the top.

In Tuscaloosa, Lane Kiffin previewed the competition by telling fans to get their popcorn ready. Not since “Tenet” has such a request been followed by such a baffling performance. A year after Ole Miss hung 48 on Alabama, Kiffin’s offense flubbed fourth-down tries on three of its first four drives, all but handing the game to Alabama, as Bryce Young and the Tide took advantage of the good field position to build a 35-0 lead, ultimately winning 42-21.

In Athens, Stetson Bennett IV slipped out of his smoking jacket and monocle (which we assume is standard attire for anyone named Stetson Bennett IV) and stepped into the starting lineup for the Bulldogs. The injury to JT Daniels might have been a serious blow in a top-10 matchup against Arkansas, but on Saturday, the Dawgs hardly needed a quarterback at all. Georgia ran the ball 56 times, devouring Arkansas’ 3-2-6 defense, while its own front held the Hogs to a woeful 162 yards of offense.

Afterward, Kirby Smart summed up college football’s power structure perfectly.

“Either you’re elite or you’re not,” Smart said, obviously unaware of Joe Flacco’s existence. “There’s no gray area.”

Alabama left no gray area. For the past five years, Nick Saban’s Tide teams have been defined, at least in part, by Kiffin’s influence — up-tempo offenses, tons of points and an aerial assault. But on Saturday, Saban swaggered out of the wine cellar at Bryant-Denny with a vintage varietal, an old-school performance of power run game and dominant defense. Saban ran his record against former assistants to 24-0, but this was more than just proving he was still the master. He had to show the world he didn’t need a single drop of ink that Kiffin had added to the playbook to do it. He delivered a knockout blow with one hand tied behind his back, just to say he could do it.

Georgia, too, went old school. Leaning on the run game came by necessity, but it was nevertheless impressive. The same Arkansas defense that shut down Texas star Bijan Robinson last month gave up three rushing TDs to the Bulldogs, while four different Georgia backs tallied at least 10 carries and 48 yards. Meanwhile, the defense is verging on historic. UGA has now faced two teams ranked in the top 10 and allowed a grand total of three points. In three SEC games, the Georgia defense has surrendered just one touchdown — a garbage-time score by South Carolina. It’s the only time any opposing offense has found the end zone against Georgia in five games. Georgia’s last national championship came after QB Buck Belue completed just a single pass. It’s possible that game plan could work for these Bulldogs, too.

There will be two other teams in the College Football Playoff, of course. Perhaps Cincinnati will be one of them. The Bearcats got a long-awaited signature win, beating No. 9 Notre Dame in South Bend for a win that might finally convince the committee that the Group of Five can produce a great team. Perhaps Penn State will run the table, or Ohio State will rebound to win the Big Ten, or Oklahoma, despite yet another narrow win over an unranked opponent, will find its form.

It’s true, too, that championships aren’t handed out in October. (Or, for that matter, September. Sorry, Pac-12.) There’s still time for things to change, for the power dynamic to be tipped once more, for another genuine challenger to emerge. It was, after all, just two weeks ago that we wondered aloud if Alabama had been exposed by Florida — foolish as that seems now.

But the scariest thing about Saturday for the rest of the college football world was that it hardly seemed like the ceiling for Alabama and Georgia. They played dominant football, while seemingly having more in the tank.

Indeed, you’re either elite or you’re not. And right now, that’s a particularly exclusive club with membership offers to just two teams. Heck, Stetson Bennett’s already got the smoking jacket.

If Alabama and Georgia are clearly the best teams in the country, there’s still some real debate about who’s next in the pecking order. After Week 5, there are 15 remaining undefeated teams. We sorted them into tiers behind the Dawgs and Tide.

Tier 2: Like a “Fast and Furious” movie, just try to enjoy them without overthinking it

Cincinnati, Oklahoma and Penn State

Want to nitpick? There’s ample room.

Certainly, the committee will look for any flaws it can find for Cincinnati, but with Saturday’s 24-13 win at Notre Dame, the Bearcats finally have enough to push back.

At Oklahoma, the fans are booing the starting QB, which is typically not ideal for a playoff contender. Spencer Rattler played relatively well Saturday (completing 22 of 25 throws), but it was another close call for the Sooners. Style points aren’t part of the playoff formula, but it’s also worth mentioning that no team has ever made the College Football Playoff with more than four one-possession games against unranked foes. All four of Oklahoma’s FBS wins this season have come by a TD or less.

Then there’s Penn State, which has three wins — at Wisconsin, vs. Auburn and Saturday vs. Indiana — that looked a lot better on paper in August than they look in the standings now.

Tier 3: “You’ll get nothing and like it”

Michigan, Iowa and Kentucky

The Wolverines picked up another win Saturday, 38-17, over Wisconsin. Was that impressive? Well, the Badgers’ offense is basically the same as watching paint dry. In fact, that about sums up the entirety of Michigan’s opposition this year, which also includes NIU, Rutgers and Washington, all woefully incompetent with the football. But Michigan did throw three TD passes Saturday — two more than it had managed in the past three games combined — so perhaps there’s some real upside. At the very least, every time Michigan scores, Jim Harbaugh celebrates like he’s in one of those “Don’t be like your parents” commercials, and it’s just delightful.

The Hawkeyes’ defense has 16 takeaways in five games. The Hawkeyes’ offense often includes 11 players. Is that a formula for a Big Ten title? We’ll find out a lot more against Penn State next week.

Kentucky was out-gained by 158 yards Saturday. The Wildcats managed just 13 first downs. They completed seven passes. But hey, they won, thanks to 15 Florida penalties and a blocked field goal that was returned for a TD. QB Will Levis has made headlines throughout this run by noting that he eats bananas with the peel on and puts mayo in his coffee, and if Kentucky’s run goes on much longer, he’s liable to do something truly disgusting like eating Skyline chili.

You’re right to want more from these teams. On offense, they range between bad and dumpster fire. And yet, here we are. No one’s going to enjoy the ride, but we’re on board anyway.

Tier 4: The Bracket Busters

Coastal Carolina and BYU

Can these two teams just play a random game they scheduled three days earlier again this year? Please, college football. Make this an annual thing.

Tier 5: The “Ted Lasso” teams that everyone keeps telling you are actually pretty good but you just haven’t found the time to actually watch

Michigan State, Wake Forest and Oklahoma State

Is there a real contender in this bunch? Wake escaped with a dramatic 37-34 win over Louisville on Saturday, and its schedule sets up nicely for a strong run into November. With Clemson reeling offensively, anything seems possible in the ACC. Meanwhile, Michigan State appears destined for a battle of undefeated teams against Michigan on Oct. 30. Oklahoma State could have easily lost its first three, but Mike Gundy only listens to the news he likes, so the Cowboys might just be the best team in the country.

Tier 6a: Admit it. You forgot about UTSA, right?

UTSA

Meep, meep. The Roadrunners are 5-0 and about to drop an anvil on Western Kentucky’s head next week.

Tier 6b: There’s no way you remembered that Wyoming was undefeated

Wyoming

The Cowboys beat Montana State by three and UConn by two. If there’s such a thing as moral victories, those were both moral losses.

So long, Pac-12

Oregon was up seven with 2:21 to play and had a first down deep in Stanford territory. What could go wrong? Well, it’s the Pac-12, so it’s best never to ask that question. The Ducks ended up punting from the Stanford 43, allowed the Cardinal to drive the length of the field, got flagged for defensive holding as time expired, then served up the game-tying TD before losing in overtime. If college football fans in the Pac-12 were still capable of feeling, it would’ve been a gut punch. Instead, it marks the second time in three years the Pac-12 is without an undefeated team after five weeks — something the other Power 5 leagues have done just once in the playoff era, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

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Stanford scores a game-tying touchdown on the final play of regulation and then wins it in overtime to upset No. 3 Oregon.

Clemson wins ugly

Clemson’s offensive problems didn’t find many solutions on Saturday, but the Tigers still managed to come away with a win, 19-13 against Boston College.

“It wasn’t beautiful,” Dabo Swinney said afterward, “but we needed a win.”

Clemson moved to 3-2, but the Tigers have yet to crack 20 points against an FBS opponent. On Saturday, they managed 438 yards of offense, which did mark a significant step forward after failing to crack 300 in any of their prior three FBS games. They finished just 3 of 15 on third and fourth down. QB D.J. Uiagalelei didn’t throw a TD. They endured myriad injuries, too, including starters Will Putnam, Braden Galloway and Justyn Ross. Swinney said afterward that Ross suffered a head injury, but isn’t likely out long-term.

Afterward, Swinney called the game “momentum going into an off week,” which might be a nice way of saying the Tigers survived long enough to get an extra week off before running into another brick wall.

How bad have things been?

Since Swinney became the full-time coach in 2009, Clemson has never scored fewer than 96 points in regulation through its first four FBS games. This year, the Tigers have managed 50.

Auburn rallies behind Nix

Matt Damon in “Rounders”: “Some people, pros even, won’t play No-Limit. They can’t handle the swings.”

Auburn fans during the Bo Nix era: “Hold our beer.”

A week ago, Nix was benched as the Tigers narrowly escaped Georgia State. This week, Nix racked up 329 yards of offense, threw a TD, ran for another and engineered a fourth-quarter comeback to beat LSU in Death Valley.

The Bo Nix Experience has taken years off the lives of Auburn fans, but Saturday’s performance was a reminder of just how good the junior QB can be when things go right. Replaced by T.J. Finley for a series early in the game, Nix returned in the second quarter to lead Auburn’s first TD drive and never sat again. Trailing 19-17 with 6:57 to play, Nix led an 11-play drive that included an 11-yard run, a 10-yard completion and a critical conversion on third-and-three at the LSU 15.

Next up is Georgia, and given his history, Nix will either pull off a miracle or accidentally set the locker room on fire while trying to make a panini.

Heisman Five

As much as Alabama-Ole Miss figured to be a showdown between Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin and a battle for the SEC West, it was also a matchup of the top two contenders for this year’s Heisman. When it was over, there was only one contender remaining. This is now Bryce Young’s award to lose.

1. Alabama QB Bryce Young

Young didn’t pad his stats any, but a few short fields and 33 handoffs to Brian Robinson made for a box score — 241 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT — that was more than enough to win and pull away from the rest of the competition in the early Heisman race. While Young’s overall stats certainly compare nicely with his predecessors — Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts — what’s perhaps more impressive is how cool and confident he looks even in the most pressure-packed situations.

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Alabama takes the lead over Ole Miss as Bryce Young throws a heater to John Metchie III in the end zone.

2. Ole Miss QB Matt Corral

Corral didn’t make any critical mistakes, and if, perhaps, Ole Miss had converted a couple of those fourth-down tries, things might have turned out differently, but the result was still emphatic. Alabama’s defense was terrific, and Corral managed just a garbage time TD pass on the biggest stage he’ll see this season.

3. Texas RB Bijan Robinson

If some of the initial buzz died down after the loss to Arkansas, Robinson reignited the Heisman hype with 216 yards and two scores in a 32-27 win over TCU. It’s Robinson’s fourth 100-yard effort in five games, and he’s quickly established himself as a true bell cow in the Texas backfield. He’ll be the centerpiece for Texas in the Red River game against Oklahoma next week, meaning Robinson will have a chance to make a real push toward upping his Heisman odds.

4. Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder

It wasn’t the sexiest line in a box score Saturday, but Ridder made a number of big throws when Cincinnati needed them most against Notre Dame, including a 36-yard completion to Leonard Taylor that set up a Ridder TD run that all but sealed the Bearcats’ first-ever win over a top-10 team. Overall, Ridder threw for 297 yards and two TDs, ran for 26 more with a TD and put the Bearcats squarely in the middle of the Playoff conversation.

5. Pitt QB Kenny Pickett

Each week, we use the No. 5 spot to highlight a guy who isn’t likely to get national consideration but deserves a bit of the spotlight. Pickett might bridge that gap if he keeps up his recent pace. He threw four touchdowns in a rout of Georgia Tech, adding 410 yards of offense. The Pitt QB, now in (we’re pretty sure) his 12th season, has tossed 15 TD passes in his past three games — two more than he’d ever thrown in a full season, breaking Dan Marino’s school record for TD passes in a three-game stretch.

Under-the-radar game of the week

In 1964, Justice Potter Stewart delivered the lasting definition of obscenity: “I know it when I see it.” This was in the case of Jacobellis v. Ohio, but it might’ve been more appropriate for UConn vs. Vanderbilt. The Huskies last beat an FBS team in 2019. Vandy last scored during the Taft administration. Forcing others to watch this game was barred by the Geneva Convention.

And yet, this game had real drama. Vandy was up 27-16 midway through the fourth quarter, coughed up successive scoring drives to the Huskies, then drove 47 yards in 1:07 to set up a game-winning field-goal attempt. Of course, UConn head coach Lou Spanos then used three straight timeouts to ice the kicker because no one wanted to see this game end, and also because former coach Randy Edsall gets $1 for every unused timeout (It’s in his contract.). But, in the end, Vandy kicker Joseph Bulovas booted the 31-yarder for the win. And if you enjoyed all of that, well, we’ve got good news for you. Next week, UConn gets UMass. Some people just want to watch the world burn.

Under-the-radar play of the week

Check out this Purdue cheerleader doing her impression of the Boilermakers’ performance vs. Minnesota.



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College Football Power Rankings after Week 3

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9:06 PM ET

  • ESPN staff

Week 3’s biggest games lived up to the hype, and yet no team in the top 10 lost.

The No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide looked mortal in their trip to the Swamp as the Florida Gators pushed them all the way to the final seconds, but the defending champion — and reigning juggernaut — of college football once again proved why it has that status.

Auburn made the SEC’s first visit to a Big Ten campus in 90 years but couldn’t earn the conference a win as the Penn State Nittany Lions defended their turf in front of a stadium full of fans clad in white. The victory shot the Nittany Lions up the Power Rankings as the biggest mover of the week.

Both Clemson and Ohio State got all they wanted from unranked opponents but held on to win late while Georgia and Oregon rolled in expected wins.

The Power Rankings might not have shifted much near the top, but the second half of the rankings saw lots of change following a few upsets and close calls. Michigan State and Kansas State climb into the rankings following 3-0 starts to the season while Miami and Kentucky fall out of the ranks after poor performances on Saturday.

With the action of Week 3 rearview, it’s time to take a look at college football’s Power Rankings.

It wasn’t pretty near the end, but Alabama did what it had to in order to get out of the Swamp alive. The Crimson Tide beat Florida, 31-29, in a nail-biter of a game that exposed some of the Tide’s flaws, whether it was a porous defense, a lackluster offensive line or far too many penalties. Perhaps most troubling was the front seven, which wore down in the second half and struggled to stop the run. With Ole Miss’ high-tempo attack coming to Tuscaloosa in two weeks, coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Pete Golding have a lot of work to do. — Alex Scarborough

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Bryce Young tosses three first-quarter touchdowns, but Florida rallies only to be stopped in the fourth quarter on a failed two-point conversion.

A week ago, it was Stetson Bennett tying a school record with five touchdown passes in a 56-7 rout of UAB. On Saturday, it was JT Daniels’ time, as the Dawgs’ starting quarterback returned to the lineup and passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns to lead Georgia to a 40-13 romp over South Carolina. Bennett did make an appearance late in the first quarter (after Daniels had thrown a touchdown pass on the previous possession) and was intercepted. It was Daniels’ show from there, along with a menacing Georgia defense, as the Dawgs won their SEC opener with ease. — Chris Low

When Iowa’s offense shows up, the Hawkeyes are a playoff contender. They gained 440 yards and put up 30 points on Kent State, and that was more than enough for an Iowa defense that sacked Golden Flashes quarterback Dustin Crum seven times (Lukas Van Ness and Joe Evans led the way with two each). With Iowa up 16-7 in the third quarter, Riley Moss recovered a Bryan Bradford fumble in the Iowa end zone. That was the last time KSU threatened. Tyler Goodson rushed for 153 yards, and with one touchdown in each quarter, Iowa cruised. — Bill Connelly

It took some time for the Ducks to pull away from Stony Brook but they’ll happily take a 48-7 win to wrap up the nonconference schedule undefeated. Starting QB Anthony Brown completed 14-of-18 passes for 159 yards with a TD before coach Mario Cristobal was able to get important game reps for both Ty Thompson (6 for 9, 82 yards, 2 TD) and Jay Butterfield (2 for 3, 22 yards). After giving up a 75-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter, the Oregon defense settled down and allowed just 169 yards the rest of the way. — Kyle Bonagura

Few teams have been tested through the first three games more than the Nittany Lions, who own one-score wins over both Wisconsin (road) and Auburn (home). Quarterback Sean Clifford had only four incomplete passes on 32 attempts and repeatedly found electric wide receiver Jahan Dotson, the best player on the field against Auburn (78 receiving yards and a touchdown, 22-yard pass, 16-yard punt return). PSU’s defense struggled at times with Tank Bigsby and the Auburn run game, but Temple transfer Arnold Ebiketie continued to spark the defense with five tackles and three quarterback hurries. — Adam Rittenberg

Cincinnati couldn’t get anything going offensively in the first half against Indiana. The Hoosiers defense frustrated quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was only 10-of-19 for 94 yards and one interception. A late targeting penalty on Indiana gave the Bearcats a little momentum, and Cincinnati was able to cut the score to 14-7 going into the second half. That seemed to spark some momentum as Cincinnati scored 28 points in the second half to seal the victory. It wasn’t a pretty win for Cincinnati, but they stay 3-0 on the season and beat a good Big Ten team on the road, 38-24. — Tom VanHaaren

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Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Indiana Hoosiers: Full Highlights

The Aggies had a convincing 34-0 win over New Mexico and saw the defense keep the Lobos in check all game. New Mexico finished the game with 122 total yards on offense and no touchdowns. That included only 33 passing yards from New Mexico quarterback Terry Wilson in a frustrating day. Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada threw for over 270 yards and had three touchdowns. Running back Isaiah Spiller went over the 100-yard mark and had a rushing touchdown as well. This was a good bounce-back game for the Aggies after an underwhelming 10-7 win over Colorado the previous week. — VanHaaren

It wasn’t exactly the Game of the Century, but the Sooners showed a little defensive muscle when the offense wasn’t quite sharp, as Lincoln Riley put it. There was an incredible play-of-the-year-worthy interception by D.J. Graham of Adrian Martinez that stopped a Nebraska drive at the 3. The Sooners had 10 tackles for a loss, five sacks and held Martinez to 34 yards on 17 carries, about 50 yards below his 2021 rushing average. They held the Huskers to just 95 yards rushing overall. Spencer Rattler didn’t provide many explosive plays, but Riley said he was “learning to win” and was pleased with how he controlled the game in the 23-16 win. — Dave Wilson

When it came down to it, Florida was a missed extra point away from taking Alabama into overtime. While that might be oversimplifying what happened, it is also true that not many expected the Gators to give the Tide a fight — especially after trailing 21-3 early in the game. But Florida gashed Alabama on the ground, rushing for 258 yards and four touchdowns to slowly chip away at the lead and put itself in position to try and tie with a 2-point attempt. Though the Gators ultimately lost 31-29, coach Dan Mullen said afterward that this is a game they can build off, with the ultimate goal to see Alabama again in Atlanta in the SEC championship game. — Andrea Adelson

It took much longer than expected, both because of a nearly two-hour weather delay and the simple fact that this wasn’t supposed to be much of a game at all, but Clemson eventually survived a stiff, frustrating test from Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets actually outgained the Tigers, 309-285, and held an already spotty Clemson offense to just 4.3 yards per play. But the Clemson defense made a late goal line stand — James Skalski stuffed a shuffle pass to Dylan Deveney on fourth-and-goal — and made one final stop following a safety. This could have been a disaster in about 17 different ways, but Clemson held on in the least impressive possible fashion. — Connelly

Quarterback Matt Corral joined exclusive company at Ole Miss on Saturday night in the Rebels’ 61-21 demolition of Tulane, and that company, believe it or not, didn’t include any of the Mannings. Corral accounted for seven touchdowns by the midway point of the third quarter, matching Arnold “Showboat” Boykin’s school record for total touchdowns in a game, which was set in 1951. Corral had four touchdown runs in the game and also threw three touchdown passes. Four of those touchdowns came in the first half as Ole Miss built a 40-21 lead at the break. The start of the game was delayed by nearly two hours because of lightning. — Low

Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly knew his team would have growing pains early this season, especially because of a rebuilt offensive line that already is dealing with injuries. So he doesn’t seem too concerned about his offense’s inconsistency during a 3-0 start. The Irish averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, and quarterback Jack Coan was sacked four times against the Purdue Boilermakers in a 27-14 win. The Irish were starting their third-team left tackle, Tosh Baker, after Blake Fisher (knee) and Michael Carmody (ankle) went down with injuries in the first two games. The Irish won’t have much time to get better with next week’s game against No. 18 Wisconsin at Soldier Field in Chicago coming fast. — Mark Schlabach

This game, surprisingly, went late into the fourth quarter before Ohio State was able to put the game away. The Buckeyes were only up seven against Tulsa at halftime and after trading scores, were only up seven in the fourth quarter until Garrett Wilson caught a touchdown pass to put the Buckeyes up 14. This game was too close for comfort and was full of mistakes for Ohio State. One bright spot was true freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson, who broke a school single game rushing record for a freshman running back, rushing for over 270 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-20 win. Ohio State came away with the win, 40-21, but there’s a lot to clean up. — VanHaaren

The Cyclones collected their winnings early and left Las Vegas with an easy 48-3 victory against overmatched UNLV. Iowa State allowed just 121 total yards in a game that served as a good bounce-back opportunity from last week’s deflating loss to Iowa. Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 21-of-24 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns, while Breece Hall ran for 100 yards on 21 carries. — Bonagura

Ranked for the first time since 2016, the Razorbacks assured they would stay in the polls for another week, jumping out to an early 14-0 lead on Georgia Southern and cruising, 45-10. The Hogs nearly tripled the Eagles’ yardage (633-233), and KJ Jefferson made the most of his 23 passes, completing 13 for 366 yards and three scores, including third-quarter strikes of 60 yards to Warren Thompson and 91 to Treylon Burks. This one was as easy as it was supposed to be, and now the focus moves to a huge Week 4 battle with Texas A&M. — Connelly

The Chanticleers escaped what will be one of their most difficult road trips of the season, and earned the program’s first win against a school from the Mid-American Conference. Coastal Carolina, which entered the game averaging 50.5 points, still racked up 456 total yards, but had a difficult time distancing themselves from the Buffalo Bulls. They were tied at 14 at the half, and a 28-17 lead was fleeting. Buffalo used a 16-play, 92-yard scoring drive to close the gap to 28-25 with 2:41 remaining, but the Chanticleers’ strong running game was the difference. Shermari Jones averaged 9.3 yards per carry (16 carries, 149 yards) for Coastal. — Heather Dinich

The Wolverines defense was stifling against Northern Illinois, only allowing 18 pass yards and 90 rush yards in the first half. Michigan led 35-3 after the first two quarters, and the offense looked much more balanced with quarterback Cade McNamara throwing 191 yards on eight completions in the first half. The Wolverines finished with 373 yards on the ground and eight touchdowns in the 63-10 win. The ground game has been impressive through the first three games with 1,076 rush yards on the season. — VanHaaren

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2:09

Michigan dominates Northern Illinois behind eight rushing touchdowns for huge win.

Life is good in Provo. Coming off last year’s 11-1 season, the Cougars have secured membership in the Big 12 and started the year with three straight wins against Pac-12 teams. The Cougars never trailed in their 27-17 win against No. 19 Arizona State, as quarterback Jaren Hall completed 15 of 27 passes for 214 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. BYU will have a chance to make it 5-0 against the Pac-12 with games against Washington State and USC later in the year. — Bonagura

The good vibes from UCLA’s win against LSU two weeks ago didn’t last long. After not playing last week, UCLA returned to the Rose Bowl with a 40-37 loss to Fresno State. UCLA went ahead 37-33 with 54 seconds left. It didn’t hold up. Fresno State QB Jake Haener, limping badly from a hit on the previous drive, led the Bulldogs on a 6-play, 75-yard drive and won the game on a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Cropper with 14 seconds left. It’s a disappointing loss for UCLA, but the Bruins are still probably the favorite in the Pac-12 South. — Bonagura

There were times that North Carolina looked like a nationally ranked team on Saturday night and times the Tar Heels looked a tad lost. But in the end, they had Sam Howell, and his five touchdown passes were enough for North Carolina to hold off previously unbeaten Virginia in a wild 59-39 win at home. Howell connected with four different players on scoring tosses, as North Carolina raced out to a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter, then stumbled into halftime trailing 28-24 before pulling away in the second half for its second consecutive blowout victory after losing the season opener to Virginia Tech. — Low

The Spartans put on a show on the road against a ranked opponent in Miami to get its third win of the season. It’s the first time since 2015 that Michigan State has won its first three games of the season, and they did it in convincing fashion against the Hurricanes. Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne threw for four touchdowns. He is the first Spartans quarterback to throw four touchdowns in consecutive games since 2015 when Connor Cook did it. The defense gave up over 300 passing yards to Miami quarterback D’Eriq King, but that number doesn’t tell the whole story of how well the defense played. Two interceptions helped the Spartans defense keep Miami to only 17 points in the win. — VanHaaren

The Badgers enjoyed an early open week before another measuring-stick game against Notre Dame in Chicago. Wisconsin’s passing game remains atop its priority list as the Badgers are averaging only 175.5 air yards per game without a passing touchdown in two contests. A defense that once again looks nationally elite won’t be enough if Wisconsin can’t become more efficient on third down (36.4% conversions) or in the red zone (four touchdowns on 10 chances). The Badgers defense is set to get a boost with the return of linebacker Leo Chenal, who missed the first two games after testing positive for COVID-19. — Rittenberg

Bryan Harsin’s team handled the White Out and a raucous atmosphere at Beaver Stadium reasonably well, but the step up in competition against Penn State proved to be too much. The Tigers defense struggled to apply pressure or stop Penn State’s wide receivers and tight ends. While quarterback Bo Nix executed some nice back-shoulder throws, he couldn’t rally his team in the end, as an odd fade pass call on fourth-and-goal sailed incomplete. Tank Bigsby (102 rushing yards, two touchdowns) will be a problem in SEC play, but Auburn still needs to commit to him more at times. — Rittenberg

Arizona State showed it’s still not ready to be a banner program in the Pac-12 in a 27-17 loss to BYU. Not that others in the conference are doing much better, of course. A win against BYU could have been a pivotal moment for ASU. Instead, the Sun Devils committed 16 penalties for 121 yards and turned the ball over four times. They fell behind early and couldn’t erase a 14-point halftime deficit. — Bonagura

Kansas State moved to 3-0 with a convincing 38-17 win over Nevada. The Wildcats and Wolfpack were tied at 17 after three quarters, but the Kansas State rushing attack started to roll in the fourth quarter. Three rushing touchdowns followed, and the Wildcats defense shutout Nevada for a comfortable victory. Not only is Kansas State out to an undefeated start, but the opening week win over Stanford is looking better and better. — Shea Carlson

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Sports

College Football Playoff picks after Week 3

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10:51 PM ET

  • ESPN staff

Week 3 came and showed fans something we haven’t seen in a while: Alabama tested deep into the fourth quarter.

It looked like the Crimson Tide were on their way to another rout, racking up a 21-3 lead in the first half, but the Florida Gators did not back down despite the early deficit. The Alabama lead dwindled to two, 31-29, late in the fourth quarter, but the Tide defense held on a two-point conversion. Then the offense drained the clock, finally giving the ball back to the Gators with 10 seconds left in the game. Alabama held on for the 31-29 victory and land in the No. 1 spot on every writers’ list.

Following the big win at Iowa State, the Iowa Hawkeyes won a very Iowa Hawkeyes game, scoring a touchdown in each quarter and grinding Kent State down in the 30-7 win. The Hawkeyes land in six lists after a 3-0 start, but it’s Penn State that makes the biggest impact on the lists this week.

The Nittany Lions outlasted Auburn, 28-20, in front of a thunderous White Out at State College. Sean Clifford finished 28-of-32 for 280 yards and two scores in Penn State’s second win over a ranked team this season. The win earns the Nittany Lions six votes this week.

The Oklahoma Sooners were pushed to the end by former Big 8 rivals, Nebraska, but managed to hold on for a 23-16 victory in Norman. It was a relatively quiet day for Heisman-frontrunner Spencer Rattler, who finished 24-of-34 for 214 yards and a touchdown. He also added 35 yards on the ground and a touchdown against the Huskers, but the Sooners’ offense never got in a steady flow Saturday. The closer-than-expected victory lands Oklahoma on two of 13 lists this week.

Georgia maintained its position on each of our writers’ lists following an impressive 40-13 win against South Carolina. Oregon was nearly a unanimous selection once again after taking care of business against Stony Brook. The Ducks will be a mainstay until the Pac-12 schedule heats up in mid-October.

Andrea Adelson: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Iowa, 4. Oregon
Kyle Bonagura: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Iowa
Bill Connelly: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Iowa, 4. Penn State
Heather Dinich: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Penn State
David M. Hale: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Penn State, 4. Oregon
Chris Low: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Iowa, 4. Oregon
Harry Lyles Jr.: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Iowa
Ryan McGee: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Penn State
Adam Rittenberg: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Penn State
Alex Scarborough: 1. Alabama, 2.Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Oklahoma
Mark Schlabach: 1. Georgia, 2. Alabama, 3. Oregon, 4. Iowa
Tom VanHaaren: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Penn State
Dave Wilson: 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia, 3. Oregon, 4. Oklahoma



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Sports

College football Power Rankings after Week 2

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3:08 AM ET

  • ESPN staff

What college football’s Week 2 schedule lacked in high profile games, it more than made up for in drama.

Multiple teams in the top 10 survived close calls despite upstart performances from scrappy teams keen on pulling an upset early in the season.

Ohio State was one team that did not survive an upset-minded team as the Oregon Ducks marched into the Horseshoe in Columbus and pushed the Buckeyes around in a 35-28 victory. The win was Oregon’s first victory over Ohio State in program history and snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Buckeyes. Beyond knocking off Ohio State, the win gave the Pac-12 a serious early season boost for a possible College Football Playoff berth.

Elsewhere, Texas A&M and Notre Dame both survived despite trailing late to unranked teams. Both the Fighting Irish and the Aggies scored with less than three minutes left — 1:06 and 2:41, respectively — on the clock to avoid upsets on Saturday.

Iowa joined Oregon as the largest climbers in the Power Rankings this week following a 27-17 victory over rival Iowa State in Ames, and Ohio State tumbled out of the top 10 following the big loss.

With the action of Week 2 behind us, it’s time to take a look at college football’s Power Rankings.

Maybe Nick Saban was onto something a few days ago when he went on a rant about his team’s inability to play a full four quarters against Miami and how players were allowing themselves to be affected by everything from the weather to the media. He questioned whether they respected Mercer enough, and when kickoff finally arrived it looked like he was right. Alabama started out sloppy against the FCS foe, punting on each of their first two drives offensively. Eventually the Tide got their act together, of course. Bryce Young threw three more touchdowns and no interceptions, and Alabama won, 48-14, to set up a top-15 showdown at Florida next Saturday. — Alex Scarborough

Well then. Facing a great Group-of-Five defense with backup quarterback Stetson Bennett starting in place of the injured JT Daniels, it was easy to guess the Dawgs might struggle for a bit against UAB. Instead, they scored a first-round knockout. Bennett was 10-for-12 for 288 yards and five touchdowns. The incredible Georgia defense allowed only 174 yards, and the only points UAB scored were on a garbage-time pick six. The 56-7 win further established Georgia as Bama’s most formidable challenger early in the season. — Bill Connelly

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Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett throws for 288 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Dawgs to a 56-7 victory over UAB.

The Ducks beat Ohio State for the first time in school history, and left no doubt they were the better team — even without star defensive players Justin Flowe and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who were both sidelined with injuries. Oregon racked up 269 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 38 attempts and finished with 505 yards of total offense. Oregon’s ability to sustain drives — including a 99-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter — wore out Ohio State’s defense. Quarterback Anthony Brown finished with 236 passing yards and 121 rushing yards. Twelve of his 18 completions went for first downs. — Heather Dinich

Clearly, there was far too much drama in Week 1 for Lincoln Riley’s liking. Oklahoma had to hold off an inspired effort by Tulane to win 40-35. So not wanting to go back down that road this week, the Sooners made quick work of outmanned FCS foe Western Carolina in a 76-0 rout. Spencer Rattler threw five touchdown passes – to four different players — in the first half as Oklahoma raced out to a 45-0 halftime lead, and the only question from there was how many more points the Sooners felt like putting on the board. — Chris Low

The Hawkeyes kept the Cy-Hawk Trophy with their sixth straight win over Iowa State as Kirk Ferentz continued his mastery over Matt Campbell, who is 0-5 against him. Iowa’s defense shut down Iowa State’s stars, holding QB Brock Purdy to 138 yards and picking him off three times, while limiting running back Breece Hall to 69 yards. Iowa had just 173 total yards — just 23 in the second half — and yet was in total control. The Hawkeyes are now 2-0 with wins over then-No. 17 Indiana and No. 9 Iowa State, their first top-10 road win since 1960. — Dave Wilson

Blame it on a Big 12 hangover, but Cincinnati slogged through a half against FCS Murray State before pulling away, 42-7. The Bearcats scored the final 35 points, propelled by quarterback Desmond Ridder and running back Jerome Ford. Cincinnati continues to feature a more aggressive downfield passing attack, as Ridder averaged 11 yards per completion. Ford recorded his first career three-touchdown performance, and the defense recorded five takeaways (three interceptions, two fumble recoveries). Sluggish starts won’t cut it when the schedule gets harder, but Cincinnati ended up winning rather comfortably. — Adam Rittenberg

The Tigers put FCS South Carolina State to bed before the end of the first quarter and cruised to an easy 49-3 win. Considering the significant talent gap, the game served as more of an offensive tune-up for Clemson, which was held without a touchdown in its 10-3 loss to Georgia in the opener. Through two games, Clemson has yet to allow an offensive touchdown. — Bonagura

Zach Calzada went through about eight different stages of player development in just four quarters. Thrust into action when starting quarterback Haynes King suffered a leg injury, Calzada was mostly overwhelmed and rushed. A&M trailed 7-3 after three quarters, and he lost a fumble inches from the CU goal line midway through the fourth. But given one last chance, he threw a gorgeous 18-yarder to Isaiah Spiller, and the Aggies survived. Winning with your backup QB doesn’t have to be pretty. — Connelly

Emory Jones started at quarterback, but backup Anthony Richardson stole the show once again in a 42-20 win over USF. Richardson went 3-for-3 for 152 yards and two scores, while adding 115 yards rushing and another touchdown — becoming the first Florida player with at least 100 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game since Tim Tebow in 2009. Richardson also happens to wear No. 15. If there was any downside to his performance it was this — Richardson tweaked his hamstring on his long touchdown run. The news was less glowing for Jones, who threw for 151 yards and a touchdown, but also had two interceptions. Still, Mullen was adamant afterward he is sticking with Jones as his starter. — Adelson

The Nittany Lions had an easier time this week compared to last week against Wisconsin. Penn State beat Ball State on Saturday 44-13 in a game that was never really close. Quarterback Sean Clifford completed 21-of-29 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown, while running for 66 yards and a score. The team combined for 240 yards on the ground and eventually was able to get some backups some time towards the end of the game. The defense held Ball State to just four of 16 third-down conversions and had two interceptions in the game. — VanHaaren

The Buckeyes’ defense had no answer for Oregon’s balanced offense, and couldn’t slow down a rushing attack that averaged 7.1 yards per carry. It was a night of dubious distinctions for Ohio State, which snapped a 23 home-game winning streak, and surrendered the most rushing yards to an opponent in Ohio Stadium since 2014 against Indiana. Quarterback C.J. Stroud wasn’t the problem — he threw for 484 yards and three touchdowns — but he was sacked twice on the last two drives of the game and threw an interception with 2:50 left in the game. — Dinich

The Irish snuck by Toledo in their second close game of the season. It took a late touchdown to go ahead and stay ahead to win 32-29. Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Toledo, who eventually scored to take the lead. Quarterback Jack Coan dislocated his finger, got it fixed on the sideline and threw the game winning touchdown with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter. Coan was sacked six times, and threw two touchdowns and one interception in the win. It wasn’t pretty, and the defense struggled to keep points off the board, but Notre Dame is 2-0 on paper. — VanHaaren

The Bruins were off this week following last week’s statement win against LSU and will head into next week’s game against Fresno State as one of the most interesting teams in the country at this point. Fresno State should provide a stiff test, and a loss would nullify a lot of the gains from beating the 2019 national champions. — Bonagura

The Rebels are 2-0 and haven’t broken much of a sweat. For the second straight week, they cruised to an easy win, and this time, with coach Lane Kiffin on the sideline. Kiffin missed last week’s 43-24 season-opening win over Louisville after testing positive for COVID-19. He had a front-row seat Saturday for the 54-17 win over Austin Peay. Matt Corral had four touchdown passes in the first half, and Ole Miss never really looked back after that. — Low

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Quarterback Matt Corral throws for 281 yards and five touchdowns as No. 20 Ole Miss routs the visiting Governors.

The Chanticleers overwhelmed Kansas through the air, on the ground and on special teams in rolling to a third straight victory over the Jayhawks on Friday night. With all but three starters returning from last season’s 11-1 team, the Chanticleers didn’t have many concerns coming into 2021. But junior Reese White has shored up one of the few holes by emerging as a big-play back. He ran 14 times for 102 yards with three scores against Kansas. He had 62 yards with two scores on just seven touches in a season-opening win against The Citadel. The one-two punch of Reese and Shermari Jones will go a long way in replacing CJ Marable, last season’s leading rusher. — Mark Schlabach

The excitement surrounding the first top-10 matchup in Cy-Hawk history ended in disappointment as the Cyclones once again failed to break through against the Hawkeyes. Iowa State’s defense made it tough on the Hawkeyes, holding them to 1.7 yards per carry, but the offense had four turnovers as Brock Purdy struggled under pressure, going 3-of-8 for 37 yards and two interceptions against the blitz before eventually being benched for Hunter Dekkers. Matt Campbell has made historic strides at Iowa State, but is now 0-5 in the one that hurts the most. — Wilson

The Hokies got off to a sluggish start against Middle Tennessee, but that was not a major surprise considering they were coming off a highly charged, emotional win over North Carolina on opening weekend. Three scores to open the second half helped put the game away and sealed a 35-14 victory. Braxton Burmeister took a shot to the head early in the game but came back to throw for 142 yards and a touchdown. Raheem Blackshear had two touchdown runs. The defense held Middle Tennessee to 66 yards rushing. — Adelson

The offense needed a get-well week against Eastern Michigan after an extremely disappointing opening loss to Penn State. The Badgers received a big lift from running back Chez Mellusi, as the Clemson transfer became the first Wisconsin player to open his career with consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts since Corey Clement in 2013. Mellusi led the Badgers with 144 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, but had to share time with Jalen Berger. Isaac Guerendo also had an 82-yard touchdown run. But Wisconsin’s merciless defense once again rose up, allowing only three first downs and 92 total yards. — Rittenberg

Arkansas welcomed Texas to its future home in the SEC with a 40-21 victory that didn’t even feel that close. The Razorbacks racked up 333 yards and four touchdowns — despite not having any 100-yard rushers — on the ground as the Longhorns just didn’t have any answers in Fayetteville. Texas turned to backup quarterback Casey Thompson, who rushed for two touchdowns late, but it wasn’t enough to rally past an improved and hungry Arkansas team.

After all that UNC’s offense lost from the 2020 team, quarterback Sam Howell knew more would be on his shoulders this fall. Howell responded from a tough opening loss at Virginia Tech to carry the Tar Heels to their first victory Saturday against Georgia State. He not only led UNC in passing (352 yards) but also in rushing (104 yards), logging touchdown runs of 62 and 22 yards. Wide receivers Antoine Green and Emery Simmons flashed big-play potential as UNC needed barely seven minutes to exceed its Week 1 points total. The Heels defense limited a pass-heavy Georgia State offense to three yards per attempt. — Rittenberg

It’s been a long time since 2009, just ask BYU. The Cougars erased a nine-game losing streak to bitter rival Utah Saturday night by holding the Utes’ offense to just seven points over the first three quarters of their 26-17 victory. Jaren Hall threw for three touchdowns in the win, including a touchdown right before the half that extended BYU’s lead to 16-9 at the break. Utah scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Cougars’ lead never felt in question, and the fans in Provo can sleep easy tonight knowing the streak is finally over.

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Jaren Hall completes a pass to Gunner Romney in the end zone for a 4-yard BYU score.

It took some time to get going, but after falling behind 10-7 to UNLV in the second quarter, the Sun Devils scored the game’s final 30 points to win 37-7. QB Jayden Daniels completed 20 of 29 passes with a pair of touchdowns as ASU moved to 2-0 with a tough game against BYU next week. ASU is one of just three teams in the Pac-12 still undefeated. — Bonagura

After jumping out to a 14-point lead against Missouri, the Wildcats found themselves in a battle. But, after the teams traded touchdown throughout the final three quarters, the early touchdowns paid dividends as Kentucky outlasted the Tigers, 35-28. Chris Rodriguez Jr. had a career day rushing the football, racking up 206 yards and three scores in the victory. A key matchup with the Florida Gators in three weeks now looms large for Kentucky.

You can’t prove much as a new coach when you start the season against Akron and Alabama State, but Bryan Harsin can point to both victories and say that his teams played well from start to finish. And, let’s face it, consistency was not exactly the hallmark of the previous regime. So that’s something. A 62-0 beatdown of Alabama State on Saturday also showed what could be an improved Bo Nix at quarterback. Again, the competition is what it is, but the junior appears to have cleaned up some of the mistakes we’ve seen from him the last two seasons, completing 29 of 39 passes for 383 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions through two games. — Scarborough

Don’t look now, but Jim Harbaugh is having a great time with his Michigan team this season. The Wolverines got a primetime slot against Washington this week and did not disappoint the Big House faithful. The Huskies sputtered on offense throughout the game, going scoreless in the first half while Michigan built a 10-point lead. A Huskies’ field goal in the third quarter did little to deter the Wolverines, who were led by Blake Corum’s three touchdowns. Washington scored a late touchdown, but by that point it was all Michigan. Harbaugh and company cruised to a 31-10 win.

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Can the New England Patriots’ Mac Jones change the narrative of Alabama QBs in the NFL?

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Mac Jones decisively beat out Cam Newton for the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback job. In doing so, he now has the chance to rewrite the narrative that Alabama Crimson Tide quarterbacks haven’t measured up in the NFL since the days of Bart Starr, Joe Namath and Ken Stabler, who have five Super Bowl championships between them.

“Two years ago, Alabama hadn’t had much success at quarterback since the early days of the merger and early parts of the NFL, and now you have three former Alabama starters [who could make an impact] this year,” said Greg McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback and the New York Jets’ 2011 seventh-round draft pick who is now an ESPN college football analyst.

“It’s a fair question to ask. Why is it that Alabama can have all the successful players they’ve had, and the quarterback position has only been one that is newly considered draftable in the first or second round? It used to be, ‘Don’t touch those guys.'”

McElroy includes Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, who transferred to Oklahoma from Alabama for his final collegiate season in 2019, in the evolving conversation with the Patriots’ Jones and Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa. All three will be starting in Week 1, with Jones and Tagovailoa squaring off Sept. 12 at New England (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

“They all worked hard and made tremendous improvement while they were here,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said this week of the trio. “It’s a reflection on some of the really good quarterback coaches that we’ve had here, and some of the good offensive coordinators.”

After the heyday of Starr, Namath and Stabler, all of whom played under legendary coach Bear Bryant, the roster of Alabama quarterbacks in the NFL is headlined by Richard Todd, a first-round draft pick of the Jets in 1976. He is the last Alabama quarterback to win a playoff game, during the 1982 season, and he came within one win of leading the Jets to the Super Bowl that campaign, only to be stopped on a muddy field at Miami’s Orange Bowl.

Since Todd’s retirement following the 1985 season, Alabama quarterbacks have combined for 35 touchdown passes in 35 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Those TDs were tossed by Tagovailoa (11), Jeff Rutledge (nine), Brodie Croyle (eight), AJ McCarron (six) and McElroy (one).

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s senior NFL draft analyst, said the history of Alabama quarterbacks in the NFL since Todd is easily explained. The school simply hasn’t had many highly rated prospects at the position.

“They won there, and they were good college quarterbacks, but they weren’t expected to be starting quarterbacks in the NFL,” Kiper said. “That’s one thing we always have to differentiate. Everybody talks about if you’re not a good NFL quarterback, you weren’t very good in college. College is different than the NFL. You have to separate them.”

At New England, where the Patriots believe they have found their successor to Tom Brady in Jones, the Alabama pipeline has been tapped often in recent years. That is partially a result of the close friendship of coaches Bill Belichick and Saban. But this is the first time it has happened for the Patriots at quarterback.

In his college coaching career at Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, Saban has had 10 quarterbacks play in the NFL. They have posted a 54-75 record, with 141 touchdowns and 121 interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

It’s another QB narrative Jones can change, and he believes his time with the Crimson Tide prepared him for the opportunity.

“Alabama has had some really good players in the NFL,” Jones said. “It’s awesome to have gone to school there and learn from the quarterback room I learned from. Just moving forward, with the same experience you have, some things might pop up again that happened, and you can always learn from the person who’s in front of you — or behind you.”

Those behind him, in particular, are pulling for his success.

“I’m a fan,” said Croyle, who played for Alabama from 2002 to 2005 and was a third-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006. “The way he carries himself, there’s a confidence, but it’s a relatable confidence. You can see his teammates enjoy playing with him — and for him.”

That has quickly become clear with the Patriots, with whom Jones, 22, has earned a level of respect not often seen with rookies in Belichick’s 21-year coaching tenure.

“He’s a terrific kid. Real smart dude. He’s going to go over the edge,” said New England linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who played for Alabama from 2008 to 2011. “Actually found out he’s been looking at some of the defensive plays so he can kind of conceptually see how we kind of work. I give him credit for that, because not a lot of young guys would see that as an opportunity, and he did that on his own.”

Longtime Patriots captain Matthew Slater added that Jones has been “a pleasure to work with.”

“Character really counts when you talk about what we do off the football field, the way we approach our profession, and I think Mac is a fine young man,” Slater said. “His family should be proud of the way that they raised him and the way he carries himself.”

‘An ideal situation’

As for the torch Jones carries as an Alabama quarterback in the NFL, McElroy is “super optimistic” of good things to come for him.

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Field Yates and Stephania Bell discuss Mac Jones’ fantasy outlook after the Patriots released Cam Newton.

“Because 75 percent of becoming a great player is about the situation you walk into. At least I’m convinced of that,” McElroy said.

“If you’re a first-round pick, you’re going there because you have a remarkably good skill set. Now how do you get to the finish line of becoming a super-complete franchise quarterback? By surrounding yourself, hopefully, with a lot of really good players. Having a really thoughtful and innovative playcaller. Having a program or an organization that is the model of consistency and has a clear and established hierarchy of how things work and how you do things. I think because of all those things, Mac is in an ideal situation.”

Jones himself has said as much. On draft night, when rumors of him going No. 3 overall to the San Francisco 49ers didn’t come to fruition and he ended up sliding to No. 15, he said during a news conference shortly after being selected by the Patriots that he had been secretly hoping New England would be his destination.

In contrast, McElroy wonders how things might have been different for Croyle — and the narrative about Alabama quarterbacks — had he been in a similar situation entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2006.

Croyle, an Alabama native who played for three head coaches with the Crimson Tide before Saban was hired in 2007, initially thought playing for the Chiefs was an ideal situation. But he looks back with no regrets.

“I was really excited for going to play with what some deemed to be the best offensive line in the history of the NFL. I show up and, quickly, it’s like they all dispersed, before I ever took a snap,” Croyle said with a laugh.

“But [coach] Herm Edwards, to this day, is one of the greatest influencers in my life. I really do not believe for a different opportunity that I would trade the friendship and the wisdom that man displayed on a daily basis. … And you know what? I don’t play the ‘what if’ game. I play the ‘what happened’ game. I am grateful for my career. Did it turn out the way I hoped it would? No, man. I wish I was still playing. But … would it have led me back to what I get to do now, which is my true calling all my life? It probably wouldn’t have, so I thank God for the timing, and I thank him for the appointments.”

Croyle, 38, serves as the executive director of Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home in Alabama for orphaned and abused children founded by his father, John.

In Jones, Croyle sees an exemplary person — a top-notch decision-maker, on and off the field — to represent the fraternity of Alabama quarterbacks in the NFL. While some discredited Jones’ success at Alabama because he played with future first-round picks DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Najee Harris, Croyle views the Heisman Trophy finalist through a different lens.

“I just see his resilience. Being an Alabama guy, he’s not the name you heard all the time. You hear all the blue-chip guys, all the big-name guys, and he just quietly did his job, and he quietly got better. Then when his opportunity came, he seized it,” Croyle said.

“There’s so much for our young people today that are coming up to go, ‘You know what, you don’t have to be the crowned or anointed to make it where it is you want to go.’ Sometimes just putting your head down and deciding to put one foot in front of the other is enough.”

Getting results

In five months Jones proved himself to Belichick and many in the locker room. They cite his even-keeled approach and, of course, the on-field results.

“I feel like he’s been able to show an ability to do things the way we want them done, at a productive level,” Belichick said. “He’s young, and I’m sure he’ll continue to learn and grow, and we’ll see where that goes. But that’s why we drafted him, and he’s come in and performed at a level that supports that.”

What has unfolded through spring practices and training camp has some of his Patriots teammates thinking big. A critical point came when Newton was away from the team for five days, and three practices, due to a COVID-19 protocol “misunderstanding.”

Jones made the most of the opportunity, teammates rallied around him and it provided Belichick and his staff a clear vision of what it could look like without Newton.

“I think he can be special,” Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown said. “To be so young, I think he makes some throws that not a lot of young guys can make.”

At the same time, Jones doesn’t move as well as some of his quarterback peers, something McElroy said could be an obstacle for him to overcome.

“The position has become more capable of creating on their own, and Mac Jones is not that guy. He is going to be your more traditional pocket-passing quarterback that is going to rely on accuracy and mental acumen to pick you apart,” McElroy said.

“The beauty is, that’s not a dinosaur. What’s a dinosaur are the guys with absolutely no mobility — the guys 6-foot-5, statues in the pocket, absolute cannon arms that can’t process really quickly. Those are the guys that are a dying breed. But if you can process quick, if you’re really accurate, if you can move in the pocket and if you can anticipate where receivers are going to be, then having less-than-ideal mobility is not the end of the world.”

As for Alabama quarterbacks under Saban, and before him, McElroy wonders if they have been judged to an unfair standard.

“They get a little bit of a bad rap. Meaning if they don’t go on to become an All-Pro, they really weren’t worth their weight in salt,” McElroy said. “I feel like there have been so many great players that if you are a forgotten-about journeyman backup — but you’re vested and have a pretty good career — you’re essentially a scrub in the eyes of some. But it’s all because of how good your teammates are and, obviously, the success that in some cases they go on to have.”

The Patriots have high hopes Jones will be the franchise quarterback they have been searching for since Brady’s free-agent departure in March 2020.

Those who came before Jones at Alabama — where the QB history after Starr, Namath and Stabler is well-documented — hope that’s how it unfolds.

“There is a connection because you shared the same blood, the same sweat, the same sacrifice at the same place. There’s a brotherhood you carry,” Croyle said.

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