Week four has come and gone, but not without some major shake ups in the league. Here is our five takeaways from a week of changes.
1. tHE last ONE STANDING
Alabama has continued where they left off in week three, and that is total dominance. The Tide dismantled what was considered the best defense they had faced so far this season in Miami. The Final score was 48-17 and it wasn’t even that close. The Dynamic Duo of QB Balion Siege and Joe Pantoja logged in another outstanding performance with Siege passing for 207 yards; rushing for 146 yards, and scoring three touchdowns, while Pantoja had 157 yards rushing and three touchdowns of his own. With all that fire power, the Alabama defense was just as impressive and LB Christopher Dodd lead the way with 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. Can you say defensive player of the week? All in all Bama’s defense was a nightmare for Miami QB Jose Bueno, sacking him seven times and picking him off twice. If The Tide can keep this up they will steamroll trough the SEC, but up next will be there toughest challenge yet in the way of The Texas Longhorns. Beat Texas and Alabama will be in the SEC drivers seat.
2. THE SNAP
The Ohio State Buckeyes welcomed in The Texas Longhorns to Columbus on a eleven game regular season win streak. What happen wasn’t what a lot of people though outside of Austin. Texas handled OSU 44-24 and snapped their win streak. The Texas run game seemed to give Ohio State fits all night as quarterback Walker Mills and tailback Tarraj Walker amassed 371 yards on the ground. Coming into the night the Buckeyes has been one of the best run defenses, and in general one of the top two defenses in the country. Well Texas figured them out and gashed them the entire game. When Texas did throw, the Sharks let them off the hook and dropped four interceptions, which all lead to Texas scoring drives. Ohio State next faces off against high powered Oregon team who not only won this week but have also beaten Texas. If they plan on repeating as Big Ten Champions and competing for the National Crown, OSU will need to brush this loss off and start a new winning streak.
3. WE ALL HAVE ONE
Coming into week four, Florida and Texas where the only two team without a win. That is no longer the case now. Both teams went out and got the job done in way of beating two very good teams in Clemson and Ohio State. As talked about before Texas took the victory over The Buckeyes, But Florida may have pulled off the biggest upset of the season yet to date. Florida jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back holding on for a 27-17 victory. Freshman signal-caller Mathias St. John was flawless on the night with 209 yards passing and 109 yards rushing, add to that no interceptions. Clemson did make a late push but fell to the dreaded clock and just ran out of time. Up next for Florida is a hot Auburn team and for Texas is the undefeated Alabama. We all will be watching to see if both can stay on there winning ways.
4. DECEMBER FIREWORKS
Oregon and Michigan put on quite a performance on Thursday night amassing and up and down the field classic. Between the two teams eleven touchdowns and three field goals where scored. For three quarters of a game both teams took turns putting up points in every aspect of the game, with offensive, defensive, and special teams scores. If you stepped away for anything you missed something, and at the end of the third Michigan held a one point lead. Then the forth quarter started and the Ducks posted seventeen and put an end to Michigan’s hopes of a Big Ten win. For his part, signal-caller Dewey Ainge did his part with 382 yards passing and 4 touchdowns, but two costly interceptions was what he will be remembered for in this one. Both at the hands of corner Dexter Pluto, and one which was returned for a touchdown. Safety Cai Brummer pitched in with an 87 yards kickoff return for a touchdown, and quarterback Devonta Cribbs keep his turnover sheet clean on the night. Both are going to be a force in conference play and defenses beware.
5. FLIP THE sTANDINGS
If anyone would have said that USC and Alabama would be at the top of their conferences by the end of week four you would have called them crazy. Well guess what, they are. Alabama is 4-0 and sit atop the SEC tied with Auburn. While USC is 3-1; there only loss is to Alabama, tied with Ohio State for the top spot in the Big Ten. The Trojans have done this with their defense mostly and winning some close games, while Alabama’s offense and a few blowouts have been the reason for their success. Either way they are turning heads in the league and every team they play can’t just put a W on their schedule. The true test for both programs will start in week five as the heart of their conference schedules starts against the top team in the league. If they can split those games then both teams should make the playoffs and call this season a success, but i have a feeling they both will be looking to do better than that and to stay in the Championship conversation. Until then congrats to both of them, because they have come in and are making big noise.
