Duke wins ugly, stays unranked
In their final non-conference tune-up, the Blue Devils defeated Tulane 47-13 in a game that was much closer than the score appears, as Duke allowed the Green Wave to keep the game within two-possessions deep into the third quarter. However, the Blue Devils' opportunistic defense took over the game in the fourth quarter with two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Nonetheless, an all-around lackluster performance kept Duke unranked in this week’s AP Poll. The Blue Devils still moved up to first among teams receiving votes, though, and could crack the top 25 after their crucial contest on the road at Miami next Saturday.
Seminoles survive Winston's suspension
The defending champion Seminoles remained atop the AP Poll in week four after defeating previously 22nd–ranked Clemson 23-17 in overtime. The Seminoles withstood the absence of star quarterback Jameis Winston, whose embarrassing actions continued when he drew the ire of his coach for dressing in pads during pre-game warm-ups.
The Tiger defense suffocated backup quarterback Sean Maguire and forced a late interception, giving Clemson's offense the ball with about two minutes to go, but the Tigers squandered their chance on that possession and on the first possession of overtime. Late game miscues in crucial matchups have seemed to haunt the Clemson football program the past few years and this game was certainly no exception.
Although the Seminoles have not routinely blown out opponents as they did last year, they remained strong in the eyes of the voters, remaining No. 1 in the rankings with 34 of 60 first-place votes.
SEC showdowns continue to shape top 25
College football’s premier conference, the SEC, featured a trio of highly contested games that could have major implications on the national championship landscape as the season unfolds.
Auburn escapes on the road
Defending conference champions Auburn remained at No. 5 in the rankings after surviving a Thursday night trap game at Kansas State with a 20-14 victory. Experienced quarterback Nick Marshall masterfully handled a raucous Wildcat crowd by leading two scoring drives in the fourth quarter to put the Tigers up 20-7 with 6:30 remaining to go in the game. Marshall then thwarted a late Kansas State rally with a 39-yard game-clinching pass completion. Although the Tigers struggled in many facets of the game, the hard-fought victory and multiple Wildcat miscues were all that really mattered.
Mississippi State ends streak, stuns Tigers in Baton Rouge
Louisiana State wasn't as fortunate as its SEC East foe late Saturday night. Behind quarterback Dak Prescott, the Bulldogs ran right over the Tigers, accumulating a whopping 302 rushing yards in their 34-29 victory. Meanwhile, Louisiana State failed to move the ball for the majority of the game and faced a 21-point deficit after three quarters. The victory for Mississippi State snapped a 14-game losing streak in the series between the teams and propelled the Bulldogs to No.14 in this week’s poll.
Alabama not perfect, still clobbers Gators
The biggest statement of the weekend was made by preseason favorite Alabama in a 42-21 victory at home against Florida. Facing numerous questions in past weeks about its pedestrian offense, the Crimson Tide expanded their playbook and thrashed the vaunted Gator defense to the tune of 645 yards of total offense.
After gifting the Gators three touchdowns off turnovers in the first two and a half quarters of the game, the Crimson Tide began to take care of the ball and turned first-year starter Blake Sims loose. Star wide receiver Amari Cooper was the main beneficiary of Sims’ offensive explosion, as he racked up 201 yards receiving and three touchdowns, bolstering his early Heisman Trophy candidacy. The victory kept the Crimson Tide at No. 3 in the rankings and garnered them six first-place votes.
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