In a week that’s been dominated by the lame off-field antics of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, it’s refreshing to see college football on the horizon.
But before we get to Week 4, let’s take a quick look back at what you might have missed last week.
Vanderbilt got its first win in the Derek Mason Era thanks to a missed 22-yard field goal by UMass. And a Vandy player even gave the sad kicker a hug.
Speaking of the SEC, South Carolina wants the college football world to know its not dead yet.
Texas made the worst coin toss decision in the history of coin tosses.
This QB got hurt...
And this QB got hurt...
And then this young man became a hero...
I think that’s everything. Let’s look ahead to this week:
Game of the week:
No. 22 Clemson vs. No. 1 Florida State, 8 p.m. ET
This game was intriguing before Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended for a half, but now all eyes will be on this contest Saturday night. Even without Winston for the first 30 minutes, the Seminoles are a two-touchdown favorite, but Clemson should keep this close. Florida State didn’t look especially good against Oklahoma State. It has a slew of young receivers and a running game that hasn’t been too good so far. The offensive line also is a question, especially with a new signal caller. If Clemson can score early and often, it’s gonna put a lot of pressure on new quarterback Sean Maguire, which could lead to some big mistakes.
Game to watch:
No. 4 Oklahoma vs. West Virginia, 7:30 p.m. ET
West Virginia’s offense is fast, but is it fast enough to keep up with Oklahoma? In the first half this season, Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 82-10, including 55-0 in the first quarter. Of course, the competition hasn’t nearly been to the level of what West Virginia has faced so far this season. The Mountaineers played step-for-step with Alabama in the season opener and got a big win against Maryland last week. However, the theme in those games was a severe lack of defense, something that has not plagued the Sooners so far this season.
Also check out…
Florida vs. No. 3 Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET
I’m not sure anyone knows yet what to make of Florida. Its blowout against Eastern Michigan and controversial overtime win against Kentucky didn't provide a whole lot of clarity as to whether Florida was a better team than a year ago. This game, however, should do the trick. It’s clear Alabama is the class of the SEC, but it’s defense has been spotty at times (see West Virginia game). There’s an opportunity for Florida to make this an interesting game, but it’s going to have to contain the Alabama running game, which is something no team has done yet this season.
Don't waste your time with:
No. 2 Oregon vs. Washington State, 10:30 p.m. ET
Last year, this game was a lot of fun. Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday threw like 1,000 passes (actually, it was 89, but close enough) in an attempt to keep up with the high velocity Oregon offense and still lost 62-38. It would be surprising to see the Cougars get that close this year. If you want to watch Oregon put up 50, by all means, tune in. But the Cal-Arizona game is a much better Pac-12 option during the 10 ET hour.
Keep an eye on:
Sean Maguire, QB, Florida State
Sean Maguire is in an unenviable position right now as Florida State’s playoff hopes hinge on his untested arm. Maguire will make his first start and attempt to keep the Seminoles in the game before starter Jameis Winston is paroled and back for the second half. Maguire doesn’t have to be Winston, he just has to manage the game and make sure he limits his mistakes. If he can keep his nerves in check, he should be able to navigate the Seminoles through the half.
Upset alert:
Virginia (+15) at BYU, 3:30 p.m. ET
Apparently, the thinking in Vegas is that this year’s Virginia team is like last year’s team and that’s just not true. While the offense is suspect, the defense has been nails all year and that won’t change even against a prolific running like BYU quarterback Taysom Hill. This is going to be a test for sure, but I have a hard time seeing Virginia lose to the Cougars by two touchdowns.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday
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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - What to Watch, Week 4: Will Jameis Winston doom or save Florida State's playoff hopes?
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