College Football Week 3 Highlights: Upsets, Thrillers, and Heisman Contenders
Week 3 of the college football season delivered a series of dramatic games and unexpected outcomes. From Georgia's narrow escape against Tennessee to Georgia Tech's stunning upset of Clemson, the weekend was full of thrilling finishes and shifting power dynamics. Several Heisman contenders emerged, and under-the-radar stories shaped the narrative of the season.
SEC Showdown: Georgia Survives Tennessee Scare
In Knoxville, Tennessee came close to ending their losing streak against defending SEC champion Georgia, but a missed field goal at the end of regulation allowed the Bulldogs to escape with a 44-41 overtime victory. Joey Aguilar threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns for Tennessee, but it wasn't enough to overcome Georgia's relentless attack. Gunner Stockton, making his mark after taking over for Carson Beck, threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, solidifying his position as the Bulldogs' quarterback.
Georgia ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, punishing Tennessee's defensive front. The game served as a reminder that the SEC still runs through Georgia, despite the Vols best efforts.
ACC Upset: Georgia Tech Stuns Clemson
In Atlanta, Georgia Tech pulled off a stunning upset, defeating Clemson 24-21 with a 55-yard field goal as time expired. Haynes King led the Yellow Jackets with 211 passing yards, 104 rushing yards, and a touchdown. The win marks Georgia Tech's seventh against a ranked ACC foe under coach Brent Key. Aidan Birr, the kicker, sprinted onto the field and delivered the most significant shot by a man named Birr yet to have a musical written about it by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The loss raises serious questions about Clemson's future. Dabo Swinney's team is now struggling to maintain its dominance in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, established themselves as an ACC contender, alongside Miami and Florida State.
"Clemson's fall from the throne, however, has an air of finality to it, as if Swinney hadn't simply been exiled from atop the ACC, but had packed up his bags and moved to Boca Raton..."
Aggies Upset Irish
Texas A&M secured a thrilling 41-40 victory over Notre Dame, with Marcel Reed throwing for 360 yards and a game-winning touchdown to Nate Boerkircher with 13 seconds to play. Coach Marcus Freeman had a clear message to his defense after Saturday's rollicking, frenetic and ultimately debilitating loss to Texas A&M: "Not good enough."
Week 3 Trends: Ups and Downs
- Trending Down: Losing Interestingly: Florida's loss to LSU was disappointing because it lacked the bizarre elements that have characterized previous defeats.
- Trending Up: Spite Songs: Oklahoma couldn't bring its band to Philadelphia, so the fine folks at St. Joseph's University stepped up to help out.
- Trending Down: Scheduling Up: Indiana closed out another gauntlet of a nonconference schedule, narrowly escaping Indiana State 73-0.
- Trending Up: Burnt ends: A sizable portion of the field at Wake Forest was covered in smoke during the first half Thursday night after a BBQ food truck caught fire.
UCLA's Rock Bottom and Other "Best and Worst" Moments
UCLA suffered a humiliating 35-10 defeat to New Mexico, marking a new low for the program. The Bruins struggled on both sides of the ball and face an uphill battle to win any games this season. Things were expected to get better at home Friday against New Mexico, which features more than 70 new players under first-year coach Jason Eck.
Other "Best and Worst" moments included Georgia Tech's "fire drill" game-winning field goal, Virginia Tech's continued struggles, and a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch by Villanova to avoid a shutout against Penn State.
- Best: fire drills: Georgia Tech's kicking unit perfectly got on the field in time for Aidan Birr to drill a 55-yard field goal to move Georgia Tech to 3-0.
- Worst: Virginia Tech's downfall: Old Dominion were not scared of the Sandman and walloped the Hokies 45-26.
- Best: Villanova avoids shutout in spectacular fashion: Brandon Binkowski made an amazing one-handed catch to get on the scoreboard and ruin Penn State's shot at back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1996.
Heisman Watch: Emerging Candidates
Several quarterbacks and running backs made strong cases for Heisman Trophy consideration in Week 3. Oklahoma QB John Mateer, Utah QB Devon Dampier, Miami QB Carson Beck, Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed, and Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy all delivered standout performances.
- Oklahoma QB John Mateer
- Utah QB Devon Dampier
- Miami QB Carson Beck
- Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed
- Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy
Key Takeaways
Week 3 demonstrated the unpredictable nature of college football and showcased the potential for both established powers and rising programs to make an impact. The season is far from over, and many storylines are still unfolding.