Week 6 College Football: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

Week 6 of the college football season is in the books. We saw everything we love to see in the sport.

I could waste time and space by putting a bunch of words on here, and make my editor do some work (which did cross my mind). LOL.

Instead, I’m just going to get right to it. So here we go. I’m giving you…..

The good, the bad and the ugly, of Week 6.

(Reminder, I use my own personal rankings, not the bias crap that ESPN and the AP put out). https://welikesportzpc.com/2023/10/02/week-6-college-football-top-25/

The Good.

#11 Oklahoma Sooners defeated #6 Texas Longhorns. 34-30.

Red River is held at the Texas State Fair in Dallas, TX every year. This rivalry game is played at the historical Cotton Bowl and has given us some memorable games throughout the 123-year history. Saturday was another one of those games.

The 2023 version was a high scoring affair that kept the fans in attendance and those watching at home on their feet. The seven lead changes throughout the game made sure that everyone was on pins and needles, never knowing what would happen next.

Both Texas and Oklahoma are led by offenses that put a lot of points up on the board and also have quarterbacks in the Heisman Trophy race. The wide receivers of both teams are capable of turning a slant or hitch route, into a long touchdown and it would be one of those connections that would prove to be the difference in the game.

Longhorns kicker Bert Auburn hit a 47-yard field goal with 1:17 left on the game clock to give Texas a 30-27 lead.

Sooners QB Dillion Gabriel took over at his own 25-yard line and had no timeouts. He led them right down field hitting WR Drake Stoops for two big passes of 11 yards and 28 yards. A controversial defensive pass interference and a short run had the ball at the 3-yard line.

Gabriel took the snap and with the Longhorns defense collapsing the pocket, Dillion stepped up and found WR Nic Anderson all by himself in the back of the endzone with 15 seconds left in the game for the game winning touchdown.

He finished the game leading the Sooners in both passing and rushing. He went 23 for 38, with 285 yards, 1 TD and 0 INTs. He ran 14 times, for 113 yards and 1 TD.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers finished the game 31 of 37, for 346 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs. Longhorns HB Jonathan Brooks led the team in rushing with 22 carries for 129 yards and 1 TD.

These two teams could meet up again this season, in the conference championship game.

The Bad.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defeated #21 Miami Hurricanes. 23-20.

Instead of taking a knee and running out the clock, Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal decided to hand the ball off to Donald Cheney Jr, who fumbled the football. Georgia Tech recovered the fumble and made their comeback.

Yellow Jackets QB Haynes King hit WR Christian Leary in the endzone for a 44-yard game winning touchdown with 0:01 left on the clock to pull off the upset.

In his post-game press conference, the Hurricanes head coach said,

“We should have taken a knee.”

The Ugly.

#1 Georgia Bulldogs defeated #18 Kentucky Wildcats. 51-13.

Somewhere back in Lexington, Kentucky the Wildcats defense is still sleeping after missing their alarm clock for Saturday night’s game. I don’t know if they partied too hard at a Friday night frat kegger or they just didn’t watch film. In the biggest game of their season, in the national spotlight, they just flat out wet themselves.

The Bulldogs offense, which had struggled to consistently gain yards and sustain drives put points on the board with the same regularity as in previous championship seasons.

Quarterback Carson Beck went 28 of 35, for 389 yards, and 4 TDs. He was out there looking like the next Matthew Stafford or Aaron Murray.

Georgia had 608 total yards of offense, in what was easily their best game of the season.

The Good.

The University of Connecticut Huskies got their first win of the season, beating the Rice Owls 38-31.

Huskies QB Ta’Quan Roberson led the offense, going 15 of 19, for 215 yards, with 2 TDs and 0 INTs.

Huskies CB Chris Shearin led the defense with 7 total tackles, a forced fumble and an interception.

The Bad.

#7 USC Trojans defeat Arizona Wildcats. 43-41(3 OT).

Are the USC Trojans ever going to play defense again? How long will DC Alex Grinch keep his job?

They let 5’11”, freshman quarterback Noah Fifita, who was making his second career start, outperform USC’s Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.

The freshman went 25 of 35 passing, for 303 yards, and 5 TDs. Wildcats 5’9″, sophomore HB Jonah Coleman had a big game as well. He had 22 carries for 143 yards.

USC’s award-winning quarterback wasn’t going to lose though. Caleb Williams, who was under duress all game, finished going 14 of 25 for 219 yards, and 1 TD. It was his feet that carried the team to victory, scoring 3 TDs on the ground.

If the Trojans don’t get it together on defense, they aren’t going to make the College Football Playoff, let alone win the PAC-12 Championship.

The Ugly.

#23 Louisville Cardinals defeat #15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 33-20.

Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman entered the game having not thrown a single interception this season. That changed in a big way on Saturday night.

He threw three interceptions, including two of them, to Cardinals DB Devin Neal who had himself a GAME!!! The junior finished with 8 total tackles, half a sack and those two big picks.

If you read my precious articles, I said that Cardinals HB Jawhar Jordan was as good as ANY back in America and he proved me right once again. He finished the game with 143 yards rushing, on 21 carries, and 2 TDs.

Look out ACC, the Louisville Cardinals are not an easy out.

– by Sean McKenzie

Photos courtesy of Wallpaper Cave, on3, clutchpoints, Stamford Advocate