Nico Iamaleava evaluates his game for Tennessee Football against NC State
Nico Iamaleava threw two touchdowns and ran for another in the Tennessee Volunteers’ 51-10 win over NC State on Saturday.
- Tennessee football has gained a new best friend in the NIU Huskies, who made the Irish laugh and gave the SEC more space in the playoffs.
- Sam Pittman loses. Good news for Bobby Petrino.
- According to the latest playoff projections, five SEC teams are in action.
Leave it to Smokey to befriend him Victor E. Huskiethis furry resident of DeKalb, Illinois.
Ol’ Victor is Northern Illinois’ mascot. Tennessee fans should consider him their friend after what NIU did on Saturday.
The Huskies gave Notre Dame an uppercut. Made the Goblins laugh.
NIU sent Notre Dame toward an NIT bowl game. Forget the playoffs.
Any SEC team with a 10-2 record (well, except Texas A&M) will be a more serious playoff contender than Notre Dame’s 11-1 record—assuming the Irish are lucky enough to match that record after their 14-16 home loss to NIU.
When the Huskies’ Kanon Woodill made a 32-yard field goal, he simultaneously kicked the Irish out of the CFP and gave the SEC more space.
Insert No. 12 Tennessee.
The Vols (2-0) are buzzing behind Nico Iamaleava.
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It doesn’t matter that Tennessee coach Josh Heupel should have catapulted his five-star quarterback into the starting lineup 11 months ago. Better late than never.
And the best thing about Tennessee’s quarterback is that Iamaleava’s potential is even greater. He’s better than he was in Week 2, when he threw two interceptions and totaled 276 yards of offense in a 51-10 win over No. 23 NC State.
Tennessee’s defense (always a question mark under Heupel) looks pretty good.
“The standard in Tennessee is to be excellent on defense,” Heupel said. “This is the home of Reggie White, Al Wilson and Eric Berry.”
And now Will Brooks, the walk-on safety who scored an 85-yard touchdown after an interception.
But how about a pat on the head, a scratch behind the ears and a reward for NIU’s defense? The Huskies limited Notre Dame (1-1) to 286 yards.
“I just couldn’t be prouder,” NIU coach Thomas Hammock told NBC Sports after the win.
The SEC playoff contenders couldn’t be happier.
If the Irish clinch a playoff spot, it’ll be bad news for SEC qualifying targets for five CFP players. Notre Dame gained momentum after beating Texas A&M in Week 1.
The SEC’s bravery took a hit as the Aggies, LSU and Florida suffered losses in their opening games.
But this surprise from NIU clears the chessboard.
My opinion of Tennessee hasn’t changed. For months, I’ve been pinning Tennessee’s playoff hopes on one game: If they win at Oklahoma in Week 4, the Vols are in. If they lose that game, Tennessee is out.
The Sooners narrowly avoided disaster in their 16-12 win over Houston on Saturday. If UT beats OU, I’ll stop thinking about whether the Vols will make the playoffs. Better question: How good will their seeding be?
There is no reason why Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee can’t all make the playoffs, especially with Notre Dame out of the game.
Remember to thank the Huskies.
Arkansas loses, Bobby Petrino wins
Arkansas blew a lead and lost 39-31 to Oklahoma State in double overtime, and Sam Pittman moved ever closer to a reduced settlement.
Pittman has a 21-19 record since the start of the 2021 season. If he falls below .500 since 2021, he will trigger an opt-out clause in his contract.
Who’s next? Look no further than offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Arkansas fans know all about Petrino and his bike. He was the coach the last time the Hogs had double-digit wins – and he’s responsible for the 648 yards of offense Arkansas generated against one of the Big 12’s leaders.
The loss was especially bad news for Pittman, as Petrino had looked better due to his offensive performance.
Is anyone in Alabama superstitious?
Nick Saban gave a speech of thanks before Alabama dedicated its field to the legendary coach. It is now Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Hours later, the No. 4 Crimson Tide nearly tarnished Saban’s good name.
Kalen DeBoer’s team only led South Florida 21-16 late in the fourth quarter before the Tide (2-0) scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes to celebrate a 42-16 victory.
Time to panic? No.
I can’t explain it, but there’s something about USF that makes Alabama uncomfortable. The Tide beat the Bulls 17-3 last season before reaching the Rose Bowl.
So, don’t forget Saban’s name just yet. Make this ugly win count for DeBoer.
The best quote I heard this week
“Aflac! Aflac! Aflac!” a fan who had bet on Nebraska cheered while drinking a Coors Light and watching the Huskers crush Colorado.
Three and out
1. No one, and I mean no one, should be laughing at No. 3 Texas anymore. The “Texas is back!!” sarcasm is so passé. Texas is back. Really. Really, really back. And Michigan is in hiding after the Longhorns crushed the defending national champions 31-12. Over the last few years, coach Steve Sarkisian has instilled a toughness in Texas that has been sorely missed. ““We’re calloused,” Texas senior center Jake Majors said of the program’s development. Calloused hands are a good fit for the SEC.
2. Stock up: Vanderbilt, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Abbott Laboratories, Coca-Cola, Aryna Sabalenka. Reduce inventory: LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, Notre Dame, Michigan, Disney. Be careful before you doubt: Alabama, Johnson & Johnson, Anheuser-Busch.
3. The latest playoff predictions for the 12 top rope teams: Georgia (SEC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Oklahoma State (Big 12), Miami (ACC), Memphis (Group of Five), and at-large selections Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, Tennessee, Penn State, Oregon and Utah. Up next: Missouri, Southern Cal.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter. @btoppmeyer.
The “Topp Rope” is his SEC football column that runs across the USA TODAY Network.K.
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