College Football Live - September Summary!

Episode Date: October 2, 2024

Victoria Arlen, Sam Acho and Tom Liginbill recap the month of September! We talk about the top of the SEC, Heisman favorites and Freshman of the month! All that and more on CFB Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you're flying Emirates business class, relaxing in an exclusive airport lounge, you'll see that your vacation isn't really over until your flight is over. Fly Emirates, fly better. Welcome to College Football Live. I'm Victoria Arlen. Happy Wednesday. Let's go out the tunnel. After an exciting week five, we're talking about which team is the head of the SEC class.

Sam and Lugues are here to tell you who could be valedictorian at season's end. And we are officially in October. But before we look to what's ahead, the crew and I take a look back at some September surprises. Also, Luggs is back with his top freshman of September. All this and so much more. This is College Football Live. We're off and running. Welcome to College Football Live.

Presented by Google Pixel. The Gallagher has been flipped to October, but we have to take a moment to recap just how crazy the first month of college football was. And also for those who don't know, today is the last day without a college football or NFL game until the day before Thanksgiving. Now, joining me and all the fun is Sam Acho and Tom Lugan Bill. So fellas, let's take a look back starting in the SEC because there's been a lot of changes around the SEC. Starting with the preseason favorite Georgia, starting off the season hot, emerging as the apparent top dog after their week one's second half dominance against Clemson. And speaking of another preseason favorite Texas in Sarkesian's high-powered offense has been humming. Beating defending champs, Michigan 31 to 12 in the big house just a few weeks ago.

And Arch Manning stepping up the past few weeks, past two weeks exactly, helping the Longhorn stay in the top three. And Josh Heiple's balls have been lighting up the scoreboards, boasting the nation's third highest point margin, paving their way into the top five on the AP poll. but will we see them take the poll's best spot this season? We shall see. And after a roller coaster matchup against the Bulldogs, Alabama stamped themselves as one of the best teams in the nation, securing the first spot in the AP poll for the first time in the Kalin-de-Bor era.

And let's take a look at this week's college football rankings, brought to you by Prudential. Now, Alabama claims the top spot, the third SEC team to do so this season after beating Georgia while the dogs drop from second to fifth. Tennessee cracks the top five while Michigan sneaks into the top 10 and Miami is the ACC's sole representative in week six. Now we saw so much of a shakeup in the SEC in the first month alone. Luges, who would you put at the top of the class of the SEC?

Well, right now I think it's clearly Alabama because I don't see anybody that has the answers to their offensive formula right now. You can make an argument that from a personnel standpoint, Georgia was best. equipped. But when you have essentially a running back playing quarterback who can throw it and can create vertical plays, it puts the defense in such a pickle

because if you start to make choices to load the box to defend quarterback run, you're now leaving Ryan Williams out there one-on-one, which is a complete and utter mismatch. So I don't know what the formula is if you don't have equal personnel to defend Alabama and keep the score

down. So for me, they're clearly the class of the league right now. And Luke's I got to make one correction. You said running back playing quarterback talking about Jalen Monroe. Jalen Monroe was a quarterback who's got legs. He wasn't, remember, and you know this more than anybody coming out of high school, he wasn't one of these top recruited

dual threat quarterbacks. He was a pocket pastor, but he also has legs. That's what makes him so hard to stop. Now, to that point, I will say that Alabama is at the head of the SEC, but it's not so obvious. I think Texas is another team that people need to keep an eye out. Of course, you have a by week this week so you're not

playing, but Texas has the talent offensively. They're playing a lot better defensively. And so these two teams in my opinion are the two best teams in the SEC. Now, Luges, how many teams do you think you could see from the SEC in the CFP?

Well, if we're going to look at the top upper echelon, we just showed the AP poll. Clearly Tennessee's in the mix, Georgia, Alabama, Ole just had a difficult loss. We'll see how teams like Texas continued to unfold.

So you're looking at a minimum of probably four, but the league by and large hasn't quite yet had an opportunity to cannibalize itself. That was just an appetizer that we saw on Saturday, because you take a look at Georgia. They still got Texas, Tennessee left on the map as well as Old Miss. You consider Old Miss. I think the early portion of their schedule did them no favors, guys. They weren't challenged.

They did not have to deal with any type of adversity. It looked easy. and fell easy and they kind of went on cruise control. Now you look at the remainder of their schedule, and this is a resurgent Arkansas team. You're on the road in one of the most difficult places to play at LSU, and you've got Georgia at Florida, and then the rivalry in the Egg Bowl late.

And so I hope the loss to Kentucky, which was one they were not circling as a loss, was a real wake-up call for the gauntlet that is coming if you're old miss. And speaking of Gottling, we need to throw up Tennessee schedule. I'm not sure if we have it. If we don't, I'll just talk about it. Tennessee, they're going to host Alabama.

Then they go to Athens and they play Georgia. And oh, by the way, in the middle of that, they play Kentucky, a team in Kentucky who not only beat Ole Miss, but they took Georgia down to the wire. And so, yes, I still think that four teams from the SEC are going to make the college football playoff. But a team like Tennessee, this media darling, a team that's playing really good football,

they could have some bumps in the road, talking about Alabama the way that they're looking, Georgia the way they're looking, and then Kentucky, the way they've played as of late, could be three big bumps for Tennessee and it could prove difficult for them to make it if they end up losing one more outside of that. Well, I think to finish what Louise was saying,

Ole Miss saw the biggest hit in their playoff chances dropping by 35% the most by any team this week. Now, September was a wild ride in college football. Colorado, four-and-one start under Coach Prime is the best start in five seasons. But get this, for the first time since 1945, both Army and Navy are sitting pretty at 4-0 and the Scarlet Knights are first.

4-0 for the first time in a decade. From the Rockies to the Hudson, we're seeing some serious shake-ups this year, stuff we didn't see coming, and that's just a few of the September surprises. So, Lug's, who or what was the biggest surprise of September for you? Well, I think that

there were a couple of teams, number one. I look at Pitt, obviously. I think that they're a football team that's been a wonderful surprise with Eli Holstein coming through the transfer portal. They've had two come from behind victories, one in a rivalry game, in the backyard brawl versus West Virginia.

They've got arguably one of the best transfer portal additions in all of college football out of FCS, Western Carolina, in Desmond Reed. But it's really been about Eli Holstein. His ability through the air and on the ground for a guy that was a red shirt freshman a year ago at Alabama, he's playing like a season veteran, and they're able to score points at a really rapid clip.

So I've been unbelievably impressed with them. And the reason, Yes, quarterback Eli Holstein, but just a quick tag to that. Their offensive coordinator, Kay Bell, he was at the FCS level, Western Carolina, and you know this as well, Luke. He was putting up huge numbers there, so that's a great addition as well. But my team that surprised me the most is BYU. In all the talk about the Big 12, and who's going to win,

and it is going to be Oklahoma State, is it going to be Kansas State. BYU is 5 and O, and one of those wins is against Kansas State. A team that a lot of people, shoot, forget people. I thought Kansas State was going to win the Big 12. Yes, it's still early in the state. season, but BYU is playing really, really good football. They've already been challenged. Now they will be tested as the season progresses, but I'm extremely surprised at their early success based off of some of their struggles in the past. Sam, I'll give you another one.

I've been really impressed so far with Indiana, Kurt Signetti, in year one. Now, listen, haven't exactly had the most daunting schedule. Maryland was the best team that they've played to this point, but they too have a fantastic roster edition through the border and quarterback Curtis Rourke had an opportunity to broadcast three of his games at Ohio over the last couple of years. He is really, really talented. Number one scoring offense in the Big Ten, top five rush and pass offense. The schedule is going to get meatier, but Indiana looks to be for real. Well, and Lug's pick and make some history this Saturday.

If they get their fifth win, it will be the first time since 1991 that they're starting five and oh. So we're on team pit over here. All right, let's keep moving to some not so great surprise. over here. All right, the defending ACC champs not looking like championship material starting the season. One in four and now there's more bad news. They'll be starting they'll be without starting QB DJ Yui Ungal-Lah who broke a finger on his throwing hand during Saturday's lost SMU. He's expected to miss the next few weeks and a clear timeline will come after further evaluation. Brock

Glenn will start Saturday against Clemson. So shifting from disappointments onto disappointing teams. Sam, who would you say is your most disappointing team after a first month. Yeah, there's no shift. You got to stick with Florida State. You saw disappointment to disappointments to disappointments. I got a chance to broadcast one of Florida States games a few weeks ago. And it wasn't just the quarterback position, DJ Uiangelae, that struggled.

It was also the run game that struggled. Their defense has been up and down early in the season. We saw them struggle, giving up a few hundred rushing yards. And they got better than all of a sudden you go to the SMU game and you're throwing interception after interception after interception. And it wasn't just misplaced passes. you're seeing a lot of drops, a lot of mistackles, at least in the past, with their defense. And so for me, Florida State has been the most disappointing team just because there's so much talent on that team.

And they've gotten some pieces back. Offensive coordinator Alex Atkins came back, well, I guess it was two weeks ago. And they're still not competing at the level you would expect from a premier program. I must have misunderstood the assignment because I assumed that FSU was the given answer there. So I got to go somewhere else. And I'm going to go to the Big 12 with the Kansas Jayhawks. I think Lance Leipold thought he had himself a real opportunity with this football team. They lose Andy Koblenicki to Penn State, the offensive coordinator.

You bring in Jeff Grimes. And guys, Kansas can't fill the football. They're completing 53% of their passes. They've turned the ball over eight times through the air. Jalen Daniels is a shell of himself. Now, they can run it, all right? But they have no ability to move the ball. ball through the air. They've had some self-inflicted wounds. I think they've been really

disappointing when you look at who they had coming back on the roster. But to your point, Lou's look at who they lost. They lost Andy Kodonicki, who's a brilliant offensive coordinator at Penn State now doing great things. Now, the last team I'll say that has been a disappointment is Virginia Tech. And Virginia Tech is another team that I got a chance to cover early in the season. And maintenance is because of not only the preseason height, but once again, the talent on this roster, Kyron Drones, Bayshall Tooting. These guys are pre-mirr players. Jalen Lane at receiver. When we broadcast their game, there were multiple NFL scouts looking at almost everyone on their roster. And yet, for whatever reason, they have not been able to put it together.

Now, you could blame some of that on special teams. There have been some special teams mistakes. Some may call them disasters. But I think Virginia Tech is a team that a lot of people had high hopes for, and those hopes are dwindling, flailing, and falling as we speak. Those are never the words you want with the word hope, Sam. So on that note, we're going to take a break from that. Okay.

Coming up, the Heisman Awards is in December, but this year we have already have some solid contenders after the break. Lugues and Sam discuss which players could be holding up that trophy. Also, with Group of Five making a strong start, what team could be in the playoff? Coming up, we discussed the case for not only one but two group of five teams that could make it. Stay tuned. College Football Live is presented by Google Pixel. At Desjardin, we speak business. We speak startup funding and comprehensive game plans.

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night's dynamic performance miami quarterback cam ward joined an exclusive group he is one of three fbs players over the last 25 years to start a season five and no while recording three plus pass touchdowns and 300 plus passing yards in each game which has made him now also a solid candidate for the heisman speaking of that the heisman odds took a major shake up after week five and Alabama quarterback, Jalen Milro, entered week five with the third shortest odds to win the Heisman. And now, he has the best odds to take it home after helping the tide beat Georgia. He's followed by Colorado's two-way star Travis Hunter and Miami's QB Cam Ward.

All right, Lugz, who is your September Heisman winner? I think it's Travis Hunter and I don't even believe there's a close second. Now, I acknowledge that it's very difficult to win the Heisman trophy if you're on a team that's struggling. So I think Colorado is going to have to continue to improve and win games and get above 500. But I also believe that this is one of those players that if you removed him from the roster, what happens to that football team in every phase of the game? And remember, it's not the best, right? It's not the most explosive player.

It's the most outstanding player in college football. And I think that completely defines what he's meant for Colorado so far this year. So, Luke, what does track. have this need to do or keep doing to bring home that trophy? Stay out of the training room, all right? Stay out of the infirmary ward. Honestly, I mean, at the end of the day, he's got to preserve his body. They've got to work with him throughout the week,

which I know they're doing to get him to each and every Saturday. So he's at his absolute physical and emotional best. But it's a long season. There's a lot of football, and he's playing a lot of snaps. Yeah, Loux, this reminds me of debate class back when I was at high school at St. Marks. I'm going to use what you said. I'm going to rebut it and I'm going to give you a better answer. You said the Hisman Trophy is for the most outstanding player. I was at the Alabama versus Georgia game this last weekend. If you tell me that Jalen Milroyo wasn't the most outstanding

player, not just on the field, but looked like in the nation, then I would say that you're likely wrong. Jalen Mill Road saved his best, not for last, but his best for most recent. Last week, he threw for over 370 yards and most he has all season, versus Georgia, one of the best teams in the nation. Last week, he ran for 116, the most he has all season, versus Georgia, one of the best teams in the nation. Jalen Milro is showing the world what he's always been

when it comes to a passer and also a playmaker. That's what he's doing, and that's why not only did Alabama beat a top-ranked Georgia team, but that's why Jaylen Murrow was rising and shooting up the Heisman Trophy charts. Well, both of these... All right, now he's got a lineup at corner for 60 snaps a game

for the next seven weeks. Look, both of these players need to be But it's been a while since the defensive player has won to Heisman, though. It has been a while since the defensive player. And two points, Travis Hunter is definitely deserving. But those two players, I mean, you might as well save their seats and put them in New York because those two guys are going to be in New York. I agree with you.

Look, there's no doubt, look, Sam, you don't need to argue and debate that one. There's no doubt about it. Both of these players just need to keep having rewarding performances. And speaking of rewarding performances, Cam Ward is the only ACC player to start this. and let's get to our rewarding performance brought to you by Capital One. The UNLV rebels silenced all the outside noise around the program Saturday behind their new starting quarterback, Haj Malik Williams, who dominated through the air and on the ground. And the Rebels 4-0 Start earned them their first AP poll appearance as well, coming in at number 25.

So let's take a look at all the drama, omitted all. UNLV is cranking out wins and now boasts the second best chance after. the playoffs among group of five teams, trailing only Boise State. But here's the kicker. These two Mountain West rivals are set to clash in Vegas in just a couple of weeks, and that showdown could really shake up the group of five playoff picture. So Sam, who is your group of five team to reach the playoff? It's the mids. I'm not talking about average. It's the Navy midshipmen. So Navy has an offense that is almost like this triple option spread offense. They run the traditional triple option, but they also spread it out. They're offering. They're off.

is extremely hard to stop. You're saying, well, it's Navy. Okay, they're undefeated. Who do they play? Navy plays Notre Dame in a few weeks in the end of October. If Navy finds a way to stay undefeated, beat Notre Dame, beat an undefeated Army team

who both are four and oh, they play them at the end of the season, all of a sudden, Navy is a team that could be your highest ranked group of five champion. And so for me, Navy is the biggest team. And I will give a little bit of love and shout out to UNLV and head coach, or office coordinator of Brennan,

who's able to still win without their quarterback and running back. that to me shows talent. But I'm going Navy for my group of five team in the playoff. UNLV sent a message, no doubt. I love how they perform last week. But I think it's Boise State. I think Boise State is the closest team that is a non-powerful team

to having a powerful roster profile in terms of where the strengths of their football team reside. Up front on both sides of the football, the running back's an absolute difference maker. They create multiple explosive plays in a variety of ways, both on the ground and through the air, and they can play defense. And I'll tell you what's going to happen

with the college football playoff committee. They're going to go back and they're going to watch that Oregon game, and they're going to watch Boise State push Oregon around. Up front on both sides of the football, that's going to resonate if they can continue to win. They're going to be the best team, I think, on the field each and every time they take it. I love the Broncos in this spot.

And we talk about Boise State and UNLV. They're both big topics of conversation here, but both teams have over 30% chance to make the point. playoff and they face off in Vegas on October 26. We'll be having a very close eye there. Now, let's take a break here because there have been no shortage of freshmen leaving their mark this season. And Lugz gives us his freshman of the month coming up after the break.

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hosting Auburn, and we cap the night off with number four Tennessee taking on Arkansas. All three games are also available on the ESPN app so you can watch. anywhere. In the heart of a new month, Lugz, who are your top freshman of the month of September? Well, I didn't think they'd be as painfully obvious as they have become in just four short weeks. So let's start off with Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams, who in the offseason might join the circus because he's a flat out acrobat.

I don't know if I have seen a young player like this with this type of ball skills. It's not a six-foot-three, six-foot-four guy. Georgia couldn't find him. He was like a human blur. He's a ghost, and he's got the ability to make adjustments on the ball and then get from zero to 60 in the blink of an eye. An absolute difference maker was supreme maturity. Now, another wide receiver that is equally as impressive

and equally productive, but a completely different body type is Jeremiah Smith. At his best when contested. At his best one elevated. At his best when he's in the red zone. and then you see the skill set to be able to move after the catch in a much bigger frame than Ryan Williams. So he's been spectacular thus far in the first month of the season for the Buckeyes. And then Colin Simmons, and I think Sam will agree with me when I say this. He comes in as a designated pass rusher because he's a bit light in the pants right now.

He's a freshman. He's probably not an every down player because people would choose to run right at him. But once he comes off the ball, he is an absolute handful off of the edge. When he starts gaining weight, getting stronger, becomes an every down player, he's going to be a monster. Oh, and to your point, Luges, even when it comes to the rest of the quarterback, that's one thing that Texas has missed for the last several years. So to add him to some of the other guys on that defense is huge. And those receivers, man, I was in awe of watching some of the highlights. So great lists, Lug's.

I can't wait to October. Well done, Lugz. All right, here's one for the road. NC State defensive. And Davin Van is working to bring relief supplies to storm ravaged communities in Western North Carolina after floods. devastated communities in the aftermath of the recent hurricane on Friday. His mother, Joy, owns a moving company and they came together to put together needed supplies to bring them to families in need. You can also help people affected by hurricane, Helene, by donating at the Red Cross,

by going to red cross.org slash ESPN. For Sam and Lugues, I'm Victoria. Thanks for watching.