Last week, many games went as expected. However, in week 5 of the 2024 College Football season, we were treated to many upsets, some of which will impact the College Football Playoffs. So, how did the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, and Miami Hurricanes, among others, fare?
The Thriller in Tuscaloosa
This was on paper the game of the season. The number two ranked Georgia Bulldogs faced the number four ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, in a game that has become a consistent matchup in the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoffs in recent years. However, there was no trophy on the line here. Both came in with undefeated records, but one would leave Tuscaloosa without it.
Alabama has the game’s opening drive and would be able to take the early lead. Led by quarterback Jalen Milroe, the Crimson Tide offense was able to make it into the Bulldogs’ red zone. This, Bama was able to do something that many teams have struggled to do so far this season. Score a touchdown against Georgia. This occurred after Milroe found the endzone from a seven-yard run.
Soon after, the Crimson Tide would be able to increase their lead. They were again able to quickly move into the Bulldogs’ red zone and then to the 16-yard line. From here, Milroe found Jam Miller for the TD pass.
Things would get even worse for Georgia on their next drive. Not soon after they had gained possession, they lost it when Bulldogs’ QB Carson Beck threw an interception deep in Bulldogs territory. From here, the Crimson Tide took advantage of the short field to score another TD. This time, it was a 7-yard rushing TD from Germie Bernard.
Alabama would make it four from four when Milroe found the endzone to score a 36-yard rushing touchdown. This gave them a 28-point lead over the second-best team in the country, and the first quarter had only just finished. This was getting ugly very quickly.
However, the Bulldogs would finally get something going on offense, which was needed if they were going to stay in this game. Beck was able to lead his offense down the field to the Crimson Tide’s 7-yard line. From here, Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of NFL star Travis Etienne found the endzone to put Georgia on the board.
But, things would then again take a turn for the worse for the Bulldogs. A few drives later, Beck threw his second interception in Bulldogs territory, and Bama then moved to the 13-yard line. But then, Milroe’s pass was intercepted, handing possession back to Georgia. However, Beck would only move backward from here and record a safety handing two points to Bama.
This meant that after an eventful first half, the Crimson Tide had a 30-7 lead over the Bulldogs.
Georgia would be able to cut into the lead in the early parts of the second half. The Bulldogs found their way down to the Crimson Tide’s 12-yard line. Here, Beck found Arian Smith for the touchdown pass. The Bulldogs then went for a two-point conversion, which they were successful with.
However, Alabama did bring some of their lead back on the next drive. This stalled at the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line and set up a 28-yard field goal attempt from Crimson Tide kicker Grahman Nicholson. He was successful in this attempt, and the lead became 18 points.
The next two drives from Georgia were eventful. On the first one, Beck was sacked and then fumbled the ball at around the 50-yard line. Luckily, Bama was unable to do anything with their subsequent drive following the mistake. On the second drive, Beck and company would be a lot more successful. He would find Lawson Luckie for an eight-yard TD pass. The Bulldogs did attempt a two-point conversion, but this was unsuccessful.
The game would then become a one-score game, which seemed extremely unlikely after the first quarter. Thanks to two long passes from Beck, the Bulldogs found themselves at the Alabama three-yard line. From here, Dilion Bell found the endzone.
Then, the impossible did happen. On the first play of the drive, Beck would find Bell for a 67-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs into the lead after being 28 points down. They were now four points up, but with two and a half minutes left on the clock, Bama had the ball, knowing that a score at the right time would end the game.
But, Alabama did the same thing as Georgia did. On the first play of their drive, Milroe found Ryan Williams (who is only 17 years old) for a 75-yard TD pass. They attempted a two-point conversion, but this failed. The Bulldogs now had possession, knowing that they had to score a touchdown to tie the game.
On the game’s final drive, Beck moved his offense down to the Crimson Tide’s 20-yard line. Here, Beck threw a pass into the endzone, but it was intercepted. Game over.
The number four ranked Alabama Crimson Tide had defeated the number two ranked Georgia Bulldogs 41-34.
This was a thriller to watch. After the first quarter, many thought it was over, and the Bulldogs would never be able to do anything. However, they did and nearly pulled off a comeback for the ages. Both teams combined for 1066 total yards on offense in what has a high-scoring game, something that is common for these matches. Bama continue their good season, improving to 4-0 for the season, and giving Kalen DeBeor a winning start in the SEC. Georgia falls to 3-1, with this being their first regular season loss since their loss to the Florida Gators in 2020.
Next week, Alabama faces Vanderbilt, while Georgia plays Auburn.
A Controversial Win for Miami
The number seven-ranked Miami Hurricanes have been one of the best teams in college football in the early part of the season. They have been able to dismantle many of their opponents, putting them in prime position to capture the ACC championship. Their conference play started this week against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The game did not start well for the Hurricanes. On the opening drive, Miami quarterback Cam Ward was sacked and them fumbled the ball, which was then scooped up by the Hokies. This mistake would prove costly, as Hokies’ quarterback Kyron Drones would find Benji Gosnell for a 25-yard touchdown pass to give Virginia Tech the early lead.
But, this lead did not last long. In reply to this, Ward shook off his mistake from the first drive to have more success here. From the Hokies’ 17-yard line, he found Jacolby George for an 18-yard TD pass to level the scores.
Virginia Tech made the next mistake of the game, throwing an interception on the 50-yard line. From here, Ward was able to quickly move his offense down to the 43-yard line. From here, he found Elijah Arroyo for the TD pass to give the Hurricanes their expected lead.
Soon after, the proverbial boot was on the other shoe. After a long drive down into Hokies’ territory, Ward would throw an interception, which Virginia Tech would be able to capitalize on. From their 45-yard line. Hokies’ running back Bhayshul Tuten would find the endzone for a 55-yard rushing TD to level the scores.
These scores were not level for long, as Jaylin Lane found the endzone for a 20-yard rushing touchdown on the Hokies’ next drive to give them the lead. This, paired with a 57-yard field goal from Hokies’ kicker John Love gave Virginia Tech a surprise 24-17 lead at halftime.
The Hokies’ would add to this lead after halftime, with a 52-yard field goal from Love. Miami however, was unable to counter this and kept on making mistakes. Another Cam Ward interception early in the second half would only give more of a chance for the upset win.
However, we then saw a return to the Miami Hurricanes that we have seen for most of the season. On their next drive, they would be able to get down to the Virginia Tech 17-yard line, and from here, Ward found the endzone to cut into the lead.
But the Hokies were not taking this sitting down. In reply to the score, they got one of their own to keep hold of their lead. From the Hurricanes 16-yard line, Drones found Ayden Greene for the TD pass to keep it a two-score game. This did not last long, as on the next drive Ward found Cam McCormick for a 6-yard TD pass. This reduced the lead to three points.
Miami had the possession now and had to kill as much time as possible if they were to score in order to limit any chances of a late score from Virginia Tech. So, in a drive that took more than five minutes, the Hurricanes were able to move down to the Hokies’ one-yard line. From here, Ward found Isaiah Horton for the TD to hand them the lead. But, with under two minutes to go, could the Hokies come back?
On this drive, Drones was able to move his offense down to the Hurricanes 30-yard line. Then, as time ran out, he attempted a Hail Mary. The ball was caught in the back of the endzone by a Virginia player, but this play was reviewed. The subsequent review ruled the play to be an incomplete pass. This has generated debate in the days following the incident, as there was evidence to support a Hokies TD.
However, the final score cannot be changed, and the number seven-ranked Miami Hurricanes defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 38-34.
This game should have ended with the Hokies winning. Miami was not their usual self and was lucky to win this game. They improved to 5-0 for the season, while Virginia Tech fall to 2-3. Next week, Miami faces the California Golden Bear, a team on the Pacific coast that plays in the ATLANTIC Coast Conference, while Virginia Tech also faces a Californian team in Stanford.
A Kentucky Fried Upset
The number six-ranked Ole Miss Rebels have had an easy start to the season. This week, the real challenges began, as they opened their SEC campaign against the Kentucky Wildcats. Last week, the Wildcats very nearly defeated the Georgia Bulldogs. What could they do against the Rebels?
The Rebels had the opening possession of the game and would be able to get the opening score. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart would be able to move his offense down to the Wildcats’ one-yard line. From here, Henry Parrish Jr found the endzone.
But in reply, the Wildcats were able to get something from their opening drive. It took Wildcats QB Brock Vandagriff 15 plays to make it down to the Rebels’ 9-yard line only for the drive to stall here. This set up Wildcats kicker Alex Raynor with a 27-yard field goal attempt, which he was successful with.
We then had a period where not a lot happened of offense, where both teams struggled. However, there was a moment when Rebels running back Matt Jones seemed to fake an injury before a play started.
But near the end of the first half, Kentucky would be able to take the lead. In another long drive, Vandagriff was able to move the offense down to the Ole Miss five-yard line. From here, he found Dane Key for the TD pass. This meant that at halftime, the Wildcats had a 10-7 lead over the Rebels.
Ole Miss would be able to cut into this lead in the third quarter. Their drive took them down to the Wildcats’ 10-yard line, but no further. This set up Rebels’ kicker Caden Davis with a 31-yard field goal attempt, which he was successful with.
In reply to this, the Wildcats scored another field goal, with Raynor kicking it from 48 yards out, to retain their three-point lead.
A few drives later, the Rebels would be able to take the lead. Late in the third quarter, Tre Harris found the endzone for a 48-yard rushing TD to give Ole Miss a four-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
There would then be another period where not a lot of action happened. But then, with four minutes left in the game, Kentucky would be able to deliver a vital blow. The Wildcats offense was able to make it down into the Rebels’ red zone and then down to the six-yard line. From here, Josh Kattus found the endzone to give Kentucky a three-point lead.
With time running out, could the Wildcats hold on for a surprise victory?
The Rebels had possession, knowing that a field goal would take this game to overtime. Dart and company were able to bring themselves into field goal territory, setting up Caden Davis with a 48-yard field goal to level the scores and send the game to overtime. Davis missed this kick.
This meant that the Kentucky Wildcats had upset the number six ranked Ole Miss Rebels 20-17.
Kentucky has had a very good last two games. They nearly defeated Georgia, and have now defeated Ole Miss. They should be ranked next week. As for Ole Miss, their easy start to the season may have been too easy for them, and the moment they faced strong opposition they struggled. This could affect their chances for the CFP in the long term.
Next week, the 3-2 Kentucky Wildcats have a rest week, while the 4-1 Ole Miss Rebels face South Carolina.
What Happened to the Other Ranked Teams?
Mississippi State @ #1 Texas
The number one-ranked Texas Longhorns opened their SEC campaign against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. This was again a game where Arch Manning was the quarterback as Quinn Ewers was not fit to play. Manning delivered again, scoring three touchdowns at the Longhorns kept their good start going with a 35-13 win.
#3 Ohio State @ Michigan State
The number three ranked Ohio State Buckeyes open their Big Ten season against the Michigan State Spartans. Ohio State was again dominant in this game, with WR Jeremiah Smith scoring two TDs in their 38-7 win. Harder games will come.
#8 Oregon @ UCLA
After their poor start to the season, the number eight-ranked Oregon Ducks have found their mojo again. They opened their Big Ten campaign against fellow former PAC-12 team the UCLA Bruins. Ducks QB Dilion Gabriel scored three TDs as the Ducks played well and recorded an easy 34-13 win.
#19 Illinois @ #9 Penn State
The number nine ranked Penn State Nittany Lions faced the number 19 ranked Illinois Fighting Illini. This was a low-scoring affair, but the Nittany Lions would be the better team, and record a 21-7 victory to stay undefeated.
Arizona @ #10 Utah
The number 10 ranked Utah Utes have played another game with Cam Rising. They would have needed him when they faced the Arizona Wildcats. Wildcats QB Noah Fifita scored two touchdowns, while Issac Wilson struggled as Arizona recorded a 23-10 win to open up the Big 12.
Minnesota @ #12 Michigan
The number 12 ranked Michigan Wolverines continued to save their season defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In the QB position, they were not strong, but their run game and defense were strong, holding off a late comeback from Minnesota to record a 27-24 victory.
Wisconsin @ #13 USC
After their loss to the Michigan Wolverines last week, the number 13-ranked USC Trojans faced the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers had an 11-point lead at halftime, but the Trojans came back in the second half to record a 38-21 victory, their first in the Big Ten.
South Alabama @ #14 LSU
While the majority of teams have played conference opponents this week, the number 14-ranked LSU Tigers faced the South Alabama Jaguars. As expected, LSU dominated the Jaguars to record a 42-10 win, which does not affect the SEC.
#15 Louisville @ #16 Notre Dame
The number 15-ranked Louisville Cardinals faced the number 16-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. If it wasn’t for a strong first quarter from the Irish, they would have lost this game. In the end, they held on for a 31-24 win to give Louisville their first defeat of the season.
Stanford @ #17 Clemson
The number 17 ranked Clemson Tigers faced the Stanford Cardinals this week. Stanford is not the best program (and has a terrifying mascot), and this was seen in this game. Tigers QB Cade Klubnik scored four TDs as Clemson cruised to a 40-14 victory.
#18 Iowa State @ Houston
The number 18 ranked Iowa State Cyclones had an easy game against the Houston Cougars. The Cougars were unable to do anything, as they were shut out in a 20-0 win for Iowa State.
#20 Oklahoma State @ #23 Kansas State
In a highly anticipated Big 12 matchup, the number 20-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys faced the number 23-ranked Kansas State Wildcats. This game was all about Avery Johnson. The Wildcats QB was involved in five touchdowns as Kansas State put a serious dent in the chances for Oklahoma State to do well this season with a 42-20 win.
#21 Oklahoma @ Auburn
In the battle of teams with struggling quarterbacks, the number 21 ranked Oklahoma Sooners faced the Auburn Tigers. Auburn was strong in this game, with QB Paxton Throne scoring three TDs. However, a late collapse meant that the Sooners would record a 27-21 victory, their first in the SEC.
#22 BYU @ Baylor
After their close game with the Colorado Buffaloes last week, the Baylor Bears faced the number 22-ranked BYU Cougars. Again, the Bears stayed in this game until the very end, by a late Pick 6 TD from the Cougars gave them a 34-28 win.
Arkansas @ #24 Texas A&M
The number 24 ranked Texas A&M Aggies faced the Arkansas Razorbacks. Aggies QB Marcel Reed scored two TDs in the Aggies 21-17 win.
Washington State @ #25 Boise State
The number 25 ranked Boise State Broncos welcomed the Washington State Cougars to their famous blue field. The Cougars will be feeling blue when they leave, as Boise State had a good game. Running back Ashton Jeany ran for 259 yards and scored four TDs as the Broncos recorded a 45-24 victory.
That was week five of the 2024 College Football season. Next week, we have a repeat of the 2024 National Championship game, Georgia faces the other Alabaman side in Auburn and the Miami Hurricanes will hope to have an easier game against California.
