The Scarlet and Gray

[toysoldier00]

put a hundo on em

also - I would get St. Claire in the game to make sure he gets some PT to make sure he doesn't transfer

Got St. Clair some game time, but I am sort of undecided if I should redshirt him or not, to create more separation between he and Sayin.

Should be an easy dub. Don’t get upset

never.

This will be ugly

It actually was uglier than I wanted, just not for them

Get the night vision ready, this one might get a lil' pornographic.

I’m just impressed Grambling was able to score 6. Of course Jeremiah was able to ball out with 3 TDs

Good win as expected. If you want to get nitpicky, too many field goals. Against good teams you need to finish drives.

Charity points for Grambling, how kind of you

There was nothing kind about it. I wanted to win 70-0 it was kind of just a poor game lol. It wasn't as comprehensive as I wanted/expected.

Letting them get two field goals was mighty gracious of you.

Giving the FCS opponents added depth by going into TeamBuilder and making them their actual schools?

You really one-of-one.

Absolutely one time thing. First and last time I play an FCS team.

[toysoldier00]

Week 2 Recap: Oklahoma Makes a Statement, USF Stuns Florida, and Upsets Ripple

Marissa Bleday
September 7, 2025


Week Two was billed as a calmer Saturday after the chaos of opening weekend. Instead, it produced one of the most shocking endings in recent memory, a national contender falling at home, and a handful of performances that may reshape the early Heisman conversation. At the center of it all was South Florida, which stunned No. 14 Florida 36–33 in Gainesville on the final play of the game, a moment instantly etched into the sport’s early-season lore.

The Bulls trailed with seconds remaining when quarterback Byrum Brown fired a 14-yard strike to Wyatt Sullivan with one second on the clock, capping a frantic final drive that began with a deflected 53-yard pass somehow landing in the hands of receiver Chas Nimrod, who alertly stepped out of bounds to stop the clock. The sequence was the culmination of a night filled with improbable swings, including two pick-sixes thrown by Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who otherwise passed for a staggering 524 yards. But turnovers, a 169–94 rushing advantage for USF, and a +3 turnover margin made the upset possible.

“You just keep swinging,” USF head coach Alex Golesh said afterward. “This team refuses to quit. That’s why we won this game.”

With the victory, USF suddenly looks like the most viable Group of 5 playoff contender, while Florida and head coach Billy Napier now head into an unforgiving matchup at LSU with pressure mounting.



The weekend’s other major statement came in Norman, where No. 18 Oklahoma handled No. 12 Michigan 27–6 in a game that showcased both the Sooners’ defensive bite and the maturity of quarterback John Mateer, who threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns. Michigan never found offensive rhythm with true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who completed just 55 percent of his passes and threw an interception.

Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore urged patience afterward, saying, “This is part of growing up. He’ll be better for having gone through this.” For

Oklahoma, the win feels like a launching point. The Sooners bullied Michigan at the line of scrimmage, tightened the noose each quarter, and positioned themselves as an early Big 12 favorite in what is a pivotal year for Brent Venables.

Rivalry drama emerged in the Cy-Hawk game, where Iowa State rallied from down 21–9 to beat Iowa 26–24. Rocco Becht continued to build an early-season résumé that could sneak into Heisman conversations, throwing for 331 yards and two touchdowns, including an 81-yard catch-and-run to Chase Sowell that ignited the comeback. A six-yard touchdown to Gabe Burkle with 9:41 remaining gave the Cyclones the lead for good, while Iowa’s offense once again failed to produce explosive plays when necessary. Mark Gronowski was steady for the Hawkeyes, and Kamari Moulton added two rushing scores, but Iowa mustered just three fourth-quarter points and couldn’t hold off Iowa State’s second-half surge.



Illinois also survived a tricky road test, beating Duke 31–25 despite an uneven night from veteran quarterback Luke Altmyer, who completed only 10 of 21 passes but made them count with three touchdowns. Running back Aidan Laughery carried the Illini offense with 118 yards, and linebacker Gabe Jacas dominated on the defensive front. Duke’s Darian Mensah threw for 264 yards and ran for a touchdown, but two interceptions in key moments swung the game toward Illinois.

In Starkville, Mississippi State delivered one of the weekend’s most impressive defensive performances, knocking off No. 11 Arizona State 19–10 by suffocating the Sun Devils’ rushing attack and forcing quarterback Sam Leavitt into 51 pass attempts that produced plenty of yards but no touchdowns. The Bulldogs allowed just 2.3 yards per rush and limited Arizona State’s longest completion to 24 yards. A 52-yard field goal from Kyle Ferrie early in the fourth quarter and a late touchdown run from Fluff Bothwell created enough cushion for Mississippi State to close out the upset, leaving Arizona State searching for answers ahead of next week’s matchup with Texas State.



The week’s action actually began Thursday night in Columbia, where Missouri mounted a furious comeback to beat Kansas 34–30 after trailing by 13 in the fourth quarter. Three interceptions from Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels opened the door, and Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula — a transfer from Penn State — took advantage by throwing for 357 yards and four touchdowns.

Elsewhere around the country, No. 6 Oregon steamrolled Oklahoma State 55–14 behind a sharp performance from quarterback Dante Moore and a breakout game from freshman running back Jayden Limar. Baylor rebounded from a Week 1 blowout by beating SMU 52–35 behind Sawyer Robertson’s 383 yards and four touchdowns.

Several upsets dotted the map as well: Ohio University shocked West Virginia 44–41 thanks to Parker Navarro’s four touchdown passes, while UCLA’s 34–33 loss at UNLV intensified pressure on first-year head coach DaShaun Foster. Michigan State and Boston College battled through five overtimes before the Spartans emerged with a 45–43 win, and Vanderbilt continued its push to prove 2024 was no fluke with a commanding 49–24 win over Virginia Tech, fueled by Diego Pavia’s four-touchdown performance.

Two national standouts capped the weekend: Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State earned Offensive Player of the Week with a 13-catch, 171-yard, three-touchdown performance in a win over Grambling State, while USF corner De’Shawn Rucker captured Defensive Player of the Week after recording 13 tackles, two interceptions, a touchdown, and two pass breakups in the upset over Florida.

Week 2 may not have offered the marquee matchups of opening weekend, but its ripple effect might last longer. With conference play approaching and several preseason contenders showing vulnerability, the sport appears wide open, and if South Florida’s miracle was any indication, no lead, ranking, or reputation is safe.

[Count]

The GIFs are elite. Are you forcing win to line up the same wins as real life?

[The JZA]

My mans building a resume for that ESPN job

Bryce ain't built losing like that

[Captain Canada]

Holy shit, this is so impressive.

Must be nice to see Michigan go down early

[redsox907]

The GIFs are elite. Are you forcing win to line up the same wins as real life?

I was going to ask if you were forcing real life results too, and then playing your own games?

We keep saying it, but the depth in this is

I can understand never playing an FCS school again after the effort you put into it lmao

[toysoldier00]

My mans building a resume for that ESPN job

Bryce ain't built losing like that

Hate Michigan, but Bryce is such a talent. I hope he transfers lol.

Holy shit, this is so impressive.

Must be nice to see Michigan go down early

Never get tired of seeing it.

The GIFs are elite. Are you forcing win to line up the same wins as real life?

I was going to ask if you were forcing real life results too, and then playing your own games?

We keep saying it, but the depth in this is

I can understand never playing an FCS school again after the effort you put into it lmao

Yes, force simming real life results up until Conference Championship games. I'm also sort of in that habit of CPUvCPU'ing the big games while I'm doing other things in life to get a few pics (and if the result goes the way it's supposed to, I'll grab some videos of the key plays). I said I was going to do that in Year One and figure out exactly how I want to organize this dynasty and reporting and all that.

[toysoldier00]

Jeremiah Smith Named National Offensive Player of the Week After Dominant Performance vs. Grambling State
By Zachary Anderson on September 8, 2025





For the second straight week, Jeremiah Smith reminded the college football world why he entered 2025 as the most feared offensive player in America. After torching Grambling State for 13 receptions, 171 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday night, the sophomore wideout was named both the National Offensive Player of the Week and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, the first such honors of his young career, and likely not the last.

Smith was unstoppable from the moment Ohio State loosened the reins on its offense in the second quarter. His 59-yard touchdown from Julian Sayin cracked open what had briefly been a competitive game, and his third score, a six-yard fade in the third quarter, effectively ended the night for the Buckeyes’ starters. For Ryan Day, the performance was less a surprise and more a continuation of what he sees every day in practice.

“Jeremiah is as focused and consistent as any player I’ve coached,” Day said Monday. “The talent is obvious, but it’s his preparation and competitive spirit that separate him. When we needed a spark Saturday, he delivered. That’s who he is.”

Through two games, Smith now has 22 catches for 259 yards and four touchdowns, despite Ohio State sitting on the ball for most of the second halves of both contests. Even on a roster loaded with elite wide receivers, the Buckeyes are leaning into the reality that Smith is already operating at a level few in the sport can match.

Sayin, who threw all three of Smith’s touchdowns Saturday, said the chemistry between the two developed quickly throughout fall camp and has only grown stronger.

“When he’s out there, you just trust him,” Sayin said. “If I give him a chance, he’s going to make the play. Those balls weren’t perfect, he made me look good. That’s just what he does.”

Smith’s most impressive moments came after the catch, where he repeatedly turned short or intermediate throws into explosive plays. His 59-yard touchdown was the turning point of the game, but it was his consistency on third down, six of his 13 catches moved the chains, that kept the offense in rhythm during a sluggish start.

Asked about the recognition, Smith deflected the praise in typical fashion.

“It means a lot, but it’s never just me,” Smith said. “Julian put the ball where it needed to be. The line protected. The coaches trusted me. My job is to show up and be who the team needs me to be. That’s all I’m focused on.”

Ohio State’s staff has tried to temper expectations, but even they acknowledge that Smith is beginning to look like one of those rare players who alters what a defense can call. Against Texas, he commanded bracket coverage for much of the afternoon. Against Grambling State, it didn’t matter, he still found space, still won one-on-ones, and still created separation that looked effortless.

With the season only two weeks old, Smith is already positioning himself as a Biletnikoff frontrunner once again and a central piece of an Ohio State offense that appears capable of growing rapidly alongside Sayin.

Day put it simply: “He’s special, and he’s only getting better.”

For the Buckeyes, that’s more than an award, it’s a warning to the rest of college football.

[djp73]

Not quite as lopsided as you would like to see against Grambling

[The Sauce]

How do you feel about the young crop, now having some real reps behind them?