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  • Colorado’s Travis Hunter: college football’s mind-warping dual threat is one of one | College football

    The Heisman Trophy is college football’s supreme individual honor, an annual tribute to the best player in the game, and more often than not it’s the country’s top quarterback who takes the prize. But this could be the year Colorado’s Travis Hunter breaks with tradition.

    Hunter is college football’s mind-warping dual threat, a game-changing wide receiver and cornerback. It’s not uncommon for the nation’s best college football prospects to play offense and defense as high schoolers, especially if there aren’t enough bodies to fill out every position on the roster. At the highest levels of the college game, though, “ironman” players are confined to specialty roles on one side of the ball or the other. Why? Because why double the injury risk? Why mess with convention?

    But Deion Sanders, aka Colorado’s Coach Prime, has never been one to bow to convention. Famously, he set the standard for modern day ironmen in professional sports at the turn of the century – dominating the NFL as a shutdown cornerback, big-play receiver and kick returner while also dazzling Major League Baseball with his prowess as a hitter and baserunner. When Sanders pivoted to coaching college football in 2020, jumping straight into the head job at Jackson State University, his first call was all-out recruiting blitz for Hunter, the nation’s top high school recruit as a defensive back.

    Thing is, Hunter had already verbally agreed to play at Florida State, the school where Sanders broke onto the national scene, with the explicit intention of following the coach’s two-way trajectory. College football’s pundit class was convinced there was no way Sanders could talk Hunter out of that commitment to play for Jackson State – an historically Black college that competes one division down from Florida State. But it turns out all the coach had to say to him was: “If you come here, you’re playing both ways, right?” Which is to say: Unlike Florida State coach Mike Norvell, who envisioned deploying Hunter on offense situationally, Sanders expected him to never leave the field. That article of fact – along with the chance of catching passes from Shadeur Sanders, Coach Prime’s chosen quarterback – was enough to secure Hunter’s signature and seal a deal that turned college football upside down.

    In 2023, his lone year at Jackson State, the nation finally got to see this 6ft bundle of fast-twitch muscle in action. What stood out more than the stats was the ease with which Hunter sustained his high playing level whether on offense or defense. When Jackson State played North Carolina Central in the 2022 Celebration Bowl, Black college football’s de facto national championship, I watched from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium stands slack-jawed in the waning seconds of regulation as Hunter sprinted to the end zone pylon, boxed out his man and pulled down a 19-yard touchdown pass to force overtime. It was one of two TD grabs Hunter had in the game to go with five total tackles: Heisman-worthy stuff. Unfortunately for Hunter, the performance didn’t have a prayer of swaying Heisman voters, who tend to look past potential candidates from HBCU and other small-time football programs in the NCAA’s second-tier Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

    When Coach Prime left Jackson State for Colorado after that game and took his top recruits with him, there was considerable discussion in the media and online about whether those players could hack at the next level and whether Hunter could continue to play both ways and endure for the forthcoming 2023 season. But Hunter quickly put those doubts to rest, remaining on the field for a staggering 1,036 plays. Altogether, he finished with five receiving touchdowns, three interceptions and 30 tackles; that’s with him sitting out injured for a quarter of the season after he was targeted and knocked out of a game. At the time, the ESPN TV reporter relaying the news likened his injury to “losing two players in one”. Without their best skilled player, Buffaloes lost eight of their last nine games after starting 3-0. Coach Prime can’t say he wasn’t warned.

    This year has been a different story, however. Colorado won nine games, with Hunter playing 80% of time (1,044 snaps). He leads the offense in (92), yards (1,152) and touchdowns (14) and the defense in interceptions (four) and pass breakups (11). Last Saturday against Oklahoma State, Hunter hauled in 10 passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns – and snagged an interception on the game’s first drive. This was all after Hunter had been overlooked for the Thorpe award (ie the trophy given to the nation’s best defensive back) while being heavily touted for the defensive player of the year (ie the Bednarik award).

    Colorado’s Travis Hunter runs for a touchdown during the second half of last month’s game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas. Photograph: John E Moore III/Getty Images

    “I’m gonna give him mine,” said Sanders, who won the award in 1988, before going on to become the first athlete to play in a Super Bowl and a World Series. “I ain’t using it, just sitting up there collecting dust.” He went on to call the Thorpe snub “the most idiotic thing in college football”. It’s enough to make you wonder whether it could complicate Hunter’s chances of winning the Heisman, too.

    Since 2000, quarterbacks have won the Heisman 19 out of 23 years. Charles Woodson, the winner in 1997, is the only dedicated defensive player who has broken through. Like Hunter, Woodson is officially a cornerback, but what ultimately set him apart from his peers was his production as a receiver and a returner – even though he was nowhere near the menace Hunter is. Unlike Hunter, however, Woodson played his entire college career at Michigan. An FCS player has never won the Heisman trophy. What’s more discouraging: with Colorado ineligible for its conference game this week, Hunter is forced to rest his defense.

    In the meantime, Oregon’s Dillion Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward will play on in hopes of keeping the Heisman in the quarterbacks’ pocket, as Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty bids to retake the award for his running back brethren while attempting to smash college football’s all-time rushing record. Heisman voters are such prisoners of the moment, after all. Come Sunday, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they wound up remembering Hunter when he takes the field again for a postseason bowl game, after the Heisman voting has closed.

    That would be a crying shame. No player this year has been as impactful, as exciting or as deserving as Hunter – who, by the way, is a straight-A student, too. He’s proven so undeniably good at playing both sides of the ball that NFL scouts, football’s most skeptical bunch, have let themselves entertain the idea of Hunter playing both ways in the pros, where he projects as a top-three pick. That he’s managed to change so many minds so quickly speaks to his everlasting impact on the game. All that’s missing now is the hardware.

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  • Hunter Armstrong Returns to Train at Ohio State Toward LA2028 Olympics

    Hunter Armstrong Returns to Train at Ohio State Toward LA2028 Olympics

    U.S. Olympian Hunter Armstrong is returning to Columbus, Ohio, to continue his training, and education, at Ohio State University under Buckeyes head coach Bill Dorenkott.

    Ohio State is where Armstrong first rose to prominence as a collegiate swimmer from 2020 through 2022 after starting his college career at West Virginia. In 2022, he finished 5th in the 100 back at the NCAA Championships with the Buckeyes before turning pro and following his group coach Matt Bowe to Cal, where Bowe took a job as an associate head coach for one season.

    Bowe would move on to become the head coach at Michigan before the 2023-2024 season, but Armstrong stayed in Berkeley to train with Dave Durden and arguably the best backstroke group in the world that includes names like Ryan Murphy, Destin Lasco, and Keaton Jones.

    At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Armstrong placed 2nd in the 100 back (behind his teammate Ryan Murphy) and 4th in the 100 free. He had an up-and-down performance at the Olympics, finishing just 11th in the 100 back individually but winning silver in the 400 medley relay and gold in the 400 free relay, splitting 46.75 on a rolling start in the latter in arguably the key leg for the American side.

    Armstrong says that he is taking 25 credit hours in his last semester academically at Ohio State and interning as a coach.

    “I learned so much in California and loved my time with their team and coaches, but when I made my move to California it was supposed to only be 2 years with Matt. I’m ready to start moving toward my life after swim which requires a degree, a house, and a family, which I couldn’t do in California,” Armstrong told SwimSwam.

    Armstrong says he plans to finish his career training at Ohio State, and that while the plan is Los Angeles 2028, he hedged a bit on the uncertainty.

    “I will be at Ohio State until the end of my career. I hope that means LA (2028 Olympic Games), but a lot can happen in 4 years. But I have shifted my focus from just swimming into setting up for my life after swimming.”

    Armstrong is 23 and would be 27 by the time the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials roll around.

    While his degree is in Sport Industry, Armstrong says that’s not fully-reflective of his future career plans. His goal is to move into elementary education and work as a swim coach.

    See last week’s full podcast interview with Armstrong below:

    Audio also available on all of your favorite podcasting apps.



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  • Antonio Brown Shares 4-Word Message for Travis Hunter, After Colorado WR Shook College Football World

    Antonio Brown Shares 4-Word Message for Travis Hunter, After Colorado WR Shook College Football World

    In a world where Twitter hot takes are as common as incomplete passes, Antonio Brown just threw a perfect spiral. The former NFL star wide receiver took to X to drop a bombshell of approval for Colorado’s two-way sensation, Travis Hunter.

    His message? Short, sweet, and packed with more punch than a goal-line stand: “Travis Hunter is Elite #CTESPN”.

    Brown’s tweet landed just as Hunter was turning heads faster than a quarterback’s neck on a blitz. During Saturday’s showdown against UCF, the Colorado junior pulled off a rare feat. He snagged a touchdown reception in the first quarter, then followed it up with a highlight-reel interception in the second half. But Hunter wasn’t done yet. After the pick, he sprinted to the end zone and struck the iconic Heisman pose, sending the college football world into a frenzy.

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    The timing of Brown’s endorsement couldn’t be more perfect. Hunter entered the UCF game with stats that would make a video game character blush: 37 catches, 472 yards, and five touchdowns on offense, plus 14 tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception on defense. He’s not just contributing on both sides of the ball; he’s dominating them like a kid playing both teams in Madden.

    What makes Hunter’s performance even more jaw-dropping is the sheer stamina required. Colorado’s home games are played a mile above sea level, yet Hunter was out there in Orlando, Florida, battling 80% humidity like it was a light morning dew. He’s not just playing both ways; he’s redefining what it means to be a football player in the modern era.

    With Hunter’s versatility drawing comparisons to NFL legends like Aqib Talib, Brown’s stamp of approval suggests that Hunter’s talent isn’t just turning heads in college; it’s already casting a long shadow into the pro ranks.

    Heisman pose or gauntlet thrown?

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    When Hunter struck that Heisman pose after his interception, he wasn’t just mimicking a statue; he was challenging an entire institution. The Heisman Trophy, like a quarterback sneak on fourth and inches, has become predictable. It’s a quarterback’s award in a quarterback’s world. But Hunter? He’s changing the game plan.

    This isn’t just another player having a good season. Hunter is only the second player this century to record multiple games with both a receiving touchdown and an interception, joining the elite company of Aqib Talib in 2007.

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    Hunter’s campaign for the Heisman isn’t just about numbers; it’s about redefining value. In a sport where specialization is king, he’s a throwback to the days when players never left the field. It’s reminiscent of Desmond Howard’s 1991 Heisman-winning season at Michigan, where he dazzled as both a receiver and a return specialist. Howard, like Hunter, capped off his highlight moments with the stiff-arm pose.

    As the Buffaloes match their 2023 win total in just five games, Hunter’s impact is undeniable. And with NFL stars like Antonio Brown taking notice, Hunter’s Heisman pose might just be a preview of the pose he’ll strike on draft day.

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  • College football Week 5 preview: Have we ever seen a duo like Shedeur, Travis Hunter?

    College football Week 5 preview: Have we ever seen a duo like Shedeur, Travis Hunter?

    FOX Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” game takes place in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this weekend as the No. 12-ranked Wolverines, fresh off a victory over USC, take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Big House (Noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App).

    There are plenty of intriguing storylines heading into this game, including the play of Michigan QB Alex Orji, who is set to make his second career start this weekend. The junior signal-caller attempted only 12 passes in his team’s 27-24 win over USC, completing seven of them for just 32 yards. Orji also added 43 yards on the ground, but it was the Kalel Mullings show this past weekend as the Wolverines’ senior back carried the ball 17 times for a career-high 159 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.

    There are several other eye-catching matchups across the country in Week 5, including Colorado traveling to Orlando to take on UCF in a Big 12 showdown (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App). The Buffaloes are fresh off a memorable comeback win over Baylor, which included late-game heroics from both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, the SEC will take center stage Saturday night, when No. 2-ranked Georgia travels to Tuscaloosa to battle No. 4-ranked Alabama in one of the most anticipated games of the year.

    FOX Sports college football writers Laken Litman, Michael Cohen and RJ Young are here to preview the biggest storylines heading into Week 5.

    Michigan earned a potentially season-defining win against USC last weekend while running the ball 46 times and only attempting 12 passes. Is this a sustainable offensive game plan for the Wolverines?

    Laken Litman: No.

    Yes, Michigan finally showed off its powerful running game, led by Kalel Mullings, who piled up 159 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. But while Mullings figures to be a major part of this offensive identity moving forward, Michigan will struggle if it can’t throw the ball downfield. Quarterback Alex Orji, who took over for Davis Warren, is more comfortable running than passing. 

    Whenever Michigan faces a better defense that can stop the run – Ohio State, Indiana and even Northwestern have better rush defenses than USC – the Wolverines could get into some trouble if they remain one-dimensional.

    Michael Cohen: It’s sustainable to a certain degree. The way Michigan’s offensive line asserted itself against USC was particularly impressive considering just how one-dimensional the Wolverines became with Orji atop the depth chart. Orji, who was making his first-career start, completed seven of 12 passes for 32 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and an average depth of target that was only 7 yards downfield, which ranked tied for 88th out of the 119 quarterbacks with at least 15 dropbacks in Week 4, according to Pro Football Focus. His longest completion was a 10-yard connection to tight end Marlin Klein. No other tight end or receiver caught a pass longer than 5 yards. In other words, not only were the Trojans keenly aware that Michigan was going to run the ball on nearly every play — the Wolverines finished with 46 rushing attempts and only 12 passes — but they also knew any pass Orji might attempt would almost certainly be within a few yards of the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn could sell out against the run without any fear of his secondary being beaten by a vertical passing game.

    That Michigan still ran the ball for 290 yards and three touchdowns and averaged 6.3 yards per carry speaks to the brute force its players exhibited in the trenches, a formula that might be replicated against some of the more aerially challenged teams on the Wolverines’ schedule — the kinds of opponents who can be dragged into a rock fight. Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan State and Northwestern all rank outside the top 50 nationally in scoring offense, which suggests that Michigan can lure them into slower, more grinding affairs that transform time of possession into a particularly telling statistic. It’s against the more explosive offenses like Ohio State (52.3 points per game), Oregon (36.7 points per game) and Indiana (50.5 points per game) that such a run-pass imbalance becomes more problematic. The Wolverines enter Week 5 ranked 129th in passing offense, worst among the Power 4 schools. 

    RJ Young: It might be. I say that with all sincerity because I didn’t think it was possible for Michigan to beat what was the No. 11 team in the country with a pass-happy offense and play-caller with a record for scoring. But that’s what happened. Michigan ran 10 plays for 89 yards on the game-winning scoring drive, completing just one pass while trailing by four and needing a touchdown to win.

    If Michigan feels comfortable running against seven- and eight-man boxes for the rest of the season and can still get the result it did, who am I to say this team must use this marvelous invention known as the forward pass? After Week 4, “man-ball” is just a euphemism for Michigan.

    Colorado is another team that earned a massive win last weekend, defeating Baylor thanks to late-game heroics from Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Can you think of any previous example where two players have been so directly responsible for their team’s success?

    RJ: Baker Mayfied and Dede Westbrook in 2016. Mayfield had 285 completions that season, 80 were to Westbrook. Mayfield passed for 3,965 yards, and 1,524 were to Westbrook. Mayfield threw 43 TDs, and 17 were to Westbrook. Oklahoma won the Sugar Bowl following that season.

    They were so formidable that each was invited to the Heisman ceremony alongside Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson. Mayfield finished third in the voting, and Westbrook finished fourth — five spots ahead of Christian McCaffrey. 

    There is precedent for what Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are doing. But there is no precedent for what Hunter is doing all by himself.

    Michael: The short answer is no. Given what Hunter is doing on both sides of the ball this season, it’s extremely difficult — and perhaps impossible — to find another duo that is influencing the outcome of games the way he and Sanders are this season. As a wide receiver, Hunter ranks fourth nationally in receptions (37), sixth nationally in receiving yards (472) and is tied for fifth nationally in receiving touchdowns (five) while logging 259 snaps. As a cornerback, he has allowed 11 receptions for 75 yards, zero touchdowns and an NFL passer rating of 59.2 in 265 snaps. He has also tallied one interception and one game-clinching forced fumble in an overtime victory against Baylor last weekend. Sanders, meanwhile, ranks fourth nationally in passing yards (1,340) and is tied for seventh nationally in passing touchdowns (12) while playing behind a shoddy offensive line that is surrendering 15 quarterback pressures per game, according to Pro Football Focus. What they’re doing for the Buffaloes is truly incredible. 

    One other historical duo worth mentioning, however, is the quarterback-running back tandem of Pat White and Steve Slaton at West Virginia, two players who became synonymous with everything the Mountaineers did on offense under head coach Rich Rodriguez. In 2006, White and Slaton were responsible for more than 79% of West Virginia’s offensive touchdowns during an 11-2 campaign that ended with a No. 10 ranking in the final AP Poll. In 2007, White and Slaton were responsible for more than 70% of the team’s offensive touchdowns during another 11-2 campaign that ended with a No. 6 ranking in the final AP Poll. But neither of them played defense. 

    Laken: Never. At least not directly in this same way. Last week’s win over Baylor was the perfect encapsulation of how critical this duo is, from Sanders’ Hail Mary to Hunter’s forced fumble in overtime. These two always give Colorado a chance to win, no matter what. 

    With Kansas State suffering a 29-point loss to BYU in Week 3 and Utah beating Oklahoma State on the road without Cam Rising, it seems like the Utes are the early-season Big 12 favorite, and then everything is wide open after that. Colorado gets Utah, Kansas State and Oklahoma State at home this season. With that, what is the ceiling for Deion Sanders’ team?

    Michael: It feels like the ceiling is somewhere around a 7-5 overall record which, if achieved, would send Colorado to a bowl game for the first time since 2020 and only the second time since 2007. The Buffaloes have finished .500 or better just twice since former head coach Gary Barnett was forced to resign near the end of the 2005 campaign, so even finishing 6-6 would constitute a massive achievement for head coach Deion Sanders in his second year at the helm. And with his two best players almost certainly leaving for the NFL at the end of this season — Shedeur Sanders and Hunter will both be draft eligible in 2025 — there’s some added pressure on Sanders to reach a bowl game before they exit the program. 

    For as spectacular as Shedeur Sanders and Hunter have played thus far, and for as spectacular as they might be in the coming weeks and months, there are still some significant limitations on what Colorado can achieve. Despite revamping the offensive line, the Buffaloes are still tied with South Carolina and Cal for the most sacks allowed in college football (16), a pattern that threatens the health of their star quarterback. Despite adding former Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden in the transfer portal, the Buffaloes are still 130th in rushing offense at 68.8 yards per game, an inefficiency that thrusts even more of the offensive burden onto Shedeur Sanders’ shoulders. And a defense that was among the worst in college football last season still ranks outside the top 75 overall despite noticeable improvements to the front seven. Those are difficult problems to overcome in a conference as balanced as this year’s Big 12 seems to be. As of right now, three of Colorado’s remaining eight games are against ranked opponents. 

    Laken: Going to a bowl game seems realistic for Colorado this year, as Deion Sanders’ team is already halfway to eligibility with winnable games left on the schedule. Of course, the Buffaloes got off to a 3-0 start a year ago before losing eight of their final nine games. But this year’s team is an improved group.

    However, there are still issues to work out. The offensive line is a liability, just like last season, and has already given up 16 sacks in four games. Shedeur Sanders always gives you a chance to win, but his OL needs to help him out.

    Aside from Hunter, the defense has struggled. Ranked No. 79 in the country, it’s giving up 359.3 yards per game under new coordinator Robert Livingston. The unit will be tested this week when it goes up against undefeated UCF and the nation’s No. 1 running game. 

    Looking ahead, the matchups don’t get easier. On the bright side, the toughest remaining opponents – No. 23 Kansas State, No. 10 Utah and No. 20 Oklahoma State – are all at home. Will they win the Big 12? Probably not. But the postseason is possible.

    RJ: I’m reluctant to put a number on this because I want to give that team the benefit of playing through the season and finding out just how far Shedeur Sanders and Hunter can take this program after a year of playing at the highest level of college football. With Colorado traveling to Orlando to take on an undefeated UCF team, the Buffaloes have an opportunity to earn their fourth win before October arrives, and perhaps a fifth game in a season. So, for now, let’s make their ceiling five games. And then we can build a new floor if they reach the fifth.

    Baylor Bears vs. Colorado Buffaloes Highlights | FOX College Football

    No. 4 Alabama hosts No. 2 Georgia in a top-five showdown this weekend in Tuscaloosa. What do you expect to see in this game and should the winner of this matchup be considered as an early-season lock for the new 12-team College Football Playoff?

    Laken: One of the biggest matchups in this game will be Alabama’s offense vs. Georgia’s defense. The Crimson Tide have a healthy offensive line with left tackle Kadyn Proctor back in the lineup, and the Bulldogs could also return defensive starters, like Warren Brinson and Mykel Williams, who have been dealing with injuries. Jalen Milroe is one of the most explosive players in the country and is effective with his arm and with his legs. He has 14 touchdowns through three games this season (eight passing, six rushing), but Georgia faced him last year in the SEC championship game (and sacked him four times) and knows what to expect.

    It’s still early in the season and both of these teams have challenging schedules ahead. As we know, things tend to get wild in college football, especially later in October and November. But at this point, it would be safe to assume the winner of this matchup will put itself in an ideal position to become a CFP lock.

    RJ: I’d like to see the Georgia I was promised in the preseason. The team that couldn’t understand how it could’ve been left out of the College Football Playoff after losing in the SEC title game. The one that claims to spare no quarter and ask for none as it occupied the vacuum left vacant by Nick Saban at Alabama. The one with a dozen NFL Draft picks on either side of the ball at any time and the one with more five-stars than Michelin counts chefs. I want to see Georgia dominate what many believe is one of the five best teams in the country and an arch nemesis in the era of the CFP. Show me your teeth, Dawgs. 

    Michael: One of the most intriguing subplots during what should be a terrific football game between two of the nation’s best teams is whether an Alabama offense designed by head coach Kalen DeBoer and coordinated by Nick Sheridan can continue generating the type of field-tilting gains it has enjoyed with relative frequency during the early part of the season. The combination of a strong-armed quarterback in Jalen Milroe and a speedy receiving corps led by true freshman Ryan Williams and Washington transfer Germie Bernard means the Crimson Tide launch numerous deep passes each week. Alabama enters the showdown with Georgia tied for 10th nationally in scrimmage plays longer than 40 yards with seven and tied for 10th nationally in scrimmage plays longer than 50 yards with four. Williams, the former five-star prospect, is Milroe’s primary target and leads the country in yards per reception with an incredible average of 28.5 yards. He’s caught 10 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns overall. 

    How that style of football translates against a Georgia defense known for its depth of talent remains to be seen. The Bulldogs lead the nation in passing defense and have surrendered a meager 91.3 yards per game through their first three contests. That includes only one pass play longer than 20 yards, only one pass play longer than 30 yards and zero pass plays longer than 40 yards. The Bulldogs are also one of just four programs that has yet to allow a passing touchdown this season, along with Minnesota, UAB and BYU. Something has to give on Saturday. 

    Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

    RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young.

    Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

    [Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]



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  • College football winners, losers in Week 3: Arch Manning, Travis Hunter star, Florida State hits new low

    College football winners, losers in Week 3: Arch Manning, Travis Hunter star, Florida State hits new low

    Thanks to a unique calendar, every team has two bye weeks this year. Week 3 was one of the first casualties of the change, with seven AP Top 25 teams on a bye. Only two games all weekend featured a pair of ranked teams – No. 14 Kansas State against No. 20 Arizona on Friday and No. 6 Missouri against No. 24 Boston College on Saturday. 

    But sometimes when the college football slate feels the weakest, weird results happen. No. 1 Georgia needed all 60 minutes just to survive Kentucky. Missouri had to overcome a slow start against Boston College. No. 15 Oklahoma was lucky to outlast Tulane. No. 16 LSU barely escaped Columbia with a win over South Carolina. 

    While the games may not have ended in upsets, they did change the national picture dramatically. For some teams, like those from the non-power conferences, leaving some major scratches is enough to make their identities known. Here are the biggest winners and losers of college football’s Week 3. 

    Winner: The Group of Five

    Don’t look now, but the Group of Five has put together an unbelievable week. UNLV got the party started by beating Kansas on Friday, picking up its second win against a Big 12 team on the season. On Saturday, Memphis shocked former coach Mike Norvell and his Florida State squad 20-12. Georgia State used a late surge to shock Vanderbilt 36-32 and Toledo crushed Mississippi State 41-17. 

    Of course, all of these wins are only a cherry on top to the historic Northern Illinois upset against Notre Dame in Week 2. At a time when it feels like major college football is trying harder than ever to bury the non-power leagues, these schools refuse to be ignored. 

    It’s great for college football, especially in an era when a Group of Five team will make the 12-team College Football Playoff. At this point, there are serious contenders coming from all five leagues. 

    Loser: Kentucky coach Mark Stoops

    Kentucky coach Mark Stoops must have been auditioning for the job at his alma mater (Iowa) when he headed into one of the biggest opportunities of his career. The Wildcats trailed Georgia just 13-12 with three minutes remaining and barely 10 yards to get into field goal range. A fourth-and-13 is by no means easy, but Stoops inexplicably punted the ball back to the Bulldogs instead of trying to win the game. 

    Naturally, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck hit Dominic Lovett for a 33-yard pass to get near midfield right away and the upset attempt was effectively over. Kentucky didn’t even get the ball back until nine seconds remained in the game. Of course, Stoops trusts his defense. If he trusts his defense so much, he should trust them to get a stop after a potential turnover on downs. There’s a pretty good chance that Stoops will never have a better opportunity to beat a blue blood like that for the rest of his career. 

    Hunter’s pathway to competing for the Heisman Trophy is still difficult as a primarily defensive player, but his performance against Colorado State makes things interesting. Hunter caught 13 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-9 win. He added an interception, five tackles and another pass breakup on defense. These are the kind of special, truly two-way performances that will give him a chance. 

    After three weeks, Hunter has 30 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns to go with 11 tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception. Those are good numbers for a player on either side of the ball; they’re silly for someone playing both. The task gets much more difficult as Colorado heads into Big 12 play next week, but the Buffaloes’ star is legitimately giving himself a chance at a Heisman run. 

    Winner: Bounce-back teams

    Notre Dame became the first top-five team to ever lose to a MAC opponent last week, but the Fighting Irish came into Week 3 motivated. In a rivalry game that has often been lopsided against Purdue, Notre Dame dropped an all-timer in a 66-7 win, the biggest in the history of the series. The Irish had two 100-yard rushers and hit 42 points before halftime. 

    Across the country, Texas Tech followed up disappointing performances against Washington State and Abilene Christian by beating the dirt out of North Texas. The Red Raiders similarly took a 49-7 lead into halftime and ultimately dropped a 66-21 win over the Mean Green. 

    Even Alabama was able to follow up a disappointing performance against South Florida by cruising to a 42-10 win over Wisconsin  behind four touchdowns from QB Jalen Milroe. Sometimes a program just needs to exorcise some demons; unfortunately, Wisconsin, North Texas and Purdue felt the results. 

    West Virginia took a 10-point lead with four minutes remaining in the game and appeared poised to escape the Backyard Brawl with a big win. In fact, it seemed decided that the Mountaineers would win for the second year in a row. Pittsburgh had only four total yards in the second half heading into the final minutes. And teams were 150-0 this season when leading by double digits with four minutes left in the game.

    Instead, Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein somehow engineered an insane pair of touchdown drives over the course of minutes as WVU blew the game 38-34. Losing a game is frustrating enough, but losing this game is a disaster waiting to happen. Beating Pitt 17-6 last season helped kick off the best season of the Neal Brown era. All the good vibes are leaving the station in Morgantown; that’s how fast things can turn in a rivalry game. 

    The first real snaps of the Manning era arrived after Quinn Ewers went out with an abdominal injury. Somehow, they exceeded expectations. Manning scored touchdowns on two of his first three plays in live action against UTSA and reached the end zone five times overall. In addition to four explosive passing touchdowns, Manning gave the Longhorns a little something extra with a 67-yard rushing score. 

    Let me be clear: Ewers is the starting quarterback at Texas. He might miss the next game, but he will be back in the starting lineup as soon as he is healthy. Still, it’s exciting to see that Manning is more than his famous name. He looks like a star when it’s his turn to take over at Texas. 

    Loser: Florida State

    Truly, nothing could have prepared Florida State for this start. The Seminoles became the first team in history to go from a preseason AP top 10 team to 0-3 with three straight losses against unranked opponents. This time, it was Norvell’s old team (Memphis) handing the Seminoles an embarrassing 20-12 loss. 

    The biggest reason Florida State is a loser? There’s just nowhere to go from here. Making a bowl game suddenly looks awfully difficult. Charleston Southern is now potentially the only guaranteed win left on the board. After bringing 40 new players into the program over the offseason — including 17 transfers — the DNA of the 2023 ACC championship team is essentially gone. 

    UCLA probably isn’t that good, but Indiana has had an incredible start to the Curt Cignetti era. The Hoosiers amazingly moved to 3-0 after eviscerating UCLA 42-13, starting and ending the game with 14-0 runs. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke has lived up to every expectation after transferring from Ohio and had a 300-yard, four-touchdown day. The Hoosiers have a manageable schedule featuring Maryland, Purdue, Michigan State and Washington. Could a magical bowl trip be on the table? 

    Daniels had to work hard just to give himself a chance to get back on the field after a nagging back injury kept him out in 2023. Unfortunately, his return has gone about as badly as possible. In shocking back-to-back losses against UNLV and Illinois, Daniels threw five combined interceptions in games that were decided by a combined nine points. Simply put, his rust and decision-making has made him a shell of the player he was when he seemed ready to take over the Big 12. The small relief is that Kansas has yet to start Big 12 play, so the issues are fixable. However, the Jayhawks cannot win with this version of Daniels. With Jason Bean in the NFL, the staff has nowhere else to turn. 

    Winner: Washington State

    Washington State capped off its big week of rebuilding the Pac-12 by beating hated rival Washington in the first nonconference Apple Cup in generations. Quarterback John Mateer is a chaos agent and had three touchdowns in the win to beat the Big Ten’s Huskies and remind the country that the Cougars are still on the map. Washington State has been sneaky impressive over the first few weeks, beating Washington and crushing Texas Tech. With road games against Boise State and Fresno State ahead, Wazzu might have a serious pathway into the AP Top 25. 



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  • Hunter Biden Offers New Plea in Tax Case, in 11th-Hour Bid To Avoid Trial Focused on His Lifestyle

    Hunter Biden Offers New Plea in Tax Case, in 11th-Hour Bid To Avoid Trial Focused on His Lifestyle

    A judge in California may decide in a matter of hours if Hunter Biden’s trial for felony tax evasion will take place, after the first son’s attorneys proposed an unusual plea structure that would allow Biden to maintain his innocence while accepting punishment from the government.

    Biden’s plea, should prosecutors and the judge agree to it, would concede that the government has enough evidence to convict him should the trial move forward, but lets Biden maintain his proclamation of innocence. 

    Just before jury selection was set to begin Thursday, Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, informed Judge Mark Scarsi that the first son would change to what is known as an “Alford Plea” after originally pleading not guilty. 

    Biden’s attorneys in 2023 had worked out on an agreement with Special Counsel David Weiss to allow the first son to plead guilty to alleged tax crimes and his illegal purchase of a firearm while addicted to drugs and avoid prison time. The deal collapsed after it came under criticism from GOP members of Congress as a “sweetheart deal” and a judge in Delaware rejected that plea agreement.

    Biden would go on to be convicted in the firearms case. He has yet to be sentenced in the matter and could face prison.

    Now the president’s only surviving son is seeking to avoid the embarrassment of a second trial, which would again put a focus on his sordid lifestyle while addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine. He still does not want to admit wrongdoing.

    According to Cornell University Law School, an Alford Plea, also known as a best-interests plea, “registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges.” Should prosecutors agree to the plea and Judge Scarsi accept it, Biden will have to accept whatever punishment is handed down. 

    Prosecutors asked for time to consider Biden’s Alford Plea after Mr. Lowell made the announcement in court Thursday, according to Politico. Judge Scarsi’s ruling on the plea could come in a matter of hours. 

    The tax trial was set to be one of the most embarrassing moments for Biden, his father, and the rest of his family. Prosecutors alleged that he dodged more than $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 while he was making millions of dollars by doing consulting work for entities in Communist China, Ukraine, and Romania, among other countries. During that same time, prosecutors say Biden spent more than $1 million in cash withdrawals from banks and hundreds of thousands of dollars on payments to “various women.” 

    Biden still faces up to 17 years in prison and a hefty fine if Judge Scarsi accepts the Alford Plea, though given that this is his first tax offense, it is unlikely he would get a punishment anywhere near that maximum. He is set to be sentenced in Delaware either in September or October for his illegal purchase of a firearm; the judge in that case has yet to set a firm date.

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