The Hook: 3 Things to Know
Realignment Road Upsets
Penn State and Texas both came into the season with high hopes and (what they thought were) NFL-ready quarterbacks. Both programs suffered early close losses at the hands of the top 3 teams. On Saturday, both programs were upset on the road in unfamiliar stadiums.
#9 Texas’ loss 29-21 @ Florida was the Longhorns' first trip to The Swamp since 1940; this win also likely buys Billy Napier at least one more year at the helm in Gainesville. It wasn’t #7 Penn State’s first trip to the Rose Bowl, but the 42-37 defeat at the hands of 25.5 point underdog UCLA was the first matchup in Pasadena against the Bruins.
On Sunday, both programs fell out of the AP poll.
Miami Masterclass
#3: Miami opened its season with a gauntlet. 4 of their first 5 games have been AP-ranked matchups, and they have passed each test with flying colors. The most recent was on Saturday when they ventured into a tough road environment against in-state rival #18 Florida State. The final score was 28-22, but Miami had firm control for almost the entirety of the game. The fourth-quarter flurry from the Seminoles was futile at best. The ‘Canes will get a much-deserved rest this week.
No Longer Perfect
For the loyal readers who read last week’s ladder about pretenders noted that I had Iowa State as my #1 pretender. I thought their #14 ranking was unfounded, as they didn’t have any quality wins. The Cyclones went into Nippert Stadium against 4-1 Cincinnati with a slow start and were not able to recover. Maybe I do know ball.
The Ladder: Good Pulls in 2035
Some of these guys may have illustrious NFL careers, but I think they’ll be better known for their time in college. These players will be good pulls in a decade+ when the night gets to the point of the night when you’re naming former athletes. Save this article for October 6th, 2035.
Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington)
He’s quietly leading the country in rushing touchdowns with 10 and has another one through the air. Maybe he’ll have a successful NFL career, but I think he’ll be better known for his quiet high-volume season, like another former Husky.
Pull Comp: Bishop Sankey (Washington RB ‘11-’13)
Diego Pavia (QB, Vanderbilt)
Who knows? Maybe Pavia will still have eligibility in 2035 and will still be in the CFB zeitgeist. Pavia is a lightning rod, slayed Alabama in 2024, and has never been afraid to speak his mind. Extremely memorable, but I don’t think the NFL is calling.
Pull Comp: Chad “Swag” Kelly (Ole Miss QB ‘15-1’6)
Jayden Ott (RB, Oklahoma)
I have no idea what’s going on with Ott at Oklahoma. He was one of the top transfer targets in the offseason after leaving Cal, but has barely seen the field, logging just 20 carries this season for 66 yards through 5 games. I think he’ll be best remembered for his time at Cal, especially when he was immortalized with his own Chappel Roan parody “O-T-T-O-G-O” (find tweet).
Pull Comp: Jaquizz Rodgers (Oregon State RB ‘08-’10)
Haynes King (QB, Georgia Tech)
I thought Haynes King was going to be the truth at Texas A&M when he committed as a high 4-star recruit. I wasn’t wrong, I was just early. Haynes King eats nails for breakfast and rusty nails for lunch. I don’t think a Georgia Tech game officially starts until both of his knees bleed. He could be a true legend if GT finally pulls it off against bitter rival Georgia in Atlanta (I’ll be there to find out).
Pull Comp: Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech QB ‘10-’13)
Star Thomas (RB, Tennessee)
Tennessee is the third school for Star Thomas, and he’s not even the top RB for a Vols team on the CFP bubble. However, his name is Star Thomas.
Pull Comp: Boom Herron (Ohio State RB ‘08-’11)