Georgia Tech at Colorado
It all started out in Colorado’s favor with the Yellow Jackets turning the ball over to Colorado on their very first possession courtesy of back-to-back fumbles on the 2nd and 3rd play of the game—the first recovered by Georgia Tech, the second by the Buffaloes at the Yellow Jackets’ 36 yard line. Five plays later Coach Prime’s new QB, Senior Kaidon Salter, hit fellow Senior RB Dekalon Taylor in the end zone to take an early 7-0 lead with just 3 minutes gone in the first quarter. And that wouldn’t be the only fortunate opportunity for the Buffaloes early in the game as the Yellow Jackets fumbled and lost the ball on their second possession and threw an interception on their third. Unfortunately Colorado couldn’t capitalize as they were held to a three-and-out both times. So what could have started out as a 21-0 lead in Boulder turned into a 13-10 Georgia Tech lead at the half after the Yellow Jackets scored on each of their next three consecutive possessions on a 4 yard TD run by their Senior QB Haynes King in between two field goals by Junior Place Kicker Aidan Birr–one for 32 yards and the other for 43. Colorado’s Senior Place Kicker Alejandro Mata hit one of his own to tie the score at 10-10 with well under two minutes left in the second quarter but the Buffaloes couldn’t stop Georgia Tech from moving quickly into field goal range and going ahead with time expiring in the 2nd Qtr.
Colorado was held to a punt and another Alejandro Mata field goal in the 3rd Qtr to tie the score at 13-13 before Georgia Tech went on an 11 play 75 yard drive to take a 20-13 lead on another Haynes King TD run—this one for 17 yards with time running out in the 3rd Qtr. The Buffaloes would tie it back up again at 20-20 on their first possession of the 4th Qtr with a 7 yard TD run by their QB Kaiden Salter. After punts by both teams on their next possessions Georgia Tech’s QB would cash in his third rushing TD of the game to go ahead 27-20 with just a minute to play. But after a 65 yard kickoff and a touchback the Buffaloes never made it out of their own half of the field, exacerbated by two incomplete passes—the second with time running out.
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King didn’t exactly set the world on fire in the air while connecting on 13-of-20 for 143 yards and one interception. But he was a force on the ground rushing 19 times for 156 yards and all 3 of the Yellow Jackets TD’s. All together Georgia Tech rushed 47 times for 320 yards. For Colorado, QB Kaiden Salter was 17-of-28 for 159 yards, 1 TD, and no picks. On the ground the Buffaloes rushed 31 times for 146 yards with the only rushing TD also via their QB. Georgia Tech outpaced Colorado in first downs, 27-19, total yards of offense, 463-305, as well as time-of-possession. The Buffaloes get a restart at home this coming Saturday against Delaware.
Northern Arizona at Arizona State
What a great surprise Arizona State was last year and looking at the box score of this one it’s clear that their returning QB, Sophomore Sam Leavitt, and his favorite wide receiver, Junior Jordyn Tyson, are still hitting on all cylinders including doing their best to make up for the loss of RB Cam Skattebo. But those are big shoes to fill since in his final season with the Sun Devils Skattebo amassed 2,316 yards and 24 TD’s in 13 games. In spite of his absence Arizona State led this one from start-to-finish and were never in jeopardy. Up 14-0 at the end of the 1st, 17-6 at the half, 31-13 after three, and 38-19 when it was over.
Leavitt connected on a little more than 60% of his passes, 25-of-39, for 257 yards, 2 TD’s—both to Tyson—and 1 interception while also carrying the ball 7 times for 73 yards and 2 more scores to go along with a third rushing TD by Junior RB Raleek Brown. For the Lumberjacks, Junior QB Ty Pennington was 22-of-35, for 204 yards, 1 TD, and no interceptions. Collectively with his backup, Sophomore Lathan Boone, they were 26-of-42 for 242 yards, 1 TD, and 1 pick that led to a Sun Devil TD late. On the ground the Lumberjacks rushed 29 times for 89 yards and 1 trip to the end zone by Freshman RB Kenveon Stone.
Arizona State just edged out Northern Arizona in first downs, 21-to-20, and in passing yards, 257-to-242. But both teams were just about equally poor in third down conversion percentage, the Sun Devils at 10% and the Lumberjacks just slightly better at 13%—a down that Cam Skattebo owned last year for Arizona State. It was that and the 12 Sun Devil penalties for 93 yards that helped the Lumberjacks hang in this game longer than they should have been able too. But Arizona State dominated in the rushing game, 203 yards-to-89, and outscored Northern Arizona 3 TD’s to 1 with Leavitt and Junior Running Back Kyson Brown carrying the biggest part of the load. Arizona State hits the road to SEC country to take on Mississippi State this coming Saturday and will need to clean up their act and be much more efficient on third down to come away with a win.
Hawaii at Arizona
After their win at home over Stanford last weekend the Rainbow Warriors found the Wildcats a tougher nut to crack—losing on the road to Arizona 40-6. Hawaii’s two QB’s, Freshman Micah Alejado and Junior Luke Weaver actually threw for more yards than Arizona’s Junior QB Noah Fafita, 223-to-161. The only problem being they found the hands of their opponents three more times than they found the end zone, which was never. Fafita did find Senior TE Sam Olson for a 5 yard TD pass to start the 3rd Qtr to give them a 24-6 lead at the time. On the ground the Wildcats rushed 32 times for 185 yards and four TD’s with Junior RB Quincy Craig leading the way with 7 carries for 125 of those yards and 1 score with Junior RB Kedrick Reescano, Senior Ismail Mahdi, and Fafita picking up one each as well. With more first downs, passing yards, and 11 more minutes in possession of the ball, this game could have been a lot different for Hawaii if they didn’t turn the ball over five times—four leading to points on the board for the Wildcats. Arizona will stay home again next week to take on a non-major opponent in Weber State before it gets very real in a hurry against No. 17 Kansas State at home and No. 22 Iowa State on the road.