Dart and the Rebels (11-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) were tasked with halting Penn State, which had the chance to become the first program to win every New Year’s Six Bowl.

Ole Miss led 10-3 after the first quarter in which Prieskorn brought in his first score on a 6-yard touchdown throw by Dart.

Prieskorn struck again with 4:58 left in the second quarter after catching a 37-yard touchdown. This gave Ole Miss a 20-10 lead.

Penn State running back Nic Singleton caught a 48-yard touchdown on a trick play thrown by Beau Pribula to bring the Nittany Lions (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten) within 20-17 at halftime.

Ole Miss shut out Penn State in the third quarter while going up 31-17 thanks to touchdowns scored by Quinshon Judkins on a 14-yard reception and Dart on a 2-yard rush.

Penn State tried to claw back into the game and recorded 217 yards in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Drew Allar found Harrison Wallace III inside the red zone on a 14-yard touchdown throw to help the Nittany Lions scratch back 38-25.

The Rebels took over on downs with 21 seconds left to seal the game.

Dart finished with 379 passing yards and three touchdowns on 63% completion. Presikorn had 136 receiving yards on 10 catches and Tre Harris caught 134 on seven receptions.

Ole Miss outgained Penn State 540 yards to 510. Allar ended the game with 295 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception while Tyler Warren totaled 127 receiving yards.

The post Jaxson Dart throws 3 TDs, No. 11 Ole Miss routs No. 10 Penn State 38-25 in Peach Bowl appeared first on Saturday Glory.

All three of those ranked games will be previewed later, and there are 12 ranked teams that will play on the road this week. 

PODCAST: Week 11 Recap: Are things getting any clearer?

No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Michigan will play on the road, while No. 2 Ohio State, which dropped one spot in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, will round out its home schedule against Minnesota. 

Jordan Travis and No. 4 Florida State will face North Alabama in a game in which the Seminoles will be heavily favored. The Seminoles are riding a 16-game winning streak and have already clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. 

Here are several games to watch this week. 

No. 22 Utah at No. 17 Arizona 

The first of two Pac-12 Conference matchups this week will focus on key positioning for possible conference title implications. 

Arizona has been one of the hottest teams entering the middle of November. The Wildcats are on a four-game winning streak and have clinched their most wins at 7-3 since the 2017 season. 

Wildcats head coach Jedd Fisch has heard his name involved and tossed around the coaching carousel as teams are already letting go of some coordinators and some head coaches. 

But Fisch isn’t focused on his coaching prospects. To him, his focus is on Arizona football and upending the reigning Pac-12 champion Utah, which has the third-best scoring defense in the conference behind an average of 17.8 points per game. 

“That’s this time of year. When you’re successful and your team’s playing well that’s what happens,” Fisch said. “I think our only focus is beating Utah. This is a great team coming in. I told our team yesterday that you have a chance to — they are the reigning champions. They’re the two years reigning Pac-12 champions. We need everybody focusing on one thing and one thing only and that is Utah football and trying to have the best Arizona football program we can have to go beat Utah’s football team, and we are going to give them everything that we have. We are going to empty the tank, and we need a full house to do that.” 

No. 1 Georgia at No. 18 Tennessee 

Another test stands in the way for Georgia, which will play this week as the top-seeded team in the CFP rankings after overtaking the Buckeyes. 

The Bulldogs earned a top-10 win last weekend when they beat Ole Miss 52-17. Georgia held the Rebels to three points in the second half, and its defense withstood the test of Ole Miss’ offense led by quarterback Jaxson Dart. 

READ: Big Board: Week 12

This week, Georgia will go up against Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III and the Volunteers offense, which ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference averaging 454.8 yards per game. 

The Volunteers will present a unique challenge to Georgia. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart kept team strategy close to the vest, as he hopes his team can maintain its perfect 10-0 record against a team that has an upset on its mind. 

“I don’t think you can simulate their pace,” Smart said. “They’re really good at what they do. They’re fast at what they do. We try to, but I don’t really delve into how we practice publicly so we keep that in house but it is tough to simulate.” 

No. 5 Washington at No. 11 Oregon State 

The second Pac-12 matchup of Preview Thursday this week could serve as a sort of Pac-12 championship preview. 

The Beavers enter Saturday’s game at 8-2 and 5-2 in Pac-12 play. They’ve claimed a two-game winning streak having beaten Colorado and Stanford to climb to their highest ranking of the season. 

Oregon State will need some help, though. No. 6 Oregon stands in the way of the Beavers at 6-1 in the conference, and the Ducks’ only loss came to No. 5 Washington. 

The Huskies have been doing some skating recently, and they’ve kept their perfect 10-0 record among six unbeaten teams left in college football. 

READ: Georgia climbs to No. 1 in third CFP rankings

Washington has won each of its past six games by 10 points or less, and they’re atop the Pac-12 standings. 

Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer can see the conference championship on the horizon, and he wants his team to continue taking care of business. 

“I’m proud of the direction we’re going,” DeBoer said. “We put ourselves in a spot now where, I mean, every game does matter but it really has a heightened level of importance, and we’re excited about that. I think our guys really play well when the lights are bright, and that goes into the week of preparation, the energy. They bring it every single day and so big week ahead against a really, really good football team that’s playing really well and well coached, and so we know we have a great challenge going on the road again.” 

The post Preview Thursday: Week 12  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

None bigger than a pair of top-10 matchups taking place around the college football world than No. 3 Michigan-No. 10 Penn State and No. 9 Ole Miss-No. 2 Georgia. 

PODCAST: Week 10 did not disappoint

Those games will be previewed later. There are also eight ranked programs playing on the road this week including No. 7 Texas and No. 8 Alabama. 

Here are several games to watch this week. 

Miami at No. 4 Florida State 

A battle for the state of Florida will take place on Saturday. 

The No. 4 Seminoles will put their 15-game winning streak on the line against Miami, which is looking to get back in the win column after a loss at NC State. 

The rivalry game between the Seminoles and Hurricanes is set for 3:30 p.m. on ABC, and quarterbacks Jordan Travis of Florida State and Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke will square off. Both teams are top-five in the Atlantic Coast Conference in total offense putting up more than 437 yards per game. 

READ: Top-four unchanged, Ole Miss rises to No. 9 in second CFP rankings

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said his team looks forward to playing Miami every season, and it’s a game that is talked about with the likes of any game on the biggest stage. 

“There’s only two games that I talk about before the season and I talked about them before our offseason because every day matters when it comes to that,” Norvell said. “If that’s not important to you then you’re not going to play in this game because you will get exposed. This game takes everything that you have. I’m grateful that I get the chance to coach in this game, I mean, it’s special and you respect the past, you respect every game that has been played before, you respect the people that have played in this game and I mean because these guys have to give it all and because if not, you can take all records, all things that have happened before, it won’t matter. But you prepare for this one every single day.” 

No. 3 Michigan at No. 10 Penn State 

There is a chance for a three-way tie in the Big Ten East Division. 

If Penn State can upend Michigan at home on Saturday and if the Buckeyes were to lose to Michigan on Nov. 25, then all three of Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State would be in a tie atop the division. 

First, though, the Wolverines must take on the Nittany Lions. 

This will be a matchup between the top two total defenses in the country. Michigan leads by allowing 231.4 yards per game while the Nittany Lions are close behind at 234.2. 

Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy will look to vault himself higher into the Heisman Trophy conversation, while Penn State’s Drew Allar will get an extended look against the Wolverines defense. 

Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh said Allar, who is fourth in the Big Ten with 1,895 passing yards, will present a challenge to Michigan. 

“He’s been good. You can see all the improvement,” Harbaugh said. “Just prototypical guy, tall, smart, got great stature in the pocket, very athletic, strong. He’s hard to get down on the ground. Courage, stands in there and throws it now. He’s an excellent quarterback.” 

No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 2 Georgia 

The second top-10 showdown of the week is set to be a good one in SEC country. 

The No. 2 Bulldogs will welcome their third ranked opponent of the season in No. 9 Ole Miss, which is riding a five-game winning streak. 

While the top-10 matchup in the Big Ten will be a battle among defenses, this SEC matchup will be one for the offenses. 

READ: Big Board: Week 11

Georgia has the No. 2 offense in the SEC with an average of 493 yards per game, while the Rebels are right behind at 478.89 yards. 

The quarterback battle will be between Georgia’s Carson Beck, who is in his first season as starter, and Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart, who is in his second year with the program after transferring from USC. 

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has scouted what Dart has done this season, as the Kaysville, Utah, native is third in the SEC with a 168.87 quarterback rating. Smart said Dart encapsulates what Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss look for in quarterbacks. 

“I think Lane’s quarterbacks take home a personality from him, and they have a lot of moxie,” Smart said. “They have a lot of talent. They play really hard. They play with reckless abandon for their body, and he runs like a running back. He’s taking some hits this year and shown his toughness so he’s not going to shy away from contact and toughness, and he’s the extra element of run that gives them a competitive advantage over a lot of teams you play because they have great backs, but he runs the ball like a back and he throws the ball really well too, which that’s what makes them really hard to defend when you got a guy that can make all the throws but can also take off and run, and he’s proven the ability to do that.” 

The post Preview Thursday: Week 11  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The College Football Playoff rankings won’t be released until November, and the Associated Press Top 25 Poll updates every Sunday.

PODCAST: 5 Questions Florida Needs to Answer After Loss to Kentucky

No. 4 Ohio State will return from a bye week this week and host Maryland. One of the Buckeyes’ contenders for the Heisman Trophy has enjoyed a successful season thus far, and Marvin Harrison Jr. figures to factor into the race for college football’s top award. 

Harrison injured his right ankle during Ohio State’s last game at Notre Dame. It’ll be something many keep an eye on as the wide receiver looks to further establish himself atop the Big Ten Conference leaderboards where he is currently fourth in receiving yards and tied for fifth in touchdowns. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Brock Bowers, Georgia 

Bowers is Georgia’s big, burly tight end. 

He had one of his best games of this season last Saturday. He had a game-high 157 receiving yards and a touchdown, his fourth score of the season. 

Bowers was targeted six times in the first half against the Tigers, and he hauled in two of those passes for just nine yards. 

He stung Auburn most in the second half and converted four first downs while Georgia climbed back from a 17-10 deficit.

READ: Quotables: Week 5

Bowers currently has 413 receiving yards, three receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.

Bowers’ Heisman Trophy odds are +7000 according to FanDuel Sportsbook. He is Georgia’s current receiving leader, and while no tight end has won the Heisman Trophy before, Bowers could turn enough heads to garner his fair share of the vote. 

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss 

On the biggest stage and under the brightest lights, Jaxson Dart showed up to play on Saturday.  

It didn’t always begin at Ole Miss for Dart. He spent his true freshman season at USC before Lincoln Riley and the new Trojans regime made their way to town.  

Now with the Rebels, Dart and his squad of the past two seasons matched up against an LSU team looking to renter itself back into the College Football Playoff mix.  

Instead, Dart and Ole Miss stole the show, as the quarterback went toe-to-toe with Tigers gunslinger Jayden Daniels. Dart passed for 389 yards and fourth touchdowns, and Daniel went for 414 passing yards and as many scoring throws.

PODCAST: What we learned coming out of week five

Dart came up clutch in the fourth quarter. The Rebels faced a 49-40 deficit before Dart darted into the end zone on a 1-yard rush bringing the game within 49-47 as 5:06 remained.  

Dart found receiver Tre Harris on the go-ahead and game-sealing touchdown pass with 39 seconds left.  

Dart’s Heisman Trophy odds are +15000 according to FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Caleb Williams, USC 

Williams makes his return to the Big Board after a big performance at Colorado. 

The third-year quarterback tossed six touchdowns and 403 yards en route to a 48-41 win over the Buffaloes. Williams was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. 

Williams became the first Football Bowl Subdivision player in the past 25 years to throw at least six touchdowns for multiple programs, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

READ: Stat Pack: Week 5

Williams made headlines before the season when the possibility of his return in lieu of the NFL Draft grew to greater speculation.  

But could he really return to the Trojans in 2024?  

That’s a story for another day, and today Williams stands as the leader in passing touchdowns with 21.  

Williams is also the leader in passing efficiency behind a rating of 217.70, almost 20 points higher than the next closest quarterback.  

So even when he’s finding the end zone is Williams being efficient. And he found the end zone with frequency against the Buffaloes, doing so six times throughout the game. 

Williams is currently the player with the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy and his odds are +170 according to FanDuel Sportsbook. 

The post Big Board: Week 6 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Last week, 26 teams remained undefeated, and after another host of ballgames last weekend, five suffered their first losses of the season.

PODCAST: 5 Questions Florida Needs to Answer After Loss to Kentucky

There are 14 teams that are 5-0 and can clinch bowl eligibility with their next win. Air Force, Liberty and Marshall are all programs unbeaten but unranked. 

Among the next battles of the unbeatens will take place in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday when the No. 4 Buckeyes take on a 5-0 Maryland team hot off a 44-17 win over Indiana. 

Here are some noteworthy quotes as focus turns from Week 5 to Week 6. 

Tom Allen, Indiana 

Allen and Indiana are reeling. 

The Hoosiers have lost two of their past three games, and they’re in the bottom-three of the Big Ten Conference in scoring and total offense. 

Allen announced Sunday that quality control coach Rod Carey will take over offensive coordinator duties after Walt Bell. That was one of a number of steps Allen and Indiana will seemingly take during their bye week this week. 

“We obviously will use this bye week to make a lot of valuations on things and find ways to get better without question,” Allen said. “So every position has got to be evaluated. We got to be productive. We got to look at the guys that are making plays and those that are not in every single position, and we got to do a great job getting our guys refreshed and ready from these last few weeks and get ready for a final push. So obviously not devaluate everything and find a way to score points but we also got to play better defense. That was started with the game defensively was very poor and very frustrating, so, giving up too many explosive plays.” 

PODCAST: What we learned coming out of week five

During the Maryland game last weekend, Allen lifted starting quarterback Tayven Jackson for Brendan Sorsby and Broc Lowry. Jackson had gone 17-for-29 for 113 yards and an interception while Sorsby and Lowry combined to go 8-for-12 for 92 yards and two touchdowns. 

Indiana went 5-of-17 on third down against the Terrapins and 3-for-6 on fourth down. The Hoosiers even ran a fake punt attempt that went unsuccessful early in the third quarter, and all Allen and Indiana are seeking is a spark. 

“I think the fourth downs where they occur, you’re just trying to find a way to stay on the field,” Allen said. “The fake punt, obviously, we knew we needed to score touchdowns. We’re not going to beat them kicking field goals. We only scored three points up to that time so it felt like the call was there. Obviously didn’t. It came up short so not a good decision, but at the same time we need to find a way to get some momentum going for our football team. So just trying to be aggressive with that, and obviously it’s a very aggressive call in that situation. It didn’t work out. But yeah, I mean, that game when we were down the way we were, we need to get something going right away to give us a chance to win the game. So that was the objective there and try and be aggressive.” 

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss 

No. 16 Ole Miss picked up a quality win in a shootout with No. 22 LSU. 

The Rebels outlasted the Tigers while Jaxson Dart was responsible for two touchdowns in the final five minutes. Ole Miss claimed the 55-49 win, though head coach Lane Kiffin wasn’t particularly impressed and wants to see continued improvement. 

“I think talking about like everything happens for a reason,” Kiffin said. “I think that we didn’t play well in a lot of areas — special teams, penalties, defensive disaster — allows us to really make sure that, ‘Hey, we got a lot of work to do.’ And offensive penalties in the game and some missed reads and some runs that would have even been bigger. So the good part is that we didn’t play great as a team so sometimes you play a great game, and then it’s kind of hard to get their attention. So I think we got a lot of attention this morning on the tape.” 

Deion Sanders, Colorado 

Colorado is on a bit of a slide. 

But head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes don’t appear too shaken. They understand the game of football and the goal to win, and Sanders wants to reenforce the belief that powered Colorado to a 3-0 start. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 5

Sanders also wanted to reemphasize belief in quarterback and son Shedeur Sanders. Shedeur Sanders is second in the NCAA in passing yards per game, averaging 356.2. 

“It’s tremendous belief-wise, but we got to believe no matter what,” Sanders said. “It can’t be just because it’s a quarter or the second half. We do believe in (Shedeur Sanders), like, we do. I don’t give a darn what down it is or what quarter it is, what time of day it is. We do truly believe in what he’s capable of doing with this offense. We just got to make sure we keep him in the right situations and protect him because, shoot, he’s a baller. He’s a now player. He’s a today player that young men want to play with. Receivers are calling from all around the country wanting to play with him as well. So they’re encouraging him not to look down the street too far.” 

Sanders also offered strong encouragement for the direction of the Colorado program. 

“We all are encouraging him because we understand what’s coming,” Sanders said. “If you can’t see what’s coming with CU football you’ve lost your mind. You’re just a flat-out hater if you can’t see what’s going on and what’s going to transpire over the next several months. Something’s wrong with you.” 

The post Quotables: Week 5 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Both USC and Ole Miss prevailed in games that combined for over 89 points apiece. The Rebels moved to 4-1 while the Trojans maintained their unbeaten 5-0 record. 

PODCAST: Defense Still Matters and Saturday Proved It

Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams threw for six touchdowns at Colorado. Once 3-0, the Buffaloes fell last week to Oregon before climbing their way back into the game against USC. 

USC led by as much as 41-14 until Colorado’s comeback efforts brought the Buffaloes within 48-41. 

Ole Miss jumped out to a 21-7 start after the first quarter against LSU. The Tigers came within 31-28 at halftime and led 49-47 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart found receiver Tre Harris on a game-winning touchdown with 39 seconds remaining.

READ: Davis finds ‘another gear’ in 280-yard performance against No. 22 Florida

Here is this week’s full Top 25. 

Georgia 

Michigan 

Texas 

Ohio State 

Florida State 

Penn State 

Washington 

Oregon 

USC 

Notre Dame 

Alabama 

Oklahoma 

Washington State 

North Carolina 

Oregon State 

Ole Miss 

Miami 

Utah 

Duke 

Kentucky 

Missouri 

Tennessee 

LSU 

Fresno State 

Louisville 

The post Top-7 remains unchanged in latest AP Top 25 Poll appeared first on Saturday Glory.