The Palm Beach County Sports Commission, which established the Lou Groza Award in 1992 that is presented annually by the Orange Bowl, announced last Tuesday that the award will be featured in College Football 25. It will be EA Sports’ first release of the college football video game since 2013.

READ: Charlie Baker believes antitrust settlement will ‘reshape the future of college sports’ in memo sent to members of NCAA

“EA Sports College Football 25 is one of the most anticipated and long-awaited video game titles in history and we are incredibly excited that the Lou Groza Award will be a part of the game,” Executive Director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission George Linley stated in a release. “The Lou Groza Award is the pinnacle of collegiate football kicking, and we could not be more excited that college football fans from around the world will have a chance to vie for a Groza Award of their own.”

EA Sports released a full reveal of the modes and features within College Football 25 on May 18 after unveiling an official teaser trailer in February. The video game has been among the most-talked about topics in college football as it will return to consoles for the first time in more than a decade. It will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

READ: Report: Former Nebraska, Washington RB Will Nixon transferring to Syracuse

According to Pete Nakos of On3, the Lou Groza Award is the only award under the National College Football Awards Association that will be included in College Football 25, which On3 also reported in March that other honors such as the Biletnikoff Award and Outland Trophy will not be included in the game.

The Heisman Trophy will be included in College Football 25, the Heisman Trophy Trust announced in a social media post in March.

Former Miami (OH) kicker Graham Nicholson, who announced his transfer to Alabama in April, received the Lou Groza Award last season after setting an NCAA record of 25-straight field goals, and he finished 27-of-28 on field goals and 35-for-37 on extra points.

The post Lou Groza Award will be included in EA Sports College Football 25 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Set to launch worldwide on July 19, a full reveal of the modes and features of EA Sports College Football 25 was announced on Friday.

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes will be available in College Football 25, according to a release. Those two modes will allow players “to construct their own powerhouse program as a created coach or vie for the Heisman as a player” in what the video game introduces as CampusIQ, which will be “a suite of features that brings to life the true depth of college football through wide open, fast-paced gameplay across all 134 FBS schools in all areas of the game.”

READ: ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery introduce Venu Sports streaming service

Over 10,000 players have opted into College Football 25, it was announced in March. Any student-athlete who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used will receive $600 and a copy of the video game.

College Football 25 will also offer “the all-new Road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Ultimate Team” that will “bring fresh online experiences and ways to play.”

“EA SPORTS College Football is BACK! We’ve felt the passion and anticipation of college football fans every step of the way since we first announced this game, and we’re ecstatic to finally be able to show everyone what we’ve been building,” EA Sports SVP and Group GM Daryl Holt stated in a release. “College Football 25 is built with authenticity at its core, inspired by experiences our fans have loved from our games, and fully evolved to reflect modern college football – all of which will immerse them in the sights, sounds, and true-to-life gameplay of the sport they love.”

READ: Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

EA Sports unveiled the cover of College Football 25 on Thursday, showcasing Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They will star on the covers of the Standard and Deluxe editions.

“Donovan, Quinn and Travis are extraordinary talents who impressed and entertained millions of college football fans on the field last season and are poised to do so again this year,” Holt stated in a release. “We’re proud to be able to incorporate thousands of current athletes in College Football 25, and featuring this trio of playmakers and their iconic college programs on the cover is a perfect fit as we usher in a new era for EA SPORTS and college football. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about the game tomorrow.”

ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will “call marquee matchups,” along with other broadcast teams such as Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack will comprise the virtual booth and “take the mic for all other games.”

Among the gameplay features include Homefield Advantage, which will allow players to “through distractions like screen shaking, missing pre-play icons, and moving play art.” Additional features consist of Pre-Snap Recognition and the Wear & Tear System, which means virtual player stamina is affected by more play so it will be important to “manage your players’ health, limit fatigue, assess risk of injury, and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions to ensure your players are at their best when it counts the most.”

The traditions within college football that make it one of a kind will be immersed in College Football 25. Along with team mascots and fight songs, the video game will include “unique team run-outs, rivalry rituals, synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio.”

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes are also offered in the video game alongside Road to the College Football Playoff, where players will “experience a new way to play competitively across consoles” and “earn rank by upsetting the toughest opponents and securing the votes you need to progress and level up divisions,” as well as College Football Ultimate Team.

College Football Ultimate Team will allow players to “build your dream team of college football stars and legends” in Solo Challenges or H2H seasons, and they can test their skill across consoles “in more competitive formats like College Football Ultimate Team Champs and Champs Gauntlet.”

EA Sports College Football 25 is available for pre-order now. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points, the video game will not be available for PC at launch. EA Sports is also offering an MVP bundle on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that will include deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 “with 3-day early access and unlocks a multitude of benefits across both titles.”

The post EA Sports College Football 25 features, gameplay shared in full reveal appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Second-year head coach David Braun and Northwestern will host Ohio State on Nov. 16 and Illinois on Nov. 30 at the home of the Chicago Cubs. The Wildcats are rebuilding Ryan Field across the next two seasons after a historic $480 million gift from the Ryan family, the largest in Northwestern history, and will remain playing home games in the Chicago metropolitan area in 2024.

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

The Wildcats will open the season with three-straight home games against defending Mid-American Conference champion Miami (OH), Duke and Eastern Illinois, and those games will be played inside the Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility.

While the Big Ten Conference expands welcoming Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington — all from the Pac-12 Conference — and goes divisionless in 2024, Northwestern will play a nine-game conference schedule including bouts against last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship participants on the road against the defending Pac-12 champion Huskies on Sept. 21 and reigning national title winner and Big Ten champion Michigan on Nov. 23.

Kickoff times and television networks along with additional game information will be announced by the Big Ten office at a later date, according to a release.

READ: Joe Alt cherishes Notre Dame career, hopes to put ‘best foot forward’ with Los Angeles after No. 5 overall NFL Draft selection

Braun and the Wildcats are building on an 8-5 season in 2023 which ended with a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Braun earned Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading Northwestern on a seven-win turnaround, the largest by any Football Bowl Subdivision team in college football.

Former Mississippi State and Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright announced his commitment to transfer and join Braun and the Wildcats last week. Wright is expected to command the starting quarterback competition, and he has over 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns at the college level.

Here is Northwestern’s full 2024 schedule.

Week 1 (Aug. 31) — Miami (OH) at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 2 (Sept. 7) — Duke at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 3 (Sept.14) — Eastern Illinois at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 4 (Sept. 21) — Northwestern at Washington (Husky Stadium)

Week 5 (Sept. 28) — BYE

Week 6 (Oct. 5) — Indiana at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 7 (Oct. 12) — Northwestern at Maryland (SECU Stadium)

Week 8 (Oct. 19) — Wisconsin at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 9 (Oct. 26) — Northwestern at Iowa (Kinnick Stadium)

Week 10 (Nov. 2) — Northwestern at Purdue (Ross-Ade Stadium)

Week 11 (Nov. 9) — BYE

Week 12 (Nov. 16) — Ohio State at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

Week 13 (Nov. 23) — Northwestern at Michigan (Michigan Stadium)

Week 14 (Nov. 30) — Illinois at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

The post Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Former Miami (OH) kicker Graham Nicholson, who won the 2023 Lou Groza Award as college football’s top kicker, announced on social media Sunday that he will transfer to Alabama ahead of the 2024 season.

READ: ‘Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself’: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. pens letter to NFL GMs in Players Tribune

“I want to thank Miami University and everyone involved for believing in me out of high school and welcoming me into a family,” Nicholson stated. “I want to thank Coach (Chuck) Martin for the trust he has placed in me and for being an unbelievable leader and mentor over the past 3 years. I have decided to transfer for my last season and will be finishing my college career at the University of Alabama!! I am extremely thankful for this opportunity and excited to help compete and win a national title!! Roll Tide!!”

READ: Steve Sarkisian says Longhorns had to ‘recreate ourselves this spring’ after Orange-White Game

Nicholson made 25-straight field goals during last season setting an NCAA record. He finished 27-of-28 on field goals and 35-for-37 on extra points.

The Cincinnati native was a consensus First Team All-American on his way to becoming the first player from the Mid-American Conference to win the Lou Groza Award. Nicholson owns the Miami (OH) program records with a career rate of 84.5% field goal and 27 single-season field goals in 2023.

Nicholson will likely replace former Alabama kicker Will Reichard, who became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer last season.

The post Former Miami (OH) K Graham Nicholson transfers to Alabama appeared first on Saturday Glory.

EA Sports announced Monday on social media that “10,000+” student-athletes “are in the game.” It was announced in February that any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

READ: 5 takeaways from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine 

“10k and counting… pretty pretttyyy good,” @EASPORTSCollege posted on X.

All 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools will be available to play in the new video game.

READ: Texas WR Xavier Worthy breaks 40-yard dash record with 4.21 time at NFL Combine

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit will make up “the voices” of “College Football 25.”

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

The post EA Sports announces 10K players have opted in to ‘College Football 25’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

College football players around the country shared on social media Thursday their participation in the upcoming EA Sports video game “College Football 25.”

EA Sports confirmed Thursday that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams will be available to play in the new game.

READ: Reports: CFP discusses 14-team Playoff possibilities

More information about the game will be available in May, according to a release.

Players such as Michigan’s Will Johnson and Ohio State transfer Quinshon Judkins posted on X a graphic designed in their team’s colors promoting the video game.

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit shared posts confirming they’ll also appear as “one of the voices” of the game. Herbstreit posted “I’m so excited to FINALLY announce that I’m part of @EASPORTSCollege. I’m proud to be a partner and one of the voices of the game once again – my 14th year in that role.”

According to Michael Rothstein of ESPN, any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

Additional opportunities such as advertisements, promotion, social media posts and other avenues will be available for players to have a chance to make more, according to ESPN.

READ: Alabama announces JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan join offensive coaching staff

No Football Championship Subdivision school will be available to play when the game launches, according to ESPN.

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

According to Ryan Kryska of The Associated Press, users who could create and add players of real-life college football players who did not opt into the “College Football 25” video game will be blocked from doing so.

The post ‘I’m in the game’: CFB players share their participation in upcoming EA Sports ‘College Football 25’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was named to the First Team Offense after recording a 208.01 passing efficiency rating, the highest in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Daniels also had 50 total touchdowns and threw for 40 of them.

READ: Reports: QB Aidan Chiles transfers to Michigan State

Daniels is joined by Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State. Harrison finished fourth in the Heisman voting after bringing in 1,211 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

Here are the full AFCA Coaches’ All-America Teams.

First Team

QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

RB Blake Corum, Michigan

RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

WR Malik Nabers, LSU

TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

OL Joe Alt, Notre Dame

OL Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

OC Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

OL Zak Zinter, Michigan

OL Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State

DL Jared Verse, Florida State

DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

DL Laiatu Latu, UCLA

DL Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

LB Dallas Turner, Alabama

LB Payton Wilson, NC State

LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

DB Trey Taylor, Air Force

DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

DB Malaki Starks, Georgia

P Tory Taylor, Iowa

PK Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH)

AP Travis Hunter, Colorado

LS James Rosenberry Jr., Florida State

Second Team

QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

RB Cody Schrader, Missouri

RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

WR Malik Washington, Virginia

WR Rome Odunze, Washington

TE Dallin Hooker, Colorado State

OL Graham Barton, Duke

OL Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

OC Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

OL Troy Fautanu, Washington

OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

DL Jalen Green, James Madison

DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan

DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State

DL Jonah Elliss, Utah

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson

LB Jay Higgins, Iowa

LB Trey Moore, UTSA

DB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

DB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

DB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

DB Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia

P James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State

PK Jose Pizano, UNLV

AP Xavier Worthy, Texas

LS Joe Shimko, NC State

The post AFCA names 2023 Coaches’ All-America teams appeared first on Saturday Glory.

LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels earned First Team All-America honors after accounting for 50 touchdowns, 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards. 

A panel of 18 AP Top-25 voters rounded out the three All-America teams, according to the AP. 

There were seven players in either their fifth or sixth season of college football to be selected to the AP All-America First Team. Eleven more made the second and third teams. 

Alabama had the most AP First Team All-Americans, and they each came on the defensive side of the ball. 

The Southeastern Conference also led with nine First Team selections, and the Big Ten followed with six. The Pac-12 had four First Team All-Americans, the Big 12 had three, there were two independents and the remaining conferences had one selection or less. 

Here are the full All-America teams. 

First Team 

QB Jayden Daniels, LSU 

RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State 

RB Cody Schrader, Missouri 

OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame 

OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State 

OG Cooper Beebe, Kansas State 

OG Zak Zinter, Michigan 

OC Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon 

TE Brock Bowers, Georgia 

WR Malik Nabers, LSU 

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State 

WR Rome Odunze, Washington 

AP Travis Hunter, Colorado 

K Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH) 

EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA 

EDGE Jalen Green, James Madison 

DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas 

DL Jer’Zahn Newton, Illinois 

LB Payton Wilson, NC State 

LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M 

LB Dallas Turner, Alabama 

CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa 

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama 

SAF Malaki Starks, Georgia 

SAF Xavier Watts, Notre Dame 

DB Terrion Arnold, Alabama 

P Tory Taylor, Iowa 

Second Team 

QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington 

RB Audric Estime, Notre Dame 

RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina 

OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State 

OT JC Latham, Alabama 

OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia 

OG Clay Webb, Jacksonville State 

OC Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia 

TE Dallin Holker, Colorado State 

WR Troy Franklin, Oregon 

WR Malik Washington, Virginia 

WR Luther Burden III, Missouri 

AP Ashton Jeanty, Boise State 

K Jose Pizano, UNLV 

EDGE Jonah Elliss, Utah 

EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State 

DL Byron Murphy II, Texas 

DL Howard Cross III, Notre Dame 

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson 

LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion 

LB Jay Higgins, Iowa 

CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

CB Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia 

SAF Tyler Nubin, Minnesota 

SAF Caleb Downs, Alabama 

DB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri 

P Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt 

Third Team 

QB Bo Nix, Oregon 

RB Blake Corum, Michigan 

RB Kimani Vidal, Troy 

OT Javon Foster, Missouri 

OT Troy Fautanu, Washington 

OG Christian Haynes, UConn 

OG Luke Kandra, Cincinnati 

OC Zach Frazier, West Virginia 

TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State 

WR Ricky White, UNLV 

WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU 

WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona 

AP Xavier Worthy, Texas 

K Will Reichard, Alabama 

EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State 

EDGE Bralen Trice, Washington 

DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan 

DL Braden Fiske, Florida State 

LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State 

LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington 

LB Danny Strutsman, Oklahoma 

CB Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin 

CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State 

SAF Trey Taylor, Air Force 

SAF Dillon Thieneman, Purdue 

DB Sebastian Casto, Iowa 

P James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State 

The post LSU’s Jayden Daniels headlines AP All-America teams appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The 2023 College Football Awards were hosted by ESPN on Friday night, crowning and delivering postseason honors to more than a dozen recipients ranging from recognizing the top quarterback to community service.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels received the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding quarterback. Daniels is a Heisman Trophy finalist — the winner is revealed on Saturday — after throwing for 40 touchdowns and receiving a 208.01 passing efficiency rating, both best in the NCAA.

WATCH: Navy linebacker commit Dominic Purcell all over the field in state championship

Daniels also took home the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He’s likely to add more hardware to his mantle on Saturday along with fellow Heisman finalists Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

Other honors on offense such as the Doak Walker Award, Biletnikoff Award and John Mackey Award went to Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, respectively.

READ: Iowa commit Jaylen Watson shines in state championship win

ESPN also took time to recognize the life of former Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach, who passed away in December 2022.

Here is the full list of recipients.

Davey O’Brien Award: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

Bednarik Award: LB Payton Wilson, NC State

Biletnikoff Award: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

Bronko Nagurski Trophy: SAF Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

Burlsworth Trophy: RB Cody Schrader, Missouri

Butkus Award: LB Payton Wilson, NC State

Broyles Award: Defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker, Iowa

Disney Spirit Award: OL Brian Dooley, Eastern Michigan

Doak Walker Award: RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

Home Depot Award: Head coach Kalen DeBoer, Washington

Jim Thorpe Award: DB Trey Taylor, Air Force

John Mackey Award: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

Lou Garza Award: K Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH)

Maxwell Award: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Outland Trophy: DT T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

Ray Guy Award: P Tory Taylor, Iowa

Rimington Award: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Taco Bell Live Mas Student Section of the Year: Ohio State

Walter Camp Player of the Year: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

William V. Campbell Trophy: QB Bo Nix, Oregon

Wuerffel Trophy: WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia

The post LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. among college football award winners appeared first on Saturday Glory.

No. 4 Texas went to Tuscaloosa on Sunday night and emerged victorious over No. 11 Alabama, which ranked No. 3 at the time. Quinn Ewers outdueled Jalen Milroe and threw 349 yards along with three touchdowns. 

Utah State is the team that scored the most points this week. The Aggies scored 78 points against Idaho State although LSU and Toledo were not far behind scoring 72 and 71 points respectively. 

Michael Penix Jr. is this week’s leading passer. Penix threw for 409 yards during No. 8 Washington’s win over Tulsa. 

Here are some of the top statistical performances from Week 2. 

Omarion Hampton, North Carolina 

This week’s leading rusher leads off the top outings of Week 2 as the only back to run for over 200 yards. 

Hampton and North Carolina have faced two early tests in South Carolina and an overtime matchup against Appalachian State. The Tar Heels have passed so far, emerging 2-0. 

Hampton played a large role in the Tar Heels offense and keeping North Carolina on schedule. He averaged 9 yards per each of his 26 carries. 

North Carolina looked toward Hampton early against the Mountaineers, and he rewarded the Tar Heels by breaking off a 68-yard touchdown run, his longest of the game. 

Hampton later struck with the final touchdown of regulation on a 7-yard rush, giving North Carolina a temporary 27-24 lead before the two teams went to overtime when Hampton also scored, this time a 17-yarder. 

Hampton finished with 234 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and the Tar Heels hung on in overtime to remain unbeaten. 

Gage Larvadain, Miami (OH) 

On eight catches, Larvadain had the most spectacular and productive receiving weekend. 

Playing UMass on the road, Miami (OH) sought to get in the win column a week after falling to Miami of Florida. 

Larvadain made the most of his outing on Saturday, hauling in a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter alone and finishing with 273 receiving yards. 

He had scoring catches of 99, 26 and 13 yards, and gave Miami (OH) the boost it needed to grab an early lead and hold on to win 41-28 after UMass scored 21 second-half points. 

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State 

Singleton was part of a Nittany Lions rushing attack that posted 315 yards on the ground against Delaware. 

Going for 47 yards himself, Singleton may not have had the most productive performance on Saturday. But his knack for the end zone is what set him apart from the others. 

Singleton averaged 3.9 yards per carry and one touchdown every four attempts. He had 12 carries which were one less than his total from the season-opener against West Virginia. 

Singleton first entered the end zone after a 5:50 first drive by Penn State. He ran in 2 yards for the score. 

He later struck again in the second quarter on a 5-yard touchdown, and again with less than five minutes before halftime on another 5-yarder. Each of Penn State’s eight offensive touchdowns came from six yards or closer. 

Singleton’s three touchdowns came alongside one score each from Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen and Beau Pribula. Allen led the group with 103 rushing yards while four ball-carriers had at least 46 rushing yards, 

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami 

After a 2022 campaign in which results revealed a mixed bag, Van Dyke is ready to strike this season. 

His second outing of the 2023 campaign was a gem, as he went 21-for-30 and 374 passing yards against the then-No. 23 Aggies on Saturday. 

Van Dyke’s second quarter began to see him step up his game onto another level. He threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes before halftime, including the go-ahead score with 13 seconds remaining. 

Later, in the second half, Van Dyke threw for two more scores featuring a 64-yarder to Jacolby George to put the game at 48-33. 

Van Dyke was the only top-10 passer this week to throw five touchdown passes. He led a Miami offense on its way to claiming a Top 25 victory over Texas A&M. 

Injuries caused Van Dyke to miss upwards of six games a season ago. This time around, he’s up to 575 passing yards and 2-0 to start the season — a strong way to begin the year. 

The post Stat Pack: Week 2 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Last week was nice, but it was kind of like a homemade popsicle. It does the job, but you’re never going to go to the grocery store and pay for something like that. And you’re definitely never going to serve it to company.

“Hey, you have anything cool and refreshing in the freezer?”

“Um, no. No, definitely not.”

“Well, let me just look because I find it hard to believe that you would invite company over and not have anything frozen and delicious to serve to us.”

“No, please don’t open that –“

“What in the world? Is this Kool-Aid frozen in ice trays with toothpicks sticking out of them. How did you even get past the HOA’s screening process? Janet, call the police! We have poors!”

Yes, we were all poors last week. But now we are all rich. (Unless, of course, we put any money on any of those stupid games last week.)

Now, however, our freezers are full of all kinds of novelties and we don’t care who finds out. We don’t have anything to hide anymore because the full season is finally here.

And it starts with a bang Thursday night.

If this is your first time reading this, we’ll be looking at the 10 most interesting games of the weekend, and maybe some tips for a little action on the side as well.

Thursday August 31

Nebraska at Minnesota (-7.5) | 8:00 pm | FOX

Matt Rhule is making his debut as Nebraska’s head coach and he has a nation of Cornhusker fans longing for a return to the heyday of Frank Solich. The football program will never match the women’s volleyball program, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t at least try. I have been on the Nebraska bandwagon for more years than I’d like to admit (because they were the Scott Frost years). The first step towards a Big Ten championship for both of these teams starts tonight. A loss doesn’t end their hopes, however, because a 5-4 conference record might still win the division. I really think trying to pick Big Ten West games is a fool’s errand, but we didn’t get dressed up for nothin’. Let’s ride with Rhule and (1) take the 7.5 points for the Huskers.

Florida at No. 14 Utah (-5.5) | 8:00 pm | ESPN

It looks like Utah quarterback Cam Rising is out, which is a blow to the Utes, but that dude has so much moxie that you can’t keep it from getting all over the rest of the team. It’s like cat dander. There’s no avoiding it. This Utah team is going to be sneezing vengeance all over the Gators. Florida, meanwhile, is traveling out of the state for a non-conference road game for the first time since 1991. I just hope all of the Florida parents have signed the permission slips to allow the travel. You would hate to see some players left back home. This game without Cam Rising and with Graham Mertz feels like it’s going to be low scoring, which is why (2) I’m liking the under on 44.5.

Friday September 1

Miami (OH) at Miami (FL) (-16.5) | 7:00 pm | ACCN

This is being labeled as The Battle of the Miamis, and while these two schools may share a name, there aren’t any other similarities between them. Miami University has been around since 1809 and was essentially born from a proclamation by George Washington. The University of Miami, meanwhile, was established in 1925 as a place to store British convicts.* The Hurricanes return a ton of starters and have added additional pieces as well. The hope is that quarterback Tyler Van Dyke can get back to his form of 2021 when he threw for 366 yards per game with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions over the final six games of the season. The hope for the RedHawks is that they provide the most devastating win of the weekend. You’d just hate to see John Ruiz not get his money’s worth here. Speaking of money, how about (3) taking the over on Tyler Van Dyke’s passing yards of 274.5?
*citation needed

Saturday September 2

Colorado at No. 17 TCU (-20.5) | 12:00 pm | FOX

After much ballyhoo, Deion Sanders will finally make his debut as Colorado’s head coach. He has turned over the Buffs’ roster almost completely. There is obviously a ton of excitement and interest around the program right now, but this isn’t going to be an easy process for Sanders and Colorado. You don’t just show up, kick everybody off the team, bring in a bunch of players from other teams, and then suddenly have a thing. I don’t care how nice your luggage is. It’s still just luggage. It’s what’s inside the luggage that matters. I will be interested to see if anybody transfers out at halftime, or if anybody transfers in. Will Colorado be throwing jerseys on new players at halftime like Bishop Sycamore? Even with the excitement, we’re all going to be patient with Coach Prime. So patient, in fact, that we’re going to (4) take the under at 63.5. But there is some concern that TCU will go over that number on their own.

Virginia at No. 12 Tennessee (-28) | 12:00 pm | ABC

They say that Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton can throw a football 100 yards, which would perfect if head coach Josh Heupel wanted to recreate a 100-yard Tecmo Bowl touchdown pass. Outside of that, however, being able to throw a football 100 yards is about as useful as controlling a stapler with your mind. Yeah, it’s a neat trick, but we’re kind of going to a paperless society here. Do you maybe have a super power that involves laundry? Everybody is singing Milton’s praises and expecting him to pick up where Hendon Hooker left off, and then take the Vols higher. He may do that, but I need to have my memory erased of his time at Michigan because that clouds everything I see. I’m willing to be wrong because Tennessee’s offense is fun to watch when it’s clicking.

No. 3 Ohio State at Indiana (+30.5) | 3:30 pm | CBS

Welcome to the dawning of the age of Kyle McCord. The junior will get the first crack to be the latest greatest quarterback in Ohio State history. That’s way too much to put on him, but Ryan Day’s run of quarterbacks right now is the best in school history by multitudes. They aren’t asking McCord to be Dwayne Haskins or Justin Fields or CJ Stroud, however. They’re just asking him to get the ball to the best selection of skill players in the country. This is a huge line for the Buckeyes to match in week one, especially with a new quarterback. Combine that with what is expected to be a bad Indiana offense and a good Ohio State defense, and this feels like another good reason to (5) take the under at 59.5, and also (6) take the under on Indiana’s 14.5 total points.

No. 21 North Carolina at South Carolina (+2.5) | 7:30 pm | ABC

I realize North Carolina’s defense should be better this year, but I also realize the definition of “should.” In a week where I’m extolling the virtues of the under like a hellfire preacher in the middle of campus, I’m feeling like having a little sip of devilbrau and (7) taking the over at 64.5. Slow starts for offenses are a thing this early in the season, but there’s going to be a high-scoring game somewhere. Why not here?

West Virginia at No. 7 Penn State (-19.5) | 7:30 pm | NBC

You know NBC has to be thrilled to be aligned with the Big Ten. The network is finally partnered with a Midwestern entity that can reach a national audience. This is going to be a banner year for the network, and their new NBC Sports logo was a nice touch too. It’s good to see these two storied programs playing again. West Virginia against the West Virginia of Pennsylvania. What else could you ask for? While everybody is talking about Michigan and Ohio State, James Franklin and Penn State are laying in the weeds with designs on a Big Ten Championship. Get ready for the bold declarations coming out of this game one way or another based solely on PSU quarterback Drew Allar’s play this week. It could get Morellian. Even though Allar will get the attention, (8) I like Penn State’s over 34.5 total points because of their running game.

Sunday September 3

No. 5 LSU vs No. 8 Florida State (+2.5) (Orlando, FL) | 7:30 pm | ABC

The aura of the SEC is doing a lot of work here. You can generally count on that aura to be able to do two things: 1) alter the Vegas lines; and 2) know its way around an outboard motor. The latter has no factor on this game, but the former could be beneficial to us all. If this game was being played in Tallahassee, I’d like FSU’s chances more. But I still like them quite a bit. I don’t think taking them to win outright is all that crazy, but if you’re going to root for the Noles, maybe just (9) take the 2.5 points instead. Leave yourself a little room for error. This is still Florida State, after all. And you know what? Let’s go ahead and count on these two playmaking quarterbacks to (10) make enough plays to hit the over of 55.5. Even if it takes overtime.

Monday September 4

No. 9 Clemson at Duke (+13.5) | 8:00 pm | ESPN

Clemson head coach Dabo Sweeney has finally gone outside of the program for help with his offense. He hired TCU’s Garrett Riley as offensive coordinator in the offseason, which should bode well for quarterback Cade Klubnik. He’s got weapons around him and a defense that should allow him to grow into a more confident player. I really think we need to applaud Dabo here. It shows maturity and growth to admit failure and go get somebody from the outside to run the offense. Sure, some would say that’s the sign of a weak family, but those people are Ferentzes. Duke won nine games last year. Their four losses were by a combined 16 points. Everything is screaming for me to take Duke and the points, but I’m worried I’m just overhearing the Ferentzes again.

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Week 1 is set to kick off Thursday night, featuring a ranked matchup between Florida and No. 14 Utah in Salt Lake City. Ranked teams are already off to a 2-0 start this season. 

There are also head coaching debuts that will take center stage among the biggest talking points of this week. Luke Fickell will take over at Wisconsin, Matt Rhule will do so at Nebraska and Deion Sanders will take the reins at Colorado, to name a few. 

Each of the top-4 teams are set to play Saturday against unranked competition. This week the focus remains on a top-10 matchup between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State — a rematch of last season’s opener in which the Seminoles took victory. 

Here are several games to watch this week. 

Miami (OH) at Miami 

The battle to determine where “the real” Miami is set for center stage Friday. 

Miami (OH) quarterback Brett Gabbert, the younger brother of former No. 10 overall pick Blaine Gabbert, took his stance on where he believes the real Miami is. 

“Oxford, Ohio,” Brett Gabbert said. “I think we’ll show them Sept. 1.” 

The two programs have met only one time prior, according to Sports Reference, and the Hurricanes took the win in 1987. 

Gabbert appeared in four games a season ago and threw for 816 yards. His performance came a year removed from a season in which he tossed a career-high 2,648 yards and 26 touchdowns. 

Miami (OH) must improve offensively in order to keep the pace with Miami. The Redhawks averaged 305.6 yards per game last season and allowed an average of 371.6 yards per outing defensively. 

Miami ranked No. 97 in scoring offense and No. 67 in scoring defense a season ago. The Hurricanes return their starting quarterback in Tyler Van Dyke and the supporting cast around him, shaping up for a battle between two programs to settle naming bragging rights. 

Colorado at No. 17 TCU 

This game is full of possibilities when it comes to looking at the matchup between the Buffaloes and Horned Frogs. 

No. 17 TCU is entering the game after advancing to the College Football Playoff National Championship last season. It became the first program from the Big 12 Conference to advance to the CFP title game. 

Across the field will be Colorado and new head coach Deion Sanders. 

Sanders is coming off back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and compiled a 27-6 record over three seasons at Jackson State of the Football Championship Subdivision level. 

He takes over a Colorado program with 87 newcomers and nine returning scholarship players. Sanders’ son Shedeur Sanders is set to take over duties at quarterback after throwing for 6,983 yards and 70 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in two seasons at Jackson State. 

Sanders said TCU has “great coaching” and “will be fundamentally sound” when the two teams take the field Saturday at noon on FOX. He said he’s proud of the strides his Colorado team has made, and he’s gearing up to guide them as they put it on the football field this week. 

“Practice-wise, man, these guys have been getting after it and I’m proud of them,” Sanders said. “They’ve been working their butts off, and they’ve kind of challenged one another to do so as such. Morning message (Tuesday) really wasn’t me talking at them. It was them telling me what they need to do to be dominant in this game, and everything they said we wrote on the board and we said, ‘OK, now go out there and practice and do it. Don’t wait until Saturday to do it. Do it now.’ So I’m happy with our young man, I really am.” 

Even with the number of new players that Colorado will have on its roster, Sanders said he and the Buffaloes are embracing all that comes with it. 

“They came here because they wanted it,” Sanders said. “They came here because they wanted the light. They wanted the smoke. They wanted the attention. They wanted the focus. They wanted the love, but also you got to understand there’s an opposite of that as well that you got to be willing to accept when you want and desire those things. These kids are ready. We’ve prepared them not just athletically; we’ve prepared them mentally for things and challenges that’s going to happen in life as well.” 

West Virginia at No. 7 Penn State 

The two programs in neighboring states will meet for the first time since 1992 in an interesting Week 1 matchup between Power 5 programs. 

The Nittany Lions enter the game under head coach James Franklin who is in his 10^th year in his position. They went 11-2 last season and had a bounce-back year after going 7-6 in 2021. 

Franklin isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback just yet, but it appears Drew Allar will lead the Nittany Lions under center in his second season. 

Allar showed he has potential to be a threat in the air and on the ground last season. After splitting some duties and sitting behind veteran Sean Clifford, Allar went 35-for-60 and threw for 344 yards and four scores, all the while running for 52 yards on 18 carries. 

Franklin said Penn State’s coaching staff has “charted everything” during the preseason and compared the data to past quarterbacks such as Clifford and Trace McSorley. Franklin said Allar had “a good camp” and has given the coaching staff confidence entering the season-opener Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on NBC. 

“He’s been really, really good,” Franklin said. “His decision-making has been good. His completion percentage has been really good. And then the other thing that’s really cool is having all this data then you’re able to go back and compare to historical data.” 

No. 21 North Carolina at South Carolina 

The Battle of the Carolinas and the Duke’s Mayo Classic is set to take place during a Week 1 matchup among No. 21 North Carolina and South Carolina. 

Both teams last met in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl during the 2021 season when the Gamecocks prevailed 38-21. Both teams return their head coaches from that matchup in North Carolina’s Mack Brown and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer. 

The contest will get underway in Charlotte, North Carolina, featuring ESPN’s College GameDay and possible Heisman Trophy contenders Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler. 

“Now it’s time to kick it off,” Brown said. “I’m very, very proud of our program that we’re a top-20 program in preseason understanding that postseason is what matters, not preseason. But at least people think we have a chance to be good. We’re on ABC primetime, and our opening game on Saturday night against a really good opponent and we’ve got College GameDay for the third time in the history of our program so a lot of positive things to kick off the season.” 

No. 5 LSU at No. 8 Florida State 

The first Top 10 matchup of the season is a big one during Week 1, and it has the feel as if it seems like a College Football Playoff game. 

A matchup between potential Heisman Trophy candidate quarterbacks in LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Florida State’s Jordan Travis is in line to be one of the leading headlines from this game. 

The Seminoles prevailed narrowly 24-23 a season ago, and head coach Mike Norvell and Florida State aim to repeat their success from last season. 

“We’re excited for the opportunity that’s ahead and the chance to go out with our first game and work to go put the best version of ourselves out on that field next Sunday night,” Norvell said. “We talk a lot about the identity of a team, and I see one that, like I said, has a great work ethic, really care about each other. They pushed and competed throughout, and we still need every rep and every minute leading up to kickoff to continue to get better.” 

The Tigers will enter their second season under the system that is guided by Brian Kelly. Kelly’s LSU team in 2022 went 10-4 and averaged 34.5 points per game which ranked No. 24 among qualifying programs. 

The two teams will meet under the lights Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC, and one top-10 team is bound to suffer its first loss in the first full week of the season. 

“Look, I could talk for quite a long time about our football team and the development of our team,” Kelly said. “I think you look at some of the things that are really important, and that is where we’ve improved from last year it’s just overall. We’re a smarter football team. We understand the systems. We understand the process. We understand the things necessary to become more consistent and everything that we do to be a championship football team.” 

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