Week three placed a scare in #1 Oklahoma, #3 LSU and #10 South Carolina. While at another level of the Top 25 #21 Auburn was having their 17 game winning streak stunted by Clemson, Notre Dame was getting their first win of the season at the expense of #15 Michigan State, Illinois was slipping by #22 Arizona State and Jacory Harris was dismantling #17 Ohio State in a game that would pit two schools with extremely severe NCAA infraction ramifications facing each school, as they try to rebuild both reputations and their national prominence. All other ranked teams were handling business as usual, unless you want to call the Washington-Nebraska shootout a scare for the #11 Corn Huskers 51-38.
Then there is the brilliant stepchild of NCAA football, #4 Boise State, flexing its' muscle on Toledo 40-15, #12 Oregon released its' frustration on Missouri State 56-7, #23 Texas redeemed is previous upset by the Bruins to secure a basically one-sided game 49-20. It was #20 South Florida making the loudest noise, with a 70-17 over the undermanned Rattlers of FAMU, but #2 Alabama was making the largest statement of the day, displaying a potent offense with the most impressive and stingy defensive unit in land. It would appear right now that the road to a National Championship would take an early route through Tuscaloosa.
But there are a few Heisman hopefuls that will have a say-so in the final mapping of the road to a National Title. Kellen Moore, the accurate QB for the Boise State Mustangs, threw for 5 TD's on 32-42 passes and 455 yards. LaMichael James ran for 204 yards on 12 carries, with a long run of 90 yards for one of his three touchdowns on the day. Not to be outdone, Marcus Lattimore would finish his day with 246 yards on 37 carries and also score three touchdowns to become the first RB to reach that total playing for a Steve Spurrier coached ball club. Andrew Luck kept his supporters comfortable with his Heisman status with a 20-31, 325 yard day and two scores, as he barely broke a sweat in the lopsided victory over Arizona. Landry Jones, who is an outsider in this class of stars, has been mentioned slightly in the award discussions, but did himself no favors with an effective but average performance, 18-27 199 yards and two TD's to go with two interceptions. While Denard Robinson and his Wolverines were resting this weekend, Trent Richardson was busy keeping his name in the hat with a three touchdown day, with scoring runs of 58 and 71 while amassing 167 yards on just 11 carries for the day. James has the most 200 yard games (4) over the last five years for any BCS running back.
So after three weeks, it appears that Alabama will be a force in the SEC, and the giant in that conference, slowly growing into its Nick Saban stature again. Boise State should cruise through the Mountain West, but better yet finish undefeated to hang at one of the Top four spots in the polls and later the BCS rankings for an outside shot at the illusive BCS National Championship game. Oklahoma is vulnerable for an upset and will have to rely on more consistent QB play and efficiency to go wire to wire to a Championship season. Oregon may be able to reestablish its' place among the championship discussions by running the table, which will include Luck and company. LSU will face the same challenge it faces every year, beat their Western Division foe, Alabama, just to get to the SEC Championship Game, which normally means the winner is one half of the BCS Championship Game.
Well there are many scenarios to consider early in the season, but with 25% completed, the Cinderella Story, Boise State versus South Carolina, the Moore led Broncos against the Lattimore dependent Gamecocks could give college football a story for the ages and possibly one of the biggest moments in sports for both institutions in the same year. But we're just going into the second quarter of the season with a full three quarters of a season to play, but this is starting to look like something special if the two can find a way to will their respective teams to blemish free seasons.
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