The Texas Longhorns opened Week 2 with a big test against UTSA and performed admirably, as Arch Manning had to enter the game in place of an injured Quinn Ewers. After that, Texas was voted the number one team in the country in the latest AP Top 25 College Football Poll.
That was the turning point of the weekend. Texas defeated UTSA 56-7 and moved into the top spot in the rankings. Georgia fell to second after struggling to beat Kentucky.
Some teams and players did better than others, and others did worse.
Read below for the winners and losers from college football weekend.
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Winners
Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs for a 67-yard touchdown against UTSA during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Louisiana State University:There's clearly some kind of voodoo floating around the LSU bench during these games. After trailing South Carolina on numerous occasions on Saturday, the Tigers finally overcame a 17-point deficit with their running game. When the Gamecocks' final field goal went just left of the goalpost as time expired, which would have sent the game into overtime, there was a sense of relief on the LSU bench. If Brian Kelly was going to continue to build the Tigers into a powerhouse, they couldn't have lost that game.
University of California at Berkeley:How about those Knights? UCF looked dead, trailing TCU by 21 points. But Gus Malzahn must have given a tremendous speech on the sideline in the third quarter when his team was down 28-7. After rallying, KJ Jefferson connected with Kobe Hudson for a 20-yard touchdown with just 42 seconds left in the game, securing the comeback win. The Knights play Florida in two weeks in a game that could put a dagger in the face of the Billy Napier era as Gators head coach.
Washington State:Those Cougars did a great job for the newly remodeled Pac-12 on Saturday afternoon in the “Apple Cup.” But this was a game of drama, as Washington State held the Washington Huskies to a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line to secure the win. It was an incredible way to win this rivalry game.
Manning Arch:The Texas Longhorns didn't want to see their Heisman-favorite quarterback, Quinn Ewers, go down with an abdominal strain in the second quarter. However, Manning, the nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning, made the most of the relief effort against UTSA by throwing for four touchdowns and scoring for 67 yards in his best collegiate performance yet. Of course, Ewers is still the team's starter, but head coach Steve Sarkisian said he doesn't know the severity of that abdominal strain yet, so there's a chance Manning could have to step up for his first career start next week. Either way, Longhorns fans got a look at what the future looks like and it's very bright.
Our Lady:The new College Football Playoff format allows for teams to make mistakes, and Notre Dame made one last week against Northern Illinois, when it lost on a field goal in the tiebreaker game. But they bounced back in dominant fashion and destroyed Purdue 66-7. While the Fighting Irish were supposed to beat the Boilermakers, this is the kind of win that can get the season going again.
Texas head coach praises ARCH MANNING after he takes over as replacement for injured Quinn Ewers: 'I'm really proud'
Losers
Florida head coach Billy Napier, left, and Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko shake hands before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida:My goodness, things have gotten worse in Gainesville for Billy Napier. Heading into that important game against Texas A&M, things were in the right place for the Gators as the Aggies had to use backup Marcel Reed. Well, it turns out the Aggies and their backup quarterback ran all over Florida, causing fans to boo head coach Billy Napier at halftime and after the game. There's no way to sugarcoat this, the Florida football program is in very bad shape and the likely outcome will be them looking for a new head coach.
State of Florida:It’s a ridiculous situation in Tallahassee now, as Memphis came to town, took the $1.3 million check, and sent the Seminoles to 0-3 on the season. There’s nothing we can say to make this situation better anymore. Florida State is a bad football team with some really good players. They made a mistake with DJ U at quarterback in the offseason (should have paid for Cam Ward) and spent too much money on the wrong players. The chemistry is gone, and now Mike Norvell has gone from an undefeated regular season in 2023 to a winless start to the 2024 season. It’s crazy how things play out.
Vanderbilt: What are you doing, Commodores? You had everyone believing you were going to start 3-0 after a visit to Georgia State. Entering the game as 8.5-point favorites, Vanderbilt simply blew away all the goodwill you had received to start the season 2-0. Georgia State scored with 15 seconds left in the game to steal the comeback run from the 'Dores. The over-under in wins before the season started was 2.5 wins, but it's going to take some work to secure that third spot. You disappointed me on Saturday, Vandy.
Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, left, talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Shedeur Sanders:The Colorado Buffaloes took care of business against their rival, the Colorado State Rams, and Sanders was a big piece of it, as he threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns. After the game, though, Sanders was seen refusing to shake Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi’s hand, saying he saw him “talking shit on Instagram” and “You can’t f*ck with me” as Fowler-Nicolosi walked away. Sure, the Rams gave the Buffaloes bulletin board material to use as motivation heading into this game, including Fowler-Nicolosi. But Sanders has been doing a lot of talking this season, and this was another moment that might leave some with a sour taste after a dominant performance. Whether he wins or loses, Sanders has viral moments that aren’t in the Buffaloes’ best interest after games.
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Fox News Digital Sports' college football winners and losers were compiled by the Fox News Digital Sports staff and the OutKick.com Staff.
