Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Dillon Gabriel’s legend grows after 2024’s latest top-five classic

And now, 20 Final Thoughts from a remarkable college football Saturday that saw three top-10 teams go to overtime and two others play an all-time classic.

1. Conventional pundit wisdom back in August held that preseason No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Ohio State were in a class of their own this season. Maybe that will still prove true come January. All we know as of mid-October, though, is that Iowa State and Indiana are undefeated, but the Bulldogs and Buckeyes are not.

2. No. 3 Oregon 32, No. 2 Ohio State 31 was even better than advertised, complete with seven lead changes, a successful onside kick by the Ducks (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) and a fire hose of big plays from both teams’ skill players. It was decided in bizarre fashion, when Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard, desperate to drive his team into range for a game-winning field goal, took off running and seemingly lost track of time, failing to get down before the clock went to 0:00. Third-year Oregon coach Dan Lanning secured the signature win that had previously eluded him, while Ohio State’s Ryan Day dropped his fourth consecutive game against a top-five opponent.

I’d say there’s a decent chance they might meet again in a couple of months.

3. In his 55th career start across three schools, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel made the nation’s top-ranked defense look mortal, finishing 23 of 34 through the air for 341 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. He and his receivers connected on five passes of 25-plus yards. He also had a fourth-quarter 27-yard touchdown run and led his team to a go-ahead field goal with 1:47 left. He now ranks third on the FBS career passing yards leaderboard (16,655), but the sixth-year senior rarely gets his name mentioned among the top quarterbacks in the sport. Given the stakes and the stage, this felt like a transformative performance a la Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. in last year’s mid-October Washington-Oregon classic.

 

4. Ohio State’s Day did not pursue Gabriel when he entered the portal last winter, eventually landing Kansas State’s Howard instead. Statistically, Howard, too, had a great game (28 of 35 for 326 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions), helped by gifted receivers Jeremiah Smith (nine catches, 100 yards and a touchdown) and Emeka Egbuka (10 catches, 93 yards, one TD). But the fifth-year senior’s lack of composure on the Buckeyes’ final drive was concerning.

Howard fell down on the first play for a 9-yard loss. He recovered to complete four consecutive passes, but after Smith was called for offensive pass interference with 22 seconds left, Howard wasted too much time before getting the snap off, threw two incompletions, then (literally) ran out the clock. Ohio State (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) will need more from him if it still hopes to contend for a national championship.

5. Some years, you’re lucky to get one top-five matchup during the regular season. Thanks to the newly expanded mega-conferences, we’re going to get our third already next week when No. 1 Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) hosts No. 5 Georgia (5-1, 3-1).

The Longhorns cruised past Oklahoma 34-3 in Saturday’s Red River Showdown despite a modest 199 passing yards from Quinn Ewers in his first action since Sept. 14. Texas got explosive plays from emerging running back Quintrevion Wisner and freshman receiver Ryan Wingo, and the Sooners’ injury-riddled offense stood no chance against Texas’ D. Brent Venables’ team (4-2, 1-2 SEC) could be in for a rough second half of the year.

Georgia handled one-win Mississippi State 41-31 but hasn’t looked quite right since its first-half debacle against Alabama two weeks ago. Quarterback Carson Beck threw for 459 yards but also tossed two interceptions, while Mississippi State freshman QB Michael Van Buren Jr. threw for three touchdowns and led three 75-plus-yard drives in the second half. Georgia faces just a little step up in competition next week.

6. LSU’s Brian Kelly has still yet to lose a night game at Tiger Stadium, while Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin has still yet to win a big road game, after No. 13 LSU’s (5-1, 2-0 SEC) dramatic 29-26 overtime win over No. 9 Ole Miss (5-2, 1-2). The Tigers trailed the entire night until quarterback Garrett Nussmeier fired a last-minute, 23-yard touchdown to send the game to overtime and then, one play after Rebels kicker Caden Davis drilled a 57-yard field goal, hit Kyren Lacy for a game-winning 25-yard score.

Suddenly LSU has reason to believe it can reach the CFP. Meanwhile, the most hyped Ole Miss team in a generation is now facing long odds, which must be frustrating to all the donors who kicked in all those millions to help Kiffin upgrade the roster. Another 9-3 regular season by Kiffin would feel like a big letdown.

7. Coming off last week’s stunning loss at Vanderbilt, No. 7 Alabama needed a last-second interception to survive three-touchdown underdog South Carolina, 27-25. Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe’s three turnovers did not help matters, but Alabama’s defense is the bigger concern. It has now allowed 11 touchdowns in its last 12 quarters, with South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers throwing touchdown passes of 36 and 31 yards Saturday. The one silver lining: cornerback Domani Jackson. He left with an injury in the first half, came back and made the game-sealing interception.

Kalen DeBoer’s team will need to play much better than it has the last couple of weeks if it hopes to win at No. 8 Tennessee next week.

8. Which is not to say the Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) are an offensive juggernaut right now. A week after losing 19-14 at Arkansas, Josh Heupel’s team got shut out in the first half before rallying to a 23-17 overtime win against Florida (3-3, 1-2). The Vols came back from a 10-0 deficit to take a 17-10 fourth-quarter lead before Gators freshman quarterback DJ Lagway threw a game-tying 27-yard touchdown pass to Chimere Dike with 29 seconds remaining. Tennessee ultimately won on a walk-off touchdown in overtime.

The Vols know they can count on their defense, as well as running back Dylan Sampson (27 carries for 112 yards and three TDs, including the game-winner), but their passing game has been largely a non-factor.

Lagway, meanwhile, could be taking over Florida’s passing game after starter Graham Mertz left Saturday’s game with a lower leg injury. He was later seen on the sideline on crutches.

9. Penn State went across the country and survived a 33-30 overtime thriller against USC. Quarterback Drew Allar threw three interceptions but was lights-out on a game-tying 75-yard drive that found the end zone with 2:53 left. Meanwhile, tight end Tyler Warren put on a historic performance at the Coliseum, tying an FBS record for his position with 17 catches for 244 yards and a touchdown. USC coach Lincoln Riley inexplicably failed to use any of his three timeouts on a Trojans drive that ended with Miller Moss throwing an interception with five seconds left in regulation.

It was a big win for Penn State’s James Franklin, whose team now has an excellent shot to reach its first Big Ten title game in eight years. Whereas Riley’s team, which fell to 3-3 (1-3 Big Ten), now finds itself in the hunt for an Alamo Bowl berth.

10. Credit where credit’s due to Iowa’s offense, which is officially no longer a punching bag under the direction of first-year coordinator Tim Lester. The Hawkeyes (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) smoked visiting Washington 40-16. The nation’s second-leading rusher, Kaleb Johnson, carried 21 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Cade McNamara only completed eight passes, but one was a 33-yard touchdown.

Between a powerful rushing attack, a defense that produced four sacks and two turnovers, four made field goals and, of course, a 61-yard Rhys Dakin punt, Kirk Ferentz’s 200th career win at Iowa followed his absolute ideal formula.

11. No. 22 Pittsburgh (6-0, 2-0 ACC) survived a scoreless second half to hold off Cal 17-15 and secure its first 6-0 start since Dan Marino’s senior season of 1982. Freshman quarterback Eli Holstein, the savior of Pitt’s offense this season, was ineffective against the Bears, but the defense rose up, notching six sacks (three by defensive end Jimmy Scott) and holding Cal (3-3, 0-3) to 1.6 yards per rushing attempt. The Panthers are off next week before entering the meat of an ACC schedule that includes trips to SMU and Louisville and a home date against No. 10 Clemson.

12. No. 14 BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) put on yet another defensive clinic in its 41-19 rout of Arizona (3-3, 1-2), forcing four turnovers by Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita and limiting Arizona’s potent offense to 4.6 yards per play. The Cougars, ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense (15.8 points per game), previously beat SMU 18-15 and Kansas State 38-9.

Meanwhile, No. 11 Iowa State (6-0, 3-0) is off to its best start since 1938(!) following a 28-16 win at West Virginia (3-3, 2-1). On a night when his father, Anthony, was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht was a solid 18 of 26 for 265 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown pass.

Even halfway through the season, it feels like half the Big 12 could still win the conference, but BYU and Iowa State have been the most impressive so far.

13. If you went to bed early Friday night, you missed Arizona State’s 34-year-old head coach, Kenny Dillingham, join a mosh pit of celebrating Sun Devils fans on the field after ASU’s (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) 27-19 upset of No. 16 Utah (4-2, 1-2), the highest-ranked foe the Sun Devils have beaten in five years. Stud running back Cam Skattebo broke 50- and 47-yard touchdown runs in the second half. Big 12 media picked Dillingham’s Arizona State team to finish dead-last in the Big 12 after consecutive 3-9 seasons. Instead, the Sun Devils look capable of winning the whole thing.

On the flip side, seventh-year Utes quarterback Cam Rising can’t catch a break. In the first series of his first start after missing three games with a hand injury (after missing all of last season with a knee injury), Rising injured his leg and was never himself, completing just 16 of 37 passes and throwing three interceptions. Utah was the preseason favorite in the same Big 12 poll. A title game trip seems unlikely.

14. Somehow, Colorado plays in a wildly entertaining game every week. But it does not always end up on the right side of it. Despite losing two-way star Travis Hunter and receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Omarion Miller to injuries, Colorado (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) took a 28-24 lead on Kansas State with three minutes left. Then its defense fell asleep on a 50-yard Avery Johnson touchdown pass, Shedeur Sanders couldn’t convert a fourth-and-6, and the Wildcats (5-1, 2-1) prevailed 31-28. Both teams are among eight in the Big 12 that are either 3-0 or 2-1 in conference play. But Deion Sanders needs to get Hunter and his other receiving stars back to have a chance at contending.

15. Another week, another 200-yard rushing performance for Boise State’s Heisman frontrunner Ashton Jeanty. He ran for 217 yards on 31 carries and also caught a 5-yard touchdown pass as the 17th-ranked Broncos (5-1, 2-0 MWC) won 28-7 at Hawaii (2-4, 0-2). It was Jeanty’s third 200-yard rushing game and fifth with at least 186 this season. At his current pace, Jeanty would reach 2,704 yards if Boise State reaches its conference championship game. That would break Barry Sanders’ FBS single-season record of 2,628 yards, though Sanders got his in 11 games.

16. Even after its big win against Alabama, Vanderbilt (4-2, 2-1 SEC) was a near two-touchdown underdog ahead of its trip to Kentucky (3-3, 1-3). The Commodores never trailed en route to a 20-13 victory. They may just crack the Top 25 on Sunday. Conversely, Mark Stoops’ team committed 12 penalties and lost two turnovers despite coming off an idle week. Even with a top-10 win at Ole Miss two weeks ago, the Wildcats have been a disappointment this season.

17. Has second-year Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell finally figured things out? The Badgers (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) have exploded the past two weeks, first blowing out Purdue 52-6 at home, then going to Rutgers and rolling 42-7. Mind you, the Scarlet Knights (4-2, 1-2) came in allowing 15.8 points per game. In a career performance to date, Oklahoma transfer running back Tawee Walker ran 24 times for 198 yards and three touchdowns, while the Badgers defense held Rutgers star Kyle Monangai to 72 yards on 19 carries. Obviously, these past two opponents are not on the level of Alabama and USC, which both whipped Wisconsin, but the back-to-back dominant performances provide the fan base with a much-needed source of optimism.

18. Only one team in the country is already 5-0 in conference play: Army (6-0 overall), which joined the AAC this season after two decades as an independent. The Black Knights cruised 44-10 against UAB (1-5, 0-3) for their 10th straight win and third straight 40-plus-point output. Quarterback Bryson Daily ran for four touchdowns and completed a 50-yard touchdown pass.

Army has already played five league games because it faces Air Force, Notre Dame and Navy (in a nonconference game) over the back half of the season, but it could get to 6-0 as soon as next week against East Carolina (3-3, 1-1). The next-closest team, Navy, is 3-0 in conference play.

19. While Army and Navy are both undefeated, Air Force is having a miserable season. The Falcons (1-5, 0-3 Mountain West), which came into the year with the least returning production in the country, fell 52-37 to New Mexico (2-4, 1-1), their fifth straight loss, all by double digits. It’s jarring to see from 18th-year coach Troy Calhoun, who has not had a losing season since 2018. But the transfer portal era makes it considerably more difficult for the service academies in a rebuilding season. New Mexico, under first-year coach Bronco Mendenhall, took 29 transfers this offseason. Air Force, like Army and Navy, had none.

20. Finally, Purdue may have earned the moral victory of the week. The Boilermakers (1-5, 0-3 Big Ten) came in having lost four consecutive games by at least 17 points, fell behind No. 23 Illinois 27-3 and then stormed back to take a 43-40 lead with 46 seconds left in regulation. The Illini (5-1, 2-1) prevailed 50-49 in overtime after Purdue went for two and didn’t get it, but the Boilers gave their fans two reasons for hope. One was redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Browne, who threw for 297 yards and ran for 118 in place of the injured Hudson Card. Also, head coach Ryan Walters, who fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell two weeks ago, became his own offensive play caller Saturday.

Which is fascinating given Walters is a career-long defensive coach.

(Photo: Ali Gradischer / Getty Images)