The past college football weekend had so much action and excitement that anyone watching probably needed a couple of days to recover. Now that we’ve had some time to digest it all, we can start looking at what’s changed and what lies ahead this weekend.
Poll Shakeup
After several notable games involving top-25 teams this past week, there were some notable changes in the polls. The biggest change is that Clemson has once again been jumped, this time by LSU.
The Tigers have climbed to No. 2, behind only Alabama, after their win over Florida, dropping Clemson to No. 3. Ohio State and Oklahoma round out the top five, followed by Wisconsin and Penn State, who also remain unbeaten.
Meanwhile, Georgia dropped all the way to No. 10 after its loss to South Carolina, behind Notre Dame, who the Bulldogs beat, and Florida, who they play in early November.
Quick Bounceback
South Carolina managed to beat Georgia last week despite quarterback Ryan Hilinski being lost to a knee injury in the third quarter. But it appears as it Hilinski will be right back in the saddle next week. Will Muschamp has described Hilinski’s injury as a sprained knee that’s “nothing serious.”
The plan is for Hilinski to be ready to play this week when South Carolina hosts No. 9 Florida and attempts to knock off a top-10 team for the second week in a row.
Not So Lucky
Boston College quarterback Anthony Brown was less lucky on the injury front. BC head coach Steve Addazio announced Monday that Brown will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered two weeks ago against Louisville.
The Eagles were off this past weekend but will be back in action Saturday when they host North Carolina State. Boston College has lost three of its last four games to fall to 3-3 and will play four of its last six games on the road. That puts their bowl hopes in jeopardy, with sophomore Dennis Grosel set to take over for Brown as the team’s starting quarterback.
Lead Duck
Oregon will spend the rest of the season without tight end Jacob Breeland, who suffered a leg injury during Friday’s win over Colorado the will keep him sidelined the rest of the year. Breeland earned All-Pac-12 honors last year and is currently Oregon’s leading receiver.
Fellow tight end Cam McCormick was already out for the season, making the Ducks a little light at the tight end position.
Down and Out
The Virginia defense will be without cornerback Bryce Hall for the rest of the season. Hall had surgery on his ankle after getting carted off the field during Friday’s loss to Miami. He’s considered a potential first-round pick after leading the country with 22 pass breakups last season.
New Kicker
Clemson is making a change at kicker, replacing starter B.T. Potter with backup Steven Sawicki. Potter has missed a field goal in two straight games, including a 24-yard attempt against Florida State on Saturday.
Sawicki made both his extra-point attempts and a 26-yard field goal in the second half of Clemson’s 45-14 win over the Seminoles.
