#6 Southern California (4-0) at Colorado (3-1); Noon ET; Fox … A whole lot of the shine rubbed off the story of resurgent Colorado last weekend when Deion Sanders’ Buffs were throttled 42-6 up at Oregon. However, the Buffalos still have been the big story through the first month of the schedule and we’ll get to see another chapter this weekend with two of the very best QBs in college football going head-to-head when Caleb Williams (#13, 6-1, 205) and his USC mates come to Colorado to face the Buffs’ Shedeur Sanders (#2, 6-2, 205). The Trojans’ Williams, of course, is the runaway consensus favorite to be the first player selected at the 2024 draft, while Colorado’s Sanders could very well get some first-round consideration of his own despite last week’s flop against the Ducks. Unfortunately, Sanders won’t have his favorite target against the Trojans as sophomore WR/CB Travis Hunter, a leading candidate to be a high pick in 2025, is out for at least another week after being sidelined by a late in Colorado’s in state rivalry game win over Colorado State a couple of weeks ago.
While the QB dual will be getting most of the headlines for this game, there’s a lot at stake for the Trojans who have some real hopes of making this year’s CFP playoff, but it appears that just about any road game in the highly competitive Pac-12 will be a test. And the big question for the Trojans, as it was last year, is is there defence good enough. They do have a good one in ball-hawking FS Calen Bullock (#7, 6-3, 190), one of the top 2-3 prospects at the position for the upcoming draft, while DE Solomon Byrd (#51, 6-3, 250) is an emerging edge rusher who already has 4.5 sacks, but otherwise there is not a whole lot of potential draft talent on that side of the ball. Williams, on the other hand, has a little more to work with including WRs Dorian Singer (#15, 6-0, 180), Mario Williams (#4, 5-9, 175) and Tahj Washington (#16, 5-10, 175), OG Jarrett Kingston (#52, 6-4, 305) and RB MarShawn Lloyd (#0, 5-9, 210) each of whom could get a middle or later round call.
#24 Kansas (4-0) at #3 Texas (4-0); 3:30 PM ET; ABC … Hands up everyone – anyone – who had Kansas pegged to still be unbeaten and ranked in the top 25 heading into their game with the Longhorns. Indeed, prior to winning 6 games last fall, the Jayhawks had not not won more than 3 games in any one season over a 12-year period. The Jayhawks also haven’t had a player selected in the opening round of the NFL draft since 2008. That was CB Aqib Talib, who was selected 20th overall that year by Tampa Bay; he was also the only KU player selected in the first three rounds of the draft since 1997. That trend isn’t likely to end this year, but Kansas does have a number of players that should get some mid-to-late round consideration including QB Jalon Daniels (#6, 6-0, 220), RB Devin Neal (#4, 5-11, 215), G/T Dominick Puni (#67, 6-4, 320), C Mike Novitsky (#50, 6-4, 305), DE Jereme Robinson (#90, 6-3, 250), DT Devin Phillips (#40, 6-2, 315), CB Cobee Bryant (#2, 6-0, 190) and S Kenny Logan (#1, 6-0, 210).
One of the big questions heading into the college season was whether Texas could put it together on a consistent basis and so far the answer is yes! The corollary question is could QB Quinn Ewers (#3, 6-2, 195) put it together on a consistent basis this fall. The former #1 recruit in the country who originally signed with Ohio State before transferring home to Texas prior to the 2022 season has the elite tools including prototype size, a big arm and enough athleticism to at least keep opposing defences honest to be very much in the mix to be the next QB drafted after USC’s Caleb Williams and Drake Maye of North Carolina, but had been too inconsistent last fall and wasn’t even necessarily a lock to even keep the job with a couple of other A-list young QBs, including Arch Manning, also looking for playing time. Ewers, though, has started to make believers of NFL scouts again. It certainly helps that he has a bunch of outstanding receivers to target in WRs Xavier Worthy (#1, 6-1, 175), Adonai Mitchell (#5, 6-3, 200), Jordan Whittington (#13, 6-1, 205) and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders (#0, 6-4, 245). Worthy and Sanders, in particular, are considered to be among the top 2-3 prospects at their respective positions, while Mitchell, who has both size and speed, could ultimately be the best prospect. Meanwhile, sophomore G/T Kelvin Banks (#78, 6-4, 325) has all the look of a potential top 5 prospect for 2025. The Longhorns don’t have quite the same talent level on defence, but do have several prospects on that side of the ball including massive DT T’Vondre Sweat (#93, 6-3365), LB Jaylan Ford (#41, 6-3, 245), CBs Jahdae Barron (#23, 5-11, 195) and Jerrin Thompson (#28, 6-0, 195) and S Ryan Watts (#6, 6-2, 210).
#11 Notre Dame (3-1) at #17 Duke (4-0); 7:30 PM ET; ABC … Continuing with the basketball powerhouses morphing into football factories theme, Duke is in a very similar situation to Kansas as the Blue Devils come into their big game with Notre Dame unbeaten and ranked in the top 20. Unlike Kansas, though, Duke has some legit top 100 prospects for the upcoming draft including QB Riley Leonard (#13, 6-3, 215) and LT Graham Barton (#62, 6-5, 315). Leonard, in particular, has really caught the attention of pro scouts and appears to be in the mix to be one of the first 5-6 passers selected this coming April, while other Blue Devils to watch include WR Jalon Calhoun (#5, 5-11, 190), DE Dewayne Carter (#90, 6-3, 305) and CB Al Blades (#7, 6-1, 195).
Meanwhile, the pressure is really on the Irish who are no doubt still feeling the sting of last week’s bitter last-pay loss to Ohio State. Another loss and the Irish can probably kiss any CFP hopes away. However, the Irish do have a couple of rising stars in QB Sam Hartman (#10, 6-1, 215) and RB Audric Estime (#7, 5-11, 230). They work behind an offensive front which may have one of the best sets of bookend OTs in the country in John Alt (#76, 6-8, 315) and RT Blake Fisher (#54, 6-6, 315). Alt, of course, is a top 5-10 candidate. At the same time, LB Jack Kiser (#24, 6-2, 240), safety Xavier Woods (#0, 6-0, 205) and CB Cam Hart (#5, 6-2, 210) head the defence, although sophomore CB Ben Morrison (#20, 6-0, 190), who won’t be draft eligible until 2025, may be the unit’s best player. In fact, Morrison may the Irish’s best prospect period other than Alt.
