The Texas Longhorns Week 2 began with a tough test against UTSA, and the team performed admirably as Arch Manning stepped in for the injured Quinn Evers. After that, Texas was ranked the No. 1 team in the country in the latest AP Top 25 college football poll.
It was a turning point of the weekend. Texas beat UTSA 56-7 to move up to No. 1 in the rankings. Georgia has fallen into 2nd place after an unsuccessful victory over Kentucky.
Some teams and players performed better than others, and some performed worse.
Below is a list of the winners and losers in college football this weekend.
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Winners
Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws a 67-yard touchdown pass against UTSA during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
LSU: There's clearly some magic hanging over the LSU bench during these games. After falling behind multiple times to South Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers finally overcame a 17-point deficit with their rushing attack. When the Gamecocks' final field goal sailed left of the goalposts as time expired, sending the game into overtime, there was a sense of relief on the LSU bench. If Brian Kelly was going to continue to make the Tigers a powerhouse, they couldn't lose this game.
UCF: And how about those Knights? UCF looked dead in the water, down 21 points to TCU. But Gus Malzahn must have given one hell of a speech on the sideline in the third quarter with his team down 28-7. After a punt return, K.J. Jefferson hit Kobe Hudson for a 20-yard touchdown with just 42 seconds left in the game, securing a comeback victory. The Knights play Florida in two weeks in a game that could end Billy Napier's career as the Gators' head coach.
Washington State: The Cougars made a solid play for the newly rebuilt Pac-12 on Saturday afternoon in the “Apple Cup.” But it was a game of drama as Washington State held the Washington Huskies on 4th and goal at the 1-yard line to secure the victory. It was a surprising way to win this rivalry game.
Arch Manning: The Texas Longhorns didn't want their Heisman-winning quarterback Quinn Evers to go down with an abdominal strain in the second quarter. But Manning, the nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning, made the most of the relief against UTSA when he threw for four touchdowns and gained 67 yards in his best college performance. Of course, Evers is still the team's starter, but head coach Steve Sarkisian said he doesn't know the severity of the abdominal strain yet, so there's a chance Manning could have to make his first career start next week. Either way, Longhorns fans got a glimpse of what the future looks like, and it's very bright.
Notre Dame: The new College Football Playoff format allows teams to make mistakes, and Notre Dame had one last week against Northern Illinois when they lost on a field goal. But they bounced back in dominant fashion, destroying Purdue, 66-7. While the Fighting Irish should have crushed the Boilermakers, this is the type of win that could get the season back on track.
TEXAS HEAD COACH PRAISE ARCH MANNING AFTER HE REPLACES INJURED QUINN EVERS: 'I'M VERY PROUD'
The Losers
Florida head coach Billy Napier, left, and Texas A&M University head coach Mike Elko greet each other before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Rau)
Florida: Good Lord, things have gone south for Billy Napier in Gainesville. The Gators were on a roll heading into a big game against Texas A&M, and the Aggies were forced to use backup Marcel Reed. Well, as it turns out, the Aggies and their backup quarterback were running all over Florida, causing fans to boo head coach Billy Napier at halftime and after the game. Let's not sugarcoat it, the Florida football program is in very bad shape, and a search for a new head coach is likely to result.
State of Florida: Now it’s a ridiculous situation in Tallahassee where Memphis rolled into town, took a $1.3 million check, and sent the Seminoles to an 0-3 season. There’s nothing else we can say to make it look better. Florida State is a bad football team with some really good players. They screwed up with DJ U at quarterback this offseason (they should have just gone with Cam Ward) and spent way 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 turn out.
Vanderbiltt: What are you doing, Commodores? You led everyone to believe you were off to a 3-0 start with a trip to Georgia State. Coming into the game as 8.5-point favorites, Vanderbilt blew all the goodwill they had to start the season 2-0. Georgia State scored with 15 seconds left to steal a comeback run from the 'Dores. The over-under to start the season was 2.5 wins, but it's going to take some work to secure that third win. You let me down Saturday, Vandy.
Colorado Avalanche's Travis Hunter, left, conferred with quarterback Shader Sanders during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Sheder Sanders: The Colorado Buffaloes took care of business against their rival, the Colorado State Rams, and Sanders played a big role in that as he threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns. However, after the game, Sanders was seen refusing to shake the hand of Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosis. saying what he saw He was “talking s— on Instagram” and “You can't f–k with me” when Fowler-Nicolosis left. Sure, the Rams gave the Buffaloes bulletin board material to use as motivation heading into this game, including Fowler-Nicolosis. But Sanders has done a lot of talking this season, and this was another moment that could leave a sour taste in some people's mouths after a dominant performance. Win or lose, Sanders has viral moments that aren't in the Buffaloes' best interest after games.
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The Fox News Digital Sports College Football Winners and Losers list was compiled by the Fox News Digital Sports staff and OutKick.com staff.