Alabama escapes loss on historic night while Auburn falls short at home
By Rebecca Teutsch,
2024-09-08
( WHNT ) — After the second week of college football, upsets among ranked teams have led to some movement in the AP Top 25 rankings.
Starting in Alabama, the Auburn Tigers unexpectedly lost to the California Golden Bears, 21-14. The Tigers had four interceptions and one fumble in the game. Quarterback Payton Thorne completed 14 of his 27 passes for 165 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
The fumble came in the fourth quarter from running back Jarquez Hunter. This fumble led the Golden Bears to rise to a two-touchdown lead over the Tigers. The fight wasn’t over here though. The Tigers then moved the ball 75 yards to score a final touchdown with six minutes left in the game.
Head coach Hugh Freeze said in a post-game interview how it’s hard to beat anyone when you turn the ball over that many times.
“You cannot turn the ball over five times and expect to beat really anybody,” Freeze said.
Next, we turn to the other side of the state, the University of Alabama. The no. 4 Crimson Tide faced the South Florida Bulls in a rematch game from the previous season. This game, however, was far from a cakewalk despite the 42-16 win.
The Crimson Tide managed to pull out the win after entering the fourth quarter with a one-point difference between, 14-13. Quarterback Jalen Milroe completed 17 of his 27 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns.
The game came with its difficulties as the Crimson Tide turned the ball over three times, received 13 penalties for 120 yards and allowed Milroe to be sacked three times. Linebacker Justin Jefferson was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter after being called for targeting against the Bulls quarterback.
Alabama Freshman Ryan Williams had a 43-yard touchdown reception that took the game from a five-point difference to 12. Three touchdowns in the final six minutes sealed the win for the Crimson Tide.
The battle came on a heartfelt and historic day as the university paid tribute to its former head coach, Nick Saban. The university changed the signage at the stadium to read “Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.” Coach Saban led the Crimson Tide for 17 years to eight SEC Championships and six National Championships with a record of 206-29.
Sticking with the SEC, no. 3 Texas defeated the reigning national champions, no. 10 Michigan. The Longhorns defeated the Wolverines 31-12 in Ann Arbor. Going into the game, while the Wolverines were at home, the Longhorns were a favorite to win.
The Longhorns were consistent throughout the game scoring three of the four quarters. Michigan had a total of three turnovers with two interceptions and one fumble.
The most shocking upset of the day was the no. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish losing its home opener to the Northern Illinois Huskies. The Fighting Irish managed to grab the lead in the third quarter and pull the game to 14-13, but the Huskies were able to nail one final field goal with 31 seconds left in the game.
The Fighting Irish attempted to kick a field goal from 62 yards to pull out a last-second win, but the kick was blocked and recovered by the Huskies, bringing the final score to 16-14. It was the first time in the 57-season history of Northern Illinois football that the Huskies defeated a top-10 opponent, making it the biggest win in program history.
Huskies Head Coach Thomas Hammock’s post-game interview on the field was filled with tears and gratitude toward his players. “All these guys that have been with our program, lived through the ups and downs and have continued to fight. It’s like they’re my kids. I just couldn’t be more proud,” Hammock said.
As we head into week three, there have been some shifts to the lineup.
The win against the Fighting Irish gave the Huskies a spot in the AP Top 25 Rankings, while the Fighting Irish fell 13 spots to no. 18. Michigan also fell in the polls after a loss to Texas. The Wolverines dropped seven spots from no. 10 to no. 17.
After a win against Chattanooga, 69-3, Tennessee climbed seven spots to rank no. 7.
Texas A&M received 68 votes after a win against McNeese State, 52-10. Vanderbilt and South Carolina also received votes after week 2. Vanderbilt received 18 and South Carolina received 10.
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