NCAA Football Power 5 Recaps: Week 4

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It’s week 5 of our NCAA football recaps of the games in the Power 5 conferences. Take a minute to read up on my take on these games.

#22 Texas vs Texas Tech

In one of the best games on the schedule this week, we had the two rivals in the state of Texas. Texas is coming into this game as the 22nd ranked team in the nation after beating UTSA by 22 the week before making them 2-1 on the year. On the other hand, we have Tech who is coming off their first loss of the season to NC State, coming in at 2-1.

Coming straight into the game we had four straight scoring drives by both teams that took over the whole first quarter and some of the second. Texas scored immediately when they got the ball in a little over a minute from Hudson Card leading the group down and throwing a touchdown to Keilan Robinson. Tech answered in a slow and tiring drive on 18 plays from Donovan Smith rushing it in for a touchdown. Texas then bounced back with a field goal of their own making it a 10-7 game in the first. Again, Tech answered with another touchdown of their own with Smith passing it to Tahj Brooks this time, making it a 14-10 game. In the second quarter, Texas threw an interception but it didn’t stop them offensively. Card still led the team to score two more touchdowns that quarter, one throwing and one rushing from Bijan Robinson. Tech had no answers this time in the second, making it a 24-14 game at halftime.

Going into the second half, Texas Tech was getting the ball and they needed something to get the crowd going with the ball first. Although they got the ball first, they had a turnover on downs on their own 40-yard line and everything was going right for Texas. Texas can almost end the game here going up 17 points with all the momentum, but they had their own turnover on downs as well, which then led to a Tech field goal the next drive. Texas knew they had to score on this possession only being up seven points, so Bijan Robinson took matters into his own hands and rushed for a 40-yard touchdown, making it a 31-17 game. But yet again, Tech came back with their own touchdown, getting the game back down to a 7-point lead for Texas. Into the fourth quarter, Tech tied the game up, 31-31 a piece, from a Donovan Smith touchdown to Baylor Cupp. Texas then gave the ball right back to Tech who then went up 34-31 with a field goal having 21 seconds remaining on the clock for Texas. Hudson Card then rushed down the field with two seconds to spare to give Bert Auburn the chance for a 48-yard field goal to send the game to OT. Bert did just that making the field goal with the time expiring to go to OT.

Into OT, Texas got the ball first at Tech’s 25. Handing the ball off to one of the best backs in the country, Bijan Robinson, he fumbled on the first play with Tech recovering. Tech can now walk the field to Texas’ 25-yard line to make a chip shot field goal for the win and they did just that. Trey Wolff made the game-winning field goal in OT for the win completing the comeback and upset on Texas. The fans stormed the field as it is their first win against Texas since 2017.

Donovan Smith played a great game throwing for 331 yards and 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also completed 38 of his throws out of 56 attempts. Smith also rushed for a touchdown with 42 yards on top of that. Sarodorick Thompson led the rushing group with 70 yards and a touchdown. On the receiving side, Myles Price hauled in 13 catches for 98 yards but Baylor Cupp and Tahj Brooks caught the touchdown passes. On the defensive end, Reggie Pearson Jr. recovered the game-winning fumble and had an interception on top of that. For Texas, Hudson Card didn’t play too bad either, throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns but had an interception. Bijan Robinson was the star on their offense who had 101 yards and two touchdowns but lost the ball in OT which lost them the game.

Texas dropped from the rankings and they are now 2-2 on the year. They play at home against West Virginia this week, with both teams badly needing a win. For Tech, they are now 3-1 on the year, winning two games against ranked opponents. They play Kansas State who is ranked 25th in the country on the road in which they are big underdogs.

#10 Arkansas vs #23 Texas A&M

In a game where both teams are ranked and it’s a classic SEC matchup, we knew this game was going to be a good one before it started. Arkansas is coming in being the 10th ranked team in the country and having a 3-0 record. For A&M, they are 2-1 coming in as the 23rd ranked team in the nation.

In the first quarter, Arkansas started out hot scoring two passing touchdowns from Junior QB KJ Jefferson. He set the bar high for Arkansas scoring a 56-yard touchdown and a 32-yard touchdown, going up 14-0 at the end of the first. A&M punted the ball in their first four possessions without even getting a first down in any of their drives. Finally, on their fifth drive, Max Johnson threw a touchdown to Evan Stewart to get the Aggies on the board. On the next drive for Arkansas, they drove down the field to the three-yard line on first and goal. Jefferson then fumbled the ball and A&M picked it up. Tyreek Chappel picked up the football and when he was about to get tackled, he handed the ball back to Demani Richardson who ran for 82 yards for a touchdown. A&M then went for two but didn’t get it making it an Arkansas 14-13 lead at the end of the half.

Picking up from the first half, A&M got the ball first and scored a touchdown on the first drive of the half from Devon Achanes’s rushing touchdown. A&M also kicked a field goal in the third from Randy Bond to make it a 23-14 game at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Arkansas finally scored for the first time since the first quarter from a KJ Jefferson rushing touchdown, which made it a two-point game. On the following drive, A&M missed a 53-yard field goal to give Arkansas hope to end the game on their final drive. Arkansas proceeded to drive down the field and kick a field goal. It was on Cam Littles foot from 42 yards out to possibly, win the game but the kick somehow hit the top of the goal post and he missed the field goal in this crazy game. A&M finished the game and won 23-21 in a very exciting and crazy game.

Max Johnson played decently throwing for 151 yards and a touchdown but he only had 11 completions on 21 passing attempts. The star of the show was running back Devon Achane. Achane ran for 159 yards and a touchdown. For the receiving core, Donovan Green had 50 yards on three catches with Evan Stewart catching the only throwing touchdown. The defense shined having a defensive touchdown and only allowing 21 points to a strong Arkansas offense. KJ Jefferson had a great game rushing and throwing. He threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 105 yards for a touchdown as well. Warren Thompson and Jadon Haselwood led the receiving core with most of the catches and Thompson caught one of the two throwing touchdowns.

Arkansas dropped in rankings from the loss and now is ranked 20th in the country. They have the biggest game of the year coming up against Alabama trying to pull off a huge upset win at home. On the other hand, A&M got up to 17th ranked in the country and they are about to play Mississippi State on the road this week. They are the underdogs in the game and they are trying to get back up to the 6th ranked team again like they were earlier in the season.

#5 Clemson vs #21 Wake Forest

In one of the most entertaining games of the year so far, we have two of the best quarterbacks in the nation go at it in Truist Field in North Carolina. The fifth-ranked team in the nation, Clemson, is coming into the game 3-0 dominating all the teams they have played so far. On the other side, Wake Forest is ranked 21st in the nation trying to complete an upset for their college. They come into the game 3-0 looking to stay undefeated at home against one of the top teams in the nation.

Wake Forest got the ball first trying to start the game out with a bang. They, unfortunately, punted the ball their first two possessions giving Clemson the chance to take them out early for the count. Clemson scored on their first two drives, both passing touchdowns from DJ Uiagalelei, 12 yards and 41 yards out. This gave Clemson an early lead of 14-0 in the first but Wake responded quickly. Sam Hartman led them down the field in under a minute scoring a touchdown to Jahmal Banks from 36 yards out to make it a 14-7 game at the end of the first. In the second quarter, both teams punted the ball two times in a row then finally Clemson made a field goal from the leg of B.T. Potter. Wake quickly answered with a touchdown of their own with Hartman connecting with Banks again for a five-yard touchdown. Clemson then scored another field goal near the end of the half making it a 20-14 game.

Going into the third quarter, Clemson quickly punted and Wake Forest woke up in the third. Wake scored three touchdowns in the quarter, all from the arm of Sam Hartman. Although Wake scored three touchdowns in the quarter, Clemson scored a touchdown of their own and a two-point conversion making it a 35-28 Wake Forest lead at the end of the third with Clemson pushing the ball. Clemson scored quickly in the fourth which made it a 35-35 game after Will Shipley ran it in for a 1-yard touchdown. In the next two possessions of the game, both teams scored field goals making it a 38-38 game which eventually went into overtime at that score.

Wake Forest got the ball first and quickly scored in five plays from who else, Sam Hartman. All Wake had to do is keep Clemson out of the endzone on their drive and the upset is complete but DJ had different plans for that. Uiagalelei scored a touchdown to Beaux Collins for 21 yards on only 3 plays making it a double-overtime game.

Clemson had the ball first this time around and yet again Uiagalelei scored a 21-yard touchdown, this time to Davis Allen. This time they had to go for the two-point conversion but they missed it only being up six points. The ball was in Sam Hartman’s hands to win the game here at home. Hartman didn’t come up clutch this time though in the second overtime. Wake didn’t convert any first downs and lost on four plays. Hartman came up huge all game but just couldn’t get it done in the second overtime, losing the shootout, 51-45.

Uiagalelei played fantastically, throwing for 371 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. He also completed 26/41 of his throws. In the rushing game, Will Shipley had 104 yards and a touchdown in an exceptionally good game for him. On the receiving side, the receivers did a fabulous job with four players having over 50 yards and hauling in five touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Sam Hartman was superior. He threw for 337 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. He completed the ball 20 out of 29 passing attempts which is terrific. On the rushing game, Justice Ellison was acceptable rushing for 73 yards all game. On the receiving end, Jahmal Banks was outstanding. He had 6 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Clemson stayed the same rank, 5th in the country, and play a tough opponent this week. They play NC State which is ranked 10th in the country, which should be a very exciting game this Saturday night. For Wake Forest, they only moved down one spot to 22nd and now play Florida State on the road. This also should be a great game and both teams are anxious for a ranked opponent to win.