LSU’s Brian Kelly is one in all school soccer’s 10 highest-paid coaches, however his efficiency is as soon as once more failing to fulfill the requirements of his paycheck. After Saturday’s 31-24 loss at No. 17 Vanderbilt, LSU’s season has formally taken the identical, irritating form as Kelly’s first three on the job.

With video games towards No. 4 Texas A&M and at No. 6 Alabama up subsequent, the No. 10 Tigers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) are probably only one loss away from seeing their School Soccer Playoff hopes extinguished but once more. After common seasons of 9-3, 9-3 and 8-4 to start his tenure, Kelly is careening towards that very same territory in 12 months 4.

A 3-0 report in bowl video games disguises Kelly’s mediocrity a bit, however there is not any sugar-coating it now: Kelly was higher at Notre Dame than he is been at LSU. In his final 4 common seasons with the Combating Irish, Kelly went 11-1, 10-0, 10-2 and 12-0.

Life within the SEC was by no means imagined to be simple for Kelly. However shifting to a faculty the place his three most up-to-date predecessors had all received nationwide championships offered Kelly with a slam-dunk alternative to do the identical. If Les Miles and Ed Orgeron might win all of it with LSU, then absolutely Kelly — a confirmed winner at a number of stops who repeatedly took Notre Dame to the doorstep of glory — might win a title with the Tigers.

Not solely has Kelly did not win a title, he is did not get notably shut, even with rosters stocked stuffed with expertise. A loss at Vanderbilt is not as embarrassing because it was. Actually, the Tigers had been underdogs. But it surely’s the most recent piece of proof to counsel that the Kelly-LSU pairing has failed to perform what it was designed to perform

Loser: LSU’s protection struggles 

LSU’s offense took a ton of warmth — and understandably so — throughout the season’s first half. In opposition to Vanderbilt, the protection was an even bigger situation. The Commodores didn’t punt for the sport’s first 51 minutes and scored touchdowns on 4 of their first six possessions. The Tigers additionally surrendered a area purpose simply earlier than halftime after enjoying some shoddy protection within the last minute of the second quarter. The Commodores dominated time of possession by 13 minutes and transformed on 8 of 15 third or fourth down makes an attempt as quarterback Diego Pavia wreaked havoc together with his arm and legs.

LSU’s protection has definitely improved beneath second-year coordinator Blake Baker, but it surely’s not the dominant drive it gave the impression to be early this season. Because it seems, holding preseason top-15 groups Clemson and Florida to 10 factors apiece wasn’t fairly the accomplishment that it initially gave the impression to be. Previous to Saturday, the Tigers had solely confronted one genuinely good offense. It was Ole Miss on Sept. 27, and the the Rebels amassed 480 yards and 28 first downs whereas handing LSU its first loss.

Loser: Texas regresses offensively

No. 21 Texas survived for a 16-13 additional time victory at Kentucky, however there ought to be loads of concern for the Longhorns coming into Week 9. After a stable — albeit unspectacular — outing in final week’s rivalry win over Oklahoma, Arch Manning handled some disagreeable regression. The redshirt sophomore accomplished simply 12 of 27 passes for 132 yards. At one level, he misfired on 8 of 9 passes because the Longhorns sputtered and allowed the Wildcats to hold round. Texas completed with simply 179 complete yards.

No. 13 Notre Dame’s lengthy march again to the School Soccer Playoff image continued with a fifth straight victory, because the Combating Irish stiffened late for a 34-24 win over No. 20 USC. The hero was Jeremiyah Love, who rushed for a career-high 228 yards on 24 carries. The Combating Irish’s junior star began issues off with a 63-yard achieve on his first carry and had 5 extra runs of 15+ yards.

Winner: Zabien Brown’s play of the yr candidate

Zabien Brown produced one of many single-most influential defensive performs you will ever see in a recreation when he singlehandedly triggered a possible 14-point swing on the ultimate play of the primary half in No. 6 Alabama’s 37-20 win over No. 11 Tennessee. The Volunteers trailed 16-7 and had been on Alabama’s 1-yard line with simply 9 seconds remaining within the second quarter. With out a timeout, Tennessee opted to throw the soccer. Brown sniffed it out, intercepted Joey Aguilar and ran it again 99 yards for a landing. It prolonged Bama’s result in 23-7, and the Vols by no means recovered.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton will likely be surging within the CBS Sports activities quarterback energy rankings subsequent week after the very best efficiency of his profession within the No. 9 Bulldogs’ 43-35 win over No. 5 Ole Miss. Stockton totaled 348 yards and 5 touchdowns — 4 as a passer and one as a runner — whereas guiding the Bulldogs on eight straight scoring drives. The one possession on which Georgia did not rating? When Stockton was taking a knee to ice the victory.

Loser: Shane Beamer will get testy

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer received a bit snippy in response to a query about whether or not he’ll make a change together with his offense after the Gamecocks fell 26-7 to No. 14 Oklahoma. It marked the third time that South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC) has been held to 10 factors or fewer this season. 

“I made a change final week, Jack,” Beamer mentioned in response to the inquiring reporter.

The change Beamer was probably alluding to was the firing of offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley. However based mostly on the “fireplace Mike Shula” chant that was circulating by way of Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, Gamecocks followers are extra thinking about seeing Beamer axe this system’s offensive coordinator. Shula was promoted from a help employees position to interchange Dowell Loggains, who left to grow to be the pinnacle coach at Appalachian State. To this point, the outcomes have been sorely missing. The Gamecocks surrendered six sacks towards OU and transformed simply 3 of 15 third downs whereas ending with 224 complete yards.

Raleek Brown’s 1-yard landing run with 34 seconds left lifted Arizona State to a 26-22 victory over No. 7 Texas Tech and stored the Solar Devils alive within the Large 12 title race. ASU led 19-7 halfway by way of the fourth quarter because the Pink Raiders struggled by way of a Large 12 showdown with out the companies of injured beginning quarterback Behren Morton. However with its again towards the wall and its unbeaten report on the road, Tech made a surprising late rally to take a 22-19 lead.

It appeared as soon as once more that the Solar Devils might find yourself on the mistaken aspect of a loopy end, very like in Week 2 at Mississippi State. It additionally appeared that Texas Tech may stay among the many dwindling ranks of unbeaten groups. However that is when star ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt led a 75-yard landing drive — capped by Brown — that will have modified your complete tenor of the Solar Devils’ season.

Winner: Michigan is not lifeless but

Michigan’s surprisingly inept exhibiting in a 31-13 loss at USC final week put the Wolverines in an uncomfortable spot heading into this week’s conflict with a top quality Washington squad. Had Michigan suffered a second straight loss, Google searches for “Sherrone Moore buyout” would have gone by way of the roof. 

However after a dominant 24-7 win, the Wolverines (5-2, 3-1 Large Ten) are again in first rate form. The Wolverines’ protection picked off Washington quarterback Demond Williams 3 times, and the offense dominated time of possession and was efficient each within the passing and operating video games. Star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood accomplished 21 of 27 passes, and operating again Jordan Marshall surpassed 100 yards on the bottom for the primary time this season. Michigan is way from a completed product, however the Wolverines are prone to be favored of their subsequent 4 video games — all towards unranked opponents — earlier than the all-important season-ending rivalry showdown with No. 1 Ohio State. 

Loser: Duke crumbles beneath its personal weight

Duke reached Georgia Tech territory seven occasions however produced simply 18 factors in a 27-18 loss to the No. 12 Yellow Jackets. Each groups entered the sport unbeaten in convention play, and the Blue Devils had each alternative to ascertain themselves in pole place to achieve the ACC Championship Recreation. However they could not get out of their very own method. The miscues had been too quite a few to listing right here, however this one was the costliest. Whereas on the verge of taking a 7-0 lead, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah fumbled. Georgia Tech’s Omar Daniels scooped it up and ran it again 95 yards for a 14-point swing.

Winner: Boise State points a reminder

UNLV was the Mountain West’s finest story throughout the season’s first half, however the league nonetheless runs by way of Boise State. That was the message the Broncos despatched in a 56-31 victory over the Rebels. San Diego State might nonetheless have one thing to say within the league race and can get a crack on the league’s reigning champs on Nov. 15. However the Broncos have to be considered the favourite for now after placing up 558 yards on the Rebels. Losses at South Florida and at Notre Dame dropped coach Spencer Danielson’s membership out of nationwide relevance. But when the Broncos run the desk and win the MWC, which seems to be fairly believable, they’re going to have a shot at returning to the School Soccer Playoff for a second consecutive season.

Winner: Willie Fritz is getting outcomes

Extra colleges ought to begin wanting within the 60-plus age bracket for his or her new head coaches, as a result of Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is not the one elder within the career who is flourishing in a rebuild. Second-year Houston coach Willie Fritz has the Cougars sitting at 6-1 (3-1 Large 12) after a dramatic 31-28 win over Arizona. Ethan Sanchez drilled a 41-yard area purpose as time expired to cap 13-play game-closing drive for Houston. Texas A&M switch Conner Weigman had himself a day, throwing for 3 touchdowns and operating for an additional because the Cougars reached bowl eligibility following back-to-back 4-8 seasons.

Loser: Mississippi State chokes its likelihood

Mississippi State was trailing simply 23-21 and had reached Florida’s 29-yard line with beneath a minute remaining when catastrophe struck. As a substitute of operating the ball to place kicker Kyle Ferrie for a game-winning area purpose attempt, the Bulldogs put the soccer within the air. Defensive lineman Michai Boireau dropped into protection on a primary down play and picked off Blake Shapen to deprive the Bulldogs of their first SEC victory in practically two years. The Bulldogs had been already in Ferrie’s vary — he made a 55-yard try earlier this season — and the choice to maintain airing it out backfired in a painful method.

Loser: UMass distress continues

Up till Saturday, UMass hadn’t been remotely aggressive in a recreation towards an FBS opponent. As one in all solely two winless groups remaining, the Minutemen had a stranglehold on spot No. 136 within the CBS Sports activities 136. However for a time within the second half towards Buffalo, it appeared prefer it could be their day. UMass took a 21-20 lead on the visiting Bulls into the fourth quarter, solely to have its aspirations of a victory dashed within the last minute. Buffalo surged forward with 19 seconds left on a 19-yard landing cross to go away UMass winless for an additional week.

Winner: UCF wins retread bowl

Coming into Saturday’s showdown between West Virginia’s Wealthy Rodriguez and UCF’s Scott Frost, the Large 12’s pair of retread hires had been a mixed 0-6 in league play. One thing needed to give. It wound up being the West Virginia offense in a 45-13 UCF romp. The Mountaineers (2-5, 0-4 Large 12) began their fourth quarterback of the season and averaged a paltry 2.7 yards per play. Whereas Scotty Fox Jr. received the primary crack at enjoying QB, fellow freshman Khalil Wilkins additionally received loads of run. The 2 mixed to finish 11 of 27 passes for 79 yards. For UCF (4-3, 1-3), it felt just like the glory days, because the offense produced 578 yards in Frost’s first Large 12 victory.

Loser: Wisconsin’s futility hits new low

Wisconsin’s futility hit a surprising new low on Saturday, because it was shut out in consecutive video games for the primary time since 1977. The Badgers had been pitifully non-competitive in a 34-0 loss to No. 1 Ohio State only one week after falling 37-0 to Iowa. Now 2-5 (0-4 Large Ten), Wisconsin nonetheless should play top-10 opponents Oregon and Indiana on the highway. The “simpler” video games left on the slate are towards 5-2 Washington, 5-2 Illinois and 5-2 Minnesota. A 2-10 season seems to be fairly potential for the Badgers.

Loser: Memphis chokes towards UAB

No. 22 Memphis and No. 19 South Florida entered Week 8 as the one Group of Six groups within the AP High 25, and so they solely wanted to get by way of lower-tier American Convention opponents to arrange an enormous showdown with one another subsequent week.

Memphis failed to carry up its finish of the cut price, because the Tigers suffered a surprising 31-24 loss towards a UAB staff that simply fired its coach. Enjoying beneath interim chief Alex Mortensen and with backup quarterback Ryder Burton getting the beginning rather than the injured Jalen Kitna, UAB knocked off a ranked opponent for the primary time since beating No. 13 BYU within the 2021 Independence Bowl. The Tigers had been additionally compelled to play backup QB AJ Hill after Brendon Lewis went down with an harm within the third quarter. Hill led Memphis to the goal-line with 1:03 remaining earlier than a pair of false begins sabotaged the Tigers’ hopes of tying the sport.