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Monday
Sep202010

College Football Notebook: Week 3 Review

Picture of Andy Dalton

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

People need to start paying attention to TCU quarterback Andy Dalton.

The senior completed 91 percent of his passes — ninety-one — in the Horned Frogs' 45-10 thrashing of Baylor Saturday. He finished 21-of-23 for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Four of his completions covered at least 25 yards.

For the season, Dalton is 53-of-71 (75 percent) for 624 yards, four TDs and two INTs. Are they-earth shattering numbers worthy enough to make Dalton a shoe-in Heisman invitee in December? No, but the fourth-year starter is consistent and all he does is win football games. And right now his QB rating is 161.43.

ENOUGH ABOUT JAKE LOCKER: For two years, we've heard Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay drool over Jake Locker and his NFL-ready right arm. True as it may be, Locker is in college now and has not really gotten it done. Let's shelve all Locker talk until the NFL Combine in February. Or later.


RANKINGS: OGS Week 4 Poll

On Saturday against Nebraska, Locker was four-of-20 for 71 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a 'Husker touchdown.

Now, granted, this was a great Nebraska defense, but top quarterbacks often find ways to overcome great defenses, or at least post mediocre numbers against them. Locker did not, and rarely has done so in his three years as Washington's starter.

This season, Locker has completed only 46-of-90 passes. I don't doubt that he's got some pro-style tools, but at some point he's got to start winning some high-profile games.

I'M JESSE PALMER: I was watching football all day Saturday with some friends, including a writer buddy who graduated from Florida. He said when he was trying to get into a Gainesville bar one night many years ago, he was behind an under-aged student named Jesse Palmer. When the gal at the door denied Palmer entry, his priceless reply was, "But I'm Jesse Palmer, and that's all that matters." Excellent.

UCONN CON JOB? Remember how just a few weeks ago everyone was heaping the love on Randy Edsall's Connecticut Huskies and picked them as a likely winner at Michigan in Week 1? The Wolverines' easy win over them, however, was regarded as a quality win for the maize-and-blue. But I wonder how much weight that season-opening triumph carries now after seeing UConn lose to Temple Saturday. The Owls aren't bad, but Connecticut should have been better.

TAKE IT EASY, NEVADA: Congratulations to Nevada for beating California, but someone needs to remind the Wolfpack that it wasn't PAC 10 powerhouse Southern California that they beat. I realize that home victories over AQ schools are a rarity for Nevada, of the Western Athletic Conference. But some of the postgame soundbites coming out of that locker room, using words like "history books" and "greatest win ever," might be a little much. Cal is often ranked this time of year, so beating the Bears surely was nice for Nevada, but let's keep it in perspective.

TOUCH STRETCH ENDS FOR WYOMING: After the death of freshman linebacker Ruben Narcisse on Sept. 6, Wyoming players took heavy hearts into their game at Big 12 power Texas five days later. And Saturday, the Cowboys gave up 51 points to No. 3 Boise State. Things get a little more manageable for Wyoming, with a home game against Air Force on Saturday, then a trip to Toledo the following week.

Speaking of tough stretches, how about San Jose State? The Spartans opened with losses at No. 1 Alabama and No. 11 Wisconsin, and this week visit No. 13 Utah.

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