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'College Football Monday'
Frank Coyle's Blog Column

Offensive Player of the Week –
QB Tyler Wilson – Arkansas

Defensive Player of the Week
DE Melvin Ingram – S. Carolina

Photo – Tyler Wilson - Arkansas

The first week of October saw a huge number of high scoring games with several major comebacks. The top clubs solidified their highly rated spots with LSU, Oklahoma and Alabama staking claim to the top three ranked positions. Alabama drilled Florida while LSU wore down a stubborn West Virginia club and Oklahoma pounded an overmatched Ball St. team.

A number of teams hold a 5-0 record with 13 teams overall undefeated after the first weekend of October. No clubs has been more impressive during the early action than Clemson. The Tigers beat a good Virginia Tech team 23-3 and it was not even that close. What is so impressive is that the Tigers have beaten three consecutive top 25 clubs, Auburn, Florida St and Virginia Tech that elevates them into the top ten rankings this week.

This week
The “Red River Rivalry” features two highly rated clubs, undefeated Oklahoma and Texas this weekend. The two clubs have been the flagships schools in the Big 12 conference over the past decade. Both face critical decisions about their future in the Big 12 and in particular if they intend to stay together and enter a new conference together. Auburn meets Arkansas in another battle of top 20 clubs with SEC implications.

Georgia at Tennessee is one of the more interesting matchups in the first half of the schedule. Both are in the SEC Eastern division and each club is trying to recapture its former glory after in few down seasons. With Florida and South Carolina leading the division, the winner of the Georgia vs SC matchup will have a strong say in the Eastern title.

Speaking of the SEC, the Texas A&M Aggies who just joined the conference for the 2012 season has squandered 17 and 18 point halftime leads the past two weeks that were eventually losing efforts. In the loss to Arkansas this week, it was for the Aggies 7th consecutive loss to a SEC team since 1995. Fortunately, the Aggies face only a Big 12 schedule the remainder of the 2011 season.

Big Ten Baptism
Wisconsin faced a major test in a battle of Big Ten unbeatens vs Nebraska. The Badgers stormed to a 41-14 lead through the first three quarters and spoiled Nebraska's Big Ten debut with a 48-17 thumping. The Badger's ground game was once again outstanding behind tailback Montee Bell who ran for 151 yards and 4 TDs. The Badgers amassed 486 total yards, averaging 6.9 yards per play. They intercepted Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez three times.

Wisconsin's QB Russell Wilson connected on 14-of-20 pass attempts for 255 passing yards as the Badgers pounded Nebraska 48-17 in their first conference matchup. In only five games as a Badger, Wilson has thrown for at least two touchdowns in each game and has totaled 1,391 yards in the air. He currently ranks as the nation's second-most efficient passer and has thrown for a TD in 29 straight games, the longest current streak in the nation.

Nebraska has now lost eight straight games vs Top 10 clubs on the road since 1997. They have allowed 44 points a game in those games. This week Ohio St. travels to Lincoln, Nebraska in their Big Ten home opener. The Ohio St. program is falling after losing HC Jim Tressel after an NCAA series of violations. Last week, the Buckeyes lost to a good Michigan St. club 10-7 with their TD coming in the final seconds. Their offensive line gave up 9 sacks as their attack struggled the entire game. The Cornhuskers will be loaded for Bear after the Wisconsin lost in an attempt to get their first Big Ten victory.

Alabama remained undefeated with a dominant performance vs Florida. The Crimson Tide shut down Florida in a huge SEC road game in Tallahassee. The Tide put on a dominant performance with 38-10 thrashing of the Gators. The Tide defense prevailed once again and held the Gators to just 15 rushing yards. Alabama's tailback Trent Richardson ran for 181 yards on 29 carries, both career highs, and scored the first rushing TD that Florida has allowed this season.

Arkansas junior QB Tyler Wilson threw for a school record of 510 yards while leading the Hogs to an amazing 18 point comeback win over Texas A&M. Wilson replaced Ryan Mallett who entered the NFL Draft last winter. Through five games, Wilson has just short of 1,500 passing yards on 69.9% completion rate with 10 TDs, and three interceptions in a strong early season.

SMU earned a dramatic 40-33 overtime win over their arch-rival TCU to improve their record to 4-1 for the first time in a generation. The huge victory is SMU's first over a ranked opponent in six seasons as the Mustangs are off to their best start since going 5-1 to open the 1986 season. In the process, SMU ended TCU's 22-game home winning streak that dated back to the 2007 season. SMU also notched its first non-conference road win since 1998.

One of the season’s best performances was turned in by Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham un the Panthers victory over South Florida Thursday night. He rushed for 229 yards and 2 TDs with 42 yards receiving.

South Carolina senior DE Melvin Ingram was selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday’s loss to Auburn. Ingram recorded 11 total tackles, including eight solo stops. He had 4.5 TFL including a career-best 3.5 sacks. He also intercepted a pass and was credited with two QB hurries.

The Gamecock defense limited Auburn to just 3.9 yards per play in the contest and 18 points below its season scoring average. Ingram is now the SEC’s leader in both sacks (5.5) and TFL (7.5). He has scored three TDs this season while being honored three times in the SEC's weekly awards.

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Frank Coyle writes ‘College Football Monday’ weekly during the season. He is a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He is also a member of the FWAA and voter in College team and player awards - Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Thorpe, etc. He is a voter for weekly Team and Player Awards