2021 · Week 7 COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7
Quote of the week “When you look back on the biggest games in Iowa history, the fans are usually down there storming the field. It was sweet.” - Iowa QB Spencer Petras on the postgame celebration after defeating Penn State 23-20
TEAM TO WATCH:
Oklahoma
It’s been a wild ride thus far for Oklahoma, and it’s time to see how it will react after a big win. The Sooners put themselves in playoff contention when they defeated Texas 55-48 on Saturday, rising to No. 4 in the AP rankings. Oklahoma staged a 21-point comeback during the Red River Showdown and took the game with a 33-yard rushing touchdown in the last seconds. Caleb Williams was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week after he replaced starting QB Spencer Rattler in the second quarter. He led the Sooners’ comeback by completing two passing touchdowns and rushing 66 yards for a touchdown of his own. Though the Red River victory was sweet, the Sooners defense gave up 516 yards to the Longhorns. Will they be able to limit that against other tough opponents? And which QB – the seasoned Rattler or five-star freshman Williams – will take the starting spot to lead the team moving forward? The team’s first test will be against TCU on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 4:30 p.m. (AZ Time) on ABC.
TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Boise State
Last season, BYU dominated Boise State, 51-17, on the Broncos’ signature blue turf. This year, the three-time Fiesta Bowl champions gave the Cougars a taste of their own medicine, handing BYU its first loss of the season and knocking them out of Top 10 with a 26-17 victory at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Boise State’s defense played the biggest role in Saturday night’s win, forcing four turnovers and holding the Cougars to a single touchdown over the final three quarters. They managed all this even as BYU QB Jaren Hall threw for a career-high 302 yards. Meanwhile, the Broncos offense scored 23 straight points and became the first team to lead the Cougars at any point this season. Next up, Boise State hosts Air Force. The game will take place under the lights at 6 p.m. (AZ Time) on Saturday and will air on FS1.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7
games of the week #12 OKLAHOMA STATE AT #25 TEXAS 10.16 | 9:00 AM | FOX
#19 BYU AT BAYLOR 10.16 | 12:30 PM | ESPN
AP Week 7 Rankings 1. GEORGIA
6. OHIO STATE
2. IOWA
7. PENN STATE
3. CINCINNATI
8. MICHIGAN
4. OKLAHOMA
9. OREGON
5. ALABAMA
10. MICHIGAN STATE
For the full AP Top 25 Rankings, click here.
PURDUE AT #2 IOWA
game of the week
10.16 | 12:30 PM | ABC
#11 KENTUCKY AT #1 GEORGIA
#5 ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sanford Stadium will host ESPN’s College Gameday for the second time this season as another big matchup takes place in Athens. Two undefeateds – No. 11 Kentucky and new No. 1 Georgia – will face off in a game that is predicted to end in Bulldogs victory. Georgia is favored by 23.5 points with an over/under of 44.5.
10.16 | 4:00 PM | ESPN
#18 ARIZONA STATE AT UTAH 10.16 | 7:00 PM | ESPN For a full schedule of Week Seven games, click here. (All times in AZ time)
Georgia became the top dog in college football after a 34-10 defeat of Auburn and the takedown of former No. 1 Alabama by Texas A&M. The Bulldogs’ defense is the best in the country, having only allowed two touchdowns and 33 points in six games, the lowest six-game tally by Georgia since 1935. On top of that, Georgia is on an 11-game win streak against Kentucky. Will the Wildcats be able to beat the streak, overwhelm Georgia’s defense and claim a road upset victory to lead the SEC East? It will be a tough task for the Wildcats, but Head Coach Mark Stoops said it’s one the team has earned and prepared for. The game will air on CBS on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (AZ Time). Fiesta Bowl fans can bet online NOW with Caesars Sportsbook. Download the app today and place your bets!
2020-21 Bowl PREDICTIONS: PLAYSTATION ® FIESTA BOWL
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ESPN Bonagura – Coastal Carolina vs. Kentucky
ESPN Bonagura – Texas Tech vs. Nebraska
ESPN Schlabach – Arizona State vs. Ohio State
ESPN Schlabach – Kansas State vs. Wisconsin
CBS – Notre Dame vs. Michigan
CBS – West Virginia vs. Wisconsin
USA Today – Cincinnati vs. North Carolina State
USA Today – Texas Tech vs. Purdue
Action Network – Ohio State vs. Cincinnati
Action Network – Kansas State vs. Maryland
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7
SEASON TICKET MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
KEN TRACY
First year as Season Ticket Member: 2018 Why did you become a Season Ticket Member: I love visiting the Phoenix community. Great people! And the Fiesta Bowl team does a great job of creating memories.
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT:
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is now fifth in NFL all-time career touchdown passes after throwing his 421st and 422nd in Sunday’s game against the Bengals. He passed Phillip Rivers to take the fifth spot just a week after passing Don Marino for sixth. The Packers defeated Cincinnati in a 25-22 overtime win that saw Rodgers go 27-39 for 344 yards and those two touchdowns.
What’s your favorite Fiesta Bowl Memory: It would have to be the first game we attended, Ohio State vs. Clemson in 2016. Wow, what an event! Dream PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl matchup: Ohio State vs. Alabama What is your favorite college football team: Ohio State
Rodgers had a similar stat line when he played in the 2003 Insight Bowl, now the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. In leading Cal to a 52-49 victory versus Virginia Tech, Rodgers went 27-35 for 394 yards with two touchdown passes. Rodgers’ performance in the game tied Cal’s Bowl records for most completions, most touchdowns and most rushing touchdowns, was the third-highest offensive output by a single player in Cal history and earned Rodgers Offensive Player of the Game. Eighteen years later and Rodgers is still re-writing the record book.
Celebrating 50 Years of Volunteers! The Fiesta Bowl would not be More Than Just a Game® without the help of our amazing volunteers. Over our 50-year history, thousands of volunteers have dedicated their time and energy to support our Bowl games and community outreach initiatives. To show our gratitude to them, we are throwing a party to celebrate ALL our volunteers from the past 50 years! The big event will take place this Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium, where the Fiesta Bowl first began. If you’re interested in joining the Fiesta Bowl Family and volunteering at our many upcoming events, click here!
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT:
YOUTH FOOTBALL CLINIC Registration is now open for the Arizona Milk Producers Fiesta Bowl Youth Football Clinic. Kids ages 7-14 will have the opportunity to participate in this free, non-contact clinic and learn more than just the fundamentals. Participants will spend the day learning and practicing various drills while developing confidence, a strong work ethic and motivation that will help them succeed on and off the field! Click here to learn more and register for the October 23 event!
BIG NEWS The Guaranteed Rate Bowl features Bowl Season’s only Big Ten vs. Big 12 matchup. As we eagerly await the Dec. 28 kickoff, we’re bringing you weekly game highlights, player reports and other updates from the two conferences. Here’s the BIG news from week seven:
BIG TEN • For the first time since the AP poll was established in 1936, the Big Ten has five teams in the Top 10 – No. 2 Iowa, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Michigan and No. 10 Michigan State • Three teams remain undefeated – Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State • Iowa defeated then-No. 4 Penn State 23-20. It was the Hawkeyes first win over a top-5 opponent since 2017 and the team’s sixth-straight win against a ranked opponent • Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud now has two 400-yard passing games this season after throwing for 406 yards in the Buckeye’s 66-17 win over Maryland. The freshman has also thrown five passing touchdowns in each of the last two games
BIG 12 • No. 4 Oklahoma (6-0) and No. 12 Oklahoma State (5-0) are the only undefeated teams remaining in the conference. They are joined by No. 25 Texas in the Top 25 • Three Sooners were Player of the Week – Caleb Williams (Newcomer), Kennedy Brooks (Offensive) and Gabe Brkic (Special Teams). TCU’s Tre’vius Hodges-Tomlinson was the league’s top defensive player • Brkic tied single-game OU records for points by a kicker (17) and field goals (four) in Oklahoma’s win over Texas • Three teams – Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State – had a bye week. They resume conference play this weekend when Iowa State travels to Kansas State and Texas Tech takes on Kansas.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7
JA NUA RY 1 , 2022
DE CE M B E R 28, 2021
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021 | WEEK 7