2024 NFL Draft preview: College Football Recap, Rivalry Week

We have officially completed the regular season of the 2023 college football season. That means no more full weekends of college football and some seasons coming to an abrupt end by missing out on bowl game opportunities. It was quite the exciting rivalry weekend of games — especially a crazy Saturday slate that truly resembled rivalry silliness.

On Saturday, the biggest game of the week, No. 3 Michigan had No. 2 Ohio State coming to town for a noon matchup. That game turned out to live up to the hype with Michigan pulling it out in the end, 30-24. Two interceptions for the Wolverines’ defense proved to be a big-time difference in the game. The Wolverines will head to the Big Ten Championship game while Ohio State will have to sit on the sidelines for a week as they anxiously await the outcomes of the championship games to see where they slot for the College Football Playoff.

No. 6 Oregon brought the fight to No. 16 Oregon State with a sound 31-7 victory. The Ducks are dominating at the right time heading into an absolutely massive tilt in the PAC-12 Championship for a grudge match between themselves and Washington.

Auburn nearly pulled off the upset of all upsets in the Iron Bowl against No. 8 Alabama. But it took a miracle by the hands of Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe and wide receiver Isaiah Bond on a 4th & Goal from the 31-yard line to avoid the upset and stun the Tigers in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

It was a fun week of games as we hurdle towards championship weekend and the eventual setting of the 2023-24 version of the College Football Playoff. We have some remarkable performances to highlight from this past weekend. Let’s talk prospects who stepped up in the big moment against their team’s rival.

Florida State EDGE Jared Verse wills the ‘Noles to remain undefeated If there was one thing certain about Florida State ’s victory over Florida in the Swamp with a battle of backup quarterbacks, it was that FSU’s defensive star edge rusher Jared Verse would not let the Seminoles lose in the fourth quarter.

The Seminoles’ defensive line began to dominate in the second half and much of that can be attributed to Verse winning as the Gators threw multiple bodies at him. Verse was unblockable down the stretch, and he was rewarded in the stat sheet with 2.5 sacks and three total tackles for loss. He had an additional two quarterback hits.

Verse had one rep converting speed to power with a straight bull rush — in which he put the Gators left tackle on his back and subsequently got the quarterback sacked in one swoop. Verse has legit physical traits coupled with speed-to-power ability that is going to get him drafted well into the first round.

Jared Verse took over in the final minutes last night.

Well-timed (and disrespectful) speed-to-power! pic.twitter.com/iqRzCCV9XI

— Dane Brugler November 26, 2023 Auburn CB Nehemiah Pritchett nearly allows Tigers to pull upset over ‘Bama The Tigers have a lot of really nice players in the back end who will be playing on NFL Sundays in 2024. Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett didn’t blister the stat sheet on Saturday evening, but he did have a key pass breakup and also one of the best stops short of the sticks you’ll ever see. If Auburn ends up winning the game and making the following fourth-down stop, Pritchett looks like a hero and makes one of the best plays of the year all in one.

There’s something to be said about getting Alabama’s massive quarterback Jalen Milroe one-on-one and completely sticking him short of the marker. You’ll see that hit below. Shoutout to Pritchett for embodying the rivalry game mentality in every way.

Jalen Milroe is 6-2, 220 going at full speed. Nehemiah Pritchett is 6-1, 182. Giving up almost 40 pounds. What a play with the game on the line. pic.twitter.com/s61Cd4CzP6

— Alex Barth November 25, 2023 Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy comes up huge despite limited opportunity There wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity for Michigan’s star quarterback to drop back and rip in in the biggest game of the season, which is at least in part due to sitting head coach Sherrone Moore wanting to take the air out of the ball as they led for the entirety of the game. Michigan’s go-to in close games has been to simply run the ball and finish the game as such. That occurred again on Saturday.

Despite that, McCarthy played well when given the chance including an absolute seed of a touchdown to star receiver Roman Wilson in a key moment. He was a bit lucky the safety turned to find the targeted receiver instead of targeting the route, but it was still a big boy throw. McCarthy still has a decent chance at first-round status because of physical traits displayed on this play and a nice athletic skill set to boot.

Don’t think he saw the safety (#25), but a TD throw by McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/CuRBSTUm4E

— Jordan Reid November 26, 2023