Latest news with #CFPQuarterfinal
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Most Telling Stat: Will Howard played his best against the best twice last year
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the numbers that will be most important for the Buckeyes this college football season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our 'Most Telling Stat' articles here. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard memorably issued an emotional apology to the fans after the Buckeyes' loss against The Team Up North. The dark clouds that hovered over the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and the program were proverbial, with optimism sparse at best going into the College Football Playoff. Howard came out slinging it against Tennessee in the First Round of the CFP, sending the raucous Ohio Stadium into a frenzy with his 37-yard touchdown to Jeremiah Smith on the Buckeyes' first possession. Ohio State cruised to a 42-17 win, setting up a rematch with No. 1 seed Oregon in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl. Oregon edged Ohio State in the regular season 32-31 in Eugene, a game where Howard infamously slid down after time expired while trying to get the Buckeyes into field goal range. Prior to the Rose Bowl, Howard stirred some headlines when he said that the thought no other team had beaten the Buckeyes leading up to New Year's Day. Howard added that he thought the Buckeyes had beaten themselves every time. Making comments like that require any player to back them up against the No. 1 team in the country, especially in a playoff game. That's exactly what Howard did, going 17-of-26 for 319 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a no-doubt 41-21 win. In the regular-season game at Oregon, Howard was a strong 28-of-35 for 326 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. That means, against the team that ended up as the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, Howard passed for a combined 645 yards and five touchdowns while going 45-of-61 without an interception in two games. That's a 73.8 completion percentage against a team that was No. 1 for seven-straight games and undefeated coming into the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals. Howard set the tone in the headlines leading up to the rematch with Oregon, and his confidence rubbed off on the entire Buckeyes team. To have that kind of quarterback in their corner was a game-changer for Ohio State on its run to the national championship. It wasn't just against Oregon, though. In four College Football Playoff games, including the National Championship, Howard passed for 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns against just two interceptions. Howard completed 82 of his 109 pass attempts, good for a 75.2 completion percentage. Football is a complex game, but sometimes it comes down to having a great and confident quarterback that no matter the opponent or circumstances is going to carry you to victory. That's what Howard did for one month in four win-or-go-home games, including against No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Howard talked and the talk and then walked the walk. His numbers in two games against Oregon are some of the most telling stats of Ohio State's national championship in 2024. More from Film Study: Get to know Ohio State's next quarterback, Dwayne Haskins Where will Joe Burrow transfer? Ohio State players react to Joe Burrow's plan to transfer Buck-I-Guy is history's greatest monster and this latest stunt proves it Ohio State sends out offers again during the evaluation period Ohio State offers QB already committed to Big Ten foe In 2017, Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins was a top NFL free agent; then why isn't he signed yet in 2018?
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
5 Prospects Who Scare Me in the 2025 Draft Class
5 Prospects Who Scare Me in the 2025 Draft Class Spotlighting five prospects who have high bust potential in the 2025 NFL Draft The 2025 NFL Draft starts in less than a week, and at least one team thinks the heart of this year's class will be taken in the middle rounds. Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Ashton Jeanty, and Mason Graham are considered the top prospects and should have productive NFL careers. However, the middle of the first round could end up littered with players who don't live up to their pre-draft hype. Every player has warts, but some are uglier than others. Here's a list of five highly-rated prospects that should scare NFL teams. Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M Stewart's combine workout was one of the more impressive things to watch in this year's pre-draft process. Running a 4.59 40-yard dash at 267 pounds is ridiculous, but Stewart is the definition of a workout warrior. In his one year as a starter at Texas A&M, he posted just 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks. If nothing else, he's consistent, as 1.5 sacks was his yearly total each of his three college seasons. There's no denying Stewart's physical ability. He's a freak. However, will he magically become a productive player in the NFL? Baltimore's Odafe Oweh similarly had a low sack total coming out (7.0 overall and 0.0 in his final college season), but had 10.0 last season. Things may click for Stewart, but that's an expensive price tag for 4.5 college sacks. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado What hasn't been said about the son of Prime Time? Sanders is the all-time leader in Division 1 completion percentage at 71.8%. He's one of the toughest college quarterbacks in recent memory, but his limited arm strength and athletic traits make him a hard sell as a first-round quarterback. His accuracy and leadership are NFL-caliber, but he'll need an elite offensive line in front of him to succeed. If the right team is built around him and he gets time to develop, Sanders has enough ability to be a 'win with' quarterback, but will he end up in the right situation? Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia Walker is another guy that teams are buying the potential on. His stats are legit: 60 tackles and 10.5 sacks in the SEC last year, but 6'1' edge rushers with 32' arms aren't overly successful in the NFL. His arm somehow gained ⅝ of an inch at his Pro Day, but he'll have to find the right situation to be productive. This would be a different conversation if Walker were projected to go in the third round, but an early first-round selection is hard to justify. His athleticism, speed, pass rush ability, and versatility are legit, but how much will his size limit him? Matthew Golden, WR, Texas Golden got hot at the right time in his one year at Texas, with big games in the SEC Championship and CFP Quarterfinal. The reservation is that Golden is a one-year wonder who couldn't surpass 1,000 yards in 16 games. He finished with 58 receptions, 987 yards, and nine touchdowns for the Longhorns, and that was by far his most productive college season. He doesn't project to be an alpha, No. 1 receiver, so taking a complementary WR early in the first round could leave a team wanting more. Mason Taylor, TE, LSU Teams will love Taylor's age and upside, and he isn't projected to be an early first-round pick, but his size and limited strength should give teams hesitation. Despite being touted as a receiver first, Taylor wasn't overly productive in any of his three years at LSU. He posted 55 receptions, 546 yards, and just two touchdowns last season. This kid has Hall of Fame pedigree and should develop into a nice player, but he won't bring much to the table if teams shut him down as a receiver.
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Clemson wide receiver declares for the 2025 NFL draft
Former Clemson wide receiver Beaux Collins officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Collins, who transferred to Notre Dame for the 2024 season, announced his decision on social media. 'Thank you to all the alumni and fans that are a part of the Irish family,' Collins wrote. 'The past 4 years have been incredibly life changing and has led me to say that I'm looking forward to entering the 2025 NFL Draft!!!' Collins wrapped up his college career with a solid performance in the College Football Playoff National Championship, catching four passes for 32 yards in Notre Dame's 34-23 loss to Ohio State. Despite dealing with a calf injury, he suited up for the title game and contributed to the Irish offense. During his lone season at Notre Dame, Collins ranked third on the team in receptions (41) and second in receiving yards (490). He also tied for second in touchdown catches, including a key 13-yard score in the Irish's Sugar Bowl win over Georgia in the CFP Quarterfinal. Collins began his collegiate career at Clemson, where he made an early impact. Over three seasons (2021-23), he recorded 91 receptions for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns in 32 games. As a freshman, he posted 31 catches for 407 yards and three touchdowns, joining an exclusive list of standout Clemson freshmen.
