dawgbonejr

Dawgbone Jr's Weekend Observations

Born barkin', raised on Kirby's domination of rivals, and fueled by SEC and National championships - Dawgbone Jr recaps the weekend's biggest games all season long.

10.19.25

Week 8: Cardinals Shock the World, All Offense in Athens, Tide Keeps Rolling

Louisville 24 - #2 Miami 21

Earlier this year, we saw a top ACC team go down on a Friday night when the Noles lost to UVA. Now we have seen another, as the Cardinals pulled off a huge upset on the road. Louisville started hot, taking a 14 point lead and never letting up, holding the lead the entire game. This game came down to a poor performance from Carson Beck. Last year Beck had a rough season, but the start of this year made it seem like he had turned things around. Friday night’s game, though, was the worst of his career. He threw four interceptions and nearly a fifth that was called back because of a roughing the passer penalty. Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm earned his fourth career win against a Top 5 team, which is incredible. This was a tough loss for the Hurricanes, but unlike last year, they will recover and still make the playoffs.

#10 LSU 24 - #17 Vanderbilt 31

Vandy came into this one looking to bounce back from a loss against Alabama, and they did just that, pulling off one of the biggest wins in program history. Diego Pavia delivered another great performance, mostly with his legs, rushing for 86 yards and two touchdowns. It was another disappointing offensive showing for the Tigers, and that has been their issue all season. Garrett Nussmeier had Heisman hype heading into the year, but that is now off the table. Vanderbilt has another big matchup next week against Missouri, with College GameDay coming to town. LSU also has a massive game against A&M in what feels like a must win for Brian Kelly. I believe the Aggies will win on the road, bringing Brian Kelly’s time to an end in Baton Rouge.

#5 Ole Miss 35 - #9 Georgia 43

The game of the week in Athens delivered, giving us one of the best games of the season. It was the definition of a back and forth battle, with both offenses easily moving the ball and putting up points. Both Trinidad Chambliss and Gunner Stockton gave the opposing defenses fits all game long. Ole Miss looked to have control heading into the fourth with a nine point lead, but that is never safe against Georgia. The Dawgs have been a second half team all year, and that continued Saturday, especially in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Rebels 17 to 0. While Georgia’s defense finally woke up late, they will need to improve if they want to make a championship run, and the same goes for Ole Miss. This was a heavyweight SEC clash, and both teams will be playing meaningful football come December.

#7 Texas Tech 22 - Arizona State 26

Heading into this game, Texas Tech was dominating the Big 12, but without starting quarterback Behren Morton, they struggled. Backup Will Hammond had a tough day through the air, and the run game never got going. Arizona State got their quarterback Sam Leavitt back from injury, and he looked sharp with 319 passing yards and a touchdown. The Sun Devils were in control with a 12 point lead and about five minutes left, but Texas Tech rallied with two quick touchdowns to go up by three with two minutes remaining. Arizona State did not panic, driving down the field and scoring the game winning touchdown on a one yard run by Raleek Brown. Even with the loss, I still think Texas Tech will run the table and win the Big 12 once Morton returns.

#11 Tennessee 20 - #6 Alabama 37

The Third Saturday in October went down in Tuscaloosa, and the Crimson Tide rolled, earning their fourth straight win over a Top 25 opponent. The game’s turning point came at the end of the first half when Zabien Brown returned an interception for a touchdown, a 14 point swing that completely changed the game. Ty Simpson had another strong outing, throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Ryan Williams had one of his best performances of the season. Tennessee’s offense actually outgained Alabama and ran the ball well, but the pick six sealed their fate. If Tennessee scores on that drive instead, it likely comes down to the wire. The Vols must now be perfect the rest of the year, but their upcoming schedule is favorable. As for the Tide, they keep beating quality opponents and continue to look like the team to beat in the SEC.

#20 USC 24 - #13 Notre Dame 34

One of college football’s greatest rivalries felt like a must win for both teams. Notre Dame could not afford another loss, while Lincoln Riley was looking for back to back signature victories. Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish got it done behind an incredible rushing attack, totaling 306 yards on the ground. Jeremiyah Love led the way with 228 yards and a touchdown, while Jadarian Price added the biggest play of the game with a 100 yard kickoff return touchdown to take the lead in the third quarter. After that, Notre Dame dominated up front and closed it out. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who has been great all year, had his worst game by far with two costly interceptions. After a brutal start to the season, Notre Dame has bounced back and now has an easy schedule ahead, which they will walk through to make the playoffs once again.

Bulldog Spotlight: The Entire Offense

The Dawgs’ defense did not show up for the first three quarters, so the offense had to carry the load, and they absolutely delivered. Punter Brett Thorsen never had to take the field, as all eight offensive drives resulted in points. Gunner Stockton had his best game of the year, going 26 for 31 (12 for 12 in the second half) for 289 yards and five total touchdowns, four passing and one rushing. Tight end Lawson Luckie, who had not scored all season, hauled in three touchdowns, becoming the first Georgia pass catcher since 2008 to do so in a single game. It was not just Luckie though, as Branch led the team in receiving, Bell made clutch catches, and Delp added four receptions. This receiving group stepped up in a big way and will need to keep doing so with Colbie Young out for significant time. The rushing attack was just as dominant. Frazier, Bowens, and Stockton all had over 50 yards, and Josh McCray made the play of the game with a powerful fourth down run when Georgia was down nine. The Dawgs totaled 221 rushing yards, averaging 4.5 per carry. It was a strong bounce back performance for the offense after last week’s struggles against Auburn.

Dawgbone Jr’s Top 25

1. Ohio State

2. Indiana

3. Texas A&M

4. Alabama

5. Georgia

6. Oregon

7. Miami

8. Ole Miss

9. Vanderbilt

10. BYU

11. Georgia Tech