Alabama Cruises Past Wisconsin
Alabama (2‑1) rebounded from their opening loss and delivered a strong performance against Wisconsin, winning 38‑14. (CBSSports.com)
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Quarterback Ty Simpson was electric: he completed 24 of 29 passes for 382 yards and threw 4 touchdowns. (CBSSports.com)
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Ryan Williams, who missed the previous game with a concussion, returned in style: 5 receptions for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. (CBSSports.com)
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On defense, Alabama held the Badgers to 209 total yards, recorded four sacks, and forced two interceptions. (CBSSports.com)
Wisconsin meanwhile struggled, especially early:
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They trailed 21‑0 at halftime, unable to generate much offensive consistency. (Bucky's 5th Quarter)
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QB Danny O’Neil, filling in for the injured starter, went 11 of 17 for 117 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. (CBSSports.com)
Alabama’s offensive efficiency—scoring drives, rarely turning the ball over—and a stout defensive showing gave them control throughout. They now enter a bye week, ranked No. 14 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. (AP News)
Utah’s Slow Start vs. Wyoming Blown Open in Second Half
Utah (3‑0) got off to a sluggish first half at Wyoming, leading only 3‑0 at the break despite overwhelming yardage. The Utes then flipped the switch in the second half to dominate, winning 31‑6. (University of Utah Athletics)
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At halftime, Utah had outgained Wyoming roughly 267‑78 yards but had just one field goal to show for it. (University of Utah Athletics)
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QB Devon Dampier finished with 230 passing yards, two touchdowns, plus 86 rushing yards. (FOX Sports)
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Utah scored on every second‑half possession, turning dominance in yardage into points. (University of Utah Athletics)
Defensively, Utah was stout:
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They held Wyoming to 229 total yards (121 rushing yards), forced two sacks and two turnovers. (University of Utah Athletics)
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Wyoming managed only 3 of 12 on third downs. (University of Utah Athletics)
It was classic halftime adjustment: superficial first half, but once Utah settled in, they pulled away convincingly.
Looking Ahead: Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida Enter Conference Play
With non‑conference games wrapping up (or nearly so), the focus shifts sharply to conference play. Here’s where things stand and what to watch, especially for Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.
Alabama vs. Georgia
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After their bye week, Alabama will travel to face Georgia. This is a marquee matchup, one of the biggest tests for Alabama so far.
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Currently, Alabama is averaging about 49 points per game, while allowing approximately 8.7 points per game on defense. (SI)
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Georgia, for their part, has been equally imposing, averaging 31.7 points per game offensively and allowing about 6 points per game on defense. They are among the few teams not yet to have allowed a touchdown. (SI)
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In yardage, Georgia is strong: ~402.3 yards per game on offense and holding opponents to ~202.3 yards. Alabama has averaged around 466.7 yards per game and allowing ~248 yards. (SI)
This sets up a fascinating contrast: Alabama’s offense has shown explosion; Georgia has shown defensive lockdown. Execution, turnovers, and who wins the battles up front (on offensive and defensive lines) will be critical.
Tennessee and Florida
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Tennessee had a close loss to Georgia in overtime (44‑41), showing offensive firepower but also exposing some defensive or late‑game vulnerabilities. (Reuters)
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Florida will also be looking to make noise once into conference matchups, especially given the strength of their roster and how competitive the SEC is likely to be this year.
Final Thoughts
Alabama looks to be rounding into form just in time for the meat of their schedule. Their dominant showing vs. Wisconsin and efficient offense/defense mix are big positives. Utah, similarly, showed patience and resilience, overcoming early struggles to deliver a convincing win.
The upcoming SEC slate will tell us more: Alabama at Georgia is the headline, but Tennessee and Florida have paths to stake claims as well. Key things to watch:
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Consistency — not just blowing teams out, but holding leads, avoiding mistakes.
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Depth — as the season progresses and injuries accumulate, teams with stronger depth will have an edge.
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Coaching adjustments — as seen with Utah, halftime (or between‑half) fixes can change games. The teams that respond well will likely climb higher.
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