On Wednesday’s edition of The Audible, Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel welcomed The Athletic’s newest college football writer, Ralph Russo, to hand out “September Superlatives” for the best and worst of the first month of the season. You can listen to their entire conversation, or read their selections below.
September Heisman winner
Bruce: Colorado’s Travis Hunter. He’s eighth in the nation at over 112 receiving yards per game and has 46 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns. He also has two interceptions, 16 tackles, three pass breakups and forced a fumble near the goal line that saved the Buffs in an overtime win over Baylor. No one has ever played the number of snaps per game that Hunter has played and made as many huge plays, especially later in games. He’s a huge reason why the Buffs are 4-1 and in the race for the Big 12’s College Football Playoff spot.
Ralph: Hunter. A truly unique player whose skills can transcend Colorado probably not being a top-10 team. He is a lockdown corner for an improved defense while being on pace for a 100-reception, 1,000-yard receiving season while playing more than 100 snaps per game. We have really not seen anything like this.
Stew: Hunter is the correct answer, but just to be different I’ll go with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who’s plenty deserving. Through four games the guy is averaging 211 yards per game, a jaw-dropping 10.3 yards per carry and he’s scored 13 touchdowns. He may have a shot, too, if Boise remains a CFP contender.
Game of the year
Bruce: As much as I’m tempted to say NIU-Notre Dame because of what it meant to the Huskies and after Thomas Hammock’s emotional postgame reaction, I can’t ignore the fireworks show in Tuscaloosa last week. Jalen Milroe was amazing and 17-year-old Ryan Williams probably was even more impressive. It felt like a heavyweight fight.
Ralph: USC at Michigan. I didn’t want us to all say Georgia–Alabama, but that’s the clear choice. Trojans at Wolverines in the Big House was the TV executive’s dream realized. A quintessential helmet game that had momentum swings, lead changes and a late touchdown to win it for Michigan.
Stew: I covered USC-LSU in Vegas, and it was the perfect way to start the season. We got our first hint that Lincoln Riley is in fact capable of fielding a decent defense. Miller Moss showed he can march a team down the field for a game-winning TD. And Brian Kelly lost yet another season-opener, then pounded a table afterward.
Most surprising team
Bruce: BYU. Kalani Sitake’s team was picked in the preseason to finish 13th in the Big 12. The Cougars’ D is salty, ranking No. 16 in the nation in yards per play allowed. QB Jake Retzlaff still can be hot and cold, but he can make some spectacular throws and is nimble enough to burn defenses. BYU’s 38-9 rout of No. 20 K-State was one of its best performances in years. Can they keep it up?
Ralph: Duke. First-year coach Manny Diaz had to piece together a roster of not exactly the most sought-after players in the portal after Mike Elko left after just two years. The competition hasn’t been the toughest and the Blue Devils have won close games against Northwestern, UConn and North Carolina. Not exactly a gauntlet. But considering preseason expectations, Duke getting to a bowl game will be remarkable.
Stew: Indiana. I thought Curt Cignetti might make some noise in his first season, but nothing like this. The Hoosiers aren’t just 5-0 for the first time since 1967; they’re crushing people. They’ve scored 40-plus points in four straight games. Is it the toughest competition? No, but IU went 3-24 in the Big Ten the last three years. This is astounding.
Most disappointing team not named Florida State
Bruce: Ole Miss. As much as I’m tempted to say Kansas since KU is 1-4 and with no wins over FBS opponents, the Rebels’ showing last week was dismal. This is a team I thought was a national title contender, not just a Playoff team. They blew out bad teams early, then faced Kentucky and lost to a 15 1/2-point underdog at home. Kentucky had just 18 points in its first two SEC games and was making its first road trip of the season, while Ole Miss had gone over 600 yards in each of its first four games. But Lane Kiffin’s team managed just 353 yards and 17 points. Was that a fluke or is this team not actually ready for prime time?
Ralph: Virginia Tech. A dark-horse Playoff team already has three losses, albeit three close ones against Vanderbilt (a killer), Rutgers and Miami (a heartbreaker). Coach Brent Pry’s Hokies still have a chance to be in ACC contention, but the idea that this program was ready to take a significant step forward has dimmed.
Stew: On the show, I originally said Auburn, but Ralph talked me out of it upon realizing the Tigers are No. 20 in SP+ and could still turn it around. I named Lance Leipold the No. 2 coach in the country last spring and had Kansas in my preseason Top 25, so I find it quite disappointing that the Jayhawks are 1-4.
Coach of the Year
Bruce: Kalen DeBoer. Hats off to Curt Cignetti who has talked big from the moment he was hired at Indiana and backed all of it up so far, but I’ll go with DeBoer, the guy who has seamlessly replaced the greatest coach of all-time. Just look at how primed Bama was to jump all over Georgia. They couldn’t have been more ready for that game. His 5-1 record against Top 10 opponents speaks volumes.
Ralph: Curt Cignetti. Coach of the year often goes to the team that most exceeds expectations. But it’s not just that Indiana is 5-0, it’s how. The Hoosiers are crushing everything in their path with a bunch of James Madison imports. That really does speak to coaching and preparation.
Stew: Josh Heupel. Not only is Tennessee the No. 4 team in the country after stomping their first four opponents, but Heupel is refuting the knock that his teams are only about his offense. The Vols are winning with a dominant defensive line that’s helped it rank No. 2 nationally in rushing defense (1.6 yards per carry). This is not 2022 Tennessee.
Most impactful coordinator hire
Bruce: I have to go with USC’s D’Anton Lynn, who has led the dramatic improvement in the Trojans’ woeful defense and brought hope back to USC. Statistically, the Trojans haven’t been great across the board. They’re No. 71 in yards allowed per play at 5.47. But they ranked No. 104 last year at 6.1, and they’re tackling much better and look more sound. They are No. 11 in third down defense. That’s almost 100 spots better than No. 109 last year. They’re No. 12 in red zone defense — up from No. 119.
Ralph: Pitt OC Kade Bell. Pat Narduzzi went against tendency and handed the offense over to a 31-year-old coach from Western Carolina who has unleashed the Panthers in a way we have rarely seen from them. Bell took over an offense that ranked 87th in the country last year at 5.33 yards per play. The Panthers’ numbers are a little inflated by games against Kent State and Youngstown State, but they currently rank sixth in the country at 7.8 yards per play.
Stew: Former Boise State (and Arizona State and NFL) head coach Dirk Koetter did well as the Broncos’ interim OC in 2022 before stepping aside, but after Spencer Danielson became the full-time head coach this season, he brought back Koetter. All he’s done is help Boise improve from 32.2 points per game to 48.5.
Preseason prediction you already regret
Bruce: Florida State getting a bye in the CFP. They’ve been a dud on both sides of the ball, especially on offense where they rank No. 126 in scoring and haven’t scored more than two TDs in any of their five games. They’re No. 83 in yards allowed per play and No. 124 in third down defense. They just got whipped at SMU, 42-16. The ‘Noles look like they’ll be fortunate if they can win four games this season.
Ralph: Somebody I know thought Wisconsin was a good longshot CFP pick. Good grief.
Stew: Why on earth did I convince myself that FSU could lose nearly everybody to the NFL, reload and win the ACC again? That’s not to say I should have seen this complete implosion coming, but man, I let the brand bias get to me. Don’t just assume a school can reload because of its helmets and recruiting rankings.
National champ pick as of today
Bruce: Ohio State. No one has come close to testing them. I suspect Oregon in Eugene will, but seeing the Buckeyes up close is impressive with all their firepower on offense and athletes on all three levels of the defense.
Ralph: Happy to stick with Ohio State. The only thing that has changed for me is the group of teams that I consider national title contenders might now include Tennessee and may no longer include Oregon.
Stew: Still Georgia. Were this last season (or any before it) I’m sure I would have panicked after last week’s Alabama game and jumped ship to someone else. In this new system, though, all the Dawgs have to do is get into the CFP. If they do, they will be — at worst — the second-most talented team, but far more battle-tested (three Top-10 foes) than Ohio State.
Photo of Travis Hunter: Mike Watters / Imagn Images
