The Index is your definitive weekly guide to the real stories and controversies behind the latest college football headlines. This is everything you need to know, but on steroids.
We Like
Todd Gurley's Heisman Chances
If there's one thing to take away from Saturday's game between Georgia and Tennessee, it's that Todd Gurley cannot be stopped. Seriously. As well as the Vols' defense played against the Bulldogs, they were powerless at stopping the junior running back from doing whatever he wanted.
In five games this season, Gurley has rushed for 610 yards and six touchdowns on 69 carries and has been single-handedly responsible for almost all of the Bulldogs' offensive success — the only time he rushed for less than 130 yards was in a 66-0 blowout win against Troy, a game in which he was pulled to avoid any possibility of getting injured.
Quarterback Hutson Mason has yet to eclipse 200 passing yards in a game this season, and although the Bulldogs will soon get wide receivers Justin Scott-Wesley and Malcolm Mitchell back from injury, we don't expect the Bulldogs to shy away from giving the rock to their Heisman candidate.
Games going into overtime
Nothing is better than watching a college football game go into overtime. Nothing. Simply putm it is the most exciting way to end a hard-fought game regardless of whether it was a low-scoring defensive battle or a high-scoring shootout.
Don't believe me? Check out any of the highlights for Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (OT), Army vs. Yale (OT), Colorado vs. California (2OT) or Texas State vs. Tulsa (3OT).
Other leagues – *cough* the NFL *cough* – should really take notice and make the switch ASAP.
The Battle of Ohio
For two-and-a-half quarters the battle of Ohio was a tight matchup that looked poised to be one of the week's best games. Then Cincinnati's defense gave up 17 consecutive points and Ohio State's defense shutout the Bearcats' high octane offense en route to a 50-28 blowout win.
But if there's one thing to take from this game, it's that meetings between these two teams will be a premier matchup for the foreseeable future.
Sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott broke out for 182 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries against Cincinnati and quarterback J.T. Barrett has looked promising for a freshman who was thrust into the starting role after the team's star quarterback suffered a season-ending injury.
For the Bearcats, quarterback Gunner Kiel has looked impressive in each of his first three career starts – he's thrown for 1,041 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions in that span – and will almost surely be a future Heisman Trophy candidate.
We Don't Like
Brady Hoke's Job Security
Brady Hoke needs to go.
Forget the fact that Michigan is 2-3 on the season and coming off of a 30-14 loss to Minnesota. The fact that a player who had clearly suffered a concussion (and was showing symptoms of it) was put back on the field under his watch is reason enough to fire him.
In a lengthy statement released by the school Tuesday, athletic director Dave Brandon admitted that quarterback Shane Morris was diagnosed with a "probable, mild concussion, and a high ankle sprain."
"We would never, ever put a guy on the field when there is a possibility of head trauma," Hoke said on Monday, adding that he was told Morris suffered an ankle injury and not head trauma. "We won't do that."
Brandon did say that improvements would be made to "student-athlete safety and welfare" but this is a classic case of too little too late.
Watson Brown's 200 losses
Mack Brown's brother, Watson, suffered the 200th loss of his career Saturday when his Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles were blown out 50-7 against Northern Iowa.
His all-time record now stands at 128-200-1 and his 200 losses are an NCAA record.
Poor guy.
Cody Prewitt's trash talk
Mississippi's safety Cody Prewitt made headlines Sunday when it was reported that he took a verbal shot at No. 3 Alabama, whom the Rebels play this Saturday afternoon.
"... We don't really think Bama is as good as they have been. And we're better than we have been," Prewitt said.
We're not opposed to some good ol' fashioned trash talking, but considering how the Crimson Tide shutout out Ole Miss 25-0 last year and has beaten them every season since 2004, we'd advise Prewitt to let his play, and not his mouth, do the talking.
We're Unsure of
Wisconsin fans causing 'earthquake like tremors'
Wisconsin fans got so excited when House of Pain's "Jump Around" blared throughout the stadium during the Badgers' game against South Florida that they caused what many people thought was an earthquake.
This takes stadium safety to a whole new level.
Paul Finebaum's romantic kiss ... with Uga IX
One of Saturday's more unsettling sights to behold was when ESPN's Paul Finebaum puckered up for a romantic kiss with Georgia's team mascot.
It's unclear whether or not Finebaum enjoyed the slobbery kiss, but Uga IX sure looked like he did.
We'd Like
More Marquee Matchups
While it's always fun to root for an upset, the first five weeks of the college football season have been a little light on matchups that feature two Top 25 teams.
That all changes this weekend as Week 6 is stuffed with incredible matchups.
Between No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 11 Ole Miss, No. 12 Texas A&M vs. No. 6 Mississippi State, No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Stanford and No. 19 Nebraska vs. No. 10 Michigan State, it's safe to say that Saturday could not get here any sooner.
