Five.
Five top 10 college football teams lost Saturday, putting what once was an easy-to-digest college football season into a dramatic tailspin. Deshaun Watson’s historic performance for Clemson wasn’t enough against Pittsburgh thanks to his mistakes. Jabrill Peppers and the Michigan defense were outdone by Desmond King and Iowa. Adoree' Jackson and Southern Cal brought the Washington Huskies back to reality.
MORE: Bowl projections after wild Week 12
In this week’s NFL draft spotlight, we look at those upsets from a pro scouting perspective. Plus, the top 10 all-purpose yard leaders in college football, and a Mountain West game that might have been the most fun of the entire weekend.
Clemson’s loss: Deshaun Watson’s cause for concern
Watson set the ACC record for most passing yards in a game with 580 during Saturday’s loss. His production and connection with receiver Mike Williams were awesome to watch, but his decision-making in the red zone was not. Watson was 8 for 13 including two interceptions in that area against Pittsburgh, including this throw.
The red zone can be a difficult place to throw the ball thanks to a more crowded area and added creativity defenses can utilize, but Watson's throw was inexcusable and speaks to a larger issue with him this year.
Watson is a smooth athlete as a runner, and he has the touch and placement skills to finish throws across the field. But he has been oddly stiff this year in decision making, play progressions and, seemingly, his confidence.
At times, Watson will stick to script no matter what, which leads to poor throws that stem from an inability to play progress. Other times, he’ll stubbornly wait beyond his easy read, trying to perfect his in-pocket mechanics and footwork, and miss the throws he made with ease in 2015.
Watson was the odds-on favorite to be the first quarterback selected in the 2017 draft, assuming he declared. Now, he has plenty of company, including Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes ... depending on which team you ask. Thankfully for Watson, he still can get his team to the College Football Playoff and get one or two big-game performances to reinstate him atop teams’ boards.
MORE: Three QBs who deserve more Heisman love
Michigan’s loss: Iowa’s Desmond King shows why he’s a first-round prospect
201 yards — Michigan had seen an offensive surge over the last few weeks to match one of the nation’s best defenses, and all it could muster against Iowa’s scrappy defense was 201 yards.
Iowa’s front seven did wonders to keep Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight off balance in the pocket, and the Michigan running game’s longest carry of the night went for 12 yards. But Iowa’s defensive leader, King, once again made his presence felt as the team’s kick and punt returner, feature cornerback and do-it-all, feisty defender.
King throughout the game set the edge in run defense, routinely held the Michigan receivers in check vertically and proved why, despite being just 5-11, he has feature cornerback talent and demeanor for the NFL. The Hawkeyes haven’t had a great follow-up year after their Big Ten title berth in 2015, and they’ll need to win out (Illinois and Nebraska games remaining) to attain bowl eligibility. But King emerged on the biggest stage when Iowa needed him, and he reasserted himself as not only a top cornerback prospect, but a player an NFL team can build its defense around.
MORE: What to do with Jabrill Peppers in the pros
Washington’s loss: Adoree' Jackson is the West Coast’s Jabrill Peppers
Last week, I hyped up just how talented Washington’s roster was, especially the defense. Not a week later, the Huskies fall at the hands of a red-hot Trojans team led by a defense that served Jake Browning his worst performance of the year. Browning finished just 17 for 36 and, outside of receiver John Ross still doing his thing, he was a mess all game, especially in the second half.
Jackson wasn’t perfect against Washington, and he’s still more athlete than true defensive back. But against Washington, Jackson proved why, had USC gone undefeated thus far, he’d be just as beloved as Peppers.
Jackson is the team’s lead returner (and one of the best in the country), has been an offensive player in the past and made big plays for USC when needed Saturday. He finished with two interceptions of Browning (two more than Peppers has all season), including the game-winning pick, which highlighted his reaction, smooth change of direction and ball tracking ability.
MORE: USC gets key recruiting flip after Washington win
USC has won six straight, and its three losses this year have been against Alabama and on the road against then-ranked Stanford and Utah. USC was ranked No. 20 last week, and a win against one of the top 4 teams could do wonders for the Trojans’ rise, especially with multiple top 15 teams falling.
USC is a longshot for the playoff, but if Colorado loses another game in conference and Washington can beat Washington State in two weeks, the Pac-12 championship game could be a rematch of this USC-Washington game, with the winner having a compelling case to be in the Playoff.
Top 10: all-purpose yards
Looking at all-purpose yards, an encapsulation of all of the value one offensive player can give to his team, the figures this season are massive, with the top 6 averaging over 180 total yards per game. Joe Mixon, the leader, has first-round NFL talent should he declare but a long list of off-field issues. Donnel Pumphrey is on track to break the single-season rushing record in college football.
D’Onta Foreman has been a pleasant surprise as a potential first-round running back, himself, in an already-loaded class. Carlos Henderson has been written about in this column. So has I’Tavius Mathers. And Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook, who has been criminally under-discussed by the national media, is one of the most explosive receivers in the country and, if he can overcome some mediocre contested ball ability, should be a top 2-round receiver.
1. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma (KR)
2. Christian McCaffery, RB, Stanford (KR)
3. Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State
4. Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech (KR)
5. D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
6. Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
7. I’Tavius Mathers, RB, Middle Tennessee
8. Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma (KR)
9. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
10. Aaron Jones, RB, UTEP
MOCK DRAFT 2017: Browns, 49ers take chances at QB
Something you missed: Wyoming vs. UNLV, overtime shootout
While a late-night Mountain West shootout usually doesn’t get national media attention, especially with five top 10 teams going down Saturday, Wyoming and UNLV was one of the crazier games of the weekend. Needing three overtimes and a combined 135 points, UNLV beat now 7-3 Wyoming.
At the end of regulation, 6-5 sophomore quarterback Josh Allen led a 99-yard drive to tie the game. UNLV won in triple overtime after an interception by Allen led to a UNLV field goal. UNLV finished with 654 yards, 402 of them rushing, with four players rushing 10-plus times and for 60-plus yards.
The stars of the game, senior defensive back Torry McTyer (two interceptions, including the game-clincher) and senior linebacker Tau Lotulelei (12 tackles), led a defensive effort that, despite 66 points allowed, made the difference in overtime to inch the Rebels closer to a longshot bowl berth.