College football's rivalry weekend brought with it more than its share of heroes and goats. College Football 24/7 takes a look at who had a game to remember, and who needs to turn the page.
Winners
Mark Dantonio:The Michigan State coach beat Ohio State last week, but in a way, he beat the Buckeyes again Saturday, because MSU's win over Penn State essentially blocked defending national champion OSU out of the playoff picture. Dantonio always says the right things when the Spartans aren't given due respect, but there had to have been something of a chip on his shoulder this year. After all, few expected OSU to be knocked out of playoff contention. Then there was the preseason ESPN "car wash", where Dantonio had to withstand a barrage of questions about Jim Harbaugh. Few expected it, and not everyone likes it, but the Spartans are here and they're not apologizing.
Derrick Henry:Did the Alabama running back clinch the Heisman Trophy on Saturday with a 46-carry, 271-yard game against archrival Auburn? It's a strong possibility. The junior has taken over for Leonard Fournette as the hottest rushing hand in college football, and his team has won nine in a row to reach the SEC title game.
Ezekiel Elliott: He asked, and he received. The Ohio State running back complained about getting just 12 carries in a loss to Michigan State last week, and got 30 against rival Michigan on Saturday. He deflated the Wolverines with them, rushing for 214 yards in a 42-13 rout. And when it was over, Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer stumped for Elliott's case as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Leonte Carroo:It came in a loss to Maryland, but Rutgers' best offensive player posted his best offensive game of the year Saturday (7 catches, 183 yards, TD). He did it against a UM secondary that is one of the most talented in the Big Ten. With Rutgers out of bowl contention, it was the last performance Carroo could put on tape for NFL scouts, and it turned out to be the one he might want them to see most.
Paxton Lynch:How about seven touchdown passses in a half for the Memphis quarterback? Among just nine completions, out of 14 attempts. We thought his QBR for the game might be in the millions, but it was just 99.5.
Jared Goff: Cal's star quarterback had a spectacular game against Arizona State, completing 31 of 50 passes for 542 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The most impressive of them all, at least relative to Goff's athleticism, came in the final two minutes of a 48-46 Cal win. He avoided at least three potential sacks on the first-down throw that helped lead to a game-winning field goal.
Losers
Jim Harbaugh:It's not just that the Michigan coach lost, it's *how* he lost. Ohio State bullied Michigan across the line of scrimmage all day in a 42-13 win, which is exactly how the hard-nosed Harbaugh doesn't want to be beaten. It's one thing for the rival Buckeyes to have more playmakers. It's another to be at a deficit up front. Urban Meyer showed Harbaugh on Saturday that he's got ground to make up in both areas.
Demarcus Robinson: With everything his team had hoped to play for still being within reach entering Saturday's rivalry game against Florida State, the Gators wide receiver managed to get himself suspended for UF's home game against the Seminoles.
Mark Stoops: The Kentucky coach needed a win for the Wildcats to be bowl eligible, and came up short in a 38-24 loss to rival Louisville. The math says some 5-7 teams like UK will make a bowl, but who wants to enter through a sub-.500 backdoor?
Will Muschamp: At a crucial point in the Iron Bowl, the Auburn defensive coordinator drew a 15-yard penalty for his comments to an official. The penalty helped Alabama convert one of its five field goals on the drive, and extend a second-half lead to a two-score game.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
