Week 4 of the college football season came with plenty of heroes and a few goats as well. College Football 24/7 takes a look some draft prospects who made some noise, for better or worse.
Winners
Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU
So, you thought something wasn't quite right with the Seminoles star entering Week 4? South Florida learned otherwise Saturday, allowing 267 yards to the junior (nearly 10 yards per carry) in a 55-35 FSU win. It was a career-best game for Cook, who will look to carry his newfound momentum into a conference game next week against a North Carolina defense that might have to oblige. UNC's run defense ranked 106th in the nation entering Week 4 and was gashed for 281 yards by Pitt on Saturday.
The Rebels rolled at home over previously unbeaten Georgia, and the nephew of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly was very much on target with his passing. Kelly completed 15 of 20 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, and did some significant damage on the ground as a rusher as well (4 for 53, TD). Perhaps more importantly, the poor decisions that sometimes plague the senior were no issue on Saturday. He threw no interceptions and picked apart the Bulldogs secondary until he was no longer needed in a 45-14 rout.
Josh Dobbs, QB Tennessee
Although the senior played poorly early on, Dobbs found his groove and ended up throwing four touchdown passes against Florida in a 38-28 home win. The significance can't be understated for a Volunteers program that hadn't beaten the rival Gators since 2004. Although he completed just 16 of 32 passes, Dobbs was victimized by a few drops and still passed for 319 yards, adding another 80 yards rushing. If Dobbs is remembered for nothing else by UT fans, he'll be known as the quarterback who broke a demoralizing streak and, at the same time, helped give coach Butch Jones a badly needed win over a key rival.
Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Lawson sacked LSU's Danny Etling twice in Auburn's 18-13 win, and one of them had as much to do with AU's victory as anything. With LSU driving for potential game-winning points on the game's final possession, Lawson dropped Etling for a 7-yard loss with 22 seconds remaining, forcing LSU to call its final timeout. A few plays later, LSU ran out of time after a would-be LSU touchdown was waved off on a replay ruling. Lawson also was credited with three quarterback hurries. The talented but oft-injured junior now has three sacks on the year.
T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin
The younger brother of Houston Texans star J.J. Watt had a day to remember in Wisconsin's 30-6 win over Michigan State on Saturday, notching 2.5 sacks among 3.5 tackles for loss, with a pass breakup and a pair of quarterback hurries. He also got a tip of the hat from his older brother.
*Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina *
In a 37-36 win over Pittsburgh, Switzer gave the Panthers secondary fits with 16 receptions for 208 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns on the day, but primarily relied on Switzer in completing 35 passes. If Switzer's name sounds familiar, you might recall the social media buzz he created last year with a backflip catch. Fall Saturday buzz, however, beats an offseason trick video every time.
Losers
*Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia *
It wasn't Chubb's day for a number of reasons. He left a loss to Ole Miss in the second quarter with an ankle injury, leaving him with his lowest rushing total of the season (57 yards). By the time Chubb came out of the game, there wasn't much point in the Bulldogs offense running the ball, anyway. Ole Miss, which won 45-14, was ahead 24-0 at the time.
*Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State *
The 6-foot-6 Spartans defensive lineman made only one assisted tackle on the day in a 30-6 loss to the Badgers. As NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter noted during the game, McDowell's length isn't always a plus, particularly against an offense like Wisconsin's that plays a drive-blocking, power style.
Taysom Hill, QB, BYU
The Cougars senior was intercepted three times in a 35-32 loss to West Virginia, the second BYU game in the last three that Hill has thrown three picks. One of those was returned 55 yards for a touchdown, and the other two came on the Cougars' last two possessions.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
