Ohio State was up 26-0 midway through the third quarter against perennial punching bag Youngstown State, just three yards away from bumping the lead up to 33-0, when junior running back Beanie Wells collapsed and fumbled, clutching his foot. Whether Wells should have been in the game or not is a different debate, but what is clear is the Buckeyes just got worse at the worst time - they play Southern Cal on Sept. 13th. Granted, Wells could play with an injured foot, but he won't be himself. If Wells is out longer than a few weeks, this garbage-time injury could prove devastating for the Buckeyes, whose national title hopes are now in peril.
Missouri suffered a scare last week when game-breaking sophomore receiver Jeremy Maclin went down with an ankle injury late in the game against Illinois.
Missouri's high-powered offense and special teams alike are dependant on the explosive Maclin. Against Illinois, Maclin took a kickoff return 99 yards for a score, making would-be tacklers look silly along the way. He also returned a punt nearly 50 yards while showing off his incredible acceleration. A consummate X-factor,"" Maclin is essential to Missouri's Big 12 title hopes.
An Auburn team currently ranked ninth in the country by the Associated Press had its passing game nearly wiped out to injury last week against Louisiana-Monroe, when sophomore quarterback Kodi Burns cut his leg on a facemask. While Burns is supposed to be OK, any injury to his legs would significantly impair his ability to operate outside the pocket, where he is most comfortable. Also injured in the game was freshman wide receiver Philip Pierre-Louis, who tore a ligament in his leg while returning the opening kickoff. Senior starting receiver James Swinton injured his knee soon thereafter, although he should be available for future games. To top things off, up and coming junior receiver Montez Billings is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Georgia had an injury that flew under the radar but may have significant repercussions as the season progresses. In what the Athens Banner-Herald dubbed a ""terrible tragedy,"" starting senior defensive tackle Jeff Owens was lost for the season due to a torn ACL in the opener against Georgia Southern. The Bulldogs were already thin on the defensive line since backup junior tackle Kade Weston is out with a knee sprain, and now they are even worse going into a brutal SEC schedule with No. 14 Arizona State thrown in the non-conference mix. Georgia's promising season could come to a halt if any opponents dominate the line of scrimmage. Look for Alabama's potent running game on Sept. 27 to serve as a bellwether for Georgia's run defense.
On the bright side, injuries allow some depth players to step up and make a name for themselves. This happened last week when UCLA had the season's first ""instant classic"" against a ranked opponent in Tennessee. The Bruins' top two quarterbacks were injured, including senior starter Pat Cowan's ACL tear that has sidelined him for the season. This allowed third-string San Diego State junior transfer Kevin Craft to step up with a heroic effort after tossing four first half interceptions. The Bruins came from behind to beat the Volunteers in overtime; Craft's leadership and toughness were on display during a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter that brought UCLA ahead three points with only 27 seconds left.
WEEK TWO PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS
Chris Smelley, QB South Carolina
Last week, the South Carolina offense could not find a rhythm against a mediocre North Carolina State defense, that is, until Chris Smelley, a sophomore, entered the game in the fourth quarter in relief of starting junior quarterback Tommy Beecher. Smelley came in during the fourth quarter and threw two touchdowns on 5-for-5 passing, looking much more poised and ready to lead than Beecher. Last year, Smelley had his worst game statistically in a loss against Vanderbilt, giving Smelley extra motivation to redeem himself this season. Vanderbilt's last opponent, University of Miami (OH), managed 244 yards through the air, so expect a much more talented Gamecock offense to gouge the Commodores' defensive secondary.
Robert Marve, QB Miami
Miami plays Florida this week in a match up that would be great if it was eight years ago, but this meeting should still provide some exciting football. Marve is the highly-touted freshman quarterback who would've seen game action last year had he not broken his wrist in a car accident. This year is Marve's coming-out party, although it was briefly delayed due to a one-game suspension stemming from a preseason arrest. Marve is the quarterback slated to return Miami to the top of the national rankings, and this match up, his first college game, will immediately let Cane fans know whether to be skeptical or excited. Even if Miami loses, Marve's performance will establish whether the Canes are contenders or are merely set for another mediocre season.
Toby Gerhardt, RB Stanford
Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said in a post-game press conference that Gerhart reminds him of former Redskins great John Riggins, due to the junior's powerful running style and agility, which allows him to run through or avoid potential tacklers. This wealth of talent was on display last week against Oregon State, when Gerhart bulled the Beavers over for 147 yards and two touchdowns. This week, the Cardinal faces No. 15 Arizona State in Tempe. The Sun Devils allowed 149 yards on the ground last week against Northern Arizona, so the door is open for Gerhart to make a name for himself on the national scene and help the Cardinal pull off the in-conference upset.
Stephfon Green, RB PSU
Big Ten analysts associate the word ""speed"" with freshman Stephfon Green and gush about how he will be a playmaker this year in the Big Ten, citing his 40-yard dash time of 4.3 seconds coming out of high school. Considering Penn State has three capable runners this year, Green won't see a full game's worth of carries, but he should be a change of pace back good enough to make other teams account for him. Last week he ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries against Coastal Carolina, and this week he goes against a more formidable opponent in Oregon State. This game will determine whether Green is a player Big Ten opponents have to worry about or whether he's just a role-playing scat back.
Riley Skinner, QB Wake Forest
Wake Forest entered the season ranked for the first time in the university's history, thanks in part to the play of Skinner over the last two seasons. This week, the Demon Deacons play the Rebels of Ole Miss, a formidable SEC opponent. The most significant factor in this game is Wake Forest has an outside chance of running the table and going to a BCS game, as it has zero ranked opponents scheduled this year. If Skinner can effectively manage this week's game as he did last week, completing 75 percent of his passes without any interceptions, the junior can establish himself and the Demon Deacons as national contenders.
