This article is part of our Start vs. Sit series.
A couple of weeks into the college football season, we're starting to learn some things. Like, say, maybe Ohio State's run defense isn't going to be that good this year. Also that UConn is terrible, but that was something we all just sort of knew on an elemental level, right? As we head into Week 3 we can focus on what we've seen this year even more than past results, although two games is not exactly a vast amount of knowledge. We're all just doing our best as we figure out who to start, and who to bench, in the world of college football.
AAC
START
Clayton Tune, QB, Houston vs. Grambling
Tune threw four picks in the season opener against Texas Tech. That's bad, and he's always had an issue with turnovers. On the other hand, he's completed 72.1 percent of his passes. When he isn't putting the ball in the hands of an opposing player, it tends to end up in the hands of one of his players. Tune was turnover-free against Rice last week, and he should be even better against Grambling, who just got blanked 37-0 by Southern Miss.
SIT
Brandon Thomas, RB, Memphis vs. Mississippi State
Thomas is off to a hot start to the season, but so far he's played Nicholls State and Arkansas State. Facing Mississippi State will be a different level of completion. Mike Leach's squad was unexpectedly good on defense in 2020, and this year they've allowed 67.5 rushing
A couple of weeks into the college football season, we're starting to learn some things. Like, say, maybe Ohio State's run defense isn't going to be that good this year. Also that UConn is terrible, but that was something we all just sort of knew on an elemental level, right? As we head into Week 3 we can focus on what we've seen this year even more than past results, although two games is not exactly a vast amount of knowledge. We're all just doing our best as we figure out who to start, and who to bench, in the world of college football.
AAC
START
Clayton Tune, QB, Houston vs. Grambling
Tune threw four picks in the season opener against Texas Tech. That's bad, and he's always had an issue with turnovers. On the other hand, he's completed 72.1 percent of his passes. When he isn't putting the ball in the hands of an opposing player, it tends to end up in the hands of one of his players. Tune was turnover-free against Rice last week, and he should be even better against Grambling, who just got blanked 37-0 by Southern Miss.
SIT
Brandon Thomas, RB, Memphis vs. Mississippi State
Thomas is off to a hot start to the season, but so far he's played Nicholls State and Arkansas State. Facing Mississippi State will be a different level of completion. Mike Leach's squad was unexpectedly good on defense in 2020, and this year they've allowed 67.5 rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs shut down NC State, so they could handle Thomas and Memphis as well.
ACC
START
Mataeo Durant, RB, Duke vs. Northwestern
Durant is making friends with the end zone this season, having tallied three touchdowns in both of his outings. This matchup between academically-inclined institutions bodes well for the back. Northwestern lost as much talent as any team from last season and also its defensive coordinator. It also opened this season by allowing 326 rushing yards to Michigan State
SIT
Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College at Temple
This isn't as much about the matchup, though Boston College is on the road. It's about the situation under center. Phil Jurkovec is out with injury, leaving backup Dennis Grosel to take over. The last time Grosel saw serious action for the Eagles he completed only 48.4 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. It's Grosel that could cause Flowers' numbers to dip.
BIG 12
START
Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State at UNLV
Hutchinson is off to a slow start to the season, but in 2020 he had 64 catches for 771 yards and four touchdowns. I expect the Cyclones to bounce back from their loss to their in-state rivals the Hawkeyes and get the offense going. UNLV has allowed 36.0 points per game to start this season, including allowing FCS school Eastern Washington to drop 35 on them.
SIT
Spencer Sanders, QB, Oklahoma State at Boise State
Sanders unfortunately tends to have issues staying on the field, which is always a reason for concern. In fact, he missed the opener this year. Sanders returned last week against Tulsa but only threw for 173 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, though he did rush for 62 yards. This is a pretty easy week for the Big 12, so Oklahoma State being on the road against Boise State probably qualifies as the toughest matchup. The Broncos struggled a bit in their opener against UCF, but that's forgivable. They looked much better against UTEP, and Andy Avalos is a respected defensive mind.
Big Ten
START
Blake Corum, RB, Michigan vs. Northern Illinois
Michigan seems to be built to run the ball as a first, second, and third option. Hey, it's working for the Wolverines thus far. Corum has rushed for over 100 yards in both games this season and totaled five touchdowns. Northern Illinois is not providing much resistance on the ground, having allowed 232.0 rushing yards per game.
SIT
Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State vs. Auburn
This may end up blowing up in my face because Auburn has not been challenged at all. Having said that, facing an SEC team tends to be daunting. Dotson did have five catches for 102 yards against Wisconsin, though that was on 11 targets. I'm not sure I trust Sean Clifford, and I feel like there are better, less risky options out there in Week 3.
Conference USA
START
Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA vs. MTSU
I'm looking less at McCormick's numbers this season and more at 2020 when he rushed 249 times for 1,467 yards and 11 touchdowns. After all, he only needed seven carries to score twice in a rout of Lamar last week. When the chips are down, the Roadrunners will feed their lead back, and he should see the ball plenty against MTSU, which projects to be a poor defense when all is said and done.
SIT
Jyaire Shorter, WR, North Texas vs. UAB
This is a time where I am going back to last season because Georgia is skewing UAB's numbers this year. In 2020 the Blazers allowed 173.1 passing yards per game, which ranked seventh. I expect this defense to be just fine when all is said and done. The Mean Green aren't the Bulldogs, and Shorter could be kept in check. Don't look at what happened to UAB last week and project it onto this matchup.
MAC
START
Jack Sorenson, WR, Miami (OH) vs. LIU
Look, Long Island University is bad. It's lost 48-10 to FIU and 66-0 to West Virginia. Good for them collecting their checks, but the Sharks are a team that any FBS squad could beat, even UConn. Sorenson was able to reel in six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota. He could do so much more against LIU.
SIT
Dustin Crum, Kent State at Iowa
Crum came into this year considered one of the better Group of Five quarterbacks, but he's getting thrown into the fire to start this season. In Kent State's opener he was on the road against Texas A&M. After a respite against VMI he now has to visit the Hawkeyes. The conference campaign should go fine for Crum, but I expect bleak things this week.
Mountain West
START
Xazavian Valladay, RB, Wyoming vs. Ball State
Remember when I said the Big 12 has a light week of matchups? The Mountain West is the opposite. Eventually, I settled on Valladay. In 2019 he rushed 237 times for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns. This year he's already carried the ball 40 times for 178 yards and two scores. Ball State didn't look good on the road against Penn State. Laramie, Wyoming can be a weird place to play. So…here we are.
SIT
Toa Taua, RB, Nevada at Kansas State
Taua came into this season with some hype after impressing in limited action in 2020. This year, he's been limited in a concerning way. Taua has only carried the ball 19 times through two games in 2021 for some reason. Also, Cal was able to keep the Nevada back in total check in Week 1. Kansas State doesn't have the reputation of Cal defensively, but it has only allowed 39.0 rushing yards per game.
Pac-12
START
Terrell Bynum, WR, Washington vs. Arkansas State
Do I feel good buying into the Washington offense even one iota? No. That being said, Bynum had five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against Michigan. Also, it seems possible Arkansas State is going to be really bad against the pass. Last week they let true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan throw for 417 yards and five touchdowns. If that's a sign of things to come, it bodes well for Bynum.
SIT
Drake London, WR, USC at Washington State
Chaos reigns in Los Angeles! Clay Helton is out. Now the Trojans have to head on the road with a new coach after a bad loss to Stanford. London, a fine receiver to be fair, tweaked his back in that loss to the Cardinal. He's expected to play, but do you want to mess with a back injury? Pullman can be a weird place to play, and Wazzu is middle of the pack in pass defense to start the year. I want to see how USC looks in this one before I dare dip into their roster again.
SEC
START
Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky vs. Chattanooga
Kentucky under Mark Stoops has a reputation for finding a back they like and making them carry the offense. That year, it seems to be Rodriguez. Last week he carried the ball 27 times for 206 yards and three touchdowns against Missouri while throwing in a receiving score for good measure. My only concern? Rodriguez won't be needed to trounce Chattanooga, but a handful of carries could do enough damage.
SIT
Emory Jones, QB, Florida vs. Alabama
Some things don't need to be explained. For example, why you are recommending sitting a player against Alabama. I don't care that the Gators are at home. I don't care that Jones has looked good this year. When the Tide roll into town, I tend to head in the other direction.
Sun Belt
START
Destin Coates, RB, Georgia State vs. Charlotte
It's been a slow start to the season for Coates, but I think this is the week things turn around after matchups with Army and North Carolina. After all, Coates rushed for 769 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games in 2020. Charlotte allowed Duke to rush for 352 yards against them. There's also that fact.
SIT
Corey Rucker, WR, Arkansas State at Washington
Washington's offense is bad, but its defense seems like it will be just fine. The Huskies lost to Montana because of its offense, not its defense, and the Wolverines only threw for 44 yards against them. Rucker is undoubtedly a dynamic receiver, but Washington's defense is a big step up from home games against Central Arkansas and Memphis.
