Scully’s NCAAF takeaways: Clemson stays on top without Lawrence

The college football season will be in full swing when the Pac-12 returns to action in Week 10. Highlights of the Pac-12’s opening weekend include Arizona State at USC and Stanford at Oregon.

Week 10 will also feature a showdown between No. 1 Clemson, which will be without Trevor Lawrence, and No. 4 Notre Dame.

Here are my top three takeaways from Week 9 of the 2020 college football season.

Uiagalelei rallies Clemson over Boston College in first start

With Lawrence sidelined, D.J. Uiagalelei led Clemson to a 34-28, comeback win over Boston College. The freshman completed 30 of his 41 passes for 342 yards, with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown.

Clemson did not take advantage of scoring opportunities in the first half. The Tigers fumbled near the goal line, which turned into a 97-yard touchdown recovery for Boston College, and twice settled for field goals.

Uiagalelei, who joined Lawrence and Deshaun Watson as only the third true freshman Clemson quarterback to win his first start, rallied the Tigers from a 28-13 halftime deficit. The highly coveted, 6-foot-4 signal caller from California performed well, considering the circumstances.

Clemson’s young defense settled down and held Boston College scoreless in the second half, but it isn’t the same defensive unit from recent years. The Tigers defense remains very talented, but Clemson’s inexperience showed in Week 9.

The Tigers have had five first-round draft picks, and 13 total players drafted, over the past two seasons.

Lawrence provided veteran leadership, but the former Heisman Trophy favorite will miss his second consecutive game in Week 10, after a positive COVID-19 test.

Michigan State makes Harbaugh’s seat even hotter

Michigan State put an embarrassing, 27-24 loss on Michigan, and the Spartans led throughout as a 21-point underdog.

After five years under Jim Harbaugh, Michigan fans don’t expect to make the College Football Playoff. The idea of a Harbaugh-led team defeating Ohio State has become laughable in Ann Arbor — the Wolverines have lost five straight to the Buckeyes by an average margin of 19 points — but Michigan doesn’t lose to teams like Michigan State, which was exiting a 38-27 home loss to Rutgers.

Harbaugh makes more than $7 million annually to win about nine or 10 games per season. The formula is simple. The Wolverines underperform against top 10 competition and beat everybody else. Under Harbaugh, Michigan is 2-12 against top 10 teams.

Recruiting isn’t the issue. Michigan has had top 10 recruiting classes, according to 247sports.com, and optimism abounded with new quarterback Joe Milton, who was sharp in a 25-point road win over Minnesota in the opener.

What happened between the Minnesota and Michigan State games is anybody’s guess, but Michigan didn’t resemble the same squad at home. Milton looked uncomfortable from the start, completed only 32 of his 51 passes, and the Wolverines couldn’t slow down Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi (323 passing yards) or freshman wideout Ricky White (196 receiving yards).

After it committed seven turnovers against Rutgers, Michigan State had none against an uninspired Michigan defense.

It’s all very disheartening, indeed, for Michigan fans.

Taulia breaks out for Maryland

After a disappointing debut against Northwestern, Taulia Tagovailoa had himself a night in Maryland's 45-44 overtime win over Minnesota.

The sophomore quarterback rallied the Terps from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and accounted for five touchdowns. Tagovailoa completed 26 of his 35 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 64 yards and two scores on the ground.

Maryland was an 18-point underdog, after it failed to produce against Northwestern in the opener, with only 207 total yards and more turnovers (four) than points (three). But the Terps offense suddenly looked electric against Minnesota. Jake Funk had 216 rushing yards, and Dontay Demus Jr. and Jeshaun Jones each recorded more than 100 receiving yards.

The younger brother of the Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Taulia transferred from Alabama to Maryland in the spring, and he can continue to put up big numbers in second-year coach Mike Locksley’s offense.

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