Fox News Digital Sports' college football winners and losers: Week 3

The University of Texas Longhorns had a big game against UTSA in Week 2 and a stellar performance with Arch Manning filling in for the injured Quinn Ewers. After the game, Texas was named the No. 1 team in the nation in the latest AP Top 25 College Football Poll.

That was the turning point of the weekend. Texas beat UTSA 56-7 to vault to the top of the rankings. Georgia struggled against Kentucky and dropped to No. 2.

Some teams and players performed better than others, while some performed worse.

Read on for winners and losers from the weekend's college football games.

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Award Winners

LSU: There's clearly been some kind of curse on the LSU bench during these games. After trailing multiple times to South Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers finally overcame a 17-point deficit with a rushing attack. When the Gamecocks' final field goal deflected left of the goalpost and the game should have gone into overtime, there was a sense of relief on the LSU bench. If Brian Kelly was going to continue to turn the Tigers into a powerhouse, they couldn't lose that game.

UCF: How about the Knights! UCF looked like they were in trouble after trailing TCU by 21 points, but Gus Malzahn must have given a great speech on the sideline in the third quarter with the team down 28-7. After a furious rally, KJ Jefferson hit Kobe Hudson for a 20-yard touchdown pass with just 42 seconds left in the game to clinch the comeback victory. The Knights face Florida in two weeks, a game that could put an end to Billy Napier's tenure as head coach of the Gators.

Washington State: The Cougars had a solid showing in the newly reborn Pac-12 on Saturday afternoon in the “Apple Cup,” but the game took a dramatic turn when Washington State held off the Washington Huskies on a fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line to seal the win — a great way to win a rivalry game.

Arch Manning: The Texas Longhorns didn't want to see their Heisman Trophy front-runner, quarterback Quinn Ewers, go down with an abdominal injury in the second quarter. But Manning, the nephew of NFL greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, made the most of his relief in the game against UTSA, throwing four touchdown passes and a 67-yard rushing score, his best performance of his collegiate career. Of course, Ewers is still the team's starter, but head coach Steve Sarkisian said it's too early to tell how serious the abdominal injury is, and it's possible Manning could be in the starting lineup for the first time in his career next week. Either way, Longhorns fans can now see what the future holds, and it's very bright.

Notre Dame: The College Football Playoff's new format allows teams to make mistakes, and Notre Dame lost on a walk-off field goal last week to Northern Illinois. But Notre Dame bounced back in style to beat Purdue, 66-7, a win that should have reignited the season for the Fighting Irish, who were supposed to blow the Boilermakers away.

Texas head coach praises Arch Manning for taking over for injured Quinn Ewers: 'Really proud' of him

loser

Florida State coach Billy Napier, left, and Texas A&M coach Mike Elko exchange greetings before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Laux)

Florida: Oh my goodness, things are only getting worse for Billy Napier in Gainesville. Heading into a crucial game against Texas A&M, things were looking good for the Gators, forcing the Aggies to use backup Marcel Reid. But the Aggies and their backup QB ran all over Florida, and fans booed head coach Billy Napier at halftime and after the game. Florida's football program is in such a bad place that they will likely be looking for a new head coach.

Florida State: The situation in Tallahassee is now just a laughing matter because Memphis came to town, got a check for $1.3 million, and pushed the Seminoles to an 0-3 season. There is nothing else we can say to make this situation look good. Florida State is a bad football team, even though they have really good players. They screwed up on quarterback DJ U in the offseason (they should have just paid Cam Ward) and spent too much money on the wrong players. The chemistry is gone and Mike Norvell went from an undefeated regular season in 2023 to an undefeated start to the 2024 season. It's crazy how things have turned out.

Vanderbilt: What are you doing, Commodores? Everyone believed you would start 3-0 after your trip to Georgia State. Entering the game as an 8.5-point favorite, Vanderbilt ruined all the goodwill you had to start the season 2-0. Georgia State scored with 15 seconds left in the game to pull off the comeback against the Commodores. The over/under for wins to start the season was 2.5 wins, but you'll need to work to secure your third win. You disappointed us Saturday, Vandy.

Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, left, talks with quarterback Shedul Sanders during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado State University, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zarbowski)

Shedul Sanders: The Colorado Buffaloes won the game against the rival Colorado State Rams, and Sanders was a big factor in that, throwing for 310 yards and four touchdowns. However, after the game, Sanders refused to shake hands with Rams QB Braden Fowler-Nicolosi, telling Fowler-Nicolosi, “I saw you talking trash on Instagram,” and “Don't mess with me,” as he walked out. Sure, the Rams provided message board fodder to motivate the Buffaloes heading into this game, including Fowler-Nicolosi. However, Sanders has had his fair share of vocal venturing this season, and this was another moment that may have put some people off after a dominating performance. Win or lose, Sanders has had some not-the-best talking moments for the Buffaloes after the game.

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Fox News Digital Sports College Football Winners and Losers were compiled by the Fox News Digital Sports staff and the staff at OutKick.com.