An Oregon man was arrested and charged with stalking and harassing University of Connecticut women’s basketball player Paige Bueckers after police say he made several “concerning social media posts” fantasizing about a relationship with her.
Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of breaching the peace, electronic stalking and harassment, according to an arrest affidavit from the UConn Police Department.
Paige Bueckers of the UConn Huskies during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 5, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Parmalee, a resident of Grants Pass, Oregon, first became known to police in the summer of 2024 after several members of UConn’s communications department received emails that contained “rambling comments” and made reference to Bueckers.
According to an incident report, Parmalee claimed in the emails that he was a member of the royal family and wanted to marry Bueckers. He also made references to Greek mythology where he likened himself to Apollo and Bueckers to Athena. Further investigation found that Parmalee made similar posts on social media, including a poem asking Bueckers to marry him.
Police said at the time that “while the postings can be considered to be abnormal, they were not found to be threatening in nature.”
Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of breaching the peace, electronic stalking and harassment.(University of Connecticut Police Department)
Less than a month later, in July, another incident report cited several more “rambling” emails from Parmalee regarding Bueckers and other college basketball players, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. According to police records, the comments were not found to be “harassing or threatening in nature.”
But Parmalee was arrested in late August by the Connecticut State Police after he was found walking on Route 20 near Bradley International Airport. He told police at the time that he was “going to see Paige.” He was wanted in Oregon at the time on a charge of arson and was taken into custody. Law enforcement in Connecticut later learned that those charges would be dismissed.
An arrest warrant for stalking and harassment was issued on Thursday. According to the arrest affidavit, evidence collected from various social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok showed his “fantasized idea that he and [victim] were in a relationship, his desire to marry [victim],” and mentions about her family.
Bueckers spoke to law enforcement and explained that Parmalee had begun sending her direct messages on Instagram in February 2024, but that she never had direct contact with him. She said that after learning of his arrest in Connecticut in August, she “became concerned as she deemed Parmalee to be making a direct effort to come in contact with her.”
Paige Bueckers told law enforcement that Parmalee had begun sending her direct messages on Instagram in February 2024, but she never had direct contact with him.(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
She expressed concerns about the safety of herself, family and teammates.
Parmalee appeared in court on Monday and he is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to ESPN. A protective and no-contact order was also issued for “PB.”
Parmalee has an extensive criminal history spanning from 2002 to 2023 including criminal mischief, burglary, sexual abuse, harrassment, theft, DUI, driving with a suspended/revoked license, and possession of methamphetamine.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 22.
In some areas, homes are such great a risk that they’re too expensive to insure — if private insurance is even available at all.
How much does the average person spend on home insurance?
Home insurance premiums are intended to be cheaper than what it would cost to rebuild your home after a disaster or major damage. That cost is based on numerous factors, including home size and claim history, but it’s also based on location — and as extreme weather events driven by climate change bring a greater risk of floods, severe storms, hurricanes and heat waves, among other things, that location matters more than ever.
Bankrate has found that the average cost of dwelling insurance, which covers the actual structure of your home should it need to be rebuilt, is $2,285 per year in the U.S. for a policy with a $300,000 limit. But that cost is still rising.
“From 2017 to 2022, homeowners insurance premiums rose 40% faster than inflation,” a June report by the Bipartisan Policy Center says. “…For millions of households already struggling to make their mortgage payments, these monthly insurance costs are a significant burden. They can also put homeownership out of reach for prospective first-time homebuyers.”
The range of homeowners’ insurance costs is widespread. In Vermont, Bankrate data shows that people pay an average of $67 a month for a $300,000 dwelling limit, while in Nebraska, the most expensive home insurance state, people pay an average of $471 per month — an annual policy that amounts to more than $3,300 above the national average.
Other parts of insurance coverage are not included in these amounts, such as other structures, personal property and loss of use, which are typically listed as coverage B, C and D, respectively, in coverage policies. And depending on your location, you may also need separate deductibles for wind or storm damage, will likely be determined based on a percentage of your dwelling coverage.
“While inflation has slowed down since its peak in June 2022, insurance rates are reactionary,” Bankrate said in its September report. “The cost of home insurance is still increasing due to the impact inflation has had on the previous losses experienced by the insurance company, the elevated cost of building materials and the high likelihood of future extreme weather-related losses.”
Home location matters for insurance costs
Across the U.S., people are dealing with risk of earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and severe storms across the seasons. In California, which, as of Sept. 17, is battling six active wildfires, the growing risk of such events has left some areas “essentially ‘uninsurable‘,” according to researchers at First Street Foundation, a nonprofit that studies climate risks. The group found that about 35.6 million properties — a quarter of all U.S. real estate — are facing higher insurance costs and lower coverage because of climate risks.
That combination also devalues their properties.
San Bernardino County, which accounts for six out of the 10 worst ZIP codes in the state for insurance non-renewals, is also among the most at-risk of natural hazards and climate change, according to FEMA. The county in Southern California is currently combatting both the Bridge and Line Fires, which combined have burned more than 93,000 acres.
The fire risk in California — which has also been battling the historically large Park Fire for nearly two months — is now so high that both Allstate and State Farm have paused sales of property and casualty coverage to new customers in the state.
“The cost to insure new home customers in California is far higher than the price they would pay for policies due to wildfires, higher costs for repairing homes, and higher reinsurance premiums,” Allstate told CBS News.
AAA is also opting out of renewing some policies in Florida, a state that has seen increasingly devastating impacts of flooding and hurricanes. Without private insurance offers, it’s up to insurance policies made available by the government, such as the the National Flood Insurance Program, to assist.
It’s not just an issue for coastal areas and wildfire-prone states. In fact, the most impactful weather events are those that do not get categorized with names.
The Insurance Information Institute found in a May 2020 report that severe convective storms — thunderstorms — “are the most common and damaging natural catastrophes in the United States.” Tornadoes are often a product of those storms, and Nebraska, the most expensive home insurance state on average, was impacted by five of the top 10 costliest U.S. catastrophes involving tornadoes, according to the report.
There have already been 20 billion-dollar disasters nationwide so far this year, as of Sept. 10, with 14 of those involving severe weather or tornadoes.
This map shows the confirmed billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events that have already occurred in the U.S. in 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
But Bankrate has also found that more than a quarter of homeowners say they aren’t financially prepared to handle the costs that come with it.
And it’s not just homeowners. While last year was not the worst year for overall U.S. insured losses due to extreme weather, it was the worst year since at least 2014 for losses due to severe storms ($59.2 billion), according to data by AON.
Renters are feeling those impacts as well.
Between 2020 and 2023, multifamily housing development insurance rates increased by an average of 12.5% annually, according to a June report by the Bipartisan Policy Center.
“One affordable housing provider, National Church Residences, saw its property insurance premiums increase by over 400% in the six years leading up to 2023, along with higher deductibles and reduced coverage,” the report says. National Church Residences provides affordable housing and independent and assisted living to seniors.
Last fall, NDP Analytics surveyed 418 housing providers across the U.S. who operate a combined 2.7 million units, including 1.7 million affordable housing units. They found that nearly a third of them saw premium increases of 25% or more from 2022 to 2023. To handle those costs, over 93% of respondents said they’d have to increase their deductibles, decrease operating expenses and/or increase rent. More than half said they would need to limit or delay investments in housing stock and projects.
How to lower home insurance costs
The driver behind extreme weather events — rising global temperatures largely fueled by the burning of fossil fuels — is not going away anytime soon. The continued release of greenhouse gases that trap heat within the atmosphere will continue to heat up the planet for thousands of years to come, even if overuse of those gases stopped today, which means that there are still decades to come of worsening climate disasters putting lives and homes at risk.
But home insurance is a game of measuring risk, and there are things you can do to better protect your home that could help lessen the blow of future weather disasters.
According to Massachusetts insurance agency C&S Insurance, resilient home features can make an impact on premium pricing. Storm shutters, reinforced roofing and flood barriers can all help lower the risk of damage to your house, and therefore, your wallet.
NerdWallet says that elevating your home’s water heaters and electrical panels, developing wildfire-resilient landscaping and installing fortified roofing are among the things homeowners can do to reduce the impacts of flooding, fires and wind, respectively.
The Council on Foreign Relations, an independent nonpartisan organization, says that more government regulations on where and how homes can be built can also help reduce the costs. The group says that stopping taxpayer dollars for buildings in high-risk areas and more investment in natural infrastructure, such as wetlands and trees, can also help reduce impacts from storm surges and heat.
Li Cohen is a senior social media producer at CBS News. She previously wrote for amNewYork and The Seminole Tribune. She mainly covers climate, environmental and weather news.
(From left) Pakistani snooker players Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir. — Reporter
Pakistani cueists Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir have continued their domination in the IBSF Mongolia World Cup Men 2024 as they advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament, being held in Ulaanbaatar.
In the Round of 16, Iqbal staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Chang Yu Kiu of Hong Kong 4-1. Iqbal lost the first frame 08-89 but rallied to win the next four frames with scores of 74-62(62), 71-12, 57-46, and 71(68)-24.
Munir also progressed with a 4-2 victory over Chau Hon Man of Hong Kong. He lost the first frame 44-81 but came back to win the second 80-08.
After dropping the third frame 17-65, he secured wins in the fourth frame 88-42 and the final two frames 85(79)-05 and 66-34.
The quarter-finals are scheduled for tomorrow at 10am local time.
Iqbal will face Gao Yang of China, while Munir will compete against Ali Gharahgozlou of Iran.
On Sunday, the Pakistani cueists secured victories in their third matches without facing a single defeat and advanced to the Round of 16.
Awais triumphed over Iran’s Siyavosh Mozayani with a 3-1 scoreline with scores 9-63, 78-34, 59-50, and 73-13.
On the other hand, Asjad defeated Qatar’s Ali Alobaidli with frame scores 59-36, 26-63, 58-19, and 70-58.
With an undefeated run, both finished on top of their group stage to qualify for the pre-quarter finals.
The NHS had entered the pandemic with about 40,000 nursing and midwifery vacancies in England, Dame Ruth said.
And she criticised a “catastrophic decision”, in 2015, to replace the grant or bursary paid to student midwives and nurses with loans.
It had led to reduction of about 5,700 trainees in England by 2020, Dame Ruth said, which “would have made a difference” in the pandemic.
“There would have been less burnout – there would have been less psychological impact,” she said.
Intensive-care units came under such pressure during Covid specialist critical-care nurses were responsible for up to six patients each instead of the usual one-to-one ratio.
And Dame Ruth accepted that had affected the care patients received, saying: “It was not where we wanted to go… and I know there have been consequences because of it.”
Blanket do-not-resuscitate orders had appeared to have been added to some patients’ records based on either their age or a pre-existing condition such as autism or a learning disability, she told the inquiry, which had been “completely wrong”.
Pedro Snchez quiere dejar las medidas de su plan de regeneracin en buenas manos. El documento aprobado hoy por el Consejo de Ministros recoge 31 medidas de accin democrtica, y 20 de ellas -el 65%- tienen como institucin responsable a dos ministros de su ncleo duro: Flix Bolaos y scar Lpez. El primero, al frente de la cartera de Presidencia, se encargar de gestionar 11 de las propuestas acordadas, mientras el segundo, ministro de Transformacin Digital y ex jefe de Gabinete del presidente, se responsabilizar de una decena. La Secretara de Estado de Comunicacin se encargar de siete y, de aprobarse finalmente el Plan, un tercio de las propuestas pactadas puede salir adelante sin que las Cortes gestionen su aplicacin.
La redaccin del texto presentado este martes estructura las medidas en tres grandes bloques: las destinadas a “mejorar la calidad” de la informacin gubernamental, las que buscan “fortalecer la transparencia, pluralidad y responsabilidad” de los medios de comunicacin y las referentes a la transparencia del poder legislativo y el sistema judicial. Los epgrafes no son equiparables: la mitad de las propuestas son relativas a la regulacin de los medios.
Transparencia de los medios de comunicacin
Tras el periodo de reflexin de Pedro Snchez que supuso el germen de este plan, el presidente anunci que tomara medidas contra los bulos y los “tabloides digitales” para “acabar con la impunidad de algunos pseudomedios”. Sin embargo, en el texto registrado este martes no figura ninguno de esos trminos. S se hace referencia a la “desinformacin” hasta ocho veces, dos de ellas con medidas concretas para combatirla: una Estrategia Nacional de lucha contra las campaas de desinformacin y la constitucin de una Comisin en el Congreso de los Diputados sobre la materia.
La medida que abre este bloque es la creacin de un “registro de medios” en el que figuren los datos sobre sus propietarios y la inversin publicitaria que reciben. Esta clusula tiene el objetivo de arrojar luz sobre quin est detrs de cada medio, cmo se financia, cunto dinero pblico recibe y de qu administracin en concreto.
Lmites a la financiacin de los medios
As, es en este epgrafe de medidas relativas a los medios de comunicacin donde Snchez incluye las propuestas ms polmicas del plan. El presidente quiere que la publicidad institucional que reciben la prensa y los canales audiovisuales quede sujeta a “criterios de transparencia, proporcionalidad y no discriminacin en su asignacin”, estableciendo una metodologa de medicin de la audiencia que cumpla esos mismos principios.
Adems, pretende fijar “lmites” a la financiacin que las administraciones pblicas pueden dedicar a los medios, para que estos no estn “impulsados por” o sean “dependientes de” los gobiernos regionales o locales. Con esto, el PSOE busca dificultar la actividad de aquellos medios que, considera, sobreviven gracias a las subvenciones pblicas, pues no tienen lectores o espectadores suficientes. Adems, como novedad en esta materia, el plan recoge “medidas de apoyo para aquellos medios de comunicacin que estn ntegramente en lenguas oficiales diferentes del castellano”.
Poder legislativo
El plan presentado hoy por el Consejo de Ministros, en una primera instancia, pretenda “regenerar” el sistema democrtico actuando no solo sobre los medios, sino tambin sobre el poder legislativo y la Justicia. Sin embargo, el texto que hoy ve la luz queda lejos de una reforma profunda del sistema en esas materias.
Entre las medidas que expone para promover la transparencia del sistema poltico destaca la propuesta de hacer obligatoria la celebracin anual del Debate sobre el Estado de la Nacin, as como dos clusulas que afectan directamente a los diputados y grupos parlamentarios. Por un lado, Snchez pretende, en aras de una mayor transparencia, reforzar las sanciones a quienes no presenten su declaracin de bienes -o lo hagan de forma falsa o incompleta-. Y, por otro lado, sugiere castigar a los partidos polticos que no expongan pblica y adecuadamente su contabilidad.
Procesos electorales
Consciente de que los bulos adquieren una mayor trascendencia en periodos electorales, Snchez ha querido plantear tambin dos medidas en esta materia para facilitar el acceso a una informacin plural cuando se aproximen las citas con las urnas. As, el Plan recoge que los debates electorales deben ser una obligacin para los candidatos y pide a las casas demoscpicas que revelen todos los microdatos de sus encuestas para dotar de mayor transparencia y veracidad a sus resultados. El Ministerio del Interior y el de Presidencia seran los encargados, junto con las Cortes, de poner estas medidas en marcha.
Informacin gubernamental
El texto del plan dedica un captulo ntegro a presentar nueve propuestas con las que se busca “ampliar y mejorar la calidad” de la informacin gubernamental. Estas abarcan desde la aprobacin de una nueva Estrategia de Gobierno Abierto hasta el establecimiento de una obligacin legal de rendicin de cuentas cada seis meses para todas las administraciones pblicas. Tambin sugiere pactar una estrategia anti corrupcin y crear la Autoridad Independiente de Proteccin del Informante -ambas son medidas ya recogidas en la ley de lucha contra la corrupcin de 2023-.
Reforma del Cdigo Penal
Camuflada entre las medidas relativas a los medios de comunicacin hay una clusula que responde a las peticiones de Sumar, socio de Gobierno de los socialistas y con quien se ha consensuado el texto que hoy se presenta. “Abordar una reforma integral de los artculos del Cdigo Penal que pueden afectar al derecho de libertad de expresin”, recoge el documento, abriendo la puerta a eliminar delitos como el de ofensas religiosas y otros relativos a injurias a las instituciones del Estado -sin matizar cules-. Ya en julio de este ao, la coalicin de siglas liderada por Yolanda Daz pact con el PSOE que este plan de regeneracin deba revisar los delitos en materia de libertad de expresin, aunque fuentes de Sumar aseguran que an hay negociacin pendiente en esta materia.
More than 1,200 people, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, were wounded on Tuesday when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon.
According to international media reports, the pagers exploded in the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut, known as Dahiyeh on Tuesday, security sources said, adding that communication devices were also exploded in the south of Lebanon.
Officials said the blasts appeared to be a remote cyber attack by the Israeli regime at a time of rising tensions across the Lebanese border.
Footage shared on social media showed the wounded were attended by passers-by. Groups of people also gathered at the entrance of buildings to check on people they knew who may have been injured.
In a statement, Hezbollah said at least three people, including a girl, were killed in the pager explosions and many others sustained injuries in the blasts.
Hezbollah said that relevant authorities are currently conducting security and scientific investigations to determine the causes of these simultaneous explosions.
The group emphasized that its resistance forces remain at the highest level of readiness to defend Lebanon and its people.
People said blasts were taking place half an hour after the initial explosions and ambulances could be heard non-stop.
Over 50 ambulances from the Red Cross were sent to the scene to help transport casualties to hospitals.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health has asked for all medical workers to remain on alert and respond to the incident if needed.
Lebanon’s Minister of Health, Firas Abiad, said the number of injured was in the “hundreds” and there were some fatalities from the explosions.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also one of the injured in the explosions.
The Iranian Embassy in Beirut later announced that Ambassador Amani sustained minor injuries, but he was in good condition.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has been exchanging fire with Hezbollah since early October, shortly after the occupying regime launched its war on Gaza after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.
It was an eventful Week 3 filled with big wins, program records being set, an injury to an early Heisman Trophy favorite and performances that exhibited a needed improvement at quarterback.
Texas’ Quinn Ewers suffered a noncontact injury, leaving the Longhorns’ quarterback responsibilities in the hands of Arch Manning — and boy, did he put on a show under the spotlight. Meanwhile, Michigan’s quarterbacks continued their inconsistent play in a win over Arkansas State.
With Ewers likely out against UL Monroe and SEC play starting the following week, how can Manning prepare to be the potential starting quarterback going forward? What should Michigan’s quarterbacks focus on to improve in going into a big Week 4 matchup against USC?
Our college football experts give insight on each team based off Week 3 performances.
Previous ranking: 2
There’s little chance you missed the biggest story of the day: The Longhorns’ Heisman Trophy candidate, Quinn Ewers, suffered an oblique strain on a noncontact play and was replaced by Arch Manning. Texas fans had to wait just seconds to see Manning’s potential, as he threw a 19-yard TD pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. on his first play then showed his wheels with a 67-yard TD scramble on his next drive. He finished with 223 yards and four TD passes as the Longhorns crushed UTSA 56-7, showing the depth of their roster.
With UL Monroe and a struggling Mississippi State team on the schedule the next two weeks, the Longhorns have time to navigate Ewers’ injury and Manning’s future role before Texas faces Oklahoma and Georgia in the following two weeks. It won’t be boring. — Dave Wilson
Previous ranking: 1
Nobody saw this coming, but Georgia got all it could handle against Kentucky on Saturday night in a 13-12 win on the road that exposed the Bulldogs offensively. Georgia’s only touchdown came early in the fourth quarter on Branson Robinson‘s 3-yard run, and the Bulldogs’ running game was held to just 102 yards (3.4 yards per rush). They also didn’t make a lot of chunk plays against the Wildcats’ defense.
What’s more surprising is, Kentucky was able to move the ball against Georgia’s defense and churned out 23 first downs. The difference was Georgia held Kentucky to field goals and didn’t let the Wildcats into the end zone. Georgia lost starting offensive guard Tate Ratledge to an ankle/knee injury in the first half, and running back Trevor Etienne also left the game with a shoulder injury but returned. The Bulldogs get a well-timed open date next weekend before traveling to Alabama on Sept. 28. — Chris Low
Previous ranking: 7
The big plays are there in bunches with Kalen DeBoer’s first Alabama team on both sides of the ball, as the Tide cruised for most of Saturday’s 42-10 win at Wisconsin. True freshman Ryan Williams continued to sizzle with a 31-yard touchdown to get Alabama on the board, and a 47-yard burst down the sideline to set up another score just before halftime.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe was productive and efficient, and Alabama averaged 7.3 yards per play with four touchdowns of 26 yards or longer and avoided a turnover in its first road game. Deontae Lawson and LT Overton led a defensive effort that resulted in four forced fumbles (two that Wisconsin lost). The forced fumbles somewhat covered up an average run defense, which will need to improve against Georgia. But Alabama played much cleaner than it did last week against South Florida. — Adam Rittenberg
Previous ranking: 5
We’ve seen some MAC schools throw some haymakers early this season — NIU upset Notre Dame last week, and Toledo romped over Mississippi State on Saturday. Kent State, however, is at the other end of the conference hierarchy. And Tennessee was out to send a message.
After one quarter on Saturday night, it had outscored the Golden Flashes 37-0 and gained 283 yards to Kent State’s minus-31. It only got slightly better for the visitors from there. It was 65-0 at halftime, and the game reached a merciful end at 71-0. Nico Iamaleava went 10-for-16 for 173 yards and a touchdown in his short evening, and three different Vols backs rushed for at least 99 yards. This was, for all intents and purposes, a scrimmage. — Bill Connelly
Previous ranking: 2
The Buckeyes were off Saturday with Marshall set to visit Ohio Stadium in Week 4. Through two games, Ohio State carries 1,087 yards of total offense, hasn’t allowed a touchdown and has outscored its opponents 108-6, looking very much like the national championship contenders the Buckeyes were supposed to be in Ryan Day’s sixth season.
Day probably didn’t mind seeing Week 6 opponent Iowa struggle to beat winless Troy. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel-led offensive explosion only heightens the excitement around Ohio State’s Oct. 12 visit to Eugene. And the Buckeyes’ November schedule continues to look strong, even if manageable, with Ohio State’s five opponents in the regular season’s final month — Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana and Michigan — owning a combined record of 9-2 through at the end of Week 3. — Eli Lederman
Previous ranking: 6
It was another dominant effort for the Hurricanes in a 62-0 win over Ball State. In three games to open the season, Miami has outscored its opponents 159-26, and quarterback Cam Ward has been a big reason why. Against Ball State, Miami rolled up a school record 750 yards of offense.
Ward had 346 of those yards and a career high five touchdown passes in an FBS game. Ward is now the first Miami quarterback to begin a season with three straight 300-yard passing games. Up next is a trip to Tampa to play South Florida, which put a scare into Alabama over three quarters before ultimately losing. Will this be a test for Miami, or will the Canes keep rolling? — Andrea Adelson
Previous ranking: 4
They took their eyes off the ball for a bit after a hot start, but Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels eventually found fifth gear again and cruised to a 40-6 win at Wake Forest on Saturday evening. Jaxson Dart set the school record for passes without an interception, then threw a pick on his very next pass. But he still finished with an outstanding 377 yards and two touchdowns, and Henry Parrish Jr. rushed 23 times for 148 yards and two early scores.
Wake had a chance to cut the Rebels’ lead to 10 midway through the third quarter, but the Rebels iced the game with a 96-yard touchdown drive, then scored a couple more times for good measure. They more than doubled up the Demon Deacons’ yardage (650-311), and they’ve now outscored their first three opponents by a combined 168-9. Not bad. — Connelly
Previous ranking: 8
After taking care of business by shutting out Utah State last week in their home opener, the Trojans’ early bye week has given them an extended amount of time to prepare for a marquee matchup next week against Michigan. While the first two games of the season have shown that both quarterback Miller Moss is ready for the moment and the maligned USC defense is much improved, the test that Lincoln Riley’s team will face in its first Big Ten matchup at the Big House in Ann Arbor will really show if the Trojans are ready for the spotlight.
Michigan’s offense hasn’t exactly looked stellar by any stretch, especially at quarterback, which could provide new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and his defense another opportunity to make a statement. The matchup with the Wolverines sets off a run of games for USC that also includes No. 8 Penn State, arguably its toughest test of the season. — Paolo Uggetti
Previous ranking: 10
Brady Cook was 4-for-9 for 34 yards. The Mizzou defense, which had held its first two opponents scoreless, had gotten torched on a 67-yard broken-play touchdown. The Tigers, playing their first game ranked as high as No. 6 in the AP poll since the 2013 SEC championship, trailed 14-3. It was time to go to Luther.
Luther Burden III, strangely quiet through the first nine quarters of the season, caught six balls for 117 yards, and Cook completed 17 of his last 21 passes of the game. Burden scored one touchdown, Cook rushed for another and the Tigers eventually outlasted a game and physical Boston College team 27-21. The stats were kind enough to Mizzou — the Tigers outgained BC by a 440-295 margin — but broken plays and penalties held them back. But there are worse things in the world than making a lot of mistakes and still beating a ranked team. — Connelly
Previous ranking: 9
Penn State took Week 3 off, and with a Week 4 matchup against woeful Kent State, there’s still a ways to go before we get serious insight into the Nittany Lions. Still, to watch Kansas struggle on offense again in a loss to UNLV last Friday was a reminder that Andy Kotelnicki was a genuine star as an offensive playcaller, and Penn State may have gotten a steal when it lured him away from the Jayhawks this year. — David Hale
Previous ranking: 11
It has been over 60 years since Oregon and Oregon State Beavers played while not being members of the same conference, and on Saturday, the Ducks showed just what kind of gap exists between the two teams by notching their first win in the rivalry as members of the Big Ten with a 46-14 victory. The past two times Oregon has made its way up north to Corvallis, it has failed to emerge with a victory, and while this game usually takes place toward the end of the season, Dan Lanning’s team used the abnormal scheduling to its advantage as Oregon finally played a dominant game on both sides of the ball.
The Ducks gained over 500 yards of offense and were plenty efficient too. After punting seven times against the Broncos last week, Oregon scored a touchdown on six of its seven drives Saturday. The defense, meanwhile, did not allow a point in the second half. It was exactly the kind of game the Ducks needed as they head into conference play. — Uggetti
Previous ranking: 14
K-State put on a dominant performance, looking every bit the Big 12 factor it is expected to be in snapping Arizona’s nine-game win streak, the longest in the FBS. Avery Johnson dazzled against a new Big 12 opponent — despite this being a nonconference game since it was previously scheduled — ripping off his first 100-yard rushing performance in his fourth career start and throwing for 156 yards and two TDs.
The Wildcats got a 71-yard punt return from Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards, who also rushed for 41 yards on six carries, and the defense bent but never broke against Arizona‘s star QB/WR duo of Noah Fifita (24 of 36, 248 yards, 1 INT) and Tetairoa McMillan (11 catches, 138 yards), earning a big win Friday night against a team that had won five straight against AP-ranked opponents. Next up: a trip to Provo against BYU in their actual Big 12 opener. — Wilson
Previous ranking: 13
If the Cowboys had to shake some dust off after last weekend’s double overtime saga with Arkansas, Tulsa was the right foil for the occasion. The Golden Hurricane entered Week 3 with a 1-22 record against AP top-15 opponents since 2000, before Oklahoma State hit the turnpike to Tulsa on Saturday afternoon and notched its largest road win since 2020.
Alan Bowman led the way in the 45-10 victory, finishing 24-of-31 for 396 yards with five passing touchdowns, the most in a game by an Oklahoma State passer since 2018. Bowman threw early and often to De’Zhaun Stribling (7 catches, 174 yards, 2 TD) while Talyn Shettron reached a career best 110 receiving yards, highlighted by his 78-yard, second-quarter touchdown.
The Cowboys continue to struggle to get reigning Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II (41 yards on 17 attempts) going on the ground. But if opposing defenses are selling out to stop Gordon, Saturday showed how Oklahoma State can attack through the air. A much bigger test lies ahead for the Cowboys in Week 4 when Utah visits Stillwater in a meeting of Big 12 College Football Playoff contenders. — Lederman
Previous ranking: 12
The Utes are 3-0 with three comfortable wins, but they still feel like a bit of an unknown with Cam Rising‘s status unclear. After getting hurt last week against Baylor, he didn’t play in the 38-21 win against Utah State, and while his absence wasn’t a difficult hurdle in Logan, that won’t be the case this week with a trip to Stillwater against Oklahoma State.
True freshman Isaac Wilson was serviceable against the Aggies — he finished 20-of-33 for 239 yards with three touchdowns and an interception — but it’s hard to allow for the possibility this team can reach the heights it is capable of with Rising if Wilson is forced into much more action. In fact, the Cowboys might be the toughest game left on Utah’s schedule. It is safe to assume that everything that can be done to have Rising ready this week will be done. — Kyle Bonagura
Previous ranking: 16
The Sooners remained unbeaten Saturday with a 34-19 win over Toledo, but haven’t been dominant against either of their past two opponents. They beat Houston 16-12 last week and were holding onto a 24-19 lead over Tulane in the fourth quarter before scoring 10 points in the final seven minutes of the game, including a 24-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jackson Arnold.
Seeing Arnold have some success with his legs is a plus for the Sooners. He finished with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns and also passed for 169 yards and a touchdown. The real season (and SEC season) starts next week for Oklahoma when Tennessee and its high-powered offense travel to Norman. The Sooners will need their best defensive effort of the season. — Low
Previous ranking: 15
The Wolverines had their easiest win of the young season but still came away with some significant concerns as Big Ten play looms. Starting quarterback Davis Warren had only three “incomplete” passes, but they were all intercepted, bringing his season total to six, which is more than J.J. McCarthy‘s totals the past two seasons at Michigan.
Backup Alex Orji entered and threw a touchdown pass, but the Wolverines’ QB outlook seems very shaky as they prepare for USC next week. Also, star tight end Colston Loveland left the game in the second quarter with a left arm injury and did not return. The good news is Michigan finally got its running game going, as Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards combined for 235 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries. Michigan held Arkansas State out of the end zone for more than 54 minutes and allowed only 58 rushing yards. — Rittenberg
Previous ranking: 19
Clemson was off in Week 3, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t an eventful few days for the Tigers. For one, folks around Clemson are still riding high off the Tigers’ Week 2 drubbing of Appalachian State. The 66-20 win was a long-awaited glimpse of the offensive heft Dabo Swinney has promised — but not delivered — for the past few years.
Meanwhile, Clemson’s next game on the slate comes against NC State, a contest that just a few weeks ago seemed like a harbinger of who would win the ACC. Now though? The Wolfpack have struggled badly in all three games and starting QB Grayson McCall could be out with a true freshman getting the nod instead. Given NC State’s struggles on the O-line, the combination of a freshman QB and Clemson’s dynamic defensive front could translate to another emphatic Tigers win and another chance to put the opener against Georgia in the rearview mirror. — Hale
Previous ranking: 22
The Huskers are halfway to bowl eligibility and haven’t really been challenged so far, winning their first three games by an average of 27.3 points. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola continues to impress, not just with his arm but with his decision-making, as he completed 73.9% of his passes in Saturday’s win against Northern Iowa. The exciting part is Nebraska can play better, and it will need to, beginning this week as Big Ten play opens when Illinois comes to Lincoln.
Northern Iowa converted 5 of its first 10 third-down attempts and had three drives end in Huskers territory without points. Nebraska also only ran 48 plays, as UNI held the ball for 38 minutes, 7 seconds, and Raiola threw his first interception as a Husker in the fourth quarter. But the Huskers continued to be led by a defense that held UNI scoreless after its first drive and received strong performances from safety Isaac Gifford and others. — Rittenberg
No. 19 Louisville Cardinals
Previous ranking: 18
The Cardinals have not faced much of a test in their first two games, blowout wins over Austin Peay and Jacksonville State. They had an open date to prepare for Georgia Tech, a team that gave Louisville all it could handle last year in the season opener. This game will tell us far more about the Cards than we already know, because this will be the toughest early season game.
Tyler Shough has delivered as expected at quarterback, but perhaps the most pleasant surprise has been the run game behind the freshman trio of Isaac Brown, Duke Watson and Keyjuan Brown. The three have combined for five of the team’s eight rushing touchdowns. — Adelson
Previous ranking: 21
Well, that was an emphatic statement, a week after losing to Northern Illinois. Notre Dame beat Purdue 66-7, as the Irish racked up 362 yards on the ground. Quarterback Riley Leonard had 100 yards rushing and three rushing touchdowns, adding 112 yards in the air — with no interceptions.
In a stunning loss to the Huskies last week, Notre Dame struggled to run the ball consistently and Leonard had two crucial interceptions — including one that set up the winning field goal. Next up is Miami (Ohio), another team from the MAC. Chances are, the Irish will be far more prepared for this game. — Adelson
Previous ranking: 20
You can question plenty of things about this LSU team right now. You can question a defense that got hit for gains of 75, 66, 39, 31 and 27 yards by South Carolina. You can question an offense that entered the red zone seven times but scored only four touchdowns. You can question Garrett Nussmeier‘s decision-making in some of those red zone failures, too. You can question its initial game plans and preparation, too, after the Tigers fell behind 17-0 to the Gamecocks (a week after leading Nicholls State only 23-21 early in the second half). But you can’t question their resilience.
They went on a 29-7 run to take a fourth-quarter lead at Williams-Brice Stadium, and after South Carolina took the lead back, they drove 55 yards for the winning score with 1:12 left. Nussmeier threw for 285 yards, freshman Caden Durham brought life to the run game and somehow the Tigers survived. — Connelly
Previous ranking: 24
The Tigers got everybody’s attention Saturday by going down to Tallahassee and pulling off a 20-12 upset of Florida State that coach Ryan Silverfield rightfully called “monumental” for his program. They rolled to a 20-3 lead midway through the third quarter thanks to a strong day from senior quarterback Seth Henigan (272 passing yards, 2 TDs) and a much-improved defense, then managed to hold off a late rally and drop the preseason top 10 Seminoles to 0-3.
No matter what becomes of this struggling Florida State team, Memphis pulled off the kind of victory that great Group of 5 teams have needed to be taken seriously by past College Football Playoff committees. Silverfield’s squad should be favored to win nearly every game on its AAC schedule and start conference play this week with a trip to Navy. — MaxOlson
Previous ranking: 23
Iowa State had an idle week following its thrilling 20-19 road win at rival Iowa. That comeback triumph gives this Cyclones squad real confidence heading into a five-game stretch that looks rather manageable: Arkansas State, at Houston, Baylor, at West Virginia and UCF. Those first four currently have a combined record of 6-6. If this team can keep improving and take care of business, it could achieve the program’s first 6-0 start since 1938. — Olson
Previous ranking: N/R
The Huskies had a week to bask in their Notre Dame win, as coach Thomas Hammock and others appeared throughout media platforms and even received the key to the city of DeKalb, Illinois, providing a massive boost to the program’s profile. The real work begins again for the Huskies, who must find a way to win a very interesting Mid-American Conference to give themselves a chance at the College Football Playoff.
Quarterback Ethan Hampton ranks third nationally in raw QB (92.7), trailing only Miami’s Cam Ward and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Defensive tackle Devonte O’Malley earned national defensive player of the week honors after recording three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble, against Notre Dame. The Huskies open MAC play by hosting Buffalo, a team they have beaten 13 of the past 14 times but fell to the last time the squads met in DeKalb. — Rittenberg
Previous ranking: 25
With wins over Eastern Illinois, Kansas and Central Michigan, the Illini are 3-0 for the first time since 2011. Credit to Bret Bielema, who already has Illinois halfway to a bowl appearance three games into his fourth season in charge.
The Illini outscored Central Michigan 17-3 after halftime in Saturday’s 30-9 win. Like any good September football game, the standout moment came courtesy of a kicker as Texas A&M transfer Ethan Moczulski set a school record with his 59-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. But Luke Altmyer was steady once again under center (19 of 29, 242 yards, 2 TD), finding senior pass catcher Pat Bryant on each of his scoring throws, and the Illinois defense has now gone 79:57 without allowing a touchdown dating to the third quarter against Kansas in Week 2. The Illini enter conference play unbeaten for just the third time in the past 22 campaigns with back-to-back ranked matchups with Nebraska and Penn State up next. — Lederman
No. 19 Louisville Cardinals