FOOTBALL
Joe Mussatto
The Oklahoman
Week 1 of the college football season is in the books.
OU, OSU and Tulsa all won. Really, we all won. You know why? Because college football, like Texas, is back!
Let’s partake in the time-honored tradition of overreacting to one slate of games.
Here are seven overreactions from the weekend:
Dabo Swinney’s aversion to the transfer portal is quaint, but the game has evolved. It’d be like Scottie Scheffler trying to win a major with hickory-shafted clubs.
Clemson had a five-year stretch from 2015-19 in which the Tigers won two national championships in four College Football Playoff appearances.
Georgia is the new Clemson. Kirby Smart is the new Dabo Swinney.
This was too close of a ballgame, but that was no fault of McMillan’s.
The 6-foot-5 receiver was a third-team All-American last year, and he and quarterback Noah Fifita returned to Arizona despite losing their head coach, Jedd Fisch, to Washington.
Fifita and McMillan might be the most dynamic quarterback/receiver combo in the nation.
What a kickoff to the Tatairoa McHeisman campaign.
Arizona State, picked to finish last in the Big 12, was only a 6.5-point home favorite against a Wyoming team picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West.
Maybe the Sun Devils aren’t as bad as we thought they’d be.
But if Arizona State doesn’t bring up the Big 12 rear, then who?
Not going out on a limb here, but what about the team picked to finish 15th: Houston.
Houston also played a Mountain West squad in UNLV, picked to finish second in the conference.
UNLV went on the road and handled Houston 27-7.
Now the Cougars have to go to Norman, where they’re probably going to get stomped by the Sooners.
We all knew it was going to be a rough Year 1 for Willie Fritz in Houston, but this was a discouraging result.
Maybe Arizona State won’t finish last in the Big 12, after all.
4. Miami is the best team in the ACC
Florida State lost to Georgia Tech in Dublin and Clemson got crushed by Georgia.
Meanwhile, how ‘bout them Canes?
Miami’s 41-17 thumping of Florida in The Swamp was one of the most impressive performances of Week 1.
Miami is about to be the highest-ranked team in the ACC, and deservedly so.
These are Miami’s next six games: vs. Florida A&M, vs. Ball State, at South Florida, vs. Virginia Tech, at Cal, at Louisville.
That Louisville game could be tricky, but it’s not crazy to think the Hurricanes will be 7-0 when they host Florida State on Oct. 26.
FCS or not, it’ll be a win the College Football Playoff committee will have to acknowledge should the Cowboys be in the 12-team mix.
The Big 12 went 14-2 on opening weekend. West Virginia lost to Penn State 34-12 in Morgantown — which might say more about the Nittany Lions’ legitimacy than anything. Houston was responsible for the Big 12’s other loss.
Here’s how I’d rank the 14 Big 12 wins from most to least impressive.
Disappointing debut for Mike Elko, although the Aggies’ defense looked legit, and a terrific win for third-year Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.
Notre Dame only has two ranked teams left on its schedule: Florida State and USC. Both games are in November. The Irish get the Seminoles at home and the Trojans on the road.
Notre Dame will slip up, but the Fighting Irish will crack the top-12 with one loss.
Former walk-on Davis Warren started at quarterback against Fresno State. The Wolverines won 30-10, but the defending national champs bore little resemblance to their 2023 self.
Michigan will lose to Texas, Oregon and Ohio State. The other losses will come from two of these four games: vs. USC, vs. Minnesota, at Washington, at Illinois
College football overreactions from Week 1: Clemson is cooked. Is Michigan?
Joe MussattoThe Oklahoman
Week 1 of the college football season is in the books.
OU, OSU and Tulsa all won. Really, we all won. You know why? Because college football, like Texas, is back!
Let’s partake in the time-honored tradition of overreacting to one slate of games.
Here are seven overreactions from the weekend:
1. Clemson is cooked
Georgia 34, Clemson 3.Dabo Swinney’s aversion to the transfer portal is quaint, but the game has evolved. It’d be like Scottie Scheffler trying to win a major with hickory-shafted clubs.
Clemson had a five-year stretch from 2015-19 in which the Tigers won two national championships in four College Football Playoff appearances.
Georgia is the new Clemson. Kirby Smart is the new Dabo Swinney.
2. Tetairoa McMillan for Heisman
The junior receiver had 10 catches for a school-record 304 yards and four touchdowns in Arizona’s 61-39 win against New Mexico State.This was too close of a ballgame, but that was no fault of McMillan’s.
The 6-foot-5 receiver was a third-team All-American last year, and he and quarterback Noah Fifita returned to Arizona despite losing their head coach, Jedd Fisch, to Washington.
Fifita and McMillan might be the most dynamic quarterback/receiver combo in the nation.
What a kickoff to the Tatairoa McHeisman campaign.
3. Arizona State isn’t the worst team in the Big 12
One of the low-key stunning results of the weekend was Arizona State’s 48-7 obliteration of Wyoming.Arizona State, picked to finish last in the Big 12, was only a 6.5-point home favorite against a Wyoming team picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West.
Maybe the Sun Devils aren’t as bad as we thought they’d be.
But if Arizona State doesn’t bring up the Big 12 rear, then who?
Not going out on a limb here, but what about the team picked to finish 15th: Houston.
Houston also played a Mountain West squad in UNLV, picked to finish second in the conference.
UNLV went on the road and handled Houston 27-7.
Now the Cougars have to go to Norman, where they’re probably going to get stomped by the Sooners.
We all knew it was going to be a rough Year 1 for Willie Fritz in Houston, but this was a discouraging result.
Maybe Arizona State won’t finish last in the Big 12, after all.
4. Miami is the best team in the ACC
Florida State lost to Georgia Tech in Dublin and Clemson got crushed by Georgia.
Meanwhile, how ‘bout them Canes?
Miami’s 41-17 thumping of Florida in The Swamp was one of the most impressive performances of Week 1.
Miami is about to be the highest-ranked team in the ACC, and deservedly so.
These are Miami’s next six games: vs. Florida A&M, vs. Ball State, at South Florida, vs. Virginia Tech, at Cal, at Louisville.
That Louisville game could be tricky, but it’s not crazy to think the Hurricanes will be 7-0 when they host Florida State on Oct. 26.
5. OSU had Big 12’s best win
t’ll be interesting to see what South Dakota State does in the FCS this season. Because if the Jackrabbits make another national championship run, OSU’s 44-20 win is going to age quite well.FCS or not, it’ll be a win the College Football Playoff committee will have to acknowledge should the Cowboys be in the 12-team mix.
The Big 12 went 14-2 on opening weekend. West Virginia lost to Penn State 34-12 in Morgantown — which might say more about the Nittany Lions’ legitimacy than anything. Houston was responsible for the Big 12’s other loss.
Here’s how I’d rank the 14 Big 12 wins from most to least impressive.
- 1. OSU 44, South Dakota State 20: The Cowboys snapped the Jackrabbits’ 29-game winning streak.
- 2. Colorado 31, North Dakota State 26: OSU beat the No. 1 team in the FCS. Colorado beat the No. 2 team.
- 3. TCU 34, Stanford 27: Always good to get a Power 4 road win. Especially against an ACC titan.
- 4. Arizona State 48, Wyoming 7: Great start for Kenny Dillingham’s club.
- 5. Arizona 61, New Mexico 39: Arizona has an elite offense, but what is that defense doing?
- 6. BYU 41, Southern Illinois 13: The Salukis ranked 10th in the FCS.
- 7. Baylor 45, Tarleton State 3: Tarleton State ranked 21st in the FCS.
- 8. Iowa State 21, North Dakota 3: North Dakota ranked 24th in the FCS.
- 9. Kansas State 41, Tennessee-Martin 6: UT-Martin received votes in the FCS poll. We’re really reaching here.
- 10. Utah 49, Southern Utah 0: Shutouts are cool.
- 11. UCF 57, New Hampshire 3: UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson, the Arkansas transfer, had a rough debut.
- 12. Kansas 48, Lindenwood 3: Lindenwood University is in St. Charles, Missouri. Found that out a few days ago.
- 13. Cincinnati 38, Towson 20: Next.
- 14. Texas Tech 52, Abilene Christian 51 (OT): Texas Tech was favored by 34.5. Embarrassing performance from the Red Raiders. Abilene Christian quarterback Maverick McIvor, a Texas Tech transfer, threw for 506 yards against his former team.
6. Notre Dame is College Football Playoff bound
Notre Dame beat Texas A&M 23-13, surviving the Kyle Field crazies.Disappointing debut for Mike Elko, although the Aggies’ defense looked legit, and a terrific win for third-year Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.
Notre Dame only has two ranked teams left on its schedule: Florida State and USC. Both games are in November. The Irish get the Seminoles at home and the Trojans on the road.
Notre Dame will slip up, but the Fighting Irish will crack the top-12 with one loss.
7. Michigan will lose five games
Former walk-on Davis Warren started at quarterback against Fresno State. The Wolverines won 30-10, but the defending national champs bore little resemblance to their 2023 self.
Michigan will lose to Texas, Oregon and Ohio State. The other losses will come from two of these four games: vs. USC, vs. Minnesota, at Washington, at Illinois
