Man, what a time to be alive if you are a fan of college football.
The sport gave us the most exciting opening week in recent memory. That’s because we saw matchups of top teams, from Ole Miss-Florida State, Oklahoma-Houston, Georgia-UNC, LSU-Wisconsin, and Alabama-USC.
To quote the great Dick Vitale, “that was awesome with a capital A baby!”
So while I am still on this high (and dreading the letdown in Week 2), here are my takeaways from Week 1:
Houston is a legit contender for the College Football Playoff
The Cougars certainly looked the part, especially the way they took apart formerly #3 Oklahoma. Houston was more physical than the Sooners. Houston was also more prepared and played like it belonged in the Big 12.
Think the rest of the Big 12 (really just Texas) took notice? I think so.
And I also think the CFP committee noticed. The AP poll certainly did…
The SEC is overrated
Sorry SEC honks, but your conference had a 2005-2012 ACC-like performance. It lost seven games on opening weekend for the first time in recently memory.
Mississippi State losing to South Alabama? Missouri getting stomped in West Virginia? Auburn not having a QB vs. Clemson? LSU not mastering the forward pass vs. Wisconsin? Kentucky losing to Southern Miss? Ole Miss choking away a lead and allow Florida State to stomp it in the second half?
Hell, even Tennessee and Arkansas did not look all that swell in their wins.
Simply put, the SEC is not looking like the all-powerful conference it once was. Even the great Paul Finebaum admitted that the SEC is “underwater”…
The ACC is going to be a three-horse race
I know Clemson and Florida State won their opening games against tough competition. And I do believe that both will have a say on who will represent the ACC in the CFP.
But there is a team in Louisville that thinks it should also belong in that conversation.
And yes, I know that the Cardinals played UNC-Charlotte. However, Cards QB Lamar Jackson is the real deal.
Eight touchdowns accounted for is eight touchdowns. In the FIRST HALF.
I tell ya what, I predicted that the ACC Atlantic will have three 10-win teams. Those Louisville-Clemson-Florida State clashes are going to be epic…
Texas is back
Is it a bit early to make such a proclamation? Perhaps.
However, this is a sign that Charlie Strong’s bunch finally knows what it takes to win the close games.
When the Longhorns lost that 17-point lead to Notre Dame, the Texas of old would have found that way to blow that game. But this town around, the Horns mustered enough grit and pulled off the win in double overtime.
Good for Texas, and more importantly good for Charlie Strong…
It’s still early, folks
To fans of Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, USC and LSU (especially USC and LSU), don’t panic. I repeat – DON’T PANIC.
There is still a lot of college football left to be played, and it’s only Week 1.
So in the words of Green Bay Packers QB Aaron “A-a-Ron” Rodgers, “RELAX”…
Categories: college football, college sports
Leave a Reply