In week 0, several near-upsets were on the schedule, kicking off the college football season with a thrilling start. Week 1 began with more of the same.
North Carolina barely edged Minnesota in a rainy mess of a contest. Yet, the best surely came after Thursday’s games. And as Labor Day Weekend unfolded, more surprises were on the way. Here’s a recap of last week’s games and a look towards this weekend.
College Football Week 1 Recap
Recap of Week 1’s Saturday Spotlight (Thurs.): NDSU at Colorado
Travis Hunter solidified himself at the most electric playmaker in college football. His 41-yard score in the first quarter highlights his exceptional talent after the catch, as he raced past the North Dakota State defense for the end zone trip. Later, he made a spectacular catch in the end zone for another score. Hunter and Shedeur Sanders linked up with 132 yards and three scores.
As for Sanders, he easily pushed the ball downfield. He found Jimmy Horn Jr. on several deep throws in the North Dakota State secondary. Sanders was well-composed under pressure and delivered one strike after another with a 81.8 QBR.
North Dakota State also deserves a lot of credit for how they competed on the road against Colorado, especially quarterback Cam Miller.
Miller efficiently operated the offense, controlling the clock and keeping Colorado off the field for as long as possible until the tide shifted in the second half. Just when you thought Colorado’s defense would be their undoing again, they buckled down in the second half, holding the Bison to just six points after halftime and coming up with key stops. This game was expected to be a nip-tuck contest throughout, and it didn’t disappoint.
Recap of last week’s Upset Pick: Notre Dame over Texas A&M
The matchup between Notre Dame and Texas A&M was a flurry of body blows throughout the game, with both defenses standing strong and unwilling to give an inch.
Notre Dame’s front rattled Conner Weigman and forced him into two interceptions, along with a mere 100 yards passing on 30 attempts (3.3 yards per attempt) for a QBR of 31.8.
The lone offensive bright spot for A&M was Le’Veon Moss, who churned out 70 tough yards on 20 rushing attempts.
After a defensive stalemate, Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price delivered with a big 47-yard run for a 13-6 lead and the game’s first touchdown midway through the third quarter. A&M managed to tie the contest, but not before Notre Dame hammered the ground game until they took the lead for good and capped off with Jeremiyah Love‘s go-ahead TD late.
Who helped or hurt themselves the most?
Can you lose a College Football playoff bid in the first week? It feels like Virginia Tech did.
Coming out flat like they did against Vanderbilt was disappointing for a program with high expectations. Vanderbilt raced out to a 17-0 lead, and the Hokies had no answer for Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia once he broke the pocket. Pavia ran for 104 yards in addition to an effective 12 for 16 on pass attempts for 190 yards passing.
Sure, Virginia Tech came back late to take the lead in registration. However, the defense allowed a game-tying drive and then a chance for the game-winning field goal in overtime, which Vanderbilt’s Brock Taylor missed wide right.
It’s frustrating for Virginia Tech fans because, on paper, they have the talent at quarterback, wide receiver, and running back. Vanderbilt was supposed to be a minor blip on the radar, but the Commodores might have dashed the Hokies’ hopes for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Virginia Tech had an easy schedule outside of relatively difficult games against Miami and Clemson. Things were lining up for a good chance for Virginia Tech to play in the ACC title, and this loss is a setback.
Who really helped or hurt themselves the most?
Florida State fans must be livid by what they have seen over the past two weeks. Picture yourself as a fan of the Seminoles and feeling like the right to compete for a championship was stolen from you; and instead of vindication some months later, you met with justified vilification.
Last week against Georgia Tech can be forgiven and somewhat understood. However, their stinker of a performance against Boston College at home in a national spotlight is inexcusable. The Seminoles yielded over 70 rushing yards each to the trio of Kye Robichaux, Treshaun Ward, and Thomas Castellanos. The Eagles ran for a whopping 263 yards total.
Conversely, Florida State’s running game vanished for another week as they ran for only 21 yards on 16 carries (1.3 yards per attempt). That’s not even mentioning DJ Uiagalelei’s night from the pocket.
The senior quarterback missed several open receivers for plays that would have altered the contest’s momentum, yet Uiagalelei was way off. His misfires created a stir on social media. The Seminoles need to turn things around quickly, but 0-2 to start the season in the ACC is far from what anyone expected from the program.
Previewing Week 2 of College Football
Saturday Spotlight: Texas and Michigan
Michigan vs. Texas is easily the biggest clash of the early NCAA season. Both teams come into 2024 riding high. The Michigan Wolverines are coming off their first national championship since the 1997 season. Meanwhile, the Longhorns have much to look forward to after making it to the final four of the College Football Playoff last season.
Both programs remain strong. Although the Wolverines lost Jim Harbaugh and countless players to the NFL, the Wolverines welcome back All-Americans Mason Graham and Will Johnson. As for Texas, the talented Quinn Ewers is back for another season, along with receiver Johntay Cook. The keys to this game will be how the Texas defense prepares for which Michigan quarterback.
Davis Warren is the primary starter for Michigan, but Alex Orji will play some and is a dual-threat at quarterback. Meanwhile, Kalel Mullins and Donovan Edwards give Michigan a dynamic rushing attack to support whoever is under center. The Texas front seven is going to have a tough task.
On the other side, the Longhorns have enough talent to challenge the Michigan secondary. Isaiah Bond, the transfer from Alabama, is an explosive playmaker who fits well with Ewers’ vertical throwing tendencies. Expect a close contest that comes down to the last possession with Texas at Michigan in this week’s Saturday Spotlight.
Upset Pick: NC State over Tennessee
Fans definitely didn’t like that NC State went back and forth with Western Carolina for three quarters last week. However, NC State did have 15 players coming over from the transfer portal, with 21 leaving, thus having a lot of changes to their roster.
That said, per 247 Sports, NC State was in the top 20 among recruiting classes. Naturally, NC State should take some time to find its footing, and they did, scoring 21 unanswered points to get the win last week.
Jordan Waters and Grayson McCall looked good in their debuts for the Wolfpack, and the upward trend continues this week against a visiting Tennessee Volunteers team.
NC State defenders to keep your eyes on are defensive lineman Red Hibbler, who had 6.5 sacks last season, and cornerback Aydan White.
Look for NC State to force Tennessee’s freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava into a few mistakes for the Wolfpack defense. Tennessee is favored by 7.5, and it feels too close. In a primetime matchup, the Wolfpack win a close call by less than a touchdown.
