College Football: Recap of Week 1
Saturday Spotlight: Maryland vs. FAU
Being down on the field pregame, you could feel optimism from both sides. Maryland true freshman quarterback Malik Washington was told he would be the team’s starting quarterback hours before kickoff. He did not disappoint.
After needing to settle into the game, Washington found a rhythm, hitting receivers on quick crossing patterns to put the ball in the hands of playmakers. Oklahoma transfer Jalil Farooq established himself as one of Washington’s favorite targets.
On defense, linebacker Daniel Wingate was everywhere on the field and returned an interception for a touchdown early.
For the Florida Atlantic, nothing seemed to go their way offensively. The offensive line was under siege by the Maryland front, and quarterback Caden Veltkamp never looked comfortable in the pocket. He was forced into four interceptions, and FAU couldn’t keep the Terrapins honest on defense as their rushing attack was nonexistent. Easton Messer had 15 receptions, but was largely contained with only 87 yards receiving.
Maryland’s defense finished with six interceptions, the most they’ve recorded in a game in 27 years. In the postgame presser, Maryland coach Mike Locksley gave a lot of credit to Washington’s poise and Wingate’s persistence.
Upset Special: Syracuse vs. Tennessee
With all the changes that Tennessee had endured in the offseason, you thought maybe Syracuse had the Volunteers right where they wanted them. Well, not exactly.
Tennessee proved against Syracuse that it still has the playmakers to produce big plays down the field. Although Joey Aguilar isn’t the same type of quarterback as Nico Iamaleava, Aguilar showed he can still orchestrate the offense and get the most out of his playmakers. Aguilar threw for 247 yards on only 16 completions.
The Volunteers’ defense had five sacks against Syracuse and forced two turnovers. Tennessee raced out to a 17-point lead after the first quarter and never looked back.
Syracuse running back Yasin Willis did manage to have a solid day with nearly 100 yards and three scores, but the Orange were simply outmatched by Tennessee. Syracuse has two weeks to regroup before opening conference play at Clemson, and Tennessee has a big date with Georgia in Week 3.
Who hurt themselves the most in Week 1?
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer easily hurt himself the most. There’s something not quite right with the Crimson Tide in 2025. For the better part of two decades, Alabama football has been the gold standard of college football. Granted, Nick Saban isn’t there anymore, but the program still carries weight, and their ability to get talent isn’t a question. Stacked classes after another leave no excuse for what has been happening with DeBoer’s Crimson Tide group.
After they were boldly challenged by Thomas Castellanos during the summer, Alabama threw up a stinker, scoring only 17 points versus Florida State. Their effort on the field was awful, too.
Alabama looks like a team that doesn’t have inspiration. As the saying goes, not all money is good money, and maybe DeBoer isn’t the right fit for the Crimson Tide. Last week was the most recent failure, but look at last year’s losses against Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Michigan. In the state those programs were in last season, no one could have ever imagined Alabama losing to those teams.
Something is off with Alabama, and DeBoer is putting himself in the crosshairs of a rabid college football fanbase with his team playing as poorly as they did. Last week’s loss did him no favors.
College Football: Week 2 Spotlight and Upset Special
Saturday Spotlight: Michigan versus Oklahoma
For nothing else, this game will be a great showcase for both quarterbacks facing premier defenses. And, Oklahoma’s Brett Venables gets his chance to try to confuse Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Underwood is a true freshman, but he showed so much on-field maturity last week versus New Mexico State. He demonstrated great touch under pressure, poise in the pocket, and the willingness to get physical.
Meanwhile, Sooners’ quarterback John Mateer is also an intriguing prospect. The Oklahoma signal caller could raise his draft stock with a strong year in Norman.
R Mason Thomas is a nightmare off the edge that can take over games if Michigan doesn’t provide some help on that side.
Another key storyline is Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham missing the first half of the game because of a controversial targeting penalty against New Mexico that was upheld upon appeal. It should make for an interesting game this week in the Saturday Spotlight.
Upset Special: Mississippi State over Arizona State
Mississippi State is trying to get over a rough 2024 season where everything went wrong. Injuries and a bad defense truly held back the Bulldogs’ last year. However, quarterback Blake Shapen is healthy, and their transfer receivers have a lot of talent.
Brenen Thompson has great speed to flip the field in a second and can take it the distance. They’ve got size at the position with Anthony Evans and Ayden Williams. Couple that with a veteran offensive line, and Mississippi State could surprise the Sun Devils on Saturday.
On defense, Isaac Smith is a productive player for the Bulldogs’ defense that can play in the nickel or at safety.
For Arizona State, quarterback Sam Leavitt was a little shaky last week versus Northern Arizona. Without Cam Skattebo, it’ll be on Leavitt to run the ball more than he’s accustomed to. Kenny Dillingham likes to take chances, and that could bite his team on the road. Bulldogs burn the Sun Devils in Starkville.
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