The college football season is in full swing, with surprises and disappointments aplenty. Among the top three ranked teams, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas stand out as the strongest, while the rest of the rankings remain unpredictable. Some highly ranked teams have had scares against supposedly inferior opponents, and a top-five team lost to NIU at home despite being a 28-point favorite.
Notably, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman has had a rocky start to his tenure, following a loss to a Group of 5 opponent. Despite having a strong veteran defense, they struggled in their Saturday game with Riley Leonard throwing two interceptions. The outcome has dampened the spirit created by Notre Dame’s opening win at Texas A&M and raised questions about Freeman’s ability to lead. On the brighter side, the upset win for NIU felt like winning a national title, becoming their biggest victory.
The match-up between No. 10 Michigan and No. 3 Texas saw the Wolverines underperform, confirming fears about their offensive lineup. While the disappointment was palpable on Michigan’s end, Texas enjoyed their win, mainly due to star quarterback Quinn Ewers impressive performance. Meanwhile, Michigan’s recently appointed head coach Sherrone Moore’s inability to upgrade the team’s roster raises questions about their chance in the coming games.
Simultaneously, Nebraska’s 28-10 win against the old rival, Colorado, brought much-needed joy to the Huskers’ fans. Their five-star freshman quarterback, Dylan Raiola, had a significant role in this victory. Even though Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty proved himself as a star player, the Ducks barely scraped a victory against them with a last-second field goal. Elsewhere, Alabama’s 42-16 victory over USF failed to impress, with the team experiencing trouble on the line of scrimmage.
On a more positive note, Tennessee’s solid win against NC State displayed their significant defensive strength. Nico Iamaleava, though throwing an interception that became NC State’s only touchdown, managed to show promising glimpses of his emerging talent. South Carolina’s surprise 31-6 beatdown of Kentucky further kept the unpredictability of the season alive. Continuing with notable performances, Rocco Becht’s stellar performance for Iowa State against rival Iowa’s notoriously salt defense led to a significant come-from-behind victory.
The Big 12 saw Oklahoma State and Kansas State survive potentially upsetting games against Arkansas and Tulane, respectively. Despite being down at halftime, critical plays towards the end helped these two teams seal the victories. Controversial officiating during the Kansas State vs Tulane match left Tulane fans disappointed and cost them the game. Clemson’s 66-20 thrashing of respected G5 team Appalachian State served as a reminder that they are still a force to reckon with in the ACC.
In the second season under head coach Hugh Freeze, Auburn seems to be replicating their disappointing performances from the previous year. Losing to Cal 21-14, the shortcomings of Auburn’s passing game, under the struggling quarterback, Payton Thorne, proven evident. On the other hand, Illinois made a significant leap in their second match against 19th ranked Jayhawks, slowing down their veteran offense. This improved performance from Bret Bielema’s team comes after a poor showing in last year’s same weekend game against Kansas.
Syracuse’s new quarterback, Kyle McCord, showed an impressive performance in his ACC debut, leading the team to a 31-28 win over Georgia Tech. Elsewhere, Washington State and Oregon State came up with substantial victories against Texas Tech and San Diego State, respectively, despite the uncertainty surrounding their future in the conference. Notably, Louisiana-Monroe shocked UAB with a 32-6 victory, ensuring a disappointing start for UAB’s splashing coach hire, Trent Dilfer. This defeat could raise questions about UAB’s choice of leadership. In conclusion, while the college football season has begun with ups and downs, the unpredictability of games keeps fans guessing and adds to the excitement of the season.
