2022 Post-Week Six CFB Roundup

Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh

 

Reactions & Thoughts

A Meaningful "Third Saturday in October": Few rivalries in college football have been as one-sided the last several decades as the "Third Saturday in October" matchup between Alabama and Tennessee. The Tide have won 15 in a row stretching back to 2007, with several of those games being complete blowouts. However, this year's matchup pits the top-ranked Crimson Tide with sixth-ranked Tennessee, their highest ranking in years. The Volunteers have answered every test they've been thrown en route to a 5-0 start, including Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and LSU this past Saturday. They have one of the nation's most exciting quarterbacks running the show, a fun up-tempo offense, and an aggressive defense. They have the pieces in place to give Alabama their toughest game in years, particularly as the Tide still work out their kinks offensively. Even if they aren't able to spring an upset, it feels great having this rivalry mean something again. The two programs have a history of success, rabid fanbases, and a brand that extends far beyond the Southeast. It's a great thing for the sport when they're both nationally relevant, and this upcoming battle between them could be the most anticipated single game of the 2022 season.

An Ode To TCU-Kansas: College GameDay traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, for the first time in its history to watch the undefeated Jayhawks war undefeated TCU and the game delivered. The two teams went back-and-forth the entire way in a thrilling, tight contest that saw the Horned Frogs come out on top. It was a pleasant reminder of just of powerful college football can be, and how important it is to build a winner. Kansas has suffered through a decade-plus of football purgatory, but they've been treated to a special 2022 and the fans have shown up, with three straight sellouts. Coincidentally, the on-field success has had reverberations that will last long past this fall, with the school recently announcing they are investing $300 million into upgrades to David Booth Memorial Stadium and the Anderson Family Football Complex. Although their undefeated season is over, the Jayhawks have proven they deserve Top 25 recognition, and will be a factor in the Big 12 Title race. That alone is not a sentence anybody would have thought of writing prior to the season.

College Football Has Returned To Hollywood: USC's frustrations the past decade have left the college football scene a bit lacking in Los Angeles. A month-and-a-half into the 2022 campaign, the excitement and energy in the city has returned, thanks to the success of both USC and UCLA. The Trojans have met their lofty preseason expectations and are legit CFB Playoff contenders, beating Washington State to improve to 6-0. Meanwhile, the Bruins had one of their biggest victories in years, toppling Utah at home to put themselves on an inside track towards a Pac-12 Title. After some initial struggles, Chip Kelly has built a winner in Westwood, and has a formidable team on his hands. Football on the West Coast has lagged behind in recent years, but the return of these two programs to the forefront is a great thing for the sport. Now, both are hoping to stay perfect and set up a potential Top 10 showdown in mid-November at the Rose Bowl.

Uh Oh, Oklahoma: Even after Lincoln Riley ditched for USC and took his star QB with him, conventional wisdom around the college football world was that Oklahoma would still be a Big 12 Title contender. Sure, they weren't without questions, but Brent Venables was a strong hire, and the program was still incredibly talented. Now six weeks into the season, it's clear that the conventional wisdom was very wrong. The Sooners lost 49-0 in the latest edition of Red River, possibly their most humiliating loss in the history of the rivalry. The score alone is shocking, but it doesn't encapsulate just how thoroughly and completely Texas pounded the Sooners. To be fair, starting QB Dillon Gabriel was out, but this game still likely would have been a blowout. The Sooner defense is atrocious, and the offense simply doesn't have the playmakers it once does. Now 3-3 and 0-3 in the Big 12, it will be a hard climb for Venables and company, as they face Kansas next. Clearly, there are some deep, deep issues here, and the pressure is on for Venables to figure it out in quick fashion, especially with a move to the SEC on the near horizon.

A New Era Arriving At Auburn?: The worst-kept secret in college football right now is at Auburn, where Bryan Harsin looks to be on his last legs as head coach. Harsin was always a bit of a strange hire, a Pacific Northwest guy without any ties to the SEC, and the experiment has not worked out. It's only a matter of time before Auburn moves on, but the question is when? The assumption was that they didn't want to do it before their meeting with Georgia this past weekend, in order to avoid the interim coach facing a top team, but now? It's likely they're still waiting to make an AD hire before they make a move at head coach but with the coaching carousel spinning, they have to make sure they don't get left behind.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh

This is a no-brainer for this week's offensive helmet sticker. Pitt tailback Israel Abanikanda put together one of the most impressive stat-lines you'll see in college football, as the junior went for 320 yards and six touchdowns in the win over Virginia Tech. It broke Tony Dorsett's single-game yard record and tied the ACC's single-game touchdown record all in one day. Following the historical performance, Abanikanda has risen to No. 2 in the FBS in rushing yardage, behind only Illinois' Chase Brown.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC

USC's offense gets a lot of national attention and rightfully so, but it seems like the Trojan defense is improving each and every week. They held an explosive Washington State offense to just 316 yards and 14 points as 'SC improved to 6-0 on the season. Spearheading the dominant performance was relentless defensive linemen Tuli Tuipulotu, who had five tackles and three sacks. It was the latest big-time showing from the veteran, who now leads all FBS defenders with seven sacks in total.

Team of the Week: Tennessee Volunteers

This isn't the first Tennessee team to receive considerable hype in recent years. However, past Volunteer teams likely would have gone into Baton Rouge as a favorite and lost to LSU in humiliating fashion. Not this team, which scored quickly off a muffed kickoff return and never looked back, leaving with a 40-13 victory. It marked the latest massive victory for a Tennessee team building quite the resume, and was particularly impressive because of how dominant it was. The Volunteers outplayed LSU in every major statistical category and held a comfortable lead the entire way, despite being in a hostile environment. Will the recent success translate into a program-defining victory against Alabama this upcoming weekend? Maybe, maybe not, but Tennessee should feel incredibly good about themselves following this game.

"Small-School" Team of the Week: UConn Huskies

Another loose definition of the term, "small-school" here but UConn's lack of football success over the last decade has left them largely ignored by the national media. Following their win over Florida International over the weekend, the FBS Independent Huskies are now 3-4, tying their most victories in a season since 2017. Head coach Jim Mora has done an excellent job in Year One with this downtrodden program and there's an outside shot at bowl eligibility, albeit a slim one. Upcoming games with Boston College, Liberty, and Army are likely all losses, but UMass and Ball State could help this Huskies team hover around .500.

My Top 25

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

2. Georgia Bulldogs

3. Alabama Crimson Tide

4. Clemson Tigers

5. Tennessee Volunteers

6. Michigan Wolverines

7. USC Trojans

8. UCLA Bruins

9. Penn State Nittany Lions

10. Oklahoma State Cowboys

11. Oregon Ducks

12. Ole Miss Rebels

13. TCU Horned Frogs

14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

15. NC State Wolfpack

16. Syracuse Orange

17. Kansas State Wildcats

18. Kansas Jayhawks

19. Mississippi State Bulldogs

20. Illinois Fighting Illini

21. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

22. Texas Longhorns

23. Utah Utes

24. Tulane Green Wave

25. North Carolina Tar Heels

Receiving Votes: Cincinnati Bearcats, James Madison Dukes, Florida State Seminoles, Kentucky Wildcats, Minnesota Golden Gophers

2022 Post-Week Three CFB Roundup

Jalon Daniels, Kansas

Reactions & Thoughts

Another Brutal Day For The Big Ten West: Is there a single Power Five division that's had a rougher go of it over the season's first three weeks than the Big Ten West? It's clear that head coaching was not the only issue at Nebraska, as the 'Huskers were routed by Oklahoma in their first game under interim head man Mickey Joseph. Then, Purdue fell to 1-2 after a heart-wrenching defeat on the road to Syracuse. Then there is Northwestern, who also fell to 1-2, losing to previously winless FCS opponent Southern Illinois. The lone remaining undefeated in the division is none other than the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who pounded Colorado over the weekend, but have yet to face a formidable foe and may be without star wide out Chris Autman-Bell for an extended period of time. For years, this division has taken a backseat to the Big Ten East, but usually the strength of consistent programs like Wisconsin and Iowa. That just doesn't appear to be the case this season, which means the Big Ten Championship Game could be particularly one-sided in 2022. 

USC Has Arrived Earlier Than Expected: The USC Trojans had a splashy offseason, reeling Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams away from Oklahoma and bringing in a bunch more talent in the transfer portal. We knew they would be much improved from the 4-8 team we saw in 2021, but through three weeks, they've looked like the Pac-12's best team. These last two weeks were prime upset alerts against Stanford and a tough Fresno State team, but Riley's club rolled, including a 45-17 victory on Saturday. It's not just that this team is 3-0, but how effortless they've made it look; the offense has been unstoppable all season and the defense has made major strides in just one offseason. The schedule the rest of the way looks very favorable, with the only game 'SC may not be favored in being a road tilt with Utah. If they can survive that, it's not unrealistic to start taking College Football Playoff, which felt a bit overly ambitious at the start of the year.

Is There Any Stopping Georgia?: Conventional thought through the offseason was that the reigning National Champion Georgia Bulldogs may take a slight step back in 2022, thanks in large part to all the departures on the defensive side of the ball. Over the first three weeks, that thought seems to have been laid to rest. The Bulldogs have been absolutely terrifying so far this fall, with another comfortable victory over the weekend in their SEC opener over South Carolina. This team hasn't taken any steps backwards, in fact they are looking even better than last year's team. That has been particularly true of an offense that is looking terrific at the moment, with Stetson Bennett at the controls. It's early, but Bennett seems to have taken up the mantle as the Heisman frontrunner, while the Bulldogs are the team to beat, unless someone proves otherwise.

Which Direction Does Arizona State Go?: The coaching carousel keeps on spinning, with a new name added to the list. Herm Edwards was let go on Sunday after an embarrassing loss to Eastern Michigan in the midst of an NCAA investigation. He was always a bit of a strange hire and despite some early success, was not able to turn the Sun Devils into consistent contenders in the Pac-12. However, this is a job that really intrigues me. ASU has all the resources to be a winner, as a massive school with a hefty athletics budget inside a talent-rich state. But, it just hasn't happened yet, and several bad coaching hires over the last few seasons have sent the program sliding in the wrong direction. There's not an obvious direction the Sun Devils go in now that Edwards is out, but I'm sure you'll see the usual names thrown out there, such as Matt Campbell, Luke Fickell, maybe Matt Rhule. Two names I'm keeping a close eye on are Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze and Oregon State defensive coordinator Trent Bray. Freeze seems to have restored his reputation after what transpired at Ole Miss and is doing great things with Liberty. While he's a Southeast guy, there's no doubt in my mind he would bring in big talent at ASU and win. Bray wouldn't be as flashy and it's unlikely ASU would go with someone so untested, but I think he's a great candidate. He's played a major role in helping turn around Oregon State's defense, a team that is currently 3-0, and he's from Arizona originally. He served as interim head coach at Nebraska in 2017 after they fired Mike Riley.

Here's To Early Season Turnarounds: One of the best parts about college football is seeing programs turn things around after a brutal season. There are several notable programs off to impressive starts in 2022, from 3-0 Florida State to 3-0 Syracuse, to 3-0 Duke. The coolest may be Kansas, who has been the worst Power Five program in the country for over a decade, but is off to an undefeated start. It's not the Jayhawks just beating up on FCS schools over Group of Five teams, either. They went out and beat West Virginia two weeks ago then ran past Houston over the weekend, a team fresh off a 12-win 2021. I firmly believe Lance Leipold is the most underrated coach in college football. Whether it's at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, Buffalo, or now Kansas, all he does is win football games.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas

Speaking of Kansas, let's give some love to quarterback Jalon Daniels, who had a huge week against Houston. The junior personifies what it means to be a true dual-threat, as he went for 158 yards and three touchdowns through the air and added 123 and two scores with his legs. He did so against a Houston defense that was strong last season, although seems to have taken a step back in 2022. The QB position at Kansas has been a revolving door this past decade-plus, but it looks like they have their guy in Daniels. He has 10 total touchdowns over the season's first three weeks and has looked in command of the offense.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Jaren Kanak, LB, Oklahoma

Oklahoma pounded Nebraska over the weekend, with both sides of the ball operating at incredibly high levels. While Dillon Gabriel engineered an impressive offensive showing, youngster Jaren Kanak proved to be the leader of the Sooner defense. The one-time Clemson commit followed head coach Brent Venables to Norman and it appears to be paying dividends. He showed out on Saturday, leading the team with 10 tackles, three of them solo. Kanak was also a constant presence in the Cornhusker backfield, leading the team with four pressures. It seemed like every time Casey Thompson turned around, the freshman was in his face, crippling any hopes of Nebraska developing a rhythm on that side of the ball. After such a showing, it will be fascinating to see what he does as an encore; he has all the talent to be a truly disruptive force for years to come at OU.

Team of the Week: Washington Huskies

First-year head man Kalen DeBoer should be an early frontrunner in the National Coach of the Year race, as he was come in and engineered a quick turnaround in Seattle. After a disastrous 4-8 2021 that included Jimmy Lake's firing, Washington is out to a 3-0 start, punctuated by an impressive victory over Michigan State. It was an 11-point win for the Huskies, but the reality is that the game was not that close; UW dominated in every aspect and deserve to be a Top 25 team. Next up is a fourth straight home game, this time against Stanford, before a road test with UCLA tells us what this team is really about in 2022.

"Small-School" Team of the Week: Southern Illinois Salukis

Winless and heading into a road Big Ten stadium, Southern Illinois could have rolled over and let Northwestern run away with a victory. Instead the Salukis were ready, managing to tie the Wildcats at halftime then scoring two huge touchdowns in the fourth quarter to shock NW in Evanston. This looks like another down year for Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats, but that shouldn't overshadow this victory for Southern Illinois. They never looked intimidated by the moment and made the most out of it, capitalizing on four Northwestern turnovers to pull off an upset as a two-touchdown underdog. The Salukis may still slip to the bottom of the tough Missouri Valley Conference, but that should not take away from how impressive this win was. 

My Top 25

Current Rank                Last Week

1. Ohio State Buckeyes        (1)

2. Georgia Bulldogs              (2)

3. Alabama Crimson Tide      (3)

4. Clemson Tigers                (4)

5. NC State Wolfpack            (5)

6. Oklahoma Sooners            (7)

7. Arkansas Razorbacks        (6)

8. Michigan Wolverines        (8)

9. USC Trojans                    (9)

10. Utah Utes                       (13)

11. Tennessee Volunteers    (14)

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons    (11)

13. Cincinnati Bearcats        (16)

14. Texas A&M Aggies        (18)

15. Oregon Ducks                (20)

16. Minnesota Golden Gophers    (17)

17. Oklahoma State Cowboys        (19)

18. BYU Cougars            (12)

19. Kentucky Wildcats     (22)

20. Miami Hurricanes        (11)

21. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers    (21)

22. Baylor Bears        (23)

23. Ole Miss Rebels    (24)

24. Washington Huskies    (NR)

25. Oregon State Beavers    (25)

Receiving Notes: Florida Gators, Penn State Nittany Lions, Michigan State Spartans, Syracuse Orange, Iowa State Cyclones

Dropped Out: Michigan State Spartans (#15)

2022 Post-Week Two CFB Roundup

Khalan Laborn, Marshall

Reactions & Thoughts

It's Time For Jimbo To Hand Over Play-calling Duties: Throughout his time as head coach at Florida State and Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher has maintained significant control over each team's offense, operating as the chief play-caller. Following A&M's embarrassing loss to Appalachian State over the weekend, it feels like it's time for him to relinquish control and hire a true offensive coordinator. For so long, Fisher's offense has been viewed as "complex" but it goes beyond that; it simply is not a reliable offense in modern college football. With the lone exception of Jameis Winston's Heisman season back in 2013, Fisher's units have regularly been mediocre, lacking an explosiveness that has defined truly elite, National Championship-caliber teams. While I don't think Fisher is on a hot seat following the frustrating loss, you get the sense that there will be internal pressure for him to bring in someone as offensive coordinator, and there will be plenty of candidates available this offseason. It's always difficult for a veteran head coach, especially one that has won a National Title, to give up some control, but it's clearly time in College Station.

Saturday Was More About Texas Than Alabama: One of the more surprising results of the weekend wasn't an upset, but Texas taking it down to the wire against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. I give the Longhorns plenty of credit; I thought this game was going to be an absolute domination, and over halfway through the third quarter. On the contrary, Texas looked like the better team for the majority of the game, even with quarterback Quinn Ewers going down early in the game. It was the Longhorn defense that surprised the most. For so long, this has been the Achilles Heel of the program, but they looked well-coached, disciplined, and filled their gaps incredibly well. That doesn't mean Alabama's offense isn't without faults, they've been too vanilla since Bill O'Brien took over as OC and desperately miss a deep threat like Tyler Harrell, who has been out the first two weeks of the year. It also doesn't mean we have to overvalue Texas after a close loss to the nation's top team. This team looks improved through the first several weeks, but Ewers will miss over a month due to injury, and they remain far from perfect. Contending for a Big 12 Title would mark significant improvement for Steve Sarkisian in Year Two and now appear like a real possibility instead of a fantasy at this point.

Long Live The "Fun Belt": Was there any conference, whether it be Power Five or Group of Five, that had a better weekend than the Sun Belt? It began with Marshall's shocking upset of No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, a statement win for the program in their debut season in the league. Appalachian State quickly followed it up, as a 29-yard field goal with eight minutes left in the game proved to be the deciding factor over sixth-ranked Texas A&M. As if that wasn't enough, the Sun Belt had an epic conclusion, with Georgia Southern finishing off the Scott Frost era in Lincoln. It was quite the impressive trio for a conference that continues to rise in prominence. Just a decade ago, the Sun Belt looked like it may be dying but now, it has a real chance to challenge the American Athletic for Group of Five supremacy.

It Was Fun, Scott Frost: For the rest of the Big Ten West, that is. In fact, the entire Scott Frost tenure was a reminder of just how difficult it is to predict these types of things. He looked the ideal coaching candidate after his run at UCF, and was the prodigal son coming home to restore glory to his alma mater. Four-plus years later, he wraps up his time in Lincoln with a total record of 16-31 and a dismal 10-26 mark inside the Big Ten. It just didn't work out, but this certainly is not the end for Frost. He had a quick rise up the coaching ranks and was considered quite the innovative offensive mind before the Nebraska disaster. He is also just 47 years old, essentially a baby in the world of college football coaching, so it would not shock me if he is a hot name on the market over this offseason, especially for a Group of Five program that saw how quickly he turned things around with UCF.

Can Minnesota Take Advantage In The Big Ten West?: I'll admit there may have been some bias in my selection of Minnesota for the Big Ten West Title, but after two weeks, it's looking more and more realistic. Of course, there is an important caveat here; we don't know much about the Gophers as their first two games featured easy victories over New Mexico State and Western Illinois and we won't learn too much this weekend against an atrocious Colorado team. However, simply look at the rest of the division. Wisconsin and Iowa featured two of the worst offensive performances of the weekend in brutal losses, Nebraska now has an interim coach and are far from contention, Northwestern lost to Duke, and both Purdue and Illinois have lost league games already. This feels like a golden opportunity for the Golden Gophers, but is this the year P.J. Fleck and company can actually take advantage?

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

After a quiet first weekend for Ohio State against Notre Dame, they seemed to take out some frustration in Week Two. They went for 538 yards in a 45-12 drubbing of Arkansas State, even after resting their starters most of the second half. C.J. Stroud took full advantage, throwing for six touchdowns, but I found the most impressive player on the field to be wide out Marvin Harrison Jr. The son of the former NFL legend was absolutely unstoppable, catching seven passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns. It was a true coming out party for a receiver that many have long thought could assert himself as a household name in 2022. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba likely out for another week or two, it presents an opportunity for Harrison continue racking up the statistics and set himself up as an early Biletnikoff favorite.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

Drew Sanders had flashed plenty of upside during his time at Alabama, but through two games at Arkansas, he's been the best player on the field. He was particularly dominant during Saturday's victory over South Carolina, notching 11 tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for loss. It seemed that everywhere a Gamecock turned, Sanders was in position, helping hold South Carolina to just 40 yards rushing on 29 attempts. He has injected a new energy into this Arkansas defense, helping Barry Odom's crew transform from a good unit to a potentially elite one, pushing them into the forefront of SEC West contention.

Team of the Week: Marshall Thundering Herd

The reality of 2022 is that Notre Dame is a very flawed football team, one likely to hover around 7-8 wins in Marcus Freeman's first season, if even that. Even so, that doesn't take away from Marshall's major victory over the weekend. Not once did the Thundering Herd appear scared of the moment, but instead went into Notre Dame Stadium and outplayed one of the sport's most recognizable brands. A pair of former transfers, Henry Colombi and Khalan Laborn, fueled the offense, but it was the defense that sealed the deal for Charles Huff's team. A pair of interceptions, including one brought back to the house by Steven Gilmore, sealed the victory, one of the greatest in program history. This was no fluke either; this has long been one of the Group of Five's most consistent programs and they should be in the thick of things in the Sun Belt Title race.

"Small-School" Team of the Week: Georgia Southern Eagles

This wasn't the first time Georgia Southern pulled off a win over a blue blood down on their luck (ahem, 2013 Florida), but Saturday's upset of Nebraska deserves all the credit. It wasn't just that the Eagles went into Lincoln and ended the Scott Frost era, but how throughly they did so. Led by Buffalo transfer Kyle Vantrease at quarterback, Georgia Southern torched the Blackshirt defense to the tune of 642 yards, even with two turnovers. They also battled adversity along the way; after a go-ahead score from Casey Thompson looked like it may doom their upset hopes, the Eagles drove right down the field and scored with less than a minute remaining. There's still plenty of work to be down for first-year head coach Clay Helton, but this win certainly got the fans on his side to begin his tenure.

My Top 25

Current Rank                    Last Week

1. Ohio State Buckeyes        (1)

2. Georgia Bulldogs            (3)

3. Alabama Crimson Tide    (2)

4. Clemson Tigers                (4)

5. NC State Wolfpack           (5)

6. Arkansas Razorbacks        (8)

7. Oklahoma Sooners            (9)

8. Michigan Wolverines        (10)

9. USC Trojans                    (12)

10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons    (11)

11. Miami Hurricanes        (13)

12. BYU Cougars                (17)

13. Utah Utes                    (16)

14. Tennessee Volunteers    (18)

15. Michigan State Spartans    (19)

16. Cincinnati Bearcats        (20)

17. Minnesota Golden Gophers    (21)

18. Texas A&M Aggies        (6)

19. Oklahoma State Cowboys    (24)

20. Oregon Ducks                (25)

21. Coastal Carolina            (NR)

22. Kentucky Wildcats           (NR)

23. Baylor Bears                (15)

24. Ole Miss Rebels            (NR)

25. Oregon State Beavers    (NR)

Receiving Votes: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Marshall Thundering Herd, Penn State Nittany Lions, Appalachian State Mountaineers, Kansas State Wildcats

Dropped Out: Notre Dame (#7), Florida (#14), UCF (#22), Wisconsin (#23)

2022 Post-Week One College Football Roundup

Stetson Bennett, Georgia

Although college football kicked off with a light slate of games on August 27, this past weekend was the true introduction of the 2022 college football season and boy, it did not disappoint. There was exciting game after exciting game and although the National Championship picture didn't undergo a massive shift, we got our first impressions of several top-tier contenders. In the midst of ongoing debates surrounding NIL, conference realignment, and playoff expansion, this weekend served as the perfect reminder of how great of an on-field product the sport remains.

Reactions & Thoughts

So, Georgia Is Still Really Good: If there was any question that wrestling a National Title away from Georgia was going to be difficult, this weekend was the answer. The Bulldogs pummeled Oregon to the tune of 49-3, providing the new Duck staff a rude welcome. It wasn't surprising that the defense remained stout, particularly going up against an Oregon offense with a bunch of question marks, but it was surprising just how tremendous the UGA offense looked. Stetson Bennett looked like a Heisman-esque quarterback and all the weapons on the perimeter showed out, sinking an Oregon defense that should be very good. If the Bulldogs can get consistency from an offense that dealt with injuries and a bunch of adversity in 2021, this team is genuinely terrifying and remains the National Title frontrunner.

Florida Will Be An SEC East Factor, But Pump The Brakes A Bit: The Florida Gators were one of the big winners of Week One, as Billy Napier and the new staff found a way to overcome seventh-ranked Utah in a thriller. There shouldn't be any denying how impressive of a victory this was for Florida, the Utes are a deep and experienced foe, but it's not time to overreact either. Utah outplayed the Gators for most of the game, even in a brutal environment in early September they weren't used to. Florida made the plays when it counted, including a tremendous showing from Anthony Richardson, but this is still a team with a lot of issues to iron out before they hit the meat of their SEC schedule. This upcoming Saturday will tell us a lot more about just how much of a contender Florida is, as they face off with Kentucky. The Wildcats weren't exactly impressive in their season-opening win over Miami (Ohio) but feature a skilled quarterback and play physical along the lines. 

The ACC Atlantic Is Going To Be Fun: I'm on record as saying the ACC Atlantic is one of, if not the, most underrated divisions in college football, and the first weekend demonstrated that there are going to be plenty of fireworks here. Clemson has regularly been the team to beat in the division this past decade, but their offensive woes appear like they could continue into 2022. NC State is going to be a tough out and they played a tough East Carolina team, but they realistically should have lost that game. Wake Forest pounded VMI and just learned they'll be getting QB Sam Hartman healthy. Then there's Florida State, who faced an LSU team that appeared wholly unprepared for the moment, but the 'Noles looked much improved. This is going to be a fascinating division race; even though Clemson is still the betting favorite, the Tigers are going to be tested once more in 2022. 

A Bad Couple Days For Special Teams: One of the largest storylines of the first week of college football? Just how absolutely atrocious some of the special teams play was. It kicked off Thursday, with the South Carolina State punter performing one of the weirdest plays I've seen ever in college football. Things continued into Saturday, with East Carolina missing an extra point that would have given them a tie game, then missing the go-ahead field goal as time expired, costing them a chance at one of the biggest upsets in school history over NC State. Onto Sunday, where LSU muffed several punts, had a field goal blocked, then had the game-tying extra point blocked, which doomed their chances of an impressive comeback. Amazingly, LSU Special Teams Coordinator Brian Polian was the lone coach on Notre Dame's staff who followed Brian Kelly from South Bend to Baton Rouge. It isn't a shock that special teams play was sloppy on the first weekend, as teams work out the kinks, but I suspect plenty of emphasis placed on this in practice over the coming weeks.

When Will The Coaching Carousel Start Spinning?: It may only be Week One, but that doesn't mean several big names didn't see their seats warm significantly over the weekend. Scott Frost's season-opening loss to Northwestern a week earlier than most put him in a precarious position, but it's more likely one of the ACC coaches that finds themselves out first. Louisville opened the year with a frustrating 31-7 loss to Syracuse and an impressive recruiting class may not save Scott Satterfield, while Georgia Tech lost to Clemson and faces down a brutal schedule the rest of the way.

Weekly Awards

Offensive Helmet Sticker: Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia

Stetson Bennett spent most of the offseason fighting off rumors that one of the younger guys on the UGA depth chart would overtake him in 2022. What did he do as a response? Simply by punishing a good Oregon defense (or so we believe) to the tune of 368 yards and two touchdowns, while adding one more with his legs. It felt like a statement game from Bennett; he was in complete control from start to finish and looked calm and confident as he picked apart the Ducks. There's still plenty of football to play and I don't want to overreact to one single performance, but it felt like the start of a special final season in Athens for Bennett.

Defensive Helmet Sticker: Jacoby Windmon, LB, Michigan State

Former UNLV transfer Jacoby Windmon was one of several players joining the Michigan State Spartans over the offseason as Mel Tucker and the coaching staff continue to work the transfer portal. Through one game, it's clear the defensive end/outside linebacker is here to make an impact. He was the best player on the field in MSU's 35-13 victory over Western Michigan, totaling seven tackles and recording a whopping four sacks. We always knew Windmon was talented, but it appears as though Michigan State DC Scottie Hazelton is going to fully unleash him this fall, a terrifying thought for opposing Big Ten teams.

Team of the Week: Georgia Bulldogs

This one is pretty self-explanatory, the Bulldogs faced the No. 11 team in the country and completely decimated them from the very first snap. I don't even think this was a case of Oregon being a bad football team or being unprepared; they got physically manhandled by a better team at the line of scrimmage and had no answers on how to stop the pass. It was quite the impressive encore from the reigning National Champions and they now get what is essentially a bye week this Saturday, when they welcome Samford into Sanford Stadium.

"Small-School" Team of the Week: Delaware Blue Hens

FCS over FBS upsets are a fairly common occurrence early on in a new season, but Week One was quiet at that front, with one notable exception. The Delaware Blue Hens went into Annapolis and pulled out a squeaker of a win over Navy, 14-7. This was far from a pretty game; neither offense could get much going with a combined 521 yards, but three turnovers from the Midshipmen proved to be the deciding factor in the upset. It wasn't a completely embarrassing loss from Navy, as Delaware has long been a respectable program, but does warm head coach Ken Niumatalolo's seat quite a bit, a guy who entered 2022 under some pressure.

My Top 25

Current Rank                        Preseason Rank 

1. Ohio State Buckeyes           (1)

2. Alabama Crimson Tide       (2)

3. Georgia Bulldogs                (5)

4. Clemson Tigers                   (6)

5. NC State Wolfpack             (7)

6. Texas A&M Aggies            (8)

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish    (3)

8. Arkansas Razorbacks           (9)

9. Oklahoma Sooners                (10)

10. Michigan Wolverines        (12)

11. Wake Forest Demon Deacons    (11)

12. USC Trojans                    (13)

13. Miami Hurricanes            (15)

14. Florida Gators                  (NR)

15. Baylor Bears                    (17)

16. Utah Utes                         (4)

17. BYU Cougars                  (18)

18. Tennessee Volunteers      (19)

19. Michigan State Spartans    (21)

20. Cincinnati Bearcats        (14)

21. Minnesota Golden Gophers    (21)

22. UCF Knights                    (22)

23. Wisconsin Badgers            (23)

24. Oklahoma State Cowboys    (24)

25. Oregon Ducks                    (16)

Receiving Votes: Coastal Carolina, Pittsburgh, Oregon State, Penn State, Ole Miss

Dropped Out: Coastal Carolina (#25)