Think about this a reminder. An empathic assertion. A gap salvo.
Georgia, evidenced by its 49-3 evisceration of Oregon, didn’t go wherever.
Alabama is everybody’s nationwide championship favourite, and the Crimson Tide backed up that hype in Week 1, its starters needing simply over a half to place up 48 factors with out permitting any.
Ohio State is the workforce everybody else is choosing, a bunch loaded on offense that includes the potential No. 1 decide within the NFL draft in quarterback C.J. Stroud and arguably the nation’s greatest receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Regardless of the absence for a lot of the sport attributable to damage of Smith-Njigba and fellow high wideout Julian Fleming, the Buckeyes nonetheless overwhelmed No. 5 Notre Dame late in a 21-10 win, displaying grit and defensive fortitude that was missing at instances final yr.
Georgia? Properly, Georgia had been considerably forgotten after dropping so many key gamers from final yr’s championship workforce, a shocking and record-breaking 15 gamers drafted into the NFL. Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and George Pickens, amongst many others, are not Bulldogs.
Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, it didn’t appear to matter. Kirby Sensible’s yearly loaded recruiting courses have created Alabama-esque depth. His workforce appeared completely different, extra aesthetically pleasing than final yr’s bullies, and much more dynamic offensively.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, the previous walk-on who supposedly wasn’t adequate final yr till he gained all of it, was in full management. He could possibly be even higher this fall. Bennett obtained no matter he needed, throwing for a career-high 368 yards and two touchdowns whereas finishing 25 of 31 passes. Versatile operating again Kyle McIntosh appeared like a star, catching 9 passes for 117 yards. The tight finish room is a humiliation of riches, a bodily, playmaking group that features studs Brock Bowers, Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington. The protection wasn’t fairly as suffocating and violent as final yr’s record-setting unit, but it surely held Oregon and not using a landing, the primary time that has occurred to the Geese since 2017.
Now, in time, perhaps we’ll discover out Oregon was vastly overrated, that the Geese didn’t deserve the No. 11 rating. It was their first sport below a brand new coach, former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, and so there have been sure to be rising pains. They appeared like a Division III workforce in opposition to the Bulldogs.
Once more, Alabama and Ohio State have been spectacular. Each are clearly favorites to achieve the playoff. Georgia, contemplating the opponent, was higher this week. It was dominant, it was sharp and it even confirmed some qualities final yr’s nationwide championship workforce lacked.
Mullen it over
Someplace, Dan Mullen needed to be questioning what may’ve been. Questioning his choice to not go all-in with Anthony Richardson. He nonetheless will be the coach at Florida.
As a substitute, Mullen didn’t absolutely decide to Richardson, who did battle a hamstring damage whereas splitting time with Emory Jones, and misplaced his job. New coach Billy Napier inherited Richardson, and watched him slice up No. 7 Utah for 3 dashing scores and 274 yards of offense in an upset victory.
The electrical, dual-threat Richardson solely confirmed glimpses of this final yr, though it's honest to surprise how Florida’s 6-7 season could have gone in a different way had Mullen not tried taking part in musical chairs along with his quarterbacks. Jones transferred to Arizona State after the dismal season and Richardson has begun as an instance why so many individuals — together with yours actually — thought Mullen made such a mistake in how he dealt with his quarterbacks, resulting in final yr being his closing season in The Swamp.
Irish eyes are smiling
Notre Dame and its followers needed to like what they noticed Saturday evening in Columbus. They in all probability loved Sunday night simply as a lot.
Whereas the 11-point loss at Ohio State was considerably disappointing after a fast begin, new coach Marcus Freeman had his workforce prepared and pushed the Buckeyes additional than anybody may’ve fairly anticipated. Then, hated former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly dropped his opener at LSU on, of all issues, a blocked additional level on the horn.
Kelly, who in some way has misplaced that southern accent he abruptly picked up, didn’t distinguish himself in his first sport, dropping to mediocre-at-best Florida State, a workforce picked fifth within the ACC Atlantic. The favored Freeman, in the meantime, had already endeared himself to the fan base along with his recruiting to this point, and he gave Irish followers confidence he can coach, too.
High 10
1. Alabama (1-0)
Alabama begins its common season for actual Saturday at Texas. Its 55-0 pasting of Utah State was a glorified scrimmage.
2. Georgia (1-0)
Is it too early to consider a Georgia-Alabama showdown within the SEC Championship sport? Georgia appeared superior in its 49-3 dismantling of overrated Oregon, the primary sport by which the Geese failed to attain a landing since 2017.
3.Ohio State (1-0)
It was at instances sluggish, partially attributable to accidents at large receiver, and there have been some nerves for 3 quarters, however any win over a top-15 workforce is critical. Particularly after Ohio State went 2-2 in opposition to such groups a yr in the past.
4. Texas A&M (1-0)
Sure, the opponent (Sam Houston State) was a cupcake, however quarterback Haynes King throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns was vital. It was the primary 300-yard passing sport for a Texas A&M quarterback in 20 video games.
5. Clemson (0-0)
Clemson and DJ Uiagalelei get three opponents made for blowouts to start out the season earlier than going through Wake Forest and N.C. State in back-to-back weeks. Something however a stress-free, 3-0 begin ought to be regarding to Dabo Swinney and Tigers followers.
6. Michigan (1-0)
On paper, that is Michigan’s greatest offense in Jim Harbaugh’s tenure and it appeared the half in opposition to Colorado State at The Large Home, rolling up a quarter mile of offense in a 51-7 blowout.
7. Notre Dame (0-1)
Even in defeat, there was so much to love for Irish followers. New coach Marcus Freeman had his workforce ready and able to play. The protection was spectacular. No disgrace in falling quick at Ohio State.
8. USC (1-0)
The Trojans final scored this many factors (66, in a shellacking of Rice) again in 2008, when Pete Carroll was the coach they usually have been a premier program. Sure, Lincoln Riley goes to just do nice at USC.
9. Oklahoma (1-0)
Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams weren’t missed on Saturday, as new quarterback Dillon Gabriel produced three touchdowns to make Brent Venables a winner in his teaching debut.
10. Baylor (1-0)
Eight completely different Bears scored touchdowns in a cakewalk of a win over Albany, a warm-up to top-of-the-line Week 2 video games subsequent Saturday, a visit to BYU.
Heisman Watch
(in alphabetical order)
RB Braelon Allen
The subsequent nice Wisconsin operating again began his season as you'd count on in opposition to an opponent like Illinois State: With 148 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
QB Stetson Bennett IV, Georgia
His Cinderella run isn’t up simply but. Final yr’s championship-winning quarterback picked up the place he left off, throwing for 368 yards and two scores in a 49-3 decimation of Oregon.
QB Anthony Richardson, Florida
Think about this the sophomore’s coming-out celebration, a three-rushing-touchdown, 274-yard efficiency to guide Florida to a come-from-behind victory over favored Utah.
QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Stroud was as spectacular as he was all of final yr, whenever you keep in mind he didn’t have two of his high three receivers and he nonetheless carried out nicely after a shaky begin, throwing two touchdowns passes in an 11-point win over Notre Dame.
QB Bryce Younger, Alabama
Final yr’s winner began his protection with a bang: Six touchdowns and 295 yards of offense in a bit of over a half of motion in a demolition of Utah State.
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