If Week One was the greatest opening weekend in college football history, then Week Two may have been the worst. The schedule was full of nonconference cupcake games, leaving the #BattleatBristol as the marquee matchup. For the most part, at least the cupcakes made the big boys sweat a little. This drove the fans crazy, most of who thought their team should’ve put up 60 points in the first quarter. As we shall see, that hardly ever happens.
These underdogs come out of the gate all fired up. They may win the toss and take the ball, run a few plays and minutes off the clock and punt. The highly favored team gets the ball and drives the field, burning more clock. Perhaps there are still some early season kinks that have yet to be worked out. Maybe a dropped pass and missed field goal, and after a few change of possessions all of a sudden the first quarter ends with little or no scoring. And the fans, expecting a high scoring game, are wondering what happened.
Part of the problem: these 18-22 year-olds have the big head. Maybe they’re coming off a week one win (regardless of how close that game was) and think they’re too good to worry about the small school opponent. The kids don’t learn history. They’re too busy texting ant tweeting and making time with the coeds and sneaker shopping to figure out that what App State did to Michigan could possibly ever happen to them. They run through the tunnel and find themselves fighting for their lives.
Take heart, poor fan. Your team is not alone. Note the score at the end of the first quarter Saturday:
28-0 FSU/Charleston Southern 52-8
28-7 Louisville/Syracuse 62-28
21-0 Michigan/UCF 51-14
21-0 Oklahoma/Louisiana Monroe
17-0 Texas A&M/Prairie View 67-0
14-0 Virginia Tech over Tennessee
14-0 Houston/Lamar 42-0
14-0 Oklahoma State/Central Michigan (OKST lost)
13-3 Iowa/Iowa State
10-0 Ole Miss/Wofford 38-13
10-0 Texas/UTEP
10-3 Bama/Western Kentucky 38-10
13-6 Oregon/Virginia
9-0 Wisconsin/Akron 54-10
7-0 Washington/Idaho
7-0 UGA/Nicholls
3-0 Arkansas/TCU
7-7 Georgia Tech/Mercer
3-3 Clemson/Troy 30-24
3-3 Ohio State/Tulsa 48-3
0-0 Notre Dame/Nevada
0-0 LSU/Jackson State 34-13
0-0 Miami/Florida Atlantic
0-6 Baylor/SMU
What do these scores tell us? Perhaps that teams aren’t as good as fans and the media build them up to be. The same fans that spend all last year complaining about a weak offensive line forget that an offseason may not magically turn skinny-necked freshman linemen into the seven blocks of granite. Receivers and defenders lost to the NFL aren’t immediately replaced by stronger/faster/more sure-handed models. Fans remember last year’s W’s but not the sometime sixty minute struggles that led to those wins. In their mind, those wins were total beatdowns. Any losses were just near misses.
Oftentimes the scores pile up later on in the game, when a turnover or three translate into quick points. A pick six, punt return to the house, or losing a fumble while backed up deep in their own territory will add to points to the scoreboard quickly – but usually later on in the game.
Clemson is a prime example. Fans forget the players they lost last year. Then a couple of plays didn’t go their way, and a kid celebrates a touchdown too early and drops the ball. Still, fans should be worried. The Tigers will actually have to show up and play hard to win. Some of the blame goes to Heisman favorite Dashaun Watson. His Total QB Rating is among the nation’s worst.
Georgia struggled last year, especially on the offensive line. With a new coach, quarterback, and kicker, plus two running backs coming off injuries, these next two weeks on the road will show us how the season will go. Eason’s stats would’ve been better (and the game not as close) had there not been the dropped passes and missed field goals. Better to get those out of the way before traveling to Mizzou and Oxford.
Bama won by four touchdowns after leading by seven after 15 minutes. Saban was not happy. He had a new young QB learning the ropes. With these kids there will be moments of sunshine, as well as moments they look lost. Guess my differing outlook is why I’m not paid millions to coach these kids.
Georgia Tech has yet to be tested, but could be in for a long day against Vanderbilt, who almost beat the mighty Gamecocks.
Houston has to win big just to get noticed. Are Michigan, FSU, and Louisville that good? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps the ball bounced their way more times than not. We’ll learn Saturday whether the Cardinals can hang with the Seminoles. Clemson fans will be watching closely.
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