The second week of the college football season got off to a slow start, with most of the marquee games coming in the later time slots and a lot of afternoon beatdowns of cupcakes. There were games worth watching in every time slot though, provided that you looked hard enough and had the right package of TV channels. Let’s go over what we learned.
Things We Learned In College: Week 2 in College Football
– Starting in Ann Arbor, the Big House was rocking in a way that it hasn’t rocked since at least 2011- the last time Michigan beat Ohio State at home. Oregon State is no Ohio State, of course, but Jim Harbaugh’s welcome home was a rowdy one all the same, culminating in a 35-7 Wolverines victory. Quarterback Jake Rudock had a shaky start, but unlike a week ago, got steadier as the game went on. His sample size is small, but De’Veon Smith may be the most dependable running back Michigan has had in several years, maybe even going back as far as Mike Hart in the mid-2000’s.
-Notre Dame didn’t have the greatest afternoon. First, they nearly lost their game against Virginia before scoring a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining. Later, they found out they lost their quarterback for the season. Malik Zaire went down in the third quarter with what turned out to be a broken ankle. Sophomore DeShone Kizer played well in relief, but he has very little experience, and the Irish have two tough opponents in the next three weeks- #15 Georgia Tech, followed by UMass, and then #12 Clemson. A defense with 10 returning starters, plus senior cornerback KeiVarae Russell back from academic suspension, should help keep them in games.
-So much for Arkansas’ return to relevance. The Razorbacks won three games in 2013, improved to .500 a year ago, and looked to be heading in the right direction until losing to Toledo. Yes, Toledo. As in the MAC. As in “never beat a ranked opponent before”. I’m thinking Bret Bielema has more important things to worry about this week than Ohio State’s schedule.
-As long as I’m dumping on the SEC, might as well go straight to Auburn needing OT to beat FCS Jacksonville State. I’m very curious to see how many spots they drop for that. JSU was a 41-point underdog.
-I’ll say something positive about the SEC now. Against admittedly inferior competition, the Ole Miss defense is flying. The speed they have is crazy. I’ll be interested to see how they look in conference play.
-Normally, 9-of-14 for 71 yards isn’t a great stat line for a quarterback. If you’re playing an average Mississippi State team and you have Leonard Fournette in your backfield, it’s just fine. My new nickname for Fournette is Holy Crap, because that’s what I yell at the TV pretty much every other time he gets the ball. At 6’1″, 230 pounds, Fournette can run over defenders, but he’s shifty enough to juke them too. I guarantee you he’ll be on Sports Center’s Top 10 today and probably several more times before the season is over. I’m already salivating at the thought of my Giants drafting him in 2017.
-Another LSU Tiger to keep an eye on is defensive end Arden Key. He’s a 6’6″, 230-lb. beast, and he didn’t give Dak Prescott a moment’s peace last night. Oh, and he’s also a true freshman.
-Mississippi State is replacing seven starters on offense, including three members of the offensive line, and it showed. The second half was less ugly than the first, but there were way too many people in the Bulldogs’ backfield wearing purple and gold.
-Michigan State prevailed last night, but I’m actually impressed that Oregon managed to keep the game as close as they did. Think about it- Ducks’ QB Vernon Adams hasn’t been on campus very long at all. When he arrived, he had to bust his butt studying to pass a math class, without which he would have been academically ineligible. How much of the playbook can he possibly have truly mastered?
-A good point was made on the broadcast last night about Adams. His bio on ESPN.com lists him as six feet; the broadcasters were speculating that he might be closer to 5’10”. Either way, Michigan State’s front four are all between 6’4″ and 6’6″. How well can Adams see over them? (At not quite 5’2″ myself, I can sympathize. It would be like me going to the movies and sitting behind… well, an adult. Except people at the movies aren’t trying to sack me).
-That’s not to take anything away from Michigan State. Sparty has some beasts throughout their defense, and Connor Cook has come into his own as a very good quarterback.
-Congratulations to Kentucky on their first road win in 23 attempts. Looks like it might be a rebuilding year for the Head Ball Coach.
-Also, congrats to Oklahoma for eking out an OT win against Tennessee. I watched part of that game on mute while listening to Minnesota-Colorado State on the radio, and much of the second half frantically flipping back and forth between Knoxville and Starkville on the TV. Props to Baker Mayfield for getting it done in the clutch. Like I said a year ago, the Vols are headed in the right direction- learning to win the close ones is often the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place.
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