Week 1 &2 CFB thoughts
It seems college football fans have been waiting for the season to start for months and did not disappoint. With upsets and new teams to pay attention to, week 1 and 2 was filled with excitement. Below are my top 4 performances that are worth mentioning.
1.Oregon fans shouldn’t panic. It was a surprise to everyone as the Oregon Ducks struggled in their first two games at home but barely came up with two wins after poor performances. Fans were expecting the Ducks to win big in their first two games of the season but when they failed to meet expectations, questions started to be raised about the Ducks as many people believe that they are going to win the BIG 10 and make a playoff push. Oregon has always been known for their explosive and powerful offense but recently the Ducks have been able to make the occasional explosive play but haven’t been able to turn those plays into points. The Ducks have also struggled with preventable penalties and turnovers. With all this being said, there is still hope for the Ducks. Oregon lost a lot of valuable players to the NFL draft and is a somewhat new team. Their defense and special teams unit are looking very consistent overall. Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillion Gabriel is also a promising piece for the Duck’s offense as he has 623 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in just two games. To be able to improve their season, the O-line must be able to improve, and limit turnovers, and the defense must be able to stay dominant. Oregon will face an in-state rival, Oregon State on September 14th in their first road test of the season. The Ducks are favored by 14 points.
2. Quinn Ewers should be the Heisman frontrunner heading into week 3. Texas vs Michigan was the game of week 2. With most expecting this matchup to be a close game, it ended with a 31-12 win where Texas was dominant in all aspects. Texas Quarterback Quinn Ewers had an exceptional game passing for 246,3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Ewers at arguably the best game of any quarterback this week beating the defending national championship in Ann Arbor in front of a packed house. Ewers was already in the Heisman conversation before this game, but this just improved his odds.
3. Colorado has work to do. After a disappointing season last year, expectations were high for Colorado heading into the second season under Deion Sanders as head coach. During the offseason, the Buffs were even more hyped than last season with talk of an improved offense and an easier schedule after joining the BIG 12. Colorado won their first game at home 31-26 against North Dakota State. They then went on the road to play rival Nebraska in a game where Colorado was favored. It was a rough game for the Buffs as it was 28-0 in the first half. Colorado only came up with a field goal in the 3rd quarter and one touchdown in the 4th ending the game with a final score of 28-10. Colorado has a lot of work to do to improve this season starting with quarterback play. As talented as Shedeur Sanders is, he’s not very good under pressure as he was sacked five times in his game against Nebraska. Sanders also has two touchdowns of the season, throwing one in each of his two games. While Sanders is not very good at his run game, he has 689 passing yards on the season and should continue to rely on his strong arm. Colorado does have a key player for the offense in wide receiver, Travis Hunter. Hunter has three touchdowns of the season with 242 rushing yards. Many believe that Hunter should be in the Heisman discussion. Overall Colorado needs to clean up their offensive play and become more disciplined. Deion Sanders stated in an interview that his team needs to learn how to deal with pressure. Sanders does have the ability and knowledge to lead this team well. The Buffs take on Colorado State on September 14th.
4. Should early upsets matter? Florida State has already been beaten twice in two games they were favored by and Notre Dame once. Many people believe that losses like this should mean automatic disqualification for the playoffs but with a new system expanding to a 12-team playoff, should we ride anyone off this early in the playoffs especially if they win the rest of their games. There is no simple answer to this question especially when talking about a team like Florida State that has yet to win a game.
