Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
Going in, I thought this would be much worse for Virginia Tech. Everything I looked at, I didn't see how they could possibly compete with Alabama at their best, and I had a sneaking suspicion that this was perhaps the beginning of the end for Frank Beamer in Blacksburg, ushered in with a serious thrashing at the hands of Saban's Tide. As it turns out, Tech weren't that far away, and it should give them at least a little confidence heading into ACC play in a month's time.
The 35-10 final really doesn't do justice to how the Hokies - particularly the defense - played. Yes, Alabama ran in 5 touchdowns, but two were on special teams from Christion Jones (72 yards from a punt, and 94 from a kickoff, which was a result of some poor tackling from Tech) and a third was a Logan Thomas Pick-6. Defensively, the Hokies let in only 14 points and harassed 'Bama QB AJ McCarron for most of the night. Offensively, neither team captured my imagination.
On the flip side, the Tech offense just wasn't good enough. It's devoid of the necessary play makers to match it with a really good unit, and Logan Thomas just isn't turning out to be the quarterback that a lot of folks in Blacksburg expected that he would be at this stage of his career. Undoubtedly, he's got the frame and the arm to be a really good player, but where he falls down is accuracy and consistency. One moment, he'll make an impressive and difficult throw look easy, before making an easy throw look nightmarish.
Generally, Alabama looked flat, and struggled to execute for most of the game. They were saved by the defense and their special teams unit, and there's work a-plenty to be done right across the board (except, Christion Jones and the special teams) before the reigning National Champions take a trip to College Station, TX to face Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in two weeks time.
Quite aside from the game, I can't say enough how much I enjoy the ESPN commentary pairing of Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman. McDonough is one of the best play-by-play voices in America, and I love Spielman's unchecked enthusiasm. They've always had perfect chemistry, and it was a shame to see them split up a few years back (especially when McDonough was paired with Matt Millen), but sanity appears to have prevailed
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Clemson vs. Georgia
For once, the most-touted of all opening week match-ups didn't disappoint, as they so often seem to do. This was a tremendous game, featuring big plays, great quarterbacks and one of the best atmospheres in all of college football. Two brilliant offenses punching and counter-punching - it was great to watch, and impossible not to enjoy.
For Clemson, the win against a legitimate SEC/National Championship contender in Georgia is the perfect springboard for a season with lofty goals. It's certainly started well, and the Tigers have beaten two SEC schools in their last two starts. I'm not talking bottom-tier schools, either, but big-time national picture contenders: LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last year and now Georgia on home turf.
Make no mistake, Clemson doesn't win this game without a heck of an effort from their QB Tajh Boyd. That kid is fearless, and he has all the plays. On Saturday night, he accounted for all five Clemson touchdowns (3 pass, 2 run) in the 38-35 shootout win.The Clemson defense helped, too, holding Georgia QB Aaron Murray to 0 TDs and 1 forcing 1 INT. They sacked Murray 4 times, too, and I don't think I've ever seen the Bulldogs signal-caller as under-pressure as he was in Death Valley.
Georgia out-gained Clemson 545-467, but stats aren't everything. It's the score on the big board that counts in the end, and Georgia couldn't hold Clemson out enough. The four Bulldogs turnovers were, ultimately, the difference. You just can't hand the ball back to an offense as good as Boyd and the Tigers are at the moment. They'll kill you. Of course, Aaron Murray will recover, and so will Georgia. They're a good football team, only beaten by another good football team, and they figure to make a run for an SEC Championship this year. That chance begins Saturday, when they face off against SEC foes South Carolina, which might just be - all apologies to Notre Dame vs. Michigan - the best game of the second week.
As for Clemson, there's absolutely no chance that they can keep the lid on things down there in Death Valley. Coach Dabo Swinney's post-game interview with ESPN noted that all they'd done was won the first game. That's true, but it was a hell of a first game, and you just know there's going to be a giant weight of pressure firmly placed on Clemson's shoulders. Aside from maneuvering through an ACC schedule that seems like it should be easy - of course, when it seems easy, that's usually when it isn't - managing expectations is going to be the key going forward. Saturday night was a brilliant springboard. We may remember this contest come December or January and realise just how pivotal it was.
Michigan vs. Central Michigan
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Brady Hoke wasn't happy watching live, but he admitted during his press conference that, in reviewing the tape, there were a lot less missed tackles than he'd first thought. It was an easy opener for the Wolverines, who are well and truly into the post-Denard Robinson Era (the transition helped along somewhat last year, when the record-setting quarterback was injured, giving Gardner a few starts) though their high-powered offense showed no signs of slowing down in the 59-9 win against their in-state foes from the Mac. In fact, Saturday's win was the best offensive showing in an opening game since 1908 - that day was a 65-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan.
A lot of what U of M did Saturday offensively was thanks to new starting quarterback, Devin Gardner, who was 10-15 for 162 yards and a TD through the air and added another 52 yards on 7 carries (and for two scored), though his interceptions will be cause for some worry, given that it was turnovers that, at times, plagued his predecessor, Robinson. Although, the caveat is that this was the first game of the season, and without any preseason-type game action, a lot of mistakes and sloppy execution are generally the norm on opening day.
Generally, the Wolverines were good. They out-gained Central Michigan 463-210 and forced three turnovers of their own, as well as recording 4 sacks of CMU's Alex Niznak. Special teams got into the act, too - the first score for Big Blue was courtesy of a blocked punt. In the Michigan backfield, the most encouraging news of the day was the successful return to game action of RB Fitgerald Toussaint, who went for 57 yards and 2 TDs in his first shot at real football since breaking his left leg in November against Iowa. The Wolverines have some nice options in the backfield. Just as well, too, for another back, Drake Johnson, has torn his ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2013 season. A real travesty for a talented player.
All in all, a solid if unspectacular start for the Wolverines. Brady Hoke said of Gardner's game, "He had a good game, I wouldn't say elite or excellent," and now Michigan look forward to Saturday night under lights at the Big House when Notre Dame (coming off a similarly solid win against similarly inferior competition) come calling.
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Quick Screens
Congratulations to Texas Tech QB, Baker Mayfield, who became - apparently - the first ever true freshman walk-on signal caller to start at a season opener for a BCS school. Had a lazy 5 TDs (four pass, one rush) on the night. The Red Raiders had trouble early and ran away late, recording a 41-23 win, which will mostly be remembered as the first ever victory for new head coach/former QB star, Kliff Kingsbury.
North Dakota State University of the FCS is on some sort of roll as far as season openers go. For the third time in as many seasons, they managed to knock off an FBS school. This time, their victim was the Collin Klein-less Kansas State: 21-14. Drastic fall for a Wildcats team who were legitimate National Championship contenders in 2012. Sadly for NDSU, they'll probably find it hard to get these sorts of games now, where they get a lot of money to come in and basically be walkovers. Obviously, that hasn't happened three years running, and, of course, big-time FBS schools, don't want FCS schools coming in and actually winning! So it'll be some sort of hit to NDSU's coffers.
Not a whole lot to like offensively for USC in their 30-13 opener against Hawaii. Lane Kiffin will face some scrutiny this week for some interesting play-calling and for having two quarterbacks, Cody Kessler and Max Wittek, who just weren't that good at all. The Trojans defense saved the day, which is pretty ironic, considering the defense has been USC's weak link for the majority of the time that Kiffin's been head coach. Clancy Pendergast's defense recorded 4 passes and recorded seven sacks. USC linebackers seemed permanently entrenched in the Hawaii backfield. Pretty good start for Pendergast's unit in the post-Monte Kiffin era in Los Angeles. Lots of work for the Trojan offense, though.
Surprisingly, in Columbia, SC on Thursday night the Border Battle between South Carolina and North Carolina wasn't the Jadeveon Clowney Show that everyone assumed it would be. The menacing Gamecocks DE didn't record a sack in his team's 27-10 win, and seemed to be on and off the field with some regularity in the second half. Cue the Twittersphere unloading on the Heisman hopeful - unfairly, for mine - but it's early days, and the hot night in Columbia, SC was never going to be particularly conducive to big men doing big things. The fact that North Carolina probably had months' worth of a game plan to combat his presence wouldn't have helped, either. Here's an idea: wait until October, and I'm pretty sure that, by then, Clowney will be up and about as we all expect him to be. Calling him out after the first game of the season is as silly as it is childish.
Miami-FL's Duke Johnson had himself a day - night - out on Friday vs. Florida Atlantic. He had an amazing 156 yards to half time, and ended up with 186 total (on 19 carries) by the time the good-looking Hurricanes were done. What's more, Johnson's first involvement of the game was on a flea-flicker reception of 38 yards. Pretty solid effort for a guy who didn't see any action in the fourth quarter, and not a whole lot in the third. If Duke keeps on like this, expect to see his name up in lights as far as Heisman contenders go. The 'Canes opened what is poised to be a big season with a 34-6 win.
Defensive suspensions for Texas A&M certainly showed a certain lack of depth on that side of the football, with the undermanned Aggies allowing Rice to notch a surprising 31 points at Kyle Field. The first half, of course, was just a waiting game...waiting for the second half and the return of Johnny Manziel to the field after the ridiculous half-game suspension handed down by the NCAA, and it was definitely worth the wait. Johnny Football was 6-8 for 94 yards and 3 TDs. His questionable celebrations aside, it was a good start for the reigning Heisman winner. The final in College Station was 52-31.
Blistering start - including 2 two-point conversions - for Ohio State in Columbus sets up their 40-20 win against an over-matched Buffalo. Good start, but not quite as dominant post-first quarter as I expected. Based on that game, I'm not sure that the gap between the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten is quite the chasm that a lot of people - myself included - thought it was coming into the season. That said, there's a long way to go, and a lot of football to be played. It would be foolish to judge a season on one game, particularly an opening game.
With so much in the way of expectation coming into this season, Oregon State could not have gotten off to a worse start. The Eagles of Eastern Washington recorded perhaps their most impressive win ever, thanks to their QB Vernon Adams, whose performance ensured that no one even remotely associated with the Beavers will ever forget him: 23-30 for 411 yards and 4 TD and 107 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries. Incredible numbers, particularly for an FCS offense against a ranked FBS defense. Oregon State will be a long time getting over this one. This game marked the first time that a ranked FBS team lost to an FCS school since the 2010 season. Not a record the Beavers want to be a part of, I'm sure.
Welcome to college football, Florida State QB Jameis Winston. What a stunning debut in the Seminoles' route of new ACC foe Pitt - not such a warm welcome to the ACC for the Panthers - which saw the freshman, unbelievably, go 25-27 for 356 yards and 4 TDs through the air, to go with a fifth on the ground as the 'Noles showed they figure to be stiff ACC competition for Clemson, recording a comfortable 41-13 win on Monday night in Pittsburgh. The best debut of the weekend, by a long shot.
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