Credit: CNN
Week One in College Football: Wackiness Ensues
Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2024
by Kyle Ferreira
“This is so much fun!”
At the end of College Gameday Saturday, Nick Saban was mesmerized by how exciting
the show was. From Pat McAfee going shirtless, to a Texas A&M student winning $50,000
for hitting a field goal, it was pure entertainment. So, how was the rest of week
one in this great sport?
Thursday night in Boulder, Colorado kicked off the insane weekend. Colorado’s season,
now in year two under Coach Deion Sanders, began when they took on the FCS equivalent
of Alabama, North Dakota State. NDSU has been known for beating FBS programs, most
notably Iowa in 2016. Even with all the criticism and disrespect towards Coach Prime
and the Buffaloes, they got the job done. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was on a mission
with 445 passing yards and four touchdowns. Sprinkle in his talented receivers Jimmy
Horn Jr and Travis Hunter, who were sensational with both having 100+ receiving yards;
this game was personal.
Travis Hunter was essentially a video game glitch with the plays he was making, and
it’s no wonder the Buffaloes got the win. The same cannot be said for Dabo Swinney
and Clemson against Georgia. The Bulldogs were simply the more talented team, as they
easily outplayed the Tigers with physicality and speed. While the Tigers are not far
off from winning two national championships in the late 2010s, they are not the same
program they once were. Clemson was one of four teams to not land a transfer from
the portal this offseason, the other three were the Service Academy Schools. The Tigers
need to fix something, or Tyler from Spartanburg (SC) will continue to roast them.
Turning to more positive stories from the weekend, there was plenty to digest. In
his debut as Alabama head coach, Kalen DeBoer led the Crimson Tide to a 63-0 beatdown
vs Western Kentucky. Additionally, highly touted Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith
hauled in two touchdowns in a win vs Akron.
Florida and Miami (FL) also faced off in the Swamp in Gainesville and for the Gators…
*insert awkward look monkey puppet meme*. One of the more surprising results came
in Nashville, when the historically lackluster Vanderbilt beat Virginia Tech. Many
considered the Hokies to have a shot at winning the ACC in 2024, and while they nearly
came back in this game, they couldn’t complete the rally.
In Vegas on Sunday night, USC and LSU faced off. With Heisman Trophy winners Caleb
Williams and Jayden Daniels now in the NFL, Miller Moss (USC) and Garrett Nussmeier
(LSU) replaced them, respectively. For USC, they stepped up to the challenge. From
WR Kyron Hudson’s Odell-reminiscent one-handed catch (fitting it was vs LSU), to running
back Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks with the game-winning TD, the Trojans had plenty to
celebrate. While HC Lincoln Riley and USC were elated to win, LSU HC Brian Kelly was
frustrated in the postgame press conference.
Only Florida State could challenge Kelly’s frustration, after another loss vs Boston
College Monday night.
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