2023-24 NCAA Football (Week 1+)

Games I saw (some of):

Virginia 13-49 (12) Tennessee

I wasn't sure what to make of this result. I wasn't as impressed with Tennessee as much as I was unimpressed by UVA. The Vols are coming off a good season but they've got a new QB and I figured the Cavs would give them a tough game. The fact that that didn't happen suggests to me that UVA sucks more than that the UT is ready to play this year. I dunno, the Vols moved the ball and were never in danger in game, so perhaps I'm projecting rather than observing (though I was quite unimpressed with UVA, that I'm sure of). 

Colorado 45-42 (17) Texas Christian

Fun game! Wow, the 2nd half was non-stop back and forth action, amazing plays on offense, defense and special teams, both teams played well and made plays, but Colorado got the last score and TCU couldn't counter. I was expecting more from TCU and I wasn't expecting nearly this much out of Colorado, so the sheer shock of the action added to the electricity of the performance. While I walk away being really impressed by Colorado (I'd be kinda shocked Colorado if wasn't in the top 25 this week), I'm not ready to write off TCU, though clearly this was a disappointing open to their season. I'm looking forward to seeing how both of these teams look going forward. 

(5) Louisiana State 24-45 (8) Florida State

I was in and out of this game (weird car trouble made this weekend a bit of blur for me) but early on this was a grinding game where neither team really stepped up. Until the 4th quarter, when the Seminoles just kept stepping and stepping and the Tigers couldn't hang. Florida State over the last decade or so has been such an up-and-down squad that I'm never sure what to make of them this early in the season but they looked good, this is a good W. As for LSU, well, they overachieved last season which perhaps makes the expectations for this season a little too high; we'll see. 

Top 25

Handled their business

(1) Georgia, (2) Michigan, (4) Alabama, (6) Southern Cal (two W's already), (7) Penn State, (8) Florida State, (10) Washington, (11) Texas, (12) Tennessee, (13) Notre Dame (two W's already), (14) Utah, (15) Oregon, (16) Kansas State, (18) Oregon State, (19) Wisconsin, (20) Oklahoma, (21) North Carolina, (22) Mississippi, (23) Texas A&M, (24) Tulane, (25) Iowa

Won but did not impress

(3) Ohio State

If you had told me that Ohio State kinda struggled against Indiana, I would've expected a shootout, a 52-45 game that went deep into the 4th quarter giving a lot of Buckeye fans thrills and sweaty palms in equal amounts. But a 23-3 sludgefest where Ohio State has trouble moving the ball and giving up inexplicable turnovers--against Indiana?--that makes no sense to me. Either Indiana is transforming into a different type of team (one that prizes tackling and pass rush over flinging the ball in a high powered offense) or the Buckeyes have things to work out on the offensive side. Yeah, okay, it's the first week of the season and they did get a clear W in a conference road game, this isn't some embarrassment. But still I would've expected the Buckeye offense to look much sharper than it did and that alone gives me pause. We'll see, I suspect Ohio State will be fine but after one week, well, they clearly have some things to work on. 

Not so good

(9) Clemson

Ha! You lost to Duke! In your season opener! Aw, come on, man! Clemson for the last coupla seasons has had plenty of talent but suddenly forgot how to nail down games, how to dominate weaker opponents, how to move the ball fluidly down field. Now losing the season opener to the Blue Devils, well, I just don't know what's going on there. I thought last season it was their QB, but he just looked good getting a W for Oregon State, so....uh....maybe he wasn't the problem...? Not a good look for Clemson.

(17) Texas Christian

I could've put this in the Bad Beat category, but they were the National Runner-up last season going up against a team with a new head coach, new QB, new everything, so I was expecting TCU to give a better accounting of themselves. That said, I was impressed by Colorado--they were fuckin' good! And this was a fun game to watch, so this needn't be a death knell for TCU. But they definitely need to get back on the winning track.

Bad beat 

(5) Louisiana State

They actually played Florida State close until the 4th quarter, when all the play-making became incredibly one-sided. So is this a sign that the Tigers aren't ready to hang this season or that the Seminoles are really good? Not sure. For now, it looks to me like LSU just got caught up against a better opponent, so I call it a bad beat.  

Next week's intriguing matches

(11) Texas @ (4) Alabama (your marquis match up! The last time this will be a non-conference game, so each side can get a little loose here, each team can absorb an L, should be a fun one)

(22) Mississippi @ (24) Tulane (okay, could be fun, I have no idea what either of these squads are like but they're both ranked so somebody's getting knocked out)

(13) Notre Dame @ North Carolina State (the Irish have looked dominant so far and they might again, but the Wolfpack is usually a sturdy squad and I expect them to make Notre Dame work for the W)