Despite the sport’s best attempts to distract us with a summer of talk about transfer portal, realignment, NIL and governance—oh, and some College Football Playoff expansion thrown in for good measure—we have made it to Week 1.
It can be difficult at times to remember why we love the sport, but a fun Thursday night to whet the palate should have quickly jogged the memory. In this semi-live blog we will be keeping track of the stats, oddities and general wackiness throughout the season. Here are Saturday’s games to watch on the second screen while you watch your team on the big TV. Welcome back, football; we’ve missed you.
Game takeaways:
Florida 29, Utah 26
Florida won Billy Napier’s debut against a Utah team that gave it everything it could ask for in a great season opener. Utah was driving to win the game before Amari Burney’s interception in the end zone sealed the deal as the Gators won a hard-fought battle in one of Week 1’s best games. The difference in the tight contest was not just Florida’s late goal-line stop, but also one in the first half that kept a possible 14 points off the board for the Utes. The Pac-12’s very bad day continued against the SEC.
Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
It took a while for Ohio State to get going, with it featuring a clunky offense for most of the game thanks in part to a first-half injury to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but in the second half the Buckeyes tweaked things and began to assert themselves on the ground—particularly on a 10-play, 95 yard drive that featured 10 runs and only four passes. Ohio State’s defense also stood tall in a huge credit to new coordinator Jim Knowles. His defensive restructuring will be key if the Bucks plan to make a title run this season.
Georgia 49, Oregon 3
Complete and total domination from a Georgia team that picked up directly where it left off in January in the national title game. The Dawgs’ slightly retooled offense showcasing plenty of tight ends was on display as Stetson Bennett looked comfortable and decisive in a game where he wasn’t truly asked to go down the field much. On defense, Georgia might have taken a step back from last year in talent, but it certainly doesn’t look like it when looking at Saturday’s scoreboard.
UNC 63, App State 61
Yeah, that score is a typo. ACC teams really need to rethink the whole going on the road to a Group of 5 team early in the season thing, as the Heels just barely escaped with a victory. It took two different stops on two point conversions in order for them to do it, but they did indeed escape and move to 2–0. It doesn’t seem like offense is going to be the problem this season for UNC, but defense? That’s gonna be something to monitor over the course of this year.
Iowa 7, South Dakota State 3
There was objectively defense in this game, with Iowa registering two safeties and a field goal to win. Yes: their defense outscored their special teams and both units outscored their offense. It was, in the purest sense, complimentary football, but with fans reportedly chanting for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to be fired, Iowa’s going to have to find some offense this season—and quick. You can’t safety your way to a win every week.
NoonRutgers is already Rutgers-ing; I think we knew the Scarlet Knights were going to have some QB trouble, but this is a little much:
On first-and-10, Johnny Langan (who’s listed as a tight end) took the snap and ran for four yards. For what it’s worth, Langan played quarterback in high school at prep powerhouse Bergen Catholic.
Then, on second-and-6, Gavin Wimsatt took the snap and handed off to running back Kyle Monangai for a three-yard gain.
On third-and-3, Evan Simon took the snap and threw an incomplete pass.
