College football winners, losers in Week 1: Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola shines, Florida hits rock backside
The predominant week of the college football season had every little thing. There used to be a heavyweight matchup between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 20 Texas A&M that came down to the closing minutes and national championship contenders showed weaknesses sooner than colossal Week 2 showdowns.
Nonetheless in all likelihood the excellent winners and losers are the groups whose fortunes modified in an on the spot. Florida dug itself a gap against No. 19 Miami that it might perhaps well in all probability well well be unable to flee. The Combating Irish might perhaps well well personal space up a runway to the College Football Playoff. Clemson might perhaps well well already be heading abet to the strategy method planning stage for this season. And even better? In Week 2, we’ll deem all all yet again.
Here are about a of the excellent winners and losers of college football’s Week 1, including the debuts of about a high-profile potentialities that would alternate the sport.
Winner: Class of 2024
When Nebraska landed Dylan Raiola, he turned one of basically the most high-profile quarterback recruits at faculty history. It did not seize long for him to compose his presence known. Raiola chanced on receiver Isaiah Neyor for a almost 60-yard touchdown, one of his two scores in a huge eradicate against UTEP to present Cornhuskers fans their most hope in years.
Raiola used to be excellent one of a number of high-profile Class of 2024 recruits to compose themselves heard in Week 1. Running backs Taylor Tatum (Oklahoma), Nate Frazier (Georgia) and Jerrick Gibson (Texas) all chanced on the tip zone. Defensive cease Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) compelled a key fumble to continue to exist Venerable Dominion.
The excellent winners of the week might perhaps well well personal been the excellent extensive receiver class. Ohio Negate’s Jeremiah Smith dropped his first pass and then went on to personal 92 yards and two scores. Alabama’s Ryan Williams excellent had two catches against Western Kentucky, however both personal been touchdowns and one used to be for 84 yards. Auburn’s Cam Coleman had 62 yards and a ranking. This will likely be an all-time extensive receiver class.
Loser: Oregon
The Ducks entered 2024 alongside Georgia and Ohio Negate because the manager national title picks and amongst basically the most hyped programs in the sport. It took exactly one game for issues to advance crashing down. The Ducks escaped Idaho with a 24-14 victory, however the Vandals exposed essential holes.
Basically, the Ducks personal essential structural elements on the offensive line. After giving up excellent 5 total sacks in every of the past two seasons, FCS Idaho sacked Dillon Gabriel three instances. Even when adjusting for sacks, the Ducks mustered excellent 3.8 yards per carry, which used to be if fact be told worse than the Vandals. Oregon failed on two fourth-down conversions and wished an Idaho offsides penalty to occupy up a ways from a third turnover on downs and space up a game-deciding touchdown.
Appropriate now, Oregon does no longer ogle the segment of a convention championship contender, grand much less national title contender. The Ducks personal excessive elements, and next week Boise Negate very successfully might perhaps well well mumble about a of them.
Winner: Iowa offense
The predominant half regarded admire the same faded anxiety of the outdated years. Nonetheless when the 2nd half rolled spherical, Iowa football showed excessive promise. In a 40-0 eradicate over Illinois Negate, the Hawkeyes reached 30 aspects in a half for the first time since 2021. They threw for three touchdowns in a game for the first time since 2021. They posted their excellent shutout eradicate since 2018 and posted their most attention-grabbing yardage since 2019.
Nonetheless in all likelihood most particular, the childhood stood out. Freshman Reece Vander Zee turned the first Iowa receiver to record two touchdowns since 2022 — no longer in a game, however in an total season. Freshman abet Kamari Moulton used to be 2nd on the group with 65 yards speeding. Combine those with tight cease Luke Lachey and a rebounding Cade McNamara and the offense might perhaps well well personal some intrigue.
It used to be against FCS Illinois Negate, however the Hawkeyes haven’t dominated lesser talent by any diagram. Granted, it used to be against FCS energy South Dakota Negate, however Iowa scored factual seven aspects against its final FCS opponent. The ranking blended with the childhood leaves excessive causes for optimism.
Loser: ACC
Final week, ACC well-liked Florida Negate lost earlier in the calendar twelve months than any ranked group since 1997. This week, the damage excellent got worse. NC Negate wished a leisurely push factual to continue to exist FCS Western Carolina. Virginia Tech lost a thriller with Vanderbilt. Stanford blew a halftime lead against TCU. Clemson got flattened by Georgia and looks nowhere stop to competing for one thing of substance.
Someday of the convention, the appropriate groups to overperform their home to this point are Miami and Georgia Tech. Whereas the expanded College Football Playoff diagram a convention group is assured a slot in the birthday celebration, at-colossal instances might perhaps well well moreover be obtained or lost in September.
With this kind of wretched showing against the assorted conferences, the ACC’s at-colossal hopes are already on lifestyles toughen. With NC Negate vs. Tennessee, California at Auburn and BYU at SMU on the schedule next week, the convention desperately wants some proper data.
Winner: Penn Negate WRs
The Nittany Lions personal been surprisingly level-headed in the switch portal at extensive receiver and even lost top goal KeAndre Lambert-Smith to Auburn. It in a transient time turned sure why Penn Negate used to be so mutter to lean on returning talent.
Harrison Wallace III is the breakout necessary particular person of Penn Negate’s receiver unit after catching 5 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-12 eradicate over West Virginia. Fellow fourth-twelve months Tyler Warren caught one other Drew Allar touchdown pass whereas third-twelve months Omari Evans added one other 55 yards.
The original offensive plot certainly helped produce alternatives for Penn Negate’s potential talent, however the receiving room looks ready for its stop up. If the Nittany Lions personal playmakers to encompass Allar, , the upside for this group is a ways increased.
Loser: Florida
Florida employed Billy Napier the same twelve months that Miami employed Mario Cristobal. Each and each programs personal recruited laborious and hoped that twelve months 3 might perhaps well well be a breakout 2nd. Within the kill, that’s what makes the total home embarrassment at the hands of the ‘Canes so demoralizing. Florida lost 41-17 and proved it did not belong on the same self-discipline as an ACC opponent.
There might perhaps be nearly nothing that Florida for hang its hat on. Miami posted 529 yards. They averaged 7.7 yards per play and had three receivers and not using a no longer up to 70 yards. Gators working abet Montrell Johnson broke off a 71-yard touchdown go. Start air of that play, Florida averaged a pathetic 3.6 yards per play.
Making issues worse, Miami used to be the seventh-higest ranked group on Florida’s schedule this season. It is nearly very no longer going to ogle how Florida can proper the ship. It is a curse that the Gators personal 11 video games left to play.
Winner: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava
It used to be against Chattanooga, so there might perhaps be no must overreact. That said, throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns in your first home start – all in the first half – is nothing to scoff at. The Volunteers obliterated their FCS foe to the tune of 718 yards and Nico used to be at the center of it. He averaged 11.2 yards per pass strive and chanced on receivers downfield for some not in all probability connections. Staring at Iamaleava and this offense cook can be thrilling.
Loser: Houston
The Cougars knew they personal been getting into a rebuilding cycle after hiring Willie Fritz, however the bottom is even lower than anticipated. Houston lost against UNLV 27-7 in an total beatdown. Quarterback Donovan Smith, who hoped to regain on NFL Draft radars, threw two interceptions and the Coogs averaged a fab 1.5 yards per carry. Houston is the worst group in the Huge 12 by a essential margin, and must silent compose a case because the worst in the facility conferences sooner than the season ends. A 1-11 carry out is feasible.
Winner: Notre Dame
More than likely the excellent reason that Notre Dame is a winner is because its College Football Playoff case got grand wider. The Combating Irish excellent had three groups in the preseason AP High 25 on the schedule, and one used to be No. 10 Florida Negate. After picking up a eradicate over the Aggies, Notre Dame’s runway to attain 10 wins and a time out to the CFP is extensive start. Correct as foremost, quarterback Riley Leonard showed a twin-threat potential that must silent give them a playmaking dynamic they lacked one twelve months in the past.
MORE: Clemson’s lopsided loss to Georgia basically the most modern indictment on Dabo Swinney’s failures
