College football is beautiful.
No, seriously. This sport is beautiful. It’s beautiful in the fact that it doesn’t make sense. It’s chaotic. It’s noisy and messy. It’s confusing to the point where it’s impossible to make it make sense.
Yet, this sport is beautiful.
Week 1 has come and gone, which means there are a lot of excited fans with plenty of overreactions after five days of football. Remember, there is still a lot of football left this season so let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.
That being said, I have some takes – well, overreactions – about what transpired this past weekend, starting with Thursday night with The Backyard Brawl and ending with Monday night with Clemson and Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Drew Allar is a better quarterback than Sean Clifford
Penn State can be a really good football team this year. I am not kidding you!
Unfortunately, they probably won’t. Why? James Franklin is their head coach and Sean Clifford is the starting quarterback.
The Nittany Lions are talented on the offensive side of the ball. They have explosive players at the skill positions that can give the opposing defense fits week in and week out. Yet, we have seen only glimpses of what this offense can look like at its best.
This is why it’s time to start 5-star true freshman Drew Allar, the best quarterback on Penn State’s roster. Yes, you heard me!
Allar came into the game Thursday night against Purdue when Clifford left the game with a possible knee injury but later returned. While the box score only shows a stat line of 2 for 4 and 26 yards, Allar showed he was the guy to lead Penn State not only in the future but this year. Listed at 6’4 and 232 pounds, Allar showed good pocket navigation, accuracy and touch, and a big arm.
Could this be Christian Hackenberg 2.0? Possibly, but I would like to think that isn’t because what the rest of the country saw for that lone drive in the third quarter was a future star at quarterback, one that could lead Penn State to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance soon.
Florida is a major sleeper in the SEC thanks to Anthony Richardson
I picked Utah to make the CFP this winter thanks in part to their great run game, consistent quarterback play, and great defense. Any chance that the previously No. 7 ranked Utes had of potentially making the playoffs this year went up in smoke in their 29-26 loss to Billy Napier’s unranked Florida Gators.
The Gators might be good. What we saw from both their offense and defense showed that this is not the same Florida program fans and media alike would clown for bad defensive mistakes or inconsistency from their offense.
Florida’s defense, coached by co-defensive coordinators Patrick Toney and Sean Spencer, showed discipline in both run fits and coverage assignments all night long. Their tackling has also improved by a large margin from last season. A Gators team with a respectable defense could be a great thing for them.
Their season success hinges on the continued high-level play of uber-talented QB Anthony Richardson. In just his second start, Richardson showcased his talent to the college football world with electric running ability, elite athleticism, and rocket arm. You could see him getting better with every snap throughout the game.
Richardson also did this on a two-point conversion in the 4th quarter to extend the Gators lead.
Anthony Richardson excited me last year in his limited reps but here he’s impressed me. Pure athleticism and collectiveness allows him to make this throw. I look forward to his growth this season.
pic.twitter.com/h1PSJFjWcG— Nick Price (@PriceCheck3) September 4, 2022
Many NFL Draft pundits believed Richardson could be a top draft pick with a full season under his belt, especially with the talent he possesses. Reps are important, which means Richardson is still learning. He’ll be taking on a tough Kentucky defense this weekend, Tennessee two weeks after, and then championship favorite Georgia on Halloween weekend. If Richardson continues to show improvement and play as he did on Saturday night, Halloween weekend will be must-see TV and could decide the SEC East.
Georgia is different, but still one of the elite teams in CFB
Here is a list of players the Georgia Bulldogs lost this offseason due to the NFL Draft: EDGE Travon Walker (Jaguars), DT Jordan Davis (Eagles), LB Quay Walker (Packers), DT Devonte Wyatt (Packers), S Lewis Cine (Vikings), WR George Pickens (Steelers), RB James Cook (Bills), RB Zamir White (Raiders), LB Nakobe Dean (Eagles), LB Channing Tindall (Dolphins), iOL Justin Shaffer (Falcons), iOL Jamaree Salyer (Chargers), and CB Derion Kendrick (Rams).
As you can see, they lost a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, including WR Jermaine Burton, who transferred to Alabama.
Yet, the Bulldogs still look as dominant as ever.
Georgia massacred No. 11 Oregon, 49-3. Their defense was still as good as ever, despite not having a single sack in the game. It’s weird, yet scary, that all Georgia has done is reload their defense and put out more five-star talent on all three levels of their defense.
DT Jalen Carter is arguably one of the best defensive players in college football and a future high draft pick, and he was dominant against the run Saturday afternoon. True freshman safety Malaki Starks already looks like a superstar after just one game.
Offensively, Stetson Bennett had perhaps his best game as a Bulldog, going 25 of 32 for 368 yards and two touchdowns. Their tight end room of Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington, and Arik Gilbert is the best in college football and is a nightmare to defend. Add in RB Kenny McIntosh, receivers Adonai Mitchell and Ladd McConkey, and the Bulldogs could have an explosive offense in 2022. Not too shabby for a team that has a great chance at winning their second consecutive national championship.
Appalachian State is a true powerhouse in the Group of 5
Since entering the FBS in 2014, the Appalachian State Mountaineers have been one of the most consistent programs in the country that no one talks about.
They’ve come close to major upsets over time against highly-ranked non-conference teams. There is the overtime loss to No. 9 Tennessee in 2016 and another overtime loss at No. 10 Penn State in 2018. In 2019, Appalachian State took down North Carolina in Chapel Hill and went on to finish the season ranked in the Top 20 for the first time. The ‘Neers also came close to beating the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium last season.
This year, there seems to be a new level of respect towards the Mountaineers. We may have seen one of the best games of the decade between North Carolina and Appalachian State, with the Heels getting revenge from their 2019 loss, 63-61. No, this isn’t a basketball score and your eyes aren’t deceiving you.
Had it not been for the missed 2-point conversions, App. State would be coming off their 2nd biggest win in program history outside of the upset at the Big House in 2007. This weekend saw the Mountaineers gain a massive amount of respect across the college football landscape as one of the best Group of Five schools in the country.
What brought me to this take? Just listen to what Jimbo Fisher says about Texas A&M’s upcoming matchup against Appalachian State. They have another massive opportunity to shock the country when they travel to Kyle Field to take on the highly-ranked Texas A&M Aggies this weekend. If an upset were to occur, the Mountaineers are in the catbird’s seat to represent the G5 in a New Years Six bowl.
There is definitely a sense of new-found respect toward the school. This is a program that is putting itself on the map and could one day be a part of a Power 5 conference, especially with all of the chaotic realignments occurring. Appalachian State Mountainers: 2027 ACC Champions? Never say never.
Clemson is still a mess on offense, and there is certainly a QB controversy
If you didn’t know, I am a fan of the Clemson Tigers, which over the last decade or so has had plenty of perks. However, it’s never a great feeling when your favorite college team is a complete mess on both offense and as a program overall- ask Mike Hrynyshyn about that with his Cal Golden Bears.
Take this past week’s game against Gerogia Tech for example. Dabo Swinney’s inability to move past his traditional ways and attack the transfer portal to upgrade his offensive line and wide receiver corps led to a very underwhelming nigh for the Tigers’ offense and incumbent QB D.J. Uiagalelei. If this sounds at all familiar, that’s because that was the case for the entirety of last season.
On Monday, Clemson’s offense was underwhelming for most of the first half. There was a botched snap and a lost fumble from Uiagalelei on consecutive drives and very little push at the line of scrimmage in the run game. The calls for five-star freshman QB Cade Klubnik began to roar on Twitter.
Then, late in the 2nd quarter, Clemson’s offense showed some resemblance of competency. Uiagalelei & Co. began moving the ball downfield. The junior QB began to play more efficiently and with more rhythm. By the end of the game, Uiagalelei had played his best game since 2020. It wasn’t perfect, but Clemson’s offense looked somewhat better than it did 10 months ago.
I appreciated Clemson’s use of 12 personnel in this game. We saw offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter implement this personnel grouping plenty of times throughout the game. It led to some productive plays, especially from TEs Davis Allen and Jake Briningstool. However, the use of the quick passing game was underwhelming, and I would like to see Streeter implement this more if it gets Uiagalelei into a rhythm. Overall, Clemson’s offense is still the largely same, but with occasional variations to how it operates in terms of formations.
There is a QB controversy, though. While he only threw six passes, Cade Klubnik came in late into Clemson’s 41-10 victory over Georgia Tech and made the roar for him start even louder. Is it overreactive to say he’s better than Uiagalelei? In all likelihood, yes. I’m guilty for saying this, for what it’s worth. Is it outrageous to say it? Not really. Klubnik’s talent is very evident; he can sling the rock, work off-script, and create plays on the move. He works within the confines of the offense well and it showed, dating as far back as the spring game.
Uiagalelei may start the rest of the year and improve into the player we all saw when he played in the interim for Trevor Lawrence in 2020. However, Uiagalelei could be on borrowed time. Klubnik is waiting in the wings, and his time could happen sooner than later.
Ohio State’s defense has improved, and that should scare the rest of the country
In my preview for the upcoming college football season, I mentioned that if the Buckeyes have an improved defense, they’ll be the favorites to win the national championship. On Saturday night against Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State’s defense played one of their most complete football games in a couple of seasons.
Many questioned if the Buckeyes defensive players would catch on with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles playing-calling and defensive scheme. It was evident they did. Ohio State was incredibly disciplined against the run. Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg was a monster, leading the team in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss. Sophomore DT Michael Hall Jr. was impactful throughout the night as well. LB Steele Chambers, a former running back, was everywhere, getting in on plays from sideline to sideline.
It was impressive to watch the Buckeyes and how sound they were in the secondary as well. Safeties Ronnie Hickman and Lathan Ransom were shouting down passing lanes and CB Denzel Burke closed off a side of the field. Watching the Buckeyes turn a complete 180 with their defensive play was impressive.
As for the offense, they struggled to get going early on, and losing star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba did not help things for star QB C.J. Stroud. Fear not! After a sluggish start, the Buckeyes began to ride on Stroud’s off-script ability and a two-head monster of Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson to produce points. The incredible depth of receivers featuring Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Xavier Johnson proved to be a group that would continue to produce even without their primary star.
Week 1 against Notre Dame felt like a statement game for the head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. The offense wasn’t as productive as it was late last season, however, their defense looks to have finally become a group to rely on if Stroud & Co. cannot get anything going offensively early on.
At full strength, the Buckeyes are the best team in the country. That was made clear on Saturday night.