Every offseason, experts and analysts spend months carefully formulating opinions on which college football programs deserve to be named as one of the best in the nation. Then, once games start being played, the college football world throws those opinions out the window in favor of underbaked takes based on minimal evidence. Sounds fun, so I thought I’d give it a try. Truth be told, I do believe that some programs have shown that their true colors are different from the ones we painted them with over the offseason. This is true of players as well. Some stars have disappointed thus far, while others are rapidly ascending. Narratives surrounding players and teams can certainly still change, as we’re only two weeks into the season, but I’ve put together a few takes based on what I’ve seen so far.
1. Texas is the best team in the country.
Look, many misguided fans have probably made this same proclamation two weeks into the college football season in years past. More often than not, those fans have been left disappointed. Am I delusional for believing the hype this year? Maybe, but the Longhorns are doing a great job of convincing me that I’m not. After a warm-up win over Colorado State, Texas dominated defending national champions Michigan in Ann Arbor. Michigan’s defense is supposed to be one of the best in the nation, and Quinn Ewers led the Longhorns to a 31-point showing. With the SEC schedule before them, Texas will have plenty of chances to prove whether they’re the real deal.
2. Florida State has collapsed.
The college football season kicked off in Dublin, Ireland with a shocking upset in which Georgia Tech took down ACC favorites Florida State. While there’s no such thing as a good loss, there were plenty of excuses for Florida State to underperform in the opener. The game was played in a different country, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei needed time to gel with his new receivers, and the list goes on. The Seminoles were expected to bounce back in Week 1 against Boston College, another conference opponent. Florida State fell short once again, this time by fifteen points in a game where their offense scored only one touchdown. The Seminole’s offense has consistently struggled under Uiagalelei. Mike Norvell’s squad is likely already out of playoff contention and may even miss out on bowl eligibility if something doesn’t change quickly.
3. Ashton Jeanty will win the Doak Walker Award.
After two games, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is on pace to rush for 2,754 yards and score 54 touchdowns. He’s had eight runs of more than fifteen yards so far. Sure, these numbers are heavily skewed by a record-breaking performance against Georgia Southern in which Jeanty totaled almost 300 yards and six touchdowns. Still, he was incredibly productive against Oregon, scoring three times on nearly 200 rushing yards. With the toughest game on the Broncos’ schedule out of the way, Jeanty has the opportunity to complete one of the best seasons a college running back has ever had.
4. Oregon is overrated.
Oregon started the season ranked third in the country in hopes of winning the Big 10 and returning to the College Football Playoff scene. Through two games, the Ducks remain undefeated, but not without blemish. In their opener, Oregon only managed 24 points and conceded 14 in what should have been a blowout against Idaho. The following week, it took a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Boise State by three. If Oregon can finish the rest of the season without losing to lesser opponents, these early-season mishaps won’t matter. however, I worry that we could be seeing signs of trouble to come in Eugene.
5. Miami is officially back.
Miami, like Texas, often leaves fans disappointed after beginning seasons with high expectations. I see a path for this season to be different. For starters, Cameron Ward has shown the composure and big-play ability that the Hurricanes have lacked at the quarterback position for years. The defense has been solid as well, allowing only 26 total points through two games. The ACC looks weaker than ever at this point in the season. Miami has the inside track to double-digit wins, a conference championship, and their first-ever playoff berth.
