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Key Takeaways, Best Moments from College Football’s Week 1

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Richard Johnson

Key Takeaways, Best Moments from College Football’s Week 1
Key Takeaways, Best Moments from College Football’s Week 1 /

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.

All times ET. Watch college football with fuboTV: Start a free trial today.

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 not 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 too much 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. 

Noon

  • Rutgers 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.

  • Annnnd, dare we say, Iowa is BACK?

It’s not just that the drive was that pitiful, it’s how it started, with perhaps the worst punt you’ll see this season: a scuffed ball that went maybe 25 yards as the crow flies, which best resembled a topped driver off the tee.

  • Back to Rutgers, which is putting up less-than-optimal yardage:

After six plays getting to Boston College's 8-yard line, how’s this for a drive chart:

  1. Pass interference
  2. Holding
  3. Incompletion
  4. False start
  5. Sacked for a loss of five yards
  6. Punt on the play picture above
  • Fantastic old school mack here with former Texas State coach Everett Withers, as well:
  • No, really ... Iowa is BACK:
  • Of course the Hawkeyes scored a safety, of course they did! 

Iowa goes up 5-3 thanks to a great fundamental form tackled by linebacker Jack Campbell. It may not be offense, but it is points at least.

  • It’s one thing to block a punt, but it’s another to block the punter: 
  • Quick question: Is Navy ... OK?
  • Another quick question: Are Iowa's fans okay?
  • Behold how ECU put one of the greatest exclamation points on a goal line stand you will ever see—the Pirates really, really didn't want NC State to score from the 1-yard line. 

You know what they say: The best offense is a good defense. At this point, Iowa is taking that literally. The Hawkeyes got a second safety to take their lead to 7-3 and make it four points for the defense and three for its special teams: 

  • Good news: ECU scored a TD to give themselves a PAT to tie the game up! Bad news: The PAT in question was ... well, just look at it: 
  • There’s no doubt this one will sting, but with a chance to take the lead late on a two-point conversion, App State's Chase Brice slightly rushes the throw and sails it by just that much.

UNC looked like it would survive after returning the onside kick for a touchdown … and then App State had one last gasp, scoring late to give themselves a two-point conversion attempt to tie. Again, the Mountaineers fell short trying to go for two. 

All times ET. Watch college football with fuboTV: Start a free trial today.

Midday

  • Allow me to reintroduce you to Georgia’s Darnell Washington … the tight end in UGA’s stable who—allegedly—isn’t the most athletic of the bunch. Yeah, try telling that to Oregon: 
washingtonhurdle
  • And I know you may have hoped Georgia still didn’t have guys like this on defense, but I regret to inform you that Georgia still has guys like this on the defense:
  • 🚨 DROPKICK ALERT 🚨
  • Not looking good for the Oregon Ducks here:
Oregon Georgia stat lines screenshot
  • You’ve got to give it to Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson: this is about as aesthetically pleasing as jump passes can get. The Hogs are up two scores at halftime.
  • So, who's going to tell Arizona that the goal is not to block your own punt?
  • Let's check in on Scott Frost and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who have certainly learned from their mistakes in Week Zero, right?

Okay, maybe not.

Today in "phenomenal catches," Houston's Joseph Manjack IV only needed one hand to tie it up against UTSA:

  • In case you were wondering, Georgia is still very good at football:
  • 🚨 OVERTIME ALERT 🚨

And again! 🚨🚨

And AGAIN! 🚨🚨🚨

Annnnd ... that's all, folks:

And Dana Holgersen is pleased:

Night

Notre Dame in the 2021 College Football Playoff
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
  • Perhaps the nation’s best overall player has joined us this season. Welcome, Will Anderson Jr.
  • OH MY, Matt Solerno!
  • Just in case you forgot, Spencer Rattler is at South Carolina and he’s not half bad.
  • Arkansas is done for the day, but after their win earlier we hope Sam Pittman’s enjoying a cold one.

In an interesting twist to the night slate, Notre Dame leads Ohio State 10–7 at halftime. The Irish have kept the Buckeyes’ high-powered offense in check, but will it last? 

Irish TE Michael Mayer is doing his best to try to make sure it does:

Over in The Swamp, Anthony Richardson is making things happen:

“Jump Around” is back in Madison, and so is whatever this is...

Brent Venables had a great first postgame at Oklahoma:

Ohio State is back on top of the Irish heading into the fourth quarter. Seems like we’re in for an electric ending in The Horseshoe.

Bonus

FSU vs. LSU (-3/Sunday/New Orleans), Sunday @ 7:30 p.m.

The mystery box of the weekend will be opened in the SuperDome on Sunday night. With new coach Brian Kelly and a Florida State team looking to get back to their expected heights, expect the unexpected in this game, but just like last year’s opener between FSU and a Brian Kelly–led outfit, be careful putting too much stock in the early-season result.

Published
Richard Johnson
RICHARD JOHNSON

Richard Johnson is known for his college sports expertise. He co-hosts the “Split Zone Duo” podcast and co-authored The Sinful Seven: Sci-fi Western Legends of the NCAA. Richard was the 2022 winner of the Edward Aschoff Rising Star Award, and previously appeared as an analyst on the SEC Network show “Thinking Out Loud.” He established an early career with ESPN and SB Nation before joining Sports Illustrated in 2021 and lives in Brooklyn.

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