College Football Plus: SEC Establishes Control

Going into this season, there seemed to be little question about which was the most dominant league in college football.

That would be our friends from the Southeastern Conference, who only added to their mystique with the future addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC family.

We have gone through most of Week 1 of the 2021 CFB season.

We present the following evidence.

Alabama 44 Miami 13

Georgia 10 Clemson 3

Texas A&M 41 Kent State 10

Florida 35, FAU 14

Of the elite SEC teams, only LSU--a 37-28 loser to UCLA--stumbled out of the gate.

The marquee teams, Bama, Georgia, Texas A&M and Florida all won.

And for added spice both Oklahoma and Texas also posted victories.

The defense rests.

Who's Hot

UCF

UCF made its season debut on a high note by overcoming a 21-point deficit against Boise State on Thursday night while posting a 36-31 victory in Coach Gus Malzan's coaching debut as the Knights coach.

It may have also been a preview of the type of football Big 12 fans will see if the chatter of expansion in the conference proves correct.

Utah QB Charlie Brewer

Brewer, a transfer from Baylor, made his debut with the Utes a memorable one, connecting on 19 of 27 passes for 233 yards and a pair of TDs in a 40-17 romp over Weber State.

UCLA

Are the Bruins really back?

Coach Chip Kelly's team drew some attention with an easy and expected win in its opener against Hawaii last week.

What happened in a nearly packed Rose Bowl on Saturday night kicked it up a few notches as the Bruins totally dominated No. 16 LSU 38-27

Rutgers, Michigan, Texas

A diverse group to be sure, but each program was craving respect for different reasons.

Each won their opener on Saturday in impressive fashion

Michigan, under embattled Coach Jim Harbaugh, was almost invisible in the Big Ten pre-season chatter.

Harbaugh kept his job, but had to reshuffle his staff and the Wolverines were a stunning fourth place pick in the Big Ten East

Well, the Wolverines opened their season on Saturday and posted a 47-14 win over Western Michigan in a game in which the Wolverines looked like...well...Michigan

Rutgers has been the door mat of the Big Ten since they arrived in 2014.

With the return of Greg Schiano as coach of the Scarlet Knights, that time is ending.

RU opened its season against Temple on Saturday with a 61-14 win, which is a score RU was generally the scores that teams like Ohio State and Michigan eagainst Rutgers.

One game does not make a season, but...

Texas opened the Steve Sarkasian era on Saturday against a ranked Louisiana team.

In the past few years under Tom Herman, the Longhorns came up flat in their openers.

Not this time.

The Longhorns rolled over the Raging Cajuns 38-18, which sets up a meeting against old SWC and future SEC opponent next week in Fayetteville.

Who's Not

Tulsa.

The Golden Hurricanes, a 22-point favorite over FCS member UC-Davis, dropped a 19-17 decision in their home opener on Thursday night.

Sam Howell

If you are a Heisman-contending quarterback you don't throw 3 interceptions with only 1 TD in a 17-10 opening game loss by North Carolina the way Howell did on Friday night.

Upsets are part of the fabric of college football and Carolina, a pre-season Top-ten team can come back.

But Howell has some work to do to climb back into the race.

Colorado State

I'm always fascinated about why FBS schools takon high risk low reward games such as the Rams did in playing FCS powers such as South Dakota State on Friday night.

South Dakota State made it to the FCS national championship game in the spring, while Colorado State continues to mire in mediocrity under second year coach Steve Addazio.

It was a lose lose situation for Colorado State, which was blown away 42-23 by the Jack Rabbits.

UConn, UMass

Other than the now resurgent Boston College Eagles, FBS football in New England is on life support. was a case in point.

Consider these two scores.

Pittsburgh 51 UMass 7

Holy Cross (an FCS school) 38 UConn 28

Both schools are now independents in football and play more at the FCS than FBS level.

UConn Coach Randy Edsall announced later on Sunday that he was retiring at the end of the season, which then creates questions about the future of the program.

On a positive note, the two schools are scheduled to play each other on Oct. 9, which means both teams won't be winless this season.

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They Said What

Ohio State Coach Ryan Day on the advice he gave to his redshirt freshman QB C.J. Stroud who was struggling in his first collegiate start against Minnesota on Thursday night.

""He and I had a conversation early on that we're going to keep swinging, no matter what happens,'' said Day. ""And we're not going to play close to the vest. That's not the way we do it here.''

Stroud, a redshirt freshman who didn't attempt a pass last season, sitting behind Justin Fields, responded by leading the fourth-ranked Buckeyes with 4 TD passes in the second half of a 45-31 come-from-behind victory over Minnesota.

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Play it Forward (Games to watch next weekend)

Iowa at Iowa State--In state rivalry could have national ramifications this season.

Oregon at Ohio State--A rare regular season chance for Pac-12 to make an imprint on national college football season.

Washington at Michigan--See Oregon at Ohio State

Pitt at Tennessee--Key non-conference game for both teams, who are not projected as contenders in their conference,