2022-23 College Football: Week 1 Review

While last week served as a sampler for what we could expect, it was time to begin the main course this week as pretty much everyone in the country kicking off their seasons. Everyone in the Top 25 was in action and Week 1 featured a few big-time battlers between Top 25 teams, headlined by a Top 5 battle between Ohio State and Notre Dame. It was our first chance to see some of the Heisman favorites for the first time since December and January. It would turn out to be a hectic weekend all throughout the southern US, with upset wins and tight contests between in-state foes. Overall, it was just great to have a full Saturday lineup again. Here is a recap of the action from Week 1 of the college football season. 

Game of the Week- North Carolina 63, Appalachian State 61 (Boone, NC)

Football fans in the state of North Carolina were treated to two excellent finishes involving ACC teams. It was hard to pick between the two, but I've opted to talk about the battle in Boone. UNC was coming off a huge win during Week 0 over an FCS team, so Appalachian State was going to be their first true test. This game featured huge momentum shifts and culminated in an epic ending. The early game was controlled by the Mountaineers. A long touchdown run from Nate Noal and two touchdown passes from Chase Brice surrounded a touchdown pass from Drake Maye to give App State a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter. The Tar Heels would control the game for the next quarter plus, scoring three touchdowns before halftime to take a 28-21 lead into the break, then scoring 13 more points in the third quarter to lead 41-21 heading into the fourth quarter. Under normal circumstances, this would be a runaway win for UNC. This final quarter would be anything but normal. Noel would punch another one into the endzone and after a Carolina fumble, Brice would pass for his third touchdown to bring it back within six points. The Tar Heels would respond with a touchdown and two-point conversion to push the lead back to 14. Brice would throw another touchdown and after the defense forced a punt, he'd throw another one to tie the game at 49 with four minutes left. It would take just over a minute for Maye to lead another touchdown drive to regain the lead with plenty of time left on the clock. The Mountaineers drove down the field and scored, opting to go for two points with 31 seconds left. The play worked to perfection, but Brice slightly overthrew his receiver as he started to backpedal as the attempt failed, leaving App State down by one point. App State would try an onside kick, but their entire line was demolished and Carolina returned it for an easy touchdown to expand the lead to eight and seemingly put things away. The Mountaineers, not wanting to give up yet, would return the kickoff into Carolina territory and Brice would need just two plays to get his sixth touchdown of the game. They'd have to go for two to tie, but it would ultimately come up short as the Tar Heels held on for the two-point win. If I'm North Carolina, the play of the defense in the last two games has to be concerning. They've allowed just over 80 points in two games and fell apart in the fourth quarter of this one. Appalachian State played a great game offensively and did their best against a high-powered offense. Everyone will see UNC at 2-0, but history will remember this second win differently. 

Upset of the Week- Old Dominion 20, Virginia Tech 17 (Norfolk, VA)

I think it would be in the Hokies' best interest to avoid playing in Norfolk. While this didn't have the same upset feeling as their win in 2018, this was still a big win for the Old Dominion program. I think this was a case of Virginia Tech beating themselves more than the Monarchs beating the Hokies. I know that it's their first game, but the Hokies didn't look like they were firing on all cylinders. Marshall transfer Grant Wells was making his first start for Virginia Tech and it didn't go well. He broke an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter and would throw for a score in the third, but he also intercepted four times, including in the fourth quarter to set up the winning score and to ice the game. The biggest play of the game was late in the first half when the Hokies' field goal team mishandled a snap and it ended with Old Dominion returning it for a touchdown to end the first half with a 10-7 lead. It took the Monarchs over 59:30 to score on offense, but it ended up being the winning touchdown. Old Dominion wasn't lighting things up on offense. It was their defense that controlled the second half and propelled them to victory. Seeing the fans storm the field at the end of the game made it all worth it and was a wonderful reminder of just how great it is for football to be back. 

Other Notable Games

#2 Ohio State 21, #5 Notre Dame 10 (Columbus, OH)

The best matchup on paper based on the rankings, I still thought this was going to be a blowout. I kind of glad that it wasn't because it made me feel like Notre Dame might be a legitimate threat. The Irish held the lead at halftime and the Buckeyes' offense really didn't look like it was connecting. CJ Stroud and company came to life in the second half despite missing star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I think they were fortunate that the Irish's offense couldn't get anything going in the second half. I'm going to need a little bit more from the Buckeyes. 

#13 NC State 21, East Carolina 20 (Greenville, NC)

The other half of the wild day in North Carolina on Saturday, NC State got really lucky twice. As one of the best team's in the ACC, there are high expectations for the Wolfpack and a game on the road against a struggling team from the AAC seemed like it should be a good way to showcase their talent. They looked great in the first half, but the Pirates' defense shut them out in the second half, forcing two late turnovers and stopping them at the goalline in the fourth quarter. If not for a bad hold on a PAT and a missed field goal at the end of the game from East Carolina, NC State would be 0-1. 

Florida 29, #7 Utah 26 (Gainesville, FL)

It was a rough day for the PAC-12 against the SEC. Down in the Swamp, the Gators have a new regime and a new outlook on the program after a disappointing season. Their first test was the defending champions from the PAC-12 and a top ten team. Coming in, both teams knew this was going to be a fight and they went back and forth for 60 minutes. Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson showed out, running all over the Utes for three touchdowns, his third of which would give Florida the lead in the final 1:30 of the game. The Utes drove down the field and got into the red zone, but an interception in the endzone would seal the deal and secure the upset win. 

#3 Georgia 49, #11 Oregon 3 (Atlanta, GA)

We all knew Georgia was a good team. They are the defending champions after all. I don't think anyone outside of Athens thought we'd see a route this bad. Bo Nix left the SEC to get away from teams like this and he still had to face it in his first game with the Ducks. Everything that could go wrong for the Ducks did go wrong. Stetson Bennett picked up right where he left off last season, leading the offense to seven scoring drives in their first seven possessions. The defense held the Ducks to a field goal and was unrelenting for 60 minutes. It's way too early to assume much, but I think Georgia might as well advance to the College Football Playoff. 

#17 Pittsburgh 38, West Virginia 31 (Pittsburgh, PA)

There must be something about the ACC playing in tight games in the opening week because Pittsburgh decided to get into the action when the week kicked off on Thursday. Pittsburgh and West Virginia have a heated rivalry as is, so add a few years off and a primetime slot, and things were bound to get interesting. USC transfer Kedon Slovis looked good taking over the mantle from Kenny Pickett and former USC and Georgia quarterback JT Daniels didn't look bad for West Virginia either. With the game tied at 31 late, it was a dropped pass that landed right in the hands of MJ Devonshire that was returned for a touchdown that would decide things and secure the emotional win for the Panthers. 

Florida State 24, LSU 23 (New Orleans, LA)

Special teams coaches should probably shield their eyes. One day after one ACC team benefited from terrible special teams play, another got extremely lucky. Both quarterbacks played extremely well. Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns while running for over 100 more for LSU and Jordan Travis threw for 260 and two touchdowns of his own. It came down to special teams and the Tigers struggled. They muffed two punts and had the potential game-tying PAT blocked with no time left on the clock. The Seminoles tried to give this game away, but they escaped New Orleans with their second win of the season. 

My Top 25 After Week 1

1. Alabama (1-0, W 55-0 Utah State)

It was very by the numbers for the preseason #1. They beat Utah State and Bryce Young was able to chill for most of the second half. 

2. Ohio State (1-0, W 21-10 #5 Notre Dame)

I almost thought about moving the Buckeyes to the top spot after their win over the Irish. They clearly had the better win, but it wasn't all roses. 

3. Georgia (1-0, W 49-3 #11 Oregon)

The Bulldogs are another team that could've easily jumped to the top spot. Their performance was more dominant than Ohio State's, but the Buckeyes had the tougher opponent, so the top three will remain. 

4. Clemson (1-0, W 41-10 Georgia Tech)

The Tigers began their season with a spectacular defensive display and two blocked punts. DJ Uiagalelei looked better but unless he turns it on, freshman Cade Klubnik is waiting in the wings.

5. Texas A&M (1-0, W 31-0 Sam Houston)

A shutout win to start the season is always a good sign, even if it's against an FCS opponent. The offense looked solid too as they look to be a threat the to Crimson Tide in the division.

6. Michigan (1-0, W 51-7 Colorado State)

It was a clinic for the Wolverine's offense in their opener. They ran all over Colorado State as the quarterback competition continues.

7. Oklahoma (1-0, W 45-13 UTEP)

The Brent Venables era at Oklahoma began with a strong win over UTEP. UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel looked strong in his Sooners debut and the defense was all over the Miners.

8. Notre Dame (0-1, L 21-10 #2 Ohio State)

You can't really fault the Irish for their problems against the Buckeyes. Marcus Freeman and company were facing one of the best teams in the country and their offense struggled against a stout defense. 

9. Baylor (1-0, W 69-10 Albany)

The Bears hung a nice number on Albany to start the season. Everyone seemed to get into the action as six guys combined to run for seven touchdowns in an easy opening win. 

10. USC (1-0, W 66-14 Rice)

There is going to be a lot of focus on Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, especially after the opening weekend that the PAC-12 had. They appear to be the conference's hope for the playoffs. 

11. Oklahoma State (1-0, W 58-44 Central Michigan)

This wasn't quite what the Cowboys had in mind for their first game. They were dominating in the first half but allowed Central Michigan to hang around by getting outplayed in the second half. 

12. Michigan State (1-0, W 35-13 Western Michigan)

I'm sure Peyton Thorne, despite throwing for four touchdowns, would've expected a better performance. Luckily, the run game was strong and the defense didn't allow much to happen.

13. NC State (1-0, W 21-20 East Carolina)

I think "luck" is the only word that I could use to describe how the Wolfpack managed to win in Greenville. They should really be sitting here at 0-1, but a win is a win.

14. Utah (0-1, L 29-26 Florida)

As the only team in the top ten to lose to an unranked team, this can't be how the Utes expected things to go. The Swamp is a tough place to play and I still think they'll be fine in a wide-open PAC-12. 

15. Pittsburgh (1-0, W 38-31 West Virginia)

The Backyard Brawl lived up to all the hype surrounding this rivalry. The two teams were very evenly matched the entire night and a timely pick-six for the Panthers carried them to a win. 

16. Miami (1-0, W 70-13 Bethune-Cookman)

The ACC has plenty of great quarterbacks and Tyler Van Dyke is the one I'm most excited to see this season. The Hurricanes controlled this game from the jump and looked phenomenal.

17. Oregon (0-1, L 49-3 #3 Georgia)

This was a rough start to the season for Bo Nix and the Ducks. I didn't think there was any chance they were going to win this game, but I did think they'd be a little more competitive on both sides of the ball.

18. Arkansas (1-0, W 31-24 #23 Cincinnati)

Not enough love was shown to this game against two ranked teams towards the bottom of the Top 25. The Razorbacks got the best of Cincinnati in a great opening win for Arkansas. 

19. Wisconsin (1-0, W 38-0 Illinois State)

There isn't much to dislike about Week 1 if you're the Badgers. Graham Mertz was efficient and Braelon Allen ran all over Illinois State.

20. Kentucky (1-0, W 37-13 Miami (OH))

The Wildcats are a quiet team in the SEC that likely won't get the amount of love they deserve. Will Levis is a solid quarterback and he was on against the Redhawks. 

21. Wake Forest (1-0, W 44-10 VMI)

Without Sam Hartman for the time being, Mitch Griffis stepped in and started the season strong. He passed his first test as has the Demon Deacons looking like a solid force in the ACC Atlantic. 

22. Ole Miss (1-0, W 28-10 Troy)

The Rebels didn't put up the numbers offensively that I would've expected in a season-opening win against Troy. Jaxson Dart wasn't lighting up the Trojans, but the defense held up their end of the deal.

23. BYU (1-0, W 50-21 South Florida)

There wasn't much the Cougars weren't able to do against the Bulls. They threw it effectively and ran for over 300 yards as a team in a rout.

24. Florida (1-0, W 29-26 #7 Utah)

The only team to jump into my top 25, Florida pulled off a huge win against a top ten team in Billy Napier's debut. Anthony Richardson seems to be the guy for the Gators to carry them to success.

25. Houston (1-0, W 37-35 (3OT) UTSA)

It took a long time for the Cougars to finish the Roadrunners in San Antonio. While UTSA isn't a bad team, I did expect a little bit more from them as a Group of 5 hopeful.

My Next 5

26. Texas (1-0, W 52-10 UL Monroe)

We finally got to see Quinn Ewers in action and he was pretty good. The Longhorns ran over Louisiana-Monroe to open the season, setting up a huge game next week.

27. Tennessee (1-0, W 59-10 Ball State)

Hendon Hooker and the Volunteers didn't have much to worry about in their first game. Everyone that got some playing time contributed to a huge win.

28. Cincinnati (0-1, L 31-24 #19 Arkansas)

This isn't going to be the same Cincinnati team that made it to the playoff last season, but they're still pretty good. They took a tough loss to a solid Razorbacks team to open things up.

29. Penn State (1-0, W 35-31 Purdue)

The Boilermakers made life hard for Penn State in their conference opener, but a late touchdown got them over the hump. I expect a stronger effort from this moving forward. 

30. Iowa (1-0, W 7-3 South Dakota)

I'm going to pretend it was just "first-game jitters" for the Hawkeyes' offense because they looked bad. All they needed was a field goal and two safeties to win, but that's not a recipe for success.

Week 2 Preview

1. #1 Alabama at Texas (Austin, TX)

This will be the first true test for both top-ranked Alabama and the Quinn Ewers-led Longhorns. The game taking place in Austin does add a little bit of intrigue, though I don't think Texas stands a huge chance.

2. #20 Kentucky at #12 Florida (Gainesville, FL)

One of the biggest surprises after the AP Poll was released was the Florida Gators jumping all the way to #12 with their upset win over Utah. Their conference opener against Kentucky will go a long way in proving whether they truly are deserving of this ranking.

3. #24 Tennessee at #17 Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)

Coming off an emotional win, the Panthers have to hop back into the saddle against a ranked team from Tennessee. Hendon Hooker and company got the job done in Week 1 as well, taking care of Ball State and jumping into the Top 25.

4. #10 USC at Stanford (Palo Alto, CA)

The Lincoln Riley era got off to an excellent start after a massive blowout over Rice. They now go into enemy territory and a place they haven't been extremely successful in during the last several meetings, meaning they'll need to do a lot of the same.

5. #9 Baylor at #21 BYU (Provo, UT)

The Big 12 feels like it is wide open at the moment with the Bears and Oklahoma serving as the frontrunners. A win over a ranked team on the road could be huge for Baylor, while BYU looks to make a statement as the best Group of 5 team in the country. 

6. Arizona State at #11 Oklahoma State (Stillwater, OK)

The Cowboys only won by 14 points in Week 1 against a team from the MAC despite scoring 58 points on offense. Now that they are playing a Power 5 team, the competition is going to get stiffer and that could be a problem for a weak defense. 

7. #23 Wake Forest at Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN)

Sam Hartman is back and while it's unclear how much of a role he'll play in his first game, it's nice to be able to say that he's better. The Demon Deacons go on the road to Nashville to play an SEC team that isn't going to get a lot of love. 

8. South Carolina at #16 Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)

Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks are hanging around outside of the Top 25 at the onset of the season and must go into Fayetteville to score a major upset. The Razorbacks have knocked off a Top 25 team already this season and need to avoid the letdown game. 

9. Iowa State at Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

The Cy-Hawk rivalry returns for its 69th iteration, though this is far less appealing than last year's battle between ranked teams. Iowa's offense looked terrible in a 7-3 win over South Dakota, while Iowa State looks to avenge last season's loss and break its six-season losing streak. 

10. Boston College at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)

This game doesn't mean anything to most people, but this game intrigues me since Virginia Tech is coming off a bad loss to start their season. They now have their first conference game and while Boston College likely won't be a factor in the Atlantic, Phil Jurkovic is still a tough draw for game two.