College Football Thoughts

By: Joe Cardoso

Week one of the College Football season is done but the action we had this week did not disappoint! On paper, it is the greatest opening week ever and most of the games lived up to the hype and rattled most preseason predictions. All sports have fan bases that live and die with their teams but is there a fan base that has more passion in its hot takes than college football? It’s only one week but for some teams, this was the week to make a statement and make a move to the fast lane for the CFB playoff. After having a few hours to soak up the awesomeness here are my thoughts on week 1. Trust me I almost fell asleep during Notre Dame and Texas, so glad the Total Package Energy Shot was around.

1. Bob Stoops and the Sooners are they a playoff contender, and is it time for Stoops to go IF this season isn’t successful? Two of the best-running backs in the country had a combined 12  rushing attempts? The season is not over just win the final 11 games and the juicy matchup against Ohio State will go a long way. The loss to Houston showed how important Sterling Shepard was to the Sooners they need someone to step up at wide receiver and help Dede Westbrook. Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback in the Big 12 and great team leader he won’t let this team fall off. Next week the WR crops and the team as a whole get Louisiana-Monroe, bounce back game. Don’t pack away the wagon just yet Boomer Sooner fans. And if things go bad for Oklahoma should they think about letting Stoops go? How many “This just wasn’t our year” seasons can they have?
2. Houston Cougars: They are the REAL DEAL and a strong contender for the expansion to the power 5. The Cougars play a style of football I love they hit you in the mouth and don’t try to be cute. Little SEC swag in Houston. Tom Herman has built a program and now the results are showing on a national stage. The D-Line is full of nasty, mean people who attack ball carriers. Major Applewhite he of the oversized helmet from his Texas days has the offense rolling. Don’t sleep on this team and they have a chance to sneak into playoff talk if they run the table and one of the big boys slips up.
3. Roooooooooooll TIDE!!! Love him or hate him Nick Saban and the coaching staff just keep reloading. USC has a roster with talent and some holes that can’t be argued, but after Saturday night game the tide made those holes look HUGE. If you haven’t heard the name yet write it down, Jalen Hurts will be the next bama star. He should only improve as the season goes along. One of the lone bright spots in a bad week for the SEC the rest of college football is on notice the tide are not falling off.
4. Some many great moments this weekend to choose from but my favorite was Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner back on the field after beating cancer. He had two touchdowns and I am sure the game was a cake walk after overcoming what he has. I will be watching him all season. With the world we live in these type of inspiring stories are so needed.
5. LSU: Haven’t we seen this movie before? Last season Tiger fans were ready to load up the moving fan and get Les Miles out of town. With some key wins late in the year, the angry mob was fought off and “The Hat” is back on the sidelines. With Heisman trophy candidate Leonard Fournette was kept out of the end zone by a determined Wisconsin Badgers defense. All the reports of the improvement of Brandon Harris at QB, yeah so two picks both of which came at horrible times. His starting job has got to be on the line and the angry mob of tiger fans is making it’s way to Les Miles house again. Big, big win for the Badgers but not the start to 2016 LSU wanted.
6. Hook’em Horns!! First off the game was fantastic it was basketball on grass. And in the end, it was Charlie Strong and Texas that defeated Notre Dame who have high hopes this season. Without question, the loss is a big blow to the Irish and the season they hope to have. And for longhorn fans can you say the football program is back? Two really good quarterback’s and a coach in Strong who will have his team pumped up week in and week out. It will be an interesting year for the Longhorns and can they use this as a springboard for the 2016 season. 517 total offense in one game is a nice start. For the Irish the dual QB system didn’t work Sunday so will they keep it? How can you NOT go with DeShone Kizer? Brian Kelly is loved at Notre Dame but he better not let the season slip away. Yeah, I know it’s only week one but these are hot takes.
7. Is there a better coach at making second half adjustments than Jimbo Fisher? I mean really think about it. Deondre Francois who may have the best name in college football had a rocky start but  Fisher stuck with the freshmen. Down 28-6 at the half, they bust out 33 points STRAIGHT! The line and his teammates didn’t help him early but in the second half, they came to life. Great start for FSU which like most teams if healthy should only get better. And for Ole Miss they have a potent offense and pass rushers, they will be a factor in the SEC.

I SEE YOU:

-Welcome Back Nick Cubb over 200 yards against North Carolina and the burst was there.
– UCLA preseason Hype needs to STOP
– Texas A&M may be a dark horse in the SEC
– NCAA hardly gets things right but the opening week was stellar.
– Late night west coast football is LIFE, Wyoming triple OT game was worth the Starbucks.

Rest up college football junkies my thoughts on week 2 are coming soon. Let’s talk about the week that was here’s how: Follow our sports blog @NutsAndBoltsSP or me @Cright