BY: COLIN BISH, SPORTS DEPARTMENT
What a week, no? And I look silly over here thinking that this was a “slow” week of college football. Boy, was I wrong. We’ve got a lot to go over, so, without further ado, let’s jump straight into this week’s winners.
The Good:
Mateer Bolsters Early Heisman Campaign
Week 2’s biggest campaign featured two storied programs, Michigan and Oklahoma, facing off in Norman. On one side, there’s the Wolverines, led by freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, and on the other side, the Sooners with John Mateer heading the charge.
Mateer had a record-breaking debut against Illinois State in Week 1 and once again showed why he was so highly coveted in the portal. He passed for 270 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 74 yards and two touchdowns on the ground against an ever-sturdy Michigan defense.
With Heisman frontrunners like Garrett Nussmeier and LaNorris Sellers slumping against weaker competition, the door is open for Mateer to make his case for college football’s greatest individual prize. Keep an eye on OU as they travel to Philly in Week 3 to take on Temple.
South Florida’s Here to Stay
Don’t call it a premonition. For Alex Golesh and South Florida, it was a matter of destiny. I knew they had what it took. The Bulls made noise as they thrashed Boise State at home, carrying some quiet hype into the Swamp against top-15 Florida. But many expected the Gators, led by sophomore phenom quarterback DJ Lagway, to get the job done against USF.
The task would not be so simple. The Bulls’ defense stayed as sturdy as they were in Week 1 against the Broncos, holding Florida to 355 yards of total offense and 4/12 on third down conversions. Down by one with 2:22 left to play, untimely penalties and USF quarterback Byrum Brown helped set up Nico Gramatica for the 20-yard, game-winning field goal. Brown finished with 263 yards passing and a touchdown through the air while rushing for another 66, helping South Florida to an AP-Top 25 ranking for the first time in eight years.
Last-second Heroics help Miss State Tie 2024 Win Total
Last year was arguably the worst season in the history of Mississippi State’s football program. They finished a putrid 2-10, winless in SEC play, and the seat was already heating up for first-year head coach Jeff Lebby. Yet they kept Lebby around, trusting him to turn the ship around in year two.
Boy, has that ship ever changed direction so quickly. The Bulldogs kicked off 2025 with a solid road win over Southern Miss, but they would open at home against #12 Arizona State, last year’s Big 12 champs. While many expected ASU to coast, the Bulldogs would not be denied. They broke out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter before surrendering 20 unanswered, going down by three with 1:38 in the fourth.
That was until transfer quarterback Blake Shapen found Brenen Thompson, one of the fastest players in all of college football, for a 58-yard touchdown to give MSU a 24-20 lead with 30 seconds left. Hunter Washington sealed the upset with an interception of Sam Leavitt, and the Bulldogs have already matched their 2024 win total.
Where Lebby and company take this from here is yet to be seen, but this is already a monumental turnaround that has Starkville absolutely buzzing.
Missouri State Picks Up First Win as D-I Program
I could’ve put other storylines here, maybe Arch Manning’s bounce-back game or something else. But I adore showing love to the small programs, and up to the plate here is Missouri State.
After being thrashed 73-13 in Week 1 against USC, the Bears traveled to Huntington, West Virginia, to take on Marshall. Missouri State came out the victors, pulling through for a 21-20 win over the Herd. Quarterback Jacob Clark threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in the win, including an eight-yard score to Jeron Askren to give the Bears the lead for good.
While many are not looking in their direction, I’m more than happy to show love to Ryan Beard and his team for a historic win, their first-ever victory as a Division-I program.
The Bad:
Kansas Offense Falls Flat After First Quarter
The Jayhawks met their former longtime rival, Missouri, this past Saturday in the Border War. The rivalry has spanned over a century, and it would be their first meeting since 2011 before the Tigers left for the SEC.
Mizzou has seen much more success in that time than Kansas, but that didn’t matter, as the Jayhawks took a 21-6 lead in the first quarter. Opportunistic defensively and clicking offensively, it looked like Kansas would coast to a victory. But everything fell apart from the second quarter onward; the Jayhawks had no answer for the Missouri trio of quarterback Beau Pribula, running back Jamal Roberts and wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. They would get outscored 36-10 after the first quarter, falling 42-31 and suffering their first loss of the year.
The only complement would be that they played an SEC team close, but that won’t matter throughout the season if Kansas can’t finish the job while up big.
SMU Collapses to In-State Rival Baylor
The Mustangs have experienced an unprecedented turnaround these past couple of years under Rhett Lashlee. They looked primed for a Playoff bye last year, but were beaten heartbreakingly against Clemson in the ACC Championship. They would then be swiftly dispatched in Happy Valley against Penn State. Yet they returned a solid team for 2025, starting with a dominant win in Week 1.
They remained at home in Week 2 to take on in-state rival Baylor, whom they hadn’t beaten since 1986. SMU would take a 38-24 lead in the fourth quarter, on its way to victory, until the defense fell flat. They surrendered a 48-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer Robertson to Josh Cameron before Robertson came back to tie the game at 38-all with a 21-yard strike to Kobe Prentice. Both teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime before SMU took the ball in the second OT. Unfortunately, Mustangs kicker Collin Rogers hooked the field goal wide right, allowing Baylor’s Connor Hawkins to nail the winner.
SMU could still turn the season around, but with road games against TCU and Clemson on the horizon, I’m not so sure.
Clemson Offense Stifles Yet Again, This Time to Troy
If your offense is stifled against an SEC defense like LSU, you shake your head and say, “We got beat.” If that defense is instead Troy’s, and you’re an uber-talented offense like Clemson, then I would say there is room to worry.
Despite Klubnik and company turning the tide in the second half, including two Bryant Wesco Jr. touchdown catches, I’d be heavily alarmed. Clemson went down 16-3 at the half against Troy, with only 127 total offensive yards to their name. The defense looks fantastic, don’t get me wrong. It looked great against LSU in Week 1 and came through again, forcing three Trojan interceptions. But the offense’s slow start worries me about their future. The Tigers take on Georgia Tech in Atlanta for Week 3.
Remember last year and Miami; the Yellow Jackets are a sneaky team and, if Clemson isn’t ready, firing out of the gate offensively, their Playoff hopes will take a huge hit early.
Rich Rod’s Return to Morgantown Already Flopping
The Neal Brown era in Morgantown ended with a disappointing 2024, and West Virginia’s move to rekindle the football program was to bring back an old face: Rich Rodriguez. Rich Rod was famous for his incredible West Virginia teams of the 2000s, featuring the likes of Steve Slaton, Pat White and Noel Devine.
The Mountaineers hoped he could bring back that same success in the new era of NIL, but the train’s already off the rails. A 45-3 home-opener win against Robert Morris went mute after going on the road to MAC’s Ohio and losing 17-10. The offense looked anemic, notching 250 total yards compared to the Bobcats’ 429 and converting 2/13 third-down opportunities. The defense looked good, but if that offense can’t get it going, it’ll be another long year for the country road faithful.
The Ugly:
Florida In BAD Shape After Crumble vs. USF
Things could not have gone worse for Billy Napier and the Gators on Saturday. Florida had a shot to end the game on defense up one, but a pass interference extended USF’s drive. No big deal, can always come back from an untimely call.
Yet, inexplicably, after a stop on first down, Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett spat in the face of a Bulls offensive lineman to cough up another 15 yards on penalties. He definitely did not watch Thursday Night Football with Jalen Carter. The very next play, Byrum Brown completed a 29-yard pass to Alvon Isaac that put USF in field goal range, with Nico Gramatica later winning the game for South Florida.
It didn’t matter if the Gators needed to scrape by the Bulls; they just needed the win. And they could not come through, putting their early season into total jeopardy. Their next four games: at LSU, at Miami, home against Texas, at Texas A&M. The hot seat has been turned to max for Napier.
LSU’s Defense Saves Another Offense Stinker
Speaking of LSU, they’re at home next Saturday against rival Florida, which should be a good win for the Tigers. But I have my worries. Not about their defense; that crew is legit. What worries me is the Tigers’ ability to score, especially against many high-octane offenses in the SEC.
The Tigers faced Louisiana Tech on Saturday, winning 23-7. The defense continued its incredible streak from Week 1 against Clemson, holding the Bulldogs to 154 total yards and 3/13 on third down. And LSU seemed fine offensively, with 365 total yards of offense. But the start of the game was anything but that. Garrett Nussmeier threw an interception on LSU’s opening drive that the defense saved by forcing a Louisiana Tech three-and-out. LSU’s next drive, starting from their own 41, went eight plays for 25 yards, ending with a missed field goal by Damian Ramos. Against Louisiana Tech, it’s a bump in the road. But SEC teams will jump like hyenas on a wounded animal if they get a chance.
We’ll see if the Tigers can improve their offense in time for conference play to start at home against Florida.
Oklahoma State…
I have no words. Actually, that’s a lie. All I’ve been doing is spouting out words and bad jokes! But, when it comes to this performance by Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State team, I’m actually speechless. They looked like an FCS team out there. Dan Lanning added that Gundy’s comments about Oregon’s use of NIL money fired the team up for this matchup.
It certainly did; on the second play from scrimmage, Noah Whittington broke free for a 59-yard touchdown run to put the Ducks up 7-0, just 40 seconds into the game. Oregon didn’t let up from there. They finished the game winning 69-3, with over 600 yards of total offense and going 7/12 on third down. Gundy’s been at the helm in Stillwater for a long time, but last year’s disaster and his performance last week have been heating his seat fast. In the new age of NIL, you have to adapt to the new, and I’d imagine Oklahoma State is considering what was once thought unthinkable: moving on from Gundy.
It’s a bit too early to determine that right now, but I imagine Gundy’s son Gavin won’t be too happy with what I’m insinuating. Though he can always reactivate his Twitter account to argue with OSU fans!
Run For Your Lives, Syracuse Fans!
Just like your team did after their game in Week 2. It’s not often you see a team run sprints after they just played a game, but ‘Cuse head coach Fran Brown was not having his team’s effort.
After being down to UConn for most of the game, the Orange stormed back to take a 20-17 lead in the fourth before Huskies kicker Chris Freeman sent the game to overtime with a 41-yard field goal. The Orange would take the lead back in overtime with a Steve Angeli touchdown pass before stopping UConn on fourth down to secure the 27-20 victory.
But the work was far from over for the team. Brown had the entire team run sprints following overtime, later citing his team’s lack of effort: “Guys not running to get lined up, guys not running to the ball. I just want to celebrate the win with the people, but I’m so pissed.” That’s the kind of energy I love to see out of a coach.
Unfortunately, if this game is anything to go by, I doubt Syracuse will make much noise in the ACC this season.
Questions for Week 3:
Is Third Time the Charm for South Florida?
I garnered this question last week regarding the Bulls against Florida, but I had actual doubts as to whether or not my suspicion would be validated. Now, undefeated and ranked, USF presents a legit challenge for the #5 Miami Hurricanes. Carson Beck looked fantastic in Weeks 1 and 2, but that defense is not to be doubted. Sportsbooks favor Miami by more than two touchdowns, but college football cares not for lines or bets. Hopefully, people heed that statement instead of losing their money.
Regardless, Alex Golesh has this team rolling, and their confidence is at an all-time high. Byrum Brown is a tough quarterback. That defense is for real. If they can keep it relatively close with Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes and, God forbid, they BEAT Miami? USF may as well be a lock as the Group of Five representative for the Playoffs.
Can Georgia Rejuvenate Offense Heading Into Knoxville?
As always, Georgia will be in the mix for the national title. Their recruiting and, even more impressively, their player development is simply elite. But last year was a struggle, as Carson Beck and the offense fell flat. Had Georgia Tech pulled the upset last season, Georgia may have missed the playoffs altogether. What I’m trying to get across is that Georgia is not the invincible boogeyman they were for a couple of years. If they can’t find their groove on offense, like last week against Austin Peay in a 28-6 win, this week looks to be a slugfest against rival Tennessee. The Vols have shown they can click on offense, scoring 117 points in their first two games. Transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar has looked exceptional for Tennessee, and he’ll be facing his biggest challenge with Georgia’s elite defensive unit. But I have faith that Josh Heupel can cook up a successful game plan for Tennessee. Will Georgia’s offense have an answer to last week’s dud? Now is the best time, since Tennessee will be without its top two cornerbacks in the Saturday matchup. If not, it could be a very uncertain season for Kirby Smart’s crew.
How Will Florida Fare in Death Valley?
I mentioned in my ugly section that Florida has an absolute gauntlet of a schedule starting in Week 3. It starts as they travel to Baton Rouge to take on the #3 LSU Tigers. While facing that defense is going to be a tough task, their offense needs to come through in this game. They were shut down by South Florida, scoring just 16 points while being one-upped by the Bulls in both total yardage and third-down conversion rate. Again, LSU’s defense is elite, but the Gators need to show some type of fight.
I’m talking full SEC ball: gritty, dirty and unfazed by the pressure. If they come out flat and get minced by the Tigers, I think we can safely write off Napier’s run as UF head coach. If he can’t keep it competitive in LSU, the same will follow against Miami, Texas and Texas A&M.
Will Diego Pavia’s Magic Come Through Against the Gamecocks?
One of 2024’s most magical moments involved Vanderbilt shocking #1 Alabama, 40-35, marking their first-ever win over an AP #1 overall team. Diego Pavia was the architect of it all, as his duel-threat prowess gave Bama problems they could not answer.
Pavia, after a long battle with the NCAA regarding eligibility, returns for his likely final year in the sport. He’s put Vanderbilt football back on the map, as they’ve started 2-0 this year following last week’s 44-20 victory at Virginia Tech. He’ll have an opportunity to shock college football again when the Commodores travel to Columbia to take on #11 South Carolina.
Not only has Pavia been stellar, but his defense has stepped up mightily; after going down 20-10 to the Hokies, the defense blanked Virginia Tech’s offense in the second half. This will be huge against the Gamecocks, who, despite their 38-10 win over South Carolina State, were both outgained in total yardage and bested in third-down conversion rate.
With Pavia succeeding against sturdy defenses before and his own defense showing great signs as of late, Vanderbilt could surely be on the cusp of another monumental upset.
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