Anderson's Takeaways from Week 1 of College Football

At the same time, College Gameday returns to have one of the biggest icons in collegiate sports, Lee Corso, for the final time. This past week of college football saw some of its biggest stars and most highly praised teams disappoint. In contrast, getting surprises from some under-the-radar transfers and underdog squads. The first slot of games began like every other first week of every college football season, chaotic. This first week was filled with upsets and shocking performances that show you why you shouldn't believe the hype. It also reminds us why we watch this game; we love surprises, and football, every year, gets full of them in many unimaginable ways. But it's important not to forget that this is only the beginning.

It's a Low Tide in Alabama

Without disregard for the Seminoles beating the Crimson Tide last Saturday, it's shameful to see where Alabama's football program is heading. It is really the end of the Nick Saban era in Alabama, or as Thomas Castellanos said, "They don't have Nick Saban to save them." This new brand of air attack football that Kalen DeBoer is trying to display with the Crimson Tide isn't working out so effectively. Having your quarterback throw 43 times a game isn't the Alabama way of playing football. It isn't the way you win football games in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama ran for no more than 87 rushing yards as a team against Florida State last Saturday. Neither did their running backs, Kevin Riley and Richard Young, carry the ball at least 10 times. Riley only had five carries, while Young only had nine.

Even the defense has lost its bite, as they allowed 382 total yards of offense. Castellanos made toys out of them by running around, escaping, evading, and constantly moving the chains on them. There was one play in the third quarter where three Alabama rushers had a shot at him, and he just scrambled at full speed down the right sidelines for another Seminoles' first down. I thought he couldn't escape that kind of rush like that. This loss is the largest opening-season loss they have had since 2001, and could spell a rude awakening for a once-proud program.

Tennessee has a Quarterback Upgrade

Everyone thought the Tennessee Volunteers would digress after Nico Iamaleava left them for UCLA. But, instead, they were hitting on all cylinders last Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia, against Syracuse. New quarterback, Joey Aguilar, in his Tennessee debut, threw for three touchdowns on 247 passing yards and a completion percentage of 57.1. The Vols' offense looked more efficient, error-free, and quicker than last year. Throughout last season, the offense ran more like a car during the winter, needing time to warm up before it could start. Aguilar was more poised, decisive, and disciplined than Iamaleava ever was for the Volunteers.

Speaking of him, he threw for one touchdown, one interception, and 136 passing yards on a 50.0 completion percentage in his UCLA debut. The Bruins lost 43-10 to the Utah Utes. The Volunteers put up 45 points on the Orangemen under Aguilar's terrific performance for his Tennessee debut. He might be the quarterback that head coach Josh Heupel has been looking for to run his offense the way he has always imagined it since Hendon Hooker left after 2022. A quick striking air attack that complements the running game and the defense, and that's what the Tennessee Volunteers have now. Watch out for what could become the best offense in the SEC this year.

Defense is Back in (The Real) Death Valley

The best defense in the SEC could once again be the LSU Tigers. Yes, there was once upon a time when Louisiana was the land of the most vicious defenses in all of college football, year after year, dating back to the 2000s through the 2010s. Last Saturday night's performance from the Tigers' defense against a dangerous Clemson offense became reminiscent of those glory days. Coming into Clemson with one of the worst defenses in the country last year, they let the other Tigers know that this is a brand-new season. The defense pressured Cade Klubnik the entire game with disguised blitzes and penetration from up front. Sacking the Heisman hopeful twice and intercepting one pass off of him. Klubnik was held to a quarterback rating of 31.4, no touchdowns, and 19 of 38 passes completed for the game.

Holding Clemson's offense to 10 points and under 270 yards of total offense. They permitted no more than 31 rushing yards and no more than 13 first downs to Clemson. The fourth down stop to seal the game for LSU, where Cade Klubnik was rushed out of the pocket by a linebacker blitz from Harold Perkins Jr., and had no chance to deliver the football near the first down marker. They consistently outnumbered Clemson's blockers on every down, which greatly aided Garrett Nussmeier and their offense. As they only needed to score 17 points, they left the rest to the defense to finish the job. This new defense is an incredible sight to see for LSU, and once again could make the Tigers a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.

The next Heisman Trophy Winner could be in South Bend

The tradition of great defense seemed to have returned to the "U" as well against the Fighting Irish Sunday night. The Hurricanes' defense, under new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherington, looked like a completely different unit from last season. It was more suffocating, aggressive, and vicious like the Miami defenses from championships' past. They were ball-hungry and gave out hard hits all around, especially on Notre Dame's freshman quarterback C.J. Carr. Despite the punishment he embraced from Miami's pass rush, he remained unshaken from the first snap to the last. The first touchdown he threw, where he scrambled like he was Jameis Winston, was incredible to see. But it was the final touchdown drive he led to tie the game that really showed his potential.

After a 65-yard pass completed to Eli Raridon, Carr ran in from seven yards out for the game-tying touchdown. The drive ended in just three plays, all of which were positive. The Hurricanes would eventually beat the Fighting Irish by a field goal and a last-second sack. Carr finished the game with a stat line of 221 passing yards, two touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown, and an average of 7.4 yards per completion. He performed exceptionally under this kind of pressure on a big stage when his support was stifled for the whole game. His star ball-carriers, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, were each held under 50 yards rushing. More games like this from him could make him the first Freshman to win the Heisman since Jameis Winston in 2013.

Arch Manning has the family name, but not the blood

It's only week one, and he played against the number defense in the country in one of the toughest stadiums in college football to play in. But, on big stages like this, as the Heisman favorite playing for a national title contender, you have to be ready to seize the moment. Watching Arch Manning struggle against Ohio State was hard to watch. His mechanics went somewhere in the abyss, and the accuracy in his passes was gone. The nerves were so clear by the way he was thrown off his game. This makes us forget who Arch played in his first three career college starts: Mississippi State, UTSA, and UL Monroe. Once he gets the chance to play against a more prestigious football team, such as the Ohio State Buckeyes, his talents immediately crumble.

He missed so many routine throws that anyone could complete. The first play of the game was a simple rollout to the right, with the quarterback throwing on the run, and the football was fumbled to the ground. The ball didn't even reach near the feet of his moving target. The interception he threw looked like either a sailing pass or a wobbling duck short of his receiver. He was easily confused by the disguised coverages the whole game. It was basic play-calling by Steve Sarkisian, where Texas only had two plays that went for 20 yards or longer. Both of those plays came late in the fourth quarter. It's still a long season and enough time for Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns to make adjustments.

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