The college football season completed Week 1 on Monday night, as Tennessee defeated Georgia Tech in double overtime, 42-41. Of all the teams which started in the top 25 before Week 1 began, which are the most overrated ones? The list includes two teams which have not yet lost a game. That’s partly a commentary on how few ranked teams lost to unranked teams in Week 1.
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns lost at home as a ranked team, and they lost decisively, trailing by 17 points late in the fourth quarter before scoring a cosmetic touchdown to lose by 10. Texas was badly beaten at home on a day when it scored three touchdowns not created by its offense. That is very hard to do. Teams which score on defense or special teams (or both) usually benefit a great deal from those plays. Those kinds of scores usually feel like bonuses, unexpected gifts which take a 50-50 game and turn it in that team’s direction. Texas merely stayed close because of those scores. Maryland’s offense did whatever it wanted to do over the last three quarters of the game. Texas was not merely beaten; the Longhorns were embarrassed. It is plain that Texas had no business being in the top 25. This team is a much longer work in progress.
South Florida Bulls
The Bulls are 2-0, having played an extra game in late August, and yet they look worse than a lot of teams which are 0-1. South Florida has played San Jose State, a team at the bottom rung of the Football Bowl Subdivision, and Stony Brook of the lower-level Football Championship Subdivision. South Florida fell behind San Jose State 16-0 before rallying to win. The next game against Stony Brook should have been an occasion in which the Bulls worked out the kinks, removed their rough edges, addressed their flaws, and pulverized a hugely inferior team. Instead, they were tied 17-17 late in the third quarter, playing worse than the week before. Quarterback Quinton Flowers is struggling to develop a rapport and a rhythm with his receivers. If this team doesn’t improve, it will lose several game this year, which would be a huge disappointment since USF is being predicted to make a New Year’s Six bowl by many analysts.
Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols won on Monday night, but they looked bad doing it. They allowed 535 rushing yards, which no team should be able to get away with. Their quarterback was decent but not spectacular. Their receivers dropped several passes. Georgia Tech missed two field goals and committed a fumble inside the Tennessee 10 to keep the Vols in the game. This level of performance will lead to a bad year in the SEC, no better than a 4-4 conference record and quite possibly worse. The Vols did not uphold their top-25 ranking very well.
West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers were supposed to beat Virginia Tech, but their defense was picked apart and constantly out of position. Their offense didn’t hit enough big plays. This was a tough blow for a team which went 10-2 in the regular season last year and had a talented quarterback, Will Grier, under center this season.
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals started the season with what was supposed to be a cupcake: Purdue. Yes, Purdue isn’t a Sun Belt team but they’re also one of the weaker Big Ten squads and they’re rebuilding. Their defense was supposed to have a lot of trouble with the Cardinals and Lamar Jackson was supposed to have a field day. As it turned out, though, it doesn’t look like Louisville has learned from last season’s mistakes. For starters, they couldn’t consistently protect Jackson. If they couldn’t do that against Purdue, they’re going to have a really tough time against the better teams. On top of that, the team continues to shoot themselves in the foot with dropped passes and two fumbles – yes, two – inside the Purdue two-yard line. They were supposed to be a potential College Football Playoff contender but they still look like a second-tier ACC team right now.
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