College football Week 0 roundup with the 5 things that matter, winners and losers, overrated and underrated aspects to the weekend, and what it all means
College Football Week 0 Roundup
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College Football Week 0 Roundup
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– Nebraska can’t buy a break: One Really Big Thing
– THAT kick: Most Overrated Thing
– Florida Atlantic rolls: Most Underrated Thing
– Week 0 should be more: What It All Means, Week 0
Winners & Losers From Week 0
Winner: Pat Fitzgerald
The guy’s team went 3-9 last season – and got destroyed in the only Big Ten win of the season for Nebraska – and yet he was able to kickoff 2022 with a 31-28 upset over the Huskers thanks to a good running game, steady play by the defense in the second half, and a brilliant performance by the offensive line. It was just one game, but that wasn’t the 2021 Northwestern team in Dublin.
Loser: Scott Frost
Frost was in this exact spot in last year’s Week 0 piece after losing to Illinois. After that loss he was 12-21 as the Nebraska head coach and 9-18 in the Big Ten. Fast forward a year later, and after a slew of changes and adjustments, he’s now 15-30 overall and just 10-26 in conference play.
Winner: Drake Maye
North Carolina’s new quarterback got his light scrimmage in. Maye had a few off throws, but he was 29-of-37 for 294 yards and five touchdowns – and ran for 55 yards – in the 56-24 win over Florida A&M. It should’ve been an easier game overall for the Tar Heels – at least an easier first half – but Maye looked fantastic.
Loser: FCS teams
There will be moments when the FCS rises up and shines. Austin Peay gave WKU a battle in a 38-27 loss, but Idaho State (52-21 to UNLV), Duquesne (47-7 to Florida State), and Florida A&M (it was missing a slew of players against North Carolina) all lost by double-digits.
Winner: UConn
The Huskies lost at Utah State 31-20, but it scored 14 points in the first quarter. Last year’s team only averaged 15.6 points per game, but under new head coach Jim Mora Jr. there was a rushing attack – Nathan Carter ran for 190 yards. The defense wasn’t bad outside of a rough second quarter, and at least there was a little bit of hope for the near future as they pushed the defending champion of the …
Loser: Mountain West
Nevada needed to work way too hard to get by a bad New Mexico State team 23-12, Utah State struggled in a win over a bad UConn squad, and Wyoming couldn’t do anything in the 38-6 loss at Illinois. However, UNLV rolled Idaho State for a fun moment, but the conference ended the day with …
Winner: Vanderbilt
The 1969 Vanderbilt team beat Davidson 63-8. The program hadn’t hit the 60 mark since – the 1996 team managed just 122 points in 11 games – until it rolled to a 63-10 win over …
Loser: Hawaii
It’s going to take a bit. The Rainbow Warriors gave the effort and intensity, but they were totally gutted this offseason, they don’t have the parts, and Timmy Chang’s team is going to need a while to put it all together.
– Nebraska can’t buy a break: One Really Big Thing
– THAT kick: Most Overrated Thing
– Florida Atlantic rolls: Most Underrated Thing
– Week 0 should be more: What It All Means, Week 0