2. The Most Underrated Thing Was …
The importance of warm-up games still matters.
Oh sure, the conference game action this year will be fantastic without all the fluffy light scrimmages, but there was a whole lot of ragged football being played.
That’s why you schedule a Houston Baptist and a Central Arkansas.
Last year after week one, UCA’s 23-20 win over WKU was the only FCS victory over an FBS team. In all, the FCS went 1-39 in the paycheck games.
UCA got a win in the opening weekend over Austin Peay, but it lost 45-35 to UAB as one of four FBS vs. FCS matchups.
Marshall whacked Eastern Kentucky 59-0, North Texas beat Houston Baptist 57-31, and UTEP beat Stephen F. Austin 24-14.
UTEP might not win another game all year, and for the rest of Conference USA teams that got wins, considering the problems Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee had, getting through Week 1 with a victory of any sort was terrific.