Iowa in the CFP! Texas won’t survive the SEC! A reality check on Week 2 overreactions

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Iowa in the CFP! Texas won’t survive the SEC! A reality check on Week 2 overreactions

Texas isn’t again. Neither is Florida Condition nor USC.

Soon after amazing openers, people groups were dealt a generous dose of fact in Week 2. The Longhorns were manhandled by Arkansas, the Seminoles shed to an FCS program for the to start with time in the worst way conceivable and the Trojans looked uninspired in an unappealing reduction from Stanford at the Coliseum that led to mentor Clay Helton’s dismissal Monday. So, in hindsight, we might have gotten carried away with our 7 days 1 overreactions.

That’s why we adore college football, a activity in which Iowa Condition is a College Football Playoff risk just one 7 days and nonetheless the second-ideal team in its home state the up coming.

In this article are a handful of a lot more overreactions from 7 days 2:

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Michigan will beat Ohio Point out

Ohio Condition has not appeared this susceptible in fairly a although, subsequent Oregon’s spectacular 35-28 street earn at the Horseshoe on Saturday. Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud and the offense are not the problem he threw for 484 yards with three touchdowns and 1 pick on 35-for-54 passing. But the defense is a mess beneath first-time defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, who was employed soon after Jeff Hafley remaining to come to be Boston College’s head mentor in 2020. Coombs has extended had the name of remaining a fantastic recruiter and capable defensive backs coach, nonetheless he experienced under no circumstances termed performs earlier mentioned the large school level. Ohio State’s protection wasn’t extremely very good previous year and it appears worse this 12 months.

“I am responsible,” Coombs instructed reporters Saturday. “That is my work, so we have to play far better. When we say we have to participate in superior, I’m not blaming the gamers. The conventional of our defense is one of excellence, and I have to do a better work.”

All of the blame does not slide at Coombs’ feet. In the 2017 and 2018 recruiting courses, Ohio Point out signed 11 defensive players rated in the leading 100 of the ESPN 300. They provided Chase Youthful, Shaun Wade and Jeff Okudah. After Urban Meyer handed in excess of Coombs to hire Alex Grinch as co-defensive coordinator in 2018, Coombs left the plan to be part of the Tennessee Titans team and, in change, the Buckeyes’ recruitment on defense slipped substantially. They signed just one particular defensive player ranked in the best 100 of the ESPN 300 in the 2019 and 2020 classes (defensive finish Zach Harrison, who has still to build into a correct star). That is the conundrum facing recent head coach Ryan Day: The defensive struggles may possibly be as a lot about the X’s and the O’s as the Jimmys and the Joes.

Continue to, let’s not get carried absent about Michigan last but not least beating Ohio State, which has not happened because Nov. 26, 2011. Sure, the Wolverines looked fantastic in Saturday’s 31-10 win towards Washington, but they’re heading to need to have extra from quarterback Cade McNamara and the passing match to conquer a crew of OSU’s caliber. The Buckeyes, in the meantime, have more than two months to get far better on defense.

Texas is just not likely to endure in the SEC

The timetable isn’t going to get kinder for coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns, who encounter Rice, Texas Tech, TCU and Oklahoma about the upcoming month. Wesley Hitt/Getty Illustrations or photos

As we warned you past week, pump the brakes on all those “Texas is back” proclamations. Following hunting so great in a 20-issue victory versus Louisiana in the opener, the Longhorns shed 40-21 at Arkansas on Saturday. The Hogs piled up 471 yards of offense, such as 333 speeding, even though averaging a whopping 7.1 yards for every have. 5 Arkansas gamers experienced at least 40 rushing yards. The Longhorns ended up held with no a sack and had only two quarterback pressures.

“Around time, they type of wore us out so our protection was out on the industry … it type of wore us out,” Texas mentor Steve Sarkisian claimed. “Forty-seven hurry tries. We never ever set any stress on them to throw the ball. I consider section of that [was] we just failed to get it completed offensively to acquire any force off the protection.”

On the other aspect of the ball, Texas’ offensive line could not stand up against what was regarded a under-regular SEC defensive line (but could possibly be a great deal greater than that). Texas star Bijan Robinson was held to only 69 yards on 19 tries with one particular score, and the Longhorns even struggled to operate versus 3-man fronts.

Soon after only two video games, it’s too early to say Sarkisian will not likely succeed. It really is way as well early to say the Longhorns would not be in a position to contend whenever they transfer from the Major 12 to the SEC, no matter whether that’s in 2025 or faster. Involving now and then, Sarkisian and his staff members have to update the talent on both strains of scrimmage, substantially. Because 2008, Texas has had three offensive linemen selected in the NFL draft, none in the initially spherical. In the course of that span, Alabama experienced 19 offensive linemen drafted, which includes eight very first-rounders. Even even worse, Vanderbilt experienced 6 these kinds of players drafted since 2008, which include 1 1st-rounder. And Texas fans puzzled why previous Longhorns All-American Blake Brockermeyer’s twin sons, James and Tommy, signed with the Tide.

Iowa is heading to make the CFP

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes haven’t authorized 25 details in 24 consecutive online games, the longest streak between Electrical power 5 teams. AP Photograph/Matthew Putney

Just after blasting Indiana in the opener, the Hawkeyes after all over again rolled earlier Iowa Point out in the Cy-Hawk video game, profitable 27-17 on the highway. Defensively, Iowa is very good sufficient to problem for a Massive Ten title and probably a spot in the CFP. The Hawkeyes have pressured 7 turnovers in two video games and converted them into 37 points (20 versus Iowa State). They have not authorized 25 points in 24 consecutive games, the longest streak among Electricity 5 teams. Iowa experienced 6 interceptions in the initially two online games and an FBS-most effective 70 due to the fact 2017. Punter Tory Taylor is a subject-placement weapon.

“There’s no solution formulation, we participate in defense the way we enjoy it,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

And there’s no mystery to Iowa’s offense. As is ordinarily the situation beneath Ferentz, there’s practically nothing flashy on that side of the ball. It ran 39 times for 67 yards and averaged 5 yards per pass in its sixth straight victory above its in-point out rival. The Hawkeyes will want a lot, much additional from their offense to get as a result of the Large 10. The fantastic information: They really don’t engage in Ohio State or Michigan in the regular time and they get Penn Condition at house. An Oct. 30 trip to Wisconsin may possibly be the largest remaining obstacle.

Arkansas is the next-very best team in the SEC West

Trelon Smith rushed for 75 yards on 12 carries and a landing in Arkansas’ upset of Texas in Week 2. Nelson Chenault-Usa Now Sports activities

Alabama is obviously the greatest team in the SEC West, and no just one else is even near. LSU stays a mess and coach Ed Orgeron may possibly be in hassle if matters do not get much better in a hurry. The Tigers announced Monday that working back John Emery Jr. will not likely enjoy this year, reportedly due to the fact of academics. LSU averaged only 3.5 yards for every carry in a 34-7 earn versus FCS foe McNeese Point out on Saturday (the Division II West Florida Argonauts averaged 4.8 yards in a 42-36 victory in opposition to the Cowboys a 7 days earlier).

No. 7 Texas A&M’s educate slowed a bit with Monday’s news that starting up quarterback Haynes King will pass up an undetermined period of time of time with a decrease leg harm. Sophomore Zach Calzada was a little bit shaky in a 10-7 gain at Colorado. Soon after a significantly less-than-outstanding opener versus Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State’s protection was stout in a 24-10 win vs . NC State.

Continue to, Arkansas’ victory against Texas was the most amazing assertion in the SEC West this earlier weekend. Are the Hogs excellent sufficient to complete right at the rear of the Tide in mentor Sam Pittman’s 2nd year? Most likely not. But what the 59-calendar year-outdated former offensive line mentor has carried out in these a limited time is quite extraordinary. He waited a few a long time to turn out to be a head coach and currently has the Hogs shopping for into what he is selling. Remember, he took in excess of a application that had long gone 1-23 in SEC video games. Immediately after likely 3-7 previous time, getting the Hogs to a bowl video game in Yr 2 would be a monumental phase, and they are much more than capable of accomplishing that.

Georgia has a quarterback controversy

With Georgia beginning quarterback JT Daniels sidelined, Stetson Bennett threw five touchdowns in the initial half of the Bulldogs’ 56-7 rout of UAB in 7 days 2. Brett Davis/Getty Images

Ga starting quarterback JT Daniels didn’t perform in final week’s 56-7 rout against UAB since of an oblique harm. Bulldogs mentor Kirby Intelligent mentioned Daniels was dealing with the personal injury ahead of the opener towards Clemson, but then aggravated it all through that video game and woke up in soreness the upcoming working day. On Monday, Wise stated Daniels felt superior after a few of extra times of remedy, but his status for Saturday night’s game against South Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN and the ESPN App) is unsure.

“The approach is relaxation, recovery and therapy, and we have completed the finest we can with that,” Intelligent explained. “The biggest issue that we have been told is you you should not want to worsen it.”

In Daniels’ absence, previous walk-on Stetson Bennett experienced a history-location day towards the Blazers, throwing 5 touchdowns in the 1st fifty percent. He is plainly Georgia’s No. 2 quarterback, but Daniels’ injuries would likely have to linger, or he would have to struggle mightily in his return, for Bennett to reclaim the beginning position. Bennett performed very well at occasions final season, but faltered in losses from Alabama and Florida. In his defense, he was working with accidents in both of those game titles, but the backlash on social media was so terrible Bennett ditched his Iphone. He could possibly be the only student on the UGA campus making use of a flip mobile phone.