Review of Week 1
Posted on September 5, 2011 by Jacob Bunn
The first college football Saturday of the year was not disappointing. A lot of things can be learned from each team's first outing on the gridiron. Still, many questions remain undetermined even after last night's conclusion to week one.
Here are some of my thoughts on opening weekend in college football:
The SEC continued its dominating appearance that it has held for most of the last decade, despite losing a couple of key games.
Best team performances of week one:
Baylor - Despite years of being in the cellar of the Big 12, the Bears rose to the occasion Friday night and defeated a talent-rich TCU squad.
LSU - The Tigers physically dominated Oregon in the second half. With the style of football that the Ducks play, it was impossible for them to be competitive with a big, talented, and speedy SEC defense.
Best individual performance of week one:
Kellen Moore - I would be remiss if I did not give credit to the outstanding quarterback of Boise State. For all of the hits the Broncos have taken as a result of their schedule, they stood tall Saturday night with an SEC program. They were led by Moore, who confidently led his offense to a strong victory.
Most disappointing performance of week one:
Auburn - I am aware that the Tigers lost a lot off talent from last year's championship squad. But they should never (no matter how much attrition) be on the ropes with Utah State. That is exactly what happened as Auburn trailed by ten with little more than two minutes remaining. In the same style that they exuded last year, though, the Tiger rallied to claim victory in dramatic fashion over the Aggies. The bottom line is that shoud never have happened. Auburn should not be having issues with Utah State. If things do not dramatically improve in a hurry, things could get very interesting on the plains.
Georgia - What is it going to take for Georgia to be prepared on all levels to play a meaningful game. The Bulldogs played in a game Saturday night that meant a ton to a lot of people, and they were clobbered. I have to give Boise State all of the credit in the world for decisively defeating Georgia. But, there is no reason for a program like Georgia to look as weak and clueless as it did. The blame for this major error should be placed squarely at the feet of head coach Mark Richt.
What to take away from week one:
I think the SEC maintained its reputation as the most dominant league in college football, even with the losses to BYU and Boise State. Another thing that stood out to me is the strong showing by the Big 12 on the field while the league seemingly receives the short end of conference expansion.
While there were many answers to our preseason questions in the opening week, there were just as many, if not more, questions raised.
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Email Jacob at jacob@bunnsports.com and follow him on Twitter at @JacobBunn
