Thursday, August 28
Missouri vs. Central Arkansas
Prediction: Missouri
Result: Missouri 61, Central Arkansas 6
Well, that quarterback battle didn’t take long, did it? Going into this game, I was excited to watch the Sam Horn vs. Beau Pribula battle take place… only to have Horn go down with an injury on one of the first plays of the game. Once Pribula took the reins he didn’t look back, completing 23 of 28 passes for 283 yards and two passing touchdowns, while also rushing for 65 yards and two more scores. To be honest, Central Arkansas looked so bad it was hard to tell anything from the rest of the game, but Missouri got an answer for its most important question moving forward.
Friday, August 29
Auburn @ Baylor
Prediction: Baylor
Result: Auburn 38, Baylor 24
No, I won’t be eating crow. Sure, I picked Baylor, but how was I supposed to know Dave Aranda’s defense didn’t know quarterbacks could run?
The Bears looked lost all night defending the run. Auburn deserves a ton of credit for trusting their game plan and staying committed to pounding the rock. Jackson Arnold looked more comfortable than he did all last season, which is a great sign for Hugh Freeze and company. While this game did not answer all of Auburn’s questions, this win felt like Auburn starting to figure out their identity on offense, which is a HUGE step forward.
Saturday, August 30
Texas @ Ohio State
Prediction: Ohio State
Result: Ohio State 14, Texas 7
Woof… not exactly the start to the Arch Manning era Texas was hoping for. Though one very intelligent analyst predicted a defensive slugfest, even I didn’t think Manning would look this rough. Credit to Ohio State DC Matt Patricia for confusing Manning throughout the game, as it felt like the young quarterback could never find a rhythm. Even when Texas found success running the football, Manning forced the ball into coverage way too often.
I was incredibly impressed with both defenses all game, as both the Longhorns and the Buckeyes looked stout up front. Texas will be fine. I have no doubt Sark will figure out how to improve this offense. One thing is clear after today: Ohio State is the #1 team in the country until proven otherwise.
Tennessee vs. Syracuse
Prediction: Tennessee
Result: Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26
I’ll hand it to Joey Aguilar, I underestimated him. The Vols’ new starting QB was terrific on Saturday, throwing for 247 yards and 3 touchdowns en route to an impressive offensive performance. While Syracuse was able to find some success on offense as well, the story of the game was how good Josh Huepel’s offense looked with the right trigger man. Deep ball accuracy is crucial for Tennessee’s offense to be unlocked, and Aguilar proved he’s got it against Syracuse.
Tennessee will need better play out of its pass defense, as Volunteer defensive backs surrendered 274 yards through the air. All in all, Tennessee’s team profile is higher after handling Syracuse in Atlanta.
Mississippi State @ Southern Miss
Prediction: Mississippi State
Result: Mississippi State 34, Southern Miss 17
It was sloppy, but the Bulldogs got it done. I give Mississippi State credit for fighting through a weird season opener and finding a way to win. Penalties will need to be cleaned up moving forward, as 14 is way too many to beat the opponents on State’s schedule. The big positive to take away from this game is how effectively Head Coach Jeff Lebby’s offense ran the football. Star running backs Fluff Bothwell and Davon Booth combined for around 120 yards rushing, which bodes well for a Bulldog offense that will need balance this season.
Toledo @ Kentucky
Prediction: Kentucky
Result: Kentucky 24, Toledo 16
Did we learn anything in this game? I mean, Kentucky didn’t lose, so that is something to build on. Zach Calzada looked bad; the Wildcats’ defense looked pretty average. Toledo kept things interesting, but never really took control of the game when they had the chance. All in all, exactly the kind of performance I expected out of Kentucky. Dante Dowdell was a bright spot, but besides him, I’m not sure Wildcats fans have much to feel good about moving into week two.
Georgia vs. Marshall
Prediction: Georgia
Result: Georgia 45, Marshall 7
Thanks for coming out, Marshall. The Dawgs were who we thought they were: bigger, stronger, and faster than last season. Gunner Stockton looked dangerous with his legs all afternoon. You can tell Kirby Smart preached running the football all offseason, as the Dawgs looked dynamic on the ground. The real storyline coming out of this game was how good Zachariah Branch looked in his Georgia debut. The Dawgs have not had a wide receiver as dangerous as him in the open field for a long time. His addition could unlock easy yards for Georgia this season and create a huge headache for the rest of the SEC all year.
Alabama @ Florida State
Prediction: Alabama
Result: Florida State 31, Alabama 17
Florida State out-muscled Alabama… Wait, what?! Yes folks, you heard me right: the Florida State Seminoles, most recently famous for the worst-looking football team in the entire P4 last season, threw the Crimson Tide in the wood-chipper on both lines of scrimmage.
Alabama came into this game with what was supposed to be two of the best offensive and defensive lines in all of college football. After a good opening drive of the game, the Crimson Tides’ offense found almost no rhythm or running room, rushing for 87 yards and allowing Ty Simpson to get hit all day and be sacked three times. Give Mike Norvell and the rest of the Seminole staff credit for having their guys ready for this game, as both new coordinators for Florida State thoroughly out-coached their counterparts on the other sideline.
Turning to Alabama, where do you go from here? Yes, it was Week 1, seasons are not won or lost in August. Yet, Alabama was supposed to showcase its new identity as a program in this game, recreating the tough-nosed approach of the Saban era with an offense powered by OC Ryan Grubb and HC Kalen Deboer. Game 1 did anything but solidify the Tide’s future, as uncertainty will be at an all-time high for the once-dominant program in Tuscaloosa.
Arkansas vs. Alabama A&M
Prediction: Arkansas
Result: Arkansas 52, Alabama A&M 7
File this one under the “didn’t learn much” category of SEC openers. That being said, Taylen Green looked impressive. If the Razorbacks are going to beat the odds this season and defeat some SEC teams, they will need Green to take the next step as a passer and elevate their offense. Consider this game the first step toward doing that, as Alabama A&M was completely outmatched. One thing to watch coming out of this game is Arkansas wide receiver O’Mega Blake (former Gamecock) emerging as WR1. If he can provide Green with a security blanket, that will be huge for an offense looking for new weapons this year.
Vanderbilt vs. Charleston Southern
Prediction: Vanderbilt
Result: Vanderbilt 45, Charleston Southern 3
Not a whole lot was learned here, guys. Diego Pavia is who we thought he was. Vandy is a much better football team on both sides of the ball than the national media gives them credit for. Commodore fans have a good one in CJ Heard, as he forced an INT and helped lead a defense that suffocated Charleston Southern all day. Next week’s game against Virginia Tech will go a long way in telling us more about this squad, but kudos to the Commodores for taking care of business in Week 1.
Ole Miss @ Georgia State
Prediction: Ole Miss
Result: Ole Miss 63, Georgia State 3
Shocker, Ole Miss has a prolific offense. Breaking: Lane Kiffin has a quarterback who can spin it (even though he made some questionable decisions (skip to minute 2)). None of this is a revelation to any college football fan. Yet the real storyline out of this blowout was how good Kewan Lacy looked for the Rebels. Lacy rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries, looking like the best running back Ole Miss has had since Quinshon Judkins left the program. If the Rebels can feature a dangerous run game to pair with the patented Lane Kiffin aerial attack, look out, SEC defenses.
Florida vs. Long Island University
Prediction: Florida
Result: Florida 55, Long Island 0
This was a splattering. Next game. Alright, I will admit it, DJ Lagway and the Gators looked really good. While I would have liked to see Florida register at least one sack, LIU was getting rid of the ball so fast that there really wasn’t time to cause a ton of defensive disruption. Next week will be a much better test for the Gators against USF, who looked more than capable against Boise State.
LSU @ Clemson
Prediction: Clemson
Result: LSU 17, Clemson 10
Brian Kelly has exorcised the demons! For all of the dunking that was done on the Tigers for their “1–0” antics ahead of this heavyweight matchup, LSU shut up a host of haters on Saturday. The game was not always pretty, as there were moments where it looked like LSU would choke yet again. When the replay booth called Barion Brown’s would be TD catch incomplete, I (lovingly) yelled to my wife, “WHAT IS A CATCH?!”. It seemed in that moment that Clemson would retake the momentum and find a way to win. And yet, a funny thing happened… the better team won. LSU came into this game with questions on the offensive line that seemed to me like a recipe for disaster against an NFL-laden Clemson defensive line. To combat Clemson’s pass rushers, the Tigers stuck to their running game, something they had failed to do almost all of last season. Also, can we talk about Blake Baker? He confused “Heisman favorite” Cade Klubnik all night, blitzing from the trees and outcoaching Clemson OC Garrett Riley. If LSU can get this kind of production out of their defense consistently, the Tigers should be the favorite to win the SEC this season.
Sunday, August 31
South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
Prediction: South Carolina
Result: South Carolina 24, Virginia Tech 11
Before I begin, a quick love letter to South Carolina Defensive Coordinator Clayton White:
Dear Clayton, whatever you are being paid, you deserve every penny. Please never leave us. — Gamecock Nation.
South Carolina’s defense suffocated Kyron Drones and Hokies all afternoon, as Carolina got a much-needed Week 1 win. Listen, was it pretty? No. Do the Gamecocks need to figure out how to protect LaNorris Sellers (I talked about this all offseason)? Yes. Did South Carolina figure out how to win a rock fight in Week 1? You better believe it. Yes, I saw the haters and sickos who were betting Virginia Tech as the line for the game swung hard toward the Hokies before kickoff. To be honest, I see why, as Brent Pry’s group looked MUCH improved from last season (especially defensively). Week 1 is all about surviving with a win, and the Gamecocks did that. LaNorris Sellers looked like he was still feeling out a new offense that will need to improve as the season progresses. While I could go into much greater detail about the offensive problems that need to be fixed, the emergence of Nyck Harbor as a downfield threat is massive.
Harbor can stretch defenses vertically to open up Carolina’s run game, making Sellers even more dangerous. If the Gamecocks can use the next few tune-up games to get right offensively, don’t be shocked if Carolina enters Week 5 against LSU undefeated, with the nation’s eyes fixed on Baton Rouge.