College football is back, and its first week started with a bang. Most matchups weren’t high-profile, but fans finally got to see an on-field product. Just one game lays the foundation for the rest of the season. With that in mind, what stood out the most after this first week?
Jayden Maiava Can Compete For the Heisman
Lincoln Riley has developed a reputation for getting quarterbacks to perform at the highest level. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams all won the Heisman under his guidance. Jalen Hurts had his best year with Riley in 2019, coming in second in voting for the award.
Jayden Maiava looks like he could be on that path. Through two games, he’s completing 89% of his passes, five touchdowns to no picks, and averaging over 300 yards per game while throwing to almost exclusively freshmen. The losses of Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL have been a non-issue thus far.
Riley is building that confidence in his quarterback and giving those young pass catchers the best chance to be successful. The schedule is going to get tougher once conference play starts, but laying the groundwork now could set up Maiava for a dominant year.
Notre Dame Is That Good
Through the first quarter and change, Notre Dame wasn’t incredibly impressive. The game was played on a neutral site that was a de facto home game for Wisconsin. It took a minute for the Fighting Irish to settle in, but once they did, they cruised.
The offense wasn’t dominant by any means, but they did their job. The defense was the real highlight. The Badgers only scored three points in the final 42 minutes of the game. Notre Dame’s defensive unit is a force and will allow the offense to dictate games and play with confidence.
Oregon Isn’t A College Football Fraud But Has To Be Better
To most, Oregon looked like one of the bigger frauds of the weekend. The number two team in the country had to fight to the end to beat Boise St. Are there some concerns with the Ducks? Yes, but that game also showed a lot to be confident about.
Simply put, the Ducks weren’t ready to play when the game started. Poor tackling and unnecessary penalties were the theme of the contest. Despite a lackluster beginning, Oregon found a way to win that game on the back of Dante Moore showing his experience down the stretch. Boise St. isn’t the typical non-power. They made the Playoff two years ago, so they can hang with the big dogs.
Oregon shouldn’t be tossed aside, but they do need to show that they can play a buttoned-up game before the schedule gets rougher.
Keelon Russell Can Revive Bama
The Bama quarterback situation was largely an unknown heading into the year. Russell had only attempted 15 passes over two games last season, so there was almost no way to predict this season. With his first career start now out of the way, there is a lot to like for the Crimson Tide going forward.
It wasn’t the most statistically jaw-dropping game this weekend, but Russell showed how dynamic he can be. A game-high 86 rushing yards to go along with 256 passing yards was a statement itself. The Kalen DeBoer era has been underwhelming so far, but Russell looks like the piece that will get Bama rolling once again.
Curt Cignetti Is An Elite Talent Evaluator
Cignetti deserves the love he gets for his culture-building. He got James Madison to the playoff. Indiana had never won more than nine games, and he’s won double-digit games both years, including a national championship. What gets lost in his program development is how he finds and unlocks hidden talents.
Fernando Mendoza was hidden at Cal. He was good but wasn’t getting national attention. Cignetti got his hands on him, and all of a sudden, Mendoza put up 3,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and won the Heisman. Josh Hoover looks like he could be the next success.
Hoover spent the last two years with middling TCU as one of the only bright spots of the team. His passing stats were great, but that was mostly due to him attempting roughly 35 passes per game to cover the lack of a rushing attack. Cignetti brought him to Bloomington, showed him what it’s like to have a run game and defense, and Hoover looked relaxed on his way to four touchdowns on 16 pass attempts. Cignetti is the perfect blend of finding talent and creating an environment for it to succeed.
