The Recap: College Football Week 1
Welcome to Week 1 of the The Recap. Every week, I will recap the biggest games of the college football weekend.
LSU and Boise State were impressive in the two biggest games of the opening weekend. Defending National Champions, Auburn, barely survived its home opener against a WAC team. Alabama and Oklahoma looked dominate as well.
So feel free to leave a comment and enjoy The Recap!
No. 4 LSU Beats No. 3 Oregon 40-27 in Primetime Matchup
1 of 8Jordan Jefferson? Russell Shepard?
Who needs them? Apparently not LSU as they put up 40 points against Oregon Saturday night.
Cliff Harris?
Who needs him? Apparently Oregon does, because the ducks struggled on special teams. Harris normally returns kicks for Oregon, but was suspended for the game after driving 118 mph with a suspended license. (If you have a suspended license, why would you draw attention to yourself at 118 mph?)
So enter freshmen De'Anthony Thomas to return kicks, and it became a turnover nightmare for the Ducks. "Those are self-inflicted wounds," coach Chip Kelly said. "The drops, the turnovers and the penalties are the things that really killed us. Against a team like that, you're not going to win the game."
Oregon's offense struggled for the second straight game against an SEC opponent. The Ducks only rushed for 95 yards and had four turnovers. LSU converted those turnovers into 20 points. So basically Oregon beat themselves.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
LSU won their second consecutive game in Cowboys Stadium (they won a 41-24 contest against Texas A&M in the 2011 Cotton Bowl).
| Team Stats | ||
| OR | LSU | |
| First Downs | 18 | 18 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 9-19 | 6-15 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 82-335 | 70-273 |
| Rushes-Yds | 28-95 | 48-175 |
| Passing Yds | 240 | 98 |
| Kick Return Yds | 150 | 98 |
| Punt Return Yds | -10 | 26 |
| Passes | 31-54-1 | 10-22-0 |
| Punts | 4-189 | 6-248 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-3 | 3-1 |
| Penalties-Yds | 12-95 | 5-47 |
| Time of Poss. | 26:56 | 33:4 |
No. 23 Auburn Rekindles 2010 Magic, Survives Utah St.
2 of 8What's the best way to celebrate a National Championship on the Plains?
How bout a loss to the Utah State Aggies of the WAC?
Fortunately for the Tigers, they were able to stage of comeback and beat the Aggies 42-38. "As they've done so many times since I've been here, they found a way to come back and win,"coach Gene Chizik said. "That's kind of been instilled in this group that you never look at the clock and the scoreboard until it says zero-zero-zero."
If Utah. St. practices how to field an onside kick, Auburn would've been 0-1 and in deep trouble. However, there were bright spots for Auburn. Starting quarterback Barrett Trotter played well, and was 17-of-23 with three touchdowns.
And that's where the bright spots mostly end. With Auburn's schedule, the defending champs were predicted to struggle to be bowl eligible. "Offensively and defensively we're a long way off of being able to win very many games right now," said Chizik.
Yea coach, Auburn better improve quickly with Mississippi State on the horizon.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
Auburn now has the nation's longest winning streak with 16.
| Team Stats | ||
| UTST | AUB | |
| First Downs | 27 | 17 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 10-17 | 3-9 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 3-3 | 1-1 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 84-448 | 54-364 |
| Rushes-Yds | 53-227 | 30-78 |
| Passing Yds | 221 | 286 |
| Kick Return Yds | 46 | 257 |
| Punt Return Yds | 10 | 13 |
| Passes | 22-31-0 | 18-24-0 |
| Punts | 3-150 | 4-174 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 1-0 |
| Penalties-Yds | 6-38 | 7-60 |
| Time of Poss. | 37:41 | 22:19 |
No. 5 Boise State Makes Statement in No. 19 Georgia's Backyard
3 of 8It's one thing to beat an SEC team, it's another to beat them in their own backyard. That's precisely what the Broncos did as they beat the Bulldogs 35-21. Quarterback Kellen Moore was spectacular once again for the Broncos going 28-of-34 for 261 yards.
"Growing up watching football, I have a ton of respect for the SEC," Moore said. "I'm aware of all the success they've had. I watched Georgia play a lot of big games growing up. To play a game like this was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it. We were fortunate to come out on top."
Boise State's third-down defense was tremendous. Georgia converted 2-of-13 third downs, and Aaron Murray was sacked six times. Normally, SEC teams are known for their abilities to control the line of scrimmage, however Boise. St. was the exception in this game.
"We have a lot of work to do," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "But SEC play hasn't even started. It's a long season. We've got to get our minds right. A game like this, no question, we know more about our football team than if we played someone and beat them by 40. Hopefully that translates into us learning how to play better in these type of games and better see where our weaknesses are."
For Boise State, let the debate begin.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
Boise State win was their first ever against an SEC team. (The Broncos were previously 0-4)
| Team Stats | ||
| BST | GA | |
| First Downs | 24 | 13 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 4-12 | 2-13 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 0-0 | 1-4 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 71-390 | 60-373 |
| Rushes-Yds | 37-129 | 31-137 |
| Passing Yds | 261 | 236 |
| Kick Return Yds | 44 | 110 |
| Punt Return Yds | 64 | 4 |
| Passes | 28-34-1 | 16-29-1 |
| Punts | 7-281 | 5-239 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-0 | 2-0 |
| Penalties-Yds | 4-20 | 7-50 |
| Time of Poss. | 33:46 | 26:14 |
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
South Florida Downs No. 16 Notre Dame on the Road
4 of 8So much for the Irish being back on the national scene.
For a team associated with luck, Notre Dame must have broken a dozen or so mirrors. The Irish turned the ball over five times and couldn't overcome them as the Bulls won 23-20.
South Florida seized the game early and jumped out to a 16-0 lead at halftime. As the home crowd grew restless, starting quarterback Dayne Crist was replaced with Tommy Rees. Rees responded with a 24-yard TD pass to Michael Floyd.
"We didn't expect to have to make this move, obviously, so it's going to require us to obviously evaluate the quarterback situation and make another decision," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.
Crist was average at best going 7-of-15 for 85 yards.
Weather delays made the game last about six hours, but Skip Holtz and USF wasn't fazed."To have the kind of adversity they had to battle through and all the highs and lows of this day," he said. "The weather, the two-hour halftime and everything we went through as a football team. It's hard enough to come in here and play the tradition and for me a very emotional day to have the opportunity to come back, but to throw everything on top," he said.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
USF has beaten traditional powers Miami, Florida State and Notre Dame in the past three years.
| Team Stats | ||
| SFL | ND | |
| First Downs | 20 | 27 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 2-14 | 5-14 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 72-254 | 78-508 |
| Rushes-Yds | 42-126 | 29-117 |
| Passing Yds | 128 | 391 |
| Kick Return Yds | 67 | 110 |
| Punt Return Yds | 34 | -2 |
| Passes | 18-30-0 | 31-49-3 |
| Punts | 7-256 | 5-171 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-0 | 4-2 |
| Penalties-Yds | 9-43 | 8-73 |
| Time of Poss. | 31:6 | 28:54 |
No. 2 Alabama's Defense as Good as Advertised
5 of 8Tuscaloosa returned to the sense of a normal Saturday afternoon as Alabama rolled over Kent St. 48-7. The campus was ravished by a tornado that claimed 50 lives four months ago. However, the Crimson Tide played nearly flawless.
Alabama's defense only allowed six first downs the entire game. They held Kent State to 99 yards of total offense, including -9 rushing yards. In one word, Nick Saban's defense was dominate.
As for the quarterback competition, neither AJ McCarron nor Phillip Sims seized the job. "AJ, having a little more poise, having played a little bit more, probably played with a little more poise today, but we have a lot of confidence in Phillip and in most cases he plays extremely well," said Saban, who graduated from Kent State and worked there as an assistant coach. "I think he learned a lot out there today and I think he will be a very good player for us here."
McCarron finished 14-for-23 and threw two interceptions. Sims also threw two interceptions and was 7-of-14. Trent Richardson added three touchdowns for Alabama.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
Alabama has outscored its last two opponents 97-14.
| Team Stats | ||
| KENTST | AL | |
| First Downs | 6 | 24 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 4-20 | 2-10 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-4 | 0-0 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 70-90 | 72-482 |
| Rushes-Yds | 23--9 | 35-183 |
| Passing Yds | 99 | 299 |
| Kick Return Yds | 173 | 63 |
| Punt Return Yds | 5 | 148 |
| Passes | 20-47-1 | 21-37-4 |
| Punts | 12-528 | 3-127 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 4-1 |
| Penalties-Yds | 4-36 | 2-10 |
| Time of Poss. | 30:7 | 29:53 |
No. 1 Oklahoma Impressive in Season Opener
6 of 8Oklahoma was playing for much more than a win in their 47-14 romp of Tulsa Saturday night. Austin Box, a Sooner linebacker, overdosed in May to painkillers. This was the Sooners' first game without the fallen teammate.
"I just looked up to the sky, thought of Austin. Went to the end zone thought of Austin, prayed that maybe he'd help me out with this one," said Tom Wort. Wort was wearing Box's former No. 12 in his honor.
Oklahoma's offense played like the top-ranked team in the nation, and recorded 663 yards of total offense.Quarterback Landry Jones was 35-of-47 for 375 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Broyles caught 14 of those passes for 158 yards, and was on the receiving end of Jones' four-yard TD.
"I feel like after he got going, he started spreading the ball out," Broyles said. "When I'm playing a game, I don't think he's just looking at me."
If Oklahoma follows this equation, they'll be hard to beat.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
Oklahoma has the nation's longest home winning streak with 37.
| Team Stats | ||
| TLS | OK | |
| First Downs | 15 | 34 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 5-14 | 11-19 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 64-400 | 100-663 |
| Rushes-Yds | 31-129 | 46-246 |
| Passing Yds | 271 | 417 |
| Kick Return Yds | 157 | 53 |
| Punt Return Yds | 0 | 0 |
| Passes | 18-33-1 | 39-54-0 |
| Punts | 8-299 | 4-160 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 2-2 | 1-1 |
| Penalties-Yds | 5-44 | 2-20 |
| Time of Poss. | 23:22 | 36:38 |
No. 18 Ohio State Doesn't Skip a Beat
7 of 8The Buckeyes will be playing with a chip on their shoulder for the entire season, and they took out an offseason's worth of frustration on Saturday beating Akron 48-0. An offseason that included the resignation of Jim Tressel and exit of Terrelle Pryor.
"We're going to focus on the guys we have here," Luke Fickell said after his first game as head coach since taking over for the scandal-ridden Tressel. "That's the most important thing. If it changes week to week, we're going to continue to have guys step up."
Fickell was close to perfect in his debut as the Buckeyes only allowed five first downs on defense. They only allowed 90 yards of total offense and had five sacks as well. Offensively, Ohio St. was balanced with 517 total yards.
Quarterback Joe Bauserman was 12-of-16 for 163 yards and three touchdowns in his first start in eight years. "Just waiting around all morning. Just waiting. That was the only thing," said Bauserman when asked about the hardest part of his day. "I just wanted to get on the field."
Even if the Buckeyes aren't eligible to win the Big Ten, they will still be a factor in the race.
Hmm... Stat of the Game
That last Ohio St. coach to post a shutout in his debut was Woody Hayes in 1951.
| Team Stats | ||
| AKR | OHST | |
| First Downs | 5 | 27 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 2-13 | 8-15 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 46-90 | 79-517 |
| Rushes-Yds | 27-35 | 51-224 |
| Passing Yds | 55 | 293 |
| Kick Return Yds | 92 | 44 |
| Punt Return Yds | 8 | 38 |
| Passes | 7-19-1 | 20-28-0 |
| Punts | 10-442 | 3-126 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-0 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-Yds | 4-35 | 3-29 |
| Time of Poss. | 23:50 | 36:10 |
So Here's a Recap
8 of 8If I had a vote in the poll, this would be my new Top 10 after Week 1:
1. LSU Tigers
2. Oklahoma Sooners
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
4. Boise State Broncos
5. Florida State Seminoles
6. Wisconsin Badgers
7. Stanford Cardinals
8. Texas A&M Aggies
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys
10. Oregon Ducks
I would've put the winner of LSU vs. Oregon No. 1 regardless of any other results. Boise St. would've been higher if Alabama and Oklahoma weren't so impressive. Keep your eye on Wisconsin, they're my sleeper.
Other Scores
No. 20 Miss St. over Memphis: 59-20
No. 17 Mich St. over Youngstown St.: 28-6
Baylor over No. 14 TCU: 50-48 (Thursday)
No. 5 Florida St. over UL-Monroe: 34-0
No. 7 Stanford over San Jose St.: 57-3
Next Week's Games
No. 2 Alabama vs Penn State
No. 12 South Carolina vs #19 Georgia
No. 16 Notre Dame vs Michigan
No. 20 Miss State vs No. 23 Auburn
Utah vs USC
Well, that's The Recap. See you next week.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
