Reactions and Overreactions
Auburn is mediocre with Peyton Thorne playing QB
Class, what did we learn? “We don’t overreact after beating an FCS team.” Auburn and Peyton Thorne were nearly perfect in their Week 1 73-3 demolition of hapless Alabama A&M; Tigers were one of five SEC teams to beat their opponent by 60+ points. How quickly perceptions can change from week to week in college football. Auburn gained over 600 yards of offense against Alabama A&M. Thorne accounted for 322 yards passing, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Against California, the Tigers couldn’t muster 300 yards. Thorne went from throwing 4 TDs in Week 1 to tossing 4 INTs against Cal. Thorne’s up-and-down play since transferring to Auburn is why many Tigers fans questioned Hugh Freeze’s choice not to take another QB in the transfer portal. Thorne will probably rebound against overmatched New Mexico on Saturday. But will he have a letdown in the Tigers SEC opener against Arkansas the following week? History suggests he will. Auburn’s QB room is worth keeping an eye on.
Georgia and Texas are 1A and 1B in the SEC
Everyone knows Texas “is back.” It didn’t take a domination of No. 10 Michigan in The Big House to prove it. The Longhorns are coming off a Big 12 championship, were ranked in the preseason top five, and proved last year by winning at top 5 Alabama that Steve Sarkisian has his team ready for big road games. Everyone is starting to wonder if Texas is the best team in the country. Texas will get to prove how deserving it is of the No. 1 ranking in a few weeks when the presumed top team in the land, Georgia, visits Austin. Some might choose to diminish the Longhorns’ win at Michigan because the Wolverines are virtually a different team from the 2023 National Champions (Michigan lost their leader in passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, overall tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and interceptions), but the 31-12 final score and stat line (389 total yards of offense) doesn’t paint the whole picture. Texas dominated Michigan from start to finish, primarily because of the efficient play of its Heisman-contending QB Quin Ewers – more on him later. At this moment in the young season, I think it’s fair to place Texas and Georgia on the same 1-line. Can we skip to October 19th?
Sam Pittman lost his job by not closing out Oklahoma State
The Pit Boss wasn’t fired after Arkansas lost at Oklahoma State in overtime, 39-31, but a firing at some point this season seems inevitable for the fifth-year head coach. As a Georgia fan, I appreciate who Sam Pittman is as a person and offensive line coach. Pittman helped build the offensive lines at Georgia that ultimately helped it win back-to-back national championships. He is one of the most likable head coaches in the SEC – one you’d like to grab a “cold beer” with. But the results of Arkansas’ head hog have been mixed. Saturday’s overtime loss at Oklahoma State was a microcosm of his tenure. The Razorbacks had over 600 yards of total offense to the Cowboys 385. They held a 21-7 lead at halftime. Made a clutch 45-yard field goal to tie the game and send it to OT after squandering the lead. To quote the late Dennis Green, they “let ‘em off the hook.” It has happened too often in Pittman’s tenure. Pittman falls to 24-26 as Arkansas head coach. Last year’s 4-8 team lost five one-score games, proving that Pittman’s Razorbacks can be competitive. But going 1-5 in close games isn’t proving your team has enough to get over the hump and win more than you lose. One of those close losses in 2023 was a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State at home. This year’s Arkansas offense is drastically improved from 2023 under new OC and former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino (awkward). It’s ninth in the country in total offense and starting QB Taylen Green is 11th in passing. But it turned the ball over three times, and the defense that bottled up Oklahoma State star running back Ollie Gordon for most of the game couldn’t stop Gordon in OT as he scored both the final touchdown and game-winning two-point conversion. Arkansas has five games against teams currently ranked in the top 16 left on the schedule. They could lose all five by one point. Won’t be enough to justify keeping the Pit Boss in Fayetteville after this season.
Tennessee is a contender. Are they better than Alabama?
When a Josh Heupel offense scores 51 points, gains 460 yards, and the biggest storyline from the game is how – well – the defense played, you know this is a different group of Volunteers. Tennessee did whatever it wanted to against the then-No. 24 NC State Wolfpack in Charlotte last Saturday. Though not perfect, Nico Iamaleava threw for 276 yards, 3 TDs, and a couple of ill-advised interceptions. He looked like the model QB in a Heupel offense, something Joe Milton last year was not. That’s scary news if your team plays Tennessee this year because the defense might be one of the best in the SEC. I’ll admit the Grayson McCall-lead Wolfpack offense is probably overrated. NC State struggled for three quarters in its opener with FCS Western Carolina and on Saturday, it scored all 10 of its points off turnovers – a field goal and a pick 6. The Wolfpack are still a Power 4 team lead by a fifth-year QB, and the Vols defense held them to 143 yards of total offense. In 2022, the last time Tennessee was considered a national championship contender, it gave up an average of 405 yards per game. Through two games this season, it’s allowing less than 200 yards per game. Early but promising. Are the Vols better than Alabama? The Tide looked shaky for most of its game against unranked South Florida. Bama QB Jalen Milroe helped the offense breakthrough for 28 fourth-quarter points and ultimately a 42-16 win. Alabama was penalized for over 100 yards and fumbled three times in the second half. Concerning, but fixable mistakes. Tennessee has a difficult game at Oklahoma in a couple of weeks. The Sooners barely survived Houston at home last Saturday. Favor the Vols for now. At Arkansas and home against Florida will be difficult, too, but it’s realistic to believe Tennessee reaches 6-0 before it hosts the Crimson Tide. The Vols have an opportunity to do more than prove their better than the Tide. They can become legitimate national championship contenders.
Stud of the Week
Quin Ewers, QB, Texas
I wanted to make Florida QB DJ Lagway my Stud of the Week. The true freshman starting in relief of injured Graham Mertz threw for 456 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. By judging only the state line, it’s one of the most impressive debuts for a true freshman QB in recent memory. But when judging the opponent, too – FCS Samford – it reminded me how FCS teams often mask how impressive a QB’s play was (see Peyton Thorne). After consulting my Walk-On teammates, I realized Ewers deserved this spot. The SEC Offensive Player of the Week was an efficient 24-of-36 for 246 yards and three touchdowns in Texas’ 31-12 win at Michigan. A solid stat line for the Heisman contender that undervalues how impactful Ewers’ play was in Ann Arbor. Ewers played the role of “game manager” perfectly last Saturday. Game manager isn’t always a bad word for a QB, especially when playing in difficult environments and against opposing offenses that are ticking time bombs – turnover prone. Ewers commanded the Longhorns offense. Sark trusts Ewer’s pre-snap judgments and it showed against the Wolverines. He kept the ball from harm’s way. Threw the ball away when needed. Took the short throws that Michigan was allowing. Complimented a strong rushing game that wore out Michigan’s defense, and he was efficient on third down (62%). My only negative take on Ewer’s play is he was absent a “Heisman moment.” Texas learned in the first half that it didn’t need Ewers to make a significant play to win the game against Michigan. But the Junior QB will likely need Heisman-esque plays to win against rival Oklahoma and certainly to help his team beat No. 1 Georgia in October.
Best Game
Texas 31, Michigan 12
I do not choose non-conference games for this spot where the SEC team lost. That’s why Arkansas–Oklahoma State isn’t here. I’ve explained a lot about this game already. With the Razorbacks’ wild game disqualified, Texas’ win at Michigan is the SEC’s best game of Week 2 because it proved to me, and many others, that the Longhorns will continue to be a national championship contender and last season wasn’t a fluke. In 2023, Texas set the stage for its playoff run after years of underachievement when it dominated Alabama on the road in Week 2. Texas is back after dominating, yet again, another highly-ranked team on the road in Week 2. Ohio State was smart to schedule its 2025 game against Texas at home for Week 1.
Team with Most on the Line Next Week
LSU
I’m putting Brian Kelly’s team in this spot because it is 1-1, didn’t play well in the win over FCS Nicholls, and a 1-2 start will make many Tigers fans prefer Kelly to give up the southern accent and leave Baton Rouge. Maybe that last part is an exaggeration, but the pressure began mounting on Kelly after losing his third-straight season opener. LSU losing at South Carolina seemed highly unlikely a week ago, but then the Gamecocks proved they could fix their rusty play in Week 1 by suffocating an overwhelmed Kentucky on the road, 31-6, in Week 2. College GameDay will be in Columbia, SC, on Saturday morning. The atmosphere should be electric. Even so, Kentucky might be really bad offensively, which could’ve masked problems with South Carolina’s defense. LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is playing well, throwing for over 600 yards, six touchdowns to one interception in two games. South Carolina’s defense hasn’t faced a QB of Nussmeier’s caliber to start this season or at practice. The Tigers appear to be the better team and should be able to handle the challenges of opening SEC play on the road. Luckily for LSU, the game is a 12 pm ET kickoff, not a night game at Williams-Brice Stadium. I’ve seen firsthand how much better the Gamecocks can play when Williams-Brice is rocking at night. Gamecocks hope the after-brunch crowd is enough.
By Jake Thigpen (@Jake_Thigpen)
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