College Football Week 1 Review

Robert Griffin III and Baylor defeated #14 TCU 50-48, handing
the Horned Frogs their first loss in over a year.

The college football season kicked off this past week as teams across the nation showed us what is in store for this upcoming year. Although it is still too early to tell which teams will be playing in the national championship, and which player will be holding up the Heisman Trophy, there were definitely some teams and players that shined brighter than others. All of the teams in the top 25 won except #3 Oregon who was upset by #4 LSU, #14 TCU who was upset by Baylor, and #16 Notre Dame who was upset by South Florida.

Top Three Performances by Team or Player:

1. Robert Griffin III- RG3 had the game of his life this past weekend when he threw for over 350 yards and five touchdowns. Griffin helped lead his Baylor Bears over #14 TCU, handing them their first loss in over a year.

2. Kellen Moore- The Boise State Broncos defeated #19 Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome Saturday, making it the third straight year they have defeated a ranked team in week one. Moore had a spectacular game, passing for over 250 yards and three touchdowns.

3. Russell Wilson- In his first game for the Wisconsin Badgers, Wilson did not disappoint. Wilson threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns, but also ran for 62 yards and a touchdown all in just three quarters of play. The Badgers pulled their starters early once the score read 51-3.

Top Three Disappointments by Team or Player:

1. Notre Dame- With expectations this season to finally be back in form, Notre Dame lost at home to South Florida. It was even more disappointing when starting quarterback Dayne Crist was relieved by backup Tommy Rees.

2.Oregon-Many people predicted the Ducks to be back in the championship game this season with LaMichael James and Darron Thomas returning to school. After a poor performance by the Oregon running backs, and a 13 point defeat to the LSU Tigers, it does not look good for the Ducks this year.

3. John Brantley- Although the Florida Gators defeated FAU 41-3 Brantley did not play well. He threw only one touchdown but got two passes intercepted. Brantley will never be as good as Tim Tebow, and he needs to get over that and just play smart football. 

Game of the Week:

#14 TCU vs Baylor

From start to finish, this game was absolutely thrilling. It was unbelievable watching Baylor give TCU it's first loss in over a year. Robert Griffin III played flawless, throwing five touchdowns and no interceptions. It was also interesting to watch how TCU's new quarterback, Casey Pachall, would play and whether or not he would fill Andy Dalton's shoes. The game looked finished at the end of the third quarter when Baylor was up 47-23 but TCU fought all the way back taking a 48-47 lead. In the final minute though, RG3 lead one last drive which set up a potential game winning field goal.

Next Week's Five Intriguing Matchups:

1. #12 South Carolina vs #19 Georgia: Can Marcus Lattimore and the Gamecocks put the Bulldogs in a 0-2 hole?

2. Michigan vs #16 Notre Dame: In the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, can Denard Robinson lead the Wolverines to victory over higher ranked Notre Dame?

3. Penn State vs #2 Alabama: Although last year's meeting was a blowout by the Tide, Penn State might give Alabama a run for it's money this year.

4. #20 Mississippi State vs #23 Auburn: Can Auburn defeat the Bulldogs after a close call this week?

5. #25USC vs Utah: The Trojans will not play in a bowl game this year but that does not mean they are bad. Quarterback Matt Barkley is one of the best in the country, so it should be interesting how he plays against Utah's great defense.