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You would possibly want a program to get a deal with on No. 3 Georgia’s depth chart. 5 gamers from final yr’s group went within the first spherical of the NFL draft and 9 had been taken throughout the first 102 picks, a part of a record-setting 15 gamers chosen total from the defending Bowl Subdivision nationwide champions.
New forged, similar story. Saturday’s 49-3 win within the season opener in opposition to No. 12 Oregon noticed final yr’s dominance proceed, solely reinforcing the broadly held perception that Georgia will likely be one of many groups to beat within the race for the School Soccer Playoff.
New Oregon quarterback Bo Nix averaged simply 4.7 yards per try and the Geese’ protection did nearly nothing proper below first-year head coach Dan Lanning, previously Georgia’s defensive coordinator.
Dealing with off in opposition to Lanning’s protection, the Bulldogs ripped off 5.3 yards per carry and scored 4 dashing touchdowns unfold throughout 4 completely different gamers: operating backs Kendall Milton and Kenny McIntosh, extensive receiver Ladd McConkey and quarterback Stetson Bennett. McIntosh additionally led the Bulldogs with 117 receiving yards, almost tripling his earlier profession excessive.
Bennett ought to seem on some early-season Heisman Trophy lists after finishing 25 of 31 makes an attempt for 368 yards and three whole scores earlier than exiting within the third quarter with the Bulldogs forward 42-3.
SATURDAY RUNDOWN:Scores and particulars from all of the Prime 25 video games
For the Geese, getting bullied is lower than a humiliation than an indication of actuality: Oregon is within the fourth tier of championship contenders, a pair thousand miles off from the highest group of the Bulldogs, Alabama and Ohio State.
Would it not have been good to not be run out of the constructing by the midpoint of the second quarter? Yeah, however Georgia’s going to place extra opponents than not right into a blender and hit puree — Oregon’s simply the primary of many to get this type of remedy.
The Bulldogs and Geese lead the checklist of faculty soccer’s greatest winners and losers from the Week 1 of the 2022 season:
Winners
Ohio State
Slowed down by No. 5 Notre Dame’s protection, the No. 2 Buckeyes lastly relied on the operating sport to key a robust second half and safe a vital 21-10 win. Whereas the Irish had been capable of hold quarterback C.J. Stroud in verify — he averaged a career-low 6.6 yards per try — operating backs Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson took over, combining for 175 yards and a rating to keep away from the upset. Whereas the Buckeyes’ offense will seek for some solutions, the protection delivered behind new coordinator Jim Knowles. In his first sport since coming over from Oklahoma State, Knowles’ unit gave up simply 253 yards total and a pair of.5 yards per carry.
Arkansas
The No. 23 Razorbacks justified the preseason rating and made a case for second place within the early SEC West projections by handing No. 22 Cincinnati its first regular-season loss since Dec. 7, 2019. Whereas Arkansas by no means trailed within the 31-24 win, the Bearcats did overcome a 14-0 halftime deficit and a 21-7 gap within the second half to attract inside as few as 4 factors, 21-17, within the third quarter. Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson threw for 223 yards, ran for 59 yards and had 4 touchdowns; if he retains this up, the largest secret within the SEC will not keep below wraps for lengthy.
Houston
Down 21-7 heading into the fourth, No. 25 Houston surged again to take a 24-21 lead on upset-minded Texas-San Antonio earlier than the Roadrunners pressured extra time with a 37-yard area purpose with no time in regulation. After the 2 groups traded area objectives and touchdowns within the first two additional frames, Houston quarterback Clayton Tune transformed the two-point try within the third extra time to raise the Cougars to a 37-35 win. Whereas a more in-depth shave than anticipated, the win retains UH on observe to change into this yr’s Cincinnati — a Group of 5 group that makes a run at an undefeated common season and a spot within the prime 4 of the ultimate playoff rankings.
Oklahoma
The Brent Venables period kicked off with a 45-13 win in opposition to overmatched Texas-El Paso that doubled because the debut for former Central Florida quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who hit on 15 of 23 throws for 233 yards and three mixed scores. Defensively, the No. 9 Sooners held the Miners to only 3.8 yards per play and 28 dashing yards, the fewest Oklahoma has allowed in a sport since giving up 25 yards to Baylor in 2020.
Southern California
In the meantime, former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley’s dewent nearly completely: USC beat Rice 66-19 behind massive efforts from former OU quarterback Caleb Williams, who hit on all however three of his 22 makes an attempt for 249 yards, and former Pittsburgh extensive receiver Jordan Addison, who had two landing grabs. Williams added a team-leading 68 dashing yards and confirmed a grasp of Riley’s system that would raise the Trojans and their rebuilt roster to the highest of the convention.
Florida
And for good measure, one final first-year head coach hit the bottom operating in a serious manner: Florida’s Billy Napier led the Gators to a 29-26 upset of No. 8 Utah behind a Heisman-level present from quarterback Anthony Richardson — 168 yards passing, 104 dashing and three scores — and a bend-but-don’t-break protection that gave up 446 yards of offense however delivered the game-clinching interception with lower than a minute left. If you happen to’re doing the maths at residence: Utah, the preseason favourite within the Pac-12 and a playoff contender, misplaced to a group picked to complete fourth within the SEC East. Fourth! Within the weaker of the league’s two divisions!
North Carolina
UNC scored 34 straight factors within the second and third quarters to take a 41-21 lead on Appalachian State, after which issues went loopy. The 2 groups mixed for 62 factors within the fourth, one off the FBS document of 63 factors in a single quarter, with the Tar Heels solely surviving after stopping the Mountaineers’ two-point try with 9 seconds left to win 63-61. There’s a lot to fret about over the state of the Tar Heels’ protection however motive for optimism at quarterback: Drake Maye went for 352 yards and 5 whole scores, giving Sam Howell’s substitute 9 touchdowns with out an interception via two weeks.
J.J. McCarthy
Jim Harbaugh introduced a novel plan for his quarterbacks heading into No. 6 Michigan’s season opener: Cade McNamara, the incumbent starter, would get the nod on Saturday in opposition to Colorado State, whereas J.J. McCarthy would draw the beginning project subsequent week in opposition to Hawaii. Whereas McNamara threw for 136 yards and a rating within the Wolverines’ straightforward 51-7 win in opposition to the Rams, McCarthy managed to steal the present by finishing all 4 of his makes an attempt for 30 yards with one other 50 yards on the bottom, together with a 20-yard landing run. Will Harbaugh give McNamara snaps subsequent week?
James Madison
JMU made its debut as a member of the FBS with a straightforward 44-7 romp of Center Tennessee State, foreshadowing the Dukes’ potential to win far more video games than most anticipate as members of the Solar Belt. One factor that stood out was the Dukes’ play on the line of scrimmage: MTSU managed simply 12 dashing yards on 28 carries however gave up 261 dashing yards. JMU quarterback Todd Centeio had 397 yards of whole offense, 110 approaching the bottom, and tossed six touchdowns.
Losers
Notre Dame
The vitality and defensive sport plan had been there. The offense was not. What they want is extra on the bottom to assist quarterback Tyler Buchner, who averaged 9.8 yards per throw and had three completions of no less than 30 yards. But when OSU actually is among the prime three groups within the nation, should not the Irish keep inside the highest 5? Down the street, hanging tight with the Buckeyes might issue into how the playoff area is set. Whether or not the Irish are within the prime 4 relies on what occurs from right here: Notre Dame now must run the desk to have a superb shot.
Oregon
Not even sniffing Georgia would not say an excessive amount of about Oregon’s odds of profitable the Pac-12, because the Geese will not run into any group even remotely resembling the Bulldogs within the nation’s weakest Energy 5 league. Getting run out of the constructing by Georgia goes to go away a mark, although, and will colour a season-long nationwide notion of Oregon and, to a lesser extent, the Pac-12 at giant. (The notion of that league already stinks.)
The Pac-12
It took one week to bolster how the Pac-12 is a nonfactor. Oregon was walloped. Preseason favourite Utah could not get previous Florida. With each preseason frontrunners already holding a loss, who will carry the flag for the convention? USC? UCLA, which beat Bowling Inexperienced? Arizona? The Wildcats pulled off one of many surprising outcomes of the day by beating San Diego State 38-20. Oregon State, Stanford, Washington? Identical to with Georgia, it is a new yr and the identical story for the Pac-12.
East Carolina
North Carolina State was fortunate to flee with a 21-20 win in opposition to the upset-minded Pirates. Past enjoying the Wolfpack to a draw on the line of scrimmage and retaining N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary below wraps, ECU kicker Owen Daffer missed an additional level strive that will’ve knotted the sport at 21-21 with three minutes left after which pushed extensive the potential game-winning area purpose extensive proper within the ultimate seconds.
Boston School
Up 21-12 late within the third quarter and 21-15 halfway via the fourth, Boston School allowed Rutgers to march 92 yards throughout 12 performs and notch the go-ahead rating with three minutes left in a 22-21 loss. With no less than 4 video games to return in opposition to ranked opponents, the loss offers a serious blow to the Eagles’ path again to bowl eligibility below third-year coach Jeff Hafley; this system has gained no less than six video games however no more than seven in eight of the previous 9 seasons, illustrating the small room for error.
Iowa’s offense
There’s one straightforward path to seven factors: the landing. One other option to seven, as Iowa confirmed in opposition to South Dakota State: one area purpose (three), one security (5) after which one other security (seven). After all, Iowa nonetheless gained 7-3. Solely the Hawkeyes.
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