Finally, mercifully, the college football season is upon us, and the ink has already dried for week one in the Big Ten. There were some surprises, both good and bad for the conference, and it’s time we give you five of the biggest observations we take away from the greatest opening weekend in college football history.
5. Last year was not a flash in the pan
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The Big Ten got a little of its mojo back last year with several teams notching notable wins, and several appearing near the top of the College Football Playoff rankings all the way throughout. Yeah, Michigan State and Iowa tripped over their own cleats in the big-time postseason appearances, but others like Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Michigan took down stiff opponents.
So far, this year is much of the same. Ohio State and Michigan put up pinball numbers in their opening contests, Wisconsin took down a very talented LSU team, and overall the conference went 12-2 during week one. Yeah, the sample size is small, but the Big Ten is beginning to reassert itself as one of the best football conferences in the land.
4. Ohio State’s young guys can play
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It’s not supposed to be easy to replace sixteen starters, let alone five of those that went in the first round of the NFL Draft. Try telling that to Urban Meyer and his young, but talented and deep team.
Ohio State obliterated a MAC school in Bowling Green, but this Falcon team is one that lead the league in offense last year and was in the title game of the conference. Much of the same team is back, yet the Buckeyes made them look like a directional high school intramural team. You’re of course familiar with J.T. Barrett at quarterback, but the caliber of green talent around him is astonishing.
If only they can stay healthy and don’t get yellow socks traveling to places like Norman, Happy Valley, and East Lansing.
3. Ditto for Michigan
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Okay, so the Wolverines aren’t as young, but there are plenty of talented kids wearing winged helmets too it appears. We finally know who the starter is, and Wilton Speight was more than serviceable, going 10 of 13 for 145 yards and 3 TDs in somewhat limited action. He had one pick on the first play of the game, but from there, he did nothing to hurt his chances of taking control of the high expectations in Ann Arbor going forward.
The other usual cast of characters like Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh, Chris Wormley and company were as expected, but even when starting running back De’Veon Smith went down with a rib injury, freshman Chris Evans filled in with 112 yards and two touchdowns himself.
This team is deep and hungry, and that means there will be a lot of positive tweets coming from @CoachJim4UM in the near future.
2. Northwestern is the most exciting team in the Big Ten
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And not in a good way.
There is simply no way to tell what kind of team you’re going to get in Evanston, not only from year-to-year, but week over week. Last year, the Wildcats put a stake in the ground by beating Stanford early on, and continued to roll through most of the season with all things, a great defense. But then, the power purple finished the season getting blitzed 45-6 by a more athletic Tennessee team.
This year, with all that is back in the cupboard, it was expected that the Wildcats could make some noise again. And what do we get? A week one loss to MAC school Western Michigan to really set things off right in the most unusual of circumstances, just like the fighting Fitzgerald’s have conditioned everyone to expect.
1. Classy Moment in Nebraska
We will all remember Nebraska punter Sam Foltz who was killed in a car crash over the summer after attending a kicking camp. The ‘Huskers are known to be one of the classiest programs around, and the way that they remembered Foltz was truly memorable.
On the first Nebraska punt of the day, the Cornhuskers lined up without a punter, with only ten men, and took a delay of game in honor of Foltz.
In an equally classy move, Fresno State declined the penalty. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Nebraska also looked good on the field, but it’s this moment that leaves you with a belief in humanity. Well done Nebraska. Well done.
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Phil Harrison is a frequent contributor to The Student Section. He is also a featured contributor to collegefootballews.com, and talking10.com. You can follow him on twitter @PhilHarrisonCFB or email him at pharrison28@gmail.com. If that doesn’t work, you can find him in the doghouse at home.
