College football is officially back, with a full slate of action around the country.
Week 1 of the 2024 season delivered all the action a fan could hope for, starting Thursday night in a matchup between Colorado and North Dakota State in Boulder. Although it’s still early in the season, the opening weekend showcased some key matchups that may determine the College Football Playoffs later this season.
Colorado avoids upset with a second-half surge
The Colorado Buffalos narrowly avoided an upset at the hands of FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, edging the Bisons in a 31-26 late-night thriller.
Entering the game as a 10.5-point favorite, the Buffaloes found themselves in a rut heading into halftime, down 20-17 going into the break.
The second half was a completely different story, as the Buffaloes took control of the game. Scoring twice in the final quarter, Colorado extended their lead to 31-20 before the Bisons could make anything work on offense.
Clawing back into the game, the Bisons scored a late touchdown to cut the deficit to 31-26 after a failed two-point conversion. A quick Colorado possession later, North Dakota State had a chance to throw a Hail Mary, which they caught, but it was four yards shy of the endzone.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders finished the game with 445 passing yards, his third time hitting that mark in a game in the 12 games he has been at Colorado. Travis Hunter also had himself a night – hauling in three touchdowns in the win, as well as playing 129 of the game’s 131 snaps.
Miami dominates Gators in Canesville
In another episode of the Miami and Florida rivalry, Miami took the upper hand.
Dominating the Gators in the Swamp, the Hurricanes cruised to a 41-17 victory. The onslaught provided history for Florida, as they gave up the most points in a home opener in team history.
Quarterback Cam Ward was electric in his debut as a Hurricane, scoring on six of the eight first drives of the game for Miami. After declaring for the NFL Draft in the offseason, Ward elected to return to college football for another year. His 2024 season started on a high note, finishing the game with 385 passing yards and three touchdowns in his first game.
Florida, on the other hand, had less-than-ideal headlines for their quarterback. Graham Mertz left the game in the third quarter after taking a big hit. Head coach Billy Napier revealed that Mertz is in the concussion protocol and will provide an update on his health later in the week.
USC shakes up rankings, upsets LSU in Vegas
The Trojans’ debut in the Big Ten conference couldn’t have begun better, knocking off the No. 13 ranked LSU Tigers 27-20 in Vegas.
The game was a back-and-forth battle, but USC running back Woody Marks left his mark on the game, punching in a 13-yard go-ahead touchdown in the final seconds for the Trojans in the win.
USC quarterback Miller Moss was phenomenal for the Trojans, carving up the LSU defense for 378 yards through the air with a touchdown. Moss also did a great job commanding the Trojans’ offense, leading them on a 75-yard drive on their last possession, capped off by Marks’ touchdown.
This loss for LSU puts them at 0-5 in season openers since 2020, and they have dropped five of their last six games against ranked opponents, raising real concerns about their ability to play against high-caliber opponents.
Notre Dame outlasts Texas A&M in a defensive stalemate
In College Station, the Fighting Irish prevailed over the Aggies in a 23-13 win.
The score was tied, 13-13, with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Notre Dame had possession from just outside the redzone when running back Jeremiyah Love broke the standoff, racing into the endzone from 21 yards away for the deciding score.
The Aggies had a chance to respond, but could not make anything of it, turning the ball over on downs just four plays later. A Fighting Irish field goal sealed the game and gave Notre Dame its biggest road win in 10 years.
The game was a struggle from start to finish, with neither team’s offense having much production. Both quarterbacks were held under 200 passing yards, while neither team had a skill position gain over 100 yards.
Bulldogs roll over Tigers with an efficient second-half
The Clemson Tigers were hopeful going into halftime, only being down six points to the number one rated team in the nation, the Georgia Bulldogs. That hope quickly faded, as the Bulldogs scored on four of their five second-half possessions en route to a 34-3 victory.
Quarterback Carson Beck got Georgia going in the second half, piecing together a 75-yard drive out of halftime that ended in the endzone.
After the loss, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has faced much criticism for his lack of use of the transfer portal. Clemson remains the only team in the FBS not to bring in a transfer this offseason. Swinney’s lack of transfers is believed to be holding back the team from what it could potentially be.
Week 2 of college football will kick off on Sept. 6, headlined by Duke traveling to Northwestern.
