Where College Football Is At After Three Weeks in 2016
By Austin Clay
College football never fails. It has provided, once again, entertainment for fans all across the nation and it is far from over.
It’s hard to believe that the college football season is a quarter of the way over.
Three weeks in, we already have the catch of the year from Ohio State’s Noah Brown in the end zone against the Oklahoma Sooners. We might already have the game of the year with Texas defeating Notre Dame in double overtime. And we witnessed Tennessee and Virginia Tech shatter the all-time college football attendance record in the Battle at Bristol.
However, the underlying theme this year has been the Power 5 teams struggling with weaker opponents. Tennessee is far too familiar with this, but other teams such as Georgia and Clemson have struggled as well.
The Bulldogs squeaked out a two-point win over FCS Nicholls State. The Tigers got all they wanted against Troy.
Southern Miss defeated Kentucky. And finally, South Alabama had a miraculous victory at Mississippi State.
Also, the Heisman Trophy favorites at the beginning of the season haven’t really showed “Heisman moments.” Deshawn Watson, Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey have yet to show anything spectacular.
But, there has been one constant: Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is the sophomore quarterback at Louisville who has entertained college football fans for three weeks and counting. Florida State was his latest victim. He and the Cardinals embarrassed the Seminoles on national television.
Moreover, when are teams going to learn to NOT schedule North Dakota State University? The five-time reigning FCS national champs pulled the unthinkable with a win over #13 Iowa at Iowa. This marks the Bison’s sixth straight win over a FBS opponent.
Tennessee please don’t schedule these guys.
Two teams who many predicted to be in the College Football Playoff have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Oklahoma is 1-2 after losing to Houston and Ohio State, who both could end up in the playoff. Notre Dame was embarrassed on its home field against Michigan State after falling to Texas in week 1.
Right now, my CFP would be Alabama, Louisville, Ohio State and Stanford. However, I know how college football works and these four teams could end up different from where they are now.
Nonetheless, college football hasn’t disappointed this season. Saturday nights consists of fans with a remote constantly in their hand because of the quality and quantity of the games.
In all, no person can say that college football isn’t the best sport on Earth.
It is. Period.