College football winners and losers: Florida Utter opens the season with one more dud
Correct because Florida Utter employed a recent coach it didn’t indicate the program’s issues were all of a unexpected going to vanish. And that used to be very obvious because the Mike Norvell skills kicked off with a unhappy 16-13 loss to Georgia Tech in Tallahassee.
Saturday’s loss regarded loads esteem the 2 openers the Seminoles performed below Willie Taggart — grotesque losses that FSU followers contain tried to neglect. It used to be extra of what we’ve attain to ask from Florida Utter in most up-to-date years, especially on offense.
There used to be leaky offensive line play, an inability to keep any semblance of a stride game, receivers failing to rating grand separation and lackluster quarterback play. All of that allowed the Yellow Jackets — the crew predicted to create closing in the ACC — to loaf round at the same time as they made mistake after mistake.
Jeff Sims, the Yellow Jackets’ authorized freshman QB, threw two grotesque first-half of interceptions in FSU territory. On top of that, three Georgia Tech kicks — two chip-shot topic dreams and an additional level — were blocked. But despite all of that, Florida Utter used to be stuck after it bought out to a 10-0 lead.
James Blackman, now in his third season as FSU’s starting QB, couldn’t get anything going against a Georgia Tech defense that was one of the ACC’s worst in 2019. ” data-reactid=”24″ type=”text”>The Seminoles no doubt scored on their first two drives to attain that margin, but Norvell’s touted offense largely floundered from there. James Blackman, now in his third season as FSU’s starting QB, couldn’t rating the leisure going against a Georgia Tech protection that used to be one of the most ACC’s worst in 2019.
The Yellow Jackets would at closing chip away on the lead and at closing tied the game on a 15-yard touchdown cross from Sims to Malachi Carter early in the fourth. The additional level used to be blocked, so the game remained tied at 13-13 — but not for long. On the ensuing pressure, Blackman used to be strip-sacked by Curtis Ryans and the fumble used to be returned deep into FSU territory, establishing the poke-forward topic objective with 8: 56 to play.
One would narrate that used to be masses of time for FSU to retake the lead, but Blackman and the offense would possibly maybe perchance not muster a single level. Blackman carried out 23-of-43 for correct 198 yards and, most discouragingly, made many of the identical errors he has made at some stage in his career. He used to be dull with his reads and in most cases held on to the ball too long.
But all of the blame can’t fall on Blackman’s shoulders. The offensive line aloof needs a ton of labor and the protection allowed Georgia Tech to amass 438 yards with Sims — an FSU commit until Taggart used to be fired— leading the formulation with 277 passing yards and 64 speeding yards.
Norvell used to be known for teaching up high-powered offenses at some stage in his time at Memphis. Any time there is a teaching transition, it must purchase a while for a crew to adapt to a recent coach’s machine. That is terribly the case in a plague-affected offseason. Silent, what you noticed on Saturday used to be a Florida Utter program with an extended formulation to poke before it gets again to any semblance of its a hit ways.
(via ESPN)
Here are this week’s winners and losers:
Winners
Spencer Rattler: Sure, it was only Missouri State, but Spencer Rattler still shined in his debut as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback. Rattler completed 14 of his 17 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns and played only the first half as the Sooners cruised to a 48-0 win. His first two touchdown passes were Kyler Murray-esque bombs, going 58 and 53 yards to Marvin Mims and Charleston Rambo, respectively. Rattler, a five-star prospect from the 2019 class, backed up Jalen Hurts last fall and now will look to lead OU back to the College Football Playoff. ” data-reactid=”45″ type=”text”>Spencer Rattler: Certain, it used to be easiest Missouri Utter, but Spencer Rattler aloof shined in his debut as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback. Rattler carried out 14 of his 17 passes for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns and performed easiest the first half of because the Sooners cruised to a 48-0 build terminate. His first two touchdown passes were Kyler Murray-esque bombs, going 58 and 53 yards to Marvin Mims and Charleston Rambo, respectively. Rattler, a 5-star prospect from the 2019 class, backed up Jalen Hurts closing fall and now will look to steer OU again to the College Soccer Playoff.
Louisville: Louisville’s highly-touted offense was on display in its season-opening win over Western Kentucky. The Cardinals racked up 487 yards of offense in a 35-21 win, including a passing effort of 343 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Micale Cunningham. Cunningham’s 70-yard connection with Dez Fitzpatrick in the third quarter pretty much put the game out of reach. UL is going to be a team nobody in the ACC wants to play.” data-reactid=”53″ type=”text”>Louisville: Louisville’s extremely-touted offense used to be on expose in its season-opening build terminate over Western Kentucky. The Cardinals racked up 487 yards of offense in a 35-21 build terminate, at the side of a passing effort of 343 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Micale Cunningham. Cunningham’s 70-yard reference to Dez Fitzpatrick in the third quarter fascinating grand keep the game out of attain. UL is going to be a crew no person in the ACC wishes to play.
UTSA: UTSA and Texas State played the best game of the weekend. UTSA blew a 24-7 halftime lead but managed to pull out a 51-48 win in double-overtime. When Rashad Wisdom returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown to put the Roadrunners up 41-28 with 3: 24 to play, it looked like it would clinch the game. Texas State had other ideas. The Bobcats managed to force overtime by scoring two quick touchdowns. The second was a 91-yard punt return by Jeremiah Haydel that looked like it was going to put TSU ahead. Instead, the extra point was hooked and the game went to overtime. UTSA then won the game in two overtimes to start the season 1-0. ” data-reactid=”57″ type=”text”>UTSA: UTSA and Texas Utter performed the most productive game of the weekend. UTSA blew a 24-7 halftime lead but managed to drag out a 51-48 build terminate in double-beyond customary time. When Rashad Records returned an interception 81 yards for a touchdown to keep the Roadrunners up 41-28 with 3: 24 to play, it regarded esteem it would possibly maybe most likely perchance well clinch the game. Texas Utter had other tips. The Bobcats managed to pressure beyond customary time by scoring two fleet touchdowns. The 2nd used to be a 91-yard punt return by Jeremiah Haydel that regarded esteem it used to be going to keep TSU forward. As a substitute, the additional level used to be crooked and the game went to beyond customary time. UTSA then obtained the game in two overtimes to commence the season 1-0.
Losers
Kansas Utter misplaced to an Arkansas Utter crew that used to be missing 9 starters resulting from the coronavirus. That’s the identical Arkansas Utter that misplaced to Memphis in Week 1. Memphis is correct, don’t rating us homely. But Kansas Utter must aloof contain regarded after enterprise.
And Iowa Utter must aloof contain on the least eked out a build terminate. As a substitute, the Cyclones — the consensus No. 4 crew in the convention coming into the season — were completely dominated in the 2nd half of by Louisiana. If each and every ISU and KSU build terminate terminate games, we all switch on and chalk it as much as Week 1 randomness. But losses accomplish that extra troublesome to attain. Texas Tech needing a end on a two-level conversion correct to beat Houston Baptist doesn’t aid issues either.
Oh, and there used to be Kansas too. The Jayhawks misplaced 38-23 to Coastal Carolina. It’s the 2nd-straight loss for KU against CCU. And the crew couldn’t even spell starting QB Thomas MacVittie’s title appropriate on his jersey.
Texas Utter tied the game at 41-41 with 1: 16 left when Jeremiah Haydel scored on a wild 91-yard punt return. The total Bobcats necessary used to be an Orona additional level for the lead. But he passed over it.
Every groups traded touchdowns in the first beyond customary time and Texas Utter used to be compelled to make a decision for a quick topic objective to commence the 2nd beyond customary time. But Orona passed over a 20-yard topic objective — the identical distance as an additional level — to the actual from the actual hashmark. All UTSA had to attain used to be kick a topic objective in its possession for the build terminate.
That hilarity formally goes down as a -10 yard punt as it didn’t rating out of the stay zone. It used to be caught by USF’s Omarion Dollison, who had the finest punt return of his life.
Syracuse offense: It may be a long season in upstate New York. The Syracuse offense was lifeless in a 31-6 loss to North Carolina on Saturday. The offensive line struggled against UNC’s defensive front and Tommy DeVito was just 13-of-31 passing for 112 yards. His backup, Rex Culpepper, was 3-of-7 for 22 yards and an interception. Syracuse couldn’t run the ball either. The Orange officially had 35 carries for 68 yards, but it’s worth remembering that sacks count as rushing attempts in college football. North Carolina had seven sacks.” data-reactid=”76″ type=”text”>Syracuse offense: It would possibly maybe well be an extended season in upstate Contemporary York. The Syracuse offense used to be humdrum in a 31-6 loss to North Carolina on Saturday. The offensive line struggled against UNC’s defensive front and Tommy DeVito used to be correct 13-of-31 passing for 112 yards. His backup, Rex Culpepper, used to be 3-of-7 for 22 yards and an interception. Syracuse couldn’t stride the ball either. The Orange formally had 35 carries for 68 yards, but it absolutely’s price remembering that sacks depend as speeding makes an are trying in college football. North Carolina had seven sacks.
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