It’s good to be here.
By “here,” I mean breaking down a ton of action from Week 1. Sure, Week 0 was great. But let’s be honest. Week 1 is the true start of the season.
Unlike Week 0, in which only Vandy was in action, we have 14 SEC games to dig into. Granted, 3 of those games are against FCS teams from the 14 SEC games, only 3 of them are against Power 5 teams.
Nonetheless, it’s as solid a Week 1 slate as we could ask for.
Let’s break down some of the first impressions of each game:
Ball State vs. Tennessee
When – Thursday, September 1 at 7 pm ET
TV – SEC Network
I wonder if after an offseason filled with excitement unlike anything he’s had in his career, maybe we’ll see Hendon Hooker a little too excited early on. We know that Josh Heupel loves to take risks on the field. I wouldn’t be surprised if a combination of nerves and adrenaline gets the better of Hooker early on. Don’t twist it. The Vols should still roll and potentially have a 4-point halftime lead. But I expect the running game to be the backbone from the start. Hooker and Jaylen Wright are having big days with their legs.
Louisiana Tech vs. Mizzou
When – Thursday, September 1 at 8 p.m. ET
TV – ESPNU
It’s hard to know what to expect from former Georgia player Matthew Downing. He is the starting quarterback for Louisiana Tech, having spent the past two seasons at TCU. Meeting with Sonny Cumbie, who has tapped Mike Leach as interim coach at Texas Tech, could be a bit tricky for an untested Mizzou defense. MSU needed a historic comeback in the fourth quarter of last year just to survive against Louisiana Tech at home. My guess is that Mizzou’s running game prevents a repeat of that.
State of Sam Houston vs. No. 6 Texas A&M
When – Saturday, September 3 at noon ET
TV – SEC Network
Max Johnson or Haynes King? Does it matter? It shouldn’t. Either way, I’d expect Devon Achane and the A&M backfield to do most of the heavy lifting. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t a run-heavy plan of attack early on against a Sam Houston State team that lost its best player, running back Ramon Jefferson, to Kentucky. If we see Jimbo Fisher rotating quarterbacks after a clueless offseason, well, that’s a problem.
No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia (at Atlanta)
When – Saturday, September 3 at 3 pm ET
TV – ABC
Bo Nix vs. Georgia:
- A) It’s 0-3
- B) He averaged 4.99 yards per attempt
- C) Has 34 total rushing yards
- D) Average of 10 points
- E) All of the above
that”. It’s always “E”.
That’s a tough one to get around, even if I think Oregon’s seasoned offensive line won’t be completely affected by a new Georgia front outside of Jalen Carter. Still, though. I don’t know if a new uniform will make a difference for Nix against Kirby Smart and Co.
No. 23 Cincinnati vs. No. 19 Arkansas
When – Saturday, September 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV – ESPN
I know Cincinnati lost a ton of talent, but I can’t believe the idea that the Bearcats are about to drop off the face of the earth. It is not a team led by Luke Fickell. This will be a dogfight for Arkansas, which still needs to figure out its passing game in a post-Treylon Burks world. It’s nice that KJ Jefferson doesn’t have to worry about throwing Coby Bryant and Sauce Gardner, but I’d be surprised if he and the Arkansas offense seem to be in midseason form. The plus/minus is only 51.5 for a reason.
Troy vs. No. 21 Ole Miss
When – Saturday, September 3 at 4 pm ET
TV – SEC Network
All eyes will be on the Ole Miss starting quarterback situation, but I want to see Lane Kiffin’s new backfield work. Replacing the likes of Jerrion Early, Snoop Conner and Henry Parrish wasn’t a given, but Kiffin went for the fences by adding Zach Evans and Ulysses Bentley. Add returning leading running back Kentrel Bullock and Ole Miss is ready for another elite running game behind an offensive line that brings back 3 starters. I can’t imagine a 5-win Troy team with a first-year head coach keeping up with Kiffin’s offense.
Mercer vs. Auburn
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7 pm ET
TV – ESPN+
How is the Robby Ashford package? If the Oregon transfer is used as a change-of-pace quarterback who only runs, I’m really not okay with that. If it’s used a little more creatively and Auburn actually makes it a dual-threat option, that’s more intriguing, though I’m not advocating a two-quarterback system. My guess is that Bryan Harsin will have Ashford behind center at least a handful of times for him to get some valuable reps (he hasn’t played a snap in 2 years at Oregon) and SEC defenses have something extra to prepare for.
Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 20 Kentucky
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7 pm ET
TV – ESPN+
One of the tough things new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello has to figure out is the right way to use Will Levis in the running game. He is not a slider. He makes contact and would rather run through you than for you. But against a MAC school in the season opener, Kentucky shouldn’t need 100% of Levis’ legs. Remember that the Beau Allen transfer means Iowa transfer Deuce Hogan is the only other quarterback on the roster who attempted a pass at the FBS level … and Hogan completed 1 pass in junk time against Maryland. Levis only plays 1 way, but the UK needs to be smart about using him.
No. 7 Utah vs. Florida
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7 pm ET
TV – ESPN
If Florida’s defense shuts down Utah, I’ll invest in all of Patrick Toney’s stock. Do I have any doubt that that will happen? Absolutely. Cameron Rising and Tavion Thomas formed one of the most underrated duos in the country during the second half of 2021, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that continued against a Florida defense in their first game in a new scheme. The Swamp will rock this fun hearth and home, but I’m not sure the Gators can consistently pressure Rising.
Elon vs. Vanderbilt
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV – ESPN+
I mean, how do you follow that? FBS-leading Vandy offense, that’s for real, can build real game-to-game momentum after beating Hawaii breaks. When was the last time Vandy scored 30 points in back-to-back games? That was in 2018. It’s also worth noting that 52 teams averaged at least 30 points per game in 2021.
State of Utah vs. No. 1 Alabama
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV – SEC Network
Alabama is a 39-point favorite against a team that finished in the AP Top 25 last year. Let that settle. Of course, Utah State is No. 113 in the country in returning production percentage and didn’t have a single selection on the preseason All-Mountain West team, which was quite evident in a lackluster Week 1 win against UConn. Therefore, Bryce Young and Will Anderson may not play more than one series in the second half.
Memphis vs. Mississippi State
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV – ESPNU
After last year’s shenanigans in Memphis, do you think MSU would like some home cooking from the umpires? Absolutely. More encouraging (and realistic) would be if Will Rogers could operate with a clean pocket that doesn’t remind the home crowd of the value of Charles Cross at left tackle. Facing an AAC defense in the middle of the pack is critical to what lies ahead in the SEC game.
Georgia State vs. South Carolina
When – Saturday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV – ESPN+
What should be realistic expectations for Spencer Rattler in his South Carolina debut? The Gamecocks are only 13-point favorites against former SC coach/interim assistant Shawn Elliott, who defeated Tennessee in the opener of 2019 and nearly led GSU to a win against Auburn last year. Rattler could use a little extra juice at first. Keeping him calm and getting him some high percentage looks will be key for Marcus Satterfield. As much as South Carolina prefers to let the running game work, the mismatch is against a defense that ranked 109th against the pass last year. With all those weapons out there, I’d expect a high-volume day from Rattler, even if he has to work off a slow start.
Florida State vs. LSU (at New Orleans)
When – Sunday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV – ABC
This game is tied with Arkansas-Cincinnati for second over/under of SEC games with 51.5 points. Even that feels tall. FSU struggled immensely throwing the ball last year, which could benefit a new LSU secondary. Offensively, is LSU going to light up the scoreboard with a new starting quarterback and so many questions on the offensive line? My guess is no. Don’t be fooled by the names on the jerseys and the prime time. This is a battle of 2 teams with losing records who could still be figuring things out in the first match. A sloppy showdown awaits in New Orleans.
