Brian’s College Football Top 5: Week 1
Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack from the Associated Press
It feels so good to have college football back.
Being able to spend all day watching football from noon to past 1 A.M.
This is the best time of the year.
And it’s time to bring back the top 5.
As a reminder, these are not the five best teams in the sport, but rather the five teams I was impressed by the most in each given week.
5. Virginia Cavaliers
A Power 4 school beating Coastal Carolina really shouldn’t be that impressive, but you have to consider the circumstances.
This is a make or break year for Tony Elliott at UVA, and Coastal Carolina isn’t a slouch of an opponent.
And Virginia absolutely whooped them 48-7.
Does that mean anything for the overall season? Maybe not.
But it has to be a confidence boost for the Cavs.
4. Tarleton State Texans
Welcome to the top 5, Tarleton State!
The Texans, a very good FCS program, went into West Point to take on the defending American Conference champions Army, and pulled off the upset in double overtime.
Even though Army had quite a lot of turnover from last year, I expected they would be a good team this year.
Maybe they still will be, but Tarleton State made them pay for potentially taking this game lightly.
3. Miami Hurricanes
Miami has been talented for a while, but something always goes wrong.
And since they started week one against the defending national runners up, I thought Notre Dame would have the strength in the trenches to win.
But I was absolutely astounded at how well Miami dominated both lines all night long against the Irish.
And, crucially, Mario Cristobal didn’t completely botch a late game clock management situation.
I still need to see more to believe things are fully fixed, but it’s a fantastic start.
2. USF Bulls
I didn’t think Boise State would be as good as last year, and I thought USF would be better this year.
But this was an absolute shellacking.
The Bulls and Byrum Brown were roaring offensively, the defense was smothering and didn’t let the Broncos do anything at all, and they cruised to an opening night 34-7 win over last season’s G5 rep in the playoff.
Can USF make a run for that?
If they keep playing like that, it’ll be hard to stop them.
1. Florida State Seminoles
I owe you an apology, Thomas Castellanos.
All offseason Castellanos was making a ton of noise about how Alabama isn’t that good, how Nick Saban can’t save them now, and how Florida State was going to shock everyone.
And while I love trash talk, I have to be honest and admit that I didn’t love that from him.
Florida State went 2-10 last year, have two new coordinators, a ton of transfers, and their starting QB lost his spot at Boston College last year, which doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence.
And Alabama is, well, Alabama.
But man, was I wrong or what?
Castellanos was excellent, Gus Malzahn looked like his prime days at Auburn, the defense was aggressive and flying all over the field, and the Noles upset the Tide 31-17.
They ran their mouths, but they backed it up every step of the way.
They deserve the plaudits and the praise.
(Even though I don’t love that Castellanos has already released merch of the upset…)
