5 Things I Learned in Week 1 of College Football

The first week of college football is behind us. After each week, fans can draw conclusions from what happened on the pitch. Here are 5 things we learned from the first week of college football.

Related: 5 Things to Watch for in Week 1 of College Football

1. Notre Dame has a clear path to the CFP

Notre Dame’s trip to Texas A&M was one of the biggest games of the weekend. The Fighting Irish defense looked like it was going to be one of the best in the country and only allowed 13 points. Their offense struggled to move the ball in the air, but their running game wore down the Texas A&M defense. They managed to score 23 points, which was enough to win the game with their defensive effort.

With a win, the Fighting Irish have a clear path to the playoffs. They will likely be favorites in every game the rest of the season. With tough games coming up against Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville and USC, they can afford to even stumble in one of those games and still make it to the CFP. It’s early, but it looks like Notre Dame could be headed toward a No. 5 seed, the highest they can reach since they’re not in a conference.

2. Miami can win its first ACC championship

Miami played a rivalry game in the Swamp against Florida to open the season. They were a few-point favorite but dominated the Gators, winning 41-17. Cam Ward, a transfer from Washington State, lit up the scoreboard, passing for 385 yards and three touchdowns. The Hurricanes dominated the line of scrimmage on both ends of the field, even after star edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. left the game early with an injury.

Miami’s win showed they can go into tough situations and come out on top. It’s early, but they look like the class of the ACC. They’ve never won an ACC championship since joining the conference, but given their success and the struggles of other contenders, this could be the year. Clemson was crushed by Georgia, Florida State lost in Week 0, and Virginia Tech was upset by Vanderbilt. An ACC championship could be in the cards, and maybe even more in the CFP.

3. Clemson still needs changes

Clemson has fallen slightly out of the top tier of college football in recent seasons. That trend looks set to continue into the future as the Tigers lost 34-3. They struggled on offense, allowing less than 200 yards of offense. The Tigers were ranked 14th, but will now fall in the rankings despite losing to the best team in the country.

Clemson has been one of the teams that has been hesitant to enter the transfer portal for the past few years. They haven’t had any transfers come in and get going. The Tigers haven’t signed any recruits and haven’t been able to put together a functioning offense for how talented they are on offense. Dabo Swinney has a long way to go at Clemson to succeed, but if he wants the team to return to the top flight of college football, he’ll have to adjust.

4. Penn State took a step forward

Penn State had a tough game in Week 1 against West Virginia. A long weather delay could have interrupted the Nittany Lions’ momentum, but they still controlled the game, winning 34-12. Drew Allar had a fantastic day at quarterback, passing for 216 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was also stifling.

The Nittany Lions have taken a lot of flak in recent years for failing to beat Ohio State and Michigan. The new 12-team playoffs are working for them, but they look to have taken a big step forward this week. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has improved Allar’s game, and he’s made some nice throws in a tight window. If that continues, the Nittany Lions could be headed to the CFP with a chance to make a run.

5. USC’s defense has improved significantly

USC and LSU played in a season opener that was expected to be full of offense because of how poor their defenses were last season. Both defenses played better than expected. USC hired D’Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator and managed to hold LSU to just 20 points.

The Trojans were able to win because of the good play of their defense. When they entered the Big Ten, they were seen as a wild card team because their offense was projected to be good, but their defense was the opposite. Now that they are playing well, the Trojans could compete in the Big Ten in their first season.

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