The Biggest Surprises in College Football After Week 2
It's still early in the season, but we've seen plenty of surprises already through the first two weeks of the 2023 college football campaign.
Across Weeks 1 and 2, we saw Clemson get upset by Duke, Alabama fall to Texas at home, and Deion Sanders' Colorado team take the college football world by storm.
From Colorado's undefeated start to Clemson's struggling offense to Texas snapping a long Alabama win streak, let's run through the biggest surprises from the 2023 college football season.
SEC's Abysmal Record Against Power Five Opponents
The Georgia Bulldogs have won the national title two years in a row and look primed to get three this season. That's bragging rights for any conference, including the SEC.
However, it has been awful in games against Power Five opponents through the first two weeks of the season.
In fact, the conference is 1-6 so far in 2023:
- Utah 24, Florida 11
- North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17
- Florida State 45, LSU 24
- Wake Forest 36, Vanderbilt 20
- Miami 48, Texas A&M 33
- Texas 36, Alabama 26
None of these games were particularly close in the second half, either. As we look at the remaining SEC vs. Power Five games, this record might get even worse.
Florida has to play Florida State at the end of the season, when South Carolina will also play Clemson. And Missouri faces Kansas State in Week 3.
If the SEC wants to improve this record, it likely needs to have a successful bowl season. The conference finished 6-5 in 2022 and 6-8 in 2021.
Oregon Defense Plays Huge Part in Ducks Success
Yes, Oregon put up 81 points in its Week 1 win over Portland State, but it also held the Vikings to just seven points and 200 total yards, including just 52 in the air. The opposition averaged just 2.6 yards per pass.
In Week 2, Oregon went on the road to face a Texas Tech team that lost Week 1 to Wyoming. The Ducks entered as slight 4.5-point favorites and led 18-13 at halftime, but their defense stepped up in a big way in the second half.
Oregon's secondary picked off Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough three times in the final two quarters.
The most electric play of the night came in the final minute, when Ducks linebacker Jeffrey Bassa picked off Shough and returned it 45 yards to the house to give Oregon a 38-30 lead:
Shough threw yet another interception on the Red Raiders' final possession of the game to put it on ice.
Oregon looks to be a contender inside the Pac-12 this season, and its defense will be a major reason why it wins some close contests.
Texas Snaps Alabama's 57-Win Streak Against Nonconference Opponents
One of the biggest upsets this season came on Saturday night, when No. 3 Alabama fell 34-24 to No. 11 Texas in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
One of the most shocking statistics of the night? Prior to the Longhorns' win, the Crimson Tide had won their last 57 games at home against non-conference opponents.
The last team to do it? That was way back in 2007 during Nick Saban's first season in Tuscaloosa, when Louisiana-Monroe claimed a 21-14 victory. Alabama finished 7-6 that year, beating Colorado in the Independence Bowl.
Obviously, that loss wasn't indicative of how the Saban era would go, but Saturday's defeat is hugely significant. Alabama can't afford to lose another game if it wants a shot at the College Football Playoff.
The Tide had 10 penalties on the night, five less than they had against the Longhorns last year.
"It's great to have emotions and to play with emotion," Saban told reporters. "Everybody should have that. But that motion has to be channeled into tangible, functional execution. So you've got to focus on the task at hand one play at a time. It's got to be very intentional. If you get emotional, then you make bad choices and decisions, you brain doesn't work like it needs to and bad things happen."
The Tide's offensive line also allowed five sacks on the night, and quarterback Jalen Milroe threw two interceptions. It's hard to win a game with these kinds of mistakes, even if you are Alabama. Still, it was shocking to see its 57-game win streak come to an end.
Despite Week 1 Optimism, Miami puts Jimbo Fisher Back on Hot Seat
Texas A&M scored 52 points in its victory over New Mexico State in Week 1. Starting quarterback Conner Weigman threw for five touchdowns, and it looked like Jimbo Fisher's hiring of Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator was a brilliant offseason move.
However, that all came crashing down with the Aggies' 48-33 road-trip loss to Miami on Saturday.
Although Texas A&M led 17-7 early in the second quarter, Miami went to the locker room with a 21-17 lead at halftime and never looked back.
The Aggies' offensive drives resulted in the following in the second half:
- A 28-yard field goal
- An interception
- A 19-yard touchdown
- A fumble
- A punt
- A 9-yard touchdown
- An interception
They ran 28 more plays than Miami and still averaged just 5.3 yards per play. TAMU also had nine less first downs than the Hurricanes and went 8-of-18 on third down. Weigman threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns, but he completed just 58 percent of his passes and had two picks.
Texas A&M's defense also had no answer for Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who threw for a career-high five touchdowns. He finished with 374 yards and completed 70 percent of his passes with a 229.7 passer rating in the air.
This Aggies team beat Miami 17-7 at home last season. You can argue that the Canes, which hired new coordinators in Shannon Dawson and Lance Guidry, are a much improved team.
However, this Texas A&M team isn't exactly playing like it's being coached by a guy making $9 million a year.
Clemson Offense Doesn't Look Different to Last Season
There was a ton of hype surrounding Clemson's offense entering the season.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik was expected to shine, especially with the hiring of Garrett Riley as the new offensive coordinator after leading the TCU Horned Frogs to a national title game last season while averaging 38.8 points per game.
Through two games, though, the Clemson offense has been pretty underwhelming. In the stunning Week 1 loss to Duke, the Tigers scored seven points despite getting over 400 yards of offense and 29 first downs. They averaged just 5.08 yards per play, and Klubnik finished with 209 yards passing with a touchdown and interception.
Although the 66-12 Week 2 win versus FCS Charleston Southern may look like the offense did much better, the score is deceptive. The Buccaneers took a 14-7 lead off a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Clemson led just 24-17 at halftime.
In the second half, the Tigers scored 42 unanswered points, with one touchdown coming off of an interception return. They averaged slightly better in yards-per-play (7.80), and Klubnik threw for four touchdown passes and completed 75.7 percent of his passes.
However, Clemson still ranks 40th in total offense. How the unit struggled in the first half against an FCS team at home is concerning, even with the big second half.
The Tigers need to get things figured out on offense in time for Florida State coming to town on September 23.
Baylor Won Big 12 in 2021 But Now Ride 6-Game Losing Run
It didn't seem like it heading into the season, but Baylor head coach Dave Aranda might now be on the hot seat. It's surprising given that his tenure seemed to be going well.
Following a 2-7 season in 2020, the Bears went 12-2 in 2021, winning the Big 12 and getting a win in the Sugar Bowl over Ole Miss.
Since then, though, Baylor looks like a program heading in the wrong direction. Last season, it was 6-3 entering mid-November, but it dropped its last four games of the season, including a 30-15 Armed Forces bowl loss to Air Force to finish 6-7.
That losing streak has extended into 2023. The Week 1 loss to Texas State was a shocker. The Bobcats, who joined the FBS in 2012, went into Baylor and upset the Bears 42-31, marking their first-ever win over a Power Five opponent.
The win came despite Baylor outgaining the Bobcats 524-441 in total yards and controlling time of possession. The Bears had nine penalties for 45 yards, with four of those coming on false starts.
Week 2 wasn't much better for the Bears. Although they hung tough with a No. 13 Utah team that's still without starting quarterback Cam Rising, things fell apart in the fourth quarter.
The Utes outgained the Bears 155-55, and Baylor had just four rushing yards in the entire fourth quarter.
It could be a long season in Waco.
Deion Sanders Backing Up Colorado 'We Are Coming' Prediction
After Colorado's 45-42 upset win over TCU in Week 1, the college football world was buzzing for Deion Sanders' debut.
His quarterback and son, Shedeur Sanders, threw for a school-record 510 yards and four touchdowns. Buffs defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter played an incredible 129 snaps, accounting for 14 receptions for 192 yards and seven total tackles with an interception on defense.
Sure, it was just one game, and TCU had lost most of the team that played in the national title game in January. But in Week 2 against Nebraska, Colorado showed its first win was no fluke.
The Buffaloes got out to a slower start than they did vs. TCU, scoring their first points off a 31-yard field late in the second quarter. But they scored on six out of their last eight possessions on the day to win 36-14, helped by the defense forcing four Nebraska turnovers.
Sanders finished with 393 passing yards and two touchdowns, rushing for another score in the fourth quarter. Hunter, who played 125 snaps, had 73 yards receiving and four total tackles on the day.
It was the perfect home debut for Colorado's fans, who rushed the field after the victory:
Next up for Colorado is a home contest against rival Colorado State, with ESPN's College GameDay coming to town. After the Rams, the schedule gets tougher and includes games against Oregon, USC, Oregon State, Washington State and Utah.
While a bowl win seems like a more likely goal for Deion's Year 1, I wouldn't be surprised if the Buffs pull off an upset over one of their Pac-12 opponents.
If Colorado's season is anything like its first couple of weeks, we're in for a treat in 2023.