Mandel’s Last Ideas: Clemson’s mini-dynasty is over, and that’s solely a part of ACC’s angst

And now, 17 Last Ideas from the primary three days of Week 1. (Apologies, LSU and USC, I simply couldn’t wait.)

1. So, what was your “We’re not in Kansas, anymore” second of the primary full weekend of New World Faculty Soccer? For me, it was turning on Friday night time’s TCU-Stanford recreation, seeing an ACC brand and realizing I used to be watching an ACC nonconference recreation between colleges from Texas and California.

The ACC staff (Stanford, when you’ve misplaced observe) misplaced that one 34-27. Which quickly turned a recurring theme.

2. Have been this any season performed between 2014 and 2023, I’d be writing a column entitled “The ACC’s Playoff hopes are already on life assist.” However on this, the daybreak of the Faculty Soccer Playoff’s 12-team period, we all know whoever wins the ACC championship won’t solely make the Playoff however possible be a top-four seed. No want to write down Playoff obits simply but for 0-1 Florida State, 0-1 Clemson or 0-1 Virginia Tech.

That being stated, I’m keen to declare one ACC coach’s mini-dynasty formally over.

3. If No. 1 Georgia’s 34-3 rout of No. 14 Clemson in Atlanta checked out instances like school youngsters in opposition to highschool youngsters … properly, it was. As soon as once more this offseason, Tigers coach Dabo Swinney declined to faucet into the switch portal’s wealth of unrestricted free brokers to improve his roster. Clemson joined Military, Navy and Air Drive as the one colleges to take zero transfers. And so forth Saturday, Swinney’s staff took on an opponent that has misplaced solely two video games previously three years with the identical actual guys that misplaced 4 ACC video games final season.

The Tigers’ offense gained simply 188 yards.

Three years earlier, these similar groups opened the 2021 season, with two-time nationwide champ Swinney coming off his sixth straight Playoff look, whereas Bulldogs coach Kirby Sensible had been to at least one CFP in 5 years. Georgia received that assembly 10-3 and went on to win the following two nationwide titles. Clemson went on to win final 12 months’s Gator Bowl.

Sensible advanced to embrace loosened guidelines round title, picture and likeness compensation and the portal. His greatest stars are nonetheless home-grown guys: quarterback Carson Beck, security Malaki Starks, et al. However figuring out he wanted assist at receiver this offseason, he added Miami’s Colbie Younger and Vanderbilt’s London Humphreys from the portal. Each caught touchdowns Saturday.

Clemson, which ranked 109th out of 133 FBS groups final season in catches of 20-plus yards, rode with the identical group it had. Quarterback Cade Klubnik averaged simply 4.9 yards per try Saturday.

4. In equity, Georgia will whip lots of people this season. The protection was dominant, and Beck, a projected first-round quarterback, logged six completions of 20-plus yards. Even the Bulldogs’ depleted operating backs group produced a brilliant spot: True freshman Nate Frazier gained 83 yards on 11 carries.

Georgia’s schedule is way too troublesome to count on the Bulldogs to cruise unscathed (street journeys to preseason No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama and No. 6 Ole Miss loom), however that’s not the bar anymore. They only have to get to the Dance.

5. You’ll not get me to say the phrases “Miami is again” following one large win. However after humiliating in-state rival Florida 41-17 in The Swamp, the Canes do seem to be the clear favourite to win the ACC, a feat they haven’t achieved since becoming a member of the convention 21 years in the past.

Washington State switch quarterback Cam Ward lit up the Gators, ending 26-of-35 passing for 385 yards, three TDs and one choose to ship this system’s most spectacular win since a 41-8 rout of third-ranked Notre Dame in November 2017. That was so way back that third-year Miami head coach Mario Cristobal had not but turn into Oregon’s head coach.

It could be that Florida stinks. However I’d quite be Miami at the moment than any ACC faculty moreover present first-place staff Georgia Tech.

6. In an interview Friday with the SEC Community’s Paul Finebaum, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin stated, “I actually imagine Billy Napier goes to be the coach at Florida for a protracted, very long time.” Suffice to say, Stricklin didn’t image a season-opening 24-point loss for his third-year coach, who was already on each preseason sizzling seat record.

After watching fifth-year quarterback Graham Mertz go 11-of-20 for 91 yards and an interception, Gators followers will invariably begin calling for five-star freshman DJ Lagway. However Florida’s rather more urgent situation is its protection, which regarded simply as hapless because it did for many of 2023. However don’t fear. Florida has solely seven video games nonetheless to go in opposition to preseason High 25 groups.

7. As No. 7 Notre Dame was closing out its 23-13 win in opposition to Texas A&M, which had entered as a three-point favourite, ABC put up a graphic with the Irish’s remaining schedule and % probability of beating every foe. The pc spit out at the very least 76 % odds of victory for Notre Dame in each recreation between now and the regular-season finale at USC (62 %). In what might show to be as robust of a take a look at as any it is going to face this season, Marcus Freeman’s staff flexed its muscle mass.

Pregame issues concerning the Irish’s inexperienced offensive line proved warranted for a lot of the night time, however in the end that group opened holes for Jadarian Value’s 47-yard landing to go up 13-6 within the third quarter and, after A&M tied it, Jeremiyah Love’s 21-yard landing to return up 20-13 late. In the meantime, Notre Dame’s protection was predictably suffocating, permitting simply 3.6 yards per play and selecting off two Conner Weigman passes.

It was a much-needed large win for Freeman, whose staff might have to win 11 video games to safe an at-large berth.

8. Penn State followers needed to be ecstatic about what they noticed within the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions’ 34-12 win at West Virginia. Second-year beginning quarterback Drew Allar (11-of-16 passing, 216 yards, three TDs) regarded sharp operating the offense that new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki made well-known at Kansas, and Allar’s playmakers confirmed the kind of explosiveness Penn State lacked in 2023. Junior Harrison Wallace III, who missed most of final season, caught a 50-yard landing. Operating again Nick Singleton, who averaged simply 4.4 yards per carry a 12 months in the past, averaged double that on Saturday and broke a 40-yard rating.

James Franklin’s staff cruised in what figured to be its lone take a look at previous to an Oct. 12 journey to USC.

9. Not since Adrian Peterson debuted at Oklahoma twenty years in the past have I seen a freshman who doesn’t play quarterback get constructed up fairly like Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, the nation’s No. 1 recruit final winter. The South Florida native wasted no time delivering, catching six balls for a game-high 92 yards and two touchdowns within the second-ranked Buckeyes’ 52-6 win over Akron. And the scary factor is, Ohio State nonetheless has Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, too.

Certainly nobody within the Horseshoe was happier Saturday than Ohio State switch quarterback Will Howard (previously of Kansas State), who completed 17-of-28 for 228 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

10. Two of the Buckeyes’ supposed greatest threats within the Large Ten didn’t engender the identical confidence. Defending nationwide champ Michigan led Fresno State simply 16-10 within the fourth quarter, with its offense trying each bit like a unit that misplaced its first-round quarterback and full offensive line. Shock beginning quarterback Davis Warren went simply 15-of-25 for 118 yards, a landing and a choose. Ultimately Warren led a 75-yard drive, then Will Johnson nabbed a choose six to assist the Wolverines draw back 30-10.

Extra puzzling: No. 3 Oregon led FCS foe Idaho simply 17-14 with 9 minutes left earlier than profitable 24-14. An offensive line that allowed simply 5 sacks all of final season gave up three within the first recreation. However it could have simply been a bizarre day for the Geese, who nonetheless put up almost 500 yards, with new quarterback Dillon Gabriel ending 41-of-49 for 380 yards.

11. Between “Faculty GameDay” and his Allstate, Vrbo and Residence Depot commercials, I noticed extra of former Alabama coach Nick Saban on Saturday than I’d if he had been nonetheless teaching. However it was undoubtedly a unique day on the Crimson Tide sideline. Living proof: The brand new Alabama head coach was seen smiling and laughing.

Kalen DeBoer loved watching five-star freshman receiver Ryan Williams put up landing catches of 84 and 55 yards, operating again Justice Haynes break an 85-yard landing run and quarterback Jalen Milroe rip off a 40-yard run within the Tide’s 63-0 rout of Western Kentucky. Saban would have a tough time nitpicking this efficiency.

12. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea was so impressed by New Mexico State’s 31-10 rout of Auburn final 12 months that he employed the Aggies’ offensive coordinator, Tim Beck. Star quarterback Diego Pavia quickly adopted. On Saturday, the duo helped the Commodores, who went 2-10 final season, stun Virginia Tech 34-27 in additional time. Pavia was 12-of-16 for 190 yards and two touchdowns whereas operating for 104 yards on 26 carries, and Vandy’s protection, ranked 123rd in opposition to the run a 12 months in the past, inexplicably stifled the Hokies’ speeding assault.

As all the time, you by no means know in a season opener whether or not a staff is that a lot better or its opponent (which I sadly predicted to go 10-2) was overrated. However Lea was off to a 9-27 begin by means of three seasons, and Vandy followers have suffered by means of 10 consecutive dropping campaigns. In the end, they’ve hope.

13. In a intelligent new Dr Pepper “Fansville” business, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers performs a deputy sheriff who tells Brian Bosworth they don’t want backup “even when he’s received nice hair and well-known kin.” Proper on cue, backup Arch Manning made headlines for throwing his first profession landing in rubbish time of the fourth-ranked Longhorns’ 52-0 shutout of Colorado State.

The larger story was the influence of a number of new gamers. After Texas misplaced two operating backs to season-ending accidents this summer time, freshman Jerrick Gibson received on the sphere and gained a team-high 67 yards on 10 carries. Freshman receiver Ryan Wingo caught 4 passes for 70 yards. Transfers Isaiah Bond (Alabama) and Matthew Golden (Houston) mixed for 3 touchdowns.

They’re all headed to Ann Arbor subsequent weekend to tackle the champs.

14. On Wednesday, Boise State launched a social media Heisman Trophy marketing campaign for star operating again Ashton Jeanty. On Saturday, the junior delivered a Barry Sanders/Ricky Williams-esque efficiency, operating 20 instances for 267 yards and 6 touchdowns within the Broncos’ 56-45 win at Georgia Southern. Likelihood is, a Group of 5 operating again isn’t going to win the Heisman, however Jeanty main his staff to a Mountain West championship and CFP berth is an attainable aim.

To be worthy of the #HEI2MAN, you need to be #BuiltDifferenthttps://t.co/2fDkCvClio#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/RgfmK1rZ6h

— Boise State Soccer (@BroncoSportsFB) August 28, 2024

15. We have already got our first gaudy Colorado TV ranking of the season: 4.8 million watched Deion Sanders’ Buffs maintain off FCS energy North Dakota State 31-26 on Thursday. Shedeur Sanders was his standard gunslinging self (26-of-34, 445 yards, 4 touchdowns, one interception), and two-way star Travis Hunter placed on a clinic all night time. It’s too early to say how a lot Colorado has or hasn’t improved, however one space that stood out to me was its defensive position. Pitt switch Dayon Hayes was amongst a number of guys who introduced stress.

Maybe it was due partly to the tutelage of latest Colorado grad assistant Warren Sapp.

Subsequent up for that Buffs protection? A date with Nebraska freshman savior Dylan Raiola. The five-star quarterback received off to a promising begin within the Huskers’ 40-7 win over UTEP, going 19-of-27 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and no picks in only one half of motion. It helps that Nebraska coach Matt Rhule went heavy on receivers within the portal, including Texas’ Isaiah Neyor and Wake Forest’s Jahmal Banks. Neyor had six catches for 121 yards, together with a 59-yard landing, whereas Banks had 4 catches for 61 yards and a rating.

NBC will probably be coming to Lincoln to point out the outdated Large 8 rivals squaring off in prime time. The Huskers’ struggling fan base will certainly be rocking Memorial Stadium.

16. The Pac-12 could also be useless, however the spirit of Pac-12 After Darkish lived on in No. 21 Arizona’s wild 61-39 win over New Mexico in new head coach Brent Brennan’s debut. Wildcats star Tetairoa McMillan notched the game’s first 300-yard receiving recreation since Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba within the 2022 Rose Bowl, ending with 10 catches for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns. However New Mexico sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier gave Arizona’s protection suits, throwing for 252 yards, operating for 126 and producing 5 touchdowns. Regulate that man within the Mountain West this season.

17. Watching a Large 12 staff host an After Darkish recreation appears regular already. It was not even my most jarring viewer expertise Saturday night time.

That will be Washington taking part in a late-night recreation on Large Ten Community. (The Huskies beat Weber State 35-3, when you missed it.) Simply assume — in the future, that channel goes to re-air traditional Michael Penix Jr. video games from two completely different colleges.

(Photograph: Mike Zarrilli / Getty Photographs)