Week 1 of the college football season is in the rearview mirror and what better time than now to overreaction positively or negatively about the outcome for your favorite team! Every week we all put too much stock into a player, coach or team, but hey, that’s what makes this so much fun, right?
So now that all 16 Big 12 teams have played a game, let’s have some fun with bold statements and I’ll tell you if it’s an overreaction or not. Here we go.
Arizona State is Now a Big 12 Contender
Overreaction
I thought the Sun Devils were the most impressive team in the Big 12 this weekend. Sam Leavitt was very solid leading the offense. Also, Arizona State scored two defensive touchdowns for the first time since 2015 and prevented Wyoming from crossing midfield in the first half of what became a lopsided 48-7 win to open the season.
And while the team I saw on Saturday night can surprise many in the Big 12 this season, I’m not ready to call them a Big 12 contender just yet. There’s a lot of teams to hurdle to get to that point. However, a convincing win over an SEC opponent this weekend in Mississippi State, and I’ll be more convinced.
The other tough part is the schedule. The Sun Devils have to play all five currently-ranked Big 12 teams in Kansas, Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Arizona. That won’t be easy. So let’s wait and see.
West Virginia Got Overhyped This Offseason
Overreaction
The Mountaineers got rolled on Saturday against Penn State, but how about we give some credit to the Nittany Lions? PSU looked every bit the College Football Playoff team they’re projected to be by many this season. And if we’re being fair, Penn State has crushed basically every opponent, other than the two that have mattered (Ohio State and Michigan) in the last couple of seasons under James Franklin.
That’s not to say the Mountaineers didn’t make their mistakes and look like the moment was too big for them. They did. But WVU still has all its goals in front of them when it comes to the Big 12. They remain experienced in key offensive positions with lots of returning production, have one of the better offensive lines in the Big 12, and key transfers set to step in to bolster the defense. There’s still a lot to like about WVU in 2024, despite Saturday not going anywhere close to planned.
Baylor Could be the Big 12 Surprise
Not an Overreaction
The Bears demolished Tarleton State 45-3 on Saturday. And while yes, it was an FCS opponent, the Bears were crisp on both sides of the ball. That’s something we couldn’t say last year when they opened with a loss vs. Texas State and the season quickly spiraled out of control.
Dave Aranda looked and sounded different in the post-game, and now that he’s back to calling defensive plays, it feels like a master who, after a hiatus, is back to doing what he loves to do in his craft. Combine that with Dequan Finn impressively leading the offense, and I don’t believe it’s an overreaction to say Baylor can be a surprise team in a wide-open Big 12.
Combine that with the schedule, which includes only two of the ranked Big 12 teams (KU and Oklahoma State) because the Utah game this weekend is a non-conference match up, and the schedule is favorable for the Bears.
Houston Will Go 0-12
Overreaction
Houston looked awful in their 27-7 loss to UNLV. That being said, Willie Fritz has a rebuild on his hands, which we all knew, and it’s going to take time to turn this thing around. But I sense similarities between Fritz at UH and Lance Leipold at Houston.
He’s a coach who’s won everywhere he’s been, and now he has his big Power 4 break. This team will get exponentially better as the season progresses and will pull off an upset or two in the second half of Big 12 play. But it’s definitely going to take time to turn this program around. Thanks, Dana.
