When it comes to reloading a football program, there are different ways to go about that process. No. 3 Texas has done it seamlessly on the fly. No. 10 Michigan? Well, it’s been a bit of an awkward transition.
One team made the College Football Playoff for the first time in its history and is over the moon playing in the SEC. The other is reigning national champion while defending itself against the NCAA. One team is ascending. The other is, well, descending, even if just a bit. Their fates meet in the middle of some X and Y axis at The Big House on Saturday.
Maybe that’s not the first thing that comes to mind with Michigan but, good gosh, there are distractions heading into this showdown with the Longhorns.
At Texas, Steve Sarkisian is in the process of weathering the loss of 11 draft picks while transitioning to arguably the toughest conference in the country. Michigan? It lost a school-record 13 draft picks and its coach after Jim Harbaugh became the first national championship-winning coach to leave his program since Tom Osborne retired at Nebraska in 1997. The Difference is that he’s still around in a what-did-I-just-step-in kind of way.
The detritus left by Harbaugh’s wake needs a street sweeper. Cheeseburger Gate was laughable in the case that ended with Harbaugh getting a four-year show-cause and one-year suspension.
The NCAA is still digging down on the Connor Stalions affair while former Michigan staffers break land speed records trying to distance themselves from the program’s former analyst/volunteer/savant/suddenly documentary subject.
Harbaugh’s replacement, Sherrone Moore, faces a possible NCAA suspension. Athletic director Warde Manuel expressed some of his frustration this week with 247Sports’ Sam Webb.
None of it should bother Texas, which has won seven straight road games by almost 16 points per contest. The ‘Horns have a bit of experience with these sort of showdowns. Last year’s win at Alabama may have been the deciding factor in getting Texas into the College Football Playoff ahead of Georgia and Florida State. Saturday’s result may have a similar effect.
That’s the beauty of coming to Texas,” coach Steve Sarkisian said this week. “For two years in a row, we played Alabama. This year, we get to play Michigan to go along with our conference schedule. And our kids love it.”
Texas is looking forward. Certain folks at Michigan are checking their rear view. Never mind the only “meaningful” penalty left for the NCAA is probably a vacation of wins; Michigan continues to lead the nation in all-time victories (1,005).
Harbaugh was on such a roll he was credited with win No. 1,000 even though he wasn’t at the game.
Taking away some of those wins from a 15-0 season in 2023 would wound the collective Michigan psyche. If the NCAA vacated just two of those wins, the program would drop from first all-time in winning percentage to fourth.
No big deal? Ask any Michigan Man or Woman.
The NCAA won’t penalize the current athletes with a postseason ban. A scholarship limitation will be scoffed at. Michigan’s best defense at this point might be a sly smirk as it becomes teflon in an off-field, frat boy, buzzing-the-tower kind of way.
On the field? They’ve become exposed a bit. The Wolverines come into Saturday’s game with some quarterback contretemps. Junior Alex Orji didn’t win the job. David Warren, as inspiring as he is, must prove he can hold onto it.
The separation in quarterback talent couldn’t be much wider. Texas began the season with arguably the best quarterback room in the country. Quinn Ewers remains a Heisman Trophy favorite after passing for 260 yards — almost 10 yards per pass — against Colorado State.
The win was so decisive that Arch Manning — a 2025 Heisman favorite? — got 26 snaps while running and passing for touchdowns. Texas can become the first team with nonconference road wins against AP top 10s in back-to-back seasons since Notre Dame in 2005.
The host has won 23 straight home games. The visitor hasn’t lost on the road in two years. Texas can’t be beat at this point. Michigan can’t help but look ahead to better times because that rear-view mirror is becoming a bit smudged.
Week 2 storylines
Prime Roast: The Deion Effect peaked last September in back-to-back home wins against Nebraska and Colorado State. The world found out Coach Prime doesn’t just win, he rubs teams noses in it. In the 36-14 win over Nebraska, Shedeur Sanders imitated his dad doing a “Deion Shuffle” after one touchdown. Colorado fans stormed the field after beating an opponent that hasn’t been to a bowl since 2016. The result remains Sanders’ largest margin of victory as an FBS coach. Saturday, then, is about payback, grudge, whatever you want to call this Colorado vs. Nebraska game. The Cornhuskers are definitely better. Good enough to beat CU? Get ready for a reciprocal field storming.
On the Heup(el) Train: Just think if Nico Iamaleava plays an entire game. When last seen, Tennessee’s quarterback was throwing for a school-record 314 yards in the first half against Chattanooga. In his first two starts, No. 14 Tennessee has outscored the opposition 104-3. We’re witnessing the birth of a star. Nico seems to have that dual-threat leadership vibe about him we saw from former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. Just for fun, I ran the numbers for both in their first two starts. Tua has Nico in total passing yards by 10 (465-455). Each had seven total touchdowns passing and rushing. They both completed more than 70% of their passes, where Nico leads Tua by 1.11% (72.34% to 71.43%). Not making any comparisons here … but, yeah, I guess we are. Josh Heupel will unleash his weapon on the road in the Volunteers’ first real test of the season at No. 24 NC State.
Getting down to single digits: The under has hit in 17 of the last 19 Iowa vs. Iowa State meetings, including the last five in a row. Three of the last seven meetings have involved one team scoring in the single digits. Ah, but there is hope after No. 21 Iowa’s 40-0 whitewash of Illinois State. The Hawkeyes hit 40 points for the fifth time this century. Cade McNamara is tied for second in the Big Ten with three TD passes, all of them to receivers. Iowa quarterbacks completed three scoring passes to receivers all last season. Iowa State needs a good performance to stay in the peripheral discussion for the Big 12 title. Kirk Ferentz makes his season debut after a one-game suspension. But, in the Big Ten, do suspensions even matter?
Ore-gone?: Oregon blamed itself after a lackluster opener against Idaho. Ask Dan Lanning. The Ducks had 54 plays of at least 25 yards last season. Against the Vandals, they had none. For the first time in 15 games, the Ducks were held under 30 points. Needless to say, Oregon will be ticked off this week against Boise State. The Broncos will run the ball with arguably the early Heisman leader Ashton Jeanty. The Broncos are 3-0 all-time against the Ducks, including Chip Kelly’s first game as coach 15 years ago this week. Just don’t call Saturday a slugfest. There is an ugly history to this series.
USC can play: Las Vegas? A levitating bottle? All of it seemed to fit after No. 13 USC frustrated No. 18 LSU in the win over the Tigers on Monday. Brian Kelly was certainly frustrated. With first-year coordinator D’Anton Lynn leading the defense, clearly the best of the Lincoln Riley era, the Trojans are going to be a factor in the Big Ten. How’s that for magic?
State of Kansas State: A loss to Tulane two years actually would have helped K-State’s playoff resume had it been in the race. The Wildcats got schedule strength from losing to a team that eventually finished 12-2 and ranked in the top 10. Saturday, the Wildcats go to New Orleans still a Big 12 favorite and a loss necessarily doesn’t doom its playoff chances. Watch for spectacular sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson to go 200-100 in the K-State’s first meaningful game.
Clemson warning: The walls continue to close in on Dabo Swinney for not dabbling in the transfer portal. For the record, No. 25 Clemson is 54-14 since the first full season (2019) the transfer portal opened. For real, how would this week’s opposing quarterback, App State’s Joey Aguilar, look in Clemson gear right now had he entered the portal? Aguilar, the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, was the only player last year to throw for at least 3,700 yards and 33 touchdowns.
Quick kicks
- Two of the best play-callers in the game, Mike Gundy and Bobby Petrino, meet as No. 16 Oklahoma State battles Arkansas.
- Iowa State has won four in a row on the road. It hasn’t won five consecutive away from home since 1961.
- Beware of the future at Texas: Five players scored their first career touchdown against Colorado State
- Ryan Day is the only FBS head coach in the last 50 years to start his career 40-0 against unraked opponents. No. 2 Ohio State
hosts Western Michigan to go 41-0 - Finally, a former Big 12 Player of the Year — Colt McCoy — from what is now an SEC school will debut this week breaking down the Big Ten (Colorado-Nebraska) on television. Realignment ya’ll.
