Week 2 College Football Overreactions and Underractions

Week 2 of college football seemed to lack excitement going in, with only one ranked matchup featuring the Oklahoma Sooners and the Michigan Wolverines, but there is plenty to take away. From overtime thrillers to comebacks, week 2 gave fans plenty of fodder for reactions.

Photo by Steve DiMatteo on Unsplash

Overreaction 1: Bryce Underwood Is "Overrated"

This particular reaction is heavily featured online and is largely a form of trolling. Still, it remains worthy of mention because Underwood, the true freshman, appeared to be the only Wolverine player or coach up for the size of the matchup with the Sooners. Underwood threw 9-24 for 142 yards. The money. They hype. The jealousy. The Wolverines quarterback was under constant pressure due to an underperforming offensive line and poor coaching. If any critique of Underwood is valid, it's his belief that Head Coach Sherrone Moore would set him up for success.

Overreaction 2: John Mateer Might be a Heisman Finalist

John Mateer is the real deal and will be a Heisman finalist. Mateer didn't have his best outing on Saturday, and Oklahoma has a rough SEC schedule coming up, but he has the skillset of an old-school Big 12 gun-slinging scrambler. The aggressive, dual-threat style the Sooners play to complement Brent Venables' defensive strategy should lead him to the Lincoln Center in December. He has passed for 662 yards and 4 touchdowns and rushed for 98 yards and 3 touchdowns. Oklahoma has Temple and Kent State in two of its next three outings, giving space for the Sooners to tighten things up and pad some stats.

Overreaction 3: Arch Manning Is "Overrated"

The overreaction concerning Arch Manning stemmed from the media's expectations. That would seem to make him "overrated," but the actual expectations should be based on Texas waiting so long to start him. If he were as ready and skilled as the media put out, he would have taken Quinn Ewers' job last year. The problem with having the last name Manning is that unless Arch breaks records and wins multiple Super Bowls, fans and media will always view him as underperforming.

Underreaction 1: Michigan Will Struggle This Season

The Sooners handed the Wolverines their first loss this season, 24-13. The amount of panic in Ann Arbor following a two-score road loss is still an underreaction. The Sooners dominated the Wolverines in the trenches, and Venables and his staff outcoached Moore and his. New Mexico's Jason Eck outcoached the Wolverines the week prior, putting up a decent fight against a far superior talent. Coaches need to trust in their talent and be willing to play to win rather than play not to lose. Moore has not allowed Underwood to shine and has shied away from 4th down attempts, electing to kick field goals. This article doesn't have the space to discuss all of the Wolverines' early-season issues.

Underreaction 2: Auburn's Early Success is Sustainable

Auburn's win over Baylor may have seemed irrelevant, but Baylor's victory over 17th-ranked SMU gives up more value. Their move to 24 in the AP poll reflects this opinion nationally, but it isn't drawing headlines because the SEC is loaded with talent. In terms of SEC schedules, Auburn's is not that bad. The matchup with Oklahoma will be telling. Georgia is currently their only top-10 opponent, with Texas A&M, Missouri, and Alabama among the other top-25 schools. Missouri and Alabama might be unranked by the time they play. At 2-0 with matchups against Southern Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt, there is no reason why Auburn couldn't sneak into the College Football Playoff, returning Hugh Freeze to SEC relevance.

Underreaction 3: The ACC Is Relevant

Clemson's early struggles and whatever Bill Belichick is doing in North Carolina will likely draw the most headlines. Still, the improved talent level in the ACC is reminiscent of the SEC's rise to prominence in college basketball. While the ACC's rise remains in its infancy, the conference currently has three schools ranked in the top 12 of the AP poll. Miami and Florida State's early success make the conference interesting, rather than the narrative of featuring only Clemson and several also-rans. Before Illinois pulled away for a 45-19 blowout victory, the game featured some entertaining back-and-forth. The influx of money for football in a traditionally basketball-focused conference is a storyline worth keeping an eye on.

Best Games:

Iowa State's 16-13 win over Iowa

Defense, punting, and field goals. Classic.

Baylor's 48-45 win over SMU

Overtimes and upsets are perfect for Saturday afternoons.

Michigan State's 42-40 win over Boston College

Could second-year coach Jonathan Smith bring the Spartans back to relevancy? A win over Boston College's second-year coach, Bill O'Brien, puts him off to a good start.