CFB Week 1 Takeaways: Michigan’s QB Choice, Billy Napier’s Hot Seat and More

David KenyonFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 2, 2024CFB Week 1 Takeaways: Michigan’s QB Choice, Billy Napier’s Hot Seat and More0 of 8

Davis WarrenGregory Shamus/Getty Images

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Patience is required for the longest season in college football history. To win a national title in 2024, a program must navigate no fewer than 15 games and potentially as many as 17.

That’s the long version of saying that Week 1 results should not be taken as full-season expectations.

Yet we can’t ignore the actual performances, either.

Michigan has a quarterback conundrum, and Billy Napier is occupying on a hotter seat than he did on Saturday morning. On the other hand, Penn State set itself up for a hot start, while Utah and Tennessee landed great showings from QBs in advance of an important Week 2 matchup.

These takeaways are subjective—welcome to my brain, folks!—but cover a variety of stories from around the country.

Welcome to the Travis Hunter Show1 of 8

Travis HunterAndrew Wevers/Getty Images

Travis Hunter is a unicorn.

Nobody else in college football is trusted to handle a remotely similar workload than Colorado’s two-way weapon. He logged 55 offensive and 69 defensive snaps in the opener against North Dakota State, missing only two plays as CU squeezed out a 31-26 victory.

More importantly, Hunter excelled in those reps. Along with seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns, he made three tackles and only yielded a couple of short catches.

Yes, there’s the Heisman Trophy question.

During the last 50 years, no recipient has played on a four-loss (or worse) team. That doesn’t mean an outlier can’t happen, but ignoring that trend would be foolish. Colorado has much to prove before Hunter—or quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who threw for 445 yards and four scores, by the way—would be nationally labeled as a top Heisman threat.

Hunter’s campaign should not be judged on that conversation. You might not love the attention paid to Deion Sanders’ team, one simply hopeful to qualify for a bowl in 2024.

Hunter, nevertheless, is completely worthy of the Heisman love.

Cam Rising Solidifies Utah’s Big 12 Hopes2 of 8

Cam RisingChris Gardner/Getty Images

The long-awaited return of Utah quarterback Cam Rising quietly happened on Thursday night in a buy game.

Early in the season, top-level programs tend to host lower-division schools. The matchups are rarely competitive, but they’re important for the college football ecosystem. In this case, Southern Utah received a healthy payout to get walked over by Utah in a 49-0 blowout.

But it also provided Rising a low-stress game in his first appearance since a knee injury in the 2022 season’s Rose Bowl.

Considering what’s up next, this worked out beautifully for the Utes.

Rising completed 10-of-15 throws for 254 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He chipped in 25 rushing yards on four carries, a welcomed sign after such a difficult recovery from a complicated injury.

Look, he guided Utah to Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022. Confidence should not be in short supply for Rising.

Still, he missed an entire year. The game moves quickly, and practice reps—while impactful—won’t necessary replicate the pressure of live moments. Utah, the preseason favorite in the Big 12, begins conference action in Week 2 against Baylor and meets top league threats Oklahoma State and Arizona in September.

Utah’s success in 2024 is largely dependent on Rising rapidly regaining his previous form, and Week 1 was an excellent start.

Penn State Positioned for 5-03 of 8

Drew AllarMark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Sure, it’s merely one game. But we, as college football fans, are professional schedule-watchers.

Penn State kicked off 2024 with an intriguing game against West Virginia and promptly made it anything but that. Drew Allar tossed a trio of touchdowns, and Penn State’s defense held WVU to a measly 246 yards.

So, yeah, the Nittany Lions are just 1-0.

Up next, though, they’re hosting MAC teams Bowling Green and Kent State before Big Ten counterparts Illinois and UCLA travel to Happy Valley. The path to 5-0 is extremely favorable for Penn State.

The narrative around James Franklin—that he’s struggled in big games—is equal parts inescapable and accurate. It will be tested in the middle of the campaign when the Nittany Lions fly cross-country to USC, play at Wisconsin and host Ohio State and Washington.

Thanks to Saturday’s commanding win against a good opponent, Penn State should enter that defining stretch at 5-0.

Cristobal Launches Napier onto Hot Seat4 of 8

Mario CristobalChris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

All offseason long, we knew the losing coach of the clash between Miami and Florida would be facing more scrutiny.

I, however, didn’t expect that result. You probably didn’t, either.

Miami cranked its in-state rivals, cruising to a 41-17 rout behind a sterling debut from transfer quarterback Cam Ward. He looked remarkably poised, creative and efficient while the Hurricanes doubled up Florida in total yardage. It was, in every sense, a comprehensive win.

The result provided a welcome boost for Miami boss Mario Cristobal, an elite recruiter whose results through two seasons have underwhelmed. Cristobal hardly could’ve drawn up a better start for the ‘Canes.

But the feeling is much different for Billy Napier.

Florida desperately needed a victory in this matchup. Beyond it being a rivalry game, the Gators ended the 2023 campaign with five straight losses as the defense badly struggled. Nothing changed in the 2024 opener, and Miami silenced the UF offense, too.

If the Gators had actually competed with a close loss, Napier wouldn’t necessarily be pinned to a sizzling seat. However, falling in such lopsided fashion cranks up the intensity on him and the Gators.

They host lower-division Samford next weekend before Texas A&M comes to town, and tilts with Mississippi State and UCF follow that. Anything less than a 3-1 record in those impending games and Napier’s seat will be scorching by mid-October to the point that a firing could happen.

The worst part? Mid-October is when the actual toughest stretch of UF’s slate arrives. Napier’s job is highly unsecure, to say the least.

Rethink That ACC Outlook?5 of 8

Cade KlubnikRich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Good start for Miami!

As for the remainder of perceived ACC contenders…not so much.

Last weekend, No. 10 Florida State lost to Georgia Tech. North Carolina State, the nation’s No. 24 team, had a little trouble with Western Carolina on Thursday before Georgia put a smackdown on Clemson.

As if that’s not enough, Virginia Tech—considered by some, including yours truly, as a sleeper candidate—lost at Vanderbilt.

Yeah, that Vandy.

Throw in SMU’s unimpressive win at Nevada and North Carolina losing quarterback Max Johnson to a season-ending leg injury, and we’re already deciding if ACC expectations should be reworked.

It’s too early to make a definitive statement that Miami is the clear favorite in the league. Clemson and Virginia Tech lost, yes, but neither one happened in a conference game. Florida State has a thinner margin for error, yet slamming the panic button isn’t necessary.

Still, fair to say that Weeks 0 and 1 didn’t play out as expected.

Iamaleava, UT Ace Tune-Up Before Key Week 2 Game6 of 8

Nico IamaleavaJacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Chattanooga is a fine FCS program, but Tennessee rolled as anticipated. Nico Iamaleava shined in his debut as the full-time starter, passing for 314 yards and three scores in one half of work.

The competition level is set to soar in Week 2, though.

NC State wobbled to its opening win, needing a fourth-quarter surge to defeat lower-division Western Carolina. It wasn’t a convincing display from the Wolfpack and new quarterback Grayson McCall. NC State, nevertheless, is a solid program and a quality test for UT.

In a reinforced SEC, the Volunteers’ path to a conference title is rocky. Tennessee plays at Oklahoma later in September, hosts Alabama in October and travels to Georgia in November.

But the rest of the slate is manageable.

And if Iamaleava’s first outing of the 2024 season was any indication, the Vols can stick in the national discussion. That evaluation truly starts with NC State in Charlotte next weekend.

Michigan Bound for QB Controversy7 of 8

Davis WarrenGregory Shamus/Getty Images

Filed in the “awesome story” department, Davis Warren won the starting job at Michigan. He’s a former walk-on who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019, went through chemotherapy and has clearly returned to a high level of performance in Ann Arbor.

I love it. I hope you do, too.

We also have to discuss the football side of things, and Warren didn’t slam the door on the idea of Alex Orji—the expected winner of the competition—getting a shot to lead the Maize and Blue in 2024.

Michigan led Fresno State just 13-3 entering the fourth quarter, which Warren began with just 92 passing yards. Not an emphatic debut.

Had this circumstance arose last season, Michigan wouldn’t have been concerned. There really wasn’t a dangerous opponent on the Wolverines’ slate for nearly two months! They could’ve worked it out patiently.

That’s definitely not the situation this season, given that fourth-ranked Texas is coming to Ann Arbor next Saturday.

Led by first-year coach Sherrone Moore, U-M still has a challenging decision to make at QB. Thanks to CFP expansion, the season does not depend on the correct choice in Week 2.

Yet soon enough—especially if Texas topples Michigan—it will.

Notre Dame’s Clear Playoff Picture8 of 8

Jack Gorman/Getty Images

Again, I understand it’s Week 1.

Similar to Penn State, though, this is a matter of looking ahead at what’s remaining on Notre Dame’s schedule. If you’re a fan of the Fighting Irish, you probably are struggling to contain your excitement.

This journey to College Station felt like a swing game for Notre Dame. Win it, and Marcus Freeman’s team would have a stellar chance to reach the College Football Playoff. Lose it, and that conversation—although manageable—wouldn’t be as provocative in September.

And the Irish won it.

From here on, their toughest games are home matchups with Louisville and Florida State, along with a trip to USC. By no means should you be penciling an undefeated record for ND, but that’s a favorable outlook.

Notre Dame has a tremendous shot at a 10-win record. In all likelihood, that’ll be enough for a CFP berth.