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The 2024 college football season has kicked off and a few quick weeks later, many assumptions have been thrown out the door. Perceived playoff caliber teams have failed expectations. Heisman hopefuls have broken out or broken completely. New contenders have emerged. Questions have arisen. Coaches have already started to walk out the door.

Florida State and Georgia Tech opened the season up in Dublin, Ireland with the double-digit underdog Yellow Jackets took over. Georgia Tech finished off the Seminoles 24-21. The team from Tallahassee seemed to be on a playoff bubble after finishing the regular season unscathed last year. The hope for another shot at the title was diminished and though it appeared that Georgia Tech was simply better than expected, though they are, the game was really about Florida State being overrated. The line of scrimmage was an exceptionally weak point for the Seminoles who thought internally that they had the best defensive line in the country. Georgia Tech out-rushed Florida State 89-20 in the second half and 190-98 in the game. The Noles simply could not handle the Jackets’ line and their quarterback DJ Uiagalelei had a problem pushing the ball downfield with his first half air yards being in the negatives.

These problems have largely persisted in the FSU program over their next two games, leading them to fold to a measly 0-3 start to the year. Their defensive line picked up pace in their third game against Memphis, but it was not enough as their offense continued to struggle. Seminole fans across the country have called for Uiagalelei to be benched in favor of Brock Glenn with their sights set on the next year already. Head coach Mike Norvell must find a way to double down on high school recruiting, specifically in state and use the transfer portal supplementally before things get further out of hand down the line. A once 13-0 team has fallen to 0-3 with mistakes routinely being made and playoff chances down the drain.

Headlines from the first official week saw an indictment on Dabo Swinney at Clemson. His team remained competitive in the first half against Georgia but soon got overwhelmed by the Bulldog offense. They fell 34-3, leaving questions flying as to when Swinney will ever move in the year 2024 and begin to use the transfer portal to his advantage as nearly every other contender does. Until then, Clemson, though talented, cannot be taken seriously. The Tigers bounced back against Appalachian State in a 66-20 defeat of the Mountaineers and move to 1-1 where they will face off against NC State Saturday.

Georgia finished a solid first two weeks 2-0, reminding everyone of the power they hold. Preseason worries I had with this team regarding the caliber and depth of the Bulldog defensive line were proven to be a concern in week 3, however. The team narrowly won in Lexington and left with a 13-12 scare to the Kentucky Wildcats. This vulnerability left concerns nationwide and is the reason for their demotion in the AP poll to the number 2 ranking, while the Texas Longhorns have acquired the top spot.

One of the two newest members of the SEC has put on an offensive show in the first few weeks. The Texas Longhorns have shown to any doubters that they are a serious national title contender. Austin’s team however, I will boldly say has not faced real competition yet and will not until mid-October in the Red River Rivalry. The trip to Ann Arbor while a good show, was not truly about Texas domination. I believe it is the direct result of a Michigan team that is learning how to play college football without a scandal in the background. These players are young and lack experience that last year’s team did and have not been developed without help from a sign stealing system that eased the game. Regardless, the Longhorns won and will have time to get the newly injured QB Quinn Ewers rest. Arch Manning stepped in his place and performed well. This could reflect his talent, but more so the talent around him. True freshman Ryan Wingo accounted for much of Manning’s yards, and he was well protected by a monster group of an offensive line. The Longhorns are finally back it seems, and their offense should continue to put on the show and allow the defense to do their thing under the fireworks.

Another SEC program with young talent has been shattered. The Florida Gators are operating knowing fully that head coach Billy Napier will not be there much longer. Napier has taken a team, widely talented and put together a masterclass of what not to do. Athletic director Sean Stricklin must also be put under the microscope for a series of poor hires and decisions since he took control of the program in late 2016. A full article on the Gators’ head coaching search will be put up on the Gaasch Gazette for a full look at the likelihood of Lane Kiffin or even Urban Meyer taking over as well as the other possibilities.

On the west coast, Oregon took their time to make the step into the contender many, including myself, believe them to be. Their first weeks showed narrow wins against the Idaho Vandals and Boise State Broncos. Last Saturday, the Ducks took an encouraging step on both sides of the ball and found their stride against their rivals in Corvallis.

Further south on the west side, a team who was put under the microscope in the offseason has surprised me and the entire country. Lincoln Riley is off the hot seat. USC has a defense. Southern Cal began the season by beating an SEC team in the LSU Tigers. While I do not find LSU currently to be a serious contender, the talent is undeniable. USC was able to hold them to just 20 points, a feat they accomplished just twice last season. Who were those teams? The Nevada Wolfpack who scored 14 and the Stanford Cardinal who scored 10. Every other offense easily scored over 20 against the Trojans. Here we are now, seeing an SEC team, possessing the best offensive lineman in the country in Will Campbell put up just 20. Week two saw USC shutout an opponent for the first time since 2011, when Barak Obama was still serving his first term in office. There has been no doubt about what a Lincoln Riley offense can do. The people in Los Angeles have even believed that Miller Moss is a better system fit than the first overall pick and Heisman, Caleb Williams was. Now we will finally see Riley put a quality defense on the field to back his offense. This is something that Oklahoma and USC fans have only been able to wonder about before now.

The last significant team related story line to follow is that of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. There is much to be said that will not fit here, but notably the Irish lost to the Northern Illinois Huskies in home opener. The Huskies dominated the game and for South Bend fans, it felt all too familiar. Notre Dame suffered a similar loss to the Marshall Thundering Herd in the home opener two years ago. I was personally present to see Marcus Freeman lead the Irish into that game and walk out defeated by a team with far less talent, tradition, and prestige. The concerns were immediately discussed openly as Freeman stated in his post-game press conference that “We have been here before.” That very statement is the ultimate concern. I will elaborate further on concerns for the Irish’s program later in a feature article on the site. The point here is that the Irish came into the season as a talented team and remain so, but have other factors that have led to these falls and primarily coaching.

Heisman talk around the country will center around one consensus contender thus far: Cam Ward. The Miami Hurricanes seem to have finally found their stride, as I felt they would when I picked them to win the ACC in the summer. Cam Ward has helped the Hurricanes outscore opponents 154-26 to start the year. The Heisman hopeful accounts for 12 touchdowns, including 11 in the air, with only 1 interception this year. Miami will likely continue their success for the remainder of the regular season and does not face much competition. Cam Ward, barring injury, should expect to have earned himself a trip to New York by the end of the year.

Other Heisman hopefuls have ridden the waves of the season behind Ward, who currently rides in the driver’s seat. Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss has put on a show for the Rebels and is tied with Alabama’s Jalen Milroe in the Vegas odds for the award. Freshman Nico Iamaleava has gained steam and will look to build on an impressive start to his career as he travels to Norman for the weekend. Dillon Gabriel remains in the picture despite unimpressive wins early with Oregon. Quinn Ewers will hope to get healthy as he continues to lead the Longhorns and a campaign for Heisman at the same time. It is still early to get a picture of who will be in New York, but I would bank on Cam Ward being present.

These are just some top headlines as we begin the best time of the year. Continue to read the Gaasch Gazette for frequent, more in-depth updates on the season.