All the pieces We Learned in Week 0 of College Football | Deadspin.com

Another faculty soccer season is formally underway, and with it comes the anxiety-tinged anticipation each fan feels every weekend all through autumn. Because soccer seasons characteristic fewer video games than some other main group sport, stakes are heightened with each contest, including gravity no competitors can match.

Ultimately, nonetheless, these are nonetheless simply video games and in Week 0 got here a tragic reminder that some issues are a lot larger than soccer.

Moments after dashing for a dashing landing, the Associated Press experiences that operating again MicahJo Barnett of William Jewell College “experienc[ed] a medical emergency on the sideline” and was later pronounced lifeless at a close-by hospital.

The circumstances of Barnett’s dying haven’t been publicized as of this writing. What is thought is {that a} younger man, simply 20 years outdated, leaves household — together with six siblings — pals and teammates.

Thoughts exit to the William Jewell neighborhood and everybody impacted by Barnett’s passing.

There isn’t any straightforward technique to transition, as nothing else that occurred throughout the game bears as a lot significance as Saturday’s tragedy in Liberty, Missouri. Thus, contemplate all evaluation of Week 0 with its proportionate significance.

Even on a much less somber day, the narratives to be taken from the week-before-the-first week of the season are inherently hyperbolic. No season is received or misplaced in Week 0.

Certainly, that’s the message Sonny Dykes may contemplate repeating when TCU returns to Fort Worth from Dublin, Ireland.

The Horned Frogs’ 15-10 loss to North Carolina on the rain-soaked turf of Aviva Stadium felt much less just like the Tar Heels profitable than it did TCU beating itself.

Now, second-year North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick constructed his Pro Football Hall of Fame profession on forcing opponents to beat themselves. His Patriots groups excelled at awaiting for the opposition to make a mistake then pouncing, which makes Saturday’s consequence the closest the Tar Heels have come to New England in Belichick’s up to now making an attempt tenure in Chapel Hill.

Still, a pair of drives to and inside the North Carolina 10-yard line producing zero factors should hang-out Dykes and his group on the lengthy flight again to Texas. The what-ifs are boundless, notably pondering if the Horned Frogs could have fared higher offensively with large receiver Jordan Dwyer accessible.

However, with the wet situations in Ireland and quarterback Jaden Craig unable to go as successfully as a Dykes group’s offense likes, even a receiver as gifted as Dwyer could not have made the distinction.

The diploma of problem climbs for an offense predicated on attacking the boundaries as soon as the ball strikes into the purple zone. Having the flexibility to go at a protection between the hashmarks as soon as contained in the 20 separates good offenses and people able to competing for championships — as evidenced by seven of the nation’s high 12 groups for touchdowns scored on red-zone alternatives final season reaching the Playoff.

Red goes bust in Vegas

Late Saturday night time in Las Vegas, UNLV’s hopes of representing the Group of Six conferences within the postseason possible went bust as a byproduct of red-zone failure.

Trailing Memphis 27-21 within the fourth quarter, the Rebels drove deep into Tigers territory. UNLV wanted badly to transform after having two red-zone alternatives earlier within the sport produce zero factors.

The Rebels once more broke by the Memphis 20, and once more got here away empty when the Tigers flexed their dominance on the inside. Jaden McKinney and Taylor Burton teamed up on a sack of UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold on fourth down, placing a becoming cap on a drive that noticed Memphis stymie the Rebels’ earlier makes an attempt to scrape collectively yardage with restricted house.

Like TCU lacking Dwyer, issues could have gone otherwise for UNLV had offensive lineman Austin Boyd not gone out with an obvious leg damage earlier within the possession. Or perhaps the drive stalls out in related style.

Either means is moot, as a result of Memphis leaves Las Vegas with a major win to begin constructing its postseason case, and a constructing block for a high-profile go to to Boise State on Sept. 12.

Jayden Maiava begins robust — even when few have been there to see it

A former UNLV quarterback, Jayden Maiava, opened 2026 in spectacular style: 25-of-29 passing for 286 yards, two touchdowns, and one other 63 yards with a rating dashing in USC’s 42-26 defeat of San Jose State.

The third-year Trojans starter was sizzling, however evidently not as sizzling because the uncovered seating of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Kicking off at midday native time amid what southern California meteorologists have labeled a “heat dome,” USC performed earlier than a paltry crowd. Temperatures approaching triple digits and little, if any shelter from the oppressive summer season solar have been apparently sufficient to maintain a large portion of the would-be viewers tuned in through NBC.

Lopsided loss leaves NC State at a crossroads

The solely warmth round faculty soccer extra insufferable than a sun-cooked Coliseum could emanate from the seat of North Carolina State’s Dave Doeren.

Doeren’s 14th season as Wolfpack head coach opened with a thud in Week 0, as Virginia cruised to a 34-8 win. NC State gained simply 168 whole yards of offense, with beginning quarterback CJ Bailey throwing for under 84.

The Pack have been footage of stability in Doeren’s tenure — and that could be the issue. NC State has run up towards a tough cap of 9 wins as its ceiling within the final decade-and-a-half, by no means fairly breaking by to compete for ACC championships.

Saturday’s loss coming towards the opponent it did gives some fascinating reflection for the state of State. Virginia is coming off of an 11-win season and look within the ACC Championship Game below Tony Elliott, now in his fifth season heading up the Cavaliers.

Dual-threat quarterback Beau Pribula, a switch from Missouri, additional underscores the distinction. He nearly matched NC State’s whole offensive output on his personal with each his passing (155 yards on simply 9 completions) and dashing (110 yards).

The excellent news for Doeren and the Pack is that they’ve Week 1 off earlier than internet hosting FCS opponent Richmond, thus have some alternative to regroup earlier than dealing with final season’s breakout shock, Vanderbilt. Doeren additionally advantages from not having the ACC’s hottest seat, as long as Mike Norvell’s Florida State group fails to enhance from its 34-17, Week 0 defeat of New Mexico State.