2024 College Football Week 1 Capsule; The Return of the Celebrated Weekly Summaries

Revamped Trojan defense holds off empty-handed LSU, 27-20, in primetime fashion on Sunday night.

Jake McCreven

2 September 2024

Three things are guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and college football capsule articles coming out on Monday evenings. After nine long months of waiting, I am extremely excited to announce the return of my capsule-style articles for the 2024 college football season! Diving deep into the wickets of all things college football, these multi-level, multi-style articles are perfect to read during your lunch break, offering in-depth analysis of all things football at the collegiate level. 

In this article:

  • STOCK MARKET: WHO’S UP, WHO’S DOWN? — TOP 25 POLL

  • WEEK 2 GAMES WITH THE HIGHEST STAKES

  • MOST ELECTRIC PLAYER PERFORMANCES

  • QUARTERBACK DRAFT RANKINGS

CFB: Assessing the Stock Market, Who’s Up and Who’s Down?

Saturday’s early slate was headlined by the Commodores defeating Virginia Tech in overtime. Transfer quarterback Diego Pavia was impressive, marching the Commodore offense to the tune of 34 points and 371 yards. Vanderbilt’s “statement” has brought eyes to Nashville for the first time in many seasons, as the Commodores look to play underdog to SEC-hopefuls in 2024. 

Vanderbilt

A preseason top six team in the AAC, the Owls will look to patch the holes left by a 34-14 loss to Sam Houston State. EJ Warner was not efficient, and the Owl defense struggled to contain Bearkat quarterback Hunter Watson, as the Owls fell behind early and never recovered. 

Rice

For the second time in four years, the Iowa offense scored 40 (or more) points. Cade McNamara completed 21-31 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Reece Vander Zee is the first Hawkeye with multiple receiving touchdowns in a season since 2021. The Hawkeye offense scored 34 points in one half on Saturday, higher than all but one of their scoring totals from 2023.  

Iowa Offense

The Tiger’s offense, which struggled mightily in 2023 (especially in the red zone), came away with just three points in a 31-point loss to Georgia. Cade Klubnik completed 18 passes for just 142 yards and one interception, while Phil Mafah carried 16 times for 59 yards. The Tiger offense floundered when finding itself behind the sticks, and oftentimes stalled early in drives. 

Clemson Offense

The Trojans allowed twenty points in a thrilling victory over No. 13 LSU on Sunday night. The defense, which allowed an average of 34.3 PPG last season, was stiff, especially in its own territory, forcing LSU to take two field goals after lengthy drives. Oh, and the Trojans also picked off Garrett Nussmeier to seal the game late.

USC Defense

Tech narrowly escaped Abilene Christian with a 52-51 victory in overtime late Saturday night. The Red Raider defense allowed 30 first downs and 615 yards, 506 of which came through the air. Correcting the blunders of the secondary should be first priority for head coach Joey McGuire. 

Texas Tech Defense

Milroe completed seven passes for 200 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in Alabama’s 63-0 victory against Western Kentucky. Despite the small sample size, Milroe’s accuracy and decision making seems to have improved, especially apparent on throws to freshman wide out Ryan Williams. The proven scrambler also looked poised while scrambling. 

Jalen Milroe

The Hokies, despite being unranked, received enough votes to land within the first three out of the preseason top-twenty five poll. Now, after losing to perennial SEC punching bag Vanderbilt, the Hokies will have work to do, especially on the defensive side of the ball, if they still aim to contend for an ACC title. 

Virginia Tech

North Texas Offense

The Mean Green hung 52 points on SBC-frontrunner South Alabama on Saturday, as transfer quarterback Chandler Morris and receiver Damon Ward Jr. connected twelve times for 230 yards and two scores. North Texas had their way with the Jaguars, collecting 550 total yards with zero turnovers. If the Mean Green can consistently strike like they did on Saturday, they may very well be in the conversation for AAC’s “dark horse".”

Taking all but two minutes to handle Old Dominion, the Gamecocks were relatively ineffective all game on the ground, getting in their own way and fumbling multiple times. The defense was sound but made crucial errors when dealing with containing, something teams with running quarterbacks (Alabama) will exploit. ODU acted as the aggressor for most of the game, leaving South Carolina in an identity crisis just two weeks into the season. 

South Carolina

What differentiates a player’s “stock” going up from a great performance (see below) has to do more with the player as a leader and teammate. Brown was the straw that stirred the drink on Saturday, accounting for 226 yards and two touchdowns, including multiple physical runs that he lowered his shoulder on.

Byrum Brown

The Broncos defeated Georgia Southern and scored 56 points on Saturday, yet still chipped their CFP stock with shaky defensive play. The unit allowed 461 yards, reliving the traumas of last year’s 86th ranked defense that acted as the Broncos’ achilles heal. Shoring up these defensive woes will be top-of-mind in Boise before meetings with MWC favorites Fresno State and UNLV take place during the conference slate.

Boise State Defense

CFB: The Week 2 Games with the Highest Stakes

*Rankings are of the current AP Poll, not my projections (cruel world).

For one reason or another, each of these upcoming games is a pressure cooker — national spotlight games, rivalry games, revenge games, prove it games. Despite all twelve of the featured teams winning their week one contests, pressure remains on the shoulders of each program, as College Football Playoff implications lay themselves on the doorstep of teams such as Texas and Michigan, as well as Tennessee, NC State, and Texas State. 

UTSA (1-0) at Texas State (1-0)

The I-35 Showdown reaches its highest stakes in series history, as both teams look to contend for the G-5 bid in the new expanded CFP field. UTSA has claimed each of the last five meetings dating back to 2012, but the Bobcats and transfer-quarterback Jordan McCloud look to steal a heavy bid-bolstering victory at home behind a stout defense and weaponized offense. The Roadrunners look to claim a major G-5 victory in sights of their first conference title as members of the American Athletic Conference. Unproven commodities on the offensive side of the ball for UTSA lead Texas State to open as 1.5-point favorites. 

No. 4 Texas (1-0) at No. 9 Michigan (1-0)

The Longhorns were one of two top contenders to not show any weakness in their week one throttling of Colorado State (52-0) — the other being Ole Miss. The Wolverines are coming off a slapdash, shapeless, and sloppy showing against Fresno State, taking three and a half quarters to put away the Bulldogs following Will Johnson’s 85-yard pick six. Texas comes to town as a the favorite (-4), as Michigan will look to play underdog for the first time since 2022. Both teams will more than likely be inside the top-ten. Both teams have a potential Heisman candidate. Both teams have something to prove to each other, and to the country. 

No. 15 Tennessee (1-0) vs.* No. 24 NC State (1-0)

Despite this game technically being played at a neutral site, the Wolfpack will look to pack Bank of America Stadium (conveniently located in Charlotte, NC) more than their border-foe, Tennessee, on Saturday. The Vols come rolling into Charlotte following a 69-3, record setting win, against Chattanooga. The Wolfpack will look to patch up the holes left by a pesky Western Carolina team, who took the 24th ranked team in the country to the ropes last Friday. Both teams find themselves in prime positions to contend for CFP bids, with experience and talent laden throughout both rosters. The Wolfpack come in more vulnerable but behind a raucous crowd. Tennessee opens as 7.5-point favorites. 

Iowa State (1-0) at No. 25 Iowa (1-0)

The 71st meeting for the Cy-Hawk Trophy will happen in Iowa City this year, as the Hawkeyes, fresh off a 40-0 victory over Illinois State, welcome in bitter rival and cross-state foe, Iowa State. Matt Campbell and the upstart Cyclones take one of the more experienced teams in the country into the heart of Kinnick Stadium to do battle with one of the best defenses in America, and a gaudy offense who racked up forty points for the first time since 2021 last weekend. The Hawkeyes have won eight of the last ten meetings, and look to pin down the Cyclones who aim at a Big-12 title in 2024. 

Colorado (1-0) at Nebraska (1-0)

Both teams look revitalized under new head coaches and star-studded recruits. Both teams won their week one contests and dive head first into a resentful grudge match sure to test the fortitude of both programs. Colorado narrowly escaped FCS-juggernaut NDSU at home, Nebraska cruised past UTEP, 40-7. The Huskers open as touchdown favorites in Lincoln, as true freshman and blue chip recruit Dylan Railoa opens his Power-Four career in one of the more entertaining rivalries in the nation. Colorado stormed to a 36-14 victory in 2023 in Boulder, but has won just twice since that game last October. Both teams are in dire need of a win, and look to prove themselves to committees everywhere with a victory. 

CFB: Updated Week 1 Top-25 Poll

CFB: Week 1’s Most Electric Performances

Tetairoa McMillan — WR, Arizona

Standout junior wide out caught ten passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns in Arizona’s 61-39 win over rival New Mexico. At the half, McMillan had amassed over 200 yards on six catches for three scores. McMillan, standing at a daunting 6’5-212, looks to prove his case as the best wide receiver in the nation along with Missouri’s Luther Burden III.

Cam Ward — QB, Miami

In front of nearly 90,000 Gator fans and in his first game as a Hurricane, Ward threw for 385 yards and three scores, getting the ball to ten receivers in a detonation of the Gator defense. Ward looked to be playing backyard football in the Swamp, rolling out to his left just to throw back across the middle of the field multiple times as he catapults himself into the Heisman conversation heading into week two. 

Jaxson Dart — QB, Ole Miss

Accounting for six total first half touchdowns in the Rebels’ 76-0 win over Furman, Dart earned a 95.7 PFF grade as a passer, good for best in the country and of his career. Dart had as many incompletions as he did touchdowns, as the sixth ranked Rebels gathered almost 800 yards of offense in the win.

Asthon Jeanty — RB, Boise State

Junior phenom piled up 267 yards and six touchdowns on 20 carries, including a long of 77 yards five minutes into the game. Jeanty also broke off a 75-yard run early in the fourth to put the Broncos ahead for good. Superior back continues to raise his draft stock with a stellar performance to open the 2024 season.

Damon Ward Jr. — WR, North Texas

Ward was a problem over the middle of the field for South Alabama, as the Mean Green receiver caught twelve balls for 230 yards and 2 scores, including a long of 54 yards. Ward and TCU-transfer quarterback Chandler Morris appear to have good chemistry.

Gio Lopez — QB, South Alabama

The only player featured on here who’s team lost this weekend, Lopez threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns as the Jaguars fell to North Texas, 52-38. Lopez made a handful of incredible, off-platform throws to keep his team in the game, including a ducked sack late in the third that turned into a touchdown pass to Anthony Eager.

Jalen Catalon — S, UNLV

Boxy senior safety accounted for three solo tackles and four team tackles in the Rebels’ twenty-point victory over Houston. Catalon also grabbed two interceptions and defended one pass, as the veteran safety leads the nation in interceptions through week one.

Toriano Pride Jr. — CB, Missouri

Stepping into the role left by the NFL-departed Ennis Rakestraw, Pride allowed just one catch for five yards on four targets, nabbing an interception in the process in Missouri’s blowout win over Murray State. Pride earned a 91.3 coverage grade, good for top five in the country amongst cornerbacks.

CFB: Draft Rankings — Quarterbacks

NOTES:

  • These rankings were created before the first week of games were played.

  • These rankings were complied after looking at film for all players, including those who are not on the list (Kaidon Salter, Riley Leonard, Jaxson Dart, etc.)

  • These rankings are based more off of 2023 game film than 2025 projections, but draft prediction did play a role in quarterbacks such as Allar and Ward.