A few weeks of the college football season is in the books and there is a whole lot to talk about, both good and bad, already after just a few games.
There is good as North Carolina has beaten South Carolina and Miami to start the season. Or there is Kansas State, which looks like a completely refreshed team in victories over Nicholls State and Bowling Green but will face a big test at Mississippi State this weekend.
Then there is Maryland, which now looks like an offensive juggernaut and after piling it on against Howard looked just as good in a blowout win over Syracuse. Cal is 2-0 after pulling away from UC-Davis and then stunning Washington this past weekend.
USC coach Clay Helton might still be on the hot seat, but the Trojans are 2-0 after getting by Fresno State and then blowing out Stanford with freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis on Saturday night. Coach Mel Tucker has something going at Colorado after taking out Colorado State and then clawing back to beat Nebraska at home as fans stormed the field.
And how about LSU? The Tigers have a legitimate offensive attack now to pair with that outstanding defense and it showed Saturday night as LSU went into Texas and beat the Longhorns. The Tigers are clearly a College Football Playoff contender now.
But then there is the bad. Florida State lost to Boise State and then could hardly beat ULM at home. The Seminoles are giving up 40 points a game and they’re hardly playing the Alabamas and Clemsons of the world.
MORE ASK FARRELL: Did Michigan enter the season overrated?
Staying in the ACC, Miami is 0-2 under Manny Diaz as the Hurricanes have lost to Florida and North Carolina to start the season. Both were tough losses as Miami lost to the Gators by four and the Tar Heels by three losing the lead in the last minute.
Michigan is 2-0 so the criticism for the Wolverines might have to be tempered but their performance against Army was atrocious and they almost lost the game. If not for some major Army miscues down the stretch, the service academy could have pulled off the stunner.
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez has received some outlandish comparisons heading into the season (like he was the next Patrick Mahomes and Scott Frost said in the preseason he hoped Martinez would leave as Nebraska's best QB ever) but through two games, he has two touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Huskers let one slip through their fingers at Colorado this past weekend.
UCLA has looked hapless in losses to Cincinnati and, gulp, San Diego State. The Bruins haven’t scored more than 14 points in both losses as coach Chip Kelly has not gotten the Bruins to execute yet. UCLA is averaging 1.8 yards per carry and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is completing just 52.5 percent of his passes.
And then there is Tennessee. The Volunteers have started the season 0-2 for the first time since 1988 and have already lost home games to Georgia State and BYU in double overtime this past weekend. In a strange comparison, coach Jeremy Pruitt compared Tennessee football to the Titanic and Saturday Down South wrote that the Vols should fire Pruitt and turn to current AD Phillip Fulmer.
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell which teams have surprised him the most, both good and bad, so far in this young season.
“I’d say North Carolina is probably the biggest surprise as it has two very good victories over South Carolina and Miami. Mack Brown is getting things done early and recruiting has been excellent as well.
"Tennessee is a surprise as well, but in a very bad way as there is no way we could have expected a loss to Georgia State. Maryland is also a good surprise with how well they have played on offense and Nebraska is a bit of a disappointment with the early loss to Colorado.
"But some of the things we’ve seen — like Miami and UCLA struggling and LSU off to a strong start can’t really be classified as surprises. To me it’s UNC and Tennessee dominating the headlines.”
