Mark Ingram isn’t holding back: he’s “relegating” Oregon. Just two weeks ago, Ingram had the Ducks tabbed as his national championship team, but they’ve been “laying eggs” on him. The offense has no identity, and the trenches, which he thought were a strength, aren’t performing. That’s a brutal early season take from the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew, who just dropped some wild “promote” or “relegate” picks after the first two-plus weeks of college football.
The Unraveling: Boo Birds and Broken Promises
It’s not just Oregon taking a hit; Matt Leinart is relegating Florida State. He was on the sidelines a couple weeks back and heard the “boo birds” out for the Seminoles in a fourth quarter game, even for the coach, Mike Norvell. That’s rough, man. Florida State is 1-1, like Clemson, but they’re coming off a 5-7 season and only won seven games total from 2024-25. The Athletic Director, Michael Alford, recently got fired, which piles on the doubt about Norvell even surviving the season. They lost to SMU at home 27-24 in Week 1, then beat New Mexico State 34-17 in Week 2. Florida State has a brutal stretch ahead: playing Alabama today on the road, then facing Virginia, Louisville, and Miami, all ranked opponents, in four of the next five weeks. That’s some tough sledding.
Rising Stars: Teams Defying Expectations
But it’s not all doom and gloom out there! Brady Quinn is all-in on promoting Colorado. He “loves” what he’s seen from Coach Prime and his Buffaloes, especially how they’ve adapted. They’re more physical at the line of scrimmage, running the football better, and building that program back “from the trenches.” This is their fourth season under Sanders, and they’re 2-0 after wins against Georgia Tech on the road (14-13) and Weber State (52-21). Quarterback Julian Lewis led a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minute against the Yellow Jackets, throwing for 366 yards, four touchdowns, and a 265.0 passer rating. They’re averaging 181.5 rushing yards per game; that’s some serious ground pounding.
Urban Meyer is also promoting Michigan, who just got a “signature win” against the Oklahoma Sooners last week. He’s crediting Kyle Whittingham and his staff. Meyer says they’re playing “elite defense,” just like Whittingham always does, and quarterback Bryce Underwood “will get better.” Michigan is in its first season under Whittingham, the former Utah Utes coach. They had a wild 13-12 Week 1 victory over Western Michigan, winning on a Hail Mary after one second was controversially put back on the clock. Then they beat the No. 11-ranked Sooners 17-10 in Week 2. Talk about momentum.
Colorado hosts the Northwestern Wildcats Saturday night, looking to keep that momentum rolling. Florida State, on the other hand, plays Alabama on the road today, kicking off a brutal schedule that could really define their season. It’s early, but these “Big Noon Kickoff” picks are already setting the tone for what could be a wild college football year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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