By Matthew Soderberg | Sports Writer
Welcome to the aftermath of Week Two of the college football season! The Bears win again, but what happened outside of Waco?
Is UT Not Back?
If you knew a Longhorn last fall, you probably heard that UT is back. Well, sorry for the folks in burnt orange, but once again the Horns fall to a team in week two. The two previous seasons Tom Herman and crew managed to get trounced by inferior Maryland squads, so this year they decided to take on an even bigger plate. Their eyes were too big for their stomachs, though, as Texas fell to Louisiana State University 45-38 in Austin last Saturday night.
Now, this was to be expected. The Tigers were favored and more experienced, especially against good teams. UT’s biggest argument to be good this season was its win against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last January, but LSU beat those Bulldogs by 20 earlier that year.
Back to Texas, though, it’s not as if they didn’t look like a good team. They were competitive against a much better squad, which is admirable. They have some things to clean up, like their O-Line and their leaky secondary, but there’s plenty of time between now and any game that matters for the Horns.
The only team left that can match up on paper with UT on their schedule is Oklahoma. That’s no easy task, but they beat a better Sooners team last year, so the precedent is there. The only other squad I see giving them a run for their money is here in Waco, when they come up I-35 on Nov. 23. The Bears’ pass defense has looked staunch the past two weeks, and Charlie Brewer should be able to light up Texas’s young corners.
Tigers Learned How to Play Offense
For years, LSU has been held back in the dark ages of offense. They played one of the most conservative brands of football for years under Les Miles, and then the first two under Coach O (Ed Orgeron) as well. But finally, the Tigers received enlightenment and learned how to throw a football.
LSU’s defense has always been good. They’ve been among the best in the country for the last decade. But their offense could never score enough to beat Alabama. It normally could for other teams, save the occasional Florida or Mississippi State trip-up, but the Tigers haven’t beaten Alabama in almost 10 years.
This year, though, could be the season. The offense was clicking on Saturday. Joe Burrow became only the third LSU quarterback to throw for 400 yards in a game. The Tigers had three receivers go for over 100 yards each as well for the first time. Then, on the other side of the ball, Grant Delpit leads another experienced crew into the firestorm of the SEC.
It’s still early, but LSU looks like a team that is finally ready for the big stage.
Clemson Sends the Aggies Packing
In the second-biggest game of the weekend, the Aggies traveled to Clemson, S.C., for a rematch with the defending national champions. The flight was probably the highlight of their weekend. Texas A&M lost resoundingly to the Tigers, 24-10. The difference may only be two scores, but the game felt like the Tigers were in control all day long.
After beating LSU in seven overtimes last November and losing close to the same Clemson squad in College Station last September, Aggie fans thought this may be the year they could take another step forward. However, their loss puts the titans of Texas football at 1-1 through two weeks, whereas Baylor is 2-0. I’m willing to bet they don’t appreciate that feeling.
