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It was magic.
Let’s be honest: We all needed it.
If I had to think about another lawyer, injunction or courtroom ruling, I was going to lose my mind. I don’t watch courtroom shows. I was never a Law & Order guy. I never watched the old Matlock.
I do, however, love the new Matlock with Kathy Bates. I visited the set at Paramount Studios last year while working the Rose Bowl for SiriusXM, so I felt obligated to give it a chance. It became only the second soundstage I had ever visited, after The Orville on the Fox lot.
Naturally, I started watching. Now I’m addicted.
But I digress.
When it comes to college football, screw the courts. Give me the games—and Week 1 delivered.
Michigan Found a Second
The ending between Michigan and Western Michigan was everything we needed.
Holy shit.
The game was over—and then it wasn’t.
Poor John Fanta had to explain the discrepancy between the television clock and the clock apparently available to the replay officials. The Big Ten said a Western Michigan player touched the ball while out of bounds with one second remaining, allowing Michigan to attempt another play.
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira didn’t buy it. His position was simple: If the clocks conflict, use the television footage that everyone can see. Had officials followed that standard, Michigan’s final play never would have happened.
Instead, Bryce Underwood received another chance and found JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard Hail Mary. Michigan escaped with a 13–12 victory.
Michigan is 1–0, but my God, how bad are the Wolverines?
They needed a miracle—and a mysteriously resurrected second—to beat a directional school from their own state. A program operating with millions upon millions fewer than the mighty Maize and Blue came within one second of producing Appalachian State 2.0 inside the Big House.
Michigan committed three turnovers, struggled to move the ball and was held without a first down on half of its possessions. Underwood completed only 12 of 22 passes and threw an interception.
This wasn’t just an ugly win. It was an alarm.
I almost feel bad for Kyle Whittingham. He could have spent Week 1 on a beach enjoying retirement. Instead, he volunteered to inherit the mess left behind by Mr. Butter Knife himself, Sherrone Moore.
Now Oklahoma comes to Ann Arbor.
Barring an offensive miracle—and Michigan has already used one of those—look out.
Woof.
Arch Manning Disappeared Into the Fog
Rick Neuheisel and I watched the video of Arch Manning tripping during Texas’ pregame entrance, and oh my God, it looked awful.
A fan reached toward him, Arch lost his footing and suddenly crashed into the equipment before disappearing into a cloud of fog.
Imagine being Steve Sarkisian and seeing that video for the first time. His entire life must have flashed before his eyes.
Texas entered the season with national championship expectations. Arch is one of the most famous players in the sport. Could you imagine that dream season being derailed before the opening kickoff by a fog machine?
Not Ohio State. Not Georgia. Not LSU.
A fog machine.
Luckily, Arch was fine. He later joked about it after throwing for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns in Texas’ 59–7 win over Texas State.
Still, you have to see the video. One moment he’s leading the Longhorns onto the field. The next, he vanishes into the fog like he’s been eliminated from a magic show.
College football is the greatest.
My Middle Tennessee Homecoming
Saturday, I made my debut as the public-address announcer for Middle Tennessee football.
It was awesome.
Yes, the three rain delays combined to last roughly four and a half hours. Yes, we were still inside the stadium after 1 a.m. And yes, the game was finally called with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.
That part was trash.
Everything else? I loved it.
Doing PA is one of the most enjoyable things a person can do with a microphone. It’s a performance. You have a role in creating the atmosphere and building the crowd’s reaction.
It almost scratches my Broadway itch.
For a few hours, I felt like Sutton Foster—if Sutton Foster performed between third downs and weather announcements in Murfreesboro.
More than anything, it felt good to be back at my alma mater. My best friend, Bobby, was there as my spotter. We attended MTSU together and were roommates. Now, all these years later, we’re working football games together.
As I told him Saturday night, we’re making memories.
There was something wonderfully nostalgic about being back together at the place where so much of our story began.
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Dabo Is Finished
Dabo Swinney is cooked like a Thanksgiving turkey.
I hate writing that. I truly do.
I love Dabo. He is unapologetically himself. I believe he cares about his players and genuinely wants to develop young men—not merely assemble a collection of hired talent.
Unfortunately, the team that crushed him Saturday night may represent the exact opposite approach.
LSU annihilated Clemson 51–10. The Tigers from Baton Rouge accumulated 644 yards and a school-record 37 first downs. Clemson managed only 145 yards.
At halftime, LSU led 31–3, had outgained Clemson 336–54 and had recorded 21 first downs to Clemson’s one.
It was the most lopsided loss of Dabo’s tenure.
In today’s college football—an era ruled by NIL money, the transfer portal and unrestricted player movement—it increasingly feels as though the good guys finish last.
The fans are restless. The program looks broken. The sport has changed, and Dabo has stubbornly refused to change with it.
Maybe there’s a miraculous turnaround coming. After watching that beating, I don’t see it.
It may be time for Clemson to make a change.
It pains me to say that. Truly.
I’m a Dabo guy.
Lane Kiffin Owns the Moment
Lane Kiffin is college football right now.
He has become the lovable bad guy—the anti-establishment star who understands exactly how to make the entire sport react to him.
Lane is Stone Cold Steve Austin. Greg Sankey and the SEC office are Vince McMahon.
It’s wild. It’s theatrical. It’s perfect.
After spending the week battling the SEC over LSU’s attempt to use former NFL players, Kiffin walked into halftime against Clemson with a 31–3 lead. He finished his interview with Holly Rowe, started jogging away and then returned to the microphone for one last line:
“Imagine if we had pro players.”
Incredible.
The SEC continues to threaten LSU with serious consequences—including the possibility of removing the school from the conference—if it plays the former professional players at the center of this fight.
I still don’t believe the league will actually do it.
But here’s the funniest part: LSU may not need those players.
The Tigers already looked like one of the best teams in the country. They didn’t merely beat Clemson. They embarrassed Clemson while their coach trolled the entire sport on national television.
Lane Kiffin isn’t fighting college football’s chaos anymore.
He’s harnessing it.
And after one week, it looks like the rest of the sport may be chasing him.
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