Let’s get this out of the way in which instantly: Week 1 in school soccer might be deceptive.
Latest historical past is affected by season openers that didn’t have an effect on the following dozen weeks like we thought they’d. Drawing season-long conclusions based mostly on one weekend’s value of video games is a dangerous endeavor. Do it at your personal threat.
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However make no mistake. Saturday was a really unhealthy day for the SEC.
Texas entered 2025 because the preseason No. 1 group within the AP High 25 for the primary time and gained’t spend a second set of rankings at that spot after shedding 14-7 at No. 3 Ohio State. The Longhorns have been a slight underdog to the defending nationwide champions earlier than kickoff.
The defeat was’t sudden. However the way in which it occurred is at the least barely regarding. Preseason Heisman favourite Arch Manning regarded like a QB making his third profession begin and first on the highway. He had quite a few misfires and held onto the ball too lengthy for stretches. Although he flashed a pair big-time throws, he regarded removed from a ready-made professional prospect.
That, too, was comprehensible. Few quarterbacks with restricted expertise would stroll into Ohio Stadium and placed on a star efficiency.
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Extra worryingly, Manning didn’t get a lot assist, both. Texas’ remade offensive line struggled to get push towards an Ohio State protection that was changing eight starters itself. The Longhorns barely transformed a QB sneak within the first quarter and bought stuffed on one other close to the objective line within the second half. With lower than a yard to go, a landing regarded inevitable. As a substitute, Manning barely bought again to the road of scrimmage.
Texas is 0-1 after beginning the season No. 1 for the primary time in class historical past. (Picture by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
(Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
No. 8 Alabama entered its sport towards Florida State as a 14-point favourite and promptly regarded like a 14-point underdog in a 31-17 defeat to a Seminoles group that was 2-10 a 12 months in the past. Alabama missed the School Soccer Playoff in 2024 due to highway losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma and people highway struggles carried over into 2025. The Tide have been raveled, disorganized and bossed round up entrance by Florida State.
Alabama rushed 29 instances for simply 74 yards and the Seminoles sacked first-year starter Ty Simpson thrice. The Crimson Tide had early success working proper at Florida State however couldn’t replicate it the remainder of the afternoon.
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The protection was bamboozled by Gus Malzahn’s misdirection as the previous Auburn coach is now solely specializing in offensive play-calling with FSU. Malzahn left his job at UCF after the 2024 season to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State and he regarded like a person who knew precisely the right way to assault Alabama’s protection. Florida State ran 49 instances for 230 yards and 4 touchdowns and had passing performs of 64 and 40 yards.
The defeat was Alabama’s first Week 1 loss since 2001. The one group with extra consecutive Week 1 wins getting into the weekend? Ohio State.
The Buckeyes have been one in every of 4 Huge Ten groups who made the School Soccer Playoff in 2024 and blitzed their manner by means of the postseason, taking down two SEC groups on the way in which to the title. The SEC had three groups within the playoff, with Alabama, South Carolina and Ole Miss on the skin after they every went 9-3.
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With seven groups successful at the least 9 video games within the common season, the SEC bought to boast that it was the deeper convention.
Nevertheless, that’s an argument that solely works as soon as. And it’s simple that the SEC’s bid for 4 or extra playoff groups took an enormous hit in Week 1.
Each Alabama and Texas can nonetheless make the playoff. In contrast to a group like Boise State, there are many high quality opponents left on every group’s schedule for assertion wins. And with the playoff committee saying it’s going to weight video games towards stronger opponents extra closely, the SEC might be the prime beneficiary of that standards change.
However you’ll be able to solely acquire a lot from a top quality loss. 0-1 continues to be 0-1. Particularly when three losses will doubtless put you on the skin of the postseason.
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Listed below are the remainder of this week’s winners and losers
Winners
The American: The American is in a terrific spot to have a group within the School Soccer Playoff on the finish of the season after South Florida beat Boise State 34-7. The Bulls might be a shock contender within the convention and an upset over Florida or Miami within the subsequent two weeks can be huge for his or her playoff case.
Tulane beat Northwestern 23-3 because the Inexperienced Wave bought a direct increase from new QB Jake Retzlaff. And Memphis and Navy each bought straightforward wins over FCS opponents.
The American’s depth damage it within the playoff race a 12 months in the past. It may need had too many good groups as Military’s energy of schedule in the end price the Black Knights after they went 8-0 in convention play. This season, a 10-2 convention champion might discover itself among the many 12 playoff groups.
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Auburn: The Tigers bought an enormous Week 1 win in Waco with a 38-24 win over Baylor on Friday evening. Former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold threw for simply 108 yards however ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns because the Tigers rushed 51 instances total for 308 yards and 4 scores.
Auburn entered the 2025 season as one of the unstable within the SEC. With video games towards Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, Missouri and Alabama, the Tigers have one of many hardest schedules within the convention. Not solely is Friday evening’s win a confidence increase, it’s an enormous step in direction of a successful season in what might be a pivotal third season for coach Hugh Freeze.
Iowa State Ok Kyle Konrardy: The Cyclones kicker simply set a college report with a 63-yard subject objective on the finish of the primary half of their blowout win over South Dakota.
The earlier Iowa State report was held by Ty Stewart and Alex Giffords at 58 yards and Konrardy’s kick was simply two yards in need of the Huge 12 report held by former Kansas State kicker Martin Gramatica.
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Wisconsin: The Badgers had an unpleasant win over Miami (Ohio) on Thursday evening after QB Billy Edwards went down with a non-contact knee harm. Nevertheless, a number of experiences point out that Edwards prevented a big harm regardless of not returning to the sport and mustn’t miss vital time.
That’s huge information for a Wisconsin group that has handled myriad QB accidents throughout Luke Fickell’s tenure. The Badgers have one of many hardest schedules within the nation and, as Thursday evening confirmed, it might be a really lengthy season with out Edwards on the sphere.
Losers
Boise State: The Broncos’ possibilities of a second straight School Soccer Playoff berth might be over after a dismal exhibiting at USF. Boise State fumbled thrice and had 4 failed fourth-down conversions as USF scored 27 unanswered factors.
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Even when Boise State loses to Notre Dame and goes undefeated in its different 10 video games, a 10-2 report will not be sufficient to get again to the playoff. How might the committee take the Broncos over an AAC group when a group from the AAC laid such a drubbing on them in Week 1?
Military: We are able to additionally in all probability rule the defending common season American Convention champions out of the playoff race. The Black Knights misplaced 30-27 at house to FCS-level Tarleton State in double extra time on Friday evening. Military turned the ball over thrice and missed a subject objective to start out the second extra time.
Colorado: The Buffaloes’ 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech on Friday evening wasn’t a catastrophe. However Colorado must be kicking itself for missed alternatives early within the sport. Georgia Tech turned the ball over on every of its first three drives of the sport however Colorado mustered only one TD off that turnover.
As soon as Georgia Tech kicked a subject objective on its fourth drive, it was inevitable that Colorado was going to remorse not taking extra benefit of the Yellow Jackets’ errors.
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QB Kaidon Salter had an uneven efficiency in his Colorado debut and the Buffaloes have been gashed on the bottom. Georgia Tech rushed 47 instances for 320 yards as QB Haynes King had 19 carries for 156 yards and three scores, together with the game-winning 45-yard run with 1:07 to go.
San Jose State: The Spartans had two late possibilities to beat Central Michigan at house on Friday evening.
After CMU kicked a subject objective for a 16-14 lead with 4:13 to go, SJSU promptly went 62 yards in 10 performs earlier than USC switch Denis Lynch missed a go-ahead 33-yard subject objective with 1:13 to go.
SJSU was in a position to rapidly drive a three-and-out and bought the ball again at their very own 29 yard-line with 47 seconds to go. The Spartans made all of it the way in which to the CMU 38 yard-line, however Lynch missed a game-winning 56-yard kick as time expired.