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3 college football teams who look overrated, 2 that look underrated after Week 1

After Week 1 there's always a few teams who look like they don't belong and some who were clear snubs. We examine which were overinflated and the ones to keep an eye on moving forward.

By Austen Bundy

Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (18) celebrates his touchdown against Fresno State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (18) celebrates his touchdown against Fresno State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The college football season is underway and Week 1 gave fans an opportunity to evaluate the competition.

Naturally, some teams rose to the hype and others, not so much.

And then there were some that were discounted and now have commanded everyone's attention.

Three college football teams that are overrated

Michigan Wolverines

A 30-10 win over Mountain West foes Fresno State looks solid on paper but those who made the effort to watch on Peacock know that Michigan struggled to fend off the Bulldogs until a late pick-six iced things.

The Wolverines' performance was certainly not befitting of the No. 9 team in the nation. Expect them to be in serious trouble against No. 4 Texas in Week 2 after slightly tumbling in the latest AP Top 25.

Clemson Tigers

Dabo Swinney's boys put up a dismal effort, even if it was against the No. 1 team in the country. Georgia had its way with the Tigers on both sides of the ball, only allowing a single field goal to pierce its armor.

The No. 14 team in the country was outscored by lowly Akron who managed to rack up a whopping six points against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. Clemson is lucky to stay in the top 25 if it has another game like that during the remainder of the season.

Oregon Ducks

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel's stats say one thing but the scoreboard says another.

Managing to put up only 24 points against an FCS opponent that got within a single score in the fourth quarter doesn't necessarily scream No. 3 team in the country. And the AP voters agreed, pushing the Ducks outside of the Top 5.

If anything's a positive from Saturday's effort, the defense appeared solid. The offensive line, however, less so. Gabriel managed almost 400 yards passing but he was sacked three times. Against larger Big Ten foes, that kind of play isn't sustainable when you have a Heisman favorite under center.

Two college football teams that didn't get enough credit

USC Trojans

Coming into the season ranked No. 23 appeared to be a fair placement for head coach Lincoln Riley's boys. The defense last year was virtually non-existent and the generational offense lost key pieces to the NFL this season.

But none of that mattered as quarterback Miller Moss shined in the bright lights of Las Vegas and a revamped defense held an SEC team to just 20 points.

It may be looking to far down the road but the Trojans' annual bout with Notre Dame could be a play-in game for the College Football Playoff.

Miami Hurricanes

Starting out at No. 19 seemed fair about a week ago. Head coach Mario Cristobal made some questionable decisions last season and really needed to prove he could handle a prestigious program in need of a revival.

Now it seems Cam Ward is Cristobal's saving grace with the Hurricanes vaulting up to No. 12 in the AP Top 25.

Yes, the Florida Gators aren't good but they're still an SEC team. With the rest of the ACC falling flat on its face in Week 1 (looking at you, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State) the Hurricanes are in the driver's seat for the foreseeable future.

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