College Football Coach Conundrums and Surprising Upsets

The 2024 college football season is off to a thrilling start, with some teams surprising fans and others disappointing. For the Longhorns’ quarterback Arch Manning, it’s been a tough year so far, with inconsistent performance on the field. Can he turn things around? The team needs better quarterback play to reach its full potential.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame has a good chance of making the CFP if they run the table. However, their defense is a concern, and they need to fix it before facing tough opponents like USC and LSU. Clemson’s direction under Dabo Swinney is also under scrutiny after a 1-2 start, but they may still find a way to turn things around.

UCLA and Nebraska are struggling to regain their former glory, while Indiana has shown promise with its 9-0 start. Iowa State has an exciting season ahead, and Vanderbilt could make some surprising moves if they can build on their recent win against South Carolina.

The key to success for these teams is finding the right balance of talent, strategy, and motivation. With so many surprises in store this season, fans should be excited for what’s to come.

Also, a question about Georgia Tech: are they this year’s Indiana? Not quite, but Cal’s Justin Wilcox has a promising start after beating Minnesota. The answer is no, it’s too early to predict such a turnaround, but Cal might have a shot at 11-1 if they avoid some tough opponents.

Lastly, regarding Dabo Swinney and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy: are they brothers? It’s not that simple, but with their similar coaching styles and DNA, it’s easy to see why some fans would think so.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6636017/2025/09/17/arch-manning-notre-dame