The First Impression: Thoughts on the Opening Week of College Football

First impressions are important in every aspect of life, but they hold a different level of importance in college football. Championship dreams can be dashed over a bad first impression, and starting jobs can be lost if a player doesn't show he has what it takes in week one. Certain players made good first impressions this past weekend, others can't wait for week two to role around for their chance at redemption. 

Russell Wilson is a Heisman contender in Madison

Robert Griffin III is college football's newest household name

• Russell Wilson made quite the first impression on Wisconsin fans on Thursday night, and he scared the hell out of the rest of the Big Ten in the process. Everyone knew the Badgers were returning one of the nation's best running attacks, but how Wilson would mesh with his new team was an unknown variable. From what we saw on Thursday night, the Badgers are a national contender. Wilson, and the rest of the Badger backfield, was unstoppable against an overwhelmed UNLV team. The Badgers have always been able to run the ball, but they have never had a quarterback who is dynamic as Wilson. Wisconsin will be more dangerous every week as Wilson becomes more acclimated to his new team. Wilson's first impression has made the Badgers the unquestioned team to beat in the Big Ten.
• The night after Russell Wilson became a player of the year candidate at Camp Randall, TCU and Baylor gave us our first game of the year candidate. Their were positive first impressions all-around, but Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III joined Wilson in the early season Heisman conversation by shredding a vaunted TCU defense on the way to a 50-48 victory. TCU debuted Casey Pachall as their new quarterback that same night. Despite the loss, Pachall proved that the Frogs are in safe hands, and that a double-digit win total is still a reasonable expectation for the upcoming season. If you didn't catch TCU and Baylor on Friday night, you will see it on ESPN Classic likely sooner than later. It was that good.
• Dayne Crist made a good enough impression on Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly to open the season as the team's starting quarterback. His first impression for the 2011 season was so underwhelming that he kept that job for a full 30 minutes of football. Tommy Rees relieved Crist at halftime and will be the starter this Saturday against Michigan. Who did make a good first impression for the Irish? Michael Floyd's 12 receptions and 154 yards receiving were more than enough to endear himself to fans in South Bend. Unfortunately, instead of Notre Dame being good, it seems as if only Michael Floyd is good. Who will the Irish turn to when teams decide to make someone besides Floyd win the game for the Irish? Things could get really interesting in South Bend this year.
• Oregon's first impression for the 2011 season looked very similar to its final impression from the 2010 season. Once again, the Ducks looked physically outmatched by a team from the mighty SEC. This time it was LSU that outclassed the Ducks. Oregon may be unstoppable in the Pac-12, but their forays against major programs outside of the conference have not went well. Oregon lost the Rose Bowl to Ohio State, the BCS Championship to Auburn, and now their regular season showdown with the Tigers. Oregon will probably be in the hunt to return to the BCS once again in November, but what will they do when they get there? It seems likely that they will lose.
• Boise State has made a sparkling first impression for the second year in a row. The Broncos were clearly the better team in their marquee matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs. If Boise State is just a harmless mid-major, why is it that their neutral site games are always so far away from Boise? Virginia Tech in Arlington? Georgia at the GEORGIA Dome? Let's be serious. Boise State is one of the top 10 programs playing football right now. Is there anyone brave enough to at least go to Denver for a neutral tilt with the boys in blue? I won't even ask for a team to actually play on Boise's campus. That's unfathomable for any of the prestigious schools from the Pac-12 or the Big East (extreme sarcasm). It will be fun to watch the creative way that the BCS keeps Boise State out of the national championship this year. With Nevada rebuilding and TCU reloading, Boise will likely cruise to an undefeated season. They are currently ranked fourth and fifth in the two major polls, but it will only be a matter of time before chirping about their strength of schedule will foreshadow their inexplicable fall from title contention.