Fact or Fiction: Colorado Exceeding Expectations, UGA Speeding, Cocky Overrated

In today’s Fact or Fiction, I look at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Colorado is much better than expected.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Duh. This is kind of a dumb Fact or Fiction, right? But wait. For every pundit like myself saying the Buffs would be a disaster under Deion Sanders there were believers, and not only from Boulder. While some have been pulling for Coach Prime as one of the most charismatic people on the planet, others were projecting a winning season. But did anyone see an outright win over a ranked TCU team on the road? Not many. I expected an absolute drubbing, and instead, I saw a team that was confident and knew they could hang from the first drive. And each time I thought they’d fold, they didn’t. So, is TCU terrible? Is their defense as bad as it looked? Maybe. But even if that’s the case, this Colorado team is WAY better than I expected.

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass in the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

2. The Georgia speeding situation has become epidemic.

Farrell’s take: FACT

I can’t explain this one, but it’s not good. After a fatal crash and numerous (and I mean numerous) speeding and reckless driving violations, this continues to happen to UGA players and staff. The latest is former LB and current staffer Jarvis Jones, who was arrested for reckless driving and speeding-maximum limits. I’ll be honest: I’m at a loss here, as this is just odd. I’ve seen programs hit by everything from internal drug use by players to things as serious as rampant sexual assault, but this Fast and the Furious stuff out of Athens just seems weird. How can a football program have a culture of reckless driving? And what do you do? Take away their cars? And I honestly don’t blame Kirby Smart as some do. What the heck is he to do? I can tell you for a fact that the players and staffers have been told time and time again to be very aware that not only are the local police watching, but so is the entire nation, and here we are again. For a program that has been run very well despite increased attention from stellar on-the-field play, this is just weird to me.

Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart speaks at the 2023 SEC Football Kickoff Media Days at the Nashville Grand Hyatt on Broadway, Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

3. South Carolina is vastly overrated.

Farrell’s take: FACT

At least they are by me, as I had them in my pre-season Top 25. I knew the UNC game would be a tough one, but even if they lost, I expected to see a much-improved offense with more weapons than last season. And the momentum from the end of 2022 — wins over Tennessee and Clemson — was supposed to lead into 2023. But it didn’t. And the offense looked bad. Giving up nine sacks and having QB Spencer Rattler hit over and over again, sometimes with just a three-man rush, is embarrassing against any team. But UNC? That defense had 17 sacks all of last season and was horrible, but the Gamecocks made them look like the 1985 Bears. If the Gamecocks offensive line is this bad, they could be in for a really ugly season.