Three And Out, Week 2: Can Michigan Repeat; What Else Can Dylan Raiola And Nico Iamaleava Do?

The second week of the college football season is upon us, and there will be some statements made by some high-profile teams on Saturday.

No. 3 Texas will square off with No. 10 Michigan in a battle between two teams from last season’s College Football Playoff. Michigan squeaked by Fresno State last week, but can make a much bigger statement if it is able to spring the home upset over a Longhorns team that many (including myself) are predicting to make this year’s CFP.

Outkick’s Trey Wallace will be in Lincoln as the Nebraska Cornhuskers host Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes in a rematch of Colorado’s Week 2 win last season. If Colorado is going to prove that it’s for real, it will need to give us more after last Thursday’s lackluster win over Notre Dakota State.

Let’s take a spin around the country in this week’s Three and Out:

Can Michigan repeat?

A small village of stars departed the Wolverines last season including legendary head coach Jim Harbaugh. Did that play a part of last weekend’s struggle vs. Fresno State? That’s the million-dollar question.

ANN ARBOR, MI - AUGUST 31:  Michigan Wolverines quarterback Davis Warren (16) drops back to pass during the second quarter of a non-conference college football game between the Fresno State Bullfrogs and the Michigan Wolverines on August 31, 2024 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Davis Warren got the surprise start at quarterback, but Alex Orgi - the preseason favorite to win the job - was mixed in, mostly as a running threat. That simply can’t continue if Michigan wants to repeat as national champions, and was a little irresponsible for first-year coach Sherrone Moore. He put Michigan in a situation where he doesn’t have a signal-caller who has truly settled into the role going into the biggest game of the year.

Devil’s Advocate is that Moore could be playing the long-game. The 12-team playoff makes it much more accessible for teams like Michigan that enter the season with so many question marks. What better way to find out which signal-caller has what it takes to succeed at the highest level than to put them into a massive pressure cooker?

Don’t sleep on Dylan Raiola

I get it. There will be millions of eyes on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The guy is in a terrible spot behind a disastrous offensive line and still finds ways to make highlight-reel plays.

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - AUGUST 31: Dylan Raiola #15 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers looks over the line against the UTEP Miners at Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Railoa can - and should - do the same thing against Colorado. Raiola threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over UTEP, and looked the part of a 5-star high school prospect. Several of those passes looked like NFL-level throws, including dimes he dropped across the field.

Colorado rates very well. Don’t be surprised if the entire country is going crazy over Raiola after Saturday afternoon’s showdown.

Heisman statement?

Speaking of young superstars who looked Heisman-worthy, did you see Tennessee redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava? We got a taste of the former 5-star No. 2 overall prospect in last season’s Citrus Bowl, and he looked like he built a mansion on that foundation against Chattanooga throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns.

That performance led several pundits - myself included - to opened our eyes in a big way and elevated the 14th-ranked Volunteers into "true contender" status.

Say what you will about No. 24 NC State’s offensive woes last week against Western Carolina, but its defense looked similar to others from the Wolfpack’s recent past. Another powerful primetime performance will announce his presence to the national stage with authority.