Kirk Herbstreit wasted no time settling on three teams that caught his eye after Week 1, and the list came with a few familiar names and one team that may raise some eyebrows.
On “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Stephen A.
Smith asked Herbstreit to identify the nation’s best teams, and the ESPN analyst landed on Miami, Indiana and LSU. Herbstreit opened with the Hurricanes, then moved to the defending national champion, and finished with the Tigers after watching each team make a loud early-season statement.
“I got to start with Darian Mensah transferring over from Duke down to Miami,” Herbstreit said. He pointed to Miami after the Hurricanes “just blew Stanford out of the water,” and said that performance pushed them into his early playoff conversation.
Mensah’s move from Duke has already become one of the first big storylines of the season, and Herbstreit liked what he saw from the quarterback working with Malachi Toney and the rest of Miami’s supporting cast.
Indiana also earned a spot in Herbstreit’s top three after a strong debut with Josh Hoover under center. The former TCU starter threw four touchdown passes in Indiana’s 52-16 win over North Texas, and Herbstreit said the Hoosiers’ stability on the coaching staff gives them a real edge.
“I feel like they got the best offensive and defensive coordinator on one team in college football,” he said. “Got incredible continuity. So I got to put Indiana up there.”
LSU finished the list after a ruthless opening-game showing against Clemson. The Tigers rolled to a 51-10 win, and new quarterback Sam Leavitt accounted for three touchdowns in the rout.
“I think I got to put LSU up there just based on what I saw in that opening game with Leavitt coming over,” Herbstreit said.
He also singled out offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. for the work being done on that side of the ball. “Charlie Weiss Jr. doesn’t get enough credit,” he said. “Charlie Weiss Jr. is running that show as an offensive coordinator and play caller.”
Herbstreit also mentioned Notre Dame as a team worth watching. “Another team we just don’t know yet is Notre Dame,” he said.
For now, his early board is Miami, Indiana and LSU. The opening week was enough to get them into the conversation, but the real tests still lie ahead.
In Other News...
Indiana Suddenly Has A Real Opening In The Big Ten Race
Week 2 in the Big Ten brought a little more clarity and a lot more chaos, and Indiana had to like what it saw from the rest of the league. Ohio States collapse after building a strong start against Texas, Oregons second straight stumble after its earlier loss, and Michigans defense holding up against Oklahoma all fed into a race that suddenly feels less tidy than it did a week ago. USC also kept building momentum behind quarterback Jayden Maiava, another reminder that the leagues top tier may be deeper and less predictable than expected.
For Indiana, the value in that disorder is obvious. The Hoosiers do not need the Big Ten to get easy, but they do need the field above them to keep taking turns giving ground, and that is exactly what the opening stretch delivered. With the conference already showing signs of volatility and some of its biggest names still sorting out who they are, Indiana can see a path to mattering in a race that looked more crowded than competitive just days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana's Defensive Rotation Just Put A New Spotlight On Its Depth
Indiana leaned heavily on its defensive depth in the 55-0 win over Howard, and the snap counts told the story just as much as the scoreboard did. The Hoosiers spread the workload across a long list of contributors, with Mario Landino and Chiddi Obiazor standing out among the pressure players and Rolijah Hardy turning in the kind of splash play that can change the feel of a game in a hurry.
What makes the rotation worth watching now is how many different pieces were involved, including freshmen and players still chasing more eligibility. Early in the season, that kind of distribution can be a luxury if everyone stays productive, but it can also become a real evaluation tool as Indiana learns who can hold up once the competition tightens and the game plans get more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Waits On Court Fight That Could Cost Two Key Veterans
Indiana football is still waiting on the legal wrangling that could shape the rest of its season, with the eligibility case involving veterans Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt ending in court Wednesday without a ruling. The two players are challenging the NCAA over its five-for-five eligibility rule, and the absence of a decision leaves the Hoosiers in a holding pattern as the week moves toward Saturdays game.
The temporary restraining order that had allowed Daley and Wyatt to keep playing has now expired, which means they are ineligible unless the judge acts before the weekend. Attorneys have until Thursday to submit final documentation, but for now Indiana is left watching the calendar as much as the depth chart, hoping the legal process catches up in time to avoid losing two experienced pieces. [Read more 🡒]