Overview of CFB Week 1 Chaos With Andy Staples, Western Michigan HC Lance Taylor, Who's Back of the Week + Max Is Back From His Honeymoon With Gifts
Football season opened with immediate college football chaos: a controversial Michigan escape over Western Michigan, UMass stunning Rutgers, LSU flattening Clemson, and a slate of other Week 1 storylines that made the “not many marquee games” preseason take look silly. The episode also features two interviews: Andy Staples breaks down the biggest early-season takeaways across the country, and Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor reflects on the brutal ending in Ann Arbor. The show closes with “Who’s Back of the Week,” plus Max returning from his honeymoon with a suitcase full of gifts and stories.
Week 1 Chaos and Major College Football Takeaways
Michigan survives Western Michigan in a wildly controversial finish
- Western Michigan looked like it had pulled off the upset in the Big House before the clock/replay situation gave Michigan one more snap.
- The hosts argued the call was technically defensible but felt wrong in spirit, especially because the broadcast clock showed 0:00 and fans had already seen the game end.
- They also blasted Michigan QB Bryce Underwood for looking overwhelmed and out of sync, with concern that Michigan may need to consider a quarterback change soon.
LSU beats Clemson, and Dabo Swinney takes the biggest hit
- LSU’s win over Clemson was the weekend’s most convincing statement game.
- The hosts and Andy Staples both viewed it as a potential “rock bottom” moment for Clemson and a sign the program may be sliding from national-power status.
- Lane Kiffin got praise for being exactly the kind of entertaining, trolling, high-level coach college football thrives on.
Oregon, Miami, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin
- Oregon vs. Boise State: Oregon was pushed harder than expected, but Boise State was also praised as potentially legit.
- Miami: The Canes looked explosive and dangerous, especially offensively.
- Penn State: Impressive start and a reminder that the team should be good again, even if expectations remain hard to pin down after one week.
- Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin: Notre Dame’s talent and physicality eventually overwhelmed Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin: The Badgers showed some fight early, but the hosts were frustrated by conservative decisions late in the game.
Other notable Week 1 moments
- UMass over Rutgers: One of the weekend’s funniest/saddest results, with Rutgers paying a large paycheck to lose at home.
- Ohio State’s odd “senior night” setup: The Buckeyes’ decision to do senior night in Week 1 against Ball State baffled the hosts.
- Tennessee’s Dolly Parton tradition: The crowd singing “I Will Always Love You” was praised as a cool new tradition.
- USC: Early signs were encouraging, but everyone agreed the real test is still ahead.
- Auburn-Baylor: Ugly football, but the ending was entertaining enough to keep it from being a total slog.
Andy Staples: What Week 1 Really Told Us
Michigan’s quarterback situation is the real issue
- Andy agreed the clock/replay explanation was technically plausible, but said the Big Ten handled the optics badly by waiting and relying on a “secret clock.”
- He thought Bryce Underwood looked like a player who can win with raw talent in high school but hasn’t yet figured out how to play within structure at the college level.
- His main point: Michigan’s issue is not just one bad game — it may be a fundamental quarterback problem.
LSU was the biggest winner of the week
- Andy said LSU looked like one of the best teams in the country.
- He credited both the roster and Lane Kiffin’s ability to create an edge and keep opponents off balance.
- He loved the way LSU ran the ball and bullied Clemson physically.
Clemson’s decline may be real
- Andy compared the situation to a long, slow downward slide rather than one sudden collapse.
- He thinks Clemson may still be too talented to fully bottom out, but the gap between where the program was and where it is now is obvious.
- He suggested the program may be headed for an awkward, expensive endgame with Dabo unless things turn around quickly.
Teams Andy liked early
- Boise State: Maybe better than preseason expectations.
- Miami: Explosive and dangerous, but still needs to prove consistency.
- USC: If the defense is real, they could be a playoff team.
- Notre Dame: Looked strong enough to keep winning comfortably.
- Penn State: Looked sharp and controlled.
- Florida / Florida State: He suggested Florida State’s ceiling is low, while Florida looks more promising than it has in recent years.
Heisman and title-watch early thoughts
- Andy mentioned several early names who could emerge if their teams keep winning:
- Malachi Toney
- Jeremiah Smith
- Sam Leavitt
- CJ Carr
- Arch Manning
- His broader point: early-season stars often come from games with national visibility and big moments.
Lance Taylor on Western Michigan’s “stolen” win
His team fought like crazy
- Taylor said Western Michigan believed it belonged in the game from the start.
- He emphasized that the Broncos were physical, prepared, and confident enough to go toe-to-toe with Michigan.
The ending still hurts
- He described the emotional swing of thinking the game was over, celebrating, and then having the result reversed by review.
- He said the Big Ten shared video/audio from the review booth, but the explanation still didn’t feel clean or fully satisfying.
- Taylor’s view: college football and its fans deserve a clearer, more transparent process.
The bigger picture for Western Michigan
- He stressed that the season goals are still alive:
- win the MAC
- keep the Boise State game meaningful
- use the Michigan game as proof the program can compete with anyone
- He also praised his players for resisting transfer-portal departures and sticking together after last year’s success.
His message to the team
- The core theme was simple: “We belong.”
- Taylor said the team’s identity is built around grit, toughness, and finding a way to win close games.
- He wants the Michigan ending to become fuel, not a season-defining emotional crash.
Who’s Back of the Week
Kirk Herbstreit
- The show joked that Herbstreit is “back” because college football is officially back and because of the Baton Rouge-themed merch/pop-up conversation around him.
- The bit leaned into the idea that he remains a major presence in college football culture, for better or worse.
The Philadelphia Waterdogs
- The Waterdogs advanced, giving Hank another painful sports loss to sit with.
- The hosts used it as another reminder that Philly sports content never really goes away.
Jerry O’Connell in fantasy football
- Jerry drafted from a McDonald’s Wi‑Fi connection, then locked Max out as co-manager.
- The resulting roster was lopsided and weak at running back, with too many wideouts and some questionable depth choices.
- The hosts joked that Jerry’s “work” now consists of trying to trade his way out of the mess.
Max Is Back From His Honeymoon
The trip
- Max spent two weeks in France and Italy and said it was a great trip, but by day 10 he missed the boys.
- He and his wife went through multiple stops, including:
- Saint-Tropez
- Nice
- Antibes
- Piedmont
- Lake Como
- Milan
- He said Piedmont was his favorite stop, mainly because of the food and wine.
The gifts
- Max brought back a mix of practical and ridiculous souvenirs:
- pistachio cream
- melon jam
- hazelnut spread
- Prada socks
- sweatpants
- a Jerry O’Connell shirt
- a small bag/fanny pack
- bucket hats
- olive oil
- Elton John and Messi bobbleheads
- The crew had a lot of fun riffing on whether the gifts were good, too niche, or immediately tradable.
Honeymoon takeaway
- Max said the honeymoon was excellent, but he was very ready to be back with the group.
- The segment ended with the usual barstool-style mix of affection, teasing, and unsolicited fashion commentary.
Bottom Line
- Week 1 delivered exactly what college football promises: chaos, controversy, overreactions, and a few genuine statement performances.
- Michigan-Western Michigan became the defining weird ending of the weekend.
- LSU looked like a real contender, Clemson looked lost, and several teams created early buzz.
- The Lance Taylor interview turned a painful loss into a rallying point for Western Michigan.
- Max’s return added the perfect ridiculous post-honeymoon energy to the episode.