Overview of PMS 2.0 1618 - CFB Week 1 Recap, Adam Schefter, Rece Davis, Dan Orlovsky, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk
Pat McAfee and the crew spent this episode recapping a wild opening weekend of college football, previewing the first week of the NFL season, and talking through a huge slate of injuries, contract situations, and betting angles. The show leaned heavily on live reactions from college football’s biggest stories — LSU’s statement win, the Michigan clock controversy, Notre Dame’s second-half surge, Iowa’s strong start, and several upset/rebound spots — before bringing in Adam Schefter, Reese Davis, Dan Orlovsky, and AJ Hawk for broader football analysis.
Biggest College Football Takeaways
LSU looks like a legitimate monster
- LSU’s blowout of Clemson was the signature performance of Week 1.
- The crew raved about LSU’s size, speed, depth, and physicality.
- The takeaway: LSU looked like a team that can overwhelm almost anyone if it stays healthy.
- There was a strong theme that LSU has fully embraced being the villain.
Notre Dame, Oregon, Iowa, and others
- Notre Dame’s slow start against Wisconsin turned into a comfortable win, with the group saying the Irish may still be a title contender.
- Oregon beat Boise State, but the game felt more competitive than expected despite Oregon’s yardage advantage.
- Iowa’s offense drew real optimism after a dominant win, especially with improved receiver play and strong line play.
- The crew also highlighted:
- Ole Miss’s big win over Louisville
- Colorado’s road win at Georgia Tech
- Virginia Tech’s strong opener under James Franklin
- Indiana’s good offensive showing
- Miami’s explosive passing game
- West Virginia’s return to a familiar hard-nosed style
- UMass’s surprising road win over Rutgers
The Michigan clock controversy dominated conversation
- The group spent a lot of time on Michigan’s controversial ending against Western Michigan.
- Most of the panel felt the extra second on the clock was hard to believe and looked bad for the Big Ten.
- The call was described as something that most football viewers would instinctively reject.
- Reese Davis and Dan Orlovsky both said the situation lacked transparency and made fans distrust the process.
Guests and Notable Football Commentary
Adam Schefter: opening-week NFL news and injuries
Schefter covered a wide range of NFL topics, including:
- Rams-49ers in Australia
- Player availability and injury updates
- Contract situations and exempt-list decisions
Key points:
- Puka Nacua was expected to play and was not on commissioner exemption.
- George Kittle was viewed as likely to play if he made the trip to Australia.
- Christian Gonzalez’s contract situation with New England was not close.
- Harrison Smith was expected back with Minnesota and could play Week 1.
- Travis Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Jonathan Brooks, and others were flagged as injury questions.
- Schefter also discussed the oddity of teams flying to Australia and how much travel may affect performance.
Reese Davis: college football’s best week-one lens
Reese gave a polished, broad breakdown of the weekend:
- LSU had the best Week 1 performance.
- Notre Dame looked like a bona fide playoff team despite an uneven first half.
- Oregon was solid but not fully dominant.
- He agreed the Michigan clock situation was bizarre and said transparency is badly needed.
- He thought the Michigan situation was especially hard to defend from the standpoint of a fan watching on TV.
Dan Orlovsky: schemes, quarterbacks, and offensive structure
Orlovsky focused on:
- Why Michigan’s ending looked wrong from a broadcast perspective
- How travel affects NFL teams
- What offenses need from quarterbacks like Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams, and Tua-like passers
- How teams can attack elite corners like Christian Gonzalez
Notable themes:
- He emphasized that offensive timing, route spacing, and quarterback rhythm are everything in modern offenses.
- He said play-action systems need middle-of-the-field passing lanes to truly function.
- He stressed that systems should let the offense be the star, with quarterbacks operating within structure.
- He also talked about how a defensive coordinator might attack corners who are still negotiating for money.
AJ Hawk and Darius Butler: defensive and team-building perspective
The two former players added useful context on:
- What it’s like to play in environments like Ohio State, West Virginia, and Miami
- Why elite defensive players and elite atmospheres matter so much
- How good coaching and roster construction still shape the sport
- Why physicality and speed win in the trenches
They also chimed in on:
- Ohio State’s new defensive talent
- Miami’s wide receiver explosion
- West Virginia’s identity returning
- The rise of several new quarterbacks and transfer-portal stars
NFL Opening Week Preview
Patriots vs. Seahawks and Rams vs. 49ers
- The show looked ahead to the NFL kickoff slate.
- Seattle’s new coaching era under Mike Macdonald was a major storyline.
- New England’s season was framed around Drake Maye and a rebuilt offense.
- Rams-49ers in Australia was discussed as a strange but compelling opener.
Key NFL talking points
- Christian Gonzalez’s extension standoff could affect Seattle’s game plan.
- The Rams appear to be in good shape health-wise, especially with Puka Nacua set to go.
- The 49ers’ offense was discussed as still dangerous if George Kittle is active.
- Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Deebo Samuel were expected to remain central to San Francisco’s attack.
Recurring Themes and Side Conversations
Women’s basketball and USA dominance
- The crew briefly celebrated Team USA Women’s Basketball extending its FIBA winning streak.
- Chelsea Gray was praised for closing out a tough game against Italy.
College football betting and huge spreads
- AP Tone noted that Week 1 featured many huge point spreads, making evaluations difficult.
- The group kept returning to the idea that Week 1 is often more about confirming identity than making sweeping judgments.
College football reform and the business of the sport
- There was also a broader discussion about the NCAA, the transfer portal, NIL, and the proposed Protect College Sports Act.
- The concern: if the system keeps evolving without clear rules, the “middle class” of college football may disappear.
Bottom Line
This episode was a high-energy, football-heavy recap of a huge opening weekend:
- LSU looked terrifying
- Michigan’s ending was a mess
- Notre Dame and Iowa got optimism
- Several programs showed real growth
- The NFL opener is right around the corner
- Schefter and the analysts added concrete injury, contract, and scheme insight
If there was one clear takeaway, it was that football is fully back — and the chaos, controversies, and overreactions are back with it.