The Path to Redemption: How 7 Teams Can Turn a Disappointing Season Around

The college football season has opened with plenty of excitement for some teams, but for others, the early weeks have been a frustrating disappointment. However, the season is far from over. A slow start doesn’t have to define a team’s destiny, as there’s still time to turn a bad beginning into a great finish.

Here is a breakdown of what seven prominent teams need to do to get their seasons back on track.

Clemson: Get Cade Klubnik Going

After entering the season as a preseason No. 4 team, the Tigers find themselves unranked with a 1-2 record. The most critical component to a turnaround starts with quarterback Cade Klubnik. His performance has been a significant factor in the team’s struggles. With a completion percentage of only 59% overall, and a drop to 53% when excluding the game against Troy, his struggles have been evident. To bounce back, Clemson must find a way to get their veteran leader back to the championship-level play he demonstrated last year, when he threw for over 3,600 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Colorado: Find the Starting Quarterback

The Buffaloes have stumbled to a 1-2 record, and a major reason is the ongoing uncertainty at the quarterback position. Head coach Deion Sanders has used three different quarterbacks, including Ryan Staub, Kaidon Salter, and five-star freshman Julian Lewis. The old football adage that “if you have two quarterbacks you have none” is particularly relevant here. For Colorado to turn its season around, the program must make a decision and rally around a single starting quarterback to provide much-needed stability to the offense.

Florida: Settle Down DJ Lagway

Florida has fallen from its preseason No. 15 ranking, largely due to costly turnovers in close losses. Quarterback DJ Lagway has struggled with interceptions, including five against LSU. The issue is not just immense pressure; many of these turnovers have come on routine plays when he has time and space. For the Gators to be competitive in the SEC, Lagway must focus on cutting down on these turnovers and making more composed decisions from the pocket.

Kansas State: Establish the Run

After a disappointing start, Kansas State is looking to break what some are calling the “Ireland curse,” as the Wildcats opened the season with a loss in Dublin. The team’s struggles have been primarily on the offensive side of the ball, particularly with a low third-down conversion rate of just 31%, ranking them 116th out of 134 FBS teams. A major contributor to this problem is a stagnant running game, with the team averaging only 108 rushing yards per game, which is the 15th-lowest in the FBS. Establishing a ground game is essential for the Wildcats to sustain drives and turn their season around.

Notre Dame: Finish Games

Notre Dame is the only ranked team on this list, but at 0-2 against two ranked opponents, they are far from where they expected to be. To recover, the Fighting Irish’s mission is simple: win out. A key to that goal is learning how to finish games on defense. In both of their losses, the defense allowed a game-winning drive with under two minutes left on the clock. The team must find a way to close out games and protect its lead in the final minutes.

Virginia Tech: Toughen Up the Defense

Virginia Tech has an 0-3 record and has already made a coaching change. The season isn’t over yet, as none of the losses have come in ACC play. The Hokies’ most significant issue is their defense, particularly against the run. Opponents have run for 251 yards and four touchdowns against them in a single game, and the team ranks in the 10th percentile for run defense nationally. A defensive turnaround is the starting point for any kind of success for the rest of the season.

UCLA: Everything

It has been a difficult start to the season for UCLA, which has already fired its head coach after an 0-3 start. The team has struggled on both sides of the ball. The offense has been uninspired, scoring just 10 points against both Utah and New Mexico. The defense ranks among the worst in the FBS, including dead last in third-down percentage and the third-worst against the run. A new coach might be the only thing that can reset the team and get it moving in the right direction.