Perception is not always reality.

24 hours ago, two SEC quarterbacks were preparing to make their season debut:

  • Bo Wallace – Ole Miss senior quarterback and widely considered the best SEC QB. He threw for more than 3,346 passing yards last season, the most of any returning SEC quarterback.
  • Kenny Hill – true sophomore who was making his first career start for Texas A&M. Speculation was that his backup, Kyle Allen, could take over as soon as last night at South Carolina

And now, the morning after last night’s slate of opening games, things couldn’t be more different.

Kenny HIll

Kenny Hill dominated last night. Plain and simple. The sophomore signal caller showed no signs of first-game jitters, no signs of being overwhelmed by the raucous Williams-Bryce Stadium crowd of more than 80,000.

His passing numbers weren’t just impressive, they were record-breaking. Hill threw for 511 yards on 44 completions, both of which are new single-game records at Texas A&M. He looked cool, calm and collected, moving the ball around the field with ease as 12 different receivers recorded a reception last night.

Simply put, you could not have imagined a better start for the Aggies and HIll. In just 60 minutes of football, people were asking “Johnny who?” Now, it’s probably a more realistic scenario to discuss Hill’s Heisman chances rather than him losing his job within a few weeks.

You could point to the success of Hill last night to Texas A&M offensive line and that’s definitely part of it. The Aggies line did what they wanted with South Carolina’s front seven, protecting Hill all night and giving him plenty of time to make his throws. But you cannot ignore the statement Hill and the Aggies offense made last night.

“I think what we did tonight kind of showed that we’re not a one-trick pony. We’re not anywhere near where we want to be, but we’re not going anywhere anytime soon,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said after last night’s 52-28 win.

Bo Wallace

Just three hours west of Columbia, South Carolina, a slightly different story unfolded. Yes, the Rebels did win by 22 points. Yes, Bo Wallace threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns.

But you can’t tell me that anyone walked away from that game thinking: “Bo Wallace  can lead this team to an SEC West title.”

In what was a particularly head-scratching first half, Wallace looked abysmal. Facing a Boise State pass defense that ranked 88th in the country last year, Wallace threw for 148 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in the game’s first 30 minutes. Even Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze was perplexed by what Wallace was doing on the field.

“Two of the first three interceptions were unbelievable to us because they weren’t even in the progression,” Freeze said after the game.

That’s what is most concerning from Wallace last night. He looked confused at times, making unforced errors, overthrowing receivers and throwing into tight coverage. Inconsistency has been Wallace’s biggest issue thus far in his career and continues to plague him, even as a senior.

Like Kenny Hill, Wallace made a statement last night, but it was a slightly different one. Until Wallace proves otherwise, Ole Miss will have to win with defense. Even against a rather weak passing defense, Wallace made poor decisions, which is particularly concerning.

Give him credit for coming back in the second half and making the plays necessary to win the game, but an inconsistent and turnover-prone Wallace won’t get Ole Miss to where they need to be in the SEC. You wonder what kind of result the Rebels would have if their quarterback produced a similar performance against defenses like Alabama, LSU and others in the SEC. It certainly won’t be a 35-13 win.

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Moving forward, a lot can happen between now and the end of the season. It is just one game, after all. But isn’t it incredible just how much things can change in just one game? A quarterback making his first-ever start produces a historical performance in a hostile road environment while an experienced, “best-in-the-conference” senior quarterback emerges from his game with people questioning just how overrated he might be.

That’s the beauty of college football, though. Everyone perceives how teams, players and seasons will play out, but we truly don’t know the reality of it all until the football hits the gridiron.