Best Week 1 College Football Games to Watch
6 min readThe very first week of the higher education soccer time is swiftly approaching, but for soccer followers, it cannot occur shortly ample. When time-very long predictions based mostly on teams’ performance in Week 1 higher education soccer video games are always a small sketchy, there may well be more of that than regular this yr. For a single point, everyone’s skittish right after a farcical 2020 time that observed 139 sport cancellations or postponements. We’re eager for a return to normalcy, and that usually means picking studs and duds as swiftly as attainable. But that is not the only explanation: This fall’s Week 1 schedule—unfolding across the week of September 4—really is juicy.
Below are 7 Week 1 video games that stand out as occasions to circle on your soccer calendar.
Thursday, seven p.m. (EDT) on ESPN: Boise Condition at UCF
These have been the two defining “non-power” systems of the previous decade—and in Boise’s circumstance, for a longer period than that. Each have tested they can hack it with anyone in the Energy 5 conferences, and each have had to scrap for countrywide standing.
But each systems are in transition proper now, as their head coaches (Boise’s Bryan Harsin and UCF’s Josh Heupel) remaining to just take over the systems at Auburn and Tennessee previous wintertime, respectively. The Broncos employed previous Boise participant and assistant Andy Avalos, and UCF introduced on lately fired Auburn head coach and king of higher education soccer buyouts Gus Malzahn. In addition to a enjoyment kickoff sport, this will be a curiosity-quenching look at the teams’ two new head coaches.
Saturday, twelve p.m. (EDT) on FOX: Penn Condition at Wisconsin
There is very likely to be some panic in the air at this premier Big 10 sport. Penn Condition commenced previous yr 0–5 prior to successful its previous 4 video games to end 4–5, and Wisconsin went a tepid 4–3 while failing to assert its regular spot atop the conference’s West division. (Northwestern received it in its place.)
Whoever wins this a single will be off to a good start off in an energy to submit a rebound time. Whoever loses—especially if it is Penn Condition, which will continue to have to get by way of the more complicated East division right after playing Wisconsin—will swiftly cut into their margin for mistake.
Saturday, two p.m. (EDT) on Pac-twelve Networks: Fresno Condition at Oregon
Fresno Condition ought to be tons of enjoyment to watch this time. The Bulldogs ended up just so-so in 2020, but they have pretty much all of their vital gamers back again in the fold. Quarterback and Washington transfer Jake Haener, working back again Ronnie Rivers, and receiver Jalen Cropper ought to all be between the best gamers in the Mountain West.
On the other hand, Oregon ought to once again be a best-tier contender in the Pac-twelve. This yr, the Ducks have possibly the best returning defensive participant in the place: defensive conclusion and probable No. 1 general NFL draft decide Kayvon Thibodeaux. Oregon ought to acquire this sport, but it will be instructive to see how powerful each groups look and if newly minted Oregon starting up QB Anthony Brown plays very well.
Saturday, 3:thirty p.m. (EDT) on ABC: Miami vs. Alabama
Here’s how Bama normally treats Week 1: The Crimson Tide like to participate in a neutral-web-site sport in some NFL stadium (this yr, it is in Atlanta) in opposition to a respectable but overmatched opponent whom they immediately ruin. That will possibly take place once again this yr.
But possibly it will not! There are a lot of factors to assume the Tide will be somewhat even worse off this time than standard, and if you squint proper, you could imagine ultra-skilled Miami QB D’Eriq King dropping a good deal of touchdowns on the Bama protection. It is not very likely, but there is some probability the Hurricanes set up a great fight in this sport and at the very least make Tide followers sweat. This will also be the previous of Bama’s very long sequence of neutral-web-site openers, as they start off a residence-and-residence, on-campus sequence with Texas in 2022.
Saturday, 4:thirty p.m. (EDT) on Fox: Louisiana at Texas
The Ragin’ Cajuns will be heavy underdogs in this sport. But ought to they be? They ended up a better crew than Texas in 2020, when they produced the Solar Belt Championship and the Longhorns sputtered to their now-normal mediocre bowl sport physical appearance. And Louisiana has more returning output than pretty much any one in higher education soccer, while Texas has each a new head coach (Steve Sarkisian) and a new QB (Casey Thompson) to split in. Louisiana has a single of the most athletic rosters in the Team of 5 conferences, and it would not be surprising if Billy Napier’s crew gave the Horns a run in Austin.
Saturday, seven:thirty p.m. on Fox: Georgia vs. Clemson
This will be the premier sport of not just Week 1, but possibly the complete time. The Bulldogs and Tigers will participate in at Charlotte’s Lender of America Stadium, and the winner will grow to be an instant countrywide championship beloved (at the very least in the eyes of quite a few onlookers).
For Clemson, it is the start off of a new era. With QB Trevor Lawrence off to the Jacksonville Jaguars as the NFL’s best draft decide, 5-star next-yr male D.J. Uiagalelei will stage into the sport’s most significant position. (Uiagalelei commenced a handful of video games in 2020, when Lawrence analyzed optimistic for COVID-19, and the understudy performed very well.)
Georgia has a returning QB in JT Daniels, but the Dawgs will have their own thoughts to response. Probably the most urgent: How will UGA’s ostensibly dominant offensive line maintain up when it faces Clemson, potentially the country’s most fearsome defensive entrance?
Sunday, seven:thirty p.m. (EDT) on ABC: Notre Dame at Florida Condition
Notre Dame will be even worse than previous yr, when the Irish produced the University Soccer Playoff. Florida Condition will be better than previous yr, when the Seminoles went 3–6. The question is how considerably a single crew will transfer down and the other up.
The Irish are a single of the handful of groups that haven’t retained the vast the greater part of their vital gamers from 2020, and their losses consist of 3-yr starting up quarterback Ian Book. They’re also going back again to meeting independence right after playing 2020’s timetable in the ACC.
FSU is dwelling in a new environment now that next-yr coach Mike Norvell overhauled the roster with transfer pickups from other groups. The most significant to a turnaround, by considerably, is previous UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton, who was a single of the best gamers in the place prior to a devastating knee damage late in 2018. If Milton is healthy and back again to his outdated self, the Noles’ fortunes will improve in a hurry.
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