-Originally published 9/3/21-
Must Watch: 7:30pm – #5 Georgia @ #3 Clemson – ABC
Both teams are playoff contenders, even if they lose this opener. This is clearly the game to watch on Saturday if you have to pick one.
Audible: 8:00pm – Kent State @ #6 Texas A&M – ESPNU
The evening slate is full of great games, including Georgia/Clemson, but getting a first look at Texas A&M is a must. Kent State had the top scoring offense last season and a real QB in Dustin Crumb. They probably won’t move the ball much again the Aggies but this is a check-in game if the rest of the slate turns into blowouts.
Check In: 10:30pm – Nevada @ California – FS1
Carson Strong is potentially a top-15 QB naturally with a huge arm and a shot at the Mountain West title. Check-in late on the Wolfpack.
Wednesday, Sep. 1
7:00pm – UAB @ Jacksonville State – ESPN
A quality non-power 5 team matching up against a solid FBS squad. UAB is favorites to win Conference USA and the Blazer’s will be on a larger platform next week when they travel to Georgia. They’ll be looking for their fourth straight Conference USA title game appearance behind 17 returning starters. Jacksonville State was 10-3 last season, winning the OVC conference at the FBS level and losing in the semifinals. This should be a good contest for 2-3 quarters. Pick: UAB 28-10
Thursday, Sep. 2
Fresh Squeezed:
7:00pm – Boise State @ UCF – ESPN
BSU will be competing for a Mountain West title this season and UCF is the 2nd best team in the AAC behind Cincinnati. It’ll be an exciting game between two high level non-power 5 programs. Boise State returns sixteen starters for first year head coach Andy Avalos. The offense as a whole declined last season but the receiving core is a highlight and QB Hank Bachmeier returns. UCF rolls in Gus Malzahn after being released from Auburn. The Knights were 6-4 last season but averaged 42.2ppg and 586 yards of offense and return most of its starters including QB Dillion Gabriel. Pick: UCF 38-28
8:00pm #4 Ohio State @ Minnesota – FOX
The gophers return fifteen starters including QB Tanner Morgan and Big 10 2020 running back of the year Mohamed Ibrahim. They stumbled to 3-4 last season and should be solid this season. OSU is figuring out the secondary and freshman CJ Stroud hasn’t attempted a career pass yet. That being said, receivers Chris Olav and Garrett Wilson are two of the best receivers in CFB and the Buckeyes will have a fleet of horses at running back to create more matchup issues than Minnesota can handle. If Minnesota can pick on OSU’s defense the game will stay close but I expect the Buckeyes to experiment and start to gel for a playoff run here. Pick: Ohio State 48-27
Lower Grove:
7:00pm Citadel @ #22 Costal Carolina – ESPN+
7:30pm Weber St @ #24 Utah – PAC12
7:30pm USF @ NC State – ACCN
7:30pm East Carolina @ Appalachian State – ESPNU
8:00pm Bowling Green @ Tennessee – SECN
10:30pm SUU @ #25 Arizona State – PAC12
To be expected, week 1 we’ll get first looks at Top 25 teams against inferior competition. Coastal Carolina returns most of last season’s squad, Arizona State and Utah are Pac 12 title hopefuls. NC State could be worth checking on. The layer of teams behind Clemson, North Carolina, and Miami in the ACC is a mystery and NC State is one of the candidates to make noise and push for 4th place. Tennessee isn’t expected to make noise in another loaded year for the SEC, but Michigan transfer Joe Milton will take over at QB and could give a first glimpse of the next couple years of Volunteer football. Appalachian State and East Carolina could provide an interesting alternative channel flip to the Ohio State-Minnesota game if everything else is a bust. App St is set for a seventh-straight season of 9 wins or better in the competitive Sun Belt. ECU hasn’t had a winning season in six years but the Pirates return twenty starters including a talent offensive trio in QB Holton Ahler, RB Rahjai Harris, and WR Tyler Snead. App State will win an entertaining game.
Friday, Sept. 3
Fresh Squeezed:
6:00pm #10 North Carolina @ Virginia Tech – ESPN
QB Sam Howell’s campaign for Heisman starts with tough game in Blacksburg on Friday night. UNC is replacing the top two RB’s and WR’s from last season so new weapons will have to emerge. Mack Brown has pulled in back-to-back top 20 recruiting classes and freshman WR Gavin Blackwell, former high school teammate of Howell, is among the talented bodies brought in. Virginia Tech has had a turbulent few years (6-7 ’18, 8-5, ’19, 5-6 ’20) but they should be back in the 8-4 range this season after breaking a 27-year bowl game record last season. The defense will tighten up after giving up 35+ five times last season. The offense will deploy a gang of backs and Braxton Burmeister is the uninspiring starting QB after all of his completions from last season have left. UNC will be finding its footing with new skill position players and young talented in the secondary but they’ll comfortable knock out the Hokie Pokies. Pick: UNC 41-VT 27
Lower Grove:
7:00pm Old Dominion @ Wake Forest – ACCN
9:00pm Michigan State @ Northwestern – ESPN
9:00pm South Dakota State @ Colorado State – FS1
Nobody else is can’t-miss television on Friday. Wake Forest could field a decent team this season (but that could be said for half a dozen ACC teams), MSU and Northwestern will be fighting in the basement of the Big 10 and Colorado State could be subject to a rare FCS-FBS upset when they host 2020 FBS national runner-up South Dakota State.
Saturday, Sept. 4
Fresh Squeezed:
12:00pm – #2 Oklahoma @ Tulane – ABC
Spencer Rattler has to avoid mistakes that got him benched briefly in the Red River Rivalry game against Texas last season to make the playoff. A decent Tulane squad could provide at least a road bump rather than a fly-on-the-windshield matchup unlike some early season cupcake games. First looks at the defense, Rattler’s efficiency, and the running back position with 2020 opt-out Kennedy Brooks and Tennessee transfer Eric Gray the top guys on the depth chart are worth checking out. No upset potential here but I have this team ranked as the #2 best TV watch this season and it’ll be exciting to watch the starters for 2 ½-3 quarters on opening day. Pick: Oklahoma 55-17
12:00pm – #19 Penn State @ #12 Wisconsin – Fox
Wisconsin will open up the passing game this season with redshirt freshman QB Graham Mertz and have an opportunity to make 12-0. Home games against Michigan, Iowa and a neutral site game against Notre Dame are down the line, but a win here over a quality Penn State squad will be a start. Both teams struggled last season (PSU 4-5, WIS 4-3) both return starting QBs (Clifford was benched briefly, Graham started due to injury in game 1 and stayed in) both return 16+ starters, both will see tremendous improvement and return to respective program form and both see double-digit wins as a floor this season. This game could have playoff implications down the road. Pick: Wisconsin 24-20
3:30pm – #1 Alabama @ #14 Miami – ABC
The Hurricanes will have an opportunity to catch the Tide early as Bryce Young tries to click with an entirely new offense replacing eight starters. Young himself hasn’t looked like the steadiest hand under center yet in garbage time last season or the spring game. The defense is elite and returns most starters. Miami finished 8-3 last season with embarrassing blowout losses to Clemson (42-17) and North Carolina (62-26) the top billings on the schedule. D’eriq King is recovered from a bowl game ACL injury and will have a better grasp of the offense this season. Alabama isn’t going to run away from Miami early but the defense could shut the door late. Pick: Alabama 28-24
3:30pm – #17 Indiana @ #18 Iowa – BTN
Michael Penix Jr is ready to go after an ACL injury ended his season a few games early in 2020. He’s the top returning QB in the Big 10 and Indiana hopes to make a run in the crowded East (OSU, Penn St, Mich) but will start with Iowa out of the West. This game will be won in the trenches. Both defensive lines will be replacing most of the starters and both O-lines will be returning most starters. Indiana’s offensive line was an issue last season and has to show improvement since last season. The sacks taken weren’t outrageous but the pressure in Penix’s face was constant. Iowa will ground and pound with one of the best backs in the conference in Tyler Goodson and Indiana will be productive through the air with two of the better receivers in Ty Fryfogle and DJ Matthews. Both defenses will be top in the conference. I think Iowa is better in the trenches and pulls it out. Winner: Iowa 28-21
4:30pm – #23 Louisiana @ #21 Texas – FOX
Texas could be in hot water early in the season. Hudson Card has been named starting QB but Casey Thompson is expected to get time as well. The receiving pecking order has to sort itself out. The steady hand on offense is RB Bijan Robinson who recorded 899 yards of offense and averaged almost 9ypc as a freshman last season. Louisiana returns 20 starters from a squad that knocked off #9 Iowa State 31-14 in its opener last season. The Ragin Cajuns rolled to a 10-1 finish on the year with only a field goal loss to #14 Coastal Carolina mid-season. Texas could have used a tuneup first to sort out personal on both sides. The Longhorns will have to be careful because they travel to Arkansas next week to play an underrated Razorback team and it wouldn’t bode well to start 0-2. The Longhorns should win in the trenches and grind Louisiana down late. Pick: Texas 24-20
5:00pm – San Jose State @ #15 USC – PAC12
USC QB Kedon Slovis is starting is Heisman campaign….on the PAC12 network where no one will see him. The Trojans will be poised with several Pac-12 teams to make a run at a conference title. The run game is the greatest weakness to the point that the Trojans abandon it at times last season. Receiver Drake London will be the top target and future NFL 1st rounder. 2020 Mountain West champs San Jose State spanked Southern Utah last week for an early tuneup and will look to upset the Trojans with a roster returning twenty. The Spartans will have the ability to both hang and discombobulate USC’s offense. It’s a shame this is on the Pac12 network. Pick: USC 31-27
7:30pm – #5 Georgia @ #3 Clemson – ABC
The biggest game of the week actually poses many questions for Georgia. Can JT Daniels cement himself as an elite QB? Are the injures at the WR position too much to overcome? Can the offensive line hold up against Clemson’s return defensive line? Expectations for DJ Uiagalelei are sky high. He isn’t mobile like Trevor Lawrence was and Trevor Etienne is gone so the offense will look much different. This game is expected to be close but Clemson’s defense is going to clamp down and Clemson will make the plays to dump the Bulldogs. The Tigers return the entire defense. Pick: Clemson 31-28
8:30pm – #16 LSU @ UCLA – FOX
UCLA opened week zero with a thrashing of Hawaii 44-10. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was only 10/20 for 130 yards and 1 touchdown, a horrible performance. On the other hand running back Zach Charbonnet was had 3 touchdowns and 106 yards on only six carries. While Brittain Brown had 13 carries/78 yds/1 yd. LSU’s team has been disrupted due to the horrible hurricane Ida. The defense gave up 323 passing yards and 34.9 ppg game last season but should bounce back this season Corner Derek Stingley Jr is a standout athlete and could see snaps on offense. Max Johnson will start at QB after Myles Brennan broke a bone in his arm and underwent surgery to repair the damage. Both QB’s played last season and the skill positions are loaded again. LSU, again, has talent but it all needs to come together unlike last season. UCLA’s victory last season against an outclassed UCLA teams wasn’t as big as it should have been. LSU should join together despite tragedy and grab the win. Pick: LSU 45-42
Lower Grove:
12:00pm – Western MI @ Michigan – ESPN
12:00pm – Stanford @ Kansas State – FS1
12:00pm – Army @ Georgia State – ESPNU
2:00pm – Fresno State @ #11 Oregon – PAC12
3:30pm – Miami (Oh) @ #8 Cincinnati – ESPN+
3:30pm – Marshall @ Navy – CBSSN
3:30pm – West Virginia @ Maryland – ESPN
4:00pm – Central MI @ Missouri – SECN
7:00pm – Oregon State @ Purdue – FS1
7:00pm – Texas Tech @ Houston – ESPN
7:30pm – Florida Atlantic @ #13 Florida – SECN
8:00pm – Kent State @ #6 Texas A&M – ESPNU
10:30pm – Nevada @ California – FS1
Maryland/West Virginia provides an excellent matchup of mid-class Big 10/Big 12 teams with upside in the afternoon. The evening slate is dripping with intrigue. Texas Tech welcomes in former Oregon Duck Tyler Shough at QB for a squad that doesn’t have much expectations but could pull some upsets this season. They’ll match against Houston who should again be one of the better AAC teams. Florida QB Emory Jones could extend the ceiling for the Gators and push Georgia for the SEC East. Texas A&M will be contending for a playoff spot with a loaded roster. They’ll bury Kent State but the GOLDEN flashes are one of the most entertain teams to watch in college football behind QB Dustin Crumb. Finally, Nevada and QB Carson Strong should be favored to knock off California. Strong is the most NFL ready Mountain West prospect since Derek Carr (Fresno State 09-13) and Wolfpack QB since Colin Kaepernick (06-10).
Sunday, Sep. 5
7:30pm – #9 Notre Dame @ Florida State – ABC
A big game for two teams right off the bat. Florida State is continuing to try and find its footing behind 2nd year coach Mike Norvell after a 3-6 2020 season. Returning most of the starters and bringing in former UCF QB Mackenzie Milton, returning after a horrific knee injury, will put the Noles in a good position to improve. Notre Dame is reloading. Notre Dame adds a transfer QB of their own in former Wisconsin Badger Jack Coan. Most of the offense is gone but running back Kyren Williams Jr returns and will be a focal point of the offense. FSU will hopefully look more competitive but the edge is to the Irish.
Pick: Notre Dame 37-24
Monday, Sep. 6
8:00pm – Louisville @ Ole Miss – ESPN
A sneaky great game on Monday night. Coach Lane Kiffin and QB Matt Corral will launch a top offense and be one of the most entertaining teams to watch this season. The Rebels averaged 39.2ppg and 555.5ypg. On the flip side the defense allowed 38.3ppg and 519ypg. Receivers Dontario Drummond And Jonathan Mingo return as does RB Jerrion Early. QB Malik Cunningham and struggled last season for the Cards and Louisville finished 4-7. Cunningham returns as does the offensive line but the skill positions must reload. Louisville was -12 in turnovers as well. The Cards should have somewhat of a bounce back but Ole Miss should blow them out of the water. Pick: Ole Miss 45-28