GKJ
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- Feb 27, 2002
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It's now Week 1, and while that doesn't mean it's the first week of college football, it does mean we all the way back as the full slate begins in earnest with the traditional Labor Day weekend slate, (at least until the NFL takes that over, too), with a number of extra TV slots to fill over the weekend, along with the all the new TV contacts and realignments going into effect.
The most compelling game in Thursday will feature a ranked FCS superpower going to a non-ranked FBS team. FCS #2 North Dakota State heads to Boulder to take on Coach Prime and Colorado, whose off-season was wrought with tumult after taking the sport by storm to start last season. Coaching changes, another aggressive roster turnover via the transfer portal, a return to the Big 12, social media beefs and now a media blacklisting has many wondering if the operation in Boulder is a house of cards waiting to collapse, but it remains a boon for the program as Colorado has sold out their entire season. Shadeur Sanders and Travis Hunter return as the marquee players as they sights set on their NFL draft stock. ESPN carries the game with an 8pm eastern start, which makes it 6pm local. Colorado -10.
Four other ranked teams will play on Thursday, but all are againt FCS schools, none of which favored by less than 33. Fox will be carrying North Carolina @ Minnesota at 8pm, with UNC -2.
One ranked team takes to the field on Friday, and it's a big one, at least to some of us. #16 Oklahoma, now an SEC team, are jonesin' for a fight with the kids in Cherry and White from North Philly show up to Norman, looking to be Temple Tuff, and beat a 42.5-point spread.
Friday After Dark has Western Michigan @ Wisconsin at 9pm ET on FS1, and TCU @ Stanford, now an ACC school, at 10:30 on ESPN. TCU looking to get back following their national championship runner-up run with a 5-7 season (including being outgunned by Colorado to start the year at home).
Things get serious on Saturday, with the discourse about the timeslots going on, ABC ended up with the biggest game of the week at noon on Saturday, which is not how this is supposed to work, but this is also not the game ESPN sees has The One becuse GameDay is not there, and neither are Chris and Kirk. After missing out on the college football playoff with just one loss last year, following consecutive national championships, it is Georgia who has landed at the top of the polls, they are #1, and return Heisman candidate QB Carson Beck (in what looks like another deep QB draft class) against #14 Clemson. Dabo Swinney is not only trying return Clemson to the top of the ACC, but also continues his war on the transfer portal - 12 players out and zero players in, which is bound to work out for him one of these years. They did win 5 in a row to end the season in the top 25, but Georgia is the favorite here by 13.5, at a neutral site in Atlanta.
Big Noon is in Morgantown, for the back end of the home-and-home of old rivals, West Virgnia hosts #8 Penn State for the first time since 1992. There's no excuses for James Franklin this year as the Expanded College Football Playoff has opened the door for the B+ programs to get in. QB Drew Allar returns, and he should be the best QB in the Big Ten this year, which should put him in the pre-season Heisman mix. Penn State won this game at home last year 38-15, and this year currently are favored by 8. Gus and Joel start the 10th(!) season together.
The mid-afternoon slot will see the debut of the Big Ten on CBS, they really are going to come in with a barnburner. #2 Ohio State welcomes in-state foe Akron to Columbus, in a game where the spread has ticked down to OSU -48.5. We all know Ryan Day is on the clock, and he's brought in former Kansas State QB Will Howard to take over for the exiled Ryan McCord (who has been exiled to Syracuse) and Chip Kelly as his offensive coordinator, they'll be looking to make a statement as much as there can be one against a program that hasn't won more than 2 games in a season since 2018.
The best game of the mid-afternoon looks like it will be #19 Miami headed up to the Swamp to play Florida, two more coaches who are definitely on the clock are Mario Cristobal and Billy Napier, both in their third seasons likely needing 9-10 wins to keep their jobs. Miami is the favorite on the road by 2, as this is the debut of the traditional SEC feature game which is now on ABC at 3:30. Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer are back from Ireland to maybe see this through another tight finish.
#4 Texas, is also now an SEC team, they will make their debut on ESPN at 3:30 against Colorado State as a 32-point favorite. QB Quinn Ewers is back, and he is a Heisman favorite himself, and he's going to try and take the Longhorns another step further as they fell just short in the Sugar Bowl last year, whoever there's big concerns behind him as injuries have already hurt their running back depth badly.
As we know, the Pac-12, as we know it, no longer exists, but the IP still does and the two schools who own it make their debuts on the TV package they struck with the CW, both against FCS schools. Washington State hosts Portland State, and Idaho State heads to Corvallis to play the Beavs. Oregon State, who obviously got savaged by the transfer portal and departure of much their offensive coaching staff that Jonathan Smith took with him to Michigan State. That includes QB Aidan Chiles who went with him, and DJ Uiagalelei who we have already seen at Florida State. The incoming portal was nice to them though as they bring in RB Anthony Hankerson from Colorado, and they did keep defensive coordinator Trent Bray and promoted him to head coach.
I guess we have to mention the new reality of Alabama football, Year 1 After Saban begins at home against Western Kentucky, at 7pm on ESPN. Kalen DeBoer leaves the national championship runner ups of Washington to follow the best coach in the history of the sport, and #5 Alabama also retains junior QB Jalen Milroe, who steadily improved last season after a benching to beat out Georgia, and of course undefeated Florida State, to nearly take down Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Speaking of the champs, Michigan comes into the season ranked #8 in the post-Harbaugh Era. Sherrone Moore was the head coach for 4 games last year during Jim Harbaugh's suspensions, and that included the late season run that saw Michigan beat Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State, so there wasn't much more he could do to win the job. However, they do face more sanctions, and a roster turnover. They start the season ranked #9, hosting Fresno State at 7:30 on ESPN.
GameDay is in College Station, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. The only other ranked matchup on Saturday is #7 Notre Dame @ #20 Texas A&M. It's year 3 for Marcus Freeman, and it's going to be time for the Irish to make a run at the national title after missing the 4-team playoff the past three years, so missing the 12-team playoff will be no good. Texas A&M is paying Jimbo Fisher $77.5 million to not coach for them, so we know where the bar is for Mike Elko who back from heading up Duke for 2 years after Jimbo hired him to be DC from 2018-21, even though he won fewer games last year, so this will definitely work. Definitely. TAMU -3
Also in the evening slot, #3 Oregon makes their Big Ten debut, on the Big Ten Network against Idaho. UCLA makes their Big Ten debut on CBS in the same 7:30 ET slot.
After Dark has national runner-up Washington, who were also savaged by DeBoer leaving for Alabama and the subsequent graduations and transfers, are not even ranked. Their Big Ten debut is also on the BTN at 10:30 against Weber State. Jedd Fisch comes up from Arizona and also brings in Stephen Belichick as DC.
ESPN After Dark has #21 Arizona debuting in the Big 12 against a Week 0 loser of New Mexico. New coach Brent Brennan from San Diego State, he has hired Dino Babers, fired as head coach of Syracuse, for a second run as OC in Tuscon, as he held that spot from 1998-2000. Arizona -31.
FS1 has in-state rival Arizona State, who are also now in the Big 12, as 6-point favorites to Wyoming.
We're still going strong with this preview, and into the Sunday night. The Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium has our third and final ranked matchup of the weekend. #23 USC enters the Big Ten, and with a new quarterback, who I would imagine Lincoln Riley will tell us exactly who that is before the game starts. #13 LSU is the opponent, and they have not won a season opener since 2019, but they are 4-point favorites. ESPN has the game.
Finally, on Labor Day, there was not a new ranking following Week 0, so Florida State is still ranked #10, and they will play their second conference game despite this still only being Week 1. Boston College is the opponent, and they're going to look to make up for the 18(!!) penalties they were called for in last year's 2-point loss, but they are a road team and FSU can't afford any more losses most likely as its going to be sketchy for a 2-loss ACC team to make the Expanded College Football Playoff. ESPN has the game, FSU -15.5.
Welcome back, everyone.
The most compelling game in Thursday will feature a ranked FCS superpower going to a non-ranked FBS team. FCS #2 North Dakota State heads to Boulder to take on Coach Prime and Colorado, whose off-season was wrought with tumult after taking the sport by storm to start last season. Coaching changes, another aggressive roster turnover via the transfer portal, a return to the Big 12, social media beefs and now a media blacklisting has many wondering if the operation in Boulder is a house of cards waiting to collapse, but it remains a boon for the program as Colorado has sold out their entire season. Shadeur Sanders and Travis Hunter return as the marquee players as they sights set on their NFL draft stock. ESPN carries the game with an 8pm eastern start, which makes it 6pm local. Colorado -10.
Four other ranked teams will play on Thursday, but all are againt FCS schools, none of which favored by less than 33. Fox will be carrying North Carolina @ Minnesota at 8pm, with UNC -2.
One ranked team takes to the field on Friday, and it's a big one, at least to some of us. #16 Oklahoma, now an SEC team, are jonesin' for a fight with the kids in Cherry and White from North Philly show up to Norman, looking to be Temple Tuff, and beat a 42.5-point spread.
Friday After Dark has Western Michigan @ Wisconsin at 9pm ET on FS1, and TCU @ Stanford, now an ACC school, at 10:30 on ESPN. TCU looking to get back following their national championship runner-up run with a 5-7 season (including being outgunned by Colorado to start the year at home).
Things get serious on Saturday, with the discourse about the timeslots going on, ABC ended up with the biggest game of the week at noon on Saturday, which is not how this is supposed to work, but this is also not the game ESPN sees has The One becuse GameDay is not there, and neither are Chris and Kirk. After missing out on the college football playoff with just one loss last year, following consecutive national championships, it is Georgia who has landed at the top of the polls, they are #1, and return Heisman candidate QB Carson Beck (in what looks like another deep QB draft class) against #14 Clemson. Dabo Swinney is not only trying return Clemson to the top of the ACC, but also continues his war on the transfer portal - 12 players out and zero players in, which is bound to work out for him one of these years. They did win 5 in a row to end the season in the top 25, but Georgia is the favorite here by 13.5, at a neutral site in Atlanta.
Big Noon is in Morgantown, for the back end of the home-and-home of old rivals, West Virgnia hosts #8 Penn State for the first time since 1992. There's no excuses for James Franklin this year as the Expanded College Football Playoff has opened the door for the B+ programs to get in. QB Drew Allar returns, and he should be the best QB in the Big Ten this year, which should put him in the pre-season Heisman mix. Penn State won this game at home last year 38-15, and this year currently are favored by 8. Gus and Joel start the 10th(!) season together.
The mid-afternoon slot will see the debut of the Big Ten on CBS, they really are going to come in with a barnburner. #2 Ohio State welcomes in-state foe Akron to Columbus, in a game where the spread has ticked down to OSU -48.5. We all know Ryan Day is on the clock, and he's brought in former Kansas State QB Will Howard to take over for the exiled Ryan McCord (who has been exiled to Syracuse) and Chip Kelly as his offensive coordinator, they'll be looking to make a statement as much as there can be one against a program that hasn't won more than 2 games in a season since 2018.
The best game of the mid-afternoon looks like it will be #19 Miami headed up to the Swamp to play Florida, two more coaches who are definitely on the clock are Mario Cristobal and Billy Napier, both in their third seasons likely needing 9-10 wins to keep their jobs. Miami is the favorite on the road by 2, as this is the debut of the traditional SEC feature game which is now on ABC at 3:30. Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer are back from Ireland to maybe see this through another tight finish.
#4 Texas, is also now an SEC team, they will make their debut on ESPN at 3:30 against Colorado State as a 32-point favorite. QB Quinn Ewers is back, and he is a Heisman favorite himself, and he's going to try and take the Longhorns another step further as they fell just short in the Sugar Bowl last year, whoever there's big concerns behind him as injuries have already hurt their running back depth badly.
As we know, the Pac-12, as we know it, no longer exists, but the IP still does and the two schools who own it make their debuts on the TV package they struck with the CW, both against FCS schools. Washington State hosts Portland State, and Idaho State heads to Corvallis to play the Beavs. Oregon State, who obviously got savaged by the transfer portal and departure of much their offensive coaching staff that Jonathan Smith took with him to Michigan State. That includes QB Aidan Chiles who went with him, and DJ Uiagalelei who we have already seen at Florida State. The incoming portal was nice to them though as they bring in RB Anthony Hankerson from Colorado, and they did keep defensive coordinator Trent Bray and promoted him to head coach.
I guess we have to mention the new reality of Alabama football, Year 1 After Saban begins at home against Western Kentucky, at 7pm on ESPN. Kalen DeBoer leaves the national championship runner ups of Washington to follow the best coach in the history of the sport, and #5 Alabama also retains junior QB Jalen Milroe, who steadily improved last season after a benching to beat out Georgia, and of course undefeated Florida State, to nearly take down Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Speaking of the champs, Michigan comes into the season ranked #8 in the post-Harbaugh Era. Sherrone Moore was the head coach for 4 games last year during Jim Harbaugh's suspensions, and that included the late season run that saw Michigan beat Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State, so there wasn't much more he could do to win the job. However, they do face more sanctions, and a roster turnover. They start the season ranked #9, hosting Fresno State at 7:30 on ESPN.
GameDay is in College Station, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. The only other ranked matchup on Saturday is #7 Notre Dame @ #20 Texas A&M. It's year 3 for Marcus Freeman, and it's going to be time for the Irish to make a run at the national title after missing the 4-team playoff the past three years, so missing the 12-team playoff will be no good. Texas A&M is paying Jimbo Fisher $77.5 million to not coach for them, so we know where the bar is for Mike Elko who back from heading up Duke for 2 years after Jimbo hired him to be DC from 2018-21, even though he won fewer games last year, so this will definitely work. Definitely. TAMU -3
Also in the evening slot, #3 Oregon makes their Big Ten debut, on the Big Ten Network against Idaho. UCLA makes their Big Ten debut on CBS in the same 7:30 ET slot.
After Dark has national runner-up Washington, who were also savaged by DeBoer leaving for Alabama and the subsequent graduations and transfers, are not even ranked. Their Big Ten debut is also on the BTN at 10:30 against Weber State. Jedd Fisch comes up from Arizona and also brings in Stephen Belichick as DC.
ESPN After Dark has #21 Arizona debuting in the Big 12 against a Week 0 loser of New Mexico. New coach Brent Brennan from San Diego State, he has hired Dino Babers, fired as head coach of Syracuse, for a second run as OC in Tuscon, as he held that spot from 1998-2000. Arizona -31.
FS1 has in-state rival Arizona State, who are also now in the Big 12, as 6-point favorites to Wyoming.
We're still going strong with this preview, and into the Sunday night. The Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium has our third and final ranked matchup of the weekend. #23 USC enters the Big Ten, and with a new quarterback, who I would imagine Lincoln Riley will tell us exactly who that is before the game starts. #13 LSU is the opponent, and they have not won a season opener since 2019, but they are 4-point favorites. ESPN has the game.
Finally, on Labor Day, there was not a new ranking following Week 0, so Florida State is still ranked #10, and they will play their second conference game despite this still only being Week 1. Boston College is the opponent, and they're going to look to make up for the 18(!!) penalties they were called for in last year's 2-point loss, but they are a road team and FSU can't afford any more losses most likely as its going to be sketchy for a 2-loss ACC team to make the Expanded College Football Playoff. ESPN has the game, FSU -15.5.
Welcome back, everyone.
tldr
