After a brisk Week 0 warmup, Week 1 of the college football season arrives with dozens of games Thursday through Monday, including a few tasty matchups.
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson in Atlanta; No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M; No. 8 Penn State at West Virginia; No. 19 Miami at Florida; and No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 Southern California on Sunday night in Las Vegas are among the highlights.
There is also a lot of filler on this slate.
A total of 59 games this weekend will be FBS-FCS matchups. Add in the two played last week and 61 FBS-FCS games to open the college football season is by far the most since 2010, according to SportRadar. The previous high was 47 in 2017.
Why so many?
“It’s just a fluke,” said Dave Brown, the founder of GridIron, a college football schedule-making software firm.
These games won’t all be walkovers for the Bowl Subdivision schools.
Coach Deion Sanders and Colorado better be ready for North Dakota State on Thursday night. Same goes for No. 17 Oklahoma State on Saturday when it hosts two-time defending FCS champion South Dakota State.
In fact, they could be among the most intriguing games of Week 1. So let’s go (lines from BetMGM College Football Odds )!
No. 19 Miami (minus 2 1/2) at Florida
The Mental Health Bowl of Week 1 as the Gators and Hurricanes renew a rivalry. Angst about third-year coaches Billy Napier of Florida and Mario Cristobal of Miami is high with these respective fanbases. The losers Saturday might need some therapy.
Pick: Miami 31-21.
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M (minus 3)
A season of high expectations for the Fighting Irish begins Saturday against new Aggies coach Mike Elko, who was once Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator. Bad spot for the Irish to break in an almost entirely new starting offensive line.
Pick: Texas A&M 20-16.
No. 13 LSU (minus 4 1/2) vs. No. 23 USC in Las Vegas
Second in the angst rankings behind Miami-Florida. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has not exactly been instilling confidence in the USC faithful lately. LSU, though, enters this Sunday showcase after losing two straight marquee openers (both to Florida State) under coach Brian Kelly.
Pick: LSU 35-27.
North Dakota State (plus 9 1/2) at Colorado
The Bison are a couple years removed from their dynastic best. They won nine FCS titles from 2011-21, but are certainly capable of testing a team with questions along the line of scrimmage.
Pick: Colorado 27-20.
No. 1 Georgia (minus 13 1/2) at No. 14 Clemson in Atlanta
These teams opened the season in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2021, and the Bulldogs launched a national title run with a 10-3 victory. The Tigers were about a 3-point favorite heading into that game, which pretty much sums up the trajectory of these programs since going into Saturday’s tilt.
Pick: Georgia 34-17.
The best of the rest is below. We passed on picking most of the likely blowouts between ranked teams and FCS foes, though they clearly won’t be the only lopsided matchups. Maybe not even the biggest. Good luck, Akron.
Akron (plus 50 1/2) at No. 2 Ohio State
Buckeyes have not lost to an in-state school since 1921 … OHIO STATE 49-7.
Colorado State at No. 4 Texas (minus 32 1/2)
Longhorns running back depth has been depleted by injuries … TEXAS 45-10.
Western Kentucky at No. 5 Alabama (minus 31 1/2)
The Kalen DeBoer era begins for the Crimson Tide … ALABAMA 49-14.
No. 8 Penn State (minus 4 1/2) at West Virginia
Chance for the Mountaineers to score a big one for the Big 12 over the Big Ten … PENN STATE 28-21.
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Fresno State (plus 21 1/2) at No. 9 Michigan
Who is playing quarterback for the defending national champions? Tune in to find out … MICHIGAN 24-6.
Boston College at No. 10 Florida State (minus 15 1/2)
Seminoles look to shake off a Dublin hangover on Monday in Bill O’Brien’s first game as Eagles coach … FLORDIA STATE 35-17.
Temple at No. 16 Oklahoma (minus 42 1/2)
The Sooners ease into their new SEC schedule Friday night with a manageable nonconference slate … OKLAHOMA 52-7.
South Dakota State (plus 9 1/2) at No. 17 Oklahoma State
Jackrabbits are the new FCS team you most don’t want to mess with … OKLAHOMA STATE 24-20.
New Mexico at No. 21 Arizona (minus 31 1/2)
Lobos opened their first season under new coach Bronco Mendenhall by blowing a 17-point fourth quarter lead at home to Montana State … ARIZONA 52-14.
Social media requests
North Carolina at Minnesota (plus 1 1/2), @VegasAggie. Gophers look for the split after losing the first leg of the home-and-home last year … MINNESOTA 23-20.
TCU (minus 9 1/2) at Stanford, @kimilynn. Welcome to ACC After Dark … TCU 42-31.
UNLV (plus 2 1/2) at Houston, @UHLawdog. New Cougars coach Willie Fritz is in for a major overhaul … UNLV 31-28.
Miami (Ohio) at Northwestern (minus 3), @BTF_POD. You might have heard: Defending MAC champions had to replace their star kicker … NORTHWESTERN 24-17.
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP
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