With less than two weeks until college football gets underway, it’s never too early to look at the Week 0 and Week 1 slate. Some high-profile matchups, along with some new-look teams, should make for an exciting slate of action.
In the final year of the four-team College Football Playoff, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, and USC are just a few teams that could make noise throughout. At the same time, the pressure continues to mount for Ryan Day and Ohio State with back-to-back losses to Michigan in the regular season finale, along with no national titles since the first year of the CFP in 2014.
Entering opening weekend action, a few matchups are to pay attention to as must-watch tilts.
3. Navy @ Notre Dame (Saturday, Aug. 26, in Ireland)
Notre Dame and Navy kick off the college football season in Ireland, continuing the annual tradition set forth by Northwestern and Nebraska taking center stage from a season ago. The Fighting Irish will look to build off the end of Marcus Freeman’s first year, which saw his team finish 9-4 after a rocky start. Sam Hartman transferred in from Wake Forest and will take over as the team’s signal caller, which should give an offense that averaged 31.8 points per game in 2022 some stability in scoring points.
Navy will also look different as well. Although the Midshipmen nearly rallied from a 35-13 deficit to stun Notre Dame, Navy decided to move in a different direction and hire from within, promoting Brian Newberry as the new coach after Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest coach in program history, was let go after 20 seasons.
Nonetheless, Navy will look to start over, but a youthful roster could plague them upon arrival in Ireland. Expect Notre Dame to score a bunch of points and likely win easily.
Zain’s pick: Notre Dame wins 38-17
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2. Northwestern @ Rutgers (Sunday, Sept. 3)
An under-the-radar pick, Northwestern, and Rutgers will partake in one of the first games of the CBS-Big Ten era. Of course, the storylines entering this game are massive. The Wildcats are amid turmoil after Pat Fitzgerald’s firing in July amid hazing allegations and David Braun’s elevation to the interim head coach, among other factors across several aspects of the athletic department.
This game will discuss how Northwestern can respond after the most detrimental offseason in program history. For Rutgers, it’s about establishing the run game and giving Greg Schiano the best chance to win, no matter how ugly the game might turn out.
Expect a low-scoring, defensive slugfest that could come down to the final drive, as one mistake on either side could very well determine the outcome.
The Wildcats boost A.J. Henning as one of the few bright spots offensively at wide receiver, while Rutgers will look to rely on a top-15 defensive unit (in points per game from 2022) to seal the win.
All in all, if defense is a priority, this is a must-see game. But more importantly, it’s the storylines going into it that make it just as enjoyable to pay attention to.
Zain’s pick: Rutgers wins 20-10
1. No. 5 LSU @ No. 8 Florida State (Sunday, Sept. 3 in Orlando, Fla.)
This game needs no introduction, as LSU and Florida State will lock horns for the second-straight year. In 2022, the game was an instant classic that needed overtime after a late second-half rally by the Tigers.
The Seminoles and Mike Norvell weren’t on the national media’s radar before the 24-23 thriller. Still, the game now has extra meaning considering where both teams sit in the rankings and how much more Brian Kelly has to prove in his second season compared to his first. Both teams bring back elite talent, including Jayden Daniels, future NFL hopeful Harold Perkins Jr., and Jordan Travis.
This game should be a high-scoring, action-packed affair that may need overtime to decide it once again. However, if LSU wants any shot at the College Football Playoff, SEC West, or an SEC title appearance, it must win this game to stay in that conversation.
For Florida State, this game is to prove it is not an ACC pushover and can compete with the best. This LSU rematch is arguably the biggest of the Norvell era to prove 2022’s win was not a fluke by any stretch.
Zain’s Pick: LSU wins 38-31
A new college football season is approaching, as 2023’s off-season might become the most crucial in the sport’s history.
