Week 0 gave us a pattern of the thrill of school soccer, however now the entree that’s Week 1 is on our plates. As with most menus, some choices are extra intriguing — spicier, if you’ll — than others. 5 video games stand out within the season-opening slate that can carry their impression into November and December
For the sake of this text, we’ll solely function video games that includes two FBS colleges. To see potential FCS-over-FBS upsets, click on or faucet right here.
That stated, let’s dive into the high-impact video games that can enable winners to hold the candy style of victory all through the autumn and depart the losers with the rumblings of an upset abdomen.
Clemson vs. Georgia
Clemson is probably going Georgia’s solely ranked nonconference opponent until Georgia Tech can carry its momentum from a Week 0 upset to its last common season sport. A win right here will go a great distance if the Bulldogs falter in a revamped SEC.
Clemson is coming off its worst season beneath Dabo Swinney since 2011. Religion within the former nationwide championship head coach is waning, however a win over the preseason No. 1 workforce will reignite the spark within the Tiger fanbase. But, a foul loss right here will severely damage Clemson’s at-large probabilities within the expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff.
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Penn State at West Virginia
Is that this the 12 months James Franklin lastly leads Penn State to the Faculty Soccer Playoff? It is 12 groups now, so it is extra doubtless. Nevertheless, a victory in Morgantown isn’t simple, and the Nittany Lions should win a Week 1 street take a look at. A win right here might have PSU within the high 10 by mid-October. A loss will depart little room for error for a workforce that additionally performs USC, Wisconsin and Ohio State.
In the meantime, a win for West Virginia will launch the Mountaineers — who went 9-4 final 12 months — into nationwide relevance as contenders for a wide-open Massive 12.
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Miami (Fla.) at Florida
It appears as if everybody has talked about how Florida has the toughest schedule within the nation. It begins with an in-state rival as Miami involves city. After back-to-back shedding seasons to open his Gator profession, head coach Billy Napier might begin feeling the stress if he loses at residence in Week 1.
On the opposite sideline, Miami has a variety of hype coming into the season with Cam Ward transferring in at quarterback. The Hurricanes wish to be in ACC title rivalry this fall, and a win in opposition to an SEC foe may very well be a good way to construct momentum. If it loses to a workforce that will not make a bowl sport this 12 months, the loss might hover over Miami all through the season.
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Notre Dame at Texas A&M
Out went Jimbo Fisher, and in got here Mike Elko from Duke. It is a new daybreak in Faculty Station. Rising over the horizon are the Preventing Irish of Notre Dame, carrying in a top-10 rating, arguably the very best cornerback-safety duo within the nation and… Elko’s quarterback from final season, Riley Leonard.
Elko is aware of all about Leonard, who threw for over 4,000 yards beneath the coach when each had been Blue Devils. The Aggies know all about Notre Dame’s new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who was the offensive coordinator for Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels final season when LSU scored 42 factors on Texas A&M.
Can Notre Dame beneath the Denbrock-Leonard mixture have an offense to match its sure-to-be-good-again protection? Will Texas A&M open the Elko period with a press release? Tune in throughout Week 1 of school soccer.
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LSU vs. USC
The final two Heisman trophy winners went to LSU and USC, and now each quarterbacks are gone because the Tigers and Trojans enter a brand new period. Each groups open 2024 with related outlooks and expectations, however just one workforce will emerge from Las Vegas with a Week 1 win.
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Brian Kelly at LSU and Lincoln Riley at USC cannot afford an early loss when the Faculty Soccer Playoff is the expectation. This sport may have ripple results for positive.