Technically, the college football season has already started. But with all due respect to the four games played last weekend during Week 0, it really gets underway on Thursday night. There are almost 100 games involving FBS teams between now and Monday night. If you’re doing the math and wondering how the 134 teams in FBS can be playing that many games, it’s because many of them are facing FCS opponents. There are plenty of games on the schedule like Arkansas State vs. Central Arkansas and Northern Illinois vs. Western Illinois—not exactly the kinds of matchups football fans spent their spring and summer dreaming about. But there are still a decent number of games that neutral fans should pay attention to. Let’s break them down.
[ First to Forde: College Football Best Bets Against the Spread for Week 1 ]
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson (in Atlanta, noon ET Saturday on ABC)
This is the most high-profile game of the weekend, although it seemed a lot more tantalizing when the game was scheduled in 2018 and Clemson was in the middle of a six-year streak of finishing ranked in the top three. Georgia’s 2023 season ended in disappointing fashion after losing to Alabama in the SEC championship game and being left out of the playoff. Clemson’s year was even more disappointing, though. The Tigers went 9–4, their most losses in a season since 2011. They return plenty of talent from last year’s roster, so they should be improved, but Georgia is the premier program in college football right now and is favored by two touchdowns.
No. 19 Miami at Florida (3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC)
Miami’s Mario Cristobal and Florida’s Billy Napier were hired before the 2022 season—and neither hire has gone according to plan. Cristobal went 5–7 and 7–6 in his first two seasons, while Napier went 6–7 and then didn’t even make a bowl game last year at 5–7.
The Hurricanes appear better positioned for success this season. The biggest change is that they added former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward in the transfer portal, who should be an upgrade over last year’s starter, Tyler Van Dyke (now at Wisconsin). They also have a fairly easy schedule: their only game against a team ranked in the preseason AP poll is against Florida State at home. The Gators, meanwhile, have a brutal schedule that features eight games against currently ranked teams.
Welcoming a ranked rival to Gainesville is a tough way for Florida to open the season. There’s a distinct possibility that the Gators, after posting their second worst season of the past decade, could find themselves at 0–1 with a matchup against a tough Texas A&M team looming in two weeks.
[ Order SI's NFL and college football preview issue ]
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC)
Speaking of Texas A&M, the Aggies have a tough one to start their season, facing Notre Dame at Kyle Field. The Irish have done well in Marcus Freeman’s first two years in charge and will have their eyes set on the expanded 12-team playoff this year. Making the playoff is a little tough for an independent team, though, since there’s no way to earn an automatic bid. If Notre Dame wants an at-large bid, picking up marquee wins against teams like Texas A&M is crucial.
No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 USC (in Las Vegas, 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC)
Last year was a major disappointment for USC. The Trojans had the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in Caleb Williams but the defense was a disaster (ranked 121st out of 133 teams in points allowed per game) and cost them dearly, leading to an 8–5 record. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was fired after a 52–42 loss to Washington on Nov. 4. He was replaced by D’Anton Lynn (the son of former Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn), who was the defensive coordinator across town at UCLA last season, leading a Bruins D that ranked 14th in points allowed per game. LSU had the best offense in the nation last season but lost Heisman winner Jayden Daniels to the NFL draft, along with several other key offensive players. Still, how the Tigers perform against a revamped USC defense will tell us a lot about what to expect from the Trojans this year.
Boston College at No. 10 Florida State (7:30 p.m. ET Monday on ESPN)
The Seminoles’ season got off to a disastrous start with a loss to Georgia Tech last weekend in Ireland. It wasn’t a good look for a program that had spent much of the past year crowing about how it was too good for the ACC. Flying halfway around the world to play a game in a foreign country can (and did, in this case) lead to a wacky result, so playing at home is a chance for FSU to get in the win column in a more familiar environment. But if the Seminoles lose? Oh, baby.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Can’t-Miss College Football Games in Week 1.