Rejoice—college football is back. We got a small taste of the mayhem that will ensue over the next few months during Saturday’s FCS matchup between not one, not two, not three, but four-time defending national champion (I know this because ESPN really wanted me to know) and No. 1 North Dakota State and No. 12 Montana. The underdog Grizzlies scored a touchdown with two seconds remaining to spring a massive upset over the Bison, setting the tone for what will surely be an exciting fall.
Alas, some people aren’t interested in FCS contests. I have no idea why someone wouldn’t be excited by a good FCS game, but for those people, FBS games start this week. You should watch all of the games, but if you are inclined to only watch a select few, here are five can’t-miss clashes.
Teams: Washington at No. 23 Boise State
Date: Friday, Sept. 4
Time: 9:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Washington coach Chris Petersen is no stranger to playing on Boise State’s famous blue turf. Petersen was Boise State’s head coach for eight seasons before taking the Washington job, winning 92 games during his tenure. He also served as the offensive coordinator for the Broncos for five seasons before that. Now, he’ll be on the visitor’s sideline coaching against the team he helped bring to national prominence.
Boise State fared well without Petersen last season. The Broncos finished 12-2 in 2014 and will more than likely post double-digit wins again in 2015. Although they are forced to replace former quarterback Grant Hedrick and fifth-round draft pick Jay Ajayi, the Broncos should be fine. Every season they seem to restock lost talent without missing a beat.
The Huskies won 8 games last season, and they lost a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. Petersen still hasn’t revealed his starting quarterback. With losses at key positions and a new quarterback, it would be a miracle if Washington repeated last season’s win total. However, Petersen will undoubtedly be motivated to spring an upset on his former team. This one could be a lot closer than it should be.
Teams: Louisville at No. 6 Auburn (Atlanta, Georgia)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: CBS
Louisville coach Bobby Petrino is returning to Atlanta for his Cardinals’ neutral site home opener against Auburn. Remember when he coached the Atlanta Falcons and let his players know of his resignation by leaving a note in their lockers? Good times. Petrino not only has a history with the city of Atlanta, but he also served as Auburn’s offensive coordinator in 2002.
The Cardinals will face an uphill battle against the Tigers, but Petrino is an accomplished coach at the college level. Auburn probably has too much talent for Louisville, but Petrino could make things interesting deep into the game. The game also is a chance for people to see Auburn’s new-look defense under defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
Teams: No. 15 Arizona State at Texas A&M (Houston, Texas)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN
I’m more excited for this game than any other.
Arizona State is becoming a trendy pick to make the College Football Playoff. Admittedly, I’m not that high on the Sun Devils, but they’re a very good football team and could mount a surprising challenge in the Pac-12; by no means will they just roll over and submit to USC, UCLA and Oregon.
Texas A&M has some question marks, mainly on defense. They’re a team I could see winning six or seven games if things don’t pan out, or if the stars align, they could win 10. We know the Aggies can score, so if the defense improves (that is a massive if), they’ll be a serious threat. This game will have all of the points. It should be high-scoring and action-packed. Don’t miss this one.
Teams: No. 20 Wisconsin at No. 3 Alabama (Arlington, Texas)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ABC
I was hesitant to pick this game because I only see it going one way. On paper — and by “on paper” I mean rankings — it’s a decent matchup. Two ranked teams squaring off at AT&T Stadium in primetime is intriguing, but I just don’t see Alabama losing.
The Badgers’ quarterback play was anemic in 2014. Senior Joel Stave, who is the 2015 starter, completed just 53.4 percent of his passes last season. He threw fewer touchdowns (9) than interceptions (10), and six of his interceptions came during the Badgers’ final two games. I have little confidence Wisconsin can move the ball against a swarming Alabama defense that is always loaded with elite talent, and this season the Badgers can’t rely on first round draft pick Melvin Gordon to bail them out on the ground. I’ll be surprised when Stave’s completion count reaches double digits.
Alabama may still have to figure out its quarterback situation, but junior running back Derrick Henry should be able to help Alabama claim a comfortable victory. The Tide will roll.
Teams: No. 1 Ohio State at Virginia Tech
Date: Monday, Sept. 7
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes suffered just one loss last season. That one loss came to Virginia Tech at home, which means the Buckeyes will have to win Monday night at Lane Stadium (something that isn’t exactly easy) or face a daunting path to return to the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State is returning a surplus of quality quarterbacks, one of the nation’s best running backs in Ezekiel Elliott and plenty of other talent on both sides of the ball. Ohio State is ranked No. 1 for a good reason.
Virginia Tech’s offense still has some question marks, but the defense is lights out and is arguably the best in the nation. There aren’t many teams that have the depth and experience the Hokies have on the defensive side of the ball. Good luck trying to move the ball on Virginia Tech.
If anybody is going to stifle Ohio State’s offense, it’ll probably be Virginia Tech. The Hokies have a healthy pass rush and corners capable of shutting down Ohio State’s wideouts. But can the Hokies offense do enough to help out its defense on Monday? We’ll find out. I expect this one to be close until late in the game.
Jack Woods is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.