4-Down Territory: Payout Games & Top 10 Matchups--A Tale of Two Season Openers......

It was the best of times (OSU/Texas, Notre Dame/Miami, LSU/Clemson) and the worst of times (too many payout games to count). Whichever route your team takes to start the year, the season is truly upon us. And in the transfer portal era with massive roster changes, you never can be too sure of what is in store for week one.

First Down: Payout Games: Marshall at #5 Georgia 3:30 ESPN: Georgia is a younger team but is still a very talented team. The unknowns for UGA getting ready for Marshall are numerous. Marshall won the Sun Belt last year, their head coach left, and the transfer flood gates opened so much that the team opted out of their bowl game. Welcome to season openers in the transfer portal age—it means getting all kinds of footage from multiple teams to evaluate personnel before a game.……..Nevada at #2 Penn State 3:30 CBS: In a 3-10 season last year, Nevada racked up a win over Oregon State and lost 5 games by a single score including losses to playoff teams SMU (by 5) and Boise State (by 7). Wolfpack QB Chubba Purdy is a running and passing threat who started games for FSU and Nebraska before coming to Nevada. There has been an improvement in talent for Nevada, and they have some key 6^th-year players. Despite that, there is a significant talent and experience gap with Penn State……..New Mexico at #14 Michigan 7:30 NBC: If new QB Bryce Underwood is as good as advertised Michigan becomes a serious threat to win the Big Ten. The single biggest factor holding back UM last year was at QB. Sherrone Moore has won big games in his 17 games as the head coach including a 5-3 record versus teams in the top 11 including season-ending wins against #2 Ohio State in Columbus and #11 Alabama in their bowl game.

Second Down: Intriguing Match-ups: Syracuse vs #24 Tennessee in Atlanta Noon ABC: Syracuse finished in the Top 20 last year with a 10-3 record. But QB Kyle McCord graduated and top WR Trebor Pena transferred to Penn State. Tennessee lost their QB to the transfer portal (UCLA) and looks to be in a rebuilding mode. This is the kind of ACC/SEC head-to-head matchup that the ACC needs to win to gain the respect of the national football media……Utah at UCLA 11:00 FOX: The coast-to-coast Big Ten geography gives TV networks an extra broadcast window and this week they use it. Utah had great expectations last year but fell short. Expect them to really focus on the defense and run game that has made them successful under Kyle Whittingham. UCLA finished 5-7 last year under first-year coach DeShawn Foster. UCLA showed potential at times last year during their 5-7 season but lacked consistency on offense. Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava transferred to Westwood and gives them a big upgrade. He won three games over ranked teams (Oklahoma, Alabama NC State) and has playoff experience. If he can ignite the Bruins offense, they are a bowl team and could surprise some people……Colorado State at Washington 11:00 Big Ten Network: Washington QB Demond Williams started the last two games against Oregon and Louisville and played very well despite constant pressure (sacked 15x in those two games). If Washington can protect him, he is a strong-armed QB with great versatility running the ball. Reports from guys who watched him work out at this summer’s Manning Passing Academy were very good.

Third Down: Saturday’s Best: #9 LSU at #4 Clemson 7:30 ABC: LSU has never shied away from tough season openers, and this one is no different. The game is in Death Valley (Clemson’s not LSU’s). This is the best QB matchup in week. For Clemson Cade Klubnik is coming off a 36 passing TD season and despite the playoff loss to Texas he put up excellent numbers against a really good Longhorn defense. Clemson has returning talent all over the place and seems to be on a mission this year. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier throws for lots of yards but will need to cut down on interceptions. One of the keys for LSU will be getting the running game going again, something that was not consistent enough for them last year. Last year Clemson lost the opener to #1 Georgia 34-3 and that rout seemed to hang over the team all year from the standpoint of losing national respect. A win here against a Top 10 SEC opponent changes perceptions dramatically……#8 Alabama at Florida State 3:30 ABC: As unhappy as Alabama fans were about last season, Florida State fans were even more shocked at how far they fell to a 2-10 record last season. But in the transfer portal age, teams can get better in a hurry. The challenge for FSU will be to quickly form a team from lots of parts with a new QB, a rebuilt offensive line and some coaching changes. For Alabama after a dynastic run fueled by great defense, they fell below the standards expected by the Tide. The roster is loaded in Tuscaloosa, but they will have to put it altogether in a road game facing a lot of unknowns…..#1 Texas at #3 Ohio State 12:00 FOX: Last year Texas caught Michigan in Ann Arbor when the Wolverines were breaking in a new QB. The same script is here in Columbus. Everywhere you look Ohio State has talent, but with 14 guys gone to the NFL, a lot of it is unproven talent. Texas QB Arch Manning has started two games, but going into Columbus with the weight of Texas fans’ expectations is a different deal. But the weight of expectations has always been there for him. OSU WR Jeremiah Smith had his worst game as a Buckeye against Texas with just 1 reception for 3 yards. They are going to need a lot more from him on Saturday to win this game. Look for new OSU QB Julian Sayin to go to Smith early and often. While Texas had 12 of their players drafted, they have the SEC’s leading returning rusher at RB. On defense their 6 returning starters on defense include LB Colin Simmons an active pass rusher who racked up 9 sacks last year. Of note Texas has won 11-straight true road games including wins at Alabama, Michigan and Texas A&M. The question remains until the end of this game, is OSU ranked this high because of reputation or is all the new talent ready for the big stage?

Fourth Down: An Extended Weekend: Virginia Tech vs #13 South Carolina in Atlanta Sunday 3:00 ESPN: South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers gave the Gamecocks a lift last year to a 9-4 record. He returns having passed for over 2500 yards. The 6-3 240-pound QB also ran for nearly 700 yards and is a big man to bring down in the open field……#6 Notre Dame at #10 Miami Sunday 7:30 ABC: Miami lost a big-time QB to the draft but picked up Georgia transfer Carson Beck in the transfer portal. Does he play at the same level he had at Georgia? That could be the key to Miami’s chances in this game and for the season. ND breaks in a new starter at QB CJ Carr. The grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr finds himself a starter at Notre Dame playing for an Ohio State alum in coach Marcus Freeman. Look for ND to lean on a power run game and a strong defense to take the pressure off Carr……….TCU at North Carolina Monday 8:00 ESPN: Why is this game on primetime? Bill Belichik makes his collegiate head coaching debut—that’s why. While Deon Sanders brought attention and flash to Colorado, Belichik brings a boatload of Championship experience and a coaching resume like no other.