Here are my picks for what I think will be the “best of the best” in Week 1.
Most years fans don’t get to see many big-time games during college football’s opening weekend. Not this year! College football has rewarded its loyal fans with a smorgasbord of marquee games.
Let’s look at the cream of that crop.
#1: Alabama-Florida State
Despite being located very close to each other geographically, the Crimson Tide and Seminoles have played each other only four times. The last time they played was during Nick Saban’s first season back (2007). The Seminoles won, 21-14, in Jacksonville.
Courtesy: The Bleacher Report
The powerhouses meet again this Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta–in a game that has college football fans salivating!
Alabama lost to Clemson in last year’s national championship, but the Tide have reloaded. QB Jalen Hurts and RB Bo Scarbrough return to a squad that includes (yet again) the top-ranked recruiting class in the land. To nobody’s surprise, the Tide is ranked #1 to start the season.
But make no mistake about it: Coach Jimbo Fisher and Florida State are ready. The Seminoles come into Atlanta ranked #3 with a defense that’s going to be one of the nation’s best. The problem may be on offense. FSU needs to fill a void left by the departure of scrambling quarterback Dalvin Cook (1,753 rushing yards).
PREDICTION: Alabama 31, Florida State 21
#2: Florida-Michigan
‘One ugly outcome’ is the only way to describe what happened the last time Florida and Michigan met on the gridiron. The Wolverines embarrassed the Gators, 41-7, in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day 2016.
But a very different Florida team is coming to AT&T Stadium this week. The Gators are a defensive powerhouse, giving up an average of just 16.8 points a game last year. But, as usual, the Gators are searching for a consistent starter to take the reins of the offense. UF has been in that seat since the time Tim Tebow left town.
Jim Harbaugh
Michigan, on the other hand, is on the heels of a 2016 season defined by what could have been. The Wolverines should have been in the College Football Playoff but, instead, they ended up with a consolation prize–the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Offensively, Coach Jim Harbaugh goes into 2017 without several wide receivers and running backs from last year. But Wilton Speight returns at QB. Speight finished his junior year with 2,538 passing yards and 18 touchdowns.
At issue is the defense, where UM lost ten starters, including Heisman candidate, Jabrill Peppers. Expect the Michigan defense to struggle during the season’s opening weeks.
PREDICTION: Michigan 28, Florida 24
#3: West Virginia-Virginia Tech
The Black Diamond Trophy goes to the winner of the rivalry game between West Virginia-Virginia Tech—a trophy that symbolizes the impact the coal industry on those two states.
But the trophy hasn’t been awarded since 2005 because the teams no longer play in the same league (the defunct Big East). Thankfully, the rivalry will resume this Saturday at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. And both teams are primed and ready–each coming off a 10-win season.
Will Grier, WVU (photo, Blue Gold Sports)
Virginia Tech will rebuild offensively following the loss of quarterback Jerod Evans (268-of-422, 3,552 yards, and 29 touchdowns). Evans’ likely replacement is redshirt freshman Josh Jackson.
Meanwhile, WVU is in wholesale rebuilding mode because the Mountaineers return only seven starters from last season. One of the newcomers will be QB Will Grier. Grier was UF’s starting quarterback (2015), but he failing a drug test for the use of PEDs and transferred to Morgantown.
Grier has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the Big 12–if not the nation–before this season is said and done.
PREDICTION: West Virginia 31, Virginia Tech 27
#4: Tennessee-Georgia Tech
This is NOT a good way for Tennessee to test the waters without standout D-lineman, Derek Barnett. Georgia Tech’s triple option represents a formidable challenge for the Vols. But not only is Barnett gone, so is dual-threat QB Joshua Dobbs and RB Jalen Hurd.
Courtesy: AP/Sara D. Davis
The Volunteers missed a chance to win the SEC East title last year — Florida and Georgia were both down — but now it’s time to put that slip-up into the rearview mirror.
The situation is very different in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is coming into this season with momentum–winners of six of its last seven games The Yellow Jackets return several starters on an offense that generated 258.1 rushing yards last season. The defense has one of the more experienced secondaries in the ACC.
PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 34, Tennessee 21
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Award-winning journalist (Kentucky Press Association), Cameron Brown, is a Western Kentucky University undergraduate majoring in journalism and secondary education (history) with a minor in broadcasting. Contact Cameron at cameronbrown647@yahoo.com.
