College Football 2014: 3 Games To Watch in Week One

Week One of college football is finally upon us, and there’s some great football spread across the whole weekend, through into Monday. But, if you only have time to watch a few games, here’s a handy little guide to set you up for the best of the weekend’s action!

No. 13 Louisiana State vs. No. 14 Wisconsin
NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)
11.00am; ESPN2/ESPN2-HD

Nothing is more hyped in college football these days than the SEC’s incredible dominance over the Big Ten. It’s the story of a power conference taking on a conference that would like to believe it’s a power conference, and on Saturday night on a neutral site – NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas – one of the upper echelon of the Big Ten, Wisconsin, get chance to change the tide of SEC vs. Big Ten contests with a win against Louisiana State.

Gary Andersen’s Badgers are the Big Ten West favourites, but won’t find it easy against Les Miles’ Tigers, whose big and athletic defense will look to stop Wisconsin’s resident 1600-yard rusher, Melvin Gordon. It’s always been about the ground game with the Badgers, and that certainly won’t change entering Andersen’s second season in Madison.

Whether Gordon can gain ground against a very good defensive front is a giant question mark. As is the ability of the Badgers to stop the LSU offense. Granted, the Tigers have lost a lot of talent – QB Zach Mettenberger, RB Jeremy Hill and WR Odell Beckham Junior – but the Badgers defense only returns three starters (and, crucially, none in the front seven) and Miles has brought in a tremendous recruiting class, with offensive talent for days. One guy in particular, highly-touted RB Leonard Fournette is meant to be a gun. We’ll see on Sunday morning.

Fearless Prediction: LSU by 14

No. 16 Clemson vs. No. 12 Georgia
Sanford Stadium (Athens, Georgia)
7.30am; ESPN2/ESPN2-HD

Last year’s game was an absolute corker, ending 38-35 in favour of Clemson, but not before offensive fireworks on both sides, and banner days for both quarterbacks, Tajh Boyd for Clemson and Aaron Murray for Georgia. Both those guys are gone, as are other offensive weapons on both sides (including the double receiver threat of Sammy Watkins and Martavius Bryant for Clemson), so it’s something of the great unknown for Clemson this year.

Not so much for Georgia, who are ready to welcome back receiver Malcolm Mitchell and injured running back Keith Marshall. Georgia’s uneven year in 2013 had a lot to do with Aaron Murray’s injury-plagued campaign, but the upside going forward is that 2014 starter Hutson Mason isn’t exactly a novice coming into this one. At least to a certain extent, he’s been there, done that and knows what he’s doing. That’s a major confidence builder.

The Georgia offense looks potent. Clemson’s defense figures to be one of the best in the ACC, but whether it can stand up to the myriad threats that the Bulldogs offense is another question. Offensively, what shape will the Tigers take? Will they require a few games to really get rolling? Most likely. Should still be an entertaining contest, and probably a high-scoring one.

Fearless Prediction: Georgia by ten.

Michigan vs. Appalachian State
Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
2.00am; ESPN2/ESPN2-HD

The last time Appalachian State, an FCS (read: Division II) powerhouse, came into the Big House, they departed with one of the more improbable victories in the history of college football. It was seen as something of an aberration then – after all, week one’s traditionally provide monumental upsets – but was actually a harbinger of things to come for the Wolverines, who struggled through uncompetitive years under Rich Rodriguez and are now rebounding, at least to a point, under Brady Hoke.

The biggest story for Michigan’s season isn’t really even to do with the Wolverines. It’s the fact that Ohio State’s QB Braxton Miller is out for the year, which makes the Big Ten race wide open, and there’s a school of thought that, perhaps, Michigan’s quarterback Devin Gardner is now the best in the conference.

How Michigan’s offense looks against Appalachian State, who are probably better, on their day, than a lot of Division I schools, is going to provide a key to how they’ll look heading into Big Ten play. New offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, over from Alabama, has made an immediate impact on the team. With Notre Dame on the docket next week in South Bend, this game is an important tune-up for the Wolverines.

You get the feeling – at least, I do – that 2014 represents a make or break year for Hoke, which means the Wolverines need to take a massive run at a Big Title and, probably, record wins over Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State. Oh, and improved defence wouldn’t hurt either. It all starts at the Big House against Appalachian State.

Fearless Prediction: Michigan by 28