College football is back in full swing. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 1.
In the Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff, Louisville will take on Ole Miss in Nashville. The game has plenty of importance for both sides. Louisville comes into the game ranked No. 24, but will have a new quarterback in Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz. There should be enough talent for head coach Jeff Brohm to set him up for success. That talent includes star running back Isaac Brown and edge rusher Clev Lubin. The Cardinals have been a solid team, but this could be the year they break through and win an ACC Championship.
Ole Miss made a run to the CFP Semifinals last season, but this season will be different. Sure, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy returning to school should help the offensive potential. But Pete Golding takes over now with a little bit of a staff changeover and also some lost players to the portal and the NFL. The Rebels should have a good running game and a solid enough defense to be competitive in the SEC again, but this game against Louisville could be a good barometer of how good they can be.
Alex Golesh was a noted hire in the offseason as Auburn looks to improve things after the Hugh Freeze era. Auburn will not be able to ease him into things, as the Tigers play a power conference opponent, Baylor, in Atlanta to open the season. The Tigers are a team full of transfers, most notably quarterback Byrum Brown. The dual-threat runs Golesh’s offense well and even helped USF upset Florida last season.
Baylor comes into the game with Dave Aranda needing a big season. After some earlier success, things have been a bit rocky over the last few seasons. Quarterback DJ Lagway, a Florida transfer, is trying to find better play in Waco after having some struggles at Florida. If he reaches his potential, Baylor can have a great season, but it is a hard first game against Golesh and the Tigers.
The splashiest hire of the offseason was LSU hiring Kiffin from Ole Miss. Like Golesh, Kiffin doesn’t have a game to warm up, as the Tigers play Clemson in the first game. There is a good combination of returning talent and transfers on LSU’s roster that has them squarely expecting a CFP appearance this season. Kiffin was unable to coach Ole Miss in the CFP last season, but with quarterback Sam Leavitt in tow, along with plenty of weapons, he could be coaching in the CFP this season.
While Clemson had a down year last season, especially given their NFL talent that is now gone, they are still a solid program. Dabo Swinney will want a bounce back season and his player development will be put to the test. There are plenty of new starters that have been with the program for a while. Clemson may not win, but how they play in this game could give a look at how they may fare in a pivotal season for Swinney.
Wisconsin is technically the road team in a game that will be played at the historic Lambeau Field. Luke Fickell has been given more resources to work with as he continues to try to build Wisconsin up. Colton Joseph will play quarterback as a dual-threat option from Old Dominion. The offense, which has been a problem, could be more dynamic this season. Fickell will be up against his former defensive coordinator at Cincinnati, Marcus Freeman, in this game.
Notre Dame comes into this game with high expectations for the season. They missed out on the CFP last season, but now are on a revenge tour with a roster that has talent all over. Quarterback CJ Carr played solidly as a freshman and now has a chance to progress. The defense features plenty of future early NFL Draft picks, just as the offensive line does. If Notre Dame truly is a contender nationally, a win in this game against Wisconsin is a great way of showing it.
UCLA hired Bob Chesney from James Madison and things already seem different for the Bruins. While quarterback Nico Iamleava returns and will hope to develop further, plenty of transfers from James Madison, including running back Wayne Knight, will be tested at a new level of competition. Chesney has a good track record and could make UCLA more competitive early in his tenure.
California has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The sophomore passed for 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 64.2 percent completion as a freshman. He now has new weapons transferring in to aid his development in wide receivers Ian Strong (Rutgers), Chase Hendricks (Ohio) and tight end Dorian Smith (New Mexico). The defense lost some key pieces, but new head coach Tosh Lupoi is a defense-minded head coach who could get a lot out of the unit. A win in this game could be a key springboard for either program that takes home the victory.
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