National Game of the Week: #1 Texas @ #3 Ohio State
While I’m not a supporter of a bigger CFB postseason, one of the features is that it encourages more teams to schedule tough, fun non-conference games if a single loss doesn’t sink the season. Arch Manning and Julian Sayin will both get their first start in this showdown in the horseshoe. There are so many interesting wrinkles to this game. Ohio State replaces both of their excellent coordinators. It’s a non-con showdown on campus. The game is at 9 AM PT. What a wild way to open the (non-week 0, non-Ireland) season.
Also of note
- #8 Alabama @ Florida State, 12:30 PM PT- two teams coming off of VERY different types of disappointing seasons. It will be our first test of the hypothesis that Ty Simpson is a better fit than Jalen Milroe for the Kalen Deboer offense.
- #9 LSU @ #4 Clemson, 4:30 PM PT- Clemson is trying to get back to the national elite after a few years of being merely “very good.” LSU is trying to get over the hump under Brian Kelly to become part of the SEC’s inner circle. A win by either team will go a long way toward proving that status upgrade.
- #6 Notre Dame @ #10 Miami – 4:30 PM PT, Sunday – Those weird Sunday CFB games before the NFL starts can be very fun. Miami has turned over a lot of its roster after losing QB Cam Ward to the top of the NFL draft. Notre Dame is yet another team breaking in a new QB, but they are loaded elsewhere.