College Football Week 1 Viewing Guide

(Photo Credit: The only major sports network to get scammed by a fake high school in the past year)

It has been a while since I was able to write due to a busy first month of medical school, but just like for college football, this week provides an opportunity to get back into the swing of things on this blog. Though last weekend gave us a handful of games to watch, this week is when the actually good teams start to play (sorry, Nebraska). Here's a quick guide to what to watch for this week as the 2021-2022 season kicks off for a majority of the teams around the country.

Two Key Storylines Heading Into the Season

How do the Top Programs Perform With New QBs?

The quarterback position is what separates good college football teams from College Football Playoff teams more often than not. This year, perhaps the three most consistent playoff contenders (Clemson, Ohio State, and Alabama) all replace exceptional players at the position.

Clemson's DJ Uiagaleilei (pronounced "ooey-ung-uh-luh-lay" if you want to sound educated on the sport to your friends) flashed tremendous upside at times last season in a couple games replacing Trevor Lawrence. Alabama's Bryce Young was a mega-recruit out of California that seems to be the heir-apparent to a strong run of signal-callers for the Crimson Tide despite minimal meaningful game experience. Both of those players seem like locks to be impact players at the position going forward, so don't expect the Tigers and Crimson Tide to regress much in the near future.

The big question mark of the three is Ohio State's recently-named starter CJ Stroud. By no means an unheralded prospect, Stroud's in-game experience pales in comparison to the other two QBs mentioned thus far. However, the Buckeyes have a loaded receiver room and an excellent track record of passer development under Ryan Day. While I won't say he's a lock to perform at a Heisman-level like the other two seem to be, I think Stroud will prove to be a great player for the Buckeyes as he attempts to fill the hole left by Justin Fields' departure to the NFL this past offseason. He's by far the biggest wild card of the three going into this weekend, though, so be sure to tune in their game to view the early returns

Do We See a New Face in the Playoff This Year?

One thing that seems as annual as Christmas each year: Alabama, Clemson, and two of Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, or another SEC team in the CFP. With the relative uncertainty at QB for some of the top contenders, is this the year a team or two cracks the final four for the first time? The major contenders: Iowa State, Texas A&M, and USC.

Iowa State brings back an incredibly accomplished and experienced team led by Heisman-contending RB Breece Hall and QB Brock Purdy. A stout offensive line, accomplished weapons at TE and WR, and the best defense in the Big 12 Conference round out a roster that has the makings of representing their conference in the playoff. They open up with a tune-up versus Northern Iowa before an expectation-setting matchup with rival Iowa in Week 2. This team can match up toe-to-toe with Oklahoma, and that might be enough to make the CFP.

A&M is phenomenally-talented across the roster led by blue-chip NFL prospects in DL Demarvin Leal and OT Kenyon Green. Questions at QB exist with the departure of Kellen Mond, but the rest of the roster looks primed to make a run at an SEC title. It's hard to predict that anyone is going to beat out Alabama in the SEC on a yearly basis, but the Aggies are talented enough to seize pole position in the nation's best football conference this season.

USC's inclusion on this list stems from two things:

1. The Pac-12 isn't very good

2. They have a terrific quarterback.

Junior signal-caller Kedon Slovis is one of the best in the country and he stands at the helm of a talented offense. The Trojans have never made the CFP, and I wouldn't count on head coach Clay Helton as the guy to elevate the program in any given year. However, the rest of the conference is pretty weak this year, and I wouldn't be shocked if USC rode Slovis' passing to an 11-1 regular season record and a conference title. Depending on how the chips fall in the other conferences, I would consider that a strong case for a spot in the CFP.

The Must-See Game in Week 1

No. 3 Clemson at No. 5 Georgia

When: Saturday, 6:30 PM CT

Where to Watch: ABC or ESPN app

Why: This game is an absolutely gargantuan matchup between two of the top four (in my opinion) playoff contenders in the country this season. The Tigers are breaking in the post-Trevor Lawrence era between the hedges in what will be among the most hostile environments imaginable at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. Georgia has been a notch below the elite for a couple seasons, but with JT Daniels seizing the starting QB job and an absurdly-talented team on both sides of the ball, this is the best Bulldogs since the national runner-up squad in 2017-18 season. This game has astronomical playoff implications for both teams, and we'll have a much better idea of the power structure of college football in 2021-22 at the end of this game.

Other Games You Should Definitely Watch

(In chronological order, all times Central)

Boise State at UCF (6pm Thursday on ESPN)

Why: It's a battle of two premier Group of 5 programs with both sides under new coaching this season. It wouldn't be surprising if the winner of this game finds itself representing the Group of 5 in a New Year's Six bowl game at the end of the year if Cincinnati stumbles.

No. 4 Ohio State at Minnesota (7pm Thursday on FOX)

Why: As mentioned before, it's the debut of Buckeyes starting QB CJ Stroud against a Gophers team that might have some say in the Big Ten West this season after a disappointing 2020. Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim is one of the best in the nation, but he might not even prove to be one of the three most electrifying skill players in this game. Buckeye WRs Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are the best receiving tandem in America, and keep an eye out for a true freshman having a breakout debut in OSU back TreVeyon Henderson. After reviewing the five-star recruit's film, I'm extremely high on his ability coming out of high school. It sounds like the Buckeye coaching staff is as well.

No. 10 North Carolina at Virginia Tech (5pm Friday on ESPN)

Why: The Tar Heels are another team that is mentioned as a potential fresh face in the playoff this year due to sensational junior QB Sam Howell and a tremendous string of recruiting classes brought in by head coach Mack Brown. I personally think they lost too much talent from last year's team to be a legitimate contender at the highest level this season, but this game on Friday night in Blacksburg could serve as a good measuring stick for where UNC can go this season.

No. 19 Penn State at No. 12 Wisconsin (11am Saturday on FOX)

Why: Two of the strongest Big Ten programs of the previous decade clash on Saturday to open what is hopefully a departure from the results of 2020 for both teams. The Nittany Lions are talented, but last season's faceplant can't be ignored when evaluating the true strength of their roster this season. Wisconsin had similarly disappointing results last year, but returns a vast majority of its production and hopes that second-year starter Graham Mertz has developed significantly at the QB position this offseason. Saturday will go a long way toward jump-starting a bounce-back year for one team while leaving a bitter outlook for 2021 with the other. Don't expect a lot of points in this one.

No. 17 Indiana at No. 18 Iowa (2:30pm Saturday on Big Ten Network)

Why: The Hoosiers were one of the darlings of the 2020 season before an ACL injury to star QB Michael Penix derailed the end of their season. Indiana head coach Tom Allen has the entire IU community buzzing with some impact transfers arriving in the offseason and Penix's (hopefully) healthy return. Their opponent appears to be a classic Iowa football team: Not elite, but tough. A win against a team with massive momentum like the Hoosiers could elevate the expectations for the season in Iowa City and potentially set up a top-15 showdown attended by College GameDay next week in Ames, Iowa against Iowa State.

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 14 Miami (2:30pm Saturday on ABC)

Why: The defending national champions break in a new starting quarterback in Atlanta against a strong Hurricane team that is eager to take the next step toward reclaiming the mantra of "The U". With 19 returning starters (including a now-healthy D'Eriq King at QB), Miami presents a legitimate challenge to the Crimson Tide, especially if the infamous "Turnover Chain" changes hands frequently in this one. If Miami can force a few turnovers from a young QB and play smart on their side of the ball, this could turn into a massive upset in Week 1. I'd be a little more open to that possibility if the game was actually in Miami, though.

No. 23 Louisiana at No. 21 Texas (3:30pm Saturday on FOX)

Why: The Steve Sarkisian era in Austin opens against a feisty Louisiana team that has some history with upsetting Big 12 contenders (see Iowa State 2020). The Longhorns have to replace the heart-and-soul of their team in Sam Ehlinger, but I do think there's ample reason to believe that Sarkisian's offensive wizardry will bring on-field improvement sooner rather than later for Texas. Louisiana head coach Billy Napier is one of the hottest names in coaching after last season's 10-1 campaign. Heading into Austin and beating one of the premier brands in the sport on a Saturday afternoon would be a phenomenal feather in his cap as he likely turns his eye toward a job at a major program next offseason.