Week 0 gave us a sample of the excitement of college football, but now the entree that is Week 1 is on our plates. As with most menus, some selections are more intriguing — spicier, if you will — than others. Five games stand out in the season-opening slate that will carry their impact into November and December
For the sake of this article, we'll only feature games featuring two FBS schools. To see potential FCS-over-FBS upsets, click or tap here.
That said, let's dive into the high-impact games that will allow winners to carry the sweet taste of victory throughout the fall and leave the losers with the rumblings of an upset stomach.
Clemson vs. Georgia
Clemson is likely Georgia's only ranked nonconference opponent unless Georgia Tech can carry its momentum from a Week 0 upset to its final regular season game. A win here will go a long way if the Bulldogs falter in a revamped SEC.
Clemson is coming off its worst season under Dabo Swinney since 2011. Faith in the former national championship head coach is waning, but a win over the preseason No. 1 team will reignite the spark in the Tiger fanbase. Yet, a bad loss here will severely hurt Clemson's at-large chances in the expanded College Football Playoff.
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Penn State at West Virginia
Is this the year James Franklin finally leads Penn State to the College Football Playoff? It's 12 teams now, so it's more likely. However, a victory in Morgantown is never easy, and the Nittany Lions must win a Week 1 road test. A win here could have PSU in the top 10 through mid-October. A loss will leave little room for error for a team that also plays USC, Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Meanwhile, a win for West Virginia will launch the Mountaineers — who went 9-4 last year — into national relevance as contenders for a wide-open Big 12.
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Miami (Fla.) at Florida
It seems as if everyone has talked about how Florida has the hardest schedule in the country. It starts with an in-state rival as Miami comes to town. After back-to-back losing seasons to open his Gator career, head coach Billy Napier could start feeling the pressure if he loses at home in Week 1.
On the other sideline, Miami has a lot of hype entering the season with Cam Ward transferring in at quarterback. The Hurricanes want to be in ACC title contention this fall, and a win against an SEC foe could be a great way to build momentum. If it loses to a team that may not make a bowl game this year, the loss could hover over Miami throughout the season.
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Notre Dame at Texas A&M
Out went Jimbo Fisher, and in came Mike Elko from Duke. It's a new dawn in College Station. Emerging over the horizon are the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, carrying in a top-10 ranking, arguably the best cornerback-safety duo in the country and... Elko's quarterback from last season, Riley Leonard.
Elko knows all about Leonard, who threw for over 4,000 yards under the coach when both were Blue Devils. The Aggies know all about Notre Dame's new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who was the offensive coordinator for Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels last season when LSU scored 42 points on Texas A&M.
Can Notre Dame under the Denbrock-Leonard combination have an offense to match its sure-to-be-good-again defense? Will Texas A&M open the Elko era with a statement? Tune in during Week 1 of college football.
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LSU vs. USC
The last two Heisman trophy winners went to LSU and USC, and now both quarterbacks are gone as the Tigers and Trojans enter a new era. Both teams open 2024 with similar outlooks and expectations, but only one team will emerge from Las Vegas with a Week 1 win.
Brian Kelly at LSU and Lincoln Riley at USC can't afford an early loss when the College Football Playoff is the expectation. This game will have ripple effects for sure.
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