If it’s possible that anything college football related can go under the radar, please continue reading. The overall starvation level for football leads to major over-excitement and over-analysis of every game played before the first Saturday of the season.
The truth likely is that Oregon State – Minnesota or South Carolina – Vanderbilt on Thursday will have zero impact on college football as a whole in December, but you can bet your bottom it’ll be combed over like it’s a battle of top 10 teams in November.
With all of that said, here are a few games to keep at least a passing eye on while you’re indulging in your LSU – Wisconsin, Florida State – Ole Miss, and amalgam of other more high profile games that first weekend of the season that may have something to say about themselves long after they’re played.
- Rutgers @ Washington
Much is being made of how good the Huskies could be, what with that electric backfield headed by Jake Browning at quarterback and Myles Gaskin at running back. The slew of sophomores on this squad will be dealing with major, top 15 expectations for a program that folks are dying to see get back among the elite. This will be the first look at them, against a major conference opponent that seems to show up and play well in the most random of spots.
- Boise State @ UL-Lafayette
This is a pretty darn tough spot for the Broncos to start off in, on the road playing at 11 a.m. central time, which is 10 a.m. their time. Much is expected of Boise State, led by quarterback Brett Rypien, he of all the (warranted) hype one can imagine. BSU enters what should be a hostile environment in an obtuse time slot with an opponent who, beating them, could make their season. ULL, in spite of their dour 2015, has been one of the more consistently good Sun Belt teams under Mark Hudspeth and shouldn’t be an easy “out.”
- Missouri @ West Virginia
Due to the whole “perception is reality” thing in college football, generally speaking, any games between Power 5 conferences should be paid attention to. Who could forget Big 10’s Indiana knocking off Mizzou in a season when they went to an SEC Championship two years ago. Indiana: SEC Runners Up was a sarcastic comment that stood the test of time. Absent the fact that WVU needs to get off on a good foot and an SEC opponent surely would provide some confidence fodder, especially if their explosive offense finds track, perception wise, this game could affect other teams in the conference. Guilty by association only works in college football.
- BYU @ Arizona
Deep into the EST night (10:30) on a channel most people still cannot readily find (Fox Sports 1) comes a game between two groups that should have reasonably high ceilings. BYU always outdoes themselves schedule wise early in the season, and Arizona will be looking to bounce back after sort of a “lukewarm milk” sort of 2015 after a breakout 2014. Things could go sideways in a hurry for the loser, especially if it’s Arizona.
- UCLA @ Texas A&M
It’s hard to fathom a game with these names being “overlooked,” but it happens in the same time window as LSU – Wisconsin from Lambeau Field. Eyeballs will be pre-trained to fixate on that slug fest up north for a multitude of reasons. This one is sneaky good because it wouldn’t be nearly surprising if TAMU knocked off top 20-ish (depending on what polls you read, top 15-ish) UCLA. It would provide a great springboard for the Aggies to put behind them a scuffling 2015, and a big “HEY LOOK AT US” moment for UCLA.
