Week 0 Recap + Week 1 Must Watch Games
- sidelinebeef
- Aug 26
- 7 min read
WEEK 0 RECAP
Game | Pick | Odds |
|---|---|---|
K-State vs Iowa State (Ireland) | K-State -3 | -115 |
Stanford @ Hawaii | Hawaii -2.5 | -110 |
This is what the BIG12 is all about! There was not a more college football way to start the year than with this Farmageddon game. Looking on paper I find it very hard to believe that Kansas State lost this game! They outgained Iowa State 383 to 313, they generated 4 sacks to Iowa State’s 1, and averaged nearly a yard and a half more per carry! But you got to get in the End Zone and you have to capitalize on mistakes to win these types of big games.
Both teams suffered from some wet weather and fumbles were a big part of this game. Including Dylan Edwards fumble on the first punt return of the game that unfortunately injured him causing him to miss the rest of the game. We’ll keep an eye out for updates on him for next week as he’s a key piece to the offense. However in his absence we saw some good things from Jackson.
The game was a rock fight until later in the 3rd quarter when K-State turned it over on downs on the Iowa State 33 yard line. Iowa State responded with an 11 play 67 yard TD drive that chewed 6 min off the clock to go up 14-7. The 4th quarter broke open as both teams were figuring out how to get down the field. I want to mention Becht is not the stereotypical run first QB but he is absolutely not afraid to use his legs and it has not failed him yet especially when they need a 1st down.
Ultimately this game really came down to 1 or 2 plays and if they played again tomorrow could go either way. The notes I’m ultimately taking away from this are:
1. Iowa State is gritty on both sides of the ball
2. K-State needs to learn how to move the ball without relying on explosive plays
3. Iowa State’s OL is still a question mark but their TE room is great
4. K-State’s DBs might be their biggest weakness
5. Will Dylan Edwards return and how much of an impact will that have on this offense?
Stanford 20 @ Hawaii 23
The Rainbow Warriors open the season 1-0 with a home win against a P4 team and -2.5 cover! It started shaky but as promised Alejado put on a performance and new CFB star Kansei Matsuzawa took us home with game winning field goal. Hawaii opened the game with a foolish fair catch that ultimately led to a Stanford TD by starting their drive on the 1 yard line. However Alejado soon responded with a big run and TD pass to make it 10-7.
Stanford struggled tremendously to move the ball through the air. QB Gulbranson was 15/30 with only 109 yards and 1 INT (INT in the 4th quarter). RB Micah Ford was a standout rushing for 113 yards with 1 TD averaging 4.3 ypc. Stanford as a whole rushed for 177 and relied heavily on Ford to move the ball. Meanwhile Alejado was 27/39 with 210 yards and 2 TDs. He injured his leg and continued to play with a limp but that didn’t slow him down much. On the final drive he was 5/7 51 yards and helped set up the game winning field goal from Matsuzawa.
This was another awesome game right on brand for Week 0 college football. Hawaii will take a trip to Arizona to face the Wildcats next week with another chance to trump a P4 team. Meanwhile Stanford will go to Provo to face off against FR QB Bear Bachmeier. There’s not many notes to take from this game, I like Hawaii… when they play at home…sometimes. It was really just a spot thing and Stanford is not very good. However, Micah Ford is fun to watch and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him transfer to a more competitive school next season because he has the talent.
WEEK 1 GAMES TO WATCH
Thursday, Aug 28
#25 Boise State @ South Florida
5:30PM EST / ESPN
Boise State -5.5 / Total: 62.5
While neither of these teams are P4 teams I think this will shape up to be a good matchup. Boise State is trying to earn its spot as the perennial G5 contender and USF has been known to get up at home. USF has a veteran roster under year 3 of Alex Golesh proved last year they can play good teams tight and Boise State has a lot to prove without Ashton Jeanty. Getting this game on a Thursday is a great appetizer for Saturday’s slate.
Nebraska @ Cincinnati (Arrowhead Stadium, KC)
9:00PM EST / ESPN
Nebraska -6 / Total: 53.5
Nebraska has a chance here to put the BIG10 on notice. While Cincinnati is not a serious conference contender in the BIG12 they have a decent roster and a veteran QB in Brendan Sorsby. If you sleep walk against them you will regret it. Year 3 Rhule and Year 2 Raiola has a lot of Go Big Red fans on the edge of their seats. If Nebraska comes out tight and dominates the Bearcats the “Dark Horse” label will be stamped on them quickly for the BIG10 race. Plus who isn’t curious to see how Raiola comes out this year.
Friday, Aug 29
Auburn @ Baylor
8:00PM EST / FOX
Auburn -2.5 / Total: 57.5
Talk about putting conferences on notice. Could you imagine the discourse about the SEC vs other conferences if Auburn goes to Waco and loses as a favorite here? Hugh Freeze has given us zero reason to believe he has competent QB play and I don’t know anyone realistic who’s hopeful about Arnold. Meanwhile Baylor returns Sawyer Robertson as one of the top QBs in the BIG12 and they feel they improved a ton since last year. This game will help shape how people view the SEC especially if Auburn starts to win games in conference after dropping the opener to a BIG12 team.
Georgia Tech @ Colorado
8:00PM EST / ESPN
Georgia Tech -4 / Total: 52.5
I don’t think enough people are talking about Brent Key and Georgia Tech. This is a team to watch this year. On the other side Colorado’s hype has died down tremendously. This is a classic CFB clash of styles. Georgia Tech plays physical upfront football and loves to dominate in the run game. Colorado is a finesse team that has lived and died by throwing the ball in recent seasons. The Buffs have won boat races while the Yellowjackets win rock fights. This is definitely one to watch.
Saturday, Aug 30
12:00PM EST / FOX
Ohio State -2.5 / Total: 47.5
Do I even need to explain this one? The rematch Texas has been asking for after that dramatic loss to the Buckeyes in the semi-finals…except there’s a lot of new faces. This time Arch Manning and Julian Sayin are in control and they’re accompanied by stand out WRs like Ryan Wingo and Jeremiah Smith. Both teams return tremendous talent and reload where needed, this sets up to be a true clash of the titans.
#8 Alabama @ Florida State
3:30PM EST / ABC
Alabama -13.5 / Total: 50.5
I could write 5 pages about why this game is a must watch! Ty Simpson takes over at QB for Alabama giving Kalen DeBoer an entirely new look offense. In year 3 will DeBoer bring Alabama to the post season? What about Thomas Castellano’s transferring from BC to remind Mike Norvell of Jordan Travis? Castellano’s said this week the toughest defense he’ll play all year is on his practice field… I’m not sure if this man is aware of the talent Bama has on that side of the ball. Between FSU’s saltiness of missing the playoff to their abysmal season last year, no one is sure what they have in store for us this year. But I do know one thing and giving the Crimson Tide defense bulletin board material is not a good idea.
7:30PM EST / ABC
Clemson -3.5 / Total: 57.5
“The Battle for Death Valley” you’ve probably heard that enough. This is another huge game on the slate for Week 1 that could help shape how the rest of the season turns out. LSU and Brian Kelly are notorious for dropping their season opener and this time it’s at Clemson. Dabo has been fighting to bring his Tigers back to a national championship and got very close last year. These are two of the few powerhouse programs that return veteran QBs and they both have talented defenses. This reminds me of that Clemson Georgia home-and-home we had a few years ago except I believe it will be higher scoring. If LSU wins here they’ll certainly be mentioned at the top of the rankings which is a good place to be in the beginning of the season.
Sunday, Aug 31
Virginia Tech vs #13 South Carolina (Atlanta, GA)
3:00PM EST / ESPN
South Carolina -7.5 / Total: 52.5
Virginia Tech was a disappointment last year after returning a lot of experience. This year Kyron Drones is back and looking to right the ship with a new cast of offensive weapons. South Carolina returns LaNorris Sellers (sneaky Heisman pick) after an electric debut last year. The Gamecocks competed well in the SEC and were a few plays away from being in the playoff. They do lose a lot on defense but return the well known Dylan Stewart at DE. Even if you don’t think VA Tech has a shot in this game, watching Sellers and Stewart is more than enough entertainment.
7:30PM EST / ABC
Notre Dame -2.5 / Total: 49.5
A ranked on ranked matchup on Week 1 Sunday?! Someone out there is really looking out for us. Catholics vs Convicts is back! Another matchup with new faces at QB. CJ Carr gets named the starter for the Fighting Irish and Carson Beck for the Canes. This game is very likely to be used later in the season as a measuring stick for the playoffs when discussing Notre Dame and Miami. While it is only Week 1, these non-conference matchups between ranked programs hold a ton of weight.
Monday, Sept 1
TCU @ North Carolina
8:00PM EST / ESPN
TCU -3.5 / Total: 56.5
Bill Belichick. That’s really it. UNC hasn’t been relevant outside of having some NFL talent here and there. Everyone is curious to see how Bill adjusts to the college game. With UNC’s schedule, people are expecting a lot from the Tar Heels this season. Starting off with a BIG12 opponent is a good way to set the tone for the season. Meanwhile TCU and Sonny Dikes look to compete for the BIG12 with Josh Hoover at QB. TCU was in the national championship just a few years ago and has changed dramatically since. Although they did finish 9-4 last year it wasn’t enough. They feel they have one of the best QBs in conference and will be looking to prove it Monday.
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