Ranking the top 10 must-see games during opening week 2016
The beginning of September marks the long-anticipated return of college football, and the schedule offers some very intriguing games to open up the season.
While non-conference games typically dominate the early portion of the schedule, there are five matchups that could have significant implications on how the final standings shake out.
10. Arizona vs. BYU - Sat. Sept. 3
The opening week matchup between Arizona and BYU will be played under the lights of The University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Although technically on neutral ground, the house of the Arizona Cardinals will act as a home away from home for the Wildcats. Neither team boasts a strong 2016 recruiting class, with both teams falling on the wrong side of the top 40. Arizona may need the bright lights of a home NFL stage to overcome BYU, who regularly received votes throughout the year last season. Rookie head coach and former BYU fullback Kalani Sitake will also be looking for his first victory at the helm of the Cougars.
9. Kansas State at (8) Stanford - Fri. Sept. 2
While Kansas State may not be the most difficult opponent Stanford will face during the regular season, the game does mark the first chance for Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey to prove his worthiness for the 2016 Heisman trophy. The star running back will likely be too much for the Wildcats' defense to handle as David Shaw and the defending Pac-12 champions look to roll through Week 1 with a non-conference victory
8. (16) UCLA at Texas A&M - Sat. Sept. 3
The season-opening matchup between UCLA and Texas A&M will mark Trevor Knight's debut with the Aggies, who was named the starting quarterback by head coach Kevin Sumlin. Knight will go head to head with Bruins pivot Josh Rosen, who many predict will be a top five FBS quarterback come season's end. Both teams are coming off 8-5 seasons, and the Week 1 matchup between the Pac-12 and SEC should prove to be a tightly contested affair with two power quarterbacks fighting to out-duel each other.
7. (10) Notre Dame at Texas - Sun. Sept. 4
Royal Texas Memorial Stadium will be the site for the opening-week clash between Notre Dame and Texas, where the Longhorns will look to avenge a horrid loss to the Fighting Irish in 2015. Notre Dame crushed Texas by a score of 38-3, and Brian Kelly's squad - led by DeShone Kizer and Torii Hunter Jr. - will not soon forget its quest for revenge. The Irish own the lead in the overall series, beginning in 1971, with a record of 9-2. The hangover of last year's success for the Fighting Irish suggests that Notre Dame will triumph over Texas. However, a heated quarterback battle between last year's primary pivots Jerrod Heard and Tyrone Swoopes, and incoming freshman Shane Buechele, in Longhorns camp could breed positive competition and provide a hot hand heading into opening weekend.
6. (18) Georgia vs. (22) North Carolina - Sat. Sept. 3
Opening weekend marks the head coaching debut of Kirby Smart at Georgia, and the first on-field task for his team comes in the form of a respectable North Carolina squad. The Bulldogs have an amount of uncertainty heading into 2016, regarding both the passing game and the running game. Smart has yet to announce a starting quarterback, whether it will be Greyson Lambert or incoming freshman Jacob Eason, and whether or not star running back Nick Chubb will be 100 percent for game day. North Carolina will look to build on an 11-win season a year ago, but will have a new look under center as Marquise Williams now takes up a roster spot on the Green Bay Packers. Despite the question marks, Georgia looks to be the favorite in the matchup and will look to reward Smart with a 1-0 start against Power-5 opponents.
5. (2) Clemson at Auburn - Sat. Sept. 3
Auburn appears to have its hands full during opening weekend, as powerhouse Clemson along with Heisman Trophy favorite DeShaun Watson visit Jordan-Hare Stadium to kick off 2016. Coming off of a disappointing 7-6 season, Gus Malzahn and company would like to put a feather in their caps with a win over last year's Orange Bowl champions. The task will not be an easy one, with favorited starting running back Jovon Robinson now dismissed from the team, and the quarterback situation undecided between returning pivots Sean White and Jeremy Johnson, and incoming transfer John Franklin III. The loss of Robinson could be the difference maker, but a rebuilding Clemson defence headlined by Carlos Watkins, Christian Wilkins, Ben Boulware, and Cordrea Tankersley will need to step up in order for its potent offence to go to work.
4. (5) LSU vs. Wisconsin - Sat. Sept. 3
SEC battles Big Ten in our third-ranked matchup of opening weekend as LSU takes on Wisconsin. The two teams will face off at the legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay and the atmosphere should make for a highly entertaining bout. The Badgers and the Tigers meet for the second time in three years on opening weekend, with LSU taking the victory in 2014 by a score of 28-24. Top Heisman candidate and LSU running back Leonard Fournette will have a daunting task ahead of him, as the Badgers finished 2015 allowing the second lowest average yard total per play. Wisconsin, however, has yet to earn a victory over LSU in the program's history, and will need senior quarterback Bart Houston to step in for the departed Joel Stave and make an impact.
3. (3) Oklahoma at (15) Houston - Sat. Sept. 3
Oklahoma's opening game against Houston is already shaping up to be a notable game, but with Houston's candidacy for Big 12 expansion, a brand new conference matchup would be just what the doctor ordered for college football fans. Along with potential conference implications, the game is set to take place on neutral ground, albeit still in the city of Houston, at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans. Sooners Heisman candidate Baker Mayfield will not have to wait long before he is tested in 2016, as Houston looks to build off of a 13-1 season in 2015 that saw the Cougars victorious in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl over ninth ranked Florida State. Senior pivot Greg Ward Jr. should not be overlooked in the process, as Houston stands to give Oklahoma some of its best competition in 2016 right out of the gate.
2. (20) USC vs. (1) Alabama - Sat. Sept. 3
Alabama will open the season in the top spot of the AP polls on Sept. 3 against another ranked team, No. 20 USC. If a game between two ranked teams - one being the top team in the country - isn't enough for viewers and fans, the game will also be taking place at the luxurious AT&T Stadium. Despite having one of the top receivers in college football in JuJu Smith-Schuster, redshirt junior quarterback Max Browne will be in tough against a tenacious Alabama defense. Both teams will have quarterbacks thrust into starting jobs after the departures of Jake Coker and Cody Kessler. Alabama is no stranger to performing at a high level under bright lights and high-pressure situations, and USC will need an overall extraordinary effort to best the Tide.
1. (11) Ole Miss vs. (4) Florida State - Mon. Sept. 5
There may be no better way to end college football's opening weekend than a matchup between two highly ranked teams at the Florida Citrus Bowl. With Florida State expecting quarterback Sean Maguire to miss the first game of the season, the workload will fall to redshirt freshman Deondre Francois. Maguire's injury undoubtedly hands Ole Miss the advantage in the passing game, with Chad Kelly looking to build off a strong 2015 campaign against Derwin James and the Seminoles' defensive corps. The Rebels will need to put forth a strong effort to stop Dalvin Cook from taking over the game on the ground in a game that is likely to back up its spot as the most anticipated contest of opening weekend.