College football is back… sort of… with a small slate of games for “Week 0”. The logic of week 0 aligns around the foreign trip to Dublin Ireland for the most high profile game of Florida State and Georgia Tech, but there isn’t much rhyme or reason to the other slate of games.
If I was the commissioner of division 1 college football (like the video game, there’s no reason to include the four letter acronym) I would manage things slightly different this weekend. By the way, this is a concept to explore further, the problems with college football in realignment and transfer portal and NIL is that the rules of the game are set at a conference, not national, level (ala the issues with that four letter acronym).
Anyway, here’s what I would do, I would definitely consider the international games, there’s nothing wrong with doing a game in Europe, Asia, and South America / Mexico / Canada. Next, I would pick matchups that interest the general population. Consider this model the same thing done in the NFL with Thanksgiving (although, all games are attractive in that league) and the NBA with Christmas. For example, let’s keep the matchup with Florida State and Georgia Tech in Ireland and tack on an afternoon game in Japan between Auburn and Kansas and then another matchup in Mexico between Wisconsin and Oregon State. The names of the teams are interchangeable just pick teams from the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12, but you are getting more high profile programs than Montana State, New Mexico, and Delaware State (no disrespect intended, but stand alone games should have a greater reach to the audience). We’re getting a sampler this weekend, which is better than nothing, but Saturday will definitely leave us hankering for more.
Yet I do have a couple picks for this weekend:
Florida State -10.5 (2 units) – Georgia Tech is going in the right direction as a program after last season with a strong run game both offensively and defensively, but I do believe Florida State is out for revenge and playing mad after last year’s playoff disappointment and bowl game disaster. I think they are motivated to the win conference and make it to the first 12 team tournament. I also feel, although unpopular, the experience and talent of DJ Uiagalelei will bring forth a successful season in the mold of recent transfers Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels. With it being a week 0 neutral site, the spread is tight, but I believe Florida State finds a way to win by 2 to 3 touchdowns.
Florida State / Georgia Tech Under 55.5 (1 unit) – With all this in mind, I would also consider a sprinkle of the under for Florida State and Georgia Tech as Georgia Tech likes to run the ball which will run clock and eventually lead them to a one-dimensional game. Furthermore, yes, I believe in Florida State’s passing game, but this game may state slow and pick up steam as it goes along especially considering the time zone differences of being in Europe (last year ND dominated Navy, but even in the 42 to 3 win, it wasn’t enough to cover.
I like SMU this season (as a dark horse to win the ACC and fight off Florida State, Clemson, and Miami), but a 4 TD win against Nevada on the road is difficult to project. I would consider a piece of this game if it was in Texas, but ultimately I am calling this a stay away (unless I find something I like later in the day).
And off we go with week #0, I am ready for football to be back, but I will definitely be longing for more when I draft my first fantasy football team tomorrow night (more on that tomorrow).
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