Week 1 - The Call Sheet

God bless our troops. God bless America. And gentlemen, start your engines.

Film Review

Let’s review the film and dissect the week that was.

For FSU…is it can’t or won’t? - I spent the weekend thinking about FSU’s offense and there was one prevailing thought I couldn’t shake. Was Saturday’s inept downfield passing a case of can’t or won’t?

DJ Uiagalelei was startling pedestrian. I wasn’t expecting the transfer quarterback to be a world-beater, but I expected much more than what I saw.

The worrying part if you’re an FSU fan is Saturday’s performance came after a month of camp and prep. This feels like a “can’t” scenario, meaning I “won’t” expect a double-digit season until proven otherwise.

SMU’s QB Carousel - It’s easy to play armchair quarterback coach but I must admit, I didn’t love the quarterback rotation I saw from SMU on Saturday.

For most of the game, backup Kevin Jennings outplayed starter Preston Stone. And yet SMU somewhat shoehorned Stone down the stretch. Now, it did work out for the Mustangs, and Stone shook off the cobwebs in the fourth quarter to lead them to a win.

My question: Was the rotation more about rewarding Jennings for being an admirable fill-in QB in Stone’s absence last year or is this QB race a lot closer than previously advertised? Let’s keep an eye on this as the season progresses.

5-Wide

The 5 games you’re not gonna wanna miss this weekend.

No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 UGA

In the words of King of Queens star Kevin James, “God bless our troops. God bless America. And gentlemen, start your engines.”

We’re coming out of the gate swinging with a heavy-weight helmet matchup. What better way to set the tone and evaluate our pad level for Week 1 than with Dabo and Kirby squaring off in Atlanta?

There are storylines abound for this one, but it’s certainly not lost on me that Kirby Smart and the Georgia Death Machine epitomize everything Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney hates about the modern game.

Smart’s ruthless approach to recruiting and dominating the transfer portal couldn’t be a more polar opposite approach to Swinney's. If Georgia dog walks Clemson, this should be a clear sign Swinney and the Tigers need to reverse course and modernize their approach to the game.

On the field, I’m curious to see how Clemson looks in Year 2 with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and quarterback Cade Klubnik. Riley was touted as the fixer of the Tigers’ offensive woes when he was hired, but it hasn’t been a seamless transition. What better way to test your mettle than against the number one team in the country, am I right?

For Georgia, this game is just the appetizer for what’s to come with a loaded SEC schedule in 2024. Quarterback Carson Beck is already being tabbed as a potential number-one pick in April’s NFL Draft, so I’m excited to see him against a good defense in Week 1.

The Bulldogs enter the season ranked third and fifth in the country on offense and defense, according to ESPN Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. Both sides of the ball are loaded and this team feels ripe for a deep run in the College Football Playoff. But there’s plenty of time to talk about that later.

I suspect Georgia comfortably wins this glorified home game and we see an early-season churn of Is Dabo Swinney and Clemson At a Crossroads think pieces.

No. 8 Penn State vs. West Virginia

The pressure is on for Penn State and head coach James Franklin. In a 12-team College Football Playoff world, the landscape is ripe for the Nittany Lions to break through and finally earn a seat at the adult table.

There’s a long way to go before we seriously talk about that, but it all starts on Saturday against West Virginia.

Label me as curious to watch this game. Last year, Mountaineers’ head coach Neal Brown shook the ‘first coach fired’ label en route to a 9-4 record and a new contract. Though it’s tough to imagine a carbon copy performance in 2024, WVU has clearly cemented itself as a middle-of-the-road Big 12 team at a minimum and a frisky, why not us-level team toward the top end.

In a put-up or shut-up season in 2023, Brown and West Virginia delivered. Can Penn State do the same in 2024?

For years, the Nittany Lions have seemingly been hindered by either inefficient quarterback play or bad offensive playcalling. Franklin made a bold statement this offseason, poaching former Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to call plays in Happy Valley. Kotelnicki is regarded as one of the most creative, brightest minds in the sport. If it doesn’t work with him, it’s never going to work.

I have far fewer concerns about Kotelnicki and play-calling than I do about Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Allar was tabbed as a program-defining signal caller but failed to deliver in big games last season. Kotelnicki will surely scheme guys open, so it’ll be on Allar to spread the ball around.

This feels like a game Penn State should win, but breaking in a new offensive coordinator (even one as prolific as Kotelnicki) is rarely completely smooth sailing. West Virginia might be a popular upset pick due to last year’s success, but they picked on some bad teams in 2023. Penn State feels like the right move here.

Is there a world where a lemon-booty Penn State plays tight, Allar is a bit rusty and WVU hangs around? It’s not out of the realm of possibility. But I suspect Penn State pulls away late for a win.

No. 19 Miami vs. Florida

Vibes are a real thing, and they matter. Not sure you could find an early-season matchup between two teams with polar opposite vibes than Miami-Florida.

Entering the 2024 season, the Hurricanes are riding the preseason hype train, conducted by transfer quarterback Cam Ward. Ward’s electrifying playmaking skills and pinpoint accuracy should add a brand-new dimension to an otherwise very average Miami offense. Miami’s transfer coups coupled with a strong set of returners make the Canes an ACC title contender.

On the other side of the field, the vibes are not vibin’. The 2024 Florida Gators are set to embark on the toughest college football schedule ever assembled. Few Saturdays will feel comfortable, if even manageable. The seat is hot for head coach Billy Napier and a misstep (or worse) against an in-state rival could be the thread that unravels the spool.

Traditional wisdom says Miami should be the favorite. And while I like the Canes, I wouldn’t completely write off the Gators just yet.

Florida is starting the season with its back against the wall. If the Gators come out swinging, that could show the team is down to fight for its coach. If the team rolls over, that’s a good indicator in its own right.

In this matchup, I’ll be keeping an eye on the quarterback matchup.

Can Cam Ward hit the ground running? Will head coach Mario Cristobal let Ward cook or will he stick training wheels on a Camaro? How does Florida quarterback Graham Mertz look early? And how long is his leash before Napier breaks glass in case of emergency with freshman phenom DJ Lagway?

Both teams desperately need to get right from the jump. Which means somebody is going home with a sore backside.

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M

Perhaps this is my distaste for the holier-than-thou attitude Notre Dame sometimes projects, but I cannot shake this feeling that the Aggies are going to topple the Irish in Week 1. Call it a hunch. Call it vibes. Just don’t call me a liar.

My reasoning?

I’m a big fan of new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko. Elko is an FFC and since taking over, he and his staff (headlined by rising star offensive coordinator Colin Klein) have taken the polar opposite approach to their predecessors.

Former A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher signed a check his ass couldn’t cash. The boosters, however…I’ll see myself out.

Jokes aside, Jimbo Fisher and that version of A&M did a lot of talking and simply did not deliver. Elko and his staff have a quiet confidence about them and I think the Aggies could be poised to boom in the next few years.

In Week 1, though, it’s all about stopping the Irish. Last season, Notre Dame did what Notre Dame does, won the games it should have en route to a double-digit win season but ultimately failed to win when it mattered most. The Notre Dame calling card, if you will.

Marcus Freeman has proven his ability as a recruiter and face of a program, but he’s in desperate need of a statement win that propels both he and the Irish into the true upper echelon of the sport. I don’t think the South Bend faithful are getting impatient, per se, but they certainly will if the Irish can’t win some big games and become a College Football Playoff regular.

On the field, I’ll have my eyes on two areas: quarterback and the line of scrimmage. Both teams are breaking in new quarterbacks and I’m curious to see if either looks the part. I like the idea of ND quarterback Riley Leonard not under former offensive coordinator Gerad Parker’s tutelage, but injuries shortened his season last year. Can he stay healthy? Can he use his legs to evade pressure?

Speaking of pressure, Notre Dame is already down a starting left tackle. And news trickled out at the beginning of the week that the Irish plan to start three sophomores and two freshmen on the offensive line in Week 1. Six combined starts for an offensive line on the road against a fierce defensive line? 🚨 BBQ chicken alert 🚨

The Aggies boast a formidable pass rush attack, headlined by transfer defensive end Nic Scourton. Can Scourton and the rest of that Aggie defense make life hard for a weakened Irish offensive line? The ND offensive line-Texas A&M defensive line matchup will likely decide the game. Keep an eye on this.

Sidenote: Avid Three-Point Stance reader and good friend Mark Nellis and his family are going to College Station for the game to cheer on the Irish. I hope the Nellis clan has an awesome time! That said, there is not enough money in the world that could stop me from cackling at the idea of a despondent Bill and Mark Nellis seeing a Texas A&M yell leader fist-pumping their stupid chant after a last-second win. A man can dream.

No. 13 LSU vs. USC

Grab the Pepto Bismal buddy, because we’ve got ourselves a Week 1 Indigestion Bowl.

What better way to stave off the Sunday Scaries and launch ourselves into Labor Day than with a matchup that features two programs whose fanbases vehemently think they should be much better than they actually are? What could go wrong?

Fresh off different types of disappointing 2023 seasons, both USC and LSU possess an eerily similar look and feel to them.

For starters, last year, both teams wasted generational talents in former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams and last year’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. Both teams had stinky 2023 defenses and couldn’t stop a runny nose if you handed them a box of Kleenex. And both coaches were poached away from their old gigs carrying the immeasurable weight of expectation and promise and as of now, have failed to deliver. (There was also a world where Lincoln Riley ended up at LSU and Brian Kelly at USC, but that’s a different conspiracy for a different day.)

In 2024, both coaches and teams have their eyes set on redemption.

USC is in a unique position entering the year. This program possesses the rare lowish floor-high ceiling ratio, meaning I could see the Trojans finish with anything ranging from 6-6 to 11-1. LSU is probably somewhere closer to the 7-10 win mark.

In this particular game, USC feels like a bit of an unknown. Miller Moss takes over at quarterback and has monster shoes to fill, despite a standout showing in the Trojans’ bowl game. Can the unhyped quarterback be the one the Trojans desperately need? And can USC’s defense (under the tutelage of former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn) grow a spine and get some stops?

LSU’s fate rests in the hands of new quarterback Garrett Nussmeir. Nussmeir stuck around despite Daniel’s ascension, so I suspect the staff has a lot of faith in him. Can he be the steadying ship the Tigers need? And can a new defensive coordinator get Harold Perkins and the defense firing again? We shall see.

At the time of writing, LSU is favored by six points and that feels right. Both teams have a lot riding on this kickoff game in Las Vegas. And the fun part of an Indigestion Bowl is that someone is going home feeling queasy.

Games I’m Keeping An Eye On 👀

North Dakota State vs. Colorado - It won’t happen, but NDSU you have the chance to do the funniest thing possible.

South Dakota State vs. Oklahoma State - Call me curious about the prospect of a close first half here. If SDSU can establish the run and limit star RB Ollie Gordon, watch out.

Miami Ohio vs. Northwestern - Chuck Martin is already fired up and the Redhawks haven’t kicked a ball yet. This is a sneaky fun upset watch. Can Miami go to that dinky high school field and steal a win? I think so.

The Brent Musburger Gambling Guide

My official locks of the week. (Lines are locked in at the time of writing)

LSU vs. USC OVER 63.5 - Let’s see some saloon door defenses in Las Vegas.

+50.5 Akron vs. Ohio State - Too many points, cannot resist.

+8.5 Penn State vs. West Virginia - In Andy Kotelnicki We Trust.

Miami OH vs. Northwestern UNDER 42.5 - Nasty work right off Lake Michigan.

-7 James Madison vs. Charlotte - Bob Chesney hive stand up.

What I’m Reading This Season

SID Sports - Don’t forget to subscribe to Griffin Olah’s SID Sports newsletter. As a former Divison I sports information director, Olah has a great grasp of the sport and I really enjoy his work.

This week, he did a deep dive on where things stand with the Connor Stalions-Michigan sign-stealing scandal and what might come next for Big Blue.

He also previewed the Southeastern Conference and examined the possibility of an SEC-heavy playoff field.

2201 Kimball Ave | Cameron Morgan - 2201 Kimball Ave is essential reading for all followers of Kansas State football. As a lifelong K-State fan and former player, Cameron brings a unique and thoughtful approach to the analysis of the Wildcats' football team. His newsletters are rational and insightful and I genuinely learn something new with every newsletter.

Split Zone Duo | Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson and Steven Godfrey - SZD is essential reading and following for CFB ball knowers. Godfrey, Richard and Alex are the Holy Trinity for college football analysis and insight. Each member brings a unique flavor to the conversation, which makes for insightful and downright hilarious banter about the sport we all love. If I had someone ask me where to start for smarter college football coverage, this SZD is where I'd send them.