Week 1 - The Call Sheet
An SEC-B10 blockbuster, Death Valley delight and Sunday Night Football in Coral Gables.
5-Wide
The 5 games you’re not gonna wanna miss this weekend.
Auburn vs. Baylor
Fresh off a disappointing 5-7 record in 2024, Auburn needs to get off to a hot start to get its coach off the hot seat. Head coach Hugh Freeze is just 11-14 since arriving on The Plains. Without a drastic uptick in wins, he’ll face the prospect of being fired at the end of the 2025 season.
Since his arrival, the offenses, his calling card, have fallen below expectations, ranking 71st nationally in both 2023 and 2024. To fix the offense, the Tigers turned to the portal and brought in former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold.
Arnold is a bit of a reclamation project, but if he pops, the Tigers could be in business. He’ll be throwing to a trio of standout receivers, in transfers Eric Singleton Jr., Horatio Fields and standout sophomore Cam Coleman. Coleman led the Tigers with eight touchdowns in 2024 and is shaping up to be one of the best receivers in college football.
Staying on offense, Auburn brings back three starting offensive linemen from last year’s group. The Tigers added a solid starter in Xavier Chaplin from Virginia Tech.
Former workhorse Jarquez Hunter is off to the NFL, so the Tigers will turn to a running back by committee approach in his absence. They’ll need to find ways to run the ball to take the pressure off Arnold and the passing game.
On defense, Auburn enters the season fresh off allowing just 21.3 PPG and 3.08 YPC in 2024. The secondary is filled with returning talent, and added Raion Strader from Miami Ohio via the transfer portal. Last season, Strader was the best corner in the MAC. He should make an immediate impact.
Up front, Auburn returns premier pass rusher Keldric Faulk, who led the team in sacks last year (7) and finished second in tackles per loss (11). The linebackers should also be solid and ready to make plays right from the get-go.
Across the field, Baylor enters this game having won its final six regular-season games in 2024 and finishing with an 8-4 record.
The story of the Bears’ last season starts and ends with the offense. Baylor had the 20th-ranked offense in 2024 and brought a lot of guys from that group back. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital had a bit of a revival last season and will look to continue to build on that success this season.
In 2024, quarterback Sawyer Robertson was one of the top quarterbacks in both the Big 12 and the entire country. He finished last season with 3,071 yards and 28 touchdowns and 8 interceptions and ranked 14th in the country in pass efficiency.
Other notable returners include wide receiver Josh Cameron and running back Bryson Washington. Last season, Cameron, a former walk-on, caught 10 touchdowns and became the first double-digit touchdown catcher at Baylor since 2021. Washington also had a fantastic 2024 campaign, rushing for 1,028 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Baylor also returns four of five starting linemen from last year’s unit.
For all the good things the Bears did on offense last season, things were truly awful on defense. That group ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 in most statistical categories in 2024.
This year, that side ball brought in a ton ot transfers. Head coach Dave Aranda is also expected to maintain playcalling duties. One bright side from that group is linebacker Keaton Thomas, who finished last year with 114 tackles, seven TFL, 2.5 sacks and a pick six.
The kicking game should be strong for Baylor in 2025. The Bears bring back punter Palmer Williams, who finished with a 49.4-yard average last year. They also signed Rhett Armstrong, who is expected to be one of the best placekickers in college football.
Keys to the Game
I can’t wait to watch the chess match between Baylor’s offense and Auburn’s defense. Both units were strong last season and are expected to put up similar numbers this time around.
This game should showcase an interesting clash of quarterback play, too. Robertson is a real-deal gunslinger, and I suspect he and the Bears will cause a lot of problems for the Auburn defense. On the other side, I’m curious to see how Jackson Arnold looks in his debut.
Final Verdict
Both teams face difficult conference schedules, and Baylor has a treacherous remaining non-conference slate after this game, meaning this game just feels big for both teams.
Vegas indicates that Auburn is a slight favorite, despite being on the road. I’m usually inclined to go with the proven commodity at quarterback, but I think Auburn’s receiving core will give Baylor’s secondary fits. I think I’m picking Auburn to pick up a much-needed victory to kick off the 2024 season.
Texas vs. Ohio State
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Arch Manning era is now.
After a 13-3 finish and College Football Semifinal appearance last season, Texas has its eyes and heart set on breaking through for a national title.
Manning will finally ascend the Burnt Orange throne as QB1. He’s an early Heisman favorite, but will have his work cut out for him behind a reworked offensive line with four new starters.
The Longhorns do have a stacked running back room, however, led by Quintrevion Wisner, who rushed for 1,064 yards and five touchdowns last season. Out wide, receivers DeAndre Moore Jr. and Ryan Wingo are back, along with Stanford transfer Emmett Mosley V, who had 48 receptions and six touchdowns last season for the Cardinal.
Tight end Gunnar Helm is off to the NFL, but in steps former Cal tight end Jack Endries. I’m bullish on the impact Endries can have on the short and intermediate passing game.
On the other side of the ball, the Longhorns had an incredibly stout defense last season. They’ll need to replace a swath of defensive linemen, largely with transfers. Big incoming transfers include defensive tackles Cole Brevard (Purdue), Travis Shaw (UNC) and Hero Kanu (Ohio State), along with a ton of elite recruits.
EDGE Colin Simmons finished with nine sacks last season and is back to fortify the edge for the Longhorns. Linebacker Anthony Hill was arguably the best LB in the country last season and is back after a 16.5 TFL and eight sack season.
Texas lost Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron to the NFL, but brings back safeties Michael Taaffe and Jelani McDonald, plus corners Malik Muhammad and Jaylon Builbeau. This unit should be strong once again.
Special teams should also be excellent this year after the Longhorns brought in a new punter from Utah and a kicker from UTSA.
On the other side of the field, we have the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
Like a lot of high-level teams, the Buckeyes will be breaking in a lot of new players at the start of the season. Brian Hartline is in as offensive coordinator after Chip Kelly left for the NFL, and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is in after Jim Knowles left for fellow Big 10 power Penn State.
On offense, the effusive praise starts with All-World wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith became a certified superstar last season and quickly established himself as the best wideout in the country. That room should be great again and will include guys like Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss.
Speaking of new, Ohio State will be breaking in new starting quarterback, Julian Sayan. There will be a lot of pressure on Sayan to hit the ground running.
The Buckeyes lost a fearsome running back tandem after last season, and will now turn to James Peoples to carry the rock. The o-line lost plenty to the NFL, too, but brings back four guys that Ryan Day and company are excited about.
On defense, the same rules apply. The Buckeyes lost a lot to graduation and the NFL, but return the best safety in college football in Caleb Downs. Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese should solidify the linebacker spots. And up front, the Buckeyes will be reliant on a group of transfers.
Keys to the Game
This game has a wide variety of storylines, but I’ll pick just two.
I can’t wait to watch two largely unproven quarterbacks in Arch Manning and Julian Sayan square off in the most marquee Week 1 matchup since…forever? The pressure will be on for both to deliver.
Quarterbacks aside, my eyes are immediately drawn to the line of scrimmage. How does the new-look Texas offensive line hold up? And can Ohio State’s offensive line hold its own against a fearsome, albeit new, Texas defense?
Final Verdict
Arch Manning doesn’t have much experience at this level, but he’s got more than Julian Sayan. Despite the Buckeyes having home-field advantage, I like Sark and Texas’ continuity throughout the coaching staff against the new OC-DC combo in Columbus.
Give me the Longhorns in a close one.
Alabama vs. Florida State
It’s no easy feat to be the guy who follows The Guy, but that’s exactly what Kalen DeBoer did in Year 1 in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide went 9-4, lost three SEC games and just narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoff.
Now in Year 2, expectations are high that Alabama will get back to winning ways and make a charge for an SEC title and more.
On offense, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is off to the NFL, and in steps new quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson will be joining forces with new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who has a strong history with DeBoer.
Simpson should have plenty of weapons at his disposal, chief among them superstar sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams. Up front, left tackle Kadyn Proctor anchors an offensive line unit that should be a strong point for Alabama in 2025.
The Crimson Tide returns the majority of its stellar defense from 2024. Big names include defensive end LT Overton, as well as linebacker Deontae Lawson and safety Keon Sabb, both of whom are returning from serious injuries.
This defensive unit is loaded with studs at every level and should be dynamite in 2025.
Across the field, Seminole fans must be asking themselves…it can’t get any worse, can it?
Last season, FSU notably fell off a cliff and went just 2-10, despite being a year removed from College Football Playoff contention.
Change was a prevailing theme for the Seminoles’ offseason, from coaches to players. Gus Malzahn is in as offensive coordinator, while former Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White is in to lead the defensive unit.
After poor quarterback play last year, the ‘Noles hit the portal, settling on former Boston College signal-caller Tommy Castellanos. Castellanos has a lot of give and take to his game, but Mike Norvell hopes he provides some real pop to an offense that was devoid of it last season.
Transfer wide receivers Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel White (Tennessee) should help provide a spark on the outside. Up front, FSU brought in four experienced offensive linemen and appointed Herb Hand as offensive line coach.
On defense, Tony White is expected to install his signature 3-3-5 scheme. The Seminoles have a pretty experienced linebacker core. Up front, Darrell Jackson and James Williams should add some much-needed beef and havoc.
Florida State closes the 2025 season with three of its last four games on the road, which means a fast start would go a long way. Norvell likely needs a bowl game or more, or he’ll undoubtedly be on the mega hot seat next offseason.
Keys to the Game
I’m fascinated to see how Ty Simpson looks in his first game as the starting quarterback. Alabama has plenty of weapons on the outside and in the backfield, but all eyes will be on Simpson. He’s far less of a runner than he is a traditional pocket passer, and perhaps that will be a plus for what DeBoer and Grubb want to do on that side of the ball.
FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos has talked a lot of trash this summer, and I’ll be watching to see if he can back it up. He’s a give-and-take quarterback, but will need to be much more of the former than the latter if the Seminoles have any hope of springing an upset.
Final Verdict
I’m bullish on Alabama making a run at the SEC title and expect this group to make the College Football Playoff. I suspect the Crimson Tide will be out to prove a point against the Seminoles.
Give me Alabama comfortably.
LSU vs. Clemson
The pressure is on for LSU head coach Brian Kelly to deliver a College Football Playoff appearance at the bare minimum in 2025. After a trio of good-but-not-great seasons, it’s time for this team to put it all together and go on a run.
Highly-touted quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is back in the fold after a 4,052-yard and 29-touchdown season a year ago. He’s a heavy Heisman Trophy front-runner, and for my money, is the best quarterback in college football. He needs to clean up the turnovers, but the talent is all there.
In the offseason, LSU brought in the top transfer portal class to Baton Rouge. The Tigers acquired wide receivers Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), and brought back Aaron Anderson and tight end Trey’Dez Greeen.
Up front, the Tigers lost two excellent tackles to the NFL. Tyree Adams is expected to take over at left tackle, while DJ Chester moves from center to guard. LSU also brought in VT transfer Braelin Moore to play center.
In 2024, LSU was abysmal at running the football, averaging just 116.4 yards per game. That will need to change if the Tigers have hopes of reaching their lofty expectations. Freshman running back Harlem Berry was the top-ranked back in high school football and should provide some juice to the Tigers’ backfield.
On defense, linebacker hybrid Harold Perkins should be back after a nasty injury. Another key returner is Jacobian Guillory, who will anchor the LB position in Blake Baker’s 4-3 scheme. Whit Weeks and transfer EDGE Patrick Payton are also expected to make big impacts on a defense that needs to improve year over year.
Across the field, Clemson enters the 2025 season with sky-high expectations. Fresh off an ACC title victory and CFP First Round against Texas, the Tigers are once again back in the hunt for the national title conversation.
Clemson brings back eight starters on both offense and defense. Though the question remains if this team is simply good or truly great.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik headlines an impressive arsenal of offensive talent. Last season, Klubnik had 43 total touchdowns and looked like an NFL Draft-worthy quarterback.
He’s joined by a stacked receiving core that includes All-ACC wideout Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and sophomore T.J. Moore. Former wide receiver Adam Randall and freshman Gideon Davidson should split carries out of the backfield. The Tigers also return four starting offensive linemen.
On defense, former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen steps in to call the defense. He’s got a loaded defense to work with, headlined by junior defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. Purdue transfer Will Heldt has a lot of admirers, too. And the Avion Terrell and Ashton Hampton should be a nice one-two punch at corner. There are depth questions, especially at secondary, but the star talent is there.
Keys to the Game
All eyes will understandably be on the monster quarterback matchup between Nussmeier and Klubnik. But my eyes will be on the lines of scrimmage.
I can’t wait to see how LSU’s new-look offensive line holds up against the Sunday players littered across Clemson’s defensive line. If Clemson can keep Nussmeier off balance, it could be a long night for Brian Kelly’s bunch. But if LSU’s o-line holds up, I think LSU can break off some big plays with its new arsenal of standout receivers.
Final Verdict
In the battle for the real Death Valley, my head says Clemson and my heart says LSU.
At some point, LSU and Brian Kelly need to win a marquee opening season game. Why can’t it be this year?
All Aboard the Nuss Bus.
Notre Dame vs. Miami
Let’s round out the weekend’s loaded slate with some Sunday Night Football, shall we?
Notre Dame enters the game fresh off a 14-2 season and a loss in the College Football Playoff title game against eventual champions Ohio State.
The Fighting Irish return a ton of talent, but will be asked to weave in some new guys. One of those new guys is quarterback CJ Carr. He’s got a tall task ahead of him in trying to replace Riley Leonard.
Fortunately for Carr, there’s plenty of room for optimism with the rest of the unit, starting with the stacked backfield. Notre Dame has one of the best backfields in the nation with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price back, both of whom combined for 1,871 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Love is a certified superstar and could be in the running for the Heisman Trophy when it’s all said and done.
On the outside, Notre Dame will rely on wide receivers Jaden Greathouse and Virginia transfer Malachi Fields. Tight end Eli Raridon could be a future star at tight end. The Fighting Irish return a lot of snaps up front, with three juniors and two sophomores expected to start.
On defense, new defensive coordinator Chris Ash has big shoes to fill, replacing Al Golden. Notre Dame has talent littered across this unit. The DB room is stacked, with guys like corners Leonard Moore and Christian Gray, along with safety Adon Shuler.
Up front, Notre Dame will rely on standout returns Joshua Burnham and Junior Tuihalamaka, along with young ends Bryce Young, Boubacar Traore and Loghan Thomas.
Barring something unexpected, Notre Dame should be a College Football Playoff contender once again. How far can this group go? It could hinge on how effective offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is with this new-look offense.
Across the field, Miami enters the game after a fun, but ultimately disappointing 2024 campaign where the Hurricanes narrowly missed out on the ACC title game and College Football Playoff.
Former star quarterback Cam Ward was drafted first overall in April’s NFL Draft, so in steps former top-ranked UGA quarterback Carson Beck. Beck is returning from offseason surgery, but signs are pointing to him being fully healthy for the start of the season.
Last season, Miami had the top offense in the country, but is now tasked with replacing its star quarterback, top five receivers and starting running back.
Up front, the Hurricanes return three starters from last season’s o-line unit. Questions remain about the wide receiver room, which means Miami is expected to be a run-heavy team, especially early on.
Miami’s defense gave up 30 PPG in five of eight ACC games last season and was 68th in the nation, allowing 25.3 PPG. After swapping out the old defensive coordinator with Corey Hetherman, Mario Cristobal will hope this unit can contribute much more than it did last season.
The Hurricanes have a lot of revamped personnel, with the only returning starters being Rueben Bain Jr, Akheem Mesidor, one linebacker and one corner.
Head coach Mario Cristobal is known for his late-game antics as much as he is for his recruiting prowess. But after missing out on the ACC title game last season, the pressure is on for the Hurricanes to compete for an ACC title and make a push for the College Football Playoff in 2025.
Keys to the Game
I’d be shocked if Notre Dame didn’t try to ground-and-pound its way through Miami’s new-look defense. Especially with this being freshman CJ Carr’s first start.
If Miami’s defense can hold up, perhaps Beck can get going and make this a tough game for Marcus Freeman’s bunch.
Final Verdict
Despite being on the road with a freshman quarterback, my head says to lean toward Notre Dame here. This one will likely be a close, lower-scoring game.
Give me the Irish by one score.
Games I’m Keeping An Eye On 👀
Boise State vs. USF - G5 Banger Alert!
Cincinnati vs. Nebraska - Year 3 Matt Rhule teams are a real thing. Let’s see if the Huskers can start strong.
Georgia Tech vs. Colorado - Incredibly curious to see what CU looks like post-Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.
Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina - LaNorris Sellers is appointment television.
TCU vs. North Carolina - The GOAT’s college coaching debut…need I say more?
The Brent Musburger Gambling Guide
My official locks of the week. (Lines are locked in at the time of writing)
-1 units overall
+14 Ohio vs. Rutgers - In Parker Navaro We Trust.
Nebraska vs. Cincinnati OVER 52.5 - I suspect we’ll see some suspect defense on both sides.
+14.5 South Dakota vs. Iowa State - Gimme the Week 0 slump from the Cyclones.
-4.5 Utah vs. UCLA - I love Utah this year.