College Football Week One

By Hussam Patel
 
College Football is officially back tomorrow, with a huge slate of games. Let's take a look at the three most noteworthy games:
 
#13 Wisconsin v #19 Penn State. 12 PM EST, FOX

• Both the Badgers and Nittany Lions have quarterbacks who have shown the ability to play well, but also struggled at times. 2020 was rough for both Wisconsin (4-3) and Penn State (4-5), and both look to have a big year with expectations.
• The Badgers return key parts of their defense in Linebackers Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal.
• Penn State’s defense was the worst it has ever been in 2020. There have been a lot of position switches. Brandon Smith moves to Linebacker, Jesse Luketa switches to EDGE, and Keaton Ellis plays Safety instead of Cornerback.
• Matchups: Penn State Wide Receivers Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington against Wisconsin's secondary. Badgers’ Running Backs against P.J. Mustipher and the Penn State defensive line

 
Players to Watch:
 
Wisconsin: Graham Mertz, Jake Ferguson, Tyler Beach, Kayden Lyles, Keanu Benton, Jack Sanborn, Leo Chenal, Scott Nelson.
 
Penn State: Sean Clifford, Jahan Dotson, Rasheed Walker, Caedan Wallace, Adisa Isaac, PJ Mustipher, Brandon Smith, Tariq Castro-Fields, Jaquan Brisker.
​

#14 Miami v #1 Alabama. 3:30 PM EST, ABC

• Question of the day: Can the Offensive Line Protect D’Eriq King?
• One Dynasty continues, while the other looks to return to its glory days. The Crimson Tide  continuously reload, as the Hurricanes look to finally come back.
• Miami has a dangerous slot receiver in Mike Harley (57 catches for 799 yards, seven touchdowns), and a running back combination of Cam'Ron Harris, Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton.
• Many compare Alabama Quarterback Bryce Young to a carbon copy of former Clemson Tiger Quarterback Deshaun Watson. Young has the tools to become a dual threat weapon that Bill O Brien can utilize in the RPO and play action game. Manny Diaz will have his hands full against a high-powered Alabama offense. 
• Alabama overpowers the Hurricanes on both sides of the ball.

 
Players to Watch:
 
Miami: D’Eriq King, Cam’ron Harris, Charleston Rambo, Zion Nelson, Nesta Jade Silvera, Zach McCloud, DJ Ivey, Bubba Bolden.
 
Alabama: The Entire Team
 
#3 Clemson v #5 Georgia. 7:30 PM EST, ABC

• Tigers Defensive Coordinator Brent Venable’s scheme will be a difficult test for J.T. Daniels; it will be the first look at whether or not Daniels will take a step forward.
• Clemson’s Defensive Line is the best in college football, and their firepower on offense,  with the return of Wide Receiver Justyn Ross, is  back to full strength. Keep an eye on quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei’s development in his first full year as a starter.
• Georgia still retains a high-powered offense,  with multiple playmakers returning this season, including running backs James Cook and Zamir White and two of its top three receivers in Jermaine Burton and Kearis Jackson. Place a question mark on George Pickens. 
• The Bulldogs had a lot of injuries this offseason, but they remain strong. The Tigers have lost a lot of talent in the draft and look to run it back. However, Georgia will look to play spoiler. 

 
Players to Watch:
 
Georgia: J.T. Daniels, Zamir White, James Cook, Kearis Jackson, Arik Gilbert, Jamaree Salyer, Justin Shaffer, Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, Adam Anderson, Derion Kendrick, Tykee Smith, Lewis Cine.
 
Clemson: DJ Uiagalelei, Justyn Ross, Joe Ngata, Jordan McFadden, Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy, James Skalski, Andrew Booth Jr., Trenton Simpson.