College Football Week 1 Preview

It's the least wonderful time of the year.

Football's over, and while I love me some March Madness, and soccer also gets me through, in my heart, I'm always pining for football. To paraphrase Kissing Suzy Kolber, to hell with your coworkers gleefully noting that pitchers and catchers are reporting this week (or last week, or whenever). It's even over three months until the only offseason acceptable football equivalent (I speak not of Arena football, but of the Canadian Football League) starts up.

So as I've done in this space before, I look teasingly ahead to Week 1 — and Week 1 only, not to look at Week 2 until Week 1 is complete — of the college football slate seven (gasp!) months away. Most of the games do not have television homes yet. Many will be moved to Thursday. But the matchups are mostly written in pen now, and collected at the wonderful Matt Sarz Sports.

Southern Miss @ South Carolina

This is one of the games already slated for Thursday Night, September 2nd. I think we can officially say it is a tradition that the college football season will kick-off with a South Carolina game; it's been at least three years running. Quite a step up to the spotlight, though, for Southern Miss, a middling Conference USA program and the beloved alma mater of, for my money, the best college football blogger on the web. It makes you wonder if someone backed out at the last second.

USC @ Hawaii

This game is also slated for Thursday, and is the first one to have a kickoff time scheduled: 11:30 Eastern. It's ESPN's way of saying, "Take a four day weekend (the following Monday is Labor Day)!"

Purdue @ Notre Dame

This is the first time since at least 2003 (I can't be bothered to look farther than that) that Notre Dame has opened against an every-year opponent. Look for Brian Kelly to have a great first season, be hailed as a savior, get Notre Dame back on the cover of Sports Illustrated, have a shakier second season, and have the bottom fall out in years three through dismissal. It's the Notre Dame way.

By the way, did you hear what Charlie Weis is doing now that he's been fired from perhaps the most prestigious coaching job in sports? He's moved on to the second most prestigious coaching job in sports — offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.

LSU vs. North Carolina in Atlanta

This is another burgeoning opening week tradition — a great ACC/SEC neutral site matchup in Atlanta. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech last year. Alabama and Clemson the year before. LSU this year. And North Carolina? Huh? Again I ask, did someone back out at the last second? I hear ya, Tar Heel fans, "Oh! We've been to the Meineke Car Care Bowl two years straight!"

Washington State @ Oklahoma State

The game itself isn't particularly notable, but I have a strange fasciation with the carrion that is Washington State football.

Did you know, in the very decade that just ended, they put together three consecutive 10-win seasons? Now, they are the reigning worst team in a BCS conference, and might've the year before, as well.

It just goes to reflect how crucial coaching and recruiting is in college football for programs like Ohio State and USC that don't have an immutable legacy. The campus, in Eastern Washington, is snowy, no big cities nearby, and without a lot of attractions for recruits who are not nature lovers nor interested in one of their specific academic programs. The larger area, which encompasses part of Idaho, is known as the Palouse (rhymes with moose).

Boise Stae @ Virginia Tech

This one will be on Monday (Labor Day) and the game (besides the games I have a natural rooting interest for) that excites me the most. Who doesn't like to see Boise win still another "statement" game and collect a BCS scalp? This one will be played in the Washington Redskins' home stadium.

Oregon State @ TCU

How unremarkable did this game look just a couple years ago, before TCU went on their BCS bowl berth run and Oregon State finished a game away from a Pac-10 championship and the Rose Bowl? My Dallasite girlfriend tells me that the local radio stations were abuzz with calls for TCU to be brought up to the Big 12 last year. I don't get behind that, but really, this game is on the same order of Boise State/VT.

Other games you may be interested in:

Navy vs. Maryland in Baltimore (the battle of Maryland)
Pittsburgh @ Utah
UConn @ Michigan
Washington @ BYU

The rivalry games that historically occur in Week 1 (and will continue to in 2010):

Colorado vs. Colorado State in Denver
Missouri vs. Illinois in St. Louis
Kentucky @ Louisville