It's time for my favorite annual column, the world's earliest Week 1 college football preview.
As always, it's possible only thanks to the insanely great resource that is MattSarzSports.com, by Matt Sarzyniak. He has already put together a weekly schedule for next year, and seems to do it earlier and earlier every year.
Here are the most interesting games from "Week 0" and Week 1.
Saturday, August 24th
Arizona @ Hawaii
When I was growing up, there were a couple of "kickoff classics" games a week before Week 1 proper. Then they went away, but they're back now, after a fashion, now that the NCAA ruled that teams traveling to Hawaii during the season, as well as Hawaii themselves, may optionally schedule a 13th game, and it can take place the week before Week 1. So this game will be played thanks to that policy.
Thursday, August 29th
Georgia Tech @ Clemson
The last couple of years, it's been the Big Ten kicking off the season for our first all-P5 game, followed by many years of it being the SEC. Now, it's the ACC's turn. Quite a tall order out of the gate for new Tech coach Geoff Collins.
Utah @ BYU
The holy war resumes, and indeed has just been extended for a couple of seasons. A chance to see if BYU will continue to upward trend following a disastrous 2017 followed by an improved 2018.
Friday, August 30th
Oregon State @ Oklahoma State
All we need is for the Pokes to schedule Ohio State in 2020 and we'll have a full three-year round-robin of OSUs.
Colorado vs. Colorado State in Denver
My favorite early-season rivalry game. No, I don't know why, either.
Saturday, August 31st
Boise State vs. Florida State in Jacksonville
This Was A Better Matchup When We Scheduled It, Part II. Can't wait for UCF to start getting these games in five years when, like Boise State, it's too late and they've returned somewhat to the pack.
Florida vs. Miami (FL) in Orlando
This seems like the kind of game that will go one way, and all the pundits will say, "FLORIDA/MIAMI is BACK!" and then that team will go 5-6 the rest of the way.
North Carolina vs. South Carolina in Charlotte
Mack Brown's first game back is a tester.
Wisconsin @ South Florida
An upper-level Big Ten team going on the road to open the year against a Group of Five school is not something you see every year.
Houston @ Oklahoma
Dana Holgerson: Man, am I glad to get out of the Big 12! Especially happy to get away from Oklahoma! Never beat them in seven tries! Now, let's see who we open up against ... crap.
Purdue @ Nevada
See "Wisconsin at USF" comment.
Fresno State @ USC
You know what? We have some really great matchups this year between elite or near-elite Group of Five schools and good, but not unbeatable P5 programs.
Eastern Washington @ Washington
Whenever a participant from the previous season's FCS National Championship Game plays an FBS team, you gotta watch, right?
Duke vs. Alabama in Atlanta
I'm sorry, Duke, and know that I will be pulling for the upset here, but given the teams Alabama has opened against the last few years, and how high profile the neutral site opener in Atlanta usually is, you look like a replacement for a team that backed out late.
Oregon vs. Auburn in Arlinton, TX
This Was A Better Matchup When We Scheduled It, Part II.
Georgia @ Vanderbilt
As usual, the SEC has a conference game somewhere in Week 1.
Monday, September 2nd
Notre Dame @ Louisville
The Fighting Irish make their debut on ACC Labor Day night football, assuming Louisville is able to field a team.
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