FAVORITE TEAMS

Week 1 of college football is upon us and we know what big time games and matchups to look forward to. But somewhere amongst the college football landscape are Group of Five teams and lower tier Power 5 teams that could sneak up on ranked and Power 5 teams in the first week of the season. I would not sleep on those guys. Most of the upsets come from the first couple of weeks of the season when big time teams least expect it. Here is the list of games that could potentially be upset alert-type games.

14) MIAMI (OH) AT #20 KENTUCKY

Miami (OH)’s coach Chuck Martin’s a blessing. The team hasn’t had this much consistent success since Terry Hoeppner was their coach in 1999 to the early 2000s. The team has experience and depth to run it back in 2022. Kentucky must dot their I’s and cross their T’s or they could be in for a major upset against a MAC team.

13) WESTERN MICHIGAN AT #15 MICHIGAN STATE

The Broncos are going through a roster transition, but they also have been consistent. They haven’t gone under .500 since they went 1-11 back in 2014. They’re undergoing a new quarterback but still have a running back and receiver with experience. Defense wasn’t bad either. Michigan State should womp on them, but their pass coverage was a problem (last in college football stats). Adding Georgia transfer cornerback Ameer Speed helps but failing to stop the passing attack bodes badly for Sparty.

12) MEMPHIS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Memphis was so-so last season, but their offense should be much better this season with quarterback Seth Henigan leading the way. Mississippi State should be better overall this year, but they sometimes lack at weekly consistency. They even lost to Memphis last season. If Mississippi State doesn’t find their consistency, Mike Leach could be the next coach on the hot seat.

11) TROY AT #21 OLE MISS

The Sun Belt is always overlooked in level of competition, but they’re fun to watch. They’re technically the little brother of the SEC. Troy’s defense should be at their best this season and it’s possible the offense improves overall too. Last season, they lost to South Carolina after having an early lead at one point. Turnovers ultimately cost them so learning from those mistakes could benefit against the Rebels. Ole Miss will be difficult at the Grove, but their offense can’t afford any mishaps or Troy will feed off it.

10) VIRGINIA TECH AT OLD DOMINION

Anyone remember when Old Dominion put the kibosh on Virginia Tech in the 4th quarter back in 2018? If you don’t, now you know. The Hokies return to the very place where they allowed 28 points in the 4th quarter that led to their loss. It’s a whole new roster, a new coach, and a new world. However, Virginia Tech had some offensive woes while Old Dominion figured themselves out last season. If Virginia Tech’s offense doesn’t show any improvement by this weekend, the sandman will come to put them to sleep again like good ol’ 2018.

9) CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT #12 OKLAHOMA STATE

This matchup is intriguing. The average margin of victory in the two meetings was only seven points. Oklahoma State won in 2015 but scored just 24 points. In 2016, they lost to Central Michigan by way of an unbelievable hail mary touchdown play. The Pokes know better than overlooking the Chippewas. They lose defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Ohio State and plenty of leadership on defense while Central Michigan returns key players on offense.

8) LOUISIANA TECH AT MISSOURI

It could be one of those games where Mizzou might hold their breath on each Louisiana Tech possession. Last year, the Bulldogs lost by one to Mississippi State, two points to SMU, and seven points to NC State. Mizzou should tread very lightly when dealing with Louisiana Tech. Playing an SEC team is the least of the Bulldogs’ worries.

7) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT IOWA

The Jackrabbits have made strides in the past few seasons. They know how to compete and know how to win. At times, they played up to North Dakota State’s level when it comes to facing FBS opponents. Iowa should be worried about this matchup because their offense played subpar for the majority of last season. If there’s no answer anywhere on that side, the Jackrabbits might as well be favored to win. Better start looking at the point spread and go towards South Dakota State, folks.

6) #25 BYU AT SOUTH FLORIDA

I know what you’re all thinking, why does this matter? USF and BYU are 1-1 all-time in 2019 and 2021. The two meetings were decided by eight points or less and South Florida was bad in both those years. BYU won 10 games last season, yet they only won by eight points to a BAD USF team. BYU travels to Tampa, which could be muggy and uncomfortable. USF is loaded with experience and Baylor transfer quarterback Gerry Bohanon could be the guy they need since Quinton Flowers a few seasons ago. They could boot kick the Cougars right off the ranking cliff with an upset win.

5) #13 NC STATE AT EAST CAROLINA

NC State is primed for an ACC title run, but East Carolina is loaded with experience and had a handle on NC State at home before. They are 3-1 at Greenville against the Wolfpack all-time with their recent win coming in 2016, and NC State coach Dave Doeren was the witness to that loss. If the Pack should be wary of one non-conference opponent this season, it’s those pesky Pirates.

4) GEORGIA STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA

Georgia State put a scare into the SEC since 2019. They upset Tennessee in 2019 and nearly upset Auburn last season. South Carolina has Spencer Rattler as their new quarterback and could improve their win total this season. How well they do depends on how much connection he has with the offense. Last season, East Carolina upset the Gamecocks and Troy was close too. Georgia State could compete with the Gamecocks for 4 quarters.

3) #24 HOUSTON AT UTSA

Houston’s in line to be the AAC champs and possibly see a New Year’s Six Bowl or more. What’s even better is that they don’t leave Texas until October. However, UTSA is their first test. UTSA had a monster last season and looks to continue their momentum. Upsetting Houston would go a long way for the Roadrunners in what could be another big year.

2) NORTH CAROLINA AT APPALACHIAN STATE

This is a game Mack Brown should never overlook. Appalachian State has a knack for putting Power 5 opponents on the brink of upsets. UNC quarterback Sam Howell also moved on to the NFL. He literally put the team on his back last year, and it’s tough to say where they are with their offense without him. The issue could be their defense and App State has the offense to attack them.

1) #4 CLEMSON VS. GEORGIA TECH (ATLANTA, GA)

And here’s another, “why does it matter”? It probably means nothing. Maybe Clemson comes out hitting on all cylinders and they win big over Georgia Tech. Clemson’s defense is elite and their offense runs through Will Shipley, and DJ Uiagalelei shakes off that 2021 slump and punishes their defense. That’s the obvious outcome. But until we’re sure the offense is back, anything can happen. It may be a neutral site, but Georgia Tech’s located in Atlanta and it’s technically their home field. Clemson’s offense can’t come out slacking or their season’s over after Week 1 and quarterback Cade Klubnik runs the show if DJ struggles that game.