College football 2017 Week 1 predictions

Alabama isn’t wasting time any time getting its season off to a strong start. The Crimson Tide comes into the 2017 season with a bad taste in its mouth after losing the National Championship Game last year. Florida State is up to the challenge, coming into the season at No. 3 in the AP Poll. Get ready for some early season fireworks in this opening week matchup.

Suspensions, highly coveted transfers and devastating injuries — Florida’s offseason has been one heck of a ride. The Gators have a chance to be one of the most exciting teams in the country, but they first have to survive against a Michigan team that lost 18 starters. Both of these teams need a good start to the season, but only one will accomplish that goal. Who will it be?

Georgia Tech recovered from an awful 2015 campaign to win the TaxSlayer Bowl in 2016. The Yellow Jackets rewarded themselves with the 10th hardest schedule in the nation according to ESPN. Their journey begins against Tennessee, a team that comes in ranked 25th in the AP Poll and head coach Butch Jones on the hot seat. That seat might heat up a little more if the Vols falter against the Yellow Jackets.

Coveted Florida transfer Will Grier makes his debut for a West Virginia team that returns a team loaded at wide receiver and running back. Grier will be tested first against Virginia Tech, a team that lost key starters from last year but has a positive outlook in 2017 with a good recruiting class.

With Leonard Fournette taking his talents to the NFL, the door is open for leading rusher Derrius Guice to be the only superstar in the backfield at LSU. Fiery head coach Ed Orgeron finally had the interim tag removed, and fans will wait to see what he can do given full control of a program.

Josh Rosen made headlines when he said football and school don’t mix. He will get the chance to make people forget he ever said that when UCLA faces Texas A&M. Rosen is on the cusp of declaring for the NFL but hasn’t separated himself from the pack. In order to look good to NFL teams he may need to light up college football, and that assault could start against the Aggies.

Stud running back I'Tavius Mathers may have graduated, but Middle Tennessee still has two of the most exciting players in college football. Quarterback Brent Stockstill returns after a 3,233-yard, 31-touchdown 2016 campaign. Joining him is the versatile Richie James, who gained 1,964 yards from scrimmage. One of the most electrifying duos in the country will be featured in this game.

Kirby Smart’s first year at Georgia could have gone better, but the team's first matchup against Appalachian State could get him back on track. However, even with one of the top recruiting classes in the country, Appalachian State has shocked the world before. This could be another year the Mountaineers do the same.

USC struggled to find a foothold early in 2016, but when Sam Darnold was given the keys to the Trojan offense, the team had no problem rolling through the rest of the season. Darnold is back for a potential Heisman Trophy campaign with a USC team that has national championship aspirations. Don’t miss out on one of the best players in country working his magic.

Any time two Carolina teams get together, fireworks usually ensue. South Carolina comes into the season after an up-and-down 2016 campaign. N.C. State also had an inconsistent season in 2016, but the Wolfpack jumps into the deep end going up against an SEC opponent.

Texas head coach Tom Herman makes his debut with the Longhorns against the Maryland Terrapins. Herman is supposed to be the savior for the Texas program after three straight sub-.500 seasons under Charlie Strong. D’Onta Foreman is gone, but the program is in good hands with Shane Buechele under center.

Clemson starts the season the defending national champion, but the Tigers also come in without star quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Mike Williams. Kelly Bryant starts behind center and will have all eyes on him to see how he will perform under Dabo Swinney. How will the champs start the season?

Penn State was one miraculous USC comeback away from winning the Rose Bowl. This year, the Nittany Lions bring back electrifying running back Saquon Barkley and talented quarterback Trace McSorley on a revenge tour that starts against Akron. Don’t miss those two players get started on their potential award-winning campaigns.

Wide receiver John Ross may be gone from this 2016 playoff team, but the Washington Huskies have 43-touchdown quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin returning for another year. Rutgers shouldn’t put up much of a fight, but watching Browning sling the ball and Gaskin run over defenders should make for some good entertainment.

The Ohio State Buckeyes still have the stink of a 31-0 shutout in the playoff last year. However, they still have talent on the team with J.T. Barrett returning and leading rusher Mike Weber back in the fold. Their chance to make amends for last year's failures starts against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Take a notoriously polarizing coach, add in two reality TV stars into the mix, and you have one of the most intriguing teams in the country. Lane Kiffin’s departure from Alabama was expected at some point, but nobody thought he would go to perennial loser Florida Atlantic for a head-coaching gig. Joining him are quarterbacks John Franklin III and recent East Mississippi transfer De’Andre Johnson, both of “Last Chance U” fame. This is going to be interesting.

Wyoming reached its first bowl in four years last season. Quarterback Josh Allen returns after a 28-touchdown 2016, but he will be without running back Brian Hill and receiver Tanner Gentry. Will the Cowboys be able to ride the arm of Allen to other bowl game?

Oklahoma State’s top-20 offense propelled the team to an Alamo Bowl win last year. That same offense is coming back with 4,000-yard quarterback Mason Rudolph, running back Justice Hill and receiver James Washington stepping on the field again. This team could rack up a lot of points, and it could all start against Tulsa.

DeShone Kizer may have left for the NFL, but Notre Dame still has a talented team with leading rusher Josh Adams, leading receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and intriguing new quarterback Brandon Wimbush. Temple presents an interesting challenge with its returning running back Ryquell Armstead.

With Tommy Armstrong Jr. gone from Nebraska, Tulane transfer Tanner Lee steps onto the field as the starting quarterback for the Black Shirts. He may not be the dual threat Armstrong was, but it’ll be interesting if he can have immediate success for a team and coach that really need it.

Lamar Jackson returns in what may be his final year at Louisville on the heels of putting up video game numbers and winning the Heisman Trophy. However, he did slow down quite a bit at the end of the season, but he can erase any doubt that he deserved that Heisman with a huge performance against Purdue opening week.

With all that Mississippi went through this offseason, this will be a team to follow no matter what happens. Will the Rebels rally around the “us against the world” mentality and shock some teams, or will they crumble due to the distractions of the escort service and recruiting scandals that have rocked the campus?

Speaking of scandals, Art Briles's departure from the program has opened up a lot of questions regarding the state of one of the most exciting teams in college football. However, make no mistake that the high-powered offense of Baylor will be something to watch early in the season, and with new coach Matt Rhule, who did quite a job at Temple, it will be interesting to see how the Bears start the year.

For the first time in 18 years, Bob Stoops won’t be on the sidelines as Oklahoma head coach on opening week. How that affects the Sooners is left to be seen, but don’t forget that Stoops left Lincoln Riley with a championship-caliber team led by quarterback Baker Mayfield that can play with any team in the country.

After going 11-2 last season, not even a coaching change has stopped the hype train from departing Tampa, Fla. Charlie Strong takes over for an upward-trending team led by dual-threat quarterback Quinton Flowers. The journey to what may be a perfect season starts against San Jose State.