College football games of note: Week 1

Northwestern at Purdue

This is a game I am low-key really looking forward to. Sure it doesn’t feature the perennial Big Ten powerhouses, but the Wildcats are coming off their second 10-win season in three years, and they have won four straight against the Boilermakers recently. But Jeff Brohm has Purdue looking right, coming off the program’s first winning season since 2012. The prime-time ESPN spot is definitely going to kick things up a notch, as both teams have lofty goals this year. The key will be Northwestern senior quarterback Clayton Thorson’s return, which will likely be triumphant due to Purdue’s severely depleted defense.

San Diego State at No. 13 Stanford

This year’s rematch between the Aztecs and the Cardinal has likely been heavily anticipated on both sides — Stanford will be looking to avenge the upset SDSU pulled off last year, and the Aztecs want to prove it wasn’t just a cosmic shift that propelled SDSU to victory. This year, Stanford will keep the lights on and the ball safely in QB K.J. Costello’s capable hands — Keller Chryst committed three turnovers in the loss to SDSU last September, and he is now at Tennessee. But the Cardinal will be missing six starters Friday, including center Jesse Burkett and cornerback Alijah Holder. Luckily, there is always Bryce Love — the steadfast running back rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns against the Aztecs last year despite being held to just 13 carries. Expect this to be an epic battle.

No. 6 Washington vs. No. 9 Auburn

Do I even need to explain the Christmas-morning-level excitement surrounding this game? We finally get a respectable Pac-12/SEC metric to use. The knee-jerk reaction is to pick Auburn to win this game, but the reality is that the Tigers could very well be facing their third straight loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Luckily, QB Jarrett Stidham will be in full control of Auburn’s potent offense. Unluckily, he has to go against the Huskies experienced defense. Plus the Tigers need to stop the one-two punch of QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskins. Auburn is favored, barely, but I think Washington will surprise. 

No. 8 Miami vs. No. 25 LSU

This one is personal, as I will be covering it live from JerryWorld. Also, if you like defense, then this is THE game for you. Say a prayer for Canes QB Malik Rosier that his offensive line holds against the Tiger’s punishing defense, particularly the secondary. But with a transfer starting at QB, LSU will need some prayers of its own if it hopes to survive Miami’s insanely tough front seven. “I am hearing rumors of people thinking we’re going to kick their butt,” said Miami head coach Mark Richt on the season debut of WQAM’s "Hurricane Hotline" on Tuesday night. “Come on. This is LSU. [Expect] a war.”

No. 20 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Florida State

Gotta love that we get four days of college football. Willie Taggart blew in to Tallahassee like a hurricane with his uptempo offense, something the Seminoles have been adjusting to on both sides of the ball this offseason. Just how much progress has been made will be determined by how QB Deondre Francois handles the offense against a young but prepared Virginia Tech defense. For Hokies head coach Justin Fuente, this game is a blessing and a curse — Tech has a chance to win a big game in the bright Monday night spotlight, but preparing for Taggart’s previously coached teams doesn’t mean it will be ready for the Noles squad that steps out onto the field. Luckily, defensive coordinator Bud Foster is adept at in-game adjustments.

Hall over the place

Over the course of the 2018 season, Emily Hall Van Buskirk will be traveling across the country, attending as many college football games as humanly possible. In this sacred section, she will share with you the details of her travels as she embarks on this adventure. Follow along as she makes her way across the country, bringing back tales of glory and memoirs of misfortune.

For opening weekend, I will be covering four games in four days. Let that sink in.
First up, Utah vs. Weber State in what I still like to call Sack Lake City. As my dad would say, this is your year, Utes. The Pac-12 South is wide open, and Kyle Whittingham has the know-how to run the table — Utah has depth, strength and most importantly stability. 

Next, I will be taking my talents to the Rocky Mountain Showdown to explore the Colorado vs. Colorado State rivalry and kick off the hot seat coverage for Mike MacIntyre. Plus, the game is at Mile High Stadium, and it's the first of three games I will be covering in NFL venues.

Saturday, I head to Houston for the classic southern clash between Ole Miss and Texas Tech. Another head coach in the hot seat and another NFL Stadium — I’ve only ever seen basketball at NRG so this should be interesting. The Rebels will be sporting their all-white "Land Shark” uniforms but will be without stellar running back Eric Swinney, who has been sidelined for the first three weeks of the season with mononucleosis. Ole Miss, more like old kiss, am I right? In this alternate universe game, we will see a potent SEC offense go up against a staunch Big-12 defense.

And finally on Sunday I will travel 225 miles north to the Promised Land for a top-25 showdown between Miami and LSU at AT&T Stadium. This year’s AdvoCare Classic is going to be a grudge match for sure — it could boost one team’s Playoff potential and send the other packing before the season even gets going. There are a lot of chips on shoulders in this game — from head coach Ed Orgeron to Ohio State transfer QB Joe Burrow.

Along the way I will be experiencing the best food, drinks and tailgating each city has to offer, so follow along and feel free to suggest some must-hit spots. I also will be checking out other sports as well — including the Cleburne Railroaders last home game. Love me some Indyball. See y'all on the other side.