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Five under-the-radar games to start the college football season
The 2024 college football season kicks off with four "Week 0" games on Aug. 24, including No. 10 Florida State and Georgia Tech facing off in Dublin, Ireland.
But when Weeks 1 and 2 finally roll around, these are five under-the-radar matchups that could offer key insights into some contenders and potential dark horses.
Aug. 31: No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M
Believe it or not, the common denominator in this matchup is Duke University. Former Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard will lead The Fighting Irish against his former head coach Mike Elko, both entering their first year at new programs. The Week 1 game will be a critical early test for two College Football Playoff hopefuls.
Aug. 31: Fresno State at No. 9 Michigan
This won't be the same Michigan team that just won a national championship. The Wolverines will have to re-prove themselves on the national stage and a primetime Week 1 matchup against a threatening Fresno State team will be the perfect test. Can Michigan's defense prove it's still the best against a solid Bulldogs offense returning eight starters?
Sept. 7: Colorado at Nebraska
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders will have his first opportunity to prove the hype. A Week 2 showdown against another power conference foe with a chip on its own shoulder should serve as a perfect test.
A healthy Travis Hunter and a better-protected Shadeur Sanders for the Buffs should make for a riveting shootout against Nebraska's freshman quarterback phenom, Dylan Raiola. The winner will get to take the first step back toward relevancy.
Sept. 7: Boise State at No. 3 Oregon
The Ducks enter a new-look Big Ten with their sights set on toppling perennial juggernaut Ohio State. Hosting the Mountain West Conference favorites in Week 2 will be Oregon's first real test of the season. Boise State has an opportunity to solidify its spot in the early College Football Playoff conversation with a signature upset.
Sept. 7: No. 15 Tennessee at No. 24 North Carolina State
Their rankings could change by Week 2, but both teams will be looking to make an early case for College Football Playoff consideration. The Volunteers could have the most to lose from a preliminary test against a fringe-ranked opponent, sitting just outside the preseason top 12. Nevertheless, a win would boost either team's resume in the eyes of the committee.
More must-reads:
- 'Most hated man in college football' gets another chance on sideline
- Urban Meyer explains impact of new Ohio State OC Chip Kelly
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Main reason Nebraska won't make College Football Playoff revealed
Nebraska is a program that is trending up heading into the 2025 season. If anything, look at the trends for head coach Matt Rhule. In Year 3 at Temple, he had the Owls as a 10-win program and considered one of the top teams in the AAC. At Baylor, the Bears went 11-3 in his third season in Waco, and that included an 8-1 record against Big 12 opponents. Rhule is a program-builder, and especially with star quarterback Dylan Raiola entering his second year in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers will be one of the more interesting teams in the country to watch. But can they compete for the College Football Playoff this season? Interestingly enough, Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt recently revealed that he thinks Nebraska is close to being a "playoff party crasher." There is one reason he thinks the Huskers will fall short, though, and that's the defensive side of the football. First, losing former defensive coordinator Tony White to the same position at Florida State is going to be tough. "Well, I didn’t pick them because they lost Tony White, their defensive coordinator. He’s very good. So they promoted from within with John Butler," Klatt said (h/t On3). Klatt doesn't seem to think hiring from within was the right move to elevate Nebraska in 2025. He also seems worried about losses on the defensive line. Nash Hutmacher, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman, is now in the NFL, as is 6-foot-5, 288-pound defensive tackle Ty Robinson. Those are two huge (literally) players that Nebraska may have a hard time replacing. "That was the heart and soul of their defense, so I question whether their defense will be as strong this year as it was a year ago," Klatt said. Even in a 12-team CFP, a team with a massive weak link probably won't cut it. It will be interesting to see if the defense really does hold back Nebraska in 2025, or if Klatt is simply overthinking it. Again, Rhule's track record is hard to ignore.
Cubs catcher lost to horrific-looking injury on same day he returns from IL
After working to return to the Chicago Cubs' lineup following an oblique injury, Miguel Amaya suffered a gruesome-looking injury in his first game back with the Cubs on Wednesday night. Running to first base, Amaya just beat out an infield single on a slow dribbler to shortstop when his left foot landed forcefully on the base, causing his leg to buckle and sending Amaya flying down the first base line. Following the injury, Amaya was carted off the field in Toronto with a towel over his face. The emotions shown by Amaya as he was carted off indicated he knew already he would miss more time in a season that has been marred by injuries. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed Amaya would be going back on the injured list with what was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. X-rays, however, were negative. The 26-year-old Amaya had just told reporters after being activated from the 60-day injured list that he was thankful he was healthy. Just three at-bats later, Amaya was once again injured. Amaya's three at-bats against the Blue Jays on Wednesday represented his first game action since May 24, when he recorded just two at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving the game with an oblique injury. In just 96 at-bats this season, Amaya is slashing .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Amaya's injury is another blow for the Cubs, who have seen their lead in the National League Central evaporate as the Milwaukee Brewers have now won 12 consecutive games and are 20-4 since the All-Star break. As has been the case in Amaya's absence, Carson Kelly and Reese McGuire will continue to be the dominant presences behind the plate for the Cubs. Joining with Amaya, the duo has helped the Cubs record a 2.8 Wins Above Average (WAA) at catcher, the highest mark of any MLB team. After Amaya's injury, the Cubs would go on to post a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
Browns HC confirms Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders whispers
A previous report suggested that the Cleveland Browns want to start 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel at quarterback for this coming Saturday's preseason game at the Philadelphia Eagles over 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders as long as Gabriel is healthy enough to play at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. While speaking with reporters ahead of Wednesday's joint practice involving the clubs, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Gabriel began the day on track to start Saturday's contest. "The plan was always to give both of those guys a start in the preseason, so we’ll see how it shakes out," Stefanski explained, as shared by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Neither Gabriel nor backup Kenny Pickett played in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday as they continued to recover from lingering hamstring injuries. Sanders received the bulk of the meaningful reps in that game and completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-10 win over Carolina. While Gabriel is doing 11-on-11 work during joint practices this week, Pickett remained relegated to 7-on-7 drills as of Wednesday. That said, FanDuel Sportsbook continued to list 40-year-old Joe Flacco as the betting favorite at -310 odds to be the Browns' starting quarterback for their Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals as of Wednesday. Pickett was at +360 odds, followed by Sanders at +1060. Gabriel was a +1800 underdog to get the nod for the Cincinnati matchup at that time. Gabriel began Wednesday as the Browns' unofficial QB3 ahead of Sanders. Meanwhile, Sanders did not get any reps in the opening few periods of the Browns' joint practice with the Eagles on Wednesday morning after suffering an oblique injury. Earlier in the month, the former Colorado star missed some practice time due to arm soreness. Per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Stefanski added that he wants "to get through" Thursday before he finalizes his plans for the Philadelphia game. Unless Gabriel experiences a setback ahead of the weekend, it seems he will receive an opportunity to silence critics while serving as Cleveland's temporary QB1 against the Eagles.
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
The New York Yankees won their first series of August in a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins from Monday to Wednesday, but they're still in trouble. They're only one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final AL Wild Card spot with six weeks left in the regular season. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 on Monday and 9-1 on Tuesday before losing 4-1 on Wednesday, but Tuesday's victory came at a price. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left early and didn't play on Wednesday, a night in which New York especially needed his bat. The Yankees released an update on Goldschmidt after Wednesday night's game, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The 37-year-old has a low-grade knee sprain with inflammation. He's slashing .276/.331/.422 with 10 homers and 40 RBI over 112 games. Fellow first baseman Ben Rice went 1-for-4 in Goldshmidt's stead on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.456 with 17 homers and 38 RBI over 101 contests. Paul Goldschmidt comments on injury Goldschmidt said that he hopes he can avoid the IL with a "short-term" absence, via Hoch. While Rice is a high-upside player in his second year, the seven-time All-Star is still a more dependable contact hitter at this point. Goldschmidt is third on the squad with 110 hits, although his younger counterpart's OPS is 30 points higher. The Yankees need the veteran back as soon as possible to help them maintain their Wild Card spot. His presence allows Rice to play catcher, which is optimal given Austin Wells's struggles. The 26-year-old is slashing just .206/.264/.408 with 15 homers and 56 RBI over 94 games. Up next for New York is a road series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt's former team.
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