Our Games of the Week should offer some excitement and shake up the Top 25.
“Clemson could be knocked off,” said Kickoff Editor Tommy Duff. “Texas A&M is on the rise. And Ohio State has to be careful as Cincinnati Is a very good team.”
He expects Texas A&M to give the Tigers their first real test of whether the National Champions are capable of defending.
Last week, the Aggies beat Texas State 41-7 while Clemson shut down Georgia Tech 52-14. Those performances earned Texas A&M a 2-spot jump on the Kickoff Top 25, moving from #15 Preseason to the current #13. The AP Poll has them at #12, they are #11 on the Coaches Poll.
A Clemson loss would obviously throw the college football universe into chaos, but if you’re going to have a loss, now’s the time to do it so you can fight your way back up to the playoffs. (3:30 pm ET, ABC)
We also look forward to watching #6 (#7) LSU play on the road at #9 (#8) Texas in their first meeting since 2002. LSU holds the tiniest of edges in the Kickoff Power Ratings, but we honestly don’t know who is going to come out of this one triumphant. Can Texas capitalize on Home Field advantage and send a message that they’re back? Will the 100-degree heat wear them down? Texas is a six-point underdog. (7:30 pm ET, ABC)
Our third Game of the Week is #18 Stanford at Southern Cal. The biggest question mark on this one is the health of senior quarterback KJ Costello, who took a hit to the head. (10:30 pm ET, ESPN)
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Who else is playing?
#2 Alabama vs New Mexico State (4 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
#3 Georgia vs Murray State (4 pm ET, ESPN2)
#4 Oklahoma vs. South Dakota (7 p.m. ET)
#5 Ohio State vs. Cincinnati (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
#7 Michigan vs. Army (12 pm ET, FOX)
#8 Notre Dame vs. New Mexico (Sept. 14, 3:30 pm ET)
#9 Texas vs. LSU (7:30 pm ET, ABC)
#10 Auburn vs. Tulane (7:30 pm ET, ESPN2)
#11 Florida vs. UT Martin (7:30 pm ET, ESPNU)
#12 Texas at Clemson (3:30 pm ET, ABC)
#13 Utah vs. Northern Illinois (1 pm ET, Pac-12)
#14 Washington vs. Cal (10:30 pm ET, FS1)
#15 Penn State vs. Buffalo (7:30 pm ET, FOX)
#16 Oregon vs. Nevada (7:30 pm ET, Pac-12)
#17 Wisconsin vs. Central Michigan (3:30 pm ET, BTN)
#18 UCF at Florida Atlantic (7 pm ET, CBSSN)
#19 Michigan State vs. Western Michigan (7:30 pm ET, BTN)
#20 Iowa vs. Rutgers (12 pm ET, FS1)
#21 Syracuse at Maryland (12 pm ET, ESPN)
#22 Washington State vs. Northern Colorado (5 pm ET)
#24 Boise State vs. Marshall (Friday, 9 pm ET, ESPN2)
#25 Nebraska at Colorado (3:30 pm ET, FOX)
Tuesday Trivia
Visit our Facebook Page on Tuesday to answer the weekly Trivia question, which can be found in Issue #3 if you want a head start.
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