College football is officially back, baby, and Week 0 is kicking things off with a bang, including a massive Big 12 showdown all the way in Dublin, Ireland! We’re talking real, live football, not some scrimmage, and it’s happening overseas. The main event pits Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels against Sonny Dykes’ TCU Horned Frogs, a rematch from last year’s opener, and you know the Tar Heels are gunning for payback after how that one went down.
Dublin’s Revenge Game and The Spartan Challenge
This Dublin kickoff is pure gold, right? Our guys, James and Charlie, are both rocking with TCU for this one. James is hyped to see TCU’s new quarterback, Jaden Craig, make his debut, thinking he’s set for a big day. Charlie’s right there with him on Craig’s potential, but he’s also laser-focused on how much Belichick’s squad has tightened things up in the offseason. Last year’s opener against the Horned Frogs started with a sweet touchdown drive, but then it just kinda fell apart. You know Belichick wants to fix that.
Meanwhile, the lone top-25 team hitting the field is No. 14 USC, squaring off against San Jose State. James and Charlie are both riding with USC, and honestly, who isn’t when the Trojans are nearly a 40-point favorite? But don’t sleep on San Jose State, folks. They’re a feisty Group of Six program, and with a bunch of top-tier Mountain West teams heading to the Pac-12, the Spartans could actually make some noise for their conference title. Yeah, that title challenge probably starts with a rough loss to the Trojans, but you gotta respect the ambition.
QB Showdowns and West Coast Surprises
Now, if you want a game that’s gonna be tight, look no further than Virginia vs. NC State. Charlie actually called this his favorite matchup of the whole weekend, and I get it. He’s gushing over the quarterbacks, Virginia’s Beau Pribula and NC State’s C.J. Bailey. You can practically feel the tension building, expecting a well-played game, but the Cavaliers’ home-field advantage is the X-factor to push them over the top, according to our crew. Both James and Charlie are picking Virginia.
Out on the West Coast, we’ve got Stanford taking on Hawaii. Last season, Hawaii actually snagged a win against Stanford at home. But hold up, things are different now. Stanford’s looking way improved under their second-year general manager Andrew Luck and first-year head coach Tavita Pritchard. Former Michigan quarterback Davis Warren is stepping up to lead Stanford to victory and kick off Pritchard’s coaching career with a W. James and Charlie are both on the Cardinal here.
Seriously, college football is officially back in our lives, and we’re soaking up every second. We’ve got Florida State taking on New Mexico State, with our guys picking FSU, though they warn FSU “could lose” but are hopefully past their “early-season woes.” Then there’s a killer Group of Six battle between UNLV and Memphis, with UNLV getting the nod as “a step above” Memphis. All these games are going down Saturday, August 29. Get ready, because Week 0 is just the beginning!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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