Darian Mensah is about to light up Stanford Stadium tonight at 9 p.m. ET, kicking off what folks are calling his Heisman Trophy campaign against the Cardinal. Every single expert pick is Miami to steamroll Stanford, and honestly, can you blame ’em? Vegas has the Hurricanes as massive 24.5-point favorites, which is just wild for Week 1, but these guys are ready to make a statement.
Miami’s Heisman Kickoff
Look, the buzz around Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith is real, but Michael Cohen and Laken Litman are zeroed in on Miami’s Malachi Toney. The dude caught over 100 passes as a true freshman last season, so you know he’s coming out flying. RJ Young says Mensah has more than just Cooper Barkate to throw to this season, and Toney’s role is gonna be even bigger. Ben Portnoy summed it up: don’t overthink this one. The ‘Canes are going to rout Stanford on the West Coast, and Mensah is gonna be an early Heisman darling. It’s Friday, 9 p.m. ET, on ESPN. You know where to find it.
SEC Quarterback Showdowns and a Split Decision
Then we hit Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, for a couple of absolute grinders. Over on ABC, it’s Auburn versus Baylor from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Tigers are sitting at a 7.5-point favorite, but this one’s got our experts split right down the middle. RJ Young and Michael Cohen are all in on Auburn, especially with transfer quarterback Byrum Brown. This guy threw for 3,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards as a starter at South Florida last year! Cohen thinks his game is gonna translate to SEC football, and he could totally be a 1,000-yard rusher again this year. But Laken Litman and Ben Portnoy are rocking with Baylor. Coach Dave Aranda, in his seventh season, has Florida transfer quarterback DJ Lagway looking sharp, and Portnoy is calling it a “reclamation project” for Lagway. A big non-conference win could definitely cool Aranda’s seat a touch. Talk about high stakes early on!
Ducks’ Domination?
Later that Saturday, also at 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS is bringing us Oregon versus Boise State from Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The Ducks are massive 24.5-point favorites, and our crew is pretty much unanimous here: Oregon is making a statement. RJ Young has the Ducks as a top-5 team in his and the AP Top 25, so this is their chance to prove it. Michael Cohen is hyping up that defensive line, calling it potentially the best in college football, which could spell a long day for Broncos’ quarterback Maddux Madsen. Laken Litman agrees, saying Oregon, with Dante Moore, just has more talent, even though Boise State looks like a College Football Playoff contender. Ben Portnoy thinks Oregon wins, but he also likes Boise to stay competitive, remembering they took the Ducks on two years ago. Get ready for some fireworks!
So, college football is officially BACK, baby! We’ve got Heisman campaigns kicking off, transfer quarterbacks making their debut statements, and top-5 teams trying to prove their worth. Don’t miss these matchups, because Week 1 always sets the tone for who’s for real and who’s just making noise. What a start to the season, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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