College Football season is in full swing, and week one gave us plenty of reasons to remember why college56 football is the best sport on the planet. It was as if all the off-season drama of conference realignment, the transfer portal, and NIL didn’t matter. Once the games kicked off, it was the same great game that we have all loved our entire lives.
If there is one major problem, it can be difficult to track which games to watch and which games are maybe not as intriguing as the media likes to make them out to be (mostly because they are name-brand schools).
While it’s impossible to predict which games will be overlooked completely but will end up being great ones to watch, I’ve researched three games that nobody is talking about now but could be a major story on Sunday morning.
1. Arkansas vs Oklahoma State (12:00 PM ET – ABC)
There is a narrative that the SEC is so much better than the Big 12 that the SEC and Big 10 should break away from the rest of college football and start their own Super Conference. This is a game where the SEC can put their money with their mouth is.
Arkansas is viewed as one of the bottom-dwelling teams in the SEC, while Oklahoma State is one of the early favorites to win the Big 12. One game can’t define a conference, but if Arkansas were to travel to Stillwater and beat the Cowboys, you can bet that the SEC would be pounding its chest and chanting, “SEC, SEC, SEC!!!”
This is also an interesting game because of geography. OSU and Arkansas share the same recruiting space. Both teams recruit heavily in each other’s states, and they both have a valid argument for getting recruits. OSU can say, “Come play in the Big 12 and compete for championships,” while Arkansas can use the SEC card and claim that despite not being a regular contender, the SEC is the best of the best.
2. Boise State vs Oregon (10:00 PM ET – Peacock)
Oregon is and should be the heavy favorite in this game, but after last week’s lackluster performance against Idaho, this game has become much more interesting. Last week, Boise State put up 56 points against Georgia Southern, showing they have the offensive ability to put up a lot of points, even against the Oregon defense.
If Boise State wins this game, it will become the clear frontrunner for the CFP representative from the G5. Again, this is a big ‘if’, but it would be a massive statement win, considering that G5 teams currently hold a 1-19 record against P4 teams.
This could also be another case of the transfer portal not working out as well as an elite team hoped. Florida State has already shown that their transfer portal season was not good as they are off to a terrible 0-2 start. A loss to Boise State and close win against FCS Idaho would do the same to Oregon.
The biggest issue trying to watch this game is that it will only be streamed on Peacock.
Kansas State at Tulane (12:00 PM ET – ESPN)
This just feels like a game that could get weird. Tulane is one of the best G5 teams in the nation and the fact that they get to host Kansas State, another team favored to win the Big 12, is the type of game that already has the script written for there to be a massive upset.
Tulane is currently a 10-point underdog in this matchup, but when things get weird in New Orleans, anything can happen. Like Boise State and Oregon, if Tulane can pull off the upset, they will be positioning themselves well enough to be in the conversation for a CFP spot if they continue to win the games they are supposed to win.
The over/under scoring is only at 47.5, but knowing both of these offenses and their desire to throw the football, don’t be shocked if both teams score in the 40’s in this game.
