College Football gave us a nice appetizer last Saturday, highlighted by Florida State and Georgia Tech, but this week, the season really gets going. Of course, we all know that the biggest matchups will feature games like Georgia vs. Clemson, USC vs. LSU, and Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M, but they certainly aren’t the only games for fans to watch.
Here are three games going under the radar but should be watched.
South Dakota State vs Oklahoma State 2:00 ET ESPN+
Last year, Oklahoma State played in the Big 12 Championship and was one win away from a NY6 bowl. They also lost an early-season game to South Alabama, likely looking ahead to their matchup against Iowa State the next week.
This year, it looks like it could be a very similar situation, as the Cowboys have a huge game against Arkansas the following week.
The other issue of course is that they are facing South Dakota State, one of the best FCS schools in the country. SDSU is not afraid to give anyone a tough game, and this game could end up being a game that nobody watches at kickoff, but everyone is tuning in for the 4th quarter.
#8 Penn State vs West Virginia 12:00 ET FOX
Penn State is coming into the season with very high expectations. They also have a shockingly easy schedule in the Big 10, avoiding Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Oregon. In the new 12-team College Football Playoff era, Penn State should have absolutely no issue getting into the Playoff by beating the teams they should beat in Big 10 play (Illinois, UCLA, Washington, Purdue, Minnesota, and Maryland) and take care of the non-conference schedule.
None of those games should be a problem, except West Virginia.
Barring a huge upset, West Virginia is the one game that could potentially damage the Nittany Lions’ chance to make the Playoffs. After outperforming last year’s expectations, West Virginia is a huge mystery in the Big 12.
This game is also somewhat a rivalry. While not a recognized rivalry, the two being the two biggest brands in the geographical area will have a rivalry feel.
#19 Miami vs Florida 3:30 ET ABC (ESPN+)
The ACC didn’t have a good day on Saturday. Florida State, the biggest brand and perceived best team from the ACC, lost to Georgia Tech in Ireland, and SMU, a team expected to be in the top -tier of the league, needed a late miracle to pull off the comeback win against Nevada, who is projected to finish last in the Mountain West.
Of course, it is way too early to determine how good (or not) a team is going to be, but the ACC didn’t do themselves any favors this past weekend to prove they are a strong conference.
Miami vs. Florida will go a long way in determining the narrative of the ACC conference for the rest of the year. If Miami loses, the conference will be in deep trouble of getting two teams into the Playoffs, even one week into the season. If they win, Miami takes the early lead in the conference (assuming Georgia beats Clemson).
On the flipside, Florida has an insanely tough schedule. Aside from playing Miami, the Gators also face Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. In some ways, Miami feels like a must-win.
Ahead of week 1, this might be the last time your team is still on this list 😅👀
RT if your team is undefeated this season 🙌😏 pic.twitter.com/HwGBCTLIQM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 25, 2024
