We aren’t December yet, but Saturday may feel like Christmas is here early as we open the 2022 college football season with some huge matches in the first week featuring several national title contenders.
Number 2 Ohio State will host number 5 Notre Dame In the first full season debut of Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman. Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner will make his first start under the center position, but he has the unenviable task of throwing the ball with CJ Stroud’s favorite Heisman Trophy for the Buckeyes.
Elsewhere, number 3 Georgia He’ll take an hour’s flight west and start his national title defense against No. 11 Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; number 7 Utah will take over Florida On Coach Billy Napier’s first appearance in The Swamp; and number 23 Cincinnati He’ll go on the way to face number 19 Arkansas.
It’s going to be a busy day among the white stripes. Here’s a handy sights guide to help you navigate through the event.
All times are oriental
the best games
No. 11 Oregon vs. 3rd place Georgia - 3:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Georgia’s defense lost five first-round picks to the NFL draft and its defensive coordinator to Oregon by chance. Dan Lanning took over the Ducks Program with College Football Playoff aspirations, and leads the former team Auburn Quarterback Bo Knicks, who is 0-3 in his career against the Bulldogs. If the ducks could snag, it would be a huge statement not only for Team Lanning, but for the Pac-12 as a whole.
23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas - 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): The Bearcats became the first Group of Five team to play a playoff last season, but lost a small village of stars on either side of the ball, including quarterback Desmond Ryder, to the draft. Luke Fickell’s team has hopes of a CFP again, but will have to go through a tough Razorbacks to make that possible. If you love soccer, this game is for you.
UTEP in number 9 Oklahoma - 3:30 pm on Fox Channel, fuboTV (try for free): Brent Venables, the former defensive coordinator for Clemson, got his first shot at leading a major program when he was hired by the Sooners, and the first task is to get his defense to play at an elite level. Offense shouldn’t take a huge step back based on available firepower, including former UCF signal caller Dillon Gabriel, and a decent defense could put the Sooners back into “contender” status.
rice in number 14 USC - 6 p.m. on Pac-12 networks, fuboTV (try for free): The game itself should be a picnic, but Trojans coach Lincoln Riley’s decision to leave Oklahoma for the most famous Pac-12 program ever was one of the most surprising moves of the absurd training season. He brought star midfielder Caleb Williams with him and unlocked several other buttons in the transfer window. Is USC a competitor or a pretender? We’ll get a glimpse on Saturday afternoon.
No. 7 Utah, Florida - 7 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): Utes is a fashionable pick for a College Football Playoff game, and winning The Swamp would go a long way toward impressing the CFP Selection Committee. Napier has a potential under-center star in Gators QB Anthony Richardson, and it would be great to see how he combines running game alongside Richardson against a strong Utes defense.
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio - 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Horseshoe should swing on Saturday night as Buckeye’s high-flying attack - led by Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba - heads against the Fighting Irish’s 17.5. Freeman has been keen to note the spread this week, and it’s rare to see a national title contender with such little respect heading into a big game this opening weekend.
The best of the rest
- Sam Houston in number 6 Texas A&M: noon on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- Colorado in number 8 Michigan: Noon on ABC, fuboTV (try for free)
- number 13 North Carolina in East Carolina: noon on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)
- Delaware in Navy: Noon on CBS Sports Network (Find the channel), CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports . app
- Python Cockman in number 16 Miami: 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 24 Houston in UTSA: 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports (Find the channel), CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports . app
- Arizona in San Diego State: 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports . app (free)
- Troy at number 21 Ole Miss: 4 p.m. on the SEC network, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 25 BYU At USF: 4 p.m. on ESPNU, fuboTV (try for free)
- Albanian in number 10 Baylor: 7 p.m. on ESPN +
- Illinois in number 18 Wisconsin: 7 pm at FS1, fuboTV (try for free)
- Miami (Ohio) at number 20 Kentucky: 7 p.m. on ESPN +
- Utah in number 1 Alabama: 7:30 p.m. on the SEC network, fuboTV (try for free)
- SMU in North Texas7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports (Find the channel), CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports . app
- Boise, Oregon: 10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)
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