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College Football Must See-TV: Week One

The week one preview includes Michigan football, Derek Jeter, the Michigan State locker room spelling error, Game of Thrones and a 99-pack of beer cause 'Merica.

By Zooby Q.
College Football Preview Week One
College Football Preview Week One
Leon Halip

The wait is over.

Put away your weekend do-it-yourself projects.  The time for graduation parties and weddings is, mercifully, behind us.  Our Saturdays are set.  Lee Corso is back in our lives and all will be right with the world again.

If you are one of those impatient people, here's some Game of Thrones entertainment for you.

If you think it has felt like years since college football was played, you're not alone.  Since the last kickoff, the BCS has (FINALLY) ended and the College Football Playoff has come.  No longer will there be an endless debate about #1 vs #2.  Now, we'll debate about the team ranked #5 that is left out of the mix.

MIIIIIIIIIIIIICHIGAN

The days of Al Borges are no more.  The Offensive Coordinator is no longer making the calls from the top of Michigan Stadium.  Enter Doug Nussmeier.

The former Alabama Offensive Coordinator comes to Michigan with a stellar background.  Known as a QB guru, he is a hot commodity that might only be in Ann Arbor for one season, if expectations are far exceeded.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  We are talking about a Michigan team that was painful to watch on offense in 2013.

Depending on who you speak to, Coach Hoke's job might be on the line.

Devin Gardner is the man at quarterback and here is hoping that Nussmeier can bring a fresh energy to the offense.

The mistakes have to be cut down, substantially.

The offensive line has to be able to give time for the quarterback and running game to produce.  If there isn't growth shown on the offensive line, the 2014 season could look like a bad sequel.  Maybe not as bad as The Hangover Part II, but few things are as bad as that.

2014 looks to be a season of unknowns.

Can the experienced defense become a dominant unit?

Will Jabrill Peppers continue to be discussed endlessly across the nation?

If you're looking for someone who's rooting for Michigan, look no further than Mr. New York himself, the Captain, Derek Jeter.  His passion for the Maize and Blue is a lifelong love affair.

This season, more than any in recent memory, has to be taken in the moment.  Day-by-day, week-by-week, let these Wolverines grow together and bond on the field.  Let their lack of leadership last season lead to a more cohesive unit that shows up every Saturday.

Could Michigan surprise some people and win 10 games?  Possibly.  However, it could just as easily go 8-4, as it faces rivalry road games at Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State.

For now, we'll focus on the immediate future.

Enter a familiar foe.

Game One:

MICHIGAN vs. APPALACHIAN STATE - 12:00 P.M. EST. - ESPN2

Thursday, August 28th, 2014

#21 Texas A&M @ #9 South Carolina - 6:00 P.M. EST. - SEC NETWORK

Johnny Football is no more.

Johnny Manziel is off in the NFL making national headlines and dominating everything on ESPN.

Texas A&M still returns a talented unit but faces a really difficult road game to kick off the season.  This is the type of game that makes you realize that your team has a lot of room to grow or can make some of the kids grow up fast.

South Carolina has one of the best coaches in the nation in Steve Spurrier.  The Gamecocks will be very competitive again this season and this is quite the tasty match-up to kick off the 2014 season in style.

Boise State @ #18 Ole Miss - 8:00 P.M. EST. - ESPN

The University of Mannings aka Ole Miss will continue to play the young kids and let them learn on the job.  For any Michigan fan who follows recruiting closely, look for the name Laquon Treadwell.  The superstar receiver was a big time target for the Wolverines in the recent past.

Boise State may have lost their coach to Washington but they'll still be a fun team to watch.  While this isn't as exciting as the Aggies vs. Gamecocks, this is still a game worth watching.

Friday, August 29th, 2014

#8 Michigan State vs. Jacksonville State - 7:30 P.M. EST. - BIG TEN NETWORK

All Mark Dantonio did last year, much to the disappointment of those in Ann Arbor and Columbus, was win.

The Spartans enter this season as one of the favorites to make the final four and appear in the College Football playoff.

Ohio State has lost their starting QB and the Spartans are primed for another possible trip to Indianapolis.

Jacksonville State might not be the toughest opponent for the Spartans, but the defense lost a lot of talent last year and will look to get the new guys locked and loaded to refill the roster.

Saturday, August 30th, 2014

#7 UCLA @ Virginia - 12:00 P.M. EST. - ESPN

The Bruins are, arguably, the hottest team in college football right now.

Not Alabama, not Florida State.  UCLA is the biggest favorite to go all the way and win the national championship this season.

This is a game worth checking out to see how UCLA looks with it's Hesiman hopeful QB.

West Virginia @ #2 Alabama - 3:30 P.M. EST. - ABC/ESPN2

Don't look now, but there is some panic down south.

Alabama has a (gasp) two-game losing streak going on.  In the days of Nick Saban, this almost unheard of.  If you want to put money down on a sure-fire bet, it'll be that Saban will have his boys ready to play and, regardless of the final score, he'll be unhappy with the Crimson Tide.

Love him or hate him, you must respect him.  All hail Saban.

Arkansas @ #6 Auburn - 4:00 P.M. EST. - SEC NETWORK

Auburn had a magical season in 2013.  A one-second wonder led them to win one of the most memorable victories in the Iron Bowl.

However, the Tigers lost in the national championship game to Florida State and that left a sour taste in their mouths.  Come to think of it, a season without an SEC champion is shock to all of those crazed fans.  They believe the conference is second only to the NFC/AFC, and bless their hearts for that.

This is an SEC match-up between the former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and his Arkansas boys.  This should be an Auburn victory but it'll be interesting to see if Bielema can show any growth on his Arkansas team.

Bielema sure does look like he's fitting in nicely in the SEC.

#16 Clemson @ #12 Georgia - 5:30 P.M. EST. - ESPN

This might be the best game of the entire first week of the season.  The Clemson Tigers are the closest thing to an SEC team outside of the conference.  They constantly showcase a higher powered offense and produce one of the greatest shows on turf.

The SEC championship game looks like it might be in Georgia's sights, if you listen to the media experts.  The Bulldogs have the best running back in the country in Todd Gurley, Jr..  Look for a high scoring affair.

#1 Florida State vs. Oklahoma State - 8:00 P.M. EST. - ABC

The Seminoles need the season to start more than any other team in the nation.  After an off-season of off the field issues for Heisman QB Jameis Winston, it's time to defend the title.

The schedule is packed and the College Gameday crew will be present in Dallas for the big game at JerryWorld.  The Dallas Cowboys may not be on the field but their future QB could be.  That's another story for another day.

#14 Wisconsin vs. #13 LSU - 9:00 P.M. EST. - ESPN

This is the game with national championship ramifications on the line.  If either team gets blown out, that'll leave a lasting memory in the eyes of the voters.

Since this game is, technically, on a "neutral" field, a close game by both teams is almost as good as a victory.  Playing these types of big non-conference games early in the season is just what this game needs to make the Jacksonville State and Appalachian State games go away.  No disrespect to the folks of Ann Arbor and East Lansing, but enough with the varsity FBS teams playing teams that're on a junior varsity level.

IN CASE YOU NEED MORE FOOTBALL AFTER SATURDAY:

Sunday, August 31st, 2014

SMU @ #10 Baylor - 7:30 P.M. EST. - FOX SPORTS 1

Monday, September 1st, 2014

Miami vs. Louisville - 8:00 P.M. EST. - ESPN

:01 LEFT

Sit back, relax and enjoy.

In This Stream

Game One: Michigan vs. Appalachian State (8/30/14)

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