By The Pigskin Progosticator, PubClub.com’s College Football Columnist
To grasp what is happening in college football today one has to take the “it’s almost the NFL now” approach. The tranfer portal, the NIL-fed milion-dollar offers for quarterbacks, West Coast teams playing in Midwestern and Eastern conferences and now a multi-team playoff that may not even reward the most deserving teams are all a part of the game.
It is into this landscape that the 2024 college football season emerges from the fog of off-season changes. Yet when toe meets leather on Labor Day Weekend, eventually all that will fade into the background. Although the sight of Nick Saban on the set of College Game Day giving out rat poision rather than ranting on the Alabama sideline will take some adjusting well beyond the first week.
Now onto this weekend’s games. All times Pacific because The Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Saturday, Aug. 31
Clemson vs. Georgia (9 a.m., ABC, Atlanta)
The cats and dogs fight it out in Hotlanta with the loser going home with his tail between his legs. In today’s college football, one loss does not put the rest of the season on the brink so it’s not catastrophic, tho for the Dabos it could be a clue that there won’t be a return to those championship days. The speeding Kirbys will run (and pass) right by them. Winner: Georgia
Penn State at West Virginia (9 a.m., FOX)
The furry Felines find themselves facing a familiar old foe to start the season, one that might put up more of a mountain fight than the mountain lions are ready for this early. Despite this potential scare, there won’t be any couches burning on porches in Morgantown after this one. Winner: Penn State
Miami at Florida (12:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN)
One of the recurring pre-season questions of the past 20-plus years is this: “is this the year Miami is back to being Miami?” Well, Miami has been busy being Miami, and that is looking much more like an intermittent rain shower than a Category 5.. In Gainesville the question is “will Billy Napier be around by the Georgia game” as both teams struggle to accept the reality of their current situations. While they will look more like a tropical storm than their nickname, the Hurricanes have more punch than thier fellow Floridians. Winner: Miami
Western Kentucky at Alabama (4 p.m., ESPN)
The strangest sight of the start of the college football season will be in Tuscaloosa with a new guy in a crimson shirt leading the team. It’s Kalen De Boer and not Saban, but Alabama fans hope the team in crimson looks much the same. It won’t take a tidal wave to top the Hilltoppers so it will be a “Dixieland Delight” night in T-town. Winner: Alabama
Notre Dame at Texas A&M (4:30 p.m, ABC)
The Irish eyes are upon College Station and what they see may have them rubbing those eyes and covering their ears, as well. They will witness a scene of 100,000+ Cadets who yell like they’re drill sergeants at boot camp and stand up the entire game. That will be enough to inspire the new-coach-led Reveilles to victory. College Game Day is in College Station and it will be the 2024 debut of Lee Corso. Winner: Texas A&M
UCLA at Hawaii (4:30 p.m., CBS)
The Trampolines bound over to the Aloha State to put some bounce in their step before they walk into the brick wall of reality that is life in the Big 10. Waikiki Beach is certainly a better road trip for fans than Rutgers and may get more people in the stands than home games against Indiana and Iowa. At least they will be too pleasantly distracted in case things don’t go so well in the debut of Head Coach DeShaun Foster. Winner: UCLA
Sunday, Sept. 1
USC vs LSU (4:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN, Las Vegas)
The Bayou Boys rarely peform well in these big season openers. It’s as if they are still pulling themselves out of the swamp searching for a McNeese State before starting SEC play but now they face a team that is rich on offense and suspect on defense in a game neither coach wants to play.When it’s all over, Lincoln Riley will be glad he was not able to back out of this game. Winner: USC
Monday, Sept. 2
Boston College at Florida State (4:30 p.m., ESPN/ACC Network)
The Spears’ plans for a spot in the college football playoffs went pffffft after losing the opener to Georgia Tech – Georgia Tech!? – and while technically there’s still a chance, getting smacked on both sides of the lines of scrimmage by some buzzing bees takes the sting ouf of this team Fortunately for them, the not-so-high-flying Birds from Boston don’t figure to ruffle too many feathers in Doak Campbell. Winner: Florida State
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The Pigskin Prognosticator has covered college football for several years from coast to coast.