The week zero schedule isn’t sexy, but it’s football. And I’m pumped that we can be done speculating and start reporting on some actual football games. As per usual, the Mountain West will be nicely represented this weeked with Hawaii, San Diego State, and San Jose State in action. It also gives us an early glimpse at some national heavyweights like USC and Notre Dame. With that being said, let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of this weekend’s schedule.
The Good
Ohio @ San Diego State
The Aztecs are one of those teams that we really don’t have a grasp on. It feels like they can go either way. If this team is going to be a contender in the Mountain West, they should have no problem winning this game. If the Aztecs somehow drop this game, it could be a long season for the Aztecs and their fans. This is far and away the most winnable game of the weekend for the Mountain West. Lose this game, and an 0-3 weekend for the conference is very possible.
Navy @ Notre Dame
I want to quickly discuss one game that does not involve any Mountain West teams. Notre Dame is always one of those teams that enters the season with lots of hype, but I’m not so sure this team is worthy of the hype. Plus, for the first time in 15 years, Navy will have a new head coach. This game may not be super competitive, but it is probably the most intriguing contest of the weekend along with being played in Dublin, Ireland.
The Bad
Hawaii @ Vanderbilt
Last season, Vanderbilt traveled to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors. This is when we really started to understand how big the rebuilding project was going to be for Timmy Chang and his staff. This game will be a good measuring stick as to how much this program has grown over the course of the last year. Vanderbilt isn’t exactly a Power Five heavyweight, but they are an SEC team. If Hawaii can keep this a two score game, it could bode well for the rest of their season.
The Ugly
San Jose State @ USC
Two teams that are expected to have high-powered offenses will be meeting in Los Angeles this weekend. Caleb Williams and the Trojans will likely have a chip on their shoulder after a disappointing finish last season. USC is a heavy favorite in this game and rightfully so. I think the Spartans will manage to put some points up, but this will probably be over by the time the fourth quarter begins. I’m interested to see how the Spartans’ defense responds. They have lost a long time leader in Cade Hall and have some inexperienced guys making their first start. If I were a Spartans fan, I would want to see the defense put up a strong fight and the offense put up 20-30 points.
Which game are you most excited about this weekend? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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