College Football 2020

[Baz]

Week 1 starting tonight with 2 games underway:

All times Eatern.

Thursday, Sept. 3

Central Arkansas at UAB | 8 p.m. | ESPN3
South Alabama at Southern Miss | 9 p.m. | CBSSN

Saturday, Sept. 5

Eastern Kentucky at Marshall | 1 p.m. | ESPN
Middle Tennessee at Army | 1:30 p.m. | CBSSN
SMU at Texas State | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN
Houston Baptist at North Texas | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Arkansas State at Memphis | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Stephen F. Austin at UTEP | 9 p.m. | ESPN3

Monday, Sept. 7

BYU at Navy | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Thursday, Sept. 10

UAB at Miami (Fla.) | 8 p.m. | ACC Network

Friday, Sept. 11

SMU at TCU | 9 p.m. | Fox Sports 1

There's a WHOLE BUNCH more games next Saturday. I will post that schedule as we get closer.

[Baz]

GO Navy!

[RWebb]

Geaux Tigahs !!

[pwd72s]

A bad habit I'm going to give up...

[ckelly78z]

What will the truncated schedule do to recruiting/draft possibilities for the NFL next year ?

It seems if you are the big fish in a small pond, your draft position will be greatly improved if you are lucky enough to be on one of the teams that is actually playing games.

[jyl]

Is NCAA extending eligibility for college athletes whose teams are not playing this year?

I saw that 30% of college football players who had Covid now have residual cardiac damage (myocarditis) with unknown prognosis, and there are some reports of significant effect on athletic performance.

A couple % impact on cardio performance can end a career for someone aiming for the highest levels of professional sports.

That’s a Hobson’s Choice that I’d hate to have to make.

[Baz]

Starting to get into some better games......

Week 2

Thursday, Sept. 10

UAB at Miami (Fla.) | 8 p.m. | ACC Network

Preview: D'Eriq King will lead the Hurricanes in their 2020 debut after transferring from Houston. Meanwhile, UAB was one of a handful of FBS teams to play in Week 1, when the Blazers totaled 459 yards in a 45-35 win against FCS Central Arkansas.

The UAB defense will try to slow down the dangerous King, who accounted for 50 touchdowns in 2018. The Blazers have used top-10 defenses in each of the last two years to help the program go a combined 20-8. That run includes consecutive C-USA Championship Game appearances (winning in 2018). UAB's offense is led by RB Spencer Brown, the program's all-time leading rusher.

Saturday, Sept. 12

Syracuse at No. 18 North Carolina | 12 p.m. | ACC Network

Preview: After going 7-6 with a huge freshman season from QB Sam Howell, UNC comes into 2020 with high expectations and a preseason ranking. The Tar Heels scored 56, 41 and 55 points in their last three games to close out 2019, crushing Mercer, NC State and finally Temple in the bowl game.

But how will coach Mack Brown's group do with even more attention? Howell passed for 3,641 yards and 38 scores a season ago and gets to work with WR Dazz Newsome and RB Michael Carter. UNC will have little trouble outscoring some foes this year. But now the pressure is on.

Louisiana at No. 23 Iowa State | 12 p.m. | ESPN

Preview: This could end up being the best game of the weekend.

Iowa State enters with a preseason ranking and QB Brock Purdy, but Louisiana seems primed to follow fellow SBC member Appalachian State (ranked much of 2019) in the Top 25 sooner rather than later.

Billy Napier led the Ragin' Cajuns to 11 wins in 2019 and lost by only a touchdown to Appalachian State in the SBC title game. Louisiana brings back its top stars this season, too: QB Levi Lewis (3,050 passing yards) and RBs Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas (nearly 2,000 combined rushing yards).

Iowa State started 2019 with a national ranking and escaped FCS Northern Iowa in OT. This could be another close one. It's a huge test as the Cyclones hope this is the beginning of a breakout season.

Arkansas State at Kansas State | 12 p.m. | Fox
Charlotte at Appalachian State| 12 p.m. | ESPN2
Eastern Kentucky at West Virginia | 12 p.m. | Fox Sports 1
UL Monroe at Army | 1:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network
Duke at No. 10 Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. | NBC

Preview: It's a history-making day for Notre Dame. After more than 900 wins, double-digit national titles and seven Heisman Trophy winners, the Irish are doing something this weekend they have never done before: play in a conference game.

For the 2020 season, Notre Dame is a member of the ACC. It'll get to open up at home against Duke in a season it hopes includes a trip to the ACC title game. QB Ian Book should be ready for a strong senior season after throwing for 34 touchdowns in 2019.

The Irish are expected to be Clemson's biggest threat in the ACC.

Georgia Tech at Florida State | 3:30 p.m. | ABC

Preview: This is the teams' first meeting since 2015, when the Jackets shocked then-undefeated Florida State by blocking a 56-yard field goal and returning it for a score on the last play of the game.
A lot has changed since then.
Mike Norvell comes to Florida State following a 12-1 regular season at Memphis. And Georgia Tech is hoping to get better after Geoff Collins' 3-9 debut.
Norvell is the Seminoles' third coach in four years, but returning starting QB James Blackman is back.

[peppy]

Go Hoos I'm ready to get it on! Oh, we play Va. Tech for the opener...
Lets see what happens!

[wdfifteen]

They are actually ranking teams this year?

Glad to see so many teams on the schedule. Hope it lasts. I have lots of chili and manwich sauce in the pantry waiting for Saturday afternoons of cold weather and football.

[stevej37]

I have a Deion Sanders Hot Dog Roller Express that comes out every year for Big Ten games.
This year it might not get used.

[RWebb]

Who gets to crush Clemson this year?

[beatnavy]

Originally Posted by peppy

Go Hoos I'm ready to get it on! Oh, we play Va. Tech for the opener...
Lets see what happens!

Go Hokies! UVA broke the streak last year (good for them), so let's go Tech!

Army plays another "powerhouse" this week . Not a true "directional" school (e.g., West-Southeast-Middle Tennessee State), but not a big name either. Padding that schedule I guess.

Baz, not sure what happened to Navy. Not sure if it's a comment on Navy or BYU. Or both. Navy did lose some key players from last season.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I have a Deion Sanders Hot Dog Roller Express that comes .

Oh man, not the Deion Sanders Hot Dog Roller Express! That's just not right. Those Big 10 athletic directors had no idea what they were messing with when they cancelled the season. Bring it on down to Buckeye territory. We'll designate you Michiganders "temporary normal" and chow down on some Hot Dog Roller wienies.

[stevej37]

^^^ Supposedly, the Big Ten school presidents are meeting this weekend to vote on an earlier start time.
I doubt they will change...I feel really sorry for the players.

[Baz]

Continuation of Week 2 Saturday games:

Campbell at Georgia Southern | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU
UTSA at Texas State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Austin Peay at Pittsburgh | 4 p.m. | ACC Network
Missouri State at No. 5 Oklahoma | 7 p.m. | Pay-per-view
The Citadel at South Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest | 7:30 p.m. | ABC

Preview: Clemson, the preseason No. 1 team, plays its first game. There's also College GameDay history, as the popular pregame show will come to Winston-Salem for the first time. Wake Forest's home city will be the 90th to serve as host.

As for the game, Clemson has the top ranking, has won the last 11 in the series — and has returning offensive stars QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne. Both are obvious Heisman contenders and should have big numbers in their first game of the season.

Tulane at South Alabama | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
UTEP at No. 14 Texas | 8 p.m. | Longhorn Network
Houston Baptist at Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Western Kentucky at Louisville | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Coastal Carolina at Kansas | 10 p.m. | Fox Sports 1

[Baz]

And looking ahead......this is how post-season is scheduled:

2020 College Football Playoff: Rankings, schedule, past winners

The first College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
The rankings will be released each Tuesday after that on ESPN's College Football Playoff: Top 25.
The final rankings will be released on Sunday, Dec. 20.

Here are this season's CFP games and New Year's Six schedule:

College Football Playoff: Schedule for New Year's Six

Date Game TimeSLOT
Wednesday, Dec. 30 Cotton Bowl Primetime
Friday, Jan. 1 Peach Bowl Early
Friday, Jan. 1 Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Middle
Friday, Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Primetime
Saturday, Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl Middle
Saturday, Jan. 2 Orange Bowl Primetime
Monday, Jan. 11 CFP National Championship Game (Miami, Florida) 8 p.m. ET

[Baz]

Originally Posted by beatnavy

Baz, not sure what happened to Navy. Not sure if it's a comment on Navy or BYU. Or both. Navy did lose some key players from last season.

The Navy coach said a lot of it had to do with his decision to limit contact during practice and also that spring practice was cancelled.

He said they are back to regular contact practice now and he expects improvement.

Remember they lost a lineman earlier this year to a heart condition and I think that impacted some of their decision making.

I think BYU deserves credit too for their performance. I wish my Gators had some of those Samoans! I keep telling 'em that but they won't listen...lol.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ Supposedly, the Big Ten school presidents are meeting this weekend to vote on an earlier start time.
I doubt they will change...I feel really sorry for the players.

LOL....I thought you were kidding! How many people are you cooking for? Looks like a nifty device but I'm usually flying solo so that might be overkill.

And UAB scores!

[Baz]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

They are actually ranking teams this year?

Glad to see so many teams on the schedule. Hope it lasts. I have lots of chili and manwich sauce in the pantry waiting for Saturday afternoons of cold weather and football.

I just checked and have 1 container left in the freezer of my famous turkey chili. Too warm out now but maybe in a couple few months....

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Baz

LOL....I thought you were kidding! How many people are you cooking for? Looks like a nifty device but I'm usually flying solo so that might be overkill.

And UAB scores!

It'll hold about 10 at a time...just keep replacing the empty spots with more.
They just keep rolling..rolling..rolling..