Does Chip Kelly have UCLA(Pac12) going up or can Hawaii(MWC) sneak in to the Rose Bowl for an early upset? UCLA nearly upset Oregon in November 2020. Hawaii beat Houston in the New Mexico Bowl, then lost its HC to Wash St. Todd Graham , who's bounced around the football map, is the Rainbows HC.
Houston (AAC) could make a big noise in Texas by upsetting Texas Tech (B12) in its home season opener.
Charlotte (CUSA) is a program that showed some promise in Will Healy first season in 2019 but has slipped a little. It has a solid chance at an upset in its home opener against Duke.
There are plenty of other O5/P5 matchups, but these caught my attention.
July 6, 2021
It's a game USC and Coach Helton better not lose. San Jose St(MWC) , who had a great 2020 season( 7-1 Overall | 6-0 MWC - 1st) travels to LA to face USC. USC is 4-0 in this series.
July 13, 2021
Speaking of being Leach-less. Washington St had a terrible, brief 2020 season and they open hosting Utah St(MWC) who has a new HC, former Arkansas State HC Blake Anderson . Nick Rolovich didn't fare well in first WSU season after leaving Hawaii. This game is so hard to guess so I'll say the Ags stumble at the end in Pullman, WA.
aug 7, 2021
Rich Rodriguez takes over as interim HC at ULM(Sunbelt) while HC Terry Bowden leaves team to be with his dying father, Bobby Bowden. The Warhawks opener is at Kentucky on Sept 4.
aug 19, 2021
Here's a tough one to pick of two top O5 teams . Boise St is on the road at UCF in a game with some Auburn flavor. Harsin left Boise St for Auburn to replace Malzahn who moved on to UCF. A lot of hype about Boise St O vs UCF D, but I'm taking UCF in a 33-30 home win.
Aug 29, 2021
Hawaii never had a shot as UCLA rolled over them from the jump in a 44-10 win.
He!! of a day for UTEP QB to WR connection, Hardison (11-16, 249 YDS, 1 TD)to Cowing(5 REC, 158 YDS, 1 TD) ,in a 30-3 win over New Mexico St.
Aug 31, 2021
Tulane(AAC) will be the designated as the home team and retain all net proceeds from ticket sales in a matchup against OK that will be played in Norman, OK due to Hurricane Ida. This is the second in a three game series and would have been the one Tulane hosted.
Could the Boise St/UCF game be a matchup of two future Big 12 members?
Sept 2, 2021
Last season ULL took down Iowa St as the Sunbelt beat three B12 teams on Sept 12. My hunch TX beats ULL by 10 on Saturday.
Sept 3, 2021
I got close on the score(33-30) and UCF made a comeback from a 14-0 first half deficit to beat BSU 36-31 . Dillon Gabriel threw for 318 YDS and 4 TDs for UCF.
Some tough O5 losses to AA teams. Tulsa lost to UC Davis and UNLV lost to Eastern Washington
Sept 4, 2021
How about Charlotte(CUSA) knocking off Duke(ACC) 31-28 . Some big stat numbers.
Chris Reynolds CHARLOTTE 19-30, 324 YDS, 3 TD
Mataeo Durant DUKE 29 CAR, 255 YDS, 3 TD
Sept 5,2021
I was wrong on Houston who got blanked in the second half and lost 38-21 to TT.
Noteworthy O5 items: Tulane(AAC) outscored OK 21-3 in the second half but lost 40-35. NIU(MAC) beat Ga Tech. MWC vs Pac12: Nevada beat Cal and Utah St beat Wash St ,while Fresno St gave Oregon a scare and SJST crumbled against USC.
In the CUSA Marshall crushed Navy. UTSA shocked Illinois(B10) and La Tech gave Miss St(SEC) a huge scare
