Week 1 – NCAA Football

The First BIG Stage: Blue Turf

For College Football fans, the countdown is almost over.  Deep traditions, passionate fans, unbelievable upsets, catchy fight songs, and one-chance-a-year-to-beat-em rivalries are almost back.  Week 1 is just around the corner. 

While many of us don’t care who’s playing (as long as two schools are going head-to-head and there’s an ice cold beer in hand), there are more than a few good matchups to look out for during the first week of the 2009 college football season.  In Fact, day one of college football (Thursday Sept 3rd) sets the stage for a couple of interesting matchups.  Enough to get us started, at least…and just the beginning. 

Thursday, Sept 3rd matchups:
TBA                        North Dakota State at Iowa State
7PM            ET      South Carolina at North Carolina State
7PM            ET      Troy at Bowling Green
7PM            ET      Villanova at Temple
7PM            ET      Coastal Carolina at Kent State
7PM            ET      North Texas at Ball State
8PM            ET      Eastern Kentucky at Indiana
9PM            ET      Utah State at Utah
1015PM     ET      Oregon at Boise State

The 1 to Watch -

For obvious reasons, the Oregon Ducks – Boise State Broncos matchup, should be the most exciting.  With Oregon ranked 10 and Boise State ranked 11 (in the AP top 25), there’s a lot on the line for both teams.  Take a mid-day nap if you need to, but make sure to stay up for this one. 

Unique to College Football,  a game as big as this one in week one, is significant as a postseason matchup in the pros.  With Oregon’s loss to Boise State last year still fresh, they have even more to be worried about this year: the blue turf.  The Broncos are tough in any venue, but even better at home.