Week one of the 2017-2018 college football season got off to an outstanding start this past weekend.
Fans across the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief as soon as Saturday, August 31 rolled around and football was back on their television screens. The Alabama-Clemson showdown that capped off the 2016 season could not have been more exciting, and the action from this past weekend continued the trend set by that game, as fans were regaled with a host of thrillers.
The most important game of the weekend, of course, was Presbyterian College at Wake Forest on Thursday, Aug. 31st. The Demon Deacons put on a show, dominating the Blue Hose to the tune of 51 to seven. Vegas made Wake Forest 41 point favorites, and the Demon Deacons proved the odds makers right. It will be crucial for the Demon Deacons to win early in the season if they want to give themselves a legitimate shot at another bowl appearance. While the team will be favorites in their next three games, during week five to week 10 of the season, they will see the toughest stretch of games of any team in the country, as they play several challenging ACC Atlantic foes.
Besides the Wake Forest game, there were many other exciting showdowns and upsets around the country. No. 11 Michigan cruised past No. 17 Florida in Gainesville and bolstered their position as a major contender for a Big Ten title. Last year’s runner up Alabama, currently the top-ranked team in the country, crushed No. 3 Florida State and proved why analysts consider them to be the class of the nation.
The best game of the weekend, however, had to be Sunday night’s matchup between UCLA and Texas A&M. The Bruins were down by 34 points and managed to pull off a victory in the final seconds. The Aggie’s coach, Kevin Sumlin was already on the hot seat, and such a monumental loss makes his imminent firing even more likely.
Week two of the 2017 college football season is sure to be another great one. The most exciting game of the week is No. 14 Stanford at No. 6 USC. This game will have major implications for the Pac 12 south, as Stanford and USC are the two best teams in this division. Another fantastic game will be No. 16 Georgia at No. 24 Notre Dame. Recently, SEC teams have had the Fighting Irish’s number. It will be interesting to see if Notre Dame can turn their luck around in South Bend. Finally, Wake Forest begins its ACC season in Chestnut Hill, where they will take on Boston College. The Eagles barely defeated Northern Illinois in their season opener. However, Wake Forest comes into the game as only a one point favorite.
