ACC QB matchup tops light schedule
The college football schedule is still looking light, with the SoutheasternConference a week away from starting and the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference still just warming up.
For the teams playing, it’s a chance to jump onto the main stagewhen otherwise they might have been relegated to side shows.
In the ACC, a matchup of talented quarterbacks could provide an early pecking order of potential contenders. And the American Athletic Conference gets its chance to grab some of that shine that went to the Sun Belts last week. Four AAC teams play power five opponents today.
Best game
No. 17 Miami atNo. 18 Louisville
The only game matching ranked teams on the schedule gets the prime-time treatment from ESPN.
TheHurricanesunleashed a powerful running game in the debut of Houston grad transfer D’Eriq King last week, going for 337 yards on the ground in a win over UAB.
Louisville’s Micale Cunningham flashed star potential after taking over last season for the Cardinals and then threwfor 343 yards and three scores in an opening win overWestern Kentucky.
Both teams have ACC title game aspirations. The winner gets to feel as if those are legitimate.
Heisman watch
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
Hubbard led the nation in rushing last year, breaking 2,000 yards. He had an interesting offseason, calling out his head coach. Things seemed to have calmed down in Stillwater, Oklahoma, since.
Thejuniorwillfacetougher tests than the Golden Hurricane, but here’s a chance for him to get off to a good startandgrabsomeattention before all those star quarterbacks threaten to push him into the background.
Numbers to know
3 — Wake Forest’s winning streak against North Carolina State. The Demon Deacons opened by getting thumped last week by Clemson. They try to turn it around against an ACC rival they have owned lately. Wake last won four straight against theWolfpack in the 1950s.
6 — Days between when Houston-Baylor was scheduledtowhenitwillbeplayed. The Cougarswere originally set to play Memphis this weekend, but the Tigers had to postpone because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Baylor, meanwhile, had an open date, but already had its opener last week postponed because of COVID19 issues at Louisiana Tech. The Texas schools scrambled to fill the holes in each other’s schedule and will meet up in Waco today.
7 — The total margin in No. 14 UCF’s three losses last year. The Knights “fell off” to a 10-3 season, but with a little better luck it could have been another year of debating whether UCF deserved to be in the playoff race. The Knights open with Georgia Tech today.
Under the radar
Interim Southern Mississippi coach Scotty Walden gets his first crack to impress the bosses when the Golden Eagles host Conference USA rival Louisiana Tech today.
The 30-year-old Walden replaced Jay Hopson, who partedways with USM after an ugly opening loss to South Alabama.
Walden was a Division III headcoachatEastTexasBaptist before joining theGolden Eagles staff in 2017 as wide receivers coach. Considered a creative, up-and-coming offensive coach, Walden rose to offensive coordinator and nowgets a chance toaudition for the head coaching job.