College Football 2024 Weekend 1: Five Matchups with Playoff Implications

The 2024 college football season kicks off this weekend with several key matchups that could impact the upcoming College Football Playoff. Here are the top five games to watch.

After months of anticipation, the 2024 college football season is finally upon us. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, new faces and new rule changes, this season promises to be more exciting than ever before. Here are the top five games to watch this weekend:

Penn State's quest for its first CFP berth begins in earnest against West Virginia. With a talented roster led by Drew Allar and Kaytron Allen, the Nittany Lions should be considered a legitimate contender this year. However, West Virginia is eager to pull off an upset and spoil Penn State's season opener.

College Football 2024 Weekend 1: Five Matchups with Playoff Implications

Georgia enters the season as the heavy favorite to win the national championship, but they face a tough test in their first game against Clemson. Clemson's strong defense and talented quarterback Cade Klubnik will pose a serious challenge to the Bulldogs. This game will be a barometer for both teams as they look to make a run at the CFP.

Two teams with high expectations meet in Gainesville as Miami and Florida face off. Miami's offense, led by Cam Ward, is expected to be explosive, while Florida's defense looks to improve after a disappointing 2023 season. Both coaches, Mario Cristobal and Billy Napier, need a strong start to their seasons, making this game even more crucial.

There are plenty of storylines to follow in this matchup between Notre Dame and Texas A&M. Mike Elko makes his Texas A&M head coaching debut against his former employer, while Riley Leonard, who played for Elko at Duke, takes the field for Notre Dame. This game is a potential CFP eliminator, and it will be exciting to see how both teams perform under pressure.

Two teams who just lost their Heisman Trophy winners meet in Las Vegas for a battle of CFP hopefuls. USC, now in the Big Ten, is looking to prove they can compete at the highest level, while LSU is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season. With new quarterbacks and new coordinators on both sides, this game promises plenty of fireworks.

In addition to these five games, there are several other matchups to watch, including No. 6 Oklahoma at No. 15 North Carolina, No. 10 Arkansas at Cincinnati, and No. 12 Utah at No. 16 Baylor. With the expanded CFP field, every game matters more than ever before. Buckle up, college football fans, this season is going to be a wild ride.