TEXAS, USA — Welcome to the first edition of The Pregame Pulse. Here, I will take you through what I think are the top-five college football games to watch every week of the season to hopefully maximize your weekend entertainment.
So, to start things off, the typical college football fan understands that great matchups can be hard to come by during the first week of the season. However, just because Northwestern and Rutgers play each other on Sunday doesn't mean all hope is lost.
This first week of the season gives both players and fans a chance to get back in the groove of things, whether it's knowing when to check down on a busted play or if you should sit on the left or right side of the couch while watching on TV.
So, without further ado, let's check out the bright spots of this weekend's slate.
Thursday, Aug. 31
Week one starts a bit early with our first must-watch game kicking off on Thursday when the Florida Gators travel to Utah for a rematch of last year's 29-26 thriller in Gainesville.
Despite tearing his ACL in the Rose Bowl, Utah's Cam Rising is listed as the starter for week one and this veteran quarterback never shies away on a national stage, so we can expect some amazing highlights.
This game will also give us a first look at Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz in the orange and blue as he makes his debut with the Gators, looking to leave a lasting impression as he leads a relatively young Florida team into battle
While this game may not be an exact replica of last year's contest, we can always hope for something special to happen when two unlikely foes meet up.
Saturday, Sept. 2
I know what you're thinking, but just hear me out.
You will get to overreact and create a strong opinion about either team once this game wraps up, and I'm sure your friends will love to hear all about it.
So, tune in and see if Deion Sanders is going to be able to live up to all of the off-season media talk or if the Buffs are destined for another losing season.
This game is also a good chance to see if TCU can carry over any success from last season, despite losing a lot of key players. Either way, this game will be a tone setter for both teams' seasons.
Last year, the Cougars got the better of the Roadrunners when they marched into the Alamodome and stole a win after three overtimes. However, with both teams in new conferences this year, things could look a little different.
UTSA Quarterback Frank Harris returns for his seventh year in the program and he's hoping to right the wrongs of last year's loss, despite not having his number one receiver, Zakhari Franklin, who transferred to Ole Miss in the spring.
The Roadrunners won't be the only ones looking for someone to step into that number one role as Cougars' star receiver Nathaniel 'Tank' Dell was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Cougars hope to start their first season as a member of the Big 12 off with a win, but the back-to-back Conference USA champions and the AAC's newest addition would love to come into Houston and claim its third Power-Five win in program history.
A lot of question marks surround these two teams, but one thing can be certain; the San Antonio and Houston faithful will have all eyes on this matchup come Saturday night.
Next up, we have the battle of the Carolinas.
UNC Quarterback Drake Maye has a chance to start his Heisman-hopeful season off with big win against the Gamecocks. However, that is easier said than done as this game is sure to have a championship-level feel to it.
On the other sideline, we will get to see if Oklahoma transfer Spencer Rattler can build on the momentum he helped push forward last year when he led South Carolina to big wins over Tennessee and Clemson.
This game could shake up the AP Top 25 either way it goes as South Carolina currently sits just outside the preseason rankings.
Sunday, Sept. 3
What did we do to deserve this matchup on week one?
Sit through nine months without football that's what.
Anyways, this is our final must-watch game of the weekend and it, in my opinion, has the potential to be one of the best games of the season.
LSU is coming off the heels of an outstanding 10-4 season with Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels leading the charge. This team looks poised to be a real contender in the SEC in 2023 as they have returned most of their starters.
These starters have experience in big-time games including the SEC Championship, which didn't go as planned in 2022.
Looking at Florida State, the Seminoles are also coming off a conference runner-up season and are looking to repeat the win they had over the Tigers in 2022.
While this game is being played at a 'neutral' site, the Florida State fans will most likely be the majority as Orlando is just under four hours from Tallahassee.
Tune in and catch the season's first top-10 matchup.
Zachary Yanes is a digital content producer for KCEN 6 News and an avid sports fan. He will be telling you the top games to watch every week in "The PreGame Pulse" right here on kcentv.com. You can follow Zachary on Twitter @ZacharyYanes
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