The official start of the 2024 college football season is scheduled for August 24, with a series of intriguing games taking place on what is known as Week 0. While all 134 FBS teams won’t hit the field until Labor Day Weekend, these early matchups set the stage for the excitement of Week 1 over the holiday weekend.
Week 0 features four games that span 11 different time zones, taking the college football action from Dublin, Ireland, to Honolulu, Hawaii. Let’s take a closer look at the opening slate of the 2024 college football season.
One of the most interesting matchups in Week 0 is the ACC rivalry game between Florida State University (FSU) and Georgia Tech, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland at Aviva Stadium. Known as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, this game marks the ninth college football game to be played in the Irish capital.
Last season, FSU went 13-0 but controversially missed out on the College Football Playoff. They followed that disappointment with a crushing 60-point loss in the Orange Bowl. Despite losing 10 players to the 2024 NFL Draft, FSU is led by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a well-known name in college football who previously played for Clemson and Oregon State.
Georgia Tech had a successful season last year, going 7-6 and securing their first winning season since 2018. Quarterback Haynes King led the ACC in passing touchdowns and interceptions, but his performance away from home raises some concerns. While King has a positive touchdown-to-interception ratio at home, he has thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns in away games.
In another Week 0 matchup, FCS powerhouse Montana State faces off against New Mexico. Despite being an FCS school, Montana State enters the game as the favorite due to their high ranking in the Preseason FCS Coaches Poll. On the other hand, New Mexico is coming off their seventh consecutive losing season and allowed an average of 35.1 points per game last year.
Montana State’s quarterback, Tommy Mellott, is known for his dual-threat abilities and had an impressive performance in his final game of the previous season, recording four 100-yard rushing games and over 200 yards passing with multiple touchdowns. New Mexico’s defense struggled against similar athletic quarterbacks in the past, making Mellott and Montana State a potential threat in this game.
In a significant development, SMU returns to the national spotlight as they make their debut as part of the ACC in Week 0. SMU had an exceptional 11-3 season in 2023, ranking among the top 12 teams in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Their opponent, Nevada, had a disappointing season in 2023, ranking among the worst teams in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
SMU’s quarterback, Preston Stone, is considered a sleeper Heisman candidate after winning his last eight starts of the previous season. Stone displayed an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio during this winning streak and is expected to have an advantage against Nevada, who had a 2-10 record in the past two seasons.
The final game of Week 0 takes place in Honolulu, Hawaii, as Hawaii’s Rainbow Warriors host FCS school Delaware State. Hawaii’s offense, led by coach Timmy Chang, heavily relies on their passing game but struggles in the run game. Despite missing their top receiver, Steven McBride, due to an eligibility issue, Hawaii aims to capitalize on their passing strength and outplay Delaware State.
Delaware State faced a tough season in 2023, only securing a single victory over a non-NCAA competing school. They faced two FBS schools last season and suffered significant defeats in both games. However, their defensive line, consisting of Eric Montes and Darren Cook, offers some hope as they were named to the Preseason All-MEAC Second-Team Defense and combined for 13.5 sacks last year.
Discover more from Tension News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.