Week 1 College Football Midweek Viewing Guide & Open Thread

This is your place to comment on all of the games happening on Thursday/Friday night. There will be a new viewing guide/open thread out on Saturday morning for the action through the rest of the weekend, don’t worry.

SUGGESTED VIEWING GUIDE (all times PT)

THURSDAY GAMES

5:00 PM: Florida at #14 Utah, ESPN

DraftKings Betting Line: Utah -6.5

This is the biggest game of the midweek slate as Utah will try to avenge its loss at Florida in week one last season. That loss ended up looking a lot worse by season’s end after the Gators ultimately struggled in their first year under head coach Billy Napier. Of course, it didn’t end up mattering for Utah as they recovered and won the Pac-12 anyways.

This year, the game is in Utah but the Utes don’t appear likely to be at full strength. Kyle Whittingham is playing coy but it seems more likely than not that star QB Cam Rising and his TE Brant Kuithe don’t suit up as they try to recover from injuries. Their availability (or lack thereof) has a chance to swing this game and make it look completely different.

Alternate game

5:00 PM: Nebraska at Minnesota, FOX

DraftKings Betting Line: Minnesota -7.5

If instead you want to stay focused on Washington’s future conference brethren (I just threw up in my mouth a little), then this isn’t a bad option either. Minnesota has been in the next tier of Big Ten teams behind the upper crust during recent seasons and they will look to do so again. Nebraska is once again searching for their coaching savior as the Matt Rhule era starts in Lincoln. We’ll see if he can rediscover his Baylor form after flaming out as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers in the NFL.

7:00 PM: Southern Utah at Arizona State, Pac-12 Networks

If you finish up either of the above two games then there’s only one option for you. It’s an FCS opponent but it’s still a chance to scout out the Sun Devils with new head coach Kenny Dillingham and true freshman QB Jaden Rashada.

Friday Games

4:00 PM: Central Michigan at Michigan State, FS1

DraftKings Betting Line: Michigan State -14.5

This is a good chance to get in a half hour of scouting for Washington’s first road opponent. Coach Mel Tucker has kept it a secret who the starting QB will be so this will be a chance to find out who Bralen Trice will be repeatedly sacking in a few weeks. If you take out the scouting angle then the clear winner for the viewing guide is the battle of the Miamis (Miami OH at Miami FL).

4:30 PM: Georgia Tech at Louisville, ESPN

DraftKings Betting Line: Louisville -7.5

Look, beggars can’t be choosers. It’s a Friday night game between a pair of ACC teams. That’s not so bad.

8:00 PM: Stanford at Hawai’i, CBS Sports Network

DraftKings Betting Line: Stanford -4

There’s a chance this ends up being a nightmare scenario for Stanford to start the season. The Cardinal roster is barren to start under new head coach Troy Taylor and they have to travel across the Pacific to play the Rainbow Warriors. Hawai’i also has a barren roster but they were competitive traveling to play at Vanderbilt in week zero. If Hawai’i can play the worst team in the SEC to a one score game on the road then they are capable of beating the worst team in the Pac-12 at home.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.