2021 College Football Insider | Week 1

2021 season · Week 1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1

Quote of the week “No. I was just sweating.”

- Illinois Head Coach Bret Bielema on if he was fighting emotions after a 30-22 win over Nebraska in his Illini debut

TEAM TO WATCH:

Coastal Carolina

At the beginning of the 2020 season, many pegged Coastal Carolina to finish last in the Sun Belt Conference. Fast forward to 2021 and the Chanticleers carry a No. 22 ranking into opening weekend. After surprising the nation last season and nearly going undefeated, Coastal Carolina looks to make waves and build on its momentum.

The 2021 Preseason Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Grayson McCall plans to lead the Chanticleers to success. The redshirt sophomore completed close to 70 percent of his passes last year on the way to nearly 2,500 yards and 33 total touchdowns.

Coastal Carolina helps kickoff Week 1 when it faces The Citadel on Thursday, September 2 at 4 p.m. (MST).

If the breakout team of 2020 can find its form again, we could be seeing a Sun Belt representative in a New Year’s Six Bowl (perhaps here for the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl) for the first time in league history.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:

UCLA

The Bruins scored early and often in their season opener on the way to defeating Hawai’i, 44-10, on Saturday. UCLA opened with a 24-3 first quarter lead and never looked back.

Running back Zach Charbonnet was the star of the weekend, scoring three touchdowns on six carries for a staggering 106 yards. The Michigan transfer scored twice in the opening quarter, first with a 21-yard run before his biggest of the day, a 46-yard touchdown run with :47 left on the clock.

Charbonnet wasn’t the only offense for the Bruins.

Running back Brittain Brown added 78 yards on 13 carries and quarterback Dorian ThompsonRobinson went 10-of-20 passing for 130 yards and one touchdown.

UCLA will host No. 16 LSU in the first ever meeting between the two programs. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. (MST) on Saturday, September 4 on FOX.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1

games of the week #4 OHIO STATE AT MINNESOTA 9.2 | 5:00 PM | FOX

#19 PENN STATE AT #12 WISCONSIN 9.4 | 9 AM | FOX

#1 ALABAMA VS. #14 MIAMI 9.4 | 12:30 PM | ABC

#17 INDIANA AT #18 IOWA 9.4 | 12:30 PM | BTN

#9 NOTRE DAME AT FLORIDA STATE 9.5 | 4:30 PM | ABC For a full schedule of Week One games, click here. (All times in AZ)

AP Week 1 Rankings 1. ALABAMA

6. TEXAS A&M

2. OKLAHOMA

7. IOWA STATE

3. CLEMSON

8. CINCINNATI

4. OHIO STATE

9. NOTRE DAME

5. GEORGIA

10. NORTH CAROLINA

For the full AP Top 25 Rankings, click here.

game of the week The No. 5 ranked Georgia Bulldogs head into opening weekend as slight underdogs against No. 3 Clemson for the neutral-site game in Charlotte on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. MST Caesars Sportsbook currently has the Line as Clemson -3 with the Over/Under set at 51.5.

In a matchup that could have College Football Playoff implications, anything can happen. Georgia quarterback JT Daniels will look to build on last season’s performance after winning four straight games to end the year, while Clemson will see DJ Uiagalelei take over for the 2019 PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game Trevor Lawrence.

Fiesta Bowl fans can bet online beginning next Thursday, September 9, with Caesars Sportsbook.

Download the app now and get ready to place your bets!

2020-21 Bowl PREDICTIONS: PLAYSTATION ® FIESTA BOWL

GUARANTEED RATE BOWL

ESPN Bonagura – USC vs. Texas A&M

ESPN Bonagura – Baylor vs. Michigan State

ESPN Schlabach – Oregon vs. Cincinnati

ESPN Schlabach – Kansas State vs. Minnesota

CBS – Texas A&M vs. Cincinnati

CBS – Kansas State vs. Minnesota

USA Today – Texas A&M vs. Cincinnati

USA Today – West Virginia vs. Nebraska

Action Network – North Carolina vs. UCF

Action Network – West Virginia vs. Northwestern

The Athletic – Cincinnati vs. Miami

The Athletic – Kansas State vs. Northwestern

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1

SEASON TICKET MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

RANDY CLEGG

First year as a Season Ticket Member: 2004 Why did you become a Season Ticket Member: I love college football and the Fiesta Bowl What is your favorite college football team: Oklahoma State Cowboys

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT:

TREVOR LAWRENCE The first overall selection of the 2021 NFL Draft, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been named the starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his final preseason game, Lawrence was impressive to say the least. He threw for 139 yards and a touchdown on 11-of-12 passing in three drives with the first-team offense.

What is your favorite Fiesta Bowl game: 2003 National Championship Miami vs. Ohio State What is your dream PlayStation ® Fiesta Bowl matchup: Oklahoma State vs. Ohio State 2021-22 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl prediction: Oklahoma vs. Ohio State

During his time at Clemson, Lawrence had one of the best collegiate football careers of all time from 2018-20. The quarterback threw for over 10,000 yards with 90 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. His .944 winning percentage is the third best by a starting quarterback with at least 30 career starts since 1978.

In 2019, Lawrence led the Tigers to a 29-23 comeback victory by going 18-of-33 for 259 yards and three touchdowns (including one rushing) on his way to become the PlayStation ® Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game.

Fiesta Bowl & Caesars Sportsbook The Fiesta Bowl Organization announced it has joined forces with Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) in a first-of-its-kind sports betting and fantasy gaming partnership for a college football Bowl game.

The multi-faceted alliance focuses on fan engagement, the organization’s year-round events and expanding sports gaming and education in Arizona.

With the new legislation permitting legal sports betting in Arizona, this multi-year relationship will expand Caesars’s footprint across the state by bringing its state-of-the-art platform to college football fans while enhancing the education of responsible gaming and bringing fans closer to the excitement that college football delivers.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1

MORE THAN JUST A GAME® FIESTA BOWL CHARITIES

GRANT CYCLE RECIPIENTS At the heart of the Fiesta Bowl Organization is a simple mission: to enhance organizations that contribute to the success of their communities through youth, sports and education. Through its two annual bowl games in the Valley, the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, as well as community events throughout the year, Fiesta Bowl Charities has selected 51 Arizona nonprofits through its 2021-22 Grant Cycle.

Over 575,000 Arizonans will be impacted by the Fiesta Bowl Charities Grant Recipients!

DESERT FINANCIAL FIESTA BOWL PARADE PRESENTED BY LERNER & ROWE The Fiesta Bowl announced that Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper and the Fiesta Bowl Founders have been honored as Grand Marshals of the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, to showcase the theme of “Gold Standard: A Commitment to CommUNITY” and commemorate the organization’s 50th Anniversary of community impact.

Joining the Parade family this year is Lerner & Rowe as presenting partner, after having worked with the Fiesta Bowl Organization on several community relations projects over the past several years.

The Fiesta Bowl once again invites and encourages groups to submit an application to participate in the Parade, with the deadline closing on Friday, September 10, 2021.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1

JA NUA RY 1 , 2022

DE CE M B E R 28, 2021

F I E S TA B O W L . O R G /FIESTABOWL

@FIESTA_BOWL

GUARANTEEDRATEBOWL

@RATEBOWL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER • 2021 season • WEEK 1