College Football Insider | Week 1

2018 // week 1

week 1 what’s new “

BEST OFFSEASON QUOTE Overall, we love the Fiesta Bowl. We’re 7-0.

It’s a tremendous game. We were treated unbelievably well all week long by our Fiesta Bowl hosts. We had a great experience.

“

James Franklin, Penn State Head Coach

TEAM TO WATCH: BOISE STATE BRONCOS Boise State enters the 2018 season as the favorite to win the Mountain West Conference and represent the Group of Five teams in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Ranked No. 22 to start the season, the Broncos, led by head coach Bryan Harsin, return quarterback Brett Rypien and 1,000yard rusher Alexander Mattison. Boise State opens the season at Troy and each week will put a likely New Year’s Six bowl berth on the line.

The Broncos are 3-0 in the Fiesta Bowl. Relive the memorable 2007 win here.

BEST OFFSEASON HEADLINE The Cactus Bowl turned cheesy this offseason by welcoming Kellogg’s Cheez-It® as title sponsor for the newly-name Cheez-It® Bowl. The partnership was announced August 20 during a press conference at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.

Read more about the partnership here.

“The Cactus Bowl has been renamed the Cheez-It® Bowl and Twitter is loving it” – CBS Sports “We have a new contender for best-named bowl game.” – Sports Illustrated “The Newly Named Cheez-It® Bowl is automatically College Football’s Best Bowl Game” - Thrillist

PRESEASON RANKINGS 1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. Georgia 4. Wisconsin 5. Ohio State

6. Washington

7. Oklahoma

8. Miami 9. Auburn 10. Penn State

For all Week One Rankings, click here.

BOWL PREDICTIONS CBS: Stanford vs. Boise State SI Staples: West Virginia vs. Washington SI Dellenger: Michigan State vs. Houston SI Axson: Boise State vs. Miami SB Nation: Boise State vs. Penn State USA Today: Boise State vs. TCU Mandel: Michigan vs. Boise State

CBS: Iowa State vs. California SB Nation: Iowa State vs. California Mandel: Oklahoma State vs. San Diego State Athlon: Iowa State vs. Utah Sporting News: Iowa State vs. Utah

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2018 | WEEK 1

week 1 what’s on tap GAMES OF THE WEEK

WHERE IS COLLEGE GAMEDAY

SAN DIEGO STATE VS. #13 STANFORD 8.31 | 6:00PM | FS1

#6 WASHINGTON VS. #9 AUBURN 9.1 | 12:30PM | ESPN

#14 MICHIGAN VS. #12 NOTRE DAME 9.1 | 4:30PM | NBC

College GameDay will kick off the season in South Bend, Indiana, for the marquee matchup between No. 14 Michigan and No. 12 Notre Dame. The first on-campus edition of College GameDay was hosted in South Bend in 1993 and it now returns to Notre Dame for the 29th time.

#8 MIAMI VS. #25 LSU 9.2 | 4:30PM | ABC

#20 VIRGINIA TECH VS. #19 FLORIDA STATE 9.3 | 5:00PM | ESPN For a full schedule of Week One games, click here.

THIS WEEK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 To open the 2007-08 college football season, Appalachian State went on the road and defeated No. 5 Michigan 34-32 in the Big House. Up 28-17 at halftime, the Mountaineers allowed the Wolverines to regain the lead 32-31 before a short field goal put Appalachian State up by two with 26 seconds to go.

The Mountaineers blocked a game-winning field goal attempt from Michigan at the end of regulation to become just the second FCS team to defeat a ranked FBS team.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2018 | WEEK 1

fiesta bowl facts FIESTA BOWL HISTORY The 1989 Fiesta Bowl featured top-ranked Notre Dame and No. 3 West Virginia, the second game in three years hosted by the Fiesta Bowl that decided college football’s national championship. The Fighting Irish, led by coach Lou Holtz, jumped out to a 23-6 halftime lead and never looked back, recording a 34-21 victory and the national championship. No. 12 Notre Dame opens the 2018 season at home against No. 14 Michigan and No. 17 West Virginia faces Tennessee in the Belk College Kickoff.

SHORT AND TWEET Ticket packages are now on sale! Secure yours today for the @Fiesta_Bowl and @CheezItBowl.

Buy here: https://fiestabowl.org/tickets/

The @WellsFargo #FiestaBowl Par 3 Challenge is right around the corner! Cool swag bag, prizes on every hole and have a shot at $1 MILLION. Reserve your foursome: https://fiestabowl.org/ events/fiesta-bowl-par-3-challenge/

FIESTA BOWL CHARITIES For the second consecutive year, Fiesta Bowl Charities is donating $2.5 million to Arizona nonprofits, the most of any college football bowl organization. The 60 organizations who received funding were selected by the Fiesta Bowl Charities Charitable Giving Committee based on the core values of youth, sports and education. Over the last eight years, the Fiesta Bowl has donated more than $12.5 million to the Arizona Community.

Apps open for the #FiestaBowlChairities Wishes for Teachers on Sep 5. AZ teachers can apply for a chance at a $5,000 grant for their classroom!

More: https://fiestabowl.org/charities/wishes-forteachers/

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2018 | WEEK 1

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Follow us and “like” us so you don’t miss a beat.

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DECEMBER 26, 2018 CHASE FIELD 7:00 PM MST

JANUARY 1, 2019 UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM 11:00 AM MST