GameDay Kickoff: Auburn, Oregon give Week 1 an added enhance

Because of the intriguing matchup between No. 11 Oregon and No. 16 Auburn on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC) — the one Week 1 sport that includes two AP-ranked opponents — there’s already lofty significance to this weekend in school soccer.

And we’re not even speaking in regards to the playoff.

It begins with the notion of the Pac-12, which has confronted heightened criticism after lacking the School Soccer Playoff and ending beneath .500 in bowl video games every of the previous two seasons. After producing a three-loss convention champion final fall, the league might desperately use an Oregon victory to assist change the adverse narrative. Stanford may even have an opportunity to offer the league a lift Saturday if it may well beat Northwestern, final season’s Massive Ten West champion, however Oregon may have the largest alternative and seems to be in one of the best place, returning a league-high 10 starters, together with Heisman hopeful quarterback Justin Herbert.

There’s additionally the questionable way forward for Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, who has seemingly appeared on each hot-seat checklist this preseason despite a $49 million contract and what’s at the moment a top-10 recruiting class. Auburn has stared down this example earlier than — opening final season towards a ranked Pac-12 workforce — however the Tigers did not construct upon the 21-16 victory over No. 6 Washington in Atlanta and stumbled to an Eight-5 end.

Therefore the recent seat, and whereas a loss to Oregon will not get Malzahn fired, the remainder of the schedule actually might. Auburn performs at Florida and towards Georgia in its SEC crossover video games, and does not have any dwelling video games in October. A win towards a ranked Geese workforce ought to place the Tigers for a Three-Zero begin, which might be invaluable heading into the Sept. 21 journey to Texas A&M.

Dealing with Oregon in Recreation 1 is merely the start of a tough schedule for Gus Malzahn and Auburn. Julie Bennett/USA TODAY Sports activities

Malzahn is aware of all this, however mentioned he is not consumed by it.

“If you happen to take a job like Auburn, the place we count on to win championships, you recognize what you are stepping into,” Malzahn mentioned. “You have to do your job and perceive that it is a blessing to have a job like this. This can be a place you’ll be able to win championships. This might be my 10th 12 months right here. We have performed for 2 nationwide championships, three SEC championships and gained two of these. That is simply a part of the job description.”

The Pac-12 is already enjoying from behind after tripping over itself with an Zero-1 begin. Arizona’s skilled protection gave up 45 factors and simply shy of 600 yards in a 45-38 loss to Hawaii final Saturday. It seems like an afterthought to the wild, messy sport between Florida and Miami, however it was one other nonconference blemish for a league that has an embarrassing Four-13 report in bowl video games over the previous two seasons.

Geese coach Mario Cristobal, who’s coming into his second season, mentioned his program is “enhancing at a reasonably fast clip,” however that Oregon is not the one one within the league trending up.

Oregon will want a giant sport from quarterback Justin Herbert, who enters the season with Heisman hopes. Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire

“I believe a two-year absence from the School Soccer Playoff does not essentially make or break a convention,” Cristobal mentioned. “That is noise on the market. Enjoying nicely and having a workforce or two make it to the playoff would perhaps silence a few of these critics, however the focus needs to be strictly on the betterment of each program. The recruiting lessons, and the teaching inflow of the Pac-12 previously few years has been actually spectacular. We count on the convention to get higher and higher and compete for championships.”

The Geese may have an opportunity to showcase it Saturday, and at the very least one choice committee member might be there …

Movie pageant: All 13 members of the CFP choice committee have been issued their iPads, and by Sunday morning will be capable of view the cut-ups of each sport. Committee chairman Rob Mullens might be in Arlington, Texas, because the Geese’ athletic director, and whereas he’s recused from voting on Oregon when the committee meets in November, it is an opportunity for him to see Auburn reside.

“Once we get to Dallas and we put the complete résumés on there, we will be taking a look at someplace between eight and 9 video games for each workforce,” Mullens mentioned. “The committee commits loads of hours, starting in Week Zero. I’ll guarantee you each committee member watched the video games from final week, and that can proceed on till we meet in particular person.”

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin can also be on the choice committee, and he noticed the Gators hand the ACC its first loss. The ACC can have an epic rebound, although it may be asking a bit of a lot …

A unique Longhorn “community”: It is a reunion for former Texas coach Mack Brown and former Texas head-coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp, who will face one another Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina (Three:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN), when Brown begins his second stint as North Carolina head coach within the opener towards Muschamp’s South Carolina Gamecocks. “He did an incredible job for us there,” Brown mentioned. “We had an opportunity to win the nationwide championship whereas he was there. That is why we gave him that title. We thought we needed to maintain him, and lots of people have been coming after him. He is sensible, he is powerful, he is aggressive. He did an incredible job for us.” Now Brown has to beat him with a real freshman quarterback, Sam Howell.

“We’re taking place there to win a soccer sport,” however Duke coach David Cutcliffe is aware of how troublesome it is going to be to beat Alabama in Atlanta (Three:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC) — he is a Bama grad (class of 1976), and referred to as the Crimson Tide “probably the most gifted workforce high to backside within the nation.” Nonetheless, Cutcliffe mentioned his program has “earned such a alternative,” the recruiting has been on the rise, and his workforce is quick and offensively various. Will that present towards the No. 2 workforce within the nation? Or will this seem like one other lopsided victory towards a weaker nonconference opponent?

This ain’t App State-Michigan … First-year Louisville coach Scott Satterfield was an assistant coach at Appalachian State in 2007, when the Mountaineers sprang one of the vital memorable upsets within the historical past of the game. He was requested this week if there’s something he can take from it and apply it to the preparation for No. 9 Notre Dame (Eight p.m. ET Monday on ESPN). Uh, no. “The truth that we’re a giant underdog and enjoying a widely known workforce that is coming in right here, I believe that is the correlation,” he mentioned, “and it’d cease proper there.” Notre Dame ought to hope it does.

The SEC is already 1-Zero because of Florida, however the Beast of the East is … not Vandy. The Commodores are Zero-54 towards top-5 opponents, probably the most losses with no victory in AP ballot historical past (since 1936). And right here comes No. Three Georgia (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on SEC Community). The Bulldogs have gained 13 consecutive SEC East video games, the longest such profitable streak because the SEC break up into divisions in 1992. Can they do it once more? QB Jake Fromm is again, however his high 5 receivers will not be.

Again within the Massive 12: First-year Houston coach Dana Holgorsen is choosing up proper the place he left off within the 2018 common season — in what needs to be one other thriller towards No. Four Oklahoma (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC). In his last season as coach at West Virginia, Holgorsen misplaced 59-56 to the Sooners. Now he has a really gifted Cougars workforce that ought to push the Sooners to the brink. Whereas a lot of the eye might be on the Oklahoma debut of quarterback Jalen Hurts, Houston’s D’Eriq King is fairly particular, too. Houston has gained its previous three video games towards AP top-5 groups, with a kind of victories coming towards Oklahoma in 2016.