The 2023 Ohio State football season kicks off with stage one of a potentially four-part Rampage: Indiana Tour, with stops scheduled in Bloomington, South Bend, West Lafayette, and, with Woody's intercession, Indianapolis once more. Not quite last season's opening headliner but the slate is rather ho-hum across the nation. The casual fan will be waiting with bated breath for Sunday night's rematch of one of the silliest games of 2022, one which left fans wondering if the ghost of Les Miles still walked the sidelines of the bayou.
Colorado Buffaloes @ Texas Christian Horned Frogs
Draper: This is the greatest experiment in college football in a long time. I have no idea how this Deion business is going to play out, but it should be interesting at least. With regard to play on the field, the Prime Time vibes have people forgetting what a mess this program was in last year. I don't think the amazing transfer success will right the ship. In addition, the 'if one fights, we all fight' philosophy is just lighting a powder keg. TCU isn't flashy and lost a ton of talent, but they did play for the National Title last year. Even with that, I think they win this one easily and remind people that the glitz and glamor can't turn around a program in a heartbeat. CU: 14--TCU: 34
Hoying: You can tell that Coach Prime must have played a lot of EA Sports' NCAA Football because he's using the same strategy I use when taking over a garbage program: methodically cut all the scrubs that got the last guy fired and bring in your shiny new recruits to take their place. It's just that I didn't expect him to go all "Football Team of Theseus" on day one, with over 70 players hitting the portal since last season alone. Of course, the team on the other sideline isn't completely intact from 2022 either, with the national runner-up (?!?) TCU Horned Frogs looking to move past Heisman runner-up (?!?!?) Max Duggan and quite a few other key contributors. Fortunately for TCU, Duggan is being replaced by last year's season starter, Chandler Morris, so I wouldn't expect a huge dropoff at this position alone. Then again, even Duggan and maximum roster TCU only pulled within 58 points of a national championship, so don't expect the Frogs to become the next Alabama anytime soon. But they aren't playing Alabama this week. They're playing the bottom feeder of a dying conference, trying to break in an entire new roster at once. Growing pains can be brutal when there's nowhere to go but up. CU: 9--TCU: 34
Hoying: You can tell that Coach Prime must have played a lot of EA Sports' NCAA Football because he's using the same strategy I use when taking over a garbage program: methodically cut all the scrubs that got the last guy fired and bring in your shiny new recruits to take their place. It's just that I didn't expect him to go all "Football Team of Theseus" on day one, with over 70 players hitting the portal since last season alone. Of course, the team on the other sideline isn't completely intact from 2022 either, with the national runner-up (?!?) TCU Horned Frogs looking to move past Heisman runner-up (?!?!?) Max Duggan and quite a few other key contributors. Fortunately for TCU, Duggan is being replaced by last year's season starter, Chandler Morris, so I wouldn't expect a huge dropoff at this position alone. Then again, even Duggan and maximum roster TCU only pulled within 58 points of a national championship, so don't expect the Frogs to become the next Alabama anytime soon. But they aren't playing Alabama this week. They're playing the bottom feeder of a dying conference, trying to break in an entire new roster at once. Growing pains can be brutal when there's nowhere to go but up. CU: 9--TCU: 34
Schweinfurth: Man, it’s good to be back. However, we start the year off
with Colorado? I guess Coach Prime brings some juice to this game? It will be
interesting to see how a full roster makeover goes. This was weaponizing the transfer
portal to the max. As for the game, TCU has quite a lot to replace of their team
from last year, but I’ve learned not to doubt the Horned Frogs. ALL HAIL
HYPNOTOAD!! CU: 17—TCU: 35
Seeberg: Hey kids, college football is BACK...and not like Texas is back, it's back for real! How do I know? I've already been roundly chastised by multiple members of the Penn State fan base on Twitter for insinuating that having a new QB may cost them a game or two this season...literally right after one of their fans showed McSorely (3 losses) and Clifford's (2 losses) first years as inexperienced starters. Regardless, Neon Deion is back and coaching the Buffaloes for...reasons? We know next-to-nothing about how either squad will really look. Deion brings in a massive load of transfers and TCU lost exactly half of their starters, including Max Duggan. The Frogs should be able to run it, however, with Emani Bailey and Bama transfer Trey Sanders in the backfield. Continuity should matter early in the season, and the Buffs don't have it just yet. Hypnotoad swirls on. UC: 17--TCU: 27
Seeberg: Hey kids, college football is BACK...and not like Texas is back, it's back for real! How do I know? I've already been roundly chastised by multiple members of the Penn State fan base on Twitter for insinuating that having a new QB may cost them a game or two this season...literally right after one of their fans showed McSorely (3 losses) and Clifford's (2 losses) first years as inexperienced starters. Regardless, Neon Deion is back and coaching the Buffaloes for...reasons? We know next-to-nothing about how either squad will really look. Deion brings in a massive load of transfers and TCU lost exactly half of their starters, including Max Duggan. The Frogs should be able to run it, however, with Emani Bailey and Bama transfer Trey Sanders in the backfield. Continuity should matter early in the season, and the Buffs don't have it just yet. Hypnotoad swirls on. UC: 17--TCU: 27
Boise State Broncos @ Washington Huskies
Draper: This was a fun game when it happened....10 years ago. Now, it's just the future Big Ten legends vs. the 'oh yeah, this team was a fun Cinderella for awhile'...10 years ago. This needs to be a statement game for the Huskies if they plan on showing off their Big Penix Energy. The hopes and dreams of the Pacific Northwest ride in purple and gold. I expect UW to come out with a very strong start to the season. I don't see the slip-up here. BSU: 17--UW: 41
Hoying: Every Cinderella either dies a hero or lives long enough to become Gonzaga. After a decade-plus tear that almost saw the Broncos climb to the top of the all-time winning percentage ranking across all of FBS, the mojo has cooled a bit. Boise State hasn't beaten a big name out of conference since Florida State in 2019, and they haven't beaten a great nonconference opponent since their Fiesta Bowl win over Arizona nearly 10 years ago. That's bad news when you're staring down a team that was a couple of bad bounces away from running the regular season slate last year. BSU: 20--UW: 34
Hoying: Every Cinderella either dies a hero or lives long enough to become Gonzaga. After a decade-plus tear that almost saw the Broncos climb to the top of the all-time winning percentage ranking across all of FBS, the mojo has cooled a bit. Boise State hasn't beaten a big name out of conference since Florida State in 2019, and they haven't beaten a great nonconference opponent since their Fiesta Bowl win over Arizona nearly 10 years ago. That's bad news when you're staring down a team that was a couple of bad bounces away from running the regular season slate last year. BSU: 20--UW: 34
Schweinfurth: Boise State just isn’t the same as it was about 6-7 years
ago. This game in past years would be Boise’s season. This year, they shouldn’t
offer Washington much resistance. This should be a stat game for Michael Penix.
BSU: 14—UW: 38
Seeberg: Well, the Buckeyes giving Michael Penix a dose of reality may have been the best medicine for him. Penix seems to have started a new trend of B1G QBs heading elsewhere for greener pastures when they can't beat the Bucks (not sure all the pastures are that green however as Graham Mertz has currently put up a whopping 3 points in Utah halfway through the 3rd quarter as I type this). Regardless, the Huskies have some weapons around Penix and he lit up the PAC-12 10 whatever is left last season. The Broncos, meanwhile, are still a very good group of 5 squad, but they just haven't been able to compete with the big boys consistently since Chris Petersen's departure- ironically to help the Huskies back to prominence. Does the headline "former Hoosier quarterback's Heisman campaign off to a good start" confuse anybody else? Stranger things have happened I suppose. BSU: 20--Wash: 38
Seeberg: Well, the Buckeyes giving Michael Penix a dose of reality may have been the best medicine for him. Penix seems to have started a new trend of B1G QBs heading elsewhere for greener pastures when they can't beat the Bucks (not sure all the pastures are that green however as Graham Mertz has currently put up a whopping 3 points in Utah halfway through the 3rd quarter as I type this). Regardless, the Huskies have some weapons around Penix and he lit up the PAC-
Louisiana State Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles
Draper: Week 1 heavyweight matchups can be quite deceiving in 2 ways. They could be an exciting barnburner in which you can tell the teams are still raw and need to grow, or one team, who everyone thought was good, might actually suck. I think these teams are both going to be very good, but I doubt they'll be in crisp midseason form. Quite frankly, I'm not sure the Noles are quite up to the hype this year. They'll be very good, but I'm not convinced the natty is in the future. However, that is the definition of LSU most years (and is this year as well). I anticipate a bunch of silly mistakes defining the game (see last year LSU vs. FSU), but you know I'm talkin' bout the Noles. Brian Kelly turns purple as Jordan Travis jumps to the number 2 QB in the Heisman race. LSU: 31--FSU: 34
Hoying: Go ahead and toss Florida State into the same are they /aren't they back bag that's been occupied by Texas and Tennessee over the Playoff era. Knowing what we know now, last year's improbable win over LSU would have been considered a big step in the correct direction, but the Noles followed it up with an October to forget, and were quickly forgotten. The FSU offense may nearly be in championship form (ACC championship at least), but for the time being, BK has it his way. LSU: 27--FSU: 21
Hoying: Go ahead and toss Florida State into the same are they /aren't they back bag that's been occupied by Texas and Tennessee over the Playoff era. Knowing what we know now, last year's improbable win over LSU would have been considered a big step in the correct direction, but the Noles followed it up with an October to forget, and were quickly forgotten. The FSU offense may nearly be in championship form (ACC championship at least), but for the time being, BK has it his way. LSU: 27--FSU: 21
Schweinfurth: Hopefully
this is the game we all need this week. These first week top 10 games can be a
bit of an enigma in some years. In all honesty, I just don’t thing Brian Kelly
is all he’s made out to be. I’ll take the Noles here at home. LSU: 21—FSU:
28
Seeberg: Kudos to these two for playing this game and attempting to salvage a mostly mundane week one slate. The talent on these two squads is undeniable...and unpredictable. Both teams will have multiple transfers playing critical roles on both sides of the ball. However, both teams also return 8 offensive starters from relatively explosive units last season. Continuity matters early. This game truly feels like a coin flip, and the mystery of week one only adds to the indecisiveness. Let's just hope for a game as good as last year, and the Tigers get their revenge late. LSU: 37--FSU: 31
Seeberg: Kudos to these two for playing this game and attempting to salvage a mostly mundane week one slate. The talent on these two squads is undeniable...and unpredictable. Both teams will have multiple transfers playing critical roles on both sides of the ball. However, both teams also return 8 offensive starters from relatively explosive units last season. Continuity matters early. This game truly feels like a coin flip, and the mystery of week one only adds to the indecisiveness. Let's just hope for a game as good as last year, and the Tigers get their revenge late. LSU: 37--FSU: 31
THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers
Draper: Remember when Dwayne Haskins started? Justin Fields? CJ Stroud? Every time, Buckeye Nation held their collective breath to say 'we should be good, but what about the QB?' Since Ryan Day has been here, the new QB has stepped into a Heisman finalist role almost from day 1. The pieces of this team are just too good to ignore. It's a huge boon to anyone taking a snap. There are 2 enormous questions that may be more important than who's under center: 1) will this offensive line be serviceable? and 2) will the defense ever gel against the big boys? I'm a little worried about the big uglies as we lost some major talent last year. The skill position guys are the best in the nation, but while the best friend to a new QB may be his receiver, his mental state needs the protection. With the defense, it's put up or shut up time. Superstar athletes pepper the roster. It's time to make it count. Honestly, the defense only struggled in giving up explosives last year....which is kind of a big deal. Limit that in all games (especially the big ones) and Jim Knowles will have earned his pay. Repeat the sins of the last 2 years and it's a one was ticket to cutsville. Some are asking where the 'tuneup' game is before a Big Ten opponent. The good news? Indiana sucks. There is no reason for this game to be in question at half. Take your stadium picture, Hoosiers, and have a nice weekend. Marv is ready to return to glory. OSU: 48--IU: 13
Hoying: Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. It's all we heard about in the offseason, even though the Bucks return so much production at other positions on both sides of the ball. The only real question marks I see across the roster are offensive line, QB (we're going to be fine), and, well, whether this defense will ever really work. A new starting QB and a prior season bowl loss is traditionally a great recipe for a Buckeye national championship. At any rate, we probably won't learn many answers to our questions this weekend; Indiana has snapped back to reality after the attempted usurpation in 2020 and is always for what ails ya. Probably the most interesting thing we'll learn is what the intended snap mix at running back will be, and whether Tre has his quick step back. OSU: 45--IU: 17
Hoying: Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. It's all we heard about in the offseason, even though the Bucks return so much production at other positions on both sides of the ball. The only real question marks I see across the roster are offensive line, QB (we're going to be fine), and, well, whether this defense will ever really work. A new starting QB and a prior season bowl loss is traditionally a great recipe for a Buckeye national championship. At any rate, we probably won't learn many answers to our questions this weekend; Indiana has snapped back to reality after the attempted usurpation in 2020 and is always for what ails ya. Probably the most interesting thing we'll learn is what the intended snap mix at running back will be, and whether Tre has his quick step back. OSU: 45--IU: 17
Schweinfurth: It’s great to have the Buckeyes back. After what seems like
a ton of twists and turns this offseason, Ryan Day finally landed on…Kyle
McCord. Really, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. McCord’s been the back up
under Stroud and looked pretty good in his one start. I am a bit curious to see
what Devin Brown brings and if the team responds better to him or McCord. On
defense, I truly hope the big plays are shored up. Those plays single handedly
killed this team last year. The good news is that Indiana shouldn’t be very
good and is a good B1G school to get started with. Bucks win and hopefully we
get some questions answered. OSU: 42—IU: 10
Seeberg: Here we go again, starting the season with a fresh QB on the road against a conference opponent. Thankfully the Hoosiers have dropped off considerably from their COVID-era stretch (a certain QB transferring may have contributed). All the talk coming out of camp is how vastly improved the back 7 on D are...and don't we all hope?? The QBs have received the bulk of the attention, but the OL is a bit untested and will play a crucial role as the season progresses. Saturday, however, it's about our first glimpses into what McCord/Brown can do leading an almost-comical amount of skilled talent on offense. I find it slightly disconcerting that neither wowed the coaches enough to take hold of the position- but I find it relieving that Day and Co. didn't think it was necessary to shop for another quarterback in the transfer portal, which they've done quite successfully when needed (Justin Fields vs. Tate Martell ring a bell?). I hope the offense hums and the defense stymies. 3:30 can't get here soon enough! OSU: 45--IU: 10
Seeberg: Here we go again, starting the season with a fresh QB on the road against a conference opponent. Thankfully the Hoosiers have dropped off considerably from their COVID-era stretch (a certain QB transferring may have contributed). All the talk coming out of camp is how vastly improved the back 7 on D are...and don't we all hope?? The QBs have received the bulk of the attention, but the OL is a bit untested and will play a crucial role as the season progresses. Saturday, however, it's about our first glimpses into what McCord/Brown can do leading an almost-comical amount of skilled talent on offense. I find it slightly disconcerting that neither wowed the coaches enough to take hold of the position- but I find it relieving that Day and Co. didn't think it was necessary to shop for another quarterback in the transfer portal, which they've done quite successfully when needed (Justin Fields vs. Tate Martell ring a bell?). I hope the offense hums and the defense stymies. 3:30 can't get here soon enough! OSU: 45--IU: 10
Upset Special
Draper: Duke over Clemson
Hoying: West Virginia over Penn State
Schweinfurth: Rice over Texas
Seeberg: Fresno State over Purdue
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