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By Andy Baeuerle
Finally! After seven months, two weeks, and two days, college football has finally returned! We saw the 2022-23 season close with Georgia winning their second CFP National Championship in a row. Now, football is back, and it has been long awaited. There are now 133 Divison I FBS teams spread across ten conferences and a few independent teams. But as Week 0 kicked off Saturday afternoon, we saw 14 teams from Los Angeles to Dublin kick off the great sport we all love. From these seven games on Saturday, let’s take a look at three of the most awaited, as well as that of a beloved MS team.
Notre Dame vs. Navy (Dublin, Ireland)
We rarely see college football games being played outside of the United States. However, in recent years, this has become a popular trend. And we saw it Saturday as the 2023-24 College Football Season kicked off with the Navy-Notre Dame rivalry at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Last season, Notre Dame finished the 2022-23 season 9-4 and ranked at #18 in the country. Some of those nine included wins over #16 BYU, #16 Syracuse, #4 Clemson, and #19 South Carolina in the Gator Bowl. The Navy Midshipmen closed last season with an overall 4-8 record and a 4-4 record in the American Athletic Conference. Navy’s wins included nailbiters over East Carolina, Temple, and #20 UCF.
Notre Dame was heavily favored to win the 2023 edition of this rivalry, being placed in the 2023 Preseason AP Top 25 at #13. ND freshman quarterback Sam Hartman exploded in the game, completing 19 out of 23 passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns in the game, becoming the third ND QB to throw for four in an opening game for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame ended up dominating the Midshipmen, winning 42-3. Navy QB Tai Lavatai had a weaker time, finishing 3 out of 6 passes for 43 yards and no touchdowns. After this game, Notre Dame leads the all-time series against Navy with 82 wins, 13 losses, and one tie. In the official Week 1, Notre Dame will face Tennessee State, while Navy will take on Wagner.
#8 USC vs. San Jose State
USC has a long tradition in college football, claiming 11 national championships from 1928 to 2004. After hiring Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley following the 2021 season, the Trojans achieved their first 10-win season since 2017 under Clay Kelton. They also made it to the Cotton Bowl, their first NY6 bowl since 2017, losing to Tulane. Last year, the Trojans finished 11-3 (8-1 PAC-12), with a loss in the PAC-12 Championship to #11 Utah. Also achieving success again is the San Jose State Spartans. In 2022, the Spartans finished 7-4 and 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference.
Coming into this matchup, the Trojans were heavily favored to win by a large margin. USC comes into 2023 armed with Heisman winner Caleb Williams and a defense that is being questioned. San Jose State came with quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and a team expected to finish in the middle level of the MWC. In Quarter 1, USC underwhelmed, only scoring one touchdown. Come the second quarter, USC finally found a spark, getting two more on the board while also allowing SJSU to do the same, making the halftime tally only 21-14 with a Trojan lead. Coming out of halftime, the Trojans kept the spark lit and took off to score 21 points, while San Jose could only put seven up. Things kept going strong in the fourth as USC still walked over the Spartans, scoring 14, while the Spartans only posted seven more points for the final score to be a 58-26 Trojan victory. Next week, San Jose State hosts #18 Oregon State, while USC takes on the Nevada Wolfpack at home.
Jackson State vs. South Carolina State (Atlanta, Georgia)
Following Deion Sanders’ leave for Colorado, the fate of the Jackson State Tigers in 2023 has been unknown. Not only did Coach Sanders leave, but many of the players that Sanders recruiter also left with him. Former JSU quarterback T.C. Taylor, who also saw time in the NFL, took over as head coach after Sanders left. South Carolina State, out of the MEAC, came into this matchup being led by 22nd-year head coach Oliver Pough. Pough has become a legendary name in his 22 years with the Bulldogs, achieving a total record of 146-87.
Early in the first quarter, JSU running back made a 46-yard run down the field to get the Tigers on the board first. But it would take until the second quarter that JSU would score again. A 35-yard TD pass from Tiger QB Jason Brown to Jency Riley (10:11) and a 31-yard field goal from JSU kicker Gerardo Baeza right as the clock hit 0 in the second quarter gave the Tigers a 17-0 lead at halftime. Coming out of the locker room, the Tigers refused to let up, taking on 17 more points to take a 34-point lead. However, the Bulldogs wouldn’t leave Atlanta in total shame, as they gained a last-minute touchdown. Jackson State walked out with a big 37-7 win over the Bulldogs to show the nation that it wouldn’t take a big-name coach leaving to kill the Tigers. Next week, JSU will take on Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami, while South Carolina State will travel to Charlotte, NC, to take on the Charlotte 49ers.
Week 1 Matchups for Mississippi’s College Teams
- Thursday, August 31, 2023
- Mississippi College @ Keiser, 5:00 PM
- Delta State @ Missouri S&T, 6:00 PM
- Belhaven vs. Millsaps, 7:00 PM
- Saturday, September 2, 2023
- Alcorn State @ Southern Miss, 6:00 PM, ESPN+
- #22 Ole Miss vs. Mercer, 1:00 PM, ESPN+/SECN+
- MS State vs. SE Louisiana, 3:00 PM, SECN
- Jackson State vs. Florida A&M, 2:00 PM, ESPN
MS Valley State vs. Central State, 3:00 PM
MageeNews.com is an online news source serving Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
