Deion, Colorado in close battle with TCU

Week 1 of the 2023 faculty soccer season is right here. Six of the highest eight groups within the US LBM Coaches Ballot are in motion on Saturday, together with No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Alabama and No. 4 Ohio State. In search of Week 1 picks? We received you lined right here. In search of Week 1 daring predictions? Look no additional than proper right here. And an entire TV schedule? Yep, that’s proper right here. 

What faculty soccer video games are on proper now? 

• Portland State at No. 15 Oregon, Pac-12, 3 p.m. 
• No. 4 Ohio State at Indiana, CBS, 3:30 p.m. 
• Boise State at No. 11 Washington, ABC, 3:30 p.m. 
• Rice at No. 12 Texas, Fox, 3:30 p.m. 
• Tennessee State at No. 13 Notre Dame, NBC, 3:30 p.m.

• Buffalo at No. 21 Wisconsin, FS1, 3:30 p.m. 
• Massachusetts at Auburn, ESPN, 3:30 p.m. 
• South Florida at Western Kentucky, CBSSN, 3:30 p.m. 
• Towson at Maryland, Massive Ten, 3:30 p.m. 
• Wofford at Pittsburgh, ACC, 3:30 p.m. 

• Southeast Louisiana at Mississippi State, SEC Community, 4 p.m.
• California at North Texas, ESPNU, 4 p.m. 

School soccer schedule, Prime 25

• UT Martin at No. 1 Georgia, ESPN+, 6 p.m. 
• Nevada vs. No. 6 USC, Pac-12 Community, 6:30 p.m. 
• SEMO at No. 17 Kansas State, Massive 12 NOW, 7 p.m. 
• New Mexico at No. 25 Texas A&M, ESPN, 7 p.m. 
• West Virginia at No. 7 Penn State, NBC, 7:30 p.m. 
• No. 20 North Carolina vs. South Carolina (Charlotte, N.C.), ABC, 7:30 p.m. 
• No. 24 Texas Tech at Wyoming, CBS, 7:30 p.m. 
• Center Tennessee at No. 3 Alabama, SEC Community, 7:30 p.m. 
• South Alabama at No. 23 Tulane, ESPNU, 8 p.m.

Michigan, Tennessee, Oklahoma rack up dominant wins

J.J. McCarthy hit Roman Wilson for 3 landing passes and Michigan, who’s with out head coach Jim Harbaugh due to a self-imposed suspension, coasted previous East Carolina 30-3. McCarthy threw for 280 yards, Blake Corum ran for 73 yards and a rating and Wilson caught six passes for 78 yards.

Dillon Gabriel threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma rolled up 642 yards of complete offense in an obliteration of Arkansas State 73-0.  The Sooners led 45-0 at halftime and performed their backups the complete second half. Ten receivers caught a move and 9 backs ran the ball no less than as soon as.

Tennessee additionally had a straightforward time in its opener, beating Virginia 49-13 in Nashville. Joe Milton threw for 201 yards and in addition relied on a robust operating sport that gained 279 yards. — Scooby Axson

Fresno State knocks off Purdue on the highway

Let the upsets of the 2023 faculty soccer season start.

The Fresno State Bulldogs have been in a position to pull off one other victory over a Energy 5 crew, happening the highway and defeating Purdue 39-35. The Bulldogs scored the game-winning landing on a 22-yard move from Mikey Keene to Erik Brooks with 59 seconds left, and the protection was in a position to cease the Boilermaker offense close to the 50-yard-line to protect the win. 

Saturday’s sport was the second straight win over a Energy 5 crew for the defending Mountain West champions, beating Washington State within the LA Bowl to finish final season. It was additionally Fresno State’s first win over a Massive Ten crew since beating Illinois in 2010, and their tenth win in a row courting again to final season.

Keene had a giant day throwing the ball, passing for 366 yards and 4 touchdowns.

After failing to transform on a fourth down close to the goalline, the Boilermakers received a giant, acrobatic interception from Dillon Thieneman to forestall Fresno State from controlling the clock. It solely took two performs for the Purdue offense to go 55 yards into the top zone and retake a three-point lead with 4 minutes left within the sport.

Travis Hunter makes diving interception

Travis Hunter is proving why he was the highest total recruit in 2022.

TCU was driving towards taking the lead within the third quarter when Hunter made a diving interception off of Chandler Morris to thwart the scoring alternative for the Horned Frogs. He additionally received his head coach hyped on the sideline.

The Buffaloes wound up punting on the drive, and the Horned Frogs received within the endzone on the next drive to take a 28-24 lead late within the third quarter.

Fresno State positive aspects fourth-quarter lead over Purdue

Fresno State has solidified itself as a Energy 5 killer, and the Bulldogs aren’t shying away from Purdue.

Although the Boilermakers have had a number of massive performs, together with a kickoff returned for a landing, Fresno State operating again Malik Sherrod was in a position to punch it into the top zone to start out the fourth quarter and provides the Bulldogs a 32-28 lead. Fresno State is searching for its second straight win over a Energy 5 crew after beating Washington State within the LA Bowl to finish final season.

Colorado has halftime lead over No. 16 TCU

The primary sport of the Deion Sanders period is underway for the Colorado Buffaloes. They’re already on observe to even their variety of wins from final season as they lead the TCU Horned Frogs 17-14 on the half.

CU struck first with quarterback Shedeur Sanders — Deion’s son — discovering Dylan Edwards for a 4-yard landing.

Two-way star Travis Hunter has seven catches for 42 yards and missed two catches — one Sanders overthrew and one was a close to landing the place he didn’t have management of the ball earlier than going out of bounds.

“He get these two deep balls, the Heisman is at his crib chillin proper now,” Coach Prime stated earlier than taking his crew into the tunnel.

TCU operating again Trey Sanders has each touchdowns for the Horned Frogs, who solely have 196 yards of complete offense. — Victoria Hernandez

Oklahoma pouring it on in opposition to Arkansas State

No crew began Saturday with a greater first half than Oklahoma, because the Sooners have been in full dominance in opposition to Arkansas State with a 45-0 lead heading into halftime.

The Sooners have 437 complete yards within the first half to the Pink Wolves’ 103. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has 308 passing yards as his crew has scored on each drive they’ve had within the first half-hour, together with a punt return for a landing. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan in management at halftime in opposition to East Carolina

J.J McCarthy went 16-18 for 181 yards and two touchdowns to Roman Wilson because the Wolverines took a 23-0 lead in opposition to the Pirates. Blake Corum added 56 yards on the bottom and scored on a brief two-yard run.

Virginia taking pictures survivor leads crew out of the tunnel; kicker honors fallen teammate

Saturday was a giant milestone within the comeback of Mike Hollins.

The Virginia operating again was taking part in in his first sport since he was injured in a November taking pictures on campus that resulted within the loss of life of three Cavaliers gamers − Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.

Previous to Virginia’s matchup with Tennessee in Nashville, Hollins led the crew onto the sector in a strong second for the Cavaliers.

Tributes to the fallen gamers have been additionally obvious Saturday afternoon. Kicker Will Bettridge is sporting No. 41, which was Perry’s quantity. They have been highschool teammates and Perry’s household agreed it was a correct method to keep it up his legacy. Bettridge kicked a discipline purpose within the second quarter to offer Virginia its solely factors within the first half, because it trails Tennessee 21-3 at halftime. — Jordan Mendoza

Learn extra about Virginia’s return to the soccer discipline right here.

Virginia’s punter is a 34-year-old former Marine

It is turn into extra frequent to have older faculty soccer gamers, however Virginia has a novel one.

Punter Matt Ganyard is a walk-on for the Cavaliers and received his undergraduate diploma in 2011. He was then within the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a Cobra Assault Helicopter pilot. Now the crew’s punter and kickoff specialist, he is within the second yr of his grasp’s program. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan scores early in opposition to East Carolina

Michigan, with out head coach Jim Harbaugh, received on the board first in opposition to the Pirates after an eight-play, 57-yard drive, capped by J.J. McCarthy hitting Roman Wilson on a 14-yard scoring strike. — Scooby Axson

Colorado strikes first in coach Deion Sanders’ opening sport

The Deion Sanders period received off to a rockin’ begin, because the Buffaloes received on the board first with a Shedeur Sanders four-yard landing move to Dylan Edwards. Sanders went 7-of-9 for 41 yards throughout the 13-play, 73-yard drive. — Scooby Axson

FORT WORTH, Texas – Deion Sanders already achieved one private victory Saturday at TCU. Will he get one other along with his new crew after kickoff?

The flamboyant new Colorado coach led his Buffaloes onto the sector right here at Amon G. Carter Stadium similar to he hoped he would after underdoing two units of surgical procedures in June and July to repair points in his legs, together with blood clots and hammertoes on his left foot.

That was his purpose in any case of that – to run onto the sector within the season opener earlier than kickoff. He did it – slowly and with a limp, which was a giant enchancment from current months of ache, hospital stays and therapeutic. It additionally wasn’t instantly clear if he wanted a pain-killing injection to assist him do that, as he had lately thought-about.

As soon as one of many quickest gamers in soccer, Sanders, 56, has been severely slowed by what he describes as hereditary clotting points in his legs. It triggered him to overlook three video games as Jackson State’s head coach in 2021, when he had two toes amputated on his left foot after growing femoral arterial blood clots and compartment syndrome. Circulation points flared up once more this yr, resulting in the lack of feeling in the identical foot earlier than his surgical procedures. —Brent Schrotenboer

Learn Jarrett Bell’s full function on Sanders and Colorado right here. 

Oklahoma scores second landing on punt return

The Sooners are off the a blazing begin in opposition to Arkansas State with two scores lower than three minutes in.

After scoring on its opening drive on 5 performs, the protection pressured Arkansas State to punt on its opening drive. Gavin Freeman then returned the punt 82 yards to make it 14-0. — Jordan Mendoza

School soccer picks Week 1

Listed below are our faculty soccer Week 1 professional picks: 

Listed below are our picks and projections for each main convention. 

Massive faculty soccer video games this weekend 

The time has arrived, faculty soccer followers. Certain, we had a bit of teaser with the abbreviated slate often called Week 0, however now that it’s September, all people else within the sport’s prime division is getting their season underway as effectively. 

The Week 1 schedule is definitely pretty gentle on high-profile matchups. However with a full tv lineup, which is fortunately prolonged a few days due to the vacation weekend, there ought to be one thing worthy of consideration happening right through Monday night time. A few of these received’t have a lot time-slot competitors, however maintain that distant useful as all the time when sitting all the way down to get pleasure from your Saturday. Right here’s a fast rundown of the weekend’s prime video games. — Eddie Timanus 

Michigan quarterback wears shirt in assist of Jim Harbaugh

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy wore a “Free Harbaugh” shirt throughout warmups for Michigan’s sport in opposition to East Carolina.

Jim Harbaugh will not coach Michigan’s season opener, however his gamers are making it recognized they need their coach again.

Harbaugh will miss the primary three video games of the season on account of a self-imposed suspension, as he possible faces punishment from the NCAA over potential recruiting violations and deceptive NCAA investigators. The Wolverines can have a rotating group of assistant coaches main the crew to start out the season.

School Gameday – Week 1

ESPN’s School Gameday is in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday for the battle of the Carolinas. The South Carolina Gamecocks and North Carolina Tar Heels will face off at Financial institution of America Stadium, residence of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. It’s the first School Gameday go to for a South Carolina-North Carolina sport. The Tar Heels have not appeared on School Gameday since 2010, whereas the Gamecocks most lately appeared in 2014. — Scooby Axson 

School soccer conferences musical chairs

Confused by all of the convention modifications coming in main faculty sports activities inside the subsequent yr? It has been troublesome to comply with all of the shifting items throughout the previous weeks and months. 

We knew final summer season that extra profitable TV offers would quickly lure UCLA and Southern California to the Massive Ten for the 2024 season. Likewise, Texas and Oklahoma introduced plans to maneuver to the SEC. However little did we all know what number of different packages additionally would quickly be shifting. 

What’s transpired within the Pac-12, Massive 12 and Massive Ten in current weeks has grabbed a lot of the faculty realignment headlines, however massive modifications are coming to each the Energy 5 and the Group of 5 by this time subsequent yr. A couple of we’ll see in only a few days. This season, the Massive 12 will welcome three groups from the American Athletic Convention: Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston. 

Prior to now 4 a long time, groups moved, conferences grew and some collapsed. That does not sound a lot totally different than right this moment’s state of affairs – aside from the speedy tempo at which these modifications are unfolding. Right here’s every part it’s essential know. — Jim Sergent 

Signal, signal, in all places an indication

Listed below are a few of the greatest indicators from School Gameday.

School soccer predictions 

Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, Southern California and Texas are the forecasted convention champions in USA TODAY Sports activities’ 2023 report projections for the Energy 5 leagues. The Bulldogs will chase faculty soccer historical past with a brand new forged of starters, led by quarterback Carson Beck. They will as soon as once more face stiff competitors from Alabama, which appears to take again the SEC West after ending second within the division final season to LSU. 

Michigan should fend off Ohio State and Penn State in what is well probably the most aggressive division within the Bowl Subdivision. Clemson’s greatest problem will come from Florida State. Within the Pac-12, USC has the offense to run the desk however is perhaps undone by an unpredictable protection. And whereas Texas has the items to compete for the School Soccer Playoff, the Longhorns should take the Massive 12 again from defending champion Kansas State and nationwide runner-up TCU. 

School soccer Week 1 odds 

The prime faculty soccer betting apps favor No. 16 TCU of their opening matchup with Deion Sanders and Colorado. The Horned Frogs are 20.5-point favorites over the unranked Buffaloes, in line with the BetMGM faculty soccer odds. One of many greatest cell sports activities betting apps, BetMGM is amongst these providing the prime NCAA soccer betting promos in 2023. 

Later within the afternoon, 12-ranked Texas is anticipated to win massive (-35.5) over visiting Rice. Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers boasts a few of the greatest betting odds to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy. 

One of many extra attention-grabbing video games within the nighttime slate can be a cross-border battle between No. 20 North Carolina and South Carolina. The Tar Heels are 2.5-point highway favorites, however the Gamecocks might have a sleeping dragon in former prime QB recruit Spencer Rattler. 

Whether or not you’re nonetheless studying the way to guess on sports activities or a seasoned sharp, USA TODAY readers can declare unique promos and bonus codes with the greatest on-line sportsbooks and sports activities betting websites. Our faculty soccer betting information may help you get began. 

__

Gannett might earn income from sports activities betting operators for viewers referrals to betting providers. Sports activities betting operators haven’t any affect over nor are any such revenues in any means depending on or linked to the newsrooms or information protection. Phrases apply, see operator website for Phrases and Situations. If you happen to or somebody has a playing drawback, assist is obtainable. Name the Nationwide Council on Downside Playing 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Should be 21 or older to gamble. Sports activities betting and playing are usually not authorized in all areas. Make sure to adjust to legal guidelines relevant the place you reside.