Lincoln Riley isn’t afraid to face tough competition in the opening week of the college football season. On Sunday, No. 23 USC plays No. 13 LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas – a matchup with many implications.
Some coaches might prefer to play an FCS or Group of Five opponent in Week 1 just to work off some of the old form, but Riley says he loves the challenge of playing a talented team on the first weekend of the year.
“These games are fun. I played in a few of them at the beginning of the season,” Riley said. “They’re great because you look forward to them the whole offseason. It’s a great way to start the season. I think that’s a positive.”
“There’s always a new excitement in the first few games. You’re kind of waiting to see what you really are and what your opponent really is. But I like it. I like playing a top game early, I like playing against a really good opponent early. I think there are a lot of positives.”
USC’s 2023 season was a bit of a disappointment, finishing 8-5. The Trojans are currently making some changes, bringing in Miller Moss as their next starting quarterback and hiring D’Anton Lynn from UCLA as defensive coordinator.
There are a lot of questions surrounding Riley’s team as the season begins. What’s the positive side of playing a really good opponent in Week 1? We’ll learn a lot about where USC stands talent-wise.
Locksley does not publicly name quarterbacks
Maryland has a starting quarterback…but coach Mike Locksley won’t tell anyone who it is until Saturday’s game against UConn.
This week, Locksley confirmed that the Terrapins have made a decision regarding the quarterback situation. Heading into fall camp, junior Billy Edwards Jr. and sophomores MJ Morris and Cam Edge were battling for the top spot in the order.
“It doesn’t give us a competitive advantage to publicly announce the name of the starting quarterback,” Locksley said. “(The players) know who it is. I have no doubt I can win with all three.”
Whoever takes the snaps on Saturday will have big shoes to fill. Maryland is parting ways with Taulia Tagovailoa, a four-year starter in Locksley’s offense who helped redefine success in College Park.
Locksley is confident in the abilities of all three boys who competed throughout fall camp.
“They all held up. We’ve gotten better as a collective and I’m excited about the starter. Our team is going to support the starter and rally behind the guy,” he said.
Franklin sees improvement in receiver
Penn State may have lost its best wide receiver from last season, but coach James Franklin is pleased with what he saw from that position group in fall training camp. He said there has been significant improvement in that area since spring practice.
During his weekly press conference, Franklin was asked which position group made the most progress during the offseason. The longtime coach named a few, but the receiver position stood out the most.
“I would probably say wide receiver,” Franklin said, also acknowledging that the team has made progress at quarterback and on the offensive line.
The Nittany Lions added former Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming to the roster in the offseason. Trey Wallace and Liam Clifford also have high expectations for the 2024 season.
Penn State’s receiver team was a problem area last season and needed improvement. Franklin believes the team has made great strides in that area, especially with the signing of Fleming.
“He’s very focused on what he needs to do to be successful,” Franklin said. “I think he’s been really good for our receiver room.”
How much has the group grown in the last year? We’ll find out on Saturday when Penn State travels to Morgantown to play West Virginia.
BIG TEN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2024: A complete list of all Big Ten football games during the 2024 season, including dates, kickoff times, TV information and more. CLICK HERE
BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR HAWKEYES: Kirk Ferentz will miss Iowa’s opener against Illinois State on Saturday. The 26-year-old veteran said it’s essentially still “business as usual” for the Hawkeyes. CLICK HERE
BIG TEN, WEEK 1, POWER RANKINGS: Ohio State and Oregon appear to be the top two teams in the Big Ten entering the 2024 season. Will there be challengers for the Buckeyes and Ducks? CLICK HERE
