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5 games with playoff implications in College Football Week 1

By Harris Jacobs

MORGANTOWN, WV - NOVEMBER 25: Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountaineers evades a tackle from Brandon Lindsey #7 of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers during the 2011 Backyard Brawl on November 25, 2011 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - NOVEMBER 25: Geno Smith #12 of the West Virginia Mountaineers evades a tackle from Brandon Lindsey #7 of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers during the 2011 Backyard Brawl on November 25, 2011 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: Cameron Rising #7 of the Utah Utes throws a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the third quarter in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: Cameron Rising #7 of the Utah Utes throws a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the third quarter in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

4. No.7 Utah at Florida

There has been no shortage of offseason hype around the Utah Utes, who came oh-so-close to knocking off Ohio State in last season’s Rose Bowl.

The Utes, preseason favorites for the Pac-12 title, open their season in one of college football’s most hostile environments: the Swamp against the Florida Gators.

Utah’s backfield should be one of the nation’s best- quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas are back this season after earning Pac-12 first-team honors a year ago.  Even after losing star defender Devin Lloyd to the NFL Draft, the defense should be strong once again after being at the top of the Pac-12 in 2021.

Head Coach Kyle Whittingham’s team will be a huge test for the Gators, who are led by first-year head coach Billy Napier.

Florida will be led by dual-threat QB Anthony Richardson, who has garnered plenty of media hype. However, the Gators are widely inexperienced on both sides of the ball- according to ESPN, the Gators are ranked 62nd nationally in returning production.

This is far from a make-or-break game for the Utes’ season they will have more opportunities to pick up major wins against the likes of USC and Oregon. However, a road win against an SEC school could do wonders for the Utes if they are on the cusp of a playoff berth.

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