C.J. Stroud Has Golden Opportunity, Beginning With Minnesota

Here are a few thoughts on the Buckeyes, Big Ten and big games around the country this weekend with the opener just a couple hours away.

C.J. Stroud Has Golden Opportunity

The three “biggest brands” in college football right now are Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson. 2021 is a fairly unique year for these programs because they are so strong, and have every reason to think they’ll compete for a national championship, but each is breaking in a new quarterback.

There is a lot of pressure that comes with playing quarterback for one of those three programs.

I think C.J. Stroud has an enormous opportunity in front of him. What more could a new starting quarterback want than to have such a veteran, talented group around him? Stroud doesn’t have to be Justin Fields. He doesn’t need to throw 50 touchdowns like Dwayne Haskins. Just go out there and take care of the ball, and let the incredibly skilled group around you do their thing. Stats will take care of themselves.

Ryan Day said he tries to make practice far more difficult than the games themselves. Considering Day knows that “you’re not allowed to lose around here” (he said that earlier this week), I’m certain he’s put Stroud through a strenuous mental test and will have him ready to play his best on Thursday night.

Toughness, discipline and skill development have been major areas of focus for this team through training camp. Everyone within the Woody Hayes Athletic Center has spoken highly of C.J. Stroud and made it clear they're ready to follow his lead.

The Stroud era begins tonight.

Huge Early Games in Big Ten

We are going to get a pretty good sense right out of the gate here as to which teams are ready to compete for a Big Ten title. The Indiana vs. Iowa game and Penn State at Wisconsin game are going to be serious indicators for Big Ten supremacy. Will Indiana - with so much talent back on offense - make an early statement against an Iowa team that played great football for the second half of last season? Penn State and Wisconsin are proud, solid programs that are coming off miserable seasons. Which one of them shows some bounce-back-ability on opening weekend?

The Buckeyes game tonight is important, but Ohio State has never lost a season-opener against a Big Ten opponent and I don't believe Minnesota has what it takes to pull off an upset. But we could learn a lot about some of the contenders in the league right away.

Marquee Matchups in College Football

Beyond just the Big Ten this weekend, there are a few games that have major College Football Playoff implications.

Georgia and Clemson both have high hopes for a playoff berth ... but one of those teams is starting the season 0-1. Can Miami possibly shock the world and hand mighty Alabama a loss in its first game? How will Notre Dame play in Jack Coan's first game, against a Florida State team that hasn't yet publicly named a starting quarterback? Might North Carolina show fans early on that they could be a contender in the ACC? And after looking so good against a bad Hawaii team in Week 0, what are the chances that Chip Kelly's UCLA Bruins stun LSU at the Rose Bowl and emerge as an early favorite in the Pac-12?

College football is so much fun and I can't wait to get this season started!

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