Sun Devil Saturday Guide: Week 0

College football season is officially upon us, as is our first addition of Sun Devil Saturday Guide. While it is in a small dosage with only seven games, college football sickos across the country are rejoicing. I’m here to tell you which game(s), as an Arizona State fan, are worth watching. I’ll be releasing one article like this a week for the rest of the college football season.

San Jose State at USC

USC opens their season ranked No. 6 in the nation. They’re led by a familiar face, Caleb Williams, and are the odds-on favorite to win the Pac-12 this season. San Jose State of the Mountain West will be traveling to Los Angeles for their date in the Coliseum with the Trojans.

Lincoln Riley’s first season at USC last season was a good one. The Trojans went undefeated at home, 8-1 in Pac-12 play and 11-3 overall. Riley revived the dormant powerhouse in just one season via NIL and the transfer portal.

On the other side of the game, San Jose State is coming off a pretty nice season. The Spartans finished 5-3 in Mountain West play, tying them for third in the conference. Overall they finished 7-5 with an undefeated record at home.

USC is favored by 30.5 points in this opening season contest, and for good reason. Caleb Williams and the Trojan offense are proven and one of the most exciting units to watch in college football. However, the defense (like last season) is a big question mark and will be the true indicator of how great this USC team can be.

San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro is a senior veteran and elite quarterback. Cordeiro was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and has great experience. Last season the Hawaii native threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has the talent to test the shakey Trojans’ defense and potentially make things interesting for a half.

Regardless of the score, this game is an interesting watch for Arizona State fans. The Sun Devils open up conference play in November by hosting No 6. USC. This gives ASU fans an early look at the Trojans.

You can watch at 5:00 p.m. MST on the Pac-12 network.

The rest of the slate

No other games this Saturday directly impact Arizona State. It’s a slow opener to the season, but good to get a taste of college football.

If you’re looking for more action, San Diego State (-2) hosts on Ohio University. The Aztecs were long rumored a Pac-12 candidate before the conference imploded this summer. Both teams have talent and are fairly evenly matched. This one should be a close and back-and-forth game.

I’ll be back next week for Sun Devil Saturday Guide: Week 2, happy watching!

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