Faculty soccer Week 0 schedule, preview, TV instances
Brent Venables, Sam Pittman lead sizzling seat discuss in 2025
Brent Venables, Sam Pittman and Mike Gundy lead the checklist of coaches below strain in 2025.
- The so-called Week 0 contains 4 video games that includes FBS packages.
- Kansas State and Iowa State face off in Dublin, Eire, within the first main school soccer recreation of the 2025 season.
- Kansas showcases its newly renovated David Sales space Kansas Memorial Stadium when it hosts Fresno State.
We made it, school soccer followers. Opening day for the 2025 season is right here finally, which means we lastly have some precise video games to look at.
It’s an abbreviated slate on Saturday, so there’s an excellent probability your favourite group isn’t taking the sphere but on this so-called Week 0. However these video games do really rely, and in a few instances they’ve convention implications as nicely. Consider it as a plate of tasty appetizers earlier than subsequent week’s major dish.
PATH TO PLAYOFF:Â Join our school soccer e-newsletter
Right here’s what it’s essential know for Saturday, together with matchups, recreation instances, TV info and issues to regulate over the course of the day.
Time/TV: Midday ET, ESPN
Why watch: Oh, you’ll watch. It’s the season kickoff, and it’s been greater than seven months since we’ve had precise school soccer. Making this matchup from Dublin, Eire, much more interesting, it’s a pairing of ranked groups, and it’ll rely within the Huge 12 standings. Playoff implications? By no means too early to consider that, proper?
Final yr’s version of Farmageddon was the regular-season finale, as a 29-21 Cyclones’ victory helped them safe a spot within the convention title recreation. One would possibly name this one ‘Farm O’Geddon’ as a nod to its relocation to the Emerald Isle, however in fact we might not. Each offenses have continuity at QB, with now seasoned veteran Rocco Becht returning for Iowa State and twin menace Avery Johnson again on the controls for the Wildcats. Becht threw for 3,505 yards and 25 TDs a yr in the past. He’ll have to interrupt in some much less skilled move catchers however strong floor assist from RBs Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III will assist. Johnson has been mistake susceptible at instances, however having high WR Jayce Brown and reliable TE Garrett Oakley again in his arsenal ought to be useful. On the defensive aspect, DB Jeremiah Cooper will again a robust Iowa State secondary, and LB Austin Romaine will once more be in the course of all the things for the Wildcats.
Why it might disappoint: About the one method it might is that if both group commits a spate of turnovers. It might flip right into a ground-and-pound affair given the energy of the respective move defenses, however that ought to imply a detailed contest all through.
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox
Why watch: To not be outdone, the Sunflower State’s different FBS program additionally will get a Week 0 soar begin. The Jayhawks’ opener in its newly renovated dwelling stadium is just not a Huge 12 affair, however it may very well be a problem nonetheless in opposition to a Bulldogs’ squad that often lands within the higher tier of the Mountain West. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels is again, however he must be higher out of the gate as eight of his 12 interceptions final season got here in the course of the Jayhawks’ 1-5 begin. His counterpart for the Bulldogs and new head coach Matt Entz would be the well-traveled E.J. Warner, son of NFL hall-of-famer Kurt, who performed most just lately at Rice.
Why it might disappoint: Each groups have quite a lot of new items and as such will probably be removed from completed merchandise once they take the sphere. However Kansas ought to have the general expertise benefit, which is able to assert itself in the end.
Sam Houston at Western Kentucky
Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBSSN
Why watch: That is the second precise convention recreation on the Week 0 lineup, and it may very well be essentially the most entertaining of the day. Each the Bearkats, who made the transition shortly from the FCS stage to win 10 video games final season, and the Hilltoppers, established perennial contenders in C-USA, count on to be within the hunt for the league title as soon as once more. The dangerous information for Sam Houston is its success got here with a value as coach KC Keeler was employed away by Temple, so it will likely be as much as new head man Phil Longo to maintain the wins coming. The excellent news for the Bearkats is QB Hunter Watson is again after accounting for 21 whole TDs final season. WKU coach Tyson Helton continues to be in Bowling Inexperienced, however he needed to fill quite a lot of holes from final yr’s squad that performed for the convention crown a yr in the past. His new QB is all-name group candidate Maverick McIvor, who transfers in from Abilene Christian the place he put up big numbers whereas main the Wildcats to their first Championship Subdivision playoff look.
Why it might disappoint: Western Kentucky took final yr’s encounter 31-14 at Sam Houston, so the Bearkats must keep away from enjoying catchup once more. But when each offenses are in a position to click on, this may very well be a observe meet from begin to end.
Stanford at Hawaii
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Why watch: For a few groups nicely under the nationwide championship radar, this matchup is extra necessary than it’d seem. Simply attending to a bowl is an uphill climb for each, and the loser of this opener will face even longer postseason odds going ahead. Hawaii was only a win brief final season, and now the Rainbow Warriors wish to benefit from this uncommon alternative of a Energy 4 convention member paying a go to to the islands. The Cardinal, after a disappointing inaugural ACC marketing campaign and a tumultuous offseason, want to start out 2025 on a constructive word. Interim Stanford coach Frank Reich will look to Oregon State switch QB Ben Gulbranson to guide the retooled roster. Warriors coach Timmy Chang will hand the QB reins to Micah Alejado on a full-time foundation after he delivered a few sturdy outings to shut out final season.
Why it might disappoint: Actually, there are any variety of methods issues might go off the rails for both group. From an leisure standpoint the best-case situation for viewers would contain each groups scoring early, however there’ll doubtless be quite a lot of miscues.