College Football Week 1 Preview & Daily Fantasy Projections

August 24, 2023
Notre Dame vs Navy College Football

College Football Week One Preview 

Saturdays just got a whole lot better! We couldn’t be more excited to have college football back because with it comes CFB daily fantasy sports. With the 2023-24 season kicking off this Saturday (August 26, 2023), we’ll take you through the top matchups and DFS projections to keep an eye on.

With so much offseason drama, you won’t want to miss a second of action this season.

Just when it seemed like the college football landscape was settling down with the four team playoff system, some of the top programs in the nation announced they’ll be switching conferences throughout the next 2-3 seasons.

Major schools like Texas, USC, Oklahoma, UCLA, and more shook up the whole Power 5 system with their announcements but still have at least one year left under their current conference alignments.

With that said, we’ll still have some classic conference rivalry matchups this season- another reason every game is a must-see this year. So let’s take a look at a few of the top matchups in week one.

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Top College Football Matchups Week One - Opening Day

  • Notre Dame vs. Navy - Saturday, August 26 2:30 PM
  • USC vs. San Jose State - Saturday, August 26 8:00 PM
  • Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt - Saturday, August 26 7:30 PM
  • San Diego State vs. Ohio - Saturday, August 26 7:00 PM

Next week has even more exciting week one matchups but these hot games are sure to bring an action-packed intro to the 2023-24 season on opening day.

Top College Football DFS Projections Saturday, August 26

With a great slate of games on opening day, including a fierce Notre Dame vs. Navy rivalry taking place in Ireland, we’re sure to see some highlights all day. Let’s take a look at a few of the key projections.

Pass Yards

Sam Hartman - QB, Notre Dame

After transferring from Wake Forest to Notre Dame, Sam Hartman is looking to make a big impact in his debut on the worldwide stage of Notre Dame Football.

Last season at Wake Forest, Hartman averaged around 308 passing yards per game, well above his projection of 240.5 against Navy in week one. Despite that, there could still be some kinks to work out in his new system. Either way, Hartman is sure to have plenty of eyes on him this Saturday.

To view the board and place entries, click here.

Caleb Williams - QB, USC

As CFB giant USC opens their final Pac-12 season against San Jose State, Caleb Williams is looking to follow up his Heisman season with another bang.

The USC quarterback is already getting comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and other NFL superstars, but he’ll have to take week by week to ensure he delivers another impact year for the Trojans.

Last year the Heisman winner averaged an incredible 378 yards and is projected at 299.5 for week one against San Jose State. 

 

To view the board and place entries, click here.

Rush Yards

Sieh Bangura - RB, Ohio

Sophomore running back Sieh Bangura and his Ohio Bobcat crew take on San Diego State in their season opener this Saturday. 

Last year the Bangura delivered a solid season for Ohio, posting 13 touchdowns and over 1,000 rushing yards. After losing in the MAC championship in 22-23, Bangura and Ohio will be hungry for redemption this year.

 

To view the board and place entries, click here.

Audric Estime - RB, Notre Dame

Entering the 2023-24 season, Estime was recently added to the watchlist for the Doak Walker Award, given to top collegiate running back each year. 

After getting off to a slow start in 22-23, Estime was able to make up some ground as he rushed for over 900 yards and rushing TDs. This year he likely won’t have to split as many carries and could break out for the Irish offense. 

To view the board and place entries, click here.

Fantasy Score

Caleb Williams - QB, USC

With hopes to be the first back-to-back Heisman winner since Archie Griffin in ‘74 and ‘75, no one will be surprised if Caleb Williams delivers some MONSTER stat lines this year.

Although San Jose State likely won’t be the toughest matchup for USC this year, week one is always hard to call. Both teams will come out ready to play hard and send a message to the CFB world. 

Whatever happens, expect a big game from Williams to open what is probably his final college season.

To view the board and place entries, click here.

College Football Daily Fantasy Sports with PrizePicks

Another exciting year of college football is already shaping up and we’re excited to cover all of it with you. Follow along each week to get the inside scoop on some of the hottest matchups, storylines, and DFS projections. Don’t miss a second of the CFB action with PrizePicks.

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