Tajh Boyd, Aldrick Fordham
FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2012, file photo, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd (10) avoids the tackle of South Carolina's Aldrick Fordham (57) during an NCAA college football game in Clemson, S.C. Georgia travels to Clemson on Aug. 31. Both teams are likely to be ranked in the top 10 or so. Georgia's Aaron Murray and ClemsonAC/AAs Boyd, two of the best quarterbacks in the country, will get a chance for a quick start in the Heisman Trophy chase. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)
Here's a look at the big matchups and top storylines from around the nation as we near kickoff on the first Saturday of a new season of college football:
The Big Buzz: Clash of star QBs
No. 5 Georgia at No. 8 Clemson, 8 p.m. ET
In this Nov. 10, 2012, file photo, Georgia tailback Keith Marshall runs for a touchdown against Auburn. In a game as tight as No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 8 Clemson, any edge might be the difference. And the Bulldogs appear to have a big one in the backfield with sophomore runners Todd Gurley and Marshall. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
What could be better than an ACC-SEC shootout on opening weekend? In a game featuring one of the nation's most talented wideouts in Clemson's Sammy Watkins and what is perhaps college football's most explosive backfield tandem in Georgia running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, this week's only matchup of Top 10 teams could be a real barnburner.
At the center of it all is a stellar quarterback matchup between senior signal callers Aaron Murray of Georgia and Tajh Boyd of Clemson. With defense a big concern for both teams to start the season, Murray and Boyd could produce some serious fireworks in this early showdown between Heisman hopefuls.
Clemson's secondary, in particular, faces a big test in this matchup, writes ACC blogger Heather Dinich of ESPN.com:
But Zach Ellis of SI.com points out that Georgia's defense has just as much to prove:
And Tony Barnhart of CBSSports.com lists the battle between Georgia cornerback Damian Swann and Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins as college football's top individual matchup of the weekend:
Watch the analysts at Fox Sports debate which of these teams has more at stake in this huge Week 1 battle:
Top games
Here's a look at some of Saturday's other don't-miss matchups involving teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25:
• Buffalo at No. 2 Ohio State, 12 p.m. ET
• Rice at No. 7 Texas A&M, 1 p.m. ET
• Mississippi State vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m. ET
• No. 1 Alabama vs. Virginia Tech, 5:30 p.m. ET
• No. 9 LSU vs. No. 20 TCU, 9 p.m. ET
Headlines
• Photo shows Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron wearing a walking boot upon arriving in Atlanta for today's game against Virginia Tech. (via AL.com)
• Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel has been suspended for the first half of Texas A&M's opener against Rice following an investigation into accusations that he received payment for signing autographs. (via Yahoo! Sports)
• Florida has suspended six players for today's game against Toledo for disciplinary violations. (via SI.com)
• USC wide receiver Marqise Lee has reportedly taken out a $10M insurance policy on himself. (via ESPN.com)
• Vanderbilt receiver explains why he vomited on the field during Thursday's loss to Ole Miss. (via USAToday.com)
Who they're picking
• ESPN.com's ACC bloggers Heather Dinich and Andrea Adelson and SEC bloggers Edward Aschoff and Chris Low all pick No. 1 Alabama to romp over Virginia Tech, and all but Low expect Clemson to top Georgia.
• USAToday.com's staffers like Ohio State to take care of Buffalo and Oklahoma State to beat Mississippi State.
• SI.com's Stewart Mandel has Georgia holding off Clemson and LSU getting a win over TCU.
• CBSSports.com's experts are unanimous in predicting victory for both Ohio State and Oregon, and they agree that even one half of Johnny Manziel will be enough for Texas A&M to handle Rice:
• Sports on Earth's Matt Brown picks Clemson over Georgia and LSU over TCU, and likes Washington to upset Boise State.
What they're saying
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel has been suspended for the first half of the Aggies' season-opener against Rice on Saturday for what the school said Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013, was an "inadvertent" violation of NCAA rules by signing autographs. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren, File)
• By handing down just a half-game suspension for Johnny Manziel, the NCAA has admitted that it has no enforcement power anymore, writes Greg Couch of FoxSports.com:
• LSU is counting on Zach Mettenberger to elevate his game this season, and new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron may be the key to unlocking the quarterback's vast potential, writes NOLA.com's Jim Kleinpeter:
• New Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich must do more than just maintain the level of success the Ducks experienced under Chip Kelly, writes columnist John Canzano or The Oregonian: (via OregonLive.com)
South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) looks to the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013 in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
• Don't write off South Carolina stud Jadeveon Clowney after his much-criticized season debut against North Carolina on Thursday, writes Holly Anderson of Grantland.com:
• Who's afraid of the SEC? Not Toledo wide receiver Bernard Reedy, who says Florida is prone to second-half letdowns that he believes the Rockets can exploit in today's game against the Gators: (via CBSSports.com)