One of the most important games of college football’s Week 0 opening weekend will take place at Allegiant Stadium when UNLV hosts Memphis next Saturday.
The season will wrap up in the same venue when Las Vegas hosts the College Football Playoff national championship game for the first time on Jan. 25.
There will be many twists and turns along the way, potentially even lawsuits that make new players eligible and alters the landscape of college football.
All of those roster changes and eligibility questions can make the sport as wild and unpredictable as ever.
That’s not going to stop us from trying.
Each week this season, the Review-Journal will try to project which four teams will make the CFP semifinals and have a chance to meet at Allegiant Stadium to determine the national champion.
That won’t necessarily be the four best teams in the nation.
For example, it’s very possible Texas and its star quarterback Arch Manning will be one of the four best teams when all is said and done.
The Longhorns will not be in our initial top four, however.
Why?
Their schedule metrics are incredibly difficult, among the toughest in the nation. That includes a home game against an Ohio State team that also has a tough draw, though it gets Oregon and Michigan at home.
These rankings will change often and be updated here each week beginning on Aug. 30.
Here are the Review-Journal CFP Las Vegas Top Four opening projections:
1. Notre Dame
Is Marcus Freeman’s team the best in the country? No. But a favorable schedule should have them undefeated and atop the polls at the end of the year.
2. Ohio State
If Texas doesn’t have the toughest schedule in the nation, it’s the Buckeyes. The Ohio State offense is loaded, however, and the defense brought in enough reinforcements to rebuild after losing so much talent to the NFL. Their home game against Oregon is likely to decide which of those teams finish in the top four.
3. Georgia
The Bulldogs have to go to Alabama and Ole Miss, but the rest of the schedule is pretty manageable. Kirby Smart’s team has at least 11 wins in eight straight full seasons and should have an exceptional defense.
4. Miami
The Hurricanes have a strong chance to be in the mix for a return to the championship game with a road trip to Notre Dame standing as their only real potential stumbling block.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
