By: Cole Mantell (@lightningdragon)
Season 21 is officially here! To kick off the new season, the CFSL will have all four games on Monday back to back to back to back. It’s a Labor Day special, running with some great CFSL action. Let’s look at who is playing and what is at stake for the eight teams opening up Season 21.
2:30 PM CST – Virginia Tech Hokies vs Georgia Bulldogs
Key Player for Virginia Tech: HB CeeCee Mucci
Key Player for Georgia: MLB Jad McPherson
Content Team Picks: 4-2 for Georgia
Virginia Tech AD Cory Mucci and his expansion Hokies head south to play in one of the toughest road environments in the country in this ACC vs SEC clash. The first game in Hokies history brings a lot of fun and intrigue. Virginia Tech’s new roster will have some growing pains, but I expect them to rely heavily on their balanced attack. Coincidentally, the Hokies took the Virginia Tech playbook. It requires strong contributions around the offense, and thus both QB Saint Major and HB CeeCee Mucci (with possible contributions from true freshman HB Maxwell Orndorff) will be relied upon heavily.
For Georgia, the Bulldogs are at their best when their defense plays well. They will be tested in both the rush and pass against VT and must be able to adapt as the game goes on. This should be a close matchup throughout, with very little margin on paper between these two teams.
4:30 PM CST – Penn State Nittany Lions vs Florida Gators
Key Player for Penn State: QB JK Matthews
Key Player for Florida: WR Stacey Smith
Content Team Picks: 6-0 for Penn State
Penn State has been so close it seems each season. And yet, here they are again, watching conference rival USC take home the Championship after falling short yet again. No team except Auburn is more motivated this season it seems to finally taking that final step. That starts here in a neutral site game from NRG Stadium in Houston.
The brotherly rivalry between Penn State AD TJ Smith and Florida AD Adam Smith continues as the teams meet for the first time since Season 5. Florida won that game, by the way, 45-17.
For Penn State, this will be the first game for transfer JK Matthews in a Nittany Lions uniform. Matthews was consistent in Syracuse for two seasons but also carried a career 5-11 win-loss record. He’s hoping to change that in his first start for Penn State.
For Florida, this is maybe the youngest team in the CFSL this season. No seniors are on the roster, with only six juniors as well. Everyone else is an underclassman.
Penn State will be heavily favored in this one, but one player who could make a difference is freshman WR Stacey Smith. Smith was the #3 overall recruit this season and a recruiting coup for the Gators. She’ll need to be at her best in her first career game if the Gators are going to make a bid for an upset here.
6:30 PM CST – Michigan Wolverines vs Auburn Tigers
Key Player for Michigan: CB Amarion Xander Martel
Key Player for Auburn: CB Chuy Baca
Content Team Picks: 6-0 for Auburn
Speaking of Auburn, let’s talk about the revenge tour. They went 8-0 in the regular season with the best offensive performance in CFSL history. This passing game that’ll be talked about for generations. And it all was for naught in the one game that mattered most. I’d like to think the content team didn’t discount Michigan here, but just saw how motivated Auburn is heading into this season.
This game is also at a neutral site, being played at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff from Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. While both offenses come as advertised, it is the defenses that will make the difference in this game. Amarion Xander Martel is Michigan’s best defensive player and is on a Hall of Fame track entering his sophomore season. As a freshman, he had 7 interceptions, won Defensive Player of the Week Twice, was an All-American, and topped it all off by winning Defensive Player of the Year. Again, all as a freshman. Now he looks to try to shut down maybe the best offense (still) in the CFSL.
On the other side, Auburn CB Chuy Baca is not as prolific as Xander Martel, but still a threat in both defense and special teams. The junior joined Amarion Xander Martel as a CB All-American last season but also is one of Auburn’s primary special teams returners. He should be on both duties in this prime-time matchup too. Whichever CB comes out on top will get their team on top in this one as well.
8:30 PM CST – LSU Tigers vs Florida State Seminoles
Key Player for LSU: HB Cade McClain
Key Player for Florida State: WR Dave Axis
Content Team Picks: 5-1 for Florida State
The final neutral site game of the week, this one will be played as the Cowboys Kickoff from AT&T Stadium in Arlington. LSU returns with now-permanent AD Drake Babineau, one of the newest ADs in the league. He faces the longest-tenured AD in CFSL history, Florida State AD Tom Pence.
For a game that seems like it will be heavily favored towards Florida State in the Sportsbook, this matchup is a lot closer on paper than people might expect.
For LSU, QB Sean Keohane steps in for his first start as the Tiger’s QB. He’s previously played at Kent State and Penn State. HB Cade McClain is a senior in this offense who had a great season last season. He will be relied upon as Keohane steps in for his first start.
For Florida State, this game is also about the offense. QB Zeus Claydon is a senior, with his main weapon this season projected to be WR Dave Axis. Axis was an All-American at both WR and as a Returner in Season 20, and also is a senior this season. The Claydon to Axis connection once again must be magic for FSU to pull out the victory in Texas on Monday.
