College Football Week 1: 5 teams on upset alert

Sep 12, 2015; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish holder DeShone Kizer (14) kicker Justin Yoon (19) and long snapper Scott Daly (61) celebrate after a field goal in the first quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; NNotre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) leaves the field following the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame 44-28. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame is another team that is losing a ton of offensive talent from last year’s team but has a young, impressive quarterback returning under center. DeShone Kizer filled in for an injured Malik Zaire last season and wound up throwing for 2,884 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions.

Top receiver Will Fuller is gone, as is 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Prosise and 60 percent of the offensive line. New skill players will be in place and playing on the road in Austin, Texas, against an up-and-coming Texas Longhorns that will be eager to assert themselves as a team on the rise.

It’s hard enough to start the season on the road with a relatively new offense, but to do so against a team that’s looking to end its multi-year drought and had one of its best recruiting classes in recent memory — that’s even tougher.

The quarterback situation for the Longhorns may be much improved, why with the introduction of true freshman Shane Beuchele to replace the shaky Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard. Texas’ defense, which is returning six starters (including three members of the secondary and All-Big 12 linebacker Malik Jefferson) should also be much better.

Kizer and the new-look No. 10 Irish might be in for trouble.

Next: 3. Clemson Tigers

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