College football Week 1: 5 teams on upset alert

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Oklahoma Sooners QB Kyler Murray (1) hands off to Oklahoma Sooners RB Rodney Anderson (24) during a college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 25, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 18: Brandon Wimbush #7 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish passes against the Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium on November 18, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Rank: 12 | Opponent: 14 Michigan | Date: Saturday, Sept. 1 (7:30 p.m. ET)

If we’re being honest, the 14th ranked team in the country getting a win over the 12th ranked team isn’t the greatest upset in the world. In fact, there are plenty of people who wouldn’t call it that at all. However, when you look at the narratives surrounding the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Michigan Wolverines entering the 2018 college football season, the latter topping the former in Week 1 would indeed be an upset.

You could make the argument pretty easily that Notre Dame is being underrated coming into this season. Their Julian Love led defense has the potential to be the best defensive unit in the country. What’s more, they return Brandon Wimbush at quarterback, who appears to be ready to take a step forward. And despite big losses up front on offense, they have more talented big bodies to step into the line and keep things churning along with that group. And if that weren’t enough, they get this game at home in South Bend.

Meanwhile, there’s Michigan and their seemingly perpetual falling short of expectations under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Yes, they have a quarterback now in Shea Patterson and their defense looks to also be elite. However, this is a team that hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt in recent years, so that have to prove themselves.

Yet, when you look at the Wolverines’ level of talent, they certainly could do just that and knock off Notre Dame on the road in this game. Again, it’s more about them putting it together and performing than anything else, but it would indeed be an upset to see that happen in Week 1.

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