Friday nights within the fall have at all times appeared a bit gentle on televised soccer. With excessive faculties enjoying their varsity video games on Friday nights, and NFL video games dominating Sunday, Monday and Thursday, Friday TV has usually gone to probably the most unhinged faculty soccer video games of the season (see: Stanford @ Colorado final 12 months). Most video games on Friday are between West Coast groups who get the after darkish discover, probably the most insane of video games that we find yourself fondly remembering on the finish of the season.
Nonetheless, with the Pac-12 merging into the Huge Ten and Huge 12, now we have the potential to get into probably the most incredulous faculty soccer video games of the season. By no means earlier than have we thought concerning the concept of USC touring to Piscataway, New Jersey on a Friday evening, have we? Effectively that field is now vast open, and the potential for wild video games is able to unlock.
Right here’s how we rank the Friday evening common season primetime video games that’ll be on Fox, the ultimate remnants of #Pac12AfterDark.
11. Purdue @ Michigan State, 8:00 pm EST Nov. 22
Oh, man. This sport would possibly get fairly dreary, fairly shortly. We must always know what these two groups are at this level of the season, however Michigan State is below a brand new regime and Purdue remains to be figuring it out. Good luck.
10. Illinois @ Nebraska, 8:00 pm EST Sept. 20
This sport is greater than doubtless going to finish 15-12 with extra turnovers than touchdowns, and it’s going to rule.
9. Michigan State @ Oregon, 9:00 pm EST Oct. 4
Oregon ought to be excellent this 12 months. Bringing in switch QB Dillon Gabriel helps preserve the RPO-based offense buzzing, and the Geese’ expertise at each place rivals any college within the nation.
Michigan State…doesn’t. Underneath first-year head coach Jonathan Smith and new QB Aidan Chiles, the Spartans are going to be going through an uphill battle after they go to Eugene. May wish to skip this one.
8. Oregon @ Purdue, 8:00 pm EST Oct. 18
Second verse, similar as the primary. Purdue’s protection ought to be intriguing, however offensively they continue to be a piece in progress. An October in West Lafayette ought to be intriguing, nonetheless.
7. UCLA @ Washington, 9:00 pm EST, Nov. 15
The primary sport on right here between two former Pac-12 members, this one ought to be fairly attention-grabbing. Jedd Fisch comes over from Arizona and brings Mississippi State switch Will Rogers at QB. DeShaun Foster takes the UCLA job, and is likely to be in for extra of a rebuild than ordinary in Los Angeles. Nonetheless, the protection ought to stay pretty stingy. May very well be a enjoyable one.
6. Iowa @ UCLA, 9:00 pm EST, Nov. 8
Primetime Iowa, of us. Get able to see a whole lot of punts and a few stingy protection.
5. Northwestern @ Maryland, 8:00 pm EST, Oct. 11
Northwestern of their second 12 months below David Braun ought to be an attention-grabbing workforce, particularly after making a bowl sport within the first 12 months. The Wildcats return receiver AJ Henning and a dynamic group of working backs. Nonetheless, that is the primary sport after September for Maryland, so the slide will in all probability start now.
4. Washington @ Rutgers, 8:00 pm EST, Sep. 27
Rutgers could possibly be sneaky attention-grabbing this 12 months. Greg Schiano’s unit has a stingy protection and an offense that will get sufficient out of RB Kyle Monagai to frustrate opposing defenses. Plus, that is early sufficient within the season to tackle a Washington workforce that could possibly be nonetheless making an attempt to determine itself out. This sport is ripe for an upset.
3. Rutgers @ USC, 11:00 pm EST, Oct. 25
That is it, of us. That is why we #Pac12AfterDark. For moments like this one, the place a Rutgers workforce from New Jersey has to journey throughout the nation for an 11:00 pm kick towards USC. That is what goals are made from. As a result of this sport is kicking off at 11:00 pm, count on this one to be the most effective video games of the season.
2. Arizona @ Kansas State, 8:00 pm EST Sep. 13
The primary sport between now Huge 12 rivals, this one has a whole lot of potential for fireworks. Regardless of shedding their head coach within the offseason, Arizona returns QB Noah Fifita and WR Tetairoa McMillan, guaranteeing that the offense gained’t collapse an excessive amount of. They’ll be heading to Manhattan, the place Kansas State returns intriguing QB Avery Johnson. Lot of potential on this sport.
1 . Utah @ UCF, 8:00 pm EST, Nov. 29
A sport this late has main Huge 12 implications, with the potential to resolve who goes to the convention title sport. Utah returns nearly everybody on an offense that’s going to try to beat and batter opponents on the bottom. Cam Rising returns for an additional season below middle, and if he can keep wholesome, they are often particular. UCF brings in former Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson to assist juice up the Knights’ offense, and a floor sport of he and RJ Davis could possibly be completely sick. Make this one precedence viewing of us.
