Complete Previews for Top College Football Spring Games This Weekend
A true college football weekend won't return for another five months, but this upcoming one is the closest we'll get for quite some time.
While a few teams across the country have already wrapped up their respective camps with their annual open scrimmages, this Friday and Saturday mark the first major days of the spring game slate. For the next three weekends, schools will have college football-like substances for fans in stadiums and on their couches.
Two of the four College Football Playoff teams from last season will hold their annual spring games, while other contenders and teams on the rise in the Power Five leagues will also take the field. A new head coach will get to showcase his new team in the SEC, and the ACC will offer its top two teams for your viewing pleasure.
Here are the FBS spring game schedules for this upcoming Friday and Saturday—complete with times and television options—and complete previews of the top 10 scrimmages of the weekend.
What is the top storyline for each team in 2016? What battles will take center stage, and which players will be looking to put exclamation points on their strong spring camps? Let's take a look.
Full Weekend Schedule
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(Games in bold have complete previews in the following slides.)
Friday, April 8
Florida (7 p.m. ET on SEC Network)
Rice (9 p.m. ET)
Saturday, April 9
Duke (10 a.m. ET on ESPN3)
Navy (practice at 10 a.m. ET)
Northwestern (practice at 11 a.m. ET on Big Ten Network)
South Carolina (noon ET on SEC Network)
Air Force (12:30 p.m. ET)
NC State (1 p.m. ET)
Texas State (1 p.m. ET)
Toledo (1 p.m. ET)
Minnesota (2 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network)
Colorado (2 p.m. ET)
Kansas (2 p.m. ET on ESPN3)
Ohio (2:10 p.m. ET)
Clemson (2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3)
Eastern Michigan (3 p.m. ET)
Florida State (3 p.m. ET on ESPN3)
Oklahoma (3 p.m. ET on Fox Sports Southwest)
UNLV (3 p.m. ET)
Wake Forest (3 p.m. ET on ESPN3)
Auburn (4 p.m. ET on SEC Network)
Nevada (practice at 4 p.m. ET)
Stanford (4 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Network)
Utah State (4 p.m. ET)
Texas A&M (6 p.m. ET on SEC Network)
Boise State (7 p.m. ET)
Florida
2 of 11
Name: Orange & Blue Debut
Time: Friday at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Gainesville, Florida)
Top Storyline: Can the Gators shake off their rough end to 2015?
Head coach Jim McElwain and his Florida team were eager to get back onto the practice field this spring, especially after what happened in the final few games of last season. Florida's quick turnaround under McElwain netted the Gators an SEC East title, but they lost their final three games by a combined 73 points—including a 41-7 bowl game blowout to Michigan.
Spring ball is all about getting a fresh start, and that's what this team needs. Last year proved Florida has the talent right now to compete for titles with the right pieces in place, and now it's just a matter of it all coming together again in a wide-open division. Getting that energy back in the Swamp starts this Friday night.
Key Position Battle: Quarterback
There's no question about it. Florida has to find a solid answer at the quarterback position in order to contend this fall. After Will Grier's suspension last year, the offense fell apart. This year, a new crop of contenders—Luke Del Rio, Austin Appleby, Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask—have battled it out for the right to be the new No. 1 signal-caller in Gainesville.
Del Rio, formerly of Alabama and Oregon State, is widely considered the front-runner for the job. But according to Jesse Simonton of the Miami Herald, McElwain said the quarterbacks "took some steps back" in Florida's most recent scrimmage, and the battle remains open between Del Rio, Purdue transfer Appleby and two true freshmen. Friday night will be a perfect chance for someone to separate himself from the pack.
Spring Star Watch: DB Chauncey Gardner
Florida's vaunted defensive backs are going through some transition this spring after the departure of Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal to the NFL ranks. However, a newcomer has been able to step right in and provide instant impact at the safety spot freed up by Neal's departure.
Chauncey Gardner, a 4-star signee from Cocoa, Florida, has broken out this spring for his verbal nature, aggression and versatility. According to Simonton, Gardner had an interception at safety in Florida's most recent scrimmage, and he's pushing for major playing time this fall. Look for him to come up with a big play or two in his first appearance in the Swamp.
South Carolina
3 of 11
Name: Garnet & Black Spring Game
Time: Saturday at noon ET on SEC Network
Location: Williams-Brice Stadium (Columbia, South Carolina)
Top Storyline: The Will Muschamp effect
South Carolina struggled to a 3-9 record last season in what was an all-around bizarre season that featured the abrupt resignation of legendary head coach Steve Spurrier. The Gamecocks tabbed former Florida head coach and, most recently, Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to be Spurrier's permanent replacement, signaling the start of a brand-new era in Columbia.
The fiery Muschamp will bring outstanding defensive expertise to South Carolina, and he's loaded up on some intriguing assistant coaches to help him on the offensive side of the ball. A lot of question marks surround South Carolina as it begins the Muschamp era, and people all around the SEC will be interested to see what the former Florida head man brings to the table in his second chance at a top job.
Key Position Battle: Wide receiver
The quarterback battle in South Carolina is definitely one that deserves a great deal of attention, but it won't be at full strength Saturday because of injuries to Perry Orth and Lorenzo Nunez—and the recent reclassification of Jake Bentley. Who will catch the passes for the Gamecocks in 2016 will be just as important, especially after the departure of star Pharoh Cooper.
Deebo Samuel, who only played in five games last season, is the only receiver on the roster who scored a touchdown in 2015. Freshman Bryan Edwards has drawn praise from his coaches this spring, and converted running back Jamari Smith could be a key playmaker in the regular season.
Spring Star Watch: QB Brandon McIlwain
All eyes should be on Brandon McIlwain on Saturday, as he's emerged as an early front-runner for the starting quarterback job in Columbia. While the former 4-star won't have as much competition as originally expected in the spring game, the true freshman has the tools to put on a show for the Gamecock faithful.
According to David Caraviello of the Post and Courier, Muschamp said the newcomer "had a lot of command" of the offense in South Carolina's most recent scrimmage and made strong decisions in the pocket. McIlwain has the athleticism and the arm Muschamp and his staff are looking for in a starting quarterback, and he's already made quite the impression on the program heading into the spring game.
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NC State
4 of 11
Name: Kay Yow Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 1 p.m. ET
Location: Carter-Finley Stadium (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Top Storyline: Closing the gap in the Atlantic Division
NC State has been to back-to-back bowl games under head coach Dave Doeren but has finished with a losing record in ACC play in both seasons. The most impressive conference win in that span came in 2014 against North Carolina, and the Wolfpack's three league victories last season were over struggling Wake Forest, Boston College and Syracuse.
Life in the Atlantic is always going to be tough with Clemson and Florida State around, and Louisville is loaded with experience for 2016. But the feeling is that NC State needs to get over the hump and seriously challenge some of the top dogs in the ACC instead of riding on soft nonconference schedules to get to bowl eligibility. Can Year 4 be the charm for Doeren?
Key Position Battle: Offensive line
NC State has a good amount of experience coming back for 2016, especially on the defensive front, but the trench battle on offense will have a decidedly new look this fall. The Wolfpack lost three senior starters from an offensive line that paved the way for the ninth-most rushing touchdowns (36) nationally in 2016 but finished 113th in sacks allowed (39).
While offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz, who arrived from Boise State, has some exciting skill talent to utilize in his first season, the protection and push up front needs to be a top priority. The Wolfpack had to convert two defensive linemen to offense, and tackle Tony Adams suffered an injury that knocked him out of spring practices. NC State wants to find answers along its front five in this spring game atmosphere.
Spring Star Watch: DB Shawn Boone
NC State's defense surrendered 45 points to North Carolina and 51 points to Mississippi State in the final two games of the season. As Jacey Zembal of Scout wrote, safety Shawn Boone wasn't able to play in those games due to injury, but he's eager to become a star on the NC State defense in 2016.
Boone only recorded 12 tackles in nine games last year for NC State. If he can stay healthy, Boone can provide a physical presence on the backside of the Wolfpack defense, which finished 57th in total yards allowed per play (5.51) last season but surrendered 24 passing touchdowns to just 13 interceptions.
Clemson
5 of 11
Name: Orange & White Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3
Location: Memorial Stadium (Clemson, South Carolina)
Top Storyline: Another rebuilding project on defense
There shouldn't be any questions about Clemson's offense in 2016, as it returns Heisman contender Deshaun Watson, Wayne Gallman and all but one of Watson's top eight receivers from last season—plus Mike Williams. Defense, though, will be another story, even though coordinator Brent Venables engineered a top-10 defense with fewer than four returning starters last year.
Four defensive starters return to the Tigers this season, most notably linebacker Ben Boulware and cornerback Cordrea Tankersley. Clemson has recruited extremely well on the defensive side and has rotated in plenty of exciting talent such as Austin Bryant, Christian Wilkins and Van Smith. Now is the time—once again—for that talent to move into bigger roles for these national title contenders.
Key Position Battle: Defensive end
Last year, defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd were No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the country for tackles for loss. Now they're both off to the NFL, taking their 24.5 combined sacks with them, too. Clemson has become a pipeline of edge-rushing talent in recent years, and the next wave is coming up in Death Valley.
Bryant is one of the top names to watch here, as he filled in admirably for the injured Lawson in the Orange Bowl playoff semifinal win over Oklahoma. Wilkins, who weighs in at more than 300 pounds at defensive tackle, has blown observers away with some freakish work at end this spring. Clelin Ferrell, Chris Register and Richard Yeargin will vie for major minutes this fall.
Spring Star Watch: WR Mike Williams
The rich got richer in Clemson this offseason with the return of Williams, who led Clemson in receiving with 1,030 yards in 2014 and suffered a scary season-ending neck injury in last year's opener. He hasn't gotten to play a full season with Watson yet, and he's gone full speed ahead this spring. His talent is immense.
"If Mike would not have gotten hurt, he would have had a chance to be a first-round draft pick as a junior, much like Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins," Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott told Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com. "So I tell people all the time, this is what it's going to be like if I had Sammy as a four-year player or 'Nuk' [Hopkins] as a four-year player."
Florida State
6 of 11
Name: Spring Football Game
Time: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN3
Location: Citrus Bowl Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Top Storyline: Flipping the switch from "rebuilding" to contending
Florida State was forced to play a lot of youth in its 2015 season, and the Seminoles still finished the regular season with 10 wins. That "rebuilding" phase is over, and head coach Jimbo Fisher's team is one of the most experienced in the entire country heading into the 2016 campaign.
Last year's spring game was all about new stars breaking out in Tallahassee, Florida. For the majority of the positions, this year's scrimmage—which will be held in Orlando, where the Seminoles will open the regular season—is about showing how far they've come as cohesive units. Superstar Dalvin Cook will now get to run behind an experienced offensive line, and young stars such as Josh Sweat and Derwin James will be defensive leaders from the start.
Key Position Battle: Quarterback
That isn't to say Florida State is void of question marks in 2016. Although the Seminoles could return every starter from their offense for the opener against Ole Miss, quarterback Sean Maguire has been out for the spring with a fractured ankle. That has opened the door for two famous freshman and an older backup to gain ground in the quarterback race.
Deondre Francois has emerged as the early leader for the Seminoles, as the redshirt freshman has wowed with both his arm and his work ethic this spring. True freshman Malik Henry is flashing his great potential as well, with J.J. Cosentino providing much-needed stability and experience to the race. Saturday's game in the Citrus Bowl could go a long way in determining who starts in 2016.
Spring Star Watch: WR Travis Rudolph
How important has Travis Rudolph shown himself to be to Florida State this spring? According to Jared Shanker of ESPN.com, Fisher has stuck a non-contact jersey on him for the most recent spring practices, not wanting him to risk injury in a tackle. That hasn't happened at FSU since Rashad Greene was on campus.
Rudolph was Florida State's No. 1 receiver last year with 916 yards and seven TDs, but the majority of both statistics came in games against Syracuse and Houston. The Seminoles need Rudolph to be more consistent as a top option for whoever wins the starting quarterback job, and Rudolph has done just that this spring.
Oklahoma
7 of 11
Name: OU Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on Fox Sports Southwest
Location: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, Oklahoma)
Top Storyline: Following up 2015's title-winning run to the CFP
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops knows how to bounce back from a disappointing season. In each season that his team has won fewer than 10 games, he's followed it up the next year with a Big 12 title. But this year, the goal is much different for the Sooners, who are expected to contend again after making the final four in 2015.
In order to do that, Oklahoma has to address a lot of question marks on the depth chart. The Baker Mayfield- and Samaje Perine-led backfield will be stacked, but the receivers need a new leader after Sterling Shepard's departure. Two new offensive linemen must be broken in, and the defensive front seven will have an almost entirely new look after a fantastic 2015 campaign.
Key Position Battle: Linebacker
Oklahoma lost five out of its top six linebackers from last year this offseason, including Eric Striker, Devante Bond and Dominique Alexander. The Sooners can rely on the experience of Jordan Evans on the inside, but players such as Tay Evans and Curtis Bolton must step up in 2016.
On the outside, watch for Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to become the new pass-rushing specialist in Norman, along with several redshirt freshmen. Oklahoma has more linebackers slated to come onto campus this summer—including 5-star 2016 recruit Caleb Kelly—so the pressure is on for the ones who will play in the spring game to have a great showing. This is the perfect time to build momentum for a fierce fall battle.
Spring Star Watch: WR Geno Lewis
One of the potential replacements for the aforementioned Shepard is Geno Lewis, a graduate transfer from Penn State who had eight touchdowns in three seasons with the Nittany Lions. According to Kelli Stacy of OU Daily, Lewis has been a strong leader both on and off the field for Lincoln Riley's offense in a short amount of time.
"He's been a good leader by example, and he's also helped create even more competition at a spot that there already was competition," Riley said, per Stacy. "Those guys know right now — every one of them — that if they slack off in any way, then they're not going to be playing. And Geno's been kind of one of the guys leading the charge on that."
Auburn
8 of 11
Name: A-Day Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on SEC Network
Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn, Alabama)
Top Storyline: Getting the offensive edge back
A preseason SEC title favorite turned middling 7-6 team by the end of 2015, Auburn is coming off the worst offensive year of Gus Malzahn's college coaching career. Quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson and Sean White couldn't ignite the Auburn offense, and now there are whispers of hot-seat talk if the Tigers fall to another middle-of-the-road campaign in 2016.
Getting back to Malzahn's signature breakneck speed has been a top priority for the Auburn offense, which is looking for new starters at running back, wide receiver and offensive tackle this spring on top of a quarterback battle. When the Tigers return to Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday, will they be able to turn back the clock on their once-proud attack?
Key Position Battle: Quarterback
Malzahn has gone back to the JUCO ranks to find a potential starting quarterback, with John Franklin III deciding to follow in the footsteps of Cam Newton and Nick Marshall on the Plains. Franklin wasn't nearly as decorated as either Newton or Marshall before arriving at Auburn, but he brings the electrifying speed needed to run an option-heavy offense.
Former starters Johnson and White, who are more pocket passers than run-first quarterbacks, have been in a tight competition with Franklin for the past few weeks. The heavily hyped Johnson seemed more settled down the stretch of 2015 after an abysmal start, while injuries limited White's production. They'll both look to prove they've changed since last year as Franklin eyes the starting job.
Spring Star Watch: DE Marlon Davidson
The younger brother of former Auburn defensive end Kenneth Carter, Marlon Davidson has wowed both teammates and coaches alike with how he's transitioned to college practices as an early enrollee. Davidson has been running with Auburn's first-team defense in practices, which is quite impressive considering the amount of depth the Tigers have there in 2016.
Davidson has the inside-out versatility Auburn needs from its pass rush and is a natural at stopping the run. He'll have a huge spotlight on him at A-Day if he can continue to run with the ones. As far as early enrollees go, Davidson has been the most talked-about bit of new blood on a roster that sorely needed it.
Stanford
9 of 11
Name: Cardinal & White Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Network
Location: Cagan Stadium (Stanford, California)
Top Storyline: Staying on top as the Pac-12 front-runner
Like Oklahoma, Stanford bounced back from a disappointing season by its lofty standards in 2014 by winning the conference title last year. The Cardinal fell short of the College Football Playoff and a Heisman Trophy win, but they're still the team to beat in what looks to be a wide-open Pac-12 race in 2016.
Now that Stanford is back to where it feels like it should be year in and year out under head coach David Shaw, the challenge is to avoid another slip while addressing its roster concerns. Kevin Hogan is no longer running the show at quarterback, and several top players in the trenches on offense and defense are now off to the next level. Can Stanford show in the spring game that it can plug in new talent and keep on chugging?
Key Position Battle: Quarterback
Even though Hogan had his issues from time to time, there was no questioning his leadership and ability to lead the Stanford offense just the way Shaw wanted it. Replacing a veteran starter at such a huge position is always tough, but the Cardinal have options in Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns.
Both Chryst and Burns bring similar size and playing style to the battle. While Burns has an extra year of experience in the system, Chryst emerged as the top backup behind Hogan last season and entered the spring as the No. 1 contender for the starting quarterback title. Chryst could further separate himself from Burns with a strong showing in the spring game and get Stanford fans even more excited about 2016.
Spring Star Watch: DB Zach Hoffpauir
The Cardinal welcomed back Zach Hoffpauir to the fold this spring after the former starting defensive back decided to step away from his professional baseball career after one year with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He returned to the team in the middle of practices and got right back to work on defense.
As Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News notes, Hoffpauir was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 performer who can provide physicality at safety or nickelback. Stanford fans will want to see what he can bring back to the table in the spring game as he adjusts back to life as a college football player.
Texas A&M
10 of 11
Name: Spring Football Game
Time: Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network
Location: Kyle Field (College Station, Texas)
Top Storyline: Getting the offense back on track
Much like Auburn, the 2015 season was a weird one for Texas A&M, as the Aggies couldn't produce the level of offensive firepower they were used to under head coach Kevin Sumlin. Now, after quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray left the program, Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight and new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone are in College Station to help bring the Aggies back.
The return of spring football to Kyle Field will put the quarterbacks under the microscope as Texas A&M looks to find someone who can tap into the full potential of its stacked receiving corps led by Christian Kirk and Josh Reynolds. The same can be said for the running game, too, after Tra Carson's departure. Finding balance and explosion will be paramount for A&M in 2016.
Key Position Battle: Cornerback
Texas A&M has a great amount of defensive talent up front and experience at the safety positions for 2016, but defensive coordinator John Chavis' unit must address the loss of two senior starting cornerbacks from a year ago. Texas A&M ranked 15th nationally in passing yards allowed per attempt (6.1), and it will be a challenge to keep up that momentum with two new starters at cornerback.
Nick Harvey and Alex Sezer are the main returning names at the position, and UCLA transfer Priest Willis has shined brightly in recent scrimmages for the Aggies. If Texas A&M can continue to look strong in the pass defense on Saturday against an excellent bunch of receivers, the top corners could lock down starting jobs ahead of the fall.
Spring Star Watch: DE James Lockhart
Myles Garrett is one of the best—if not the best—defensive ends in the entire country for the class of 2016, but he can't do it all by himself. Sophomore James Lockhart, who only recorded four tackles as a freshman last season, has emerged in the spring as a player who can be a tremendous boost to ends such as Garrett and Daeshon Hall.
"The one thing that he's proved is he's a high-motor guy," Texas A&M defensive ends coach Terry Price said, per Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports. Every single snap he's got some physical toughness and strength. He's really made a nice move this spring helping himself to get into that rotation and get some more playing time."
Boise State
11 of 11
Name: Blue & Orange Spring Game
Time: Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
Location: Albertson's Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
Top Storyline: Rebounding from a disappointing 2015
This time last year, there were rumblings that Boise State could potentially run the table and go undefeated. That didn't come to fruition as the Broncos lost an early game to BYU before dropping a surprising three games in Mountain West play, knocking them out of conference title contention.
This year, the expectations have tempered for Boise State, but winning the Mountain West and challenging for the "Group of Five's" berth in the New Year's Six are still the goals. Boise State returns nine starters from its offense, including four all-conference selections, but the Broncos have some big shoes to fill on defense after the loss of players such as Kamalei Correa and Darian Thompson.
Key Position Battle: Cornerback
As Bill Connelly of SB Nation noted in his Boise State season preview, the Broncos rotated enough on defense last year that they can plug in players with some solid experience at Correa's STUD rusher spot and Thompson's safety role. The cornerback job opposite of senior Jonathan Moxey, though, is a different story.
Boise State had a strong playmaking secondary last season, and in order for that to happen again in 2016, it needs to find a replacement out of little-used senior Raymond Ford and a lot of freshmen. Whoever can provide a stiff challenge to quarterback Brett Rypien and the Boise State passing attack in this Saturday's spring game could find himself in the starting lineup this fall.
Spring Star Watch: DE Jabril Frazier
Jabril Frazier missed the entire 2014 season for the Broncos due to academic issues, and he's sat behind several future pro players at the STUD end position occupied by Correa last season. But at 6'4" and boasting some incredible athleticism, Frazier has the look of a breakout star who has grown up a lot in the last year.
"We ask a lot out of that position," Boise State defensive line coach Steve Caldwell said, per Dave Southorn of the Idaho Statesman. "He's just now really catching on. ... He's a great pass rusher, so we have to get him in situations that help him one-on-one against an offensive tackle."
Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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