Danger Ahead: Should These 3 College Football Teams Be On Upset Alert In Week 1?

The AP Top 25 college football poll saw its first casualty Thursday night, as 25th-ranked Boise State pissed down their leg against USF on national television in front of a less-than-packed Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

If that little weekday appetizer is any indication, we could be in for a very wild Labor Day weekend of college football.

The Week 1 slate is loaded with tasty top-25 matchups, but I am looking at a few teams that might be off your radar that are worth watching closely.

All the teams I am about to discuss are double-digit favorites, but if we peel the curtains back just a bit, we can see why the upset alert bells should be ringing off the hook.

Toledo vs. Kentucky (-10.5)

Let's start with one that is appearing on a ton of upset preview specials: Toledo taking down the Kentucky Wildcats.

Toledo returns a slew of offensive production from last year's eight-win team, and a lot of pundits are picking the Rockets to win the MAC, with some even selecting them as their darkhorse playoff team from the G5.

Jason Candle's squad already has an upset over an SEC foe in last year's win over Mississippi State, and Kentucky may be in for a similar year as the Bulldogs were last season.

The Wildcats will be breaking in a new starting QB for the third straight season, as Zach Calzada will be handed the reins.

A new QB in a new system facing an upset-minded and well-coached G5 team should have everyone on high-alert going into this one tomorrow.

Syracuse vs. 24 Tennessee (-13.5)

When I saw the line for this game, I almost spit out my imaginary coffee that I was pretending to drink.

Despite losing a ton of talent to the NFL Draft, Tennessee will have a solid team this year, but two touchdowns is a hell of a spread against another Power 4 school with a coach as good as Syracuse's Fran Brown at the helm.

The Vols will be breaking in a ton of new faces on offense, particularly at quarterback and wide receiver, and with Brown's background coaching DBs, expect Syracuse to be very disciplined and dangerous on the back end of its defense.

I am not convinced the Orange spring the upset – they replace a ton of talent and have a new QB as well – but this one should be a lot closer than many are expecting, and I wouldn't be shocked at all if Syracuse heads back to upstate New York 1-0.

South Dakota vs. 22 Iowa State (-15.5)

Let me preface this by saying South Dakota has a solid team, especially for an FCS foe, but that isn't why I'm picking them to potentially spring an upset in Ames.

Iowa State had to play a football game on another continent exactly six days ago, and then had to travel a handful of time zones back West to play in another football game without a bye week in between.

That's insane!

For as much as we talk about players getting paid absurd amounts of money, these are still 18-to-23-year-olds who go to class (occasionally).

It's human nature to be a little jet-lagged after flying to and from Ireland, playing a physical Kansas State team, then coming home and having to strap on the pads just a week later. 

Keep a close eye on this one, as the Cyclones may look a little groggy coming out of the gate, which could be just the opening the Coyotes need to keep this thing hairier than the average fan would expect.