College football Week 1 preview: Big names coming back from injury and freshmen to know - ESPN

Week 1 is finally here. There is plenty to know going into Thursday's 21 matchups and the games that will be played this weekend. Some notable names will make their returns after suffering major injuries last season, and many freshmen will have their first chance to show out on the field. Plus, what were coaches saying this offseason?

Utah quarterback Cam Rising is coming off of a knee injury that sidelined him last season, but don't forget he led Utah to back-to-back Pac-12 championships. Can he do the same for the Utes in their first year in the Big 12 Conference? And can Alabama freshman cornerback Zabien Brown earn a starting role this season?

Our reporters break down records that could be broken this season, five freshmen to know and other big topics entering Week 1.

Utah's Cam Rising:

Cam Rising's absence last season because of a major knee injury — sustained in the Rose Bowl the season before — took the Utes off track before they had a chance to really get going. Rising's return should immediately return the Utes to the nation's elite, given how successful they were in his previous two seasons as the starting quarterback. Remember, both of those seasons ended with trips to Pasadena.

In 2021, he was the first-team All-Pac-12 quarterback when he guided the Utes to the conference title. They repeated as champions in 2022, and although Rising was relegated to honorable mention all-conference honors, his stats — 3,034 yards passing, 26 touchdown passes, 8 interceptions — were just as good. With a talented receiving corps, Rising should go out with another productive season as Utah tries to make a name for itself in the Big 12. — Kyle Bonagura

Texas A&M's Conner Weigman:

The Weigman era in College Station has been