Weekend One-Liners: The One With 2 'Games of the Week'

Opening weekend saw a nearly full slate of games and a top three team fall.

Nearly every team was in action. Keyword: Nearly. This week, the Ivy League joins the fun, and bluebloods clash in out-of-conference showdowns — think a primetime matchup between No. 8 Notre Dame, a team that picked up critical pieces in the transfer portal, and defending champion Northwestern on Friday.

And how’s No. 7 Maryland at No. 6 Syracuse for a Saturday matinee?

Not bad. Those games and others are among our top picks for your weekend watching.

Colorado (1-0) at No. 16 Penn State (1-0), Friday, 3 p.m. (BTN+)

Penn State, one of 2023’s pleasant surprises, plays its first home game against a Buffs program known for securing a regular-season upset or two every year.

Game of the Week (Vol. 1): No. 1 Northwestern (1-0) at No. 8 Notre Dame (2-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m. (ACCX)

Yes, please, to Erin Coykendall, Izzy Scane, Kasey Choma, Madison Ahern, Jackie Wolak, et al., sharing a field during a battle for Midwest bragging rights in South Bend.

No. 2 Boston College (2-0) at Jacksonville (0-1), Sunday, 11 a.m. (ESPN+)

Rachel Clark missed game one and dropped four goals in her Eagles debut against Albany, and now a Jacksonville team coming off an 18-goal loss to Michigan is next.

No. 3 Denver (1-0) at No. 13 Michigan (2-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. (BTN+)

This matchup pits two teams known for their defensive prowess but boasting offenses with newfound confidence against one another.

UConn (0-1) vs. No. 4 James Madison (2-0) in Sparks, Md., Saturday, 12 p.m. (USA Lacrosse YouTube)

The big winner over North Carolina during opening weekend, James Madison routed a second ACC opponent in Virginia Tech on Wednesday and now clashes with UConn, a 2023 NCAA tournament team coming off an unexpected loss to Fairfield.

No. 14 Florida (0-1) at No. 5 North Carolina (1-1), Saturday, 11 a.m. (ACCX)

A pair of teams searching for their identities after preseason losses — Florida to the portal and UNC to injuries – clash at Dorrance Field in what could serve as a confidence-builder after week one defeats.

Game of the Week (Vol. 2): No. 7 Maryland (1-0) at No. 6 Syracuse (1-1), Saturday, 12 p.m. (ACCX)

Syracuse handled a No. 15 Army team coached by an old friend in Michelle Tumolo and is now set to host Maryland, which it scored a statement 20-11 win over early last season.

Stanford (0-1) at Yale (0-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

A pair of fringe Top 20 teams meet when Stanford, which pushed No. 18 Virginia in a one-goal loss last weekend, travels to New Haven for Yale’s 2024 debut.

Brown (0-0) at UMass (0-1), Saturday, 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Katrina Dowd era begins at Brown when the Bears travel to Amherst to take on the Minutewomen, who are likely smarting after last week’s rout at Boston College.

No. 19 Princeton (0-0) at No. 18 Virginia (2-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. (ACCX)

New UVA starting goalie Mel Josephson told USA Lacrosse Magazine that “Virginia is here” — so is Princeton, which enters the 2024 chat.

Upset Alert: No. 11 Johns Hopkins (2-0) at Duke (1-1), Saturday, 3 p.m. (ACCX)

After notching wins over Albany and Siena last weekend, No. 11 Johns Hopkins will have a taller task on its hands in a Duke team vying for top-20 status.

Drexel (2-0) at No. 17 Penn (0-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

It’s an All-Philly joust as last year’s Ivy champion hosts Drexel in its opener on Saturday.

Dartmouth (0-0) at No. 10 Stony Brook (0-0), Sunday, 12 p.m. (FloSports)

Two teams fashionably late to the 2024 season get things started on “the” Island.