Week one of the men’s college soccer season brought marquee matchups aplenty. Top ten teams clashed with regularity, and the hierarchy of the nation’s best sides started to form. This week, the schedule has cooled down a bit. There is only one contest between two top 10 teams and there are no clear candidates for upsets. Still, the fixtures this week offer plenty of intrigue, with some tough road tests for West Virginia and Pitt, while two prestigious programs try to get off the mark. Here’s a look at five games to watch this weekend.

Friday, September 2

No. 5 Pittsburgh at No. 18 Marshall, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN+)

Pitt has accrued two wins over wanked opponents thus far, outscoring Georgetown and West Virginia by a combined 5-1. The Panthers are an organized side that can hit on the break, led by the direct Bertin Jacquesson. An away contest at Marshall — which is fresh off a tight loss against Butler — should be a good test. The Herd are dangerous in their own right, with the tandem of Milo Yosef and Vinicius Fernandez proving difficult to stop.

Seattle at No. 16 Louisville, 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)

Seattle stole a win against Notre Dame and followed it up with a strong performance against Kentucky — where it was perhaps unlucky not to escape with a tie. Louisville, meanwhile, has started brightly, knocking off St. Louis on opening night, before comfortably dispatching Bellarmine Monday night. Macoumba Ba and Aboubacar Camara are already rounding into the form, making the Cardinals a threat on any night. But this is a sneaky good Seattle team capable of snatching a tie — or better — on the road.

No. 4 West Virginia at No. 19 Penn State, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network Plus)

Both sides are coming off disappointing defeats. West Virginia was outclassed against Pitt, conceding three times in the first half, before struggling to create in the second. Penn State, meanwhile, never seemed to find a rhythm on the road and was perhaps fortunate to only lose 1-0 to an organized Syracuse side. Friday, then, is a chance for both teams to bounce back.

Saturday, September 3

No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 10 Indiana, 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network Plus)

Indiana probably didn’t expect to be winless through two games. But after sacrificing a 3-0 lead to Portland, the Hoosiers are still in search of their first victory. And Notre Dame isn’t the easiest opponent to beat. The Irish had a rocky start of their own, losing to Seattle despite dominating the game. But they responded with relative comfort, putting three past Michigan State before conceding twice to make for a nervy last five minutes. Bill Armstrong Stadium will be lively for what could be a pivotal early season contest.

Monday, September 5

No. 24 Grand Canyon at No. 14 UCLA, 7 p.m. (Pac 12 Network)

UCLA has been convincing — if slightly lacking in attacking bite — to start the 2022 season. The Bruins are yet to concede through two games and don’t allow opponents many shots on goal. Grand Canyon will present a first real challenge. The Lopes are an energetic side that can hit on the break, posing more of an attacking threat than UCLA’s opponents so far. GCU will also benefit from an extra day of rest coming into the game, which could be pivotal on a hot night in Los Angeles. A Bruin defeat wouldn’t be disastrous, but a win could be massive.

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