The season finally got here college football fans. We’ve listened to all the pundits on the radio, podcasts, read articles, and talked about our teams until there’s nothing left but to sit back and watch. I’m ready.
Each week of the season I sit down and go through the schedule to find what I think are the ten best games to watch. Usually, I’m not disappointed and the first week of this season is no exception. Here are my ten games to watch in week zero or week one, whatever you want to call it.
A word of warning, I’m a Nebraska fan, so the Huskers will be listed every week.
Saturday Aug. 23rd
Iowa State vs Kansas State 11:00am ESPN
With two Big XII teams playing in Dublin Ireland and this game having huge ramifications, they are calling this one ‘Farmageddon.’ They can call it whatever they like, but it doesn’t get much better than watching a playoff game to start the season. It’ll be an uphill battle for the loser to win the Big XII and make the CFP. It’s also two good quarterbacks going at it in KSU’s Avery Johnson and ISU’s Rocco Becht. I love the hardnosed, tough as nails Becht, but Johnson is super talented. Kansas State 24-21,
Thursday Aug 28th
Nebraska vs Cincinnati 8:00pm ESPN
This is a Cincinnati home game being played at Arrowhead in Kansas City, which basically makes it a home game for Nebraska. But regardless of where it’s played, this should be a good game. It’s Matt Rhule’s year three and the Huskers have something to prove. The Bearcats want to catapult themselves into the Big XII championship hunt early. Again, it’s two good quarterbacks going head-to-head in NU’s Dylan Raiola and Cincy’s Brandon Sorenby. Raiola has the better supporting cast, but this one will come down to Nebraska’s defense stopping the Bearcat’s running game. The Blackshirts get it done. 31-20
Friday Aug 29th
Auburn vs Baylor 7:00PM FOX
What makes this game interesting is Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze being somewhat on the hot seat and these teams being so evenly matched statistically. It’s important for the Tigers to get off to a good start which could be difficult with QB questions in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. Meanwhile Baylor’s QB Sawyer Robertson is a potential all-conference QB who is an exceptional passer and good runner. This one is coin toss, but I’ll go with Baylor at home, 28-24.
Georgia Tech vs Colorado 7:00pm ESPN
So far, I’ve been talking quarterbacks and that continues. I like the Yellow Jackett’s Haynes King. His gritty play along with a 72.9% completion rate and 14-2 TD-INT ratio has turned Georgia Tech’s fortunes around. Deion Sanders appears to be going with Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter at QB, but don’t be surprised to see Julian Lewis if things don’t go well. It could be a struggle for either QB as the Buffs don’t have the receiving Corp they had last season. The Buffaloes are at home but there are just too many questions and Brent Key’s team has been overachieving in the last two seasons. Georgia Tech 31-23.
Saturday Aug 30th
Texas vs Ohio State 11:00Am FOX
One of the top two games of the weekend. This one is a CFP rematch from last season. The Buckeyes won that one 28-14. With both teams highly ranked, this one has huge implications and Ohio State is an underdog at home. If I were a Buckeye fan I’d be concerned with Ohio State’s two new coordinators, OC Josh Hartline, and DC Matt Patrica, there’ll be a learning curve, and Day isn’t easy to work for. I’ll also continue with my QB theme as they are usually the difference between winning and losing. Ohio State will trot out a talented but inexperienced Julian Sayin for his first start. Yes, Arch Manning will make his first start for Texas as well, but we’ve seen what Manning can do, and I look for him to have a bust out first game. Sarkisian knows Ohio State and has had too much time to game plan around Manning. Texas squeaks through 35-31.
Alabama vs Florida State 2:30PM ABC
Alabama fans weren’t happy with their teams 9-3 record and missing the CFP under Kalen DeBoer. Florida State fans were even more unhappy with Mike Norvell’s 2-10 team after going 12-0 the season before. Both coaches answer, an influx of new assistants. Norvell brough in former head coach Gus Malzahn to be his OC and Nebraska’s Tony White as his DC. It should be an improvement, but such changes often take time. DeBoer brought in OC Ryan Grubb. Grubb was with DeBoer for Washington’s national title game in 2023, and his return should help DeBoer settle in at Tuscaloosa. This one should be good, but Alabama is dealing with fewer changes and has more talent, pulls away in the third quarter, 34-21.
LSU vs Clemson 6:30PM ABC
This game would be my choice for second biggest of the weekend and even comes down to a fight over who truly plays in ‘Death Valley.’ Clemson’s Dabo Swinney believes he has a national championship caliber team. Brian Kelley has one of his most talented teams since being at LSU and is feeling the heat to make the CFP. Both teams have Heisman Trophy candidates at QB, Cade Klubnik for Clemson and Garrett Nussmeier for LSU. Again, this game has huge ramifications as it sets the tone for each team’s season. However, being in different conferences losing isn’t a killer. This game should be exceptionally entertaining to watch as both teams are super talented. I want to pick LSU, but Clemson has the edge at home and gets the win 34-31.
Utah vs UCLA 10:00PM FOX
You may question why this game is on my list. Well, these teams showcase two new OC’s and two very talented QBs. Utah brought in Jason Beck from New Mexico as their new OC. Beck brought QB Devon Dampier with him. Dampier passed for over 2,700 yards and rushed for over 1,100 yards while scoring 31 total TDs. UCLA also has a new OC/QB coach in Tino Sunseri, who came from Indiana after leading them to a 11-1 regular season record and the CFP. Sunseri will work with transfer QB Nico Iamelava who was part of Tennessee’s CFP chase last season. The Utes have always played good defense under Whittingham and UCLA struggled last season at protecting the QB. That gives Utah the edge in this one, 28-21.
Aug 31st
Notre Dame vs Miami 6:30PM ABC
This one would be on everybody’s list if for no other reason than ‘Catholics vs Convicts.’ Notre Dame played in the national championship game last season. Miami broke open the piggybank and brought in players like QB Carson Beck (Georgia) through the portal. Miami HC Mario Cristobal also brought in new DC Corey Hetherman from Minnesota. Under HC Marcus Freeman the Irish have brought in a QB through the portal the last three seasons. This year they go with one of their own in recruit in CJ Carr. Carr is far less experienced than anyone the Irish have had in the past. Freeman also brought in a new DC in Chris Ash. Ash has been in the NFL over the last four seasons but has Big Ten experience as HC at Rutgers and as an assistant at Ohio State and Wisconsin before that. All the changes in players and coaches makes this one close. I like Notre Dame, 24-22.
Sept. 1st
TCU vs North Carolina 7:00pm ESPN
Yes, this one is on the list because it’s Bill Belichick’s first game and we all want to see what that’s going to look like. Belichick retained OC Freddie Kitchens who was the run game coordinator for Mack Brown. Before that Kitchens was in the NFL from 2006 to 2022. Belichick’s son Steve Belichick will be the DC. The 38-year-old Belichick was a defensive assistant with his father in New England from 2012 to 2023 and has no previous college experience. So, it will be interesting to see how an NFL staff transitions to the college game. TCU’s HC Sony Dikes will be a good test as he has proven himself by taking TCU to the national championship game in 2022. Dykes’s staff remains intact and is experienced. TCU QB Josh Hoover returns after starting all 13 games last season and set the school record for yards passing with 3,949 yards (66.5%, 27-11). The Tar Heels brought in QB Gino Lopez from South Alabama. Last season Lopez passed for 2,559 yards (66%, 18-5) and rushed for 463 yards. Neither team has an edge in this one. It will be a close contest, but with North Carolina at home, Belichick wins first game, 31-30.
For more on Husker football go to Off The Cob