On the Line: At long last, it begins

At long last, it's here.

After an 8-month offseason that felt like 18, college football is back. The most wide-open season in a generation begins with the most anticipated opening weekend, well, perhaps ever. 

This will be 19th season covering college football professionally or semi-professionally. I got my start working in the sports information office at the University of Texas, and buried somewhere between muscle and marrow, I'm an SID at heart. I love sports, I love information, and I love delivering the most information in the most creative way I can. We call them nuggets around here. 

On the Line is my weekly preview piece, where we lay out everything that's up for grabs, big or small, each week. It may be a championship, a coaching job, a winning streak against a rival, or a statistical anomaly. There's far more to college football than who hoists the trophy each January, and we try to document that here. Most weeks we go big on a handful of games, but with so much going on in college football's opening week, we've divided the meal into appetizer-sized portions. In all, we've got more than 40 morsels to choose from. 

I'm glad you're here. Let's dig in. 

THURSDAY

No. 25 Boise State at South Florida (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN): In these days of maximizing everything, everywhere, all the time, I'm somewhat surprised college football's opening weekend hasn't turned into a full-on opening week. Why not games all day, every day, from Week 0 Saturday to Labor Day? Maybe we'll get there someday, but a 3:30 p.m. start on a Thursday afternoon in Boise is pretty close. As our astute John Brice pointed out, this is the Broncos' fifth straight opener away from home. They are 1-3 in their last four openers. With two 7-6 seasons thus far, a win here would easily be the biggest of Alex Golesh's tenure in Tampa.

East Carolina at NC State (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network): Texas-Ohio State isn't the only postseason rematch to kick off this season. The 2024 Military Bowl ended with a 26-21 final score in favor of ECU, but the scoreboard took a backseat at the end of the game to this.

Ohio at Rutgers (6 p.m. ET, BTN): They don't play them every year, but Ohio hasn't beaten a Big Ten team since they took down Penn State in their first game post-Sandusky sanctions to open the 2012 season. What a way to start the Brian Smith era that would be.

Lafayette at Bowling Green (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+): The Eddie George era gets underway in Bowling Green.

Jacksonville State at UCF (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Scott Frost's 27th game as UCF's head coach, and his first. It's his first game on a college sideline since he lost to Georgia Southern at Nebraska on Sept. 10, 2022. Not to be forgotten, it's Charles Kelly's first game as Jacksonville State's head coach, and his first game as a head coach, period, at any level. This will be Kelly's 36th season in coaching. 

Delaware State at Delaware (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Delaware-Delaware State -- they call it the Route 1 Rivalry -- has existed since 2007, with the Blue Hens holding an 11-0 lead. Delaware State is an FCS team, obviously. So while there's nothing exactly new here, it's still Delaware's debut as an FBS team.

Wyoming at Akron (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+): It's the first meeting ever between FBS's last alphabetically last team and FBS's alphabetically second team. In case you're wondering, Air Force and Wyoming (first and last in the FBS alphabet) play annually as Mountain West bunk mates.

Buffalo at Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, FS1): Excluding the 2020 season, it's Minnesota's 12th straight home Thursday night opener. Buffalo has been a "legacy" Big Ten team once in its history (they don't play them all that often), and it happened back in 1900. So, a win here would mean a lot for Pete Lembo's team.

Stephen F. Austin at Houston (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+): The Republic of Texas declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836, and by Oct. 22, Stephen F. Austin became the country's fourth Secretary of State, appointed by President Sam Houston. Austin had previously planned to run for president of the new Republic until Houston entered the race; Houston grabbed 5,119 votes to Austin's 587. Austin served in the lesser office until he was removed two months later on account of dying of pneumonia.

Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (9 p.m. ET, ESPN at Kansas City): It's a Cincinnati home game at Arrowhead Stadium, which of course makes perfect sense. It's my opinion that Matt Rhule has been treated with kid gloves through his first two seasons in Lincoln. Those gloves would be removed and replaced by brass knuckles if he drops this game.

FRIDAY

App State at Charlotte (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU): Dowell Loggains coaches his first game as the head man after 17 years as an assistant, while Tim Albin makes his Charlotte debut after four seasons at Ohio.

Bethune-Cookman at FIU (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Willie Simmons makes his FBS debut after racking up a 66-24 mark at Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M -- including a 3-2 record against Bethune-Cookman.

Western Illinois at No. 12 Illinois (7:30 p.m. ET, Peacock): Illinois begins in its highest poll position since 1990. If the Illini win at Duke next week, we're likely talking about a Top 10 Illinois meeting a Top 15 Indiana, in football, on Sept. 20. 

Auburn at Baylor (8 p.m. ET, Fox): It's been a news-y August at Auburn, all of which is briefly forgotten if the Tigers go out and win this game and look good doing it. If they lose? Suddenly 2-4 is a real possibility with at Oklahoma, at Texas A&M and vs. Georgia not too far around the corner. I'm very curious to see if Jackson Arnold can weaponize his expensive receiving corps against a depleted Baylor secondary. 

Georgia Tech at Colorado (8 p.m. ET, ESPN): Thirty-five years later, they're finally holding the 1990 national championship game. In the first meeting between the Yellow Jackets and Buffaloes, I'm fully expecting Tech to bully a soft-until-proven-otherwise Colorado team.

UNLV at Sam Houston (9:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network): The over/under on this game is 60.5. Both of these teams yielded more than 500 yards and 30 points in Week 0. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Central Michigan at San Jose State (10:30 p.m. ET, FS1): After five seasons as a head coach at NAIA Kansas Wesleyan and six seasons as an assistant at Army, Matt Drinkall makes his FBS debut. And he does it in a way he always dreamed off: at 10:30 body clock time on a Friday night in Silicon Valley.

SATURDAY

No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State (noon ET, Fox): You don't need me to break this down for you, but the shorthand of this game will be the first team that makes their first-time starter at QB comfortable first, wins. Arch Manning is a 5-star recruit who's waited two seasons for this moment. Why wouldn't he be confident? Julian Sayin is a 5-star who signed with Alabama and won a QB competition at Ohio State. Why wouldn't he be confident? Long story short, I'm not expecting a shootout, but I also don't anticipate a 13-10 final, either. 

Two quick storylines: Steve Sarkisian is quickly approaching "If not now, when?" territory. The 2023 win at Alabama was great, but it remains his only win over an AP top-5 opponent. You can't win a national championship if you don't beat other elite teams, lots of times, to make an obvious point. Finally, these teams have played four times, ever. The winners finished the year ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, and No. 1. 

Syracuse at No. 24 Tennessee (noon ET, ABC): Josh Heupel reluctantly executed college football's first quarterback trade in exchanging Nico Iamaleava for Joey Aguilar with UCLA. We all saluted Heupel back in the spring, but how does it work on the field in the fall? I'm very curious to find out.

Mississippi State at Southern Miss (noon ET, ESPN): If you're Mississippi State and you're looking to halt a 12-game SEC losing streak and return to a bowl game for the first time since 2022, the one thing you don't want to do in non-conference play is schedule a game you could easily lose but won't get much credit for winning. So, naturally, they're walking into the hornet's nest of Hattiesburg for the first time since 2015 to play a Southern Miss team that technically went 1-11 a year ago but in practice won the Sun Belt last season while wearing Marshall's uniforms. Good luck, State.

Florida Atlantic at Maryland (noon ET, BTN): The 34-year-old Zach Kittley makes his head coaching debut for the Owls.

Ball State at Purdue (noon ET, BTN): It's Barry Odom's 78th game as a head coach but first at Purdue, and Mike Uremovich's 113th game as a head coach but first at Ball State. Vegas likes Purdue by 18.5. That's a lot of points for a team with more than 80 new players.

Northwestern at Tulane (noon ET, ESPNU): It's the first meeting since 1956 between Chicago's Big Ten Team and New Orleans's American Team. 

Merrimack at Kent State (noon ET, ESPN+): The Golden Flashes embark on a journey led by interim head coach Mark Carney. Kent State hasn't won a game since beating Central Connecticut on Sept. 16, 2023 -- 21 straight losses ago.

Toledo at Kentucky (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network): Toledo, a near 10-point dog, has been getting so much upset love that I wonder if they've graduated from under-the-radar pick to now fully within the bullseye portion of the radar. Screw it, I still like Toledo to win.

Robert Morris at West Virginia (2 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Rich Rodriguez coaches his 322nd game as a head coach, his 87th at West Virginia, but his first at WVU 2.0.

Marshall at No. 5 Georgia (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN): After an even 30 years as an assistant, Tony Gibson coaches his first game as the head man. Naturally, he does so as a 38.5-point underdog between the hedges. It's all downhill from here, Coach.

No. 8 Alabama at Florida State (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC): Considering the cosmic harm it did to their program when Alabama was chosen for the fourth and final CFP spot in 2023 over them, obviously Florida State would like to dispense some Doak Campbell justice here. But, considering the Seminoles, will likely lose for the 12th time in its last 14 outings, but what does success look like for Mike Norvell's team here? A 1-score game at halftime? Making Alabama push the gas pedal to the fourth quarter? Or would only a win suffice? I'm honestly asking.

Temple at UMass (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+): KC Keeler takes the field for his 385th game as a head coach and first at Temple, while 39-year-old Joe Harasymiak head coaches his 36th game but first at UMass.

UTSA at No. 19 Texas A&M (7 p.m. ET, ESPN): UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor sent numerous players to Texas A&M in his 16 years as a Texas high school coach, but his connection to A&M is in the blood. UTSA QB Owen McCown's uncle Randy won a Big 12 title at A&M, O-line coach Kurt Traylor was a GA for RC Slocum at A&M, and all three of Jeff's kids are Aggies.

No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC): Clemson garnered a lot of national title hype, evidenced by that No. 4 ranking, over the offseason, but let's review how they finished last season. The Tigers lost to South Carolina, probably lose to SMU if SMU's final kickoff sails a few yards further, and executed some nice individual plays while allowing nearly 300 rushing yards in a 14-point CFP loss at Texas. Out of that finish, we've conjured a national title contender. I'm high on Clemson too, but, sheesh. And last year, Brian Kelly pounded a table after LSU dropped its fifth straight season-opener. What's he got in store for us if the losing streak gets to six? 

Needless to say, this should be a fantastic football game, and some even better theater.

New Mexico at No. 14 Michigan (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC): It's our first look at a Bryce Underwood Michigan team, and a Jason Eck New Mexico team following three seasons as the head coach at Idaho. Excited to see how Forrest Gump performs at running back.

Missouri State at USC (7:30 p.m. ET, BTN): Missouri State makes its debut as the 136th FBS program.

UTEP at Utah State (7:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network): Bronco Mendenhall coaches his 229th game but first at Utah State following 11 seasons at BYU, six at Virginia, two years off, and then one season at New Mexico.

Rice at Louisiana (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+): A certain subset of ball knowers will be keeping one eye on Scott Abell's Rice debut following six seasons at Washington & Lee and seven at Davidson. This is Game 139 for him, for those counting. 

Georgia Southern at Fresno State (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1): Clay Helton will keep his team in California all week with his return to USC following Saturday's tilt in Fresno. Matt Entz looks to avoid Fresno's first 0-2 start since 2019. 

Idaho at Washington State (10 p.m. ET, The CW): Jimmy Rogers premiers on the Palouse after going 27-3 in two seasons at South Dakota State.

Cal at Oregon State (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN): Hey, why are they playing a Pac-12 game so early in the season?

Utah at UCLA (11 p.m. ET, Fox): Nico Iamaleava makes his UCLA debut, but I'm much more excited to see a new-look Utah offense after two seasons stuck in limbo with Cam Rising on the sideline. Jason Beck and Devon Dampier should allow the Utes to hit the ground in a dead spring, and considering Kyle Whittingham has called this O-line the best he's ever coached, it might be a dead sprint to the end zone.

SUNDAY

Virginia Tech vs. No. 13 South Carolina at Atlanta (3 p.m. ET, ESPN): Shane Beamer's teams have garnered a reputation as strong finishers, and you can't be regarded as a fast finisher without a slow start. Beamer is 10-8 in August/September, including an ugly loss to North Carolina to open 2023 and a near loss to Old Dominion to begin last season. The internal motivation to beat his childhood team will be high, but Brent Pry -- 16-21 in three seasons, no ranked wins -- needs this one badly as well.

No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC): Carson Beck and Jeremiyah Love will deservedly garner most of the attention, but this should be an all-out battle in the trenches among. Both programs have some of the best offensive line coaches in the country, so who wins there wins the game.

MONDAY

TCU at North Carolina (8 p.m. ET, ESPN): Best I can tell, this is Bill Belichick's first game since his Wesleyan Cardinals fell 21-15 to those bastards from Trinity on Nov. 16, 1974. In between, he coached 467 games as a head coach, won eight Super Bowls as a head coach or assistant, and handed control of his empire to a 24-year-old he met on an airplane. As for Monday night, I'm fairly certain of two things: 1) TCU will win this game, and 2) I will zonk out on the couch sometime in the third quarter.