This Weekend in College Football: Week 0

Here it is! Actual, real, counts-toward-the-standings American football.

Here’s the way my TV rundowns usually work. I list games at each time slot. I provide commentary for games between FBS teams on “actual” television. All other FCS and streaming-only games are merely listed for completeness. I use several abbreviations for TV networks and streaming services:

  • CBSS: CBS Sports Network
  • BTN: Big Ten Network
  • ACCN: ACC Network
  • SEC: SEC Network
  • RSN: “Regional Sports Network”, essentially, check your local listings. It’ll be on something Bally Sports South/East/West/Southeast or NBC Sports Bay Area or some such. If it’s not available in your region, it may well be streaming on ESPN’s website.
  • ACCNX: ACC Network Extra, essentially, this might be on an RSN, or else it’s streaming and requires you to have ACC Network
  • SECA: SEC Alternate. Most traditional carriers that carry SEC Network will have an extra channel somewhere, you may have to dig for it it though.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon: Austin Peay @ Western Kentucky (CBSS)

12:30: Nebraska vs. Northwestern (@Dublin, Ireland; FOX): I don’t think anyone in Ireland asked for this, and I mean that generally, because I don’t think they asked for the battle of “NU” supremacy. I have a hard time predicting the Huskers to win, but they probably will, right?

3:30:

  • Idaho State @ Nevada-Las Vegas (CBSS)
  • Stephen F. Austin vs. Jacksonville State (FCS Kickoff @ Montgomery, AL; ESPN)

4:00:

  • Connecticut @ Utah State (FS1): We all love Week 0, but this some real sickos stuff this weekend. It’s arguably the penultimate weekend of summer, so maybe consider going outside or something. Utah State all the way here, too.
  • Wyoming @ Illinois (BTN): This game might be one of the one of the best games of the day, which says a lot more about the Illini than it does Wyoming. I’ll go ahead and pick the Cowboys.

5:00: Duquesne @ Florida State (ACCN)

7:00:

  • Charlotte @ Florida Atlantic (CBSS): I, mean, look, I like to celebrate all parts of college football as much as the next guy, and maybe this’ll finally be Charlotte’s year, but… I can’t make you want to watch this, I just can’t.
  • Alabama State vs. Howard (MEAC/SWAC Challenge @ Atlanta, GA; ESPN)

8:15: Florida A&M @ North Carolina (ACCN)

9:00: North Texas @ Texas-El Paso (Stadium): Y’all, the Sun Bowl is sold out for this one, and despite what I said above, I am just here for any sort of enthusiasm for the Miners and El Paso. And I like them to win, too.

10:30: Vanderbilt @ Hawaii (CBSS): Hawaii is in a bad way, but hey, they’ve apparently also sold out (their now tiny stadium since Aloha Stadium got condemned). Vandy is also… Vandy, but I honestly just cannot figure out how they lose this.