As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Saturday

Noon:

• East Carolina @ Alabama (ABC): As has been noted in many other spaces, this isn’t the most action-packed Week 1. There’s a lot of games like this with huge point spreads and not much to talk about. I guess it’s a good weekend for me to be at PAX. Also, Bama by a lot.
• North Texas @ Indiana (FOX): Indiana is still the reigning, undefeated national champion. And they’ll still be undefeated after this one.
• Oregon State @ Houston (ESPN): This might be the best game in this timeslot? Houston always has expectations, but Oregon State might be able to quash them. I still like the Cougs, but if there’s a single-score game here, it’ll be this one, or…
• Ohio @ Nebraska (FS1): Well, not this one. (Corn by a lot.)
• Coastal Carolina @ West Virginia (TNT): Or this one. (Neers by a lot.)
• Liberty @ James Madison (ESPNU): … but this one! It pains me to recommend watching a Liberty game, but as one of the richest teams on the low end of the “group of” they certainly should have the resources to hang with JMU. I still like the Monarchs, though.
• New Hampshire @ Syracuse (ACCN)
• Bryant @ Army (CBSS)
• Lafayette @ Connecticut (Stream)
• Tarleton @ Bowling Green (ESPN+)

12:30:

• Miami @ Pittsburgh (The CW): No, that Miami will be flying back from Palo Alto during this game. Speaking of unusually well resourced G6 teams, the Redhawks are actually not doing bad by any standard, much less for the MAC. Still hard seeing them beat Pitt, but they could certainly make things uncomfortable.
• Ball State @ Ohio State (BTN): Buckeyes by a lot.

12:45: Kent State @ South Carolina (SEC): Shane Beamer is a coach that has near-universal agreement as being on the proverbial hot seat entering the season. This game will not get him fired.

1:00:

• Youngstown State @ Kentucky (SEC+)
• Duquesne @ Air Force (MWN)

2:00:

• Southeast Missouri State @ Iowa State (ESPN+)
• Rhode Island @ Temple (ESPN+)

3:00: Tennessee State @ Georgia (SEC+)

3:30:

• Boston College @ Cincinnati (FOX): BC is in the running to be one of the worse P4 teams this season, and while Cincy probably won’t be very good, they can knock off BC at home.
• Baylor vs. Auburn (Aflac Kickoff Game @ Atlanta, GA; ABC): It’s a cliche at this point in the season, but these teams have a lot more questions than answers right now. This is a coin flip for me, and I’m going with Auburn.
• Boise State @ Oregon (CBS): I want to believe that there’s still a reality where Boise can take one of the big boys of the sport to the wire, but… this Oregon team is loaded. Like, one of the 3-5 teams that can plausibly win the national title loaded. But I still believe…
• Texas State @ Texas (ESPN): This will be a “Good Arch” game.
• Marshall @ Pennsylvania State (FS1): I really don’t want to talk about Penn State right now, so I won’t. They’ll win this one.
• Tulane @ Duke (ACCN): This is a game where it’s very plausible that a well resourced G6 team can knock off a P4, and I think it’s actually kind of likely
• Towson @ Navy (CBSS)
• Fordham @ North Dakota State (MWN)
• Furman @ Tennessee (SEC+)
• Texas-Rio Grande Valley @ Texas-San Antonio (ESPN+)
• Maine @ Appalachian State (ESPN+)
• The Citadel @ Charlotte (ESPN+)

3:45: Oklahoma State @ Tulsa (ESPNU): Oklahoma State essentially did a wholesale import of last season’s best offense from Texas State up to Stillwater, and this early (but short) road trip will be the first proof of concept for them.

4:15:

• Northern Illinois @ Iowa (BTN): Northern Illinois never really fit in the MAC, so they left for… the Mountain West. Sure. It’ll be interesting to see if Iowa does the offense thing again this year, but they’ll win this game regardless.
• North Alabama @ Arkansas (SEC)

5:00: Alcorn State @ Southern Mississippi (ESPN+)

6:00:

• Wyoming @ Colorado State (“Border War”; USA): The rules for whether or not I talk about a particular game are this: 1) It has to be between two FBS opponents and 2) it has to be available on a traditional television network. So there’s going to be some Mountain West games on USA this season, so take note. As for this game, I… didn’t realize or forgot it’s a rivalry game. There’s a trophy (the Bronze Boot) and everything! So this should be fun, but I’m slightly leaning toward the Pokes.
• Norfolk State @ Old Dominion (ESPN+)

7:00:

• Missouri State @ Texas A&M (ESPN): Aggies by a lot.
• Abilene Christian @ Texas State (FS1)
• Idaho State @ Utah State (CBSS)
• Austin Peay @ Vanderbilt (SEC+)
• Sam Houston State @ Troy (ESPN+)
• Arkansas State @ Memphis (ESPN+)
• Florida International @ South Florida (ESPN+)
• Nicholls State @ Kansas State (ESPN+)
• Southeastern Louisiana @ South Alabama (ESPN+)
• Houston Christian @ Rice (ESPN+)
• Eastern Kentucky @ Jacksonville State (ESPN+)
• Murray State @ Middle Tennessee State (ESPN+)
• Charleston Southern @ Georgia Southern (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Clemson @ Louisiana State (ABC): The game of the day! LSU, of course, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons as of late. Clemson has mostly flown under the radar after not quite meeting their elevated expectations the past couple of years. The chances of a “lil ole Clemson” type game feel very high. It’s fair that LSU is favored for a home night game, but I just can’t shake Clemson just cutting through all the hype and putting a wet blanket on Lane Kiffin’s debut.
• Western Michigan @ Michigan (NBC): Michigan by a lot.
• Louisiana-Monroe @ Mississippi State (ESPNU): Miss State, by a medium amount.
• Virginia Military @ Virginia Tech (ACCN)
• Northwestern State @ Louisiana Tech (ESPN+)

7:45: Florida Atlantic @ Florida (SEC): Don’t let the Florida fans fool you, they’ll be fine here.

8:00:

• South Dakota State @ Northwestern (BTN)
• Hampton @ Maryland (BTN)
• Utah Tech @ Brigham Young (ESPN+)
• Lamar @ Louisiana (ESPN+)

9:00: Mercyhurst @ New Mexico State (ESPN+)

9:30:

• Portland State @ San Diego State (USA)
• Northern Arizona @ Arizona (ESPN+)

10:00:

• Central Michigan @ New Mexico (FS1): Hey, here’s a fun cross-sectional game! I like the Lobos at home, but definitely keep on eye on this one.
• Nevada-Las Vegas @ Hawaii (The CW): Hawaii probably should’ve beat Stanford last week. They had a late lead and everything, but couldn’t hold on. UNLV comes in with some pretty hefty expectations and should win, but it’s not a given.
• Mississippi Valley State @ Sacramento State (ESPN+)
• Morgan State @ Arizona State (ESPN+)

10:30:

• California-Los Angeles @ California (ESPN): It’s good to see this game back on the schedule, and with a whole new operation in Westwood, I like JKS and company to open with a win in Berkeley.
• Western Kentucky @ Nevada (CBSS): Probably not as much fun as Western Michigan-New Mexico, but this could still be fun. Unfortunately, I don’t think Nevada is very good, so this should be sorta straightforward for the Hilltoppers.

Sunday

4:00: Washington State @ Washington (“Apple Cup”; NBC): The Apple Cup is back, once again! Unfortunately, I’m not sure I have much hope for Wazzu.

7:30:

• Louisville vs. Mississippi (Music City Kickoff @ Nashville, TN; ABC): The easy assumption for this game is that Lane took most of the good players to Baton Rouge. But that’s for a reason, and Louisville has the talent to hang with the Rebels for sure. I’ll even pick them here.
• Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (@Green Bay, WI; NBC): Luke Fickell is another coach on the preseason hot seat, and I’m not sure this game is going to do much to get him off of it.

Monday

7:30: Southern Methodist @ Florida State (ESPN): Speaking of coaches on the hot seat and bad vibes, Mike Norvell could really use a win here. And similarly to Fickell, I don’t think he’s going to get it. (Though at least the Noles, on paper, stand a chance in this game.)