As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday

6:00: Howard @ Rutgers (BTN)

7:00:

• Western Carolina @ North Carolina State (ACCN)
• North Carolina A&T @ Wake Forest (ACCNX)
• New Hampshire @ Central Florida (ESPN+)
• Lafayette @ Buffalo (ESPN+)
• Fordham @ Bowling Green (ESPN+)
• Central Connecticut @ Central Michigan (ESPN+)
• Jackson State @ Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ Arkansas (ESPNU)
• Duquense @ Toledo (ESPN+)

8:00:

• North Carolina @ Minnesota (FOX): There’s not a ton of FBS vs. FBS competition Thursday evening, but nonetheless we start with this interesting inter-sectional game. I like the Wolfpack here, but I don’t think they should take anything for granted as they head up north.
• North Dakota State @ Colorado (ESPN): I don’t make predictions about FCS vs. FBS games, and NDSU isn’t what they used to be, but… you may want to keep an eye on this one.
• Murray State @ Missouri (SEC)
• Coastal Carolina @ Jacksonville State (CBSS): I think I have to go with Jax State here? Everyone interesting for the Beach Chickens is elsewhere now.
• Lindenwood @ Kansas (@Kansas City, KS; ESPN+)
• Southeastern Louisiana @ Tulane (ESPN+)
• Northwestern State @ Tulsa (ESPN+)
• Alcorn State @ Alabama-Birmingham (ESPN+)

9:00:

• Eastern Illinois @ Illinois (BTN)
• Southern Utah @ Utah (ESPN+)

10:00: Sacramento State @ San Jose State (truTV)

Friday

6:00: Lehigh @ Army (CBSS):

7:00:

• Temple @ Oklahoma (ESPN): The Sooners should be able to name their score for this one.
• Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State (BTN): It’s not quite “name the score” territory here for Sparty, but they shouldn’t be threatened.

7:30: Elon @ Duke (ACCN)

9:00: Western Michigan @ Wisconsin (FS1): Again, as long as Wisky isn’t looking forward to Alabama in a couple of weeks…

10:30: Texas Christian @ Stanford (ESPN): I’m not sure what to make of either of these teams going into this season, but I definitely trust TCU a bit more.

As usual, all times Eastern all predictions wrong.

Tuesday

7:00: Bowling Green @ Western Michigan (ESPNU): We’re finally going to cover some MACtion here as part of our look at the weeknight games this week. We still should have never lost to Bowling Green, but my worst fears after their 27-0 blanking by Miami didn’t materialize. The instead rolled off 5 straight MAC wins until last week’s close loss to MAC front-runners Toledo. They seem to actually be kind of okay, which wasn’t something I was expecting to say. I’ll guess they’ll win here.

7:30: Eastern Michigan @ Buffalo (ESPN2): This probably wouldn’t be what I’d pick to put on ESPN2 over EPSNU, but they didn’t ask me. The Bulls have lost 3 straight in what is a bit of a lost season for Mo Linguist and company, while EMU needs the win for bowl eligibility. I guess on paper the Bulls should win, and they’re at home, but I’ll take EMU.

Thursday

7:30 PM: Mississippi @ Mississippi State (“Egg Bowl”; ESPN): Okay, let’s get to Thanksgiving Day. As usual, I’ll ask that you at least keep an eye on this one over the NFL game that evening because, well, it’s the Egg Bowl. While it’s been less, er, chaotic since 2019, and Ole Miss should win easily, anything can happen!

Friday

Noon:

• Miami @ Boston College (ABC): What a lost season for the Canes. They’re currently 6-5 with a 2-5 record in the ACC. They’re going to need to do some deep introspection on this season, not the least of which is wonder if Mario Christobal can figure anything out about game management. (There’s been more questionable things since they played us, believe it or not.) On paper they should easily beat this BC team, and I’ll go with that, but I don’t feel good about it.
• Iowa @ Nebraska (CBS): So as of this writing the over/under for this game 27.5 points, which is insane. That said, Nebraska’s quarterback situation is so bad the Iowa defense may well hit the over on their own.
• Texas Christian @ Oklahoma (FOX): There’s not really anything about how TCU is playing that makes me thing they can pull this off.
• Memphis @ Temple (ESPN): There’s been years where this would’ve been an interesting game. This isn’t one of them.
• Toledo @ Central Michigan (ESPNU): Toledo should roll here.
• Ohio @ Akron (CBSS): Ohio is still one of the better teams in the MAC, and Akron… not so much.

3:30:

• Texas-San Antonio @ Tulane (ABC): Tulane isn’t as obviously good as they were last year, but they’ve now reeled off 9 in a row. The Roadrunners should present a formidable challenge after senior QB Frank Harris was missing early in the season. I still like the Green Wave, but this could be a sneaky fun game.
• Utah State @ New Mexico (CBSS): I’m still trying to figure out what happened to Fresno after this New Mexico team beat them, but in the meantime I’m going to predict them to lose again.

4:00:

• Missouri @ Arkansas (“Battle Line Rivalry”; CBS): Mizzou shouldn’t need an end-of-regulation field goal in this one. If they win they’ll probably get a New Year’s Six bid. What a season for the Tigers.
• Air Force @ Boise State (FS1): Love yourself like Air Force loves committing turnovers. It’s kind of ridiculous at this point that they’ve lost three straight starting with that 23-3 loss to Army. Boise, meanwhile, wasn’t predicted to be that good this year, then wasn’t, and then fired their coach. Naturally, they’ve now won two in a row, and I suspect they’ll make it three. If some other results break their way, they could well be playing in the Mountain West championship game with an interim coach. College football, y’all.

7:30:

• Pennsylvania State vs. Michigan State (@Detroit, MI; NBC): The battle for the worlsd’s best worst trophy is renewed again on a neutral field for some reason. At any rate, Michigan State has lost every game they’ve played against a team with a pulse. Penn State has problems, but they’re not “lose to this Michigan State team” problems.
• Texas Tech @ Texas (ABC): The Red Raiders are 6-5, but considering everything about running a program in Lubbock, it’s still a good piece of work. That said, I can’t really see them threatening Texas. Generally, the ‘Horns have to do it to themselves.

8:30: Oregon State @ Oregon (FOX): The game of the day, and possibly the weekend. The Ducks should thank the stars they got this one at home, because the crowd in Corvallis nearly got the Beavers to the promised land against Washington last weekend. Alas, this Oregon team is just too lights out to see them lose here, but I think this one could still be very fun.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday

7:00:

• Kent State @ Central Florida (FS1): It’s UCF’s first week in the Big 12, and they start with what will probably not be a very good MAC team.
• Elon @ Wake Forest (ACCN)
• St. Francis @ Western Michigan (ESPN+)
• Rhode Island @ Georgia State (ESPN+)

7:30: North Carolina State @ Connecticut (CBSS): One of the more delightful aspects of college football is a relatively high number of live mascots, and while both of these teams feature canines as mascots, only one of them has two living examples of some actual good dogs. Unfortunately, the Jonathans cannot win UConn this game.

8:00:

• Nebraska @ Minnesota (FOX): It’s the first game in the Rhule-era at Nebraska, and while they should look better, the Gophers are just a better team at this point.
• Florida @ Utah (ESPN): As I noted in the non-con preview, the Utes have the schedule to be a darkhorse playoff team. That starts here, which was a major missed opportunity for them in Gainesville last year. This time, it’s in Salt Lake an they should continue being able to shut down this still very-much-a-project Gator squad.
• South Dakota @ Missouri (SEC)
• Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ Tulsa (ESPN+)
• North Carolina A&T @ Alabama-Birmingham (ESPN+)

10:00: Southern Utah @ Arizona State (Pac12)

Friday

6:30: Howard @ Eastern Michigan (ESPN+)

7:00:

• Central Michigan @ Michigan State (FS1): The Spartans should have no problems here.
• Miami @ Miami (ACCN): Y’all. Y’all! This hasn’t happened nearly often enough. The reason why these teams are usually suffixed is because they’re both, well, Miami, and yet they have only played 3 times and none since 1987! That said, well, it’s at Miami and there’s basically no reason to think the Canes will fall to 3-1 against this particular Miami team.

7:30: Louisville vs. Georgia Tech (@Atlanta, GA; ESPN): It begins. At last, we are freed from possibly the dumbest era of Georgia Tech football. One where any momentum was squandered and the shortcomings of the regime blamed on the previous one. While I’m not especially crazy that we still went with a coach from the previous staff, in his interim stint one couldn’t help but notice that we just basically looked like a football team for the first time since 2018. I’m not entirely sure how it’ll go in this battle of new coaches. The Cardinals finally brought Jeff Brohm home and expect to have an exciting, high-flying offense for the first time since Lamar Jackson was slinging passes for them. We have some concerns on defense, but I also expect the offense to show a basic level of appearing to have any what they’re doing for the first time in a while, so hopefully those things even out.

8:00: Missouri State @ Kansas (ESPN+)

11:00: Stanford @ Hawaii (CBSS): While the Pac-12 burns around them, the Cardinal go on vacation. That said, this Hawaii team is game as they just gave what’s supposed to be a solid Vanderbilt team all they wanted in Nashville last weekend. While I can’t really predict the Rainbow Warriors to win, I will say that if they can move the ball on Stanford this one could get very interesting.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday

7:30:

• Virginia @ Georgia Tech (ESPN): So, two in a row. It feels weird to even be kind of excited about my own college football team again. That creeping feeling… is that hope? At any rate, I’m trying not to get too far ahead of my skis and keeping in mind that this team still has several issues a new coach and a bye week probably can’t fix. But, at least so far it’s been more fun.
• Troy @ South Alabama (ESPNU): We’re going south of I-85 for this one. These two in-state rivals are a bit apart right now, as USA appears to be a bit ahead this year. It’s a situation that could change next year, or even sooner however.

Friday

7:30: Tulsa @ Temple (EPSN2): Temple got knocked around pretty good last weekend, so I’m taking Tulsa.

8:00: Alabama-Birmingham @ Western Kentucky (CBSS): The Blazers are off to a decent start, but I think this might go either way.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday

7:00:

• West Virginia @ Pittsburgh (“The Backyard Brawl”; ESPN): We are starting the weekend in the most appropriate manner possible: the return of the Backyard Brawl. Two teams from Appalachia face off in a battle of the city boys versus country roads. If you wanna read up on your history, you’d do well to read probably the most definitive retrospective on the game. Okay, done? Yeah, so the renewal of the rivalry features two programs at a bit of a crossroads. West Virginia has never really gotten it going in the Big 12, while Pitt is coming off its best season in a very long time while losing their starting quarterback (to the NFL) and best wide receiver (to Southern Cal). I’m taking Pitt here as the favorite at home, but I don’t feel great about it.
• Central Michigan @ Oklahoma State (FS1): The Pokes should have this one wrapped up around halftime.
• Ball State @ Tennessee (SEC): Same for the Vols. Possibly even earlier.
• Bryant @ Florida International (espn3.com)
• Long Island @ Toledo (espn3.com)
• South Carolina State @ Central Florida (ESPN+)

7:30: Virginia Military @ Wake Forest (ACCN)

8:00:

• Pennsylvania State @ Purdue (FOX): While many eyes will be on the happenings in Pittsburgh, this game, well… okay, you’ll probably want to keep your eyes there. But still, this is an interesting start for the Nittany Lions, as they’ve sort of… not been that good the past few years? It is possible for that to catch up to James Franklin? Well, if they drop this one, and they probably won’t, we may start to find out.
• Louisiana Tech @ Missouri (ESPNU): Unless LaTech finds some magic from those years when it was competent, this won’t be much of a watch.
• Alabama A&M @ Alabama-Birmingham (CBSS)
• Eastern Illinois @ Northern Illinois (ESPN+)

9:00: New Mexico State @ Minnesota (BTN): There’s a lot of offseason anxiety about whether PJ Fleck schtick is getting tired in Minneapolis, but I don’t think you can take anything from this. Well, other than whether the apparent beef between former head coach Jerry Kill and Fleck boils over in the pre- or post-game handshake.

10:00: Northern Arizona @ Arizona State (Pac12)

10:30: Cal Poly @ Fresno State (FS1)

Friday

7:00:

• Western Michigan @ Michigan State (ESPN): Yeah, again, there’s the downside of Week 1: Sparty should have this wrapped up by halftime.
• Virginia Tech @ Old Dominion (ESPNU): Then again, you sometimes get weird stuff like this. There’s no reason for VPI to travel to their up-and-coming in-state rival, and nothing good could happen here. I’m not saying it will, but I won’t be shocked either.
• Eastern Kentucky @ Eastern Michigan (espn3.com)
• William & Mary @ Charlotte (espn3.com)

7:30: Temple @ Duke (ACCN): I… um… I’m going to pick Temple here? It’s going to be a long season for all 12 Duke football fans out there.

8:00:

• Illinois @ Indiana (FS1): Last year was a huge disappointment for the quest for #9WIndiana, but I feel okay that the kickoff this season in Bloomington won’t be.
• Tennessee Tech @ Kansas (ESPN+)

10:00: Texas Christian @ Colorado (ESPN): For the first time since 1999, someone else will coach TCU other than Gary Patterson, who if he had his way, would probably still be there. Instead, he decided to flip the bird while walking out the door by getting a job at Texas, and Sonny Dykes heads back to his home turf. Meanwhile, as noted previously, Colorado has a hell of a schedule to start the season (this game, at Air Force next week, and then at Minnesota) that certainly doesn’t help their chances of getting back to 6-6. I suspect the pain will start right here.