As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Thursday

5:30: Boise State @ South Florida (ESPN): It’s starting to feel real. With the Braves pretty thoroughly Out of It™, I’ve (yes, I’m switching back to first person here, deal with it) been looking forward to the start of the season. Of course, that’s also because one of the biggest games of the weekend also involves the Jackets. Anyway, in this one, good on USF for scheduling this Boise but boy howdy I do not like their chances.

6:00:

• Ohio @ Rutgers (BTN): Someday, Rutgers is going to have to figure out how literally anyone else other than Greg Schiano can make Rutgers even competent. Fortunately for the Scarlet Knights, that hasn’t happened yet.
• Lafayette @ Bowling Green (ESPN+)

7:00:

• East Carolina @ North Carolina State (ACCN): This is a low-key sorta rivalry, in that ECU absolutely hates the Tobacco Road schools. I don’t like their chances to win, but in terms of “game most likely to feature a brawl” this weekend, this is almost certainly #1.
• Delaware State @ Delaware (ESPN+)
• Saint Francis @ Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN+)
• Wyoming @ Akron (ESPN+)
• Jacksonville State @ Central Florida (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Central Arkansas @ Missouri (SEC)
• Elon @ Duke (ACCNX/ESPN+)
• Tennessee-Martin @ Oklahoma State (ESPN+)

8:00:

• Buffalo @ Minnesota (FS1): Okay, Thursday doesn’t have a lot of intrigue so far. Let’s see what we have next…
• Stephen F. Austin @ Houston (ESPN+)
• Alabama State @ Alabama-Birmingham (ESPN+)

9:00:

• Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (@Kansas City, MO): Oh hey there! Nebraska, are you feeling good about this season? Well, you had better hold serve in a nominal neutral site game (but will totally be 90% Cornhuskers) against a Bearcats team that figures to be spicy.
• Miami @ Wisconsin (BTN): On Wisconsin, and on to Friday.

Friday

6:00: Tarleton State @ Army (CBSS)

7:00:

• Western Michigan @ Michigan State (FS1): This is definitely a MAC vs. B1G game that is happening.
• Appalachian State vs. Charlotte (@Charlotte, NC; ESPNU): It’s a little head-scratching that Charlotte is playing this game in the Panthers’ stadium and not next week’s game against UNC. Either way, the 49ers will not be favored in either contest.
• Kennesaw State @ Wake Forest (ACCN): It’s been a tough road so far in FBS for Kennesaw, and it’s going to be tough once against in 2025.
• Bethune-Cookman @ Florida International (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Western Illinois @ Illinois (Peacock)
• Wagner @ Kansas (ESPN+)

8:00:

• Auburn @ Baylor (FOX): There may be no hotter seat in college football at the start of 2025 than the one on the Plains. And the reason isn’t so much that Auburn doesn’t have talent (though they’ve been weirdly bad at QB as of late), it’s more that they don’t play well. This is a bit of a statement game for both teams, but one gets the feeling it’s going to be a bit bigger of a deal for the Tigers. I like the Bears.
• Georgia Tech @ Colorado (ESPN): Whoo boy. It’s been a minute since we came into a season with what I would call “a reasonable amount of hype”. This isn’t a 2015-style situation where we’re coming in ranked, but I would say the consensus is that we’re favored in this one. We certainly have a lot less roster turnover than Colorado, who is coming into the season down their two (well, three, really, depending on how you count Travis Hunter) most important players and the raft of transfers that has so far marked Coach Prime’s tenure. Is this the year the Buffs are finally fielding Power 4-quality offensive and defensive lines? Maybe! But also, maybe not! We’re going to find real quick on Friday night who is moving who in the trenches, that I feel pretty good about saying.

9:00: Nevada-Las Vegas @ Sam Houston State (CBSS): I don’t know if UNLV is good, but I like them over SHSU.

10:30: Central Michigan @ San Jose State (FS1): It’s year two for Coach Ken in Silicon Valley, and honestly I think they’re going to be okay? This one is certainly manageable for them.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong. (Also apologies to the MACtion games that already happened this week.)

Thursday

7:30: North Carolina State @ Georgia Tech (ESPN): I’m not entirely sure how we beat Miami two years in a row. It’s not that both were due to bizarre Mario Cristobal clock decisions (though by golly he tried this time around). At any rate, this is more even contest that is sandwiched between last week’s season-defining win and next week’s… well, you know. I personally have fond memories of Thursday night home games, and I think this will be more of a watch than whatever dreck the NFL is shoving out this week (for the record, it’s Steelers-Browns, so yeah, watch this instead). It’ll be interesting to see if the bye week did us any good. We made the two-QB thing work against Miami, but I’m pretty sure if there’s some way Haynes King can actually throw the ball again it’d improve our chances.

Friday

7:00: Temple @ Texas-San Antonio (ESPN2): It’s been an adjustment for UTSA after Frank Harris’s move to the sidelines, but they’re figured it out the past couple of weeks against some of the other better AAC schools. Temple shouldn’t pose an obstacle.

8:00: Purdue @ Michigan State (FOX): No one is making you watch this. Purdue is possibly the worst team in the Power 4, and while the Spartans are not great themselves, this shouldn’t be close.

10:00: Nevada-Las Vegas @ San Jose State (FS1): This game promises some fireworks. The Rebels are freshly ranked, but SJSU is not a pushover (at least, when not facing Ashton Jeanty). I like UNLV here, but this should be a fun Friday night in San Jose. (Might be kind of wet, too.)

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.