Welcome to the traditional opener before the opener. The usual out-of-conference scheduling review is nearly ready and will go up early next week. In the meantime, enjoy this this curated selection of pre-Week 1 games.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon: Iowa State vs. Kansas State (“Farmageddon” @ Dublin, Ireland; ESPN): We’re starting off with a probable banger. Naturally, we enjoyed last year’s Ireland game, but as far as exporting a rivalry goes I’m not sure they could’ve done much better. That said, I like K-State a lot here.

6:30: Fresno State @ Kansas (FOX): The Sunflower State is well represented in Week 0, with KU hosting the usually frisky Bulldogs. It’ll be interesting to see if KU and QB Jalon Daniels have their mojo back after a disappointing, injury filled 2024. If they do, then this one sets up pretty good for KU.

7:00: Sam Houston State @ Western Kentucky (CBSS): The earlier games are likely to be a lot more fun than the later games. Unfortunately here WKU is still one of the better CUSA teams and SHSU is… not.

7:30: Stanford @ Hawaii (CBS): Stanford is likely to be the worst P4 team this season (it’s a close competition with Northwestern), so this figures to be their “bowl game” essentially. Also, Hawaii is also kinda turbo-bad, so it may also be the Cardinal’s best chance at a win.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Friday

9:00: Idaho @ Montana State (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal; ESPN)

Saturday

Noon:

• Incarnate Word @ South Dakota State (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal; ESPN)
• South Carolina State vs. Jackson State (Celebration Bowl @ Atlanta, GA; ABC)

3:00:

• Army vs. Navy (@Landover, MD; CBS): Welcome to a rare instance of this game where both teams are good. To me, that says that there’s a fair chance there might actually be multiple touchdowns scored! While this doesn’t seem to matter a lot in this game, this should be Army’s game to lose. Their offense is hitting on all cylinders and the AAC champs should retain the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
• California-Davis @ South Dakota (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal; ESPN+)

3:30: Mercer @ North Dakota State (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal; ABC)

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Friday

7:00: Sam Houston State @ Jacksonville State (C-USA Championship; CBSS): Rich Rod might turn this Jax State thing into getting the West Virginia job again. Stranger things have happened.

8:00:

• Tulane @ Army (American Athletic Conference Championship; ABC): There’s a couple things in Army’s favor here. The main thing is that this is probably the biggest home game at Michie Stadium in decades, if not ever. And on that point, it’s going to be cold in West Point tomorrow night. Tulane is rolling in from New Orleans with a bunch of southern boys who are used to running a fluid offense. That said, while Army’s offense is always a talent neutralizer, Tulane’s athletes will just be on a different level. Not as big of a gap as the Knights faced against Notre Dame, but a gap nonetheless. I like the Wave here.
• Nevada-Las Vegas @ Boise State (Mountain West Conference Championship; FOX): Boise already did it once down in Vegas. With a game in the cold confines of the blue turf, I like Boise to prevail again.

Saturday

Noon:

• Arizona State vs. Iowa State (Big 12 Conference Championship @ Arlington, TX; ABC): It’s a bit of a shame this is an early game (kicking at 11am local time, even!) as this might be the best game all day. They’re certainly very evenly matched, and this is also a very “styles make fights” type game, with the relative “meat and potatoes” Cyclones and the flashy Sun Devils. I like the Cyclones, but this is seriously a coin flip on a day that’s going to be full of coin flips.
• Ohio vs. Miami (Mid-American Conference Championship @ Detroit, MI; ESPN): Speaking of which, we have two trends facing off here. Ohio is 0-5 all-time in the MAC championship, and Miami is trying to become the first team to repeat as MAC champs since Northern Illinois did it in 2011 and 2012. So who do we like here? As with most games today, this is going to be pretty even, so while I didn’t literally flip a coin this time, I’m going with the Bobcats.

2:00:

• Southern @ Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship; ESPN2)
• Montana @ South Dakota State (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)
• Villanova @ Incarnate Word (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)
• Rhode Island @ Mercer (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)

3:00:

• Tarleton State @ South Dakota (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)
• Tennessee-Martin @ Montana State (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)
• Abilene Christian @ North Dakota State (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)

4:00:

• Texas vs. Georgia (Southeastern Conference Championship @ Atlanta, GA; ABC): A quick comment about last weekend. With Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate being on more or less unopposed in primetime on Black Friday, I got the sense that there were a lot of people watching it for the first time. Take it from me, someone who has been watching this game with intent every season it’s happened since 2003: it is always like that.
  So anyway, this game. It’s another rematch, but these are different teams than the last time they met. Texas has discovered the run game, and they’re the ones coming into the game with the defense that scares you. Yeah, Georgia won last Friday, but the dominate theme of the evening until like 5 minutes left the game was this Georgia team is soft. Carson Beck had a significantly better second half, but he had plenty of poor throws and even when the throws were good, his receivers dropped them. Suffice it to say, Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers are not walking out of the tunnel at the Benz on Saturday. Texas is the team with the dudes and the motivation to go out and seize the day. Maybe I’m over-indexing on how their rivalry games went, but the Horns were in Kyle Field for the first time since 2011. There were 109,000+ people there who paid a month’s rent or more to show those snooty Austin urbanites who’s the real Texas SEC team, and the Horns just completely suffocated them. Suffice it to say, I think they can do the same thing in the Benz.
• Illinois State @ California-Davis (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)

7:30: Marshall @ Louisiana (Sun Belt Conference Championship; ESPN): I think the Cajuns are just too good in this one.

8:00:

• Clemson vs. Southern Methodist (Atlantic Coast Conference Championship @ Charlotte, NC; ABC): There’s really only one of two ways this is going to go. The first is: SMU really is that good, and they just run and pass all over Clemson and it’s over early. The other is that SMU has had a really soft schedule and lost to the by far best team they’ve played (BYU), and Clemson, while not great, is just a step above SMU and they win easily. The problem is, I watched Clemson-South Carolina and I still don’t know even with better players if Clemson is going to score enough. I like SMU.
• Pennsylvania State vs. Oregon (Big Ten Conference Championship @ Indianapolis, IN; CBS): This is the easiest game to predict. Penn State will play well, they won’t shoot themselves in the foot, but Oregon will take a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter, the Nittany Lions will kick a field goal, and then Oregon will win. It’s destiny.

9:00: Lehigh @ Idaho (NCAA Division I Second Round; ESPN+)

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Michigan @ Ohio State (“The Game”; FOX): Welcome, once again, to the final full Saturday of college football. We start off with what will likely be a subdued version of The Game, outside of the Ohio State fans looking for their first victory in the series since 2019. Naturally, the funniest possible outcome is that Michigan has been tanking their season just to pull Ohio State’s pants down once again in Columbus, but… that seems very unlikely.
• Tennessee @ Vanderbilt (ABC): The Vols have won five in a row, but Vandy won three in a row before that, so considering the stature of the schools involved this isn’t as one-sided as you’d probably think. And for sure, Vandy has a chance in this game. The Vols offense is just a tick off this year. On the Vandy side, anything can happen with chaos agent Diego Pavia at quarterback (just ask Alabama) but the ‘Dores depth has been tested throughout this season and they’re now struggling a bit. So I’m taking the Vols here, but this should be a game.
• South Carolina @ Clemson (“Palmetto Bowl”; ESPN): A Palmetto Bowl with stakes? Yep, both these teams (with a win and some help) could find themselves into the playoff. Who will win? I have no idea. I slightly favor Clemson, but South Carolina is just a pesky team it’s impossible to write them off.
• Kansas @ Baylor (ESPN2): I figure Kansas’s late-season renaissance will continue and get them the win here.
• West Virginia @ Texas Tech (FS1): These are basically identical Big 12 teams, so I’ll take Texas Tech at home.
• Illinois @ Northwestern (@Chicago, IL; BTN): The Illini figure to get the Land of Lincoln Trophy easily in Wrigley Field.
• Louisiana @ Louisiana-Monroe (“Battle on the Bayou”; ESPNU): ULM showed some signs early in the season, but they’ve now lost five straight and I’m not sure I see way they won’t make it six.
• Louisville @ Kentucky (SEC): The Governor’s Cup is on the line here, and by all means Louisville should win, which usually means Kentucky prevails.
• Duke @ Wake Forest (ACCN): Blue Devils all the way here.
• Texas-San Antonio @ Army (CBSS): With Tulane’s loss Thanksgiving Day night, Army is in the driver’s seat for the top seed in the AAC, and thus hosting the title game in what will almost certainly be the biggest, most well-attended game at Michie Stadium since the early 70’s. I suspect they’ll handle UTSA and get the right to do so.
• North Texas @ Temple (ESPN+)
• Connecticut @ Massachusetts (ESPN+)
• Central Connecticut State @ Rhode Island (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)
• Illinois State @ Southeast Missouri State (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)

1:00: Tennessee-Martin @ New Hampshire (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)

1:30: Eastern Michigan @ Western Michigan (ESPN+)

2:00:

• Coastal Carolina @ Georgia State (ESPN+)
• Southern Mississippi @ Troy (ESPN+)
• South Florida @ Rice (ESPN+)
• Middle Tennessee State @ Florida International (ESPN+)
• Grambling State vs. Southern (Bayou Classic @ New Orleans, LA; NBC)
• Lehigh @ Richmond (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)
• Eastern Kentucky @ Villanova (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)

3:00:

• Pittsburgh @ Boston College (The CW): Remember when Pitt was 7-0, and then proceeded to lose 48-25 to SMU? Yeah, the bottom fell out last week against Louisville,and BC figures to finish the job.
• Old Dominion @ Arkansas State (ESPN+)
• Drake @ Tartleton (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)
• Northern Arizona @ Abilene Christian (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN+)

3:30:

• Auburn @ Alabama (“Iron Bowl”; ABC): Auburn needs this Iron Bowl to get bowl eligible, which is probably the second funniest thing that could happen on this day… but it’s in Tuscaloosa and Bama doesn’t figure to be fooling around in this one. I like Michigan’s chances better. Seriously.
• Arizona State @ Arizona (“Duel in the Desert”; FOX): This is always a low-key spicy rivalry, usually because the teams are rarely good at the same time. And so it is here, with Arizona State having one of the better possible tracks to winning the Big 12, whereas Arizona is one of the few teams in the Big 12 that has no track. So that all said, the Sun Devils are rightly favored here.
• Notre Dame @ Southern California (CBS): A lost season for USC figures to continue. I doubt there’s much they can do to slow down the Irish.
• Miami @ Syracuse (ESPN): This may be a battle of two the best quarterbacks in the ACC, but I don’t see the Canes having many issues here.
• California @ Southern Methodist (ESPN2): Cal got the Axe last week, and now… well SMU figures to continue showing all the ACC newbies “it’s not so hard now, is it?”
• Rutgers @ Michigan State (FS1): If any one watches this that isn’t a fan of one of these teams, seek therapy. Rutgers I guess?
• Maryland @ Pennsylvania State (BTN): As a reminder, it is James Franklin’s destiny to be the first head coach to lose a home playoff game.
• Fresno State @ California-Los Angeles (BTN): In my bowl predictions I have Fresno favored in this one, and a completely lost season for UCLA figures to conclude that way.
• Arkansas @ Missouri (“Battle Line Rivalry”; SEC): I think Mizzou will win, but I kind of hope the Razorbacks do, mostly because I don’t want 3-loss to Mizzou to even remotely be a thing.
• North Carolina State @ North Carolina (ACCN): I’d take the Pack here normally, but the Heels figure to win one last one for ol’ Mack Brown, who was “retired” this week by the university.
• Central Michigan @ Northern Illinois (CBSS): Remember when NIU beat Notre Dame? That will almost certainly be one of the weirdest results of the season. They should also be able to beat CMU to cap off an otherwise unremarkable 7-5 campaign.
• Alabama-Birmingham @ Charlotte (ESPN+)
• Florida Atlantic @ Tulsa (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Jacksonville State @ Western Kentucky (ESPNU): Jax State is the best team in Conference USA this season. Go figure.
• Kennesaw State @ Louisiana Tech (ESPN+)
• Texas-El Paso @ New Mexico State (“Battle of I-10”; ESPN+)

6:00:

• Texas Christian @ Cincinnati (ESPN+)
• Appalachian State @ Georgia Southern (“Deeper than Hate”; ESPN+)

6:30: Wyoming @ Washington State (The CW): I have no idea what happened to Wazzu last week against the Beavers, but I’m hoping for a better outcome for them here.

7:00:

• Oklahoma @ Louisiana State (ESPN): After completely shutting down Bama last week, there’s no way the Sooners win this one, right?
• Florida @ Florida State (“Sunshine Showdown”; ESPN2): FSU finding a spine and winning this one might be the third funniest thing that could happen on this day, but there’s just no way.
• Purdue @ Indiana (FS1): Indiana had the thing happen to them last week (where they got thoroughly dominated by a superior opponent), but lucky for them enough other weird things happened that they’re almost certainly still in the playoff. All they have to do is not step on the rake that is Purdue.

7:30:

• Washington @ Oregon (NBC): The PNW’s premier rivalry is now in a new conference on Thanksgiving weekend. We appreciate the gesture but it still seems like a slap in the face to their in-state opponents (whom, let’s recall, the Huskies lost to). The game is in Autzen and this Oregon team has only looked bad against Boise State and Ohio State, so I suspect the Ducks will prevail comfortably. Besides, all eyes are going to be somewhere else in this time slot.
• Kansas State @ Iowa State (“Farmageddon”; FOX): Both of these teams are among the many in the Big 12 with a shot at the conference title game. The game is in Ames which definitely favors the Cyclones, but K-State is just K-State at all times and will be a tough out.
• Texas @ Texas A&M (ABC): For over a decade, the corner of the college football internet I hang out in has been joking about this non-rivalry rivalry. The joke dates to when Texas A&M left for the SEC, and the rivalry was paused after the 2011 edition. Both sides nixed any possibility of playing while in separate conferences, in the sort of “I don’t think about you at all” sense. So, to explain the joke (since this is basically over), the implication is that they’re thinking about each other all of the time. Especially in the “laying awake in bed at night” sense. Now it’s back, in Kyle Field once again (which apparently was a chit to get TAMU to vote for letting Texas into the SEC), and they will be bringing it. Plus, also, Texas has some severe questions at quarterback, as Ewers has been hurt. It hasn’t hurt the Horns so far, but it certainly good here. What will happen? We’ll all find out. Together.

8:00:

• Marshall @ James Madison (ESPNU): Is Marshall good? We’ll find for sure here. I’m taking the Herd.
• Virginia @ Virginia Tech (“Commonwealth Cup”; ACCN): It’s a bowl eligibility Commonwealth Cup. For various (unfortunate) reasons, it will also be the first one played in Blacksburg since 2020, which means it’ll be the first one with any attendance since 2018. And it’s at night, in a venue famous for their night game atmosphere. Yeah, Hokies all the way in this one.
• Nevada @ Nevada-Las Vegas (“Battle for Nevada”; CBSS): UNLV figures to dispose of their in-state rival and face their blue turf destiny next week. Just don’t get caught looking ahead Rebels, because there’s a playoff bid on the line.

10:15:

• Houston @ Brigham Young (ESPN): I’m not surprised that BYU lost two in a row, as America’s most “getting away with it team” (behind Miami), but it figures that this game will be a return to form against a Houston team that looks pretty cooked.
• Tennessee State @ Montana (NCAA Division I First Round; ESPN2)

10:30: Air Force @ San Diego State (FS1): Don’t look, but Air Force has won three straight (including shutting out Pac-12 Champions Oregon State 28-0). With as impotent as the Aztecs are on offense, that trend figures to continue.

11:00: New Mexico @ Hawaii (Team1Sports): I don’t normally comment on these streaming-only games, but this is it. After this there is, effectively, no more regular season college football. It’s been a weird autumn for me and I’ve missed a lot of live action, and so I plan on seeing this one through to the end.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Utah @ Colorado (FOX): It appears the Buffs are going to get away with it until further notice.
• Texas @ Arkansas (ABC): This is an old Southwest Conference rivalry, though Texas doesn’t really want you to know this. Either way, I don’t think Arkansas has a chance to make this a rivalry again in this edition.
• Clemson @ Pittsburgh (ESPN): If Clemson’s ballon was popped, then Pitt’s was destroyed by a large artillery shell. I suspect it’ll be easier for the Tigers to recover.
• Tulane @ Navy (ESPN2): I think Tulane will just out-athelete Navy here.
• Ohio State @ Northwestern (@Chicago, IL; BTN): The only reason to watch this is to see football played at Wrigley.
• Louisiana Tech @ Western Kentucky (CBSS): Hilltoppers all the way here.
• Liberty @ Massachusetts (ESPN+)

12:45: Louisiana-Monroe @ Auburn (SEC): As much as I want to believe this overachieving ULM team could do this… I just can’t. Auburn isn’t this bad, right? Right?

1:00: Coastal Carolina @ Marshall (ESPN+)

1:30: Murray State @ Kentucky (ESPN+)

2:00:

• Mercer @ Alabama (ESPN+)
• Florida International @ Jacksonville State (ESPN+)
• Florida Atlantic @ Temple (ESPN+)

2:30: Michigan State @ Illinois (FS1): I’d prefer to bot think about this game. Illini.

3:00:

• Syracuse @ California (The CW): We’re getting down to the short end of the season, and despite the abysmal luck Cal has had they have a very good chance to make a bowl game. It’d really help their cause to get this one. I imagine though no one over In Berkeley is super crazy about an 11:30 am local time kickoff, though.
• Hawaii @ Utah State (Team1Sports)
• Sam Houston State @ Kennesaw State (ESPN+)

3:30:

• Louisiana State @ Florida (ABC): Possibly the biggest “not-actually-a-rivalry” rivalry in the SEC is still on the schedule. I think this is kind of a coin flip. I’m taking LSU but if Florida has their starting QB they have a puncher’s chance.
• Virginia @ Notre Dame (NBC): Virginia is having a nice little season. The Irish will break up the party, at least this week.
• Pennsylvania State @ Purdue (CBS): Penn State’s position as the Third Best Team In The Big Ten is surprisingly durable even after expansion. Suffice it to say, they won’t have any issues here.
• Boston College @ Southern Methodist (ESPN): If you told me you’d have SMU leading the ACC in Mid-Novembet, I’d call you a liar. I’m still not convinced by them, and BC could well knock them off, but I’m going to stop short of saying that’ll happen.
• Louisville @ Stanford (ACCN): Whereas I can guarantee the Cardinals will beat the Cardinal.
• Oregon State @ Air Force (CBSS): Oregon State is really taking on the chin this year, and normally I’d be concerned about what the Falcons would throw at them. With this year’s edition of Air Force, not so much.
• South Florida @ Charlotte (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Nebraska @ Southern California (FOX): I am completely devoid of opinions about these teams. I mean, I definitely have thoughts about the programs but when it comes to the 2024 Cornhuskers and Trojans it’s just “file not found”.  They’re not good. They’re not awful. They’re just there. I’ll take the Huskers I guess.
• Baylor @ West Virginia (ESPN2): See above. Is everyone outside of like BYU and K-State interchangeable in the Big 12 this season? It sure feels that way sometimes. I’ll take Baylor here.
• James Madison @ Old Dominion (“Royal Rivalry”; ESPNU): JMU is a slight favorite, to which I would say: why? I’m definitely taking the Monarchs over the Dukes here.
• Troy @ Georgia Southern (ESPN+)

4:15: Missouri @ South Carolina (SEC): Gamecocks, please save us from the idea of Mizzou being a there near the playoff. Please.

5:00: Arkansas State @ Georgia State (ESPN+)

6:00: Rutgers @ Maryland (FS1): I feel as though the schedule is taunting me at this point. Surely there’s some payoff below this? Either way, I’m taking Rutgers here.

7:00:

• Arizona State @ Kansas State (ESPN): Okay, okay, this is getting more interesting. To be clear, I like K-State here but ASU is at least capable of making this interesting.
• Boise State @ San Jose State (CBSS): Here’s your low-key game of the day. The setting may not make it seem this way, but the Silicon Valley Spartans are one of the better teams left in Boise’s schedule. Can SJSU contain Jeanty? Eh, I doubt it. But it should be interesting to watch.
• South Alabama @ Louisiana (ESPN+)
• Southern Mississippi @ Texas State (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Oregon @ Wisconsin (NBC): Ducks. Next!
• Tennessee @ Georgia (ABC): And here we are. This is the game of the day. The thing is that I, at least, have come up with a fair bit of SEC fatigue. At the present moment, the SEC and Big Ten are demanding a gaurunteed four bids each into the playoff. This is ridiculous, obviously, but the problem is the fait accompli of it all, as barring a miracle this is going to happen anyway. Ah, well, go Vawls.
• New Mexico State @ Texas A&M (SEC): I’m writing this from a Waymo and it’s late. Aggies! Er, the ones from Texas. Next!

8:00:

• Cincinnati @ Iowa State (FOX): Ah, we’re right back to the dire part of the schedule. I’ve cooled off on the Cyclones, but I think they’re still good enough to win here. This may be sneaky fun game, though.
• Alabama-Birmingham @ Memphis (ESPN2): Tigers. Next!
• Wake Forest @ North Carolina (ACCN): It’s been a lost season for the Heels, but they shouldn’t have a problem here.

9:30: Washington State @ New Mexico (FS1): Wazzu should continue to roll through the remaining portion of their MWC schedule.

10:15: Kansas @ Brigham Young (ESPN): Kansas appears to be back, but I’m not sure they’re going to be able to affect American’s most “getting away with it” team (now that Miami finally didn’t get away with it last week).

10:30: San Diego State @ Nevada-Las Vegas (CBSS): UNLV rolls.