Is this the best college football opening week ever?
It's on the short list. We have three top-10 showdowns that highlight a five-night schedule that opens with Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday and ends with Bill Belichick making his North Carolina debut on Monday.
Those three top-10 showdowns are in between with two coming on Saturday. No. 1 Texas meets No. 3 Ohio State at 12 p.m. ET at Ohio Stadium in the Fox Big Noon Kickoff game. No. 9 LSU travels to No. 4 Clemson at 7:30 p.m. on the ABC prime-time game. Then, on Sunday, No. 6 Notre Dame meets No. 10 Miami at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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That is not all the schedule has to offer. Here is a look at the questions from the must-watch games in Week 1, from Thursday night through Labor Day.
Thursday, Aug. 28
Will Dylan Raiola be the part at Arrowhead Stadium for Huskers?
Raiola – known for his striking resemblance to Kansas City star Patrick Mahomes II – leads Nebraska into Arrowhead Stadium for a matchup against Cincinnati (9 p.m., ESPN). Raiola – a heralded five-star recruit – passed for 2,819 yards, 13 TDs and 11 interceptions as a freshman, but the Huskers won seven games for the first time since 2016. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule won 10 games in Year 3 at Temple in 2016 and 11 games in Year 3 at Baylor in 2019.
Also watch: No. 25 Boise State travels to South Florida in a key Group of 5 non-conference game. Fresno State's Malik Sherrod is the new lead back. The Bulls will be a trendy upset pick here.
MORE: Week 1 picks against the spread for Top 25 games
Thursday AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| No. 25 Boise State at South Florida | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
Friday, Aug. 29
Will Colorado win a third straight opener under Coach Prime against Georgia Tech?
Colorado beat No. 18 TCU 45-42 on Sept. 2, 2023 and knocked off FCS powerhouse North Dakota State 31-29 on Aug. 29, 2024. Now, Deion Sanders – who recovered from bladder cancer in the offseason – will lead a Buffaloes' team against Georgia Tech – a trendy ACC sleeper – in the home opener at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King and Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter – a Liberty transfer – can make plays with their legs. Over the last two seasons, Salter averaged 834 rushing yards and 10 TDs. King averaged 662 rushing yards and 10 TDs. This is going to be a Friday night thriller.
Also watch: Auburn is a slight favorite on the road at Baylor, and that's a dangerous game for the Tigers. How will Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold fare with Hugh Freeze? Baylor was 4-1 at home with Sawyer Robertson as the starter last season.
Friday AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Western Illinois at No. 12 Illinois | 7:30 p.m. | Peacock |
Saturday, Aug. 30
Saturday early games
Will Arch Manning lead Texas past Ohio State at The Shoe?
Arch Manning's debut as a full-time starter. Julian Sayin's first start with the Buckeyes. Jeremiah Smith, Anthony Hill Jr. …
There is NFL talent all over the field for a rematch of last year's College Football Playoff semifinal, which the Buckeyes won 28-14. The Longhorns are No. 1 – but they are 2.5-point underdogs on the road at Ohio Stadium. This game has early College Football Playoff implications, but it's more of a celebration that teams want to step out and play this level of competition in Week 1. We applaud the Buckeyes and Longhorns for that. Ohio State has not lost a season opener since a 23-12 loss to Miami in the 1999 Kickoff Classic – the longest streak in the FBS. If Manning can lead Texas to a victory here, then good luck holding down the hype the rest of the season.
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Also watch: Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar makes his debut against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Is Kentucky on upset alert against Toledo (12:45 p.m., SEC Network)? Rich Rodriguez will open his second stint at West Virginia against Robert Morris (2 p.m., ESPN+).
Early games AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State | 12 p.m. | Fox, Fubo |
| No. 24 Tennessee vs. Syracuse | 12 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| Old Dominion at No. 20 Indiana | 2:30 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
Saturday afternoon games
Will Alabama's Kalen DeBoer or FSU's Mike Norvell feel the heat?
Florida State is coming off a 2-10 season and is banking on Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos to lead a turn-around. Alabama lost four games last season under DeBoer and is looking to make an opening statement with Ty Simpson at quarterback. The loser here is going to feel arguably the most heat after Week 1 – and that adds to the stakes. This is the Crimson Tide's first ever trip to Doak Campbell Stadium.
MORE: Pressure ramps up on Kalen DeBoer in Year 2
Also watch: No. 2 Penn State meets Nevada, and No. 5 Georgia meets Marshall. We might not learn too much about those national championship contenders yet. Flip over to Oregon's Dante Moore, who will make his debut as a starter against Montana State.
Afternoon games AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Nevada at No. 2 Penn State | 3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+, Fubo |
| Marshall at No. 5 Georgia | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| Florida State at No. 8 Alabama | 3:30 p.m. | ABC, Fubo |
| South Dakota at No. 22 Iowa State | 3:30 p.m. | Fox, Fubo |
| Montana State at No. 7 Oregon | 4 p.m. | BTN, Fubo |
Saturday prime-time games
Who wins the Battle for Death Valley, LSU or Clemson?
The second top-10 matchup of the weekend will have a direct impact on the College Football Playoff race when it comes to perception. LSU – which has lost five straight openers – is 4-8 against top-25 teams under Brian Kelly. Clemson has lost seven of its last 10 games against SEC opponents under Dabo Swinney. Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier will have a chance to make an opening Heisman Trophy statement here, too. Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker had six sacks in the Tigers' last six games last season. Will the potential No. 1 pick be the difference maker here?
Also watch: Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood makes his debut against New Mexico. John Mateer will lead Oklahoma in its opener against Illinois State. That will tease into the best game of Week 2 between the Wolverines and Sooners – their first meeting since the 1976 Orange Bowl. The late-night crowd will be following Utah at UCLA (11 p.m. ET, Fox) – a battle of 5-7 teams from last season that beefs up with transfer quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Nico Iamaleava.
Prime-time games AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Illinois State at No. 18 Oklahoma | 6 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| North Dakota at No. 17 Kansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Long Island University at No. 15 Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/SECN+ |
| UTSA at No. 19 Texas A&M | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson | 7:30 p.m. | ABC, Fubo |
| New Mexico at No. 14 Michigan | 7:30 p.m. | Peacock |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff at No. 23 Texas Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Georgia State at No. 21 Ole Miss | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network, Fubo |
| East Texas A&M at No. 16 SMU | 9 p.m. | ACC Network, Fubo |
| Northern Arizona at No. 11 Arizona State | 10 p.m. | ESPN+ |
Sunday, Aug. 31
Who wins the classic Notre Dame-Miami showdown with C.J. Carr, Carson Beck?
Sophomore C.J. Carr – the five-star quarterback and grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr – will start for the Irish in a tough opener at Miami, where Notre Dame has lost six straight road games in a streak that dates back to 1981. Will the Irish break that streak under Marcus Freeman? Carson Beck will make his Miami debut, too. This game features five players on our Top 50 Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft, including Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr.
Also watch: LaNorris Sellers is getting some early Heisman Trophy hype. The Gamecocks open with Virginia - led by quarterback Kyron Drones – in the Sunday appetizer. Drones nearly led the Hokies to an upset against Miami and Cam Ward in a 38-34 heart-breaker last season. Will this be that kind of game?
MORE: Carson Beck talks transfer from Georgia, fit at Miami
Sunday AP Top 25 schedule
| MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Virginia Tech at No. 13 South Carolina | 3 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ABC, Fubo |
Monday, Sept. 1
What can we expect from Bill Belichick, UNC in Labor Day opener?
We have no idea – and that is the beauty of it. Belichick will make his college coaching debut against TCU, and the Horned Frogs are a slight favorite. Gio Lopez – who passed for 2,559 yards, rushed for 463 yards and totaled 25 TDs – could be the Labor Day hero for the Tar Heels if they can pull off the upset. Belichick is the most-interesting new hire in college football, but they are up against a Big 12 sleeper in TCU led by Josh Hoover – who was second in conference with 3,949 passing yards and fourth with 27 TDs last season. What will the reaction to Belichick's debut be Tuesday – just two days before the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles start the NFL season?
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