College football is back tomorrow night! Since this is the first time I have written this column in three years I am going to have to go even faster since I have to get through 18 games this week. No more time wasting. Let’s roll. Thursday Ohio at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN Right off the […]
College football is back tomorrow night! Since this is the first time I have written this column in three years I am going to have to go even faster since I have to get through 18 games this week.
No more time wasting. Let’s roll.
Thursday
Ohio at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN
Right off the bat we can put the Scarlet Knights on MACtion Upset Alert. The MAC almost always gets at least one Big Ten pelt per season, and Ohio University of Ohio (OH) won 11 games a year ago. It seems like the Scarlet Knights really want to play with fire this year, as they have the two MAC favorites in consecutive weeks. Ohio 27, Rutgers 24
Buffalo at Minnesota – 8pm, FS1
Another Big Ten team playing a dangerous MAC squad in week one. The MAC could realistically hold a 2-0 edge in the annual B1G-MAC Challenge by the time we go to bed on Thursday night. I’ll take the Gophers because PJ Fleck always seems to have them ready in week 1. Minnesota 31, Buffalo 27
Miami (OH) at Wisconsin – 9pm, BTN
Make that a possible 3-0 for the MAC on the opening night, as Miami, Buffalo, and Ohio are probably the three best teams in the conference. Luke Fickell has the hottest seat of any Big Ten coach, and if they drop this one it will be scorching. Of course Purdue doesn’t get to play what might be the worst Wisconsin team of the last three decades. Miami 24, Wisconsin 20
Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (at Arrowhead Stadium) – 9pm, ESPN
Somehow Cincinnati is the “home” team in a game against Nebraska in Kansas City (thus why ESPN has the game). They are also playing in Nebraska’s old conference. Nebraska is in the Big Ten with 18 teams. Cincinnati is in the Big 12 with 16 teams. Nothing makes sense anymore. Nebraska 31, Cincinnati 17
Friday
Western Michigan at Michigan State – 7pm, FS1
This is a very “Friday night of the opening weekend” type of game. The Broncos have won twice in this series, but not since the Pandemic. No, not the one you’re thinking of. The common thread is that both now and when Western Michigan last won over Sparty in 1919 there were a lot of European royalists with strong opinions on who should be in power. Michigan State 41, Western Michigan 10
Western Illinois at #12 Illinois – 7:30pm on the ‘cock
Last season Western Illinois was 4-8, but their September 28 win over McKendree saw them break a 27-game losing streak as they were arguably the worst Division I team in America the last few years. They also did something Purdue failed to do last year: score points on Indiana in a 77-3 loss to the Hoosiers. The Illini have a lot of players with NFL Draft goals, and they will have no trouble here. Illinois 66, Western Illinois 7
Saturday
#1 Texas at #3 Ohio State – B1G Nude Saturday, FOX
I suppose this is a game of note. The defending champs take on an absolutely loaded Texas team. This might draw a few eyes nationally away from our own epic matchup in West Lafayette. In fact, I would be willing to bet a large number of people will be watching this on their phones in Ross-Ade. Ohio State 21, Texas 17
Florida Atlantic at Maryland – Noon, BTN
I got all the way to the end of this column before I realized I missed this game. I mean, it is going to be on BTN Ocho, so you can see why. It is two teams that combined to win seven games a year ago, which is still three more than Purdue-Ball State combined to win. Maybe we’re going to be on the Ocho as this week’s “We’re Contractually Obligated to Broadcast this Game” game.
Ball State at Purdue – Noon, “We’re Contractually Obligated to Broadcast this Game” on BTN
Yep. Let’s go ahead and make “We’re Contractually Obligated to Broadcast this Game” an official category each week. It is absolutely reserved for those weeks early in the season when BTN has so much inventory it has to put a game on an overflow channel. Until proven otherwise Purdue is gonna live there. If Purdue loses to Ball State, who is expected to be one of the five worst teams at the FBS level in 2025, it will give the Cardinals their first ever win over a Big Ten team not named Indiana and it would set the record for the longest losing streak in school history for Purdue. It also puts a winless season on the board because Southern Illinois is probably better than Ball State. Purdue 24, Ball State 10
Northwestern at Tulane – Noon, ESPNU
Who wouldn’t want to play a noon game in August in a swamp to start the year? Just what are you doing, Northwestern? John Sumrall is one of the best young coaches in the country with a 32-9 record at age 43 and with a fourth straight season of nine wins or more he will make a lot of money this offseason from whichever SEC team fires their coach. Purdue should have backed the Brinks truck up for him. Tulane 35, Northwestern 21
Old Dominion at #20 Indiana – 2:30pm, FS1
It probably won’t happen, but I would laugh for hours if Indiana talked an enormous amount of shit this past offseason while degrading their non-conference schedule and they somehow lost this. The Monarchs were 5-7 a year ago and pushed a very good South Carolina team in the opener before losing 23-19, so… Indiana 38, Old Dominion 13
Nevada at #2 Penn State – 2:30pm, CBS
The Nittany Lions are a 44.5 point favorite here. I think for funsies any time a team is favored by 40 or more they should be forced to spot the opposition that much of a lead. At least it would make this interesting. Penn State 70, Nevada 10
Montana State at #7 Oregon – 4pm, BTN
This could be interesting. Montana State was the FCS runner-up a year ago, losing to juggernaut North Dakota State 35-32 in the championship. Oregon was really sleepy in last year’s opener vs. Idaho, too. That’s an Idaho team Montana State beat 38-7 in the regular season and 52-19 in the playoffs. Don’t be surprised if this is closer than you expect, as the Bobcats are No. 2 in the preseason FCS poll. Oregon 35, Montana State 20
Albany at Iowa – 6pm, FS1
Albany has a football team? I bet they steam a good ham. I wonder if Kirk Ferentz will continue to go buck wild on offense and maybe even score 40 points after last year’s explosion. Iowa 37, Albany 3
New Mexico at Michigan – 7:30pm on the ‘cock
Bryce Underwood is getting paid a lot of money to start as a true freshman. I hope it is worth it. For one week it will look like it. Michigan 52, New Mexico 7
Missouri State at USC – 7:30pm, BTN
Welcome to the FBS level, Missouri State. They were 8-4 last year but just barely missed the FCS playoffs. Their reward is a trip to USC for their first game as an FBS program. USC 45, Missouri State 10
Utah at UCLA – 11pm, FOX
Two years ago this was a conference game. Now neither team is in that conference. League expansion is ridiculous. It should be a fun game but an 11pm Big Ten kickoff just feels wrong somehow. Utah 31, UCLA 24
Colorado State at Washington – 11pm, BTN
Thanks to the West Coast teams you can now park your TV on BTN at noon and get college football for something like 14 straight hours. If you watch Purdue-Ball State, Montana State-Oregon, Missouri State-USC, and Colorado State-Washington in order, please seek help. You’re gonna end up like Bill in the first episode of the King of the Hill reunion. Washington 27, Colorado State 21
Category: General Sports
