
September 5th, 2026
College football’s opening weekend starts with one game between ranked teams.
No. 24 Louisville plays No. 9 Mississippi on Sunday night.
Many top teams begin with new coaches and high hopes.
Eligibility disputes and jersey patches add to the interest.
Clemson plays No. 11 LSU on Saturday night in a big game.
Both teams finished 7-6 last season and want to return to title competition.
LSU’s new coach Lane Kiffin and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney are outspoken leaders.
The game gained extra meaning after new NCAA eligibility rules led to court fights.
LSU tried to bring back players who had signed NFL contracts.
The SEC fought LSU in several courtrooms late into the week.
Week 1 lacks many top matchups, so one-sided scores are likely.
No. 1 Ohio State is expected to win by more than 50 points against Ball State.
No. 6 Indiana, No. 8 Texas A&M, and No. 10 Oklahoma are each picked to win by over 40.
Still, surprises happen.
UMass, which won no games last season, beat Rutgers 37-21 as a big underdog.
Colorado blocked a field goal to edge Georgia Tech 14-13.
Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Texas’s Arch Manning lead early talk about the Heisman award.
Carr faces Wisconsin on Sunday night, while Manning plays Texas State.
No. 2 Oregon hosts Boise State.
Other games include Auburn vs. Baylor and Tulane at Duke.
The weekend runs from Thursday through Monday.
The next AP Top 25 rankings come out on Tuesday.
September 5th, 2026

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