Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner preview the first week of the 2025 season, with notes on dozens of games that will make your Week 1 more interesting. A brief selection of the games we talk about this week:
Boise State vs. USF is the Bulls’ biggest moment in years
Nebraska vs. Cincinnati is a major interior pressure test for Dylan Raiola
Auburn vs. Baylor and Georgia Tech vs. Colorado headline Friday night
Northwestern vs. Tulane features a Big Ten team as a justified underdog in a Group of 5 stadium, but who’s playing QB for the Green Wave?
TEXAS VS. OHIO STATE, one of the biggest Week 1 games ever. (Don’t lose sight of how big this thing is just because both teams will make the playoff)
Syracuse vs. Tennessee: There will be orange
Toledo vs. Kentucky: The MAC’s best chance to beat the SEC
Alabama vs. Florida State: The Seminoles probably can’t win, but what about their performance will offer hints of the future? Read Alex’s story about Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit here.
LSU vs. Clemson: We like the Tigers to prevail in Death Valley
Sacramento State vs. South Dakota State is an unusual FCS showcase
Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina: The Beamer Bowl presents many questions, most of them about the Hokies
TCU vs. North Carolina: Welcome to CFB, Bill Belichick
Did we just forget Notre Dame vs. Miami? Of course not. For this week’s main course, Jessica Smetana, cohost of the Notre Dame-focused “Echoes” podcast with Mike Golic Jr., joins the podcast to talk about the Irish’s big challenge.
More from a VERY busy Week 1 at Split Zone Duo
Richard’s subscriber podcast with Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice, diving into what, specifically, makes Arch Manning such a tantalizing prospect
The 2025 FCS UPSET DRAFT and FCS season preview. Subscribers, make your picks of which FCS teams will win games in FBS stadiums.
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Producer: Anthony Vito
