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Kickoff: Sunday, September 6 at 3:00 PM CT
Location: Husky Stadium
TV: NBC
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): WASH -23.5
Over/under: 50.5

The setup

The 118th Apple Cup is the first used as a season opener and the earliest ever played. A rivalry that lived near Thanksgiving is opening the entire calendar instead.

Personnel snapshot

• Washington State: Kirby Moore enters Year 1 as head coach. 5 starters return—5 on offense and 0 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Jonny Lester and Ashton Tripp. Washington State’s offense averaged 338.7 yards and 22.5 points per game last season.
• Washington State quarterback: Caden Pinnick is projected to start for Washington State. Last season at UC Davis, he threw for 2,804 yards, 29 TD and 9 INT.
• Washington: Jedd Fisch enters Year 3 as head coach. 11 starters return—7 on offense and 4 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Drew Azzopardi, Geirean Hatchett, and Landen Hatchett. Washington’s offense averaged 409.9 yards and 34.1 points per game last season.
• Washington quarterback: Demond Williams Jr. returns as Washington’s starting quarterback. Last season, he threw for 2,850 yards, 21 TD and 8 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The recent trend: Washington leads 77-34-6 and has won 20 of the last 27 Apple Cups. The overall history is lopsided; the recent quarter-century made it even steeper.
• The history: Last year Washington scored 28 fourth-quarter points in a 59-24 win. Demond Williams produced 376 yards and five touchdowns, so Washington State has an extremely specific rematch problem.
• Demond Williams Jr. stayed dangerous under pressure: Demond Williams Jr. completed 56.3% of his passes under pressure last season at 7.4 yards per attempt, with 6 TD and 1 INT (1.0% of throws). From a clean pocket: 74.6%, 9.1 yards per attempt, 19 TD and 7 INT (2.8%). That means pressure alone may not be enough for Washington St; he was still dangerous when hurried.

How the game is decided

Washington has plenty of offense back from last year’s squad and should be able to control this one, as long as the Huskies avoid turnovers and penalties that can disrupt drives.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Kickoff: Sunday, September 6 at 6:30 PM CT
Location: Nissan Stadium
TV: ABC
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): MISS -6.5
Over/under: 55.5

The setup

Louisville-Ole Miss is Week 1’s only ranked-versus-ranked game. Sunday night gets the one matchup where both teams enter with a number beside the logo.

What I’m watching

This is the cleanest strength-on-strength part of the game. Ole Miss finished No. 13 nationally at 6.9 yards each time it snapped the ball; Louisville was No. 7 at stopping offenses, allowing 5.0. 5 starters from the offense and 5 from the defense return. Whichever side still looks like its 2025 version probably controls the game.

Personnel snapshot

• Louisville: Jeff Brohm enters Year 4 as head coach. 9 starters return—4 on offense and 5 on defense. Key defenders back include T.J. Capers, Clev Lubin, and Tayon Holloway. Louisville’s defense allowed 303.1 yards and 23.5 points per game last season.
• Louisville quarterback: Lincoln Kienholz is projected to start for Louisville. Last season, he threw for 139 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT.
• Ole Miss: Pete Golding enters Year 2 as head coach. 10 starters return—5 on offense and 5 on defense. Key defenders back include Will Echoles, Kam Franklin, and Suntarine Perkins. Ole Miss’ defense allowed 348.0 yards and 21.2 points per game last season.
• Ole Miss quarterback: Trinidad Chambliss returns as Ole Miss’s starting quarterback. Last season, he threw for 3,016 yards, 18 TD and 3 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The recent trend: Louisville starts No. 24, its first preseason AP ranking since 2017. Jeff Brohm also owns three straight nine-win seasons, so the poll finally caught up to the results.
• The matchup wrinkle: Louisville back Isaac Brown averaged 8.8 yards per carry, best in the country by more than a full yard. A normal two-yard run and one Brown carry averaged out to a first down.
• Trinidad Chambliss was willing to test the deep part of the field: On passes thrown at least 20 yards downfield, Trinidad Chambliss went 28-for-55 for 987 yards, 5 TD and 2 INT. Deep throws made up 12.3% of his attempts—about one in every 8.1 throws.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Sunday, September 6 at 6:30 PM CT
Location: Lambeau Field
TV: NBC
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): ND -20.5
Over/under: 47.5

The setup

This will be Wisconsin’s second game at Lambeau Field. The first was a 16-14 upset of No. 5 LSU in 2016, and the only other college game played there was St. Norbert-Fordham in 1983 – this is rare turf even before No. 4 Notre Dame arrives.

What I’m watching

The biggest test is whether Wisconsin can move the ball without living in third-and-long. Wisconsin’s offense ranked No. 127 nationally at 5.0 yards each time it snapped the ball; Notre Dame’s defense ranked No. 11 and allowed only 5.1. Only 3 starters from that offensive unit return, so the old ranking may not carry cleanly into 2026. 8 starters from that defensive unit are back, so the old ranking still matters. That is the matchup most likely to tilt field position.

Personnel snapshot

• Wisconsin: Luke Fickell enters Year 4 as head coach. 4 starters return—3 on offense and 1 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Colin Cubberly and Emerson Mandell. Wisconsin’s offense averaged 253.1 yards and 12.8 points per game last season.
• Wisconsin quarterback: Colton Joseph is projected to start for Wisconsin. Last season at Old Dominion, he threw for 2,624 yards, 21 TD and 10 INT.
• Notre Dame: Marcus Freeman enters Year 5 as head coach. 14 starters return—6 on offense and 8 on defense. Key defenders back include Jason Onye, Jaiden Ausberry, and Drayk Bowen. Notre Dame’s defense allowed 313.5 yards and 26.8 points per game last season.
• Notre Dame quarterback: CJ Carr returns as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. Last season, he threw for 2,741 yards, 24 TD and 6 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The fourth-quarter swing: The last Wisconsin-Notre Dame game was tied 10-10 after three quarters. Notre Dame then won the fourth quarter 31-3 and the game 41-13, turning a coin flip into a blowout in about 15 minutes.
• The roster reset: Wisconsin added 34 transfers, third-most in the Big Ten, and projects as many as 11 new starters. The Badgers are wearing one of college football’s most familiar uniforms while effectively introducing half a lineup on Sunday night.
• The quarterback angle: New Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph was one of only two FBS quarterbacks to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000 last season. Notre Dame is not preparing for a normal pocket passer; it has to defend a full running back’s season attached to the quarterback position.

How the game is decided

Joseph needs to rejuvenate the Wisconsin offense, which must be able to control the line of scrimmage at times to stay ahead of the chains. Notre Dame needs to avoid big mistakes. The Irish are the better team on paper — don’t give the Lambeau crowd hope.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Location: Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium — Kennesaw, Georgia
Kickoff: Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): Kennesaw State -23.5
Over/under: 51.5

The Setup

This is the first Kennesaw State-West Georgia meeting, but Kennesaw arrives with one of the strangest résumés in modern FBS: 10 wins in only its second transition season, something just three other programs had done. Steve Englehart’s first game at West Georgia comes with West Georgia as the 23.5-point underdog.

What I’m Watching

The thing to watch is how quickly Kennesaw St’s rebuilt offense settles in. Kennesaw St averaged 31.3 points per game last season and returns 2 offensive starters. West Georgia allowed 21.0 points per game. West Georgia does not need to match the home team’s depth; it needs to force a few early punts and keep the number of possessions down.

Personnel Snapshot

West Georgia: Steve Englehart enters Year 1 as head coach. South Dakota State transfer Luke Marble is the most experienced quarterback on the roster after throwing for 492 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions last season.

Kennesaw State: Jerry Mack enters Year 2 with six returning starters—two on offense and four on defense. The defense allowed 404.6 yards and 25.5 points per game.

Kennesaw State quarterback: Rickie Collins is projected to start after throwing for 1,042 yards, six touchdowns and 10 interceptions at Syracuse.

Three Quick Analysis Points

• The recent trend: Kennesaw went from 2-10 to 10 wins, the fifth-largest year-over-year turnaround since 2000. The Owls did not climb one rung; they skipped most of the ladder.
• The matchup wrinkle: Six of Kennesaw’s wins were one-possession games, more than any other FBS team. That makes last year’s breakthrough both impressive and fragile – one bounce per Saturday helped build a 10-win season.
• The quarterback angle: Kennesaw’s defensive backs bring more than 315 career games and 121 starts. West Georgia lists Luke Marble for his first start after only 73 career passes – the newest quarterback is throwing at the oldest room.

How the Game Is Decided

Kennesaw St’s first job is avoiding three-and-outs while the new offensive pieces settle in. West Georgia must turn every early stop into field position or points; empty possessions will eventually let the home team’s size and depth take over.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 9:00 PM CT
Location: Hornet Stadium
TV: ESPN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): SAC -35.5
Over/under: 56.5

The setup

Sacramento State is one of the two newest FBS programs, but this is its first game against a lower-division team since a 77-19 win in 2019. The new kid at the FBS table gets to play the heavyweight for one night.

What I’m watching

The thing to watch is how quickly Sacramento St’s rebuilt offense settles in. Sacramento St averaged 33.8 points per game last season and returns one offensive starter. Miss Valley St allowed 52.8 points per game.

Personnel snapshot

• Mississippi Valley State: Terrell Buckley enters Year 2 as head coach.
• Mississippi Valley State quarterback: Joshua Brown is Mississippi Valley State’s most experienced returning passer. He had no meaningful passing sample in 2025.
• Sacramento St: Alonzo Carter enters Year 1 as head coach. 4 starters return—1 on offense and 3 on defense.
• Sacramento St quarterback: Carson Conklin is projected to start for Sacramento St. Last season at Fresno St, he threw for 354 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The scoring trend: The Hornets have won four straight home openers while averaging 43.3 points. Mississippi Valley State trailed 37-0 at halftime in its Week 0 loss, so Sacramento State’s favorite calendar spot meets the Delta Devils’ worst recent half.
• The turnover test: Mississippi Valley State’s only Week 0 touchdown was a 95-yard pick-six, while Sacramento State scored on a fumble return in its opener. Both teams already showed that the defense may be the fastest route to points.
• A first real test at quarterback: Joshua Brown is Miss Valley St’s most experienced returning passer. He enters Week 1 without a meaningful 2025 passing sample. Sacramento St finished last season with 38 sacks. Miss Valley St returns no listed starting offensive linemen, making protection the immediate question.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 2:45 PM CT
Location: H. A. Chapman Stadium
TV: ESPNU
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): OKST -14
Over/under: 60.5

The setup

Tulsa and Oklahoma State are only about 72 miles apart, and meeting No. 78 comes with fresh scar tissue: Tulsa’s 19-12 win last year ended a 10-game Cowboys streak and was the Golden Hurricane’s first series win since 1998.

Personnel snapshot

• Oklahoma State: Eric Morris enters Year 1 as head coach. 4 starters return—1 on offense and 3 on defense. Key defenders back include Landon Dean, Iman Oates, and LaDainian Fields. Oklahoma State’s defense allowed 418.3 yards and 33.5 points per game last season.
• Oklahoma State quarterback: Drew Mestemaker is the new starter for Oklahoma State. Last season at North Texas, he threw for 4,129 yards, 31 TD and 7 INT and was one of the stories of college football.
• Tulsa: Tre Lamb enters Year 2 as head coach. 8 starters return—2 on offense and 6 on defense. Key defenders back include Tai Newhouse, William Alexander, and JD Drew. Tulsa’s defense allowed 396.7 yards and 28.9 points per game last season.
• Tulsa quarterback: Baylor Hayes returns as Tulsa’s starting quarterback. Last season, he threw for 2,158 yards, 12 TD and 6 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The recent trend: Tulsa is 21-17-2 against Oklahoma State in Tulsa, but the Cowboys have won four straight visits. The long history favors the home city; the recent history favors the orange visitors.
• The opener trend: Oklahoma State has won 11 straight season openers, the fourth-longest active FBS streak. Tulsa is trying to stack consecutive rivalry wins while ending a streak that began in 2015.
• The turnover test: Baylor Hayes set Tulsa freshman records with 2,158 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 2,346 total yards and six 200-yard games. One of those was a 219-yard, no-interception win at Oklahoma State, so the rematch quarterback already owns the blueprint.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 6:00 PM CT
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
TV: ESPN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): MEM -9.5
Over/under: 53.5

The setup

This is meeting No. 63 in Arkansas State’s most-played series. Memphis leads 33-24-5, has won five straight and took the last one 37-3, so the Red Wolves are trying to revive a rivalry that recently became one-sided.

Personnel snapshot

• Arkansas State: Butch Jones enters Year 6 as head coach. 10 starters return—7 on offense and 3 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Mason Myers, Wil Saxton, and Tristian Smith. Arkansas State’s offense averaged 382.7 yards and 25.2 points per game last season.
• Arkansas State quarterback: Trey Owens is projected to start for Arkansas State. He had no meaningful passing sample in 2025.
• Memphis: Charles Huff continues Year 1 as head coach. 1 starter returns—1 on offense and 0 on defense. A key offensive lineman back is Parker Mitchell. Memphis’ offense averaged 411.6 yards and 32.5 points per game last season.
• Memphis quarterback: Marcus Stokes started Memphis’ Week 0 win over UNLV and completed 15 of 26 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Three quick analysis points

• The schedule twist: Arkansas State is opening on the road for the 22nd time as an FBS program, and its only road-opening win was 18-14 at Texas A&M in 2008. Memphis is daring the Red Wolves to repeat a trick they have pulled once in 21 tries.
• The opener trend: Memphis has won 12 straight home openers and owns 67 home wins since 2014, tied for fifth nationally. Arkansas State’s road-opener history meets one of the country’s most reliable home calendars.
• A first real test at quarterback: Memphis has named Marcus Stokes the starter. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in the Week 0 win over UNLV. Arkansas St returns 3 defensive starters and ranked No. 6 in FBS sacks per game (3.00), finishing with 39. Memphis returns only one starting offensive lineman, raising the degree of difficulty.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 6:00 PM CT
Location: FirstBank Stadium
TV: SECN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): VAN -30.5
Over/under: 61.5

The setup

Vanderbilt has won both meetings with Austin Peay by a combined 85-10. The Governors are trying to turn a series that has averaged 42.5-5 into an actual fourth-quarter game.

What I’m watching

The question is how long Austin Peay can keep this from becoming a depth game. Vanderbilt averaged 38.5 points per game last season and returns 5 offensive starters. Austin Peay allowed 27.3 points per game. A couple of first-half stops would matter much more than matching Vanderbilt play for play.

Personnel snapshot

• Austin Peay: Jeff Faris enters Year 3 as head coach.
• Austin Peay quarterback: Chris Parson is Austin Peay’s most experienced returning passer. Last season, he threw for 3,003 yards, 23 TD and 5 INT.
• Vanderbilt: Clark Lea enters Year 6 as head coach. 10 starters return—5 on offense and 5 on defense. Key defenders back include Glenn Seabrooks III, Miles Capers, and Bryan Longwell. That defense allowed 357.5 yards and 22.8 points per game last season.
• Vanderbilt quarterback: Vanderbilt lists Blaze Berlowitz first on its official Week 1 depth chart. Last season, he threw for 131 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He gets the fun job of replacing Vanderbilt legend Diego Pavia.

Three quick analysis points

• The opener trend: Vanderbilt’s 10 wins and six SEC wins in 2025 were both program firsts. Austin Peay is opening against a team whose new standard is literally unprecedented in school history.
• The location wrinkle: The Commodores have won seven straight at FirstBank Stadium and four straight home openers. Austin Peay’s upset route has to break two Vanderbilt streaks on the same night.
• The quarterback angle: Austin Peay already owns a 35-17 Week 0 win, with Chris Parson throwing for 308 yards and adding 31 on the ground. Vanderbilt is making its debut against a quarterback who has already produced 339 yards in a real 2026 game.

How the game is decided

There’s a reason Vanderbilt is such huge favorites, but lets see how they ease into their new offensive era with a do-it-all QB like Pavia running the show.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 6:00 PM CT
Location: AmFirst Stadium
TV: ESPN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): JXST -19.5
Over/under: 54.5

The setup

Both teams are 0-1, but their Week 0 problems were opposites: Eastern Kentucky gained 508 yards and allowed 45 points, while Jacksonville State allowed 373 but produced only 170. One needs stops; the other needs offense.

What I’m watching

The thing to watch is how quickly Jax State’s rebuilt offense settles in. Jax State averaged 28.1 points per game last season and returns 3 offensive starters. E Kentucky allowed 24.3 points per game. E Kentucky does not need to match the home team’s depth; it needs to force a few early punts and keep the number of possessions down.

Personnel snapshot

• Eastern Kentucky: Walt Wells enters Year 7 as head coach.
• Eastern Kentucky quarterback: Tyler Travers made his first collegiate start in Week 0 and completed 22 of 34 passes for 305 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
• Jacksonville State: Charles Kelly enters Year 2 as head coach. 8 starters return—3 on offense and 5 on defense. The Gamecocks defense allowed 378.8 yards and 27.6 points per game last season.
• Jacksonville State quarterback: Caden Creel returns as Jacksonville State’s starting quarterback. Last season, he threw for 1,341 yards, 8 TD and 4 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The turnover test: Jacksonville State has forced a takeaway in 18 straight games, the longest active FBS streak. Eastern Kentucky lost two turnovers in its opener, so the Gamecocks’ most dependable habit is aimed directly at the Colonels’ first-game leak.
• The quarterback angle: Eastern Kentucky’s Tyler Travers threw for 305 yards, three touchdowns and 9.0 yards per attempt in his first start; Jacksonville State managed 85 passing yards, no touchdowns and 3.7 per attempt. The quarterback tape enters this game 220 yards apart.
• The recent trend: North Dakota State outrushed Jacksonville State 209-85 and held the ball 12:14 longer, while Eastern Kentucky ran for only 65 yards in its opener. Whichever team repairs the ground game first can keep the other’s best passer watching from the sideline.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.

Kickoff: Saturday, September 5 at 9:00 PM CT
Location: University Stadium (NM)
TV: FS1
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): UNM -10.5
Over/under: 46.5

The setup

Central Michigan and New Mexico have never played, but their second-year coaches both reached bowls in their first FBS seasons and combined to go 16-10. This is a first meeting between two rebuilds that arrived ahead of schedule.

What I’m watching

The biggest test is whether C Michigan can move the ball without living in third-and-long. Last year, their offense ranked No. 95 nationally at 5.5 yards each time it snapped the ball; New Mexico’s defense ranked No. 49 and allowed only 5.8. 6 starters from the offense and 6 from the defense return.

Personnel snapshot

• Central Michigan: Matt Drinkall enters Year 2 as head coach. 8 starters return—6 on offense and 2 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Martin Koivisto, Matthew Nehf, and Jacob Russell. That offense averaged 330.5 yards and 22.5 points per game last season.
• Central Michigan quarterback: Central Michigan named Angel Flores its starter in its official Week 1 notes. Last season, he rushed for 527 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing for 195 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
• New Mexico: Jason Eck enters Year 2 as head coach. 14 starters return—8 on offense and 6 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Malik Aliane, Tyler Lawrence, and Kaden Robnett. The Lobos offense averaged 356.8 yards and 27.1 points per game last season.
• New Mexico quarterback: New Mexico’s official Week 1 depth chart lists James Laubstein, Luke Moga and Toa Fa’avae with an OR designation; it does not name one starter.

Three quick analysis points

• The quarterback angle: New Mexico will start a different opening-day quarterback for the 12th straight season, the longest active streak in the FBS, after last year’s starter needed season-ending elbow surgery. The official depth chart still lists James Laubstein, Luke Moga and Toa Fa’avae as an OR, so Central Michigan is preparing for three different styles instead of one known passer.
• The scoring trend: Central Michigan named Angel Flores its starter after he rushed for 527 yards and eight touchdowns but threw only 28 passes last season. His first Chippewas start turns the quarterback position into another running-back spot against the nation’s most improved 2025 run defense.
• The running-game test: Central Michigan ran on 68.1% of its plays and went 5-1 when it reached 150 rushing yards; New Mexico cut its run allowance from 212.92 to 112.77 yards per game, a 100.15-yard improvement that led the FBS. The Chippewas’ identity runs directly into the Lobos’ biggest transformation.

Prediction

I make final predictions on my TikTok/YouTube/Instagram/Facebook pages @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.