College football is all the way back, and we've got a full slate of action that began Thursday and will continue deep into Monday night. There may not be many five-star bangers on the schedule this weekend -- but we still have plenty of compelling matchups -- and we've waited months for this. Week 1 also allows us to see old faces in new places and even new faces in new places for the first time.
The transfer portal and NIL create offseason chaos, and that lends itself to a little bit of unpredictability, especially early in the season as those new pieces try to gel. The only Top 25 matchup of the weekend comes on Sunday in Nashville when No. 24 Louisville faces No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville, Tennessee. There's a lot to like on both offenses, and it's a tremendous opportunity for each team to get an early resume-building victory.
This slate also brings us a throwback Pac-12 After Dark matchup, a tiger fight in Death Valley, a Big 12 vs. SEC showdown and a key ACC game in Tallahassee on Labor Day. That's not even including some of the better under-the-radar games, which always provide one or two stunners.
With a packed college football schedule in Week 1, which ones deserve most of your attention? Here's a viewer's guide to help you navigate all the action. Boise State at No. 2 Oregon | Saturday, 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free), Paramount+: The Ducks are heavy favorites in this game, but they can't afford to treat this like a glorified preseason game against an FCS program.
Boise State will provide resistance as a favorite to win the new Pac-12, and the Broncos have incentive to keep this as close as possible in hopes of building their College Football Playoff resume. Auburn (Atlanta) | Saturday, 3:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): I can fully admit that that may be a matchup between two 6-6 or 7-5 teams, but the quarterback battle offers the potential for a bit of chaos. In fact, it's a rematch of last season when Auburn transfer QB Byrum Brown led USF to an upset of Baylor transfer QB DJ Lagway and Florida in The Swamp.
This is also a chance to watch Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins, who is one of the best players at that position in the entire country. These may not be great teams, but there could be real entertainment value here. Clemson at No. 11 LSU | Saturday, 7:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): These may not be your slightly older cousin's Clemson Tigers, but this is still a fascinating showdown.
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