This is going to be a strange NCAA football season.
The NFL has been locked in on its opening night since the AFC playoff rematch between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs was first announced. But in the college football world, with some conferences opting out and other conferences going forward, it’s been a little harder to keep track of when exactly we can start betting on the NCAA.
The good news is, assuming the schedules go off as planned, there will be plenty of good college football to enjoy. The bad news – this was supposed to be the opening weekend of the season, and that’s no longer happening.
NCAA Football Season Kickoff
It’s not exactly the kickoff weekend that the television networks and college football bettors dreamed about, but the season will finally begin on Sept. 3 with two Conference USA out-of-conference games:
- South Alabama at Southern Miss
- Central Arkansas at UAB
UAB did win nine games last year and made the New Orleans Bowl. Southern Miss lost to Tulane in the Armed Forces Bowl last season.
On Sept. 5, there are seven games being played out of the original 51 games that were on the schedule. The best games are:
- Arkansas State at Memphis
- SMU at Texas State
Both of those games will have limited fans in attendance.
Top 25 Kickoff
For Top 25 action, we’re all going to have to wait a little longer. The first game involving a ranked team that hasn’t been canceled or postponed is Sept. 12. With seven such games that Saturday, that is when it will truly feel like the college football season is here.
- No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest
- Missouri State at No. 5 Oklahoma
- Duke at No. 10 Notre Dame
- UTEP at No. 14 Texas
- Tulsa at No. 15 Oklahoma State
- Syracuse at No. 18 North Carolina
- Louisiana at No. 23 Iowa State
Power 5 Conference Kickoffs
With the Big Ten and Pac-12 suspending play this fall, we only have three of the Power 5 conferences in play.
The SEC is only playing in-conference this season and begins its season with a full slate of games on Sept. 26. Defending national champion LSU starts at home against Mississippi State, while Alabama kicks off its season at Missouri.
The Big 12 has everyone playing a single non-conference game the week of Sept. 12 before kicking off its conference schedule on Sept. 26.
The ACC is far less structured, with non-conference games going on all season, and wherever a matchup could be cobbled together. The first time all 14 regular members are playing is Sept. 19. Notre Dame is in the conference this season only, making it a total of 15 teams.
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