College Football Week 1 Viewer's Guide: Key Games and Storylines

College football is back in a big way, and we've got a full schedule with 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.

With the best roster in Oregon history, it could be a title-or-bust season for Dan Lanning, Ducks

Shehan Jeyarajah

All times Eastern

The best games

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.

Baylor vs. 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. If Dabo Swinney has what it takes to get Clemson back on track, now would be an excellent time to prove it. LSU will be the more talented team on the field, but it has dealt with distractions throughout fall camp, including but not limited to the SEC suing Lane Kiffin. Will that be enough to open the door for an upset?

UCLA at California | Saturday, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): Pac-12 After Dark still exists in spirit, and these two squads are keeping it alive and well. Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is on the doorstep of superstardom, and Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava has all the tools to play at the next level. Tosh Lupoi (Cal) and Bob Chesney (UCLA) will make their respective debuts. Brew some coffee and make plans for a late night.

No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss (Nashville) | Sunday, 7:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): If you like when teams run the damn ball, you're going to love this game. Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) and Isaac Brown (Louisville) are two of the best running backs in college football. Even quarterbacks Trinidad Chambliss and Lincoln Kienholz have the ability to scoot. Granted, I buried the lede a bit. This is our only Top 25 matchup of the week, and both teams have realistic paths to the College Football Playoff.

No. 19 SMU at Florida State | Monday, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): Florida State is coming off a sloppy Week 0 performance against New Mexico State, but the Seminoles are still only slight underdogs to the No. 19 Mustangs in Tallahassee. That's probably a testament to some of the talent Florida State has at the top of its depth chart. If the Seminoles' pass rush doesn't improve from last weekend, Kevin Jennings will carve them all night, and the calls for Mike Norvell's job will get much louder.

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