Overview

• Boise State, viewed as the leading Group of 5 candidate for an automatic CFP berth even without 2024 Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty, opens at South Florida on Thursday.
• Tulane begins its case by hosting Northwestern in a matchup framed as an early résumé builder for the Green Wave.
• Coaching debuts headline the slate as Charles Huff leads Southern Miss against Mississippi State and Matt Drinkall takes Central Michigan to San Jose State under Ken Niumatalolo.
• FBS newcomers step onto the stage with Delaware opening against in-state rival Delaware State, which hired DeSean Jackson as head coach, while Missouri State visits USC.
• Early returns are already shifting expectations after Fresno State’s 31-7 loss to Kansas under Matt Entz and UNLV’s shaky Week 0 win, with Kent State chasing a skid-ending result and ESPN’s FPI labeling Temple–UMass a low-quality pairing.