I noticed on cable last weekend that several college football games were being played, but quickly realized that those tilts involved lower division schools. With a playoff system in place, some schools must get a jump on the season, however ask any fan and the REAL season is what gets started tonight. Yes, the Division 1 FBS (Football Bowl Series) season will kickoff when the South Carolina Gamecocks visit the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the first of five consecutive nights of major college football. Talk about a sports induced brain overload!

There are some very good games on tap over the coming extended weekend with Oregon at Boise State being one many fans will want to watch. The Ducks were stunned by the Broncos at home last year and must travel to Idaho to extract their revenge. Both teams are nationally ranked with prestige on the line. Prediction: Boise State 41, Oregon 31.

Also of note on Thursday: NC State will host South Carolina (see our review) and Utah will play host to Utah State.

Friday’s lone game will be a match up between pitting Tulsa at Tulane, the Conference USA opener. Tulsa QB David Johnson is no longer at the helm of what was last year’s most potent offense in the nation, but his replacements should help the Golden Hurricanes maintain their two touchdown edge going in against the Green Wave.

Saturday will feature three important matches between Top 25 teams including: Georgia at Oklahoma State, Brigham Young at Oklahoma and Alabama at Virginia Tech. For the first two games, the home team should win, but we’re not too sure that the Hokies will be able to defend their turf against the rising Crimson Tide.

Sunday will feature a pair of match ups which will sate NFL fans who have to wait one more week for their season to get underway. Besides the intrastate rivalry involving Colorado and Colorado State, #8 Mississippi will be visiting Memphis. It has been decades since expectations were so high for ‘Ole Miss who must not look past the Tigers, a team that they’ve beaten each of the past four seasons.

By Monday you may have had your fill of football, but in the event that your Labor Day plans include some gridiron action, you’ll want to check out Cincinnati at Rutgers at 4 pm followed by Miami (FL) at Florida State. The Big East is the Big Unknown this year as far as who will win the conference, but we’re going with Rutgers 28-24 in what may prove to be a sloppy game. Florida State will handle Miami in the other contest, an intrastate meeting that has lost its luster of late.

Let’s play some football!

Tags: Alabama, Brigham Young, Cincinnati, college football, FCS, Florida State, football, Georgia, Memphis, Miami, Mississippi, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Rutgers, South Carolina, sports, Tulane, Tulsa, Utah, Utah State, Virginia Tech