Ohio State Buckeyes safety Sonny Styles (6) tackles Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Ohio State won 28-14.

Week 0 is behind us, our appetizer has been consumed, and now, it's time for the real thing.

The 2025 college football season officially kicks off Thursday night with the first matchups in Week 1, and it will be five straight days of action as we christen the start of a new year. That's a lot of college football to keep track of, and as you know, not every matchup is equally worthy of your attention.

That's where we come in.

We at College Sports Wire are here to help you figure out exactly how to plan out your college football viewing experience this weekend to maximize the excitement. Here's our guide for Week 1, beginning with Thursday night.

All game times are listed in ET.

Thursday, Aug. 28

Must-watch: Boise State at USF (5:30 p.m., ESPN)

The Broncos begin the post-Ashton Jeanty era with a road game that could prove to be tricky against USF and quarterback Byrum Brown. This could be one of the best Group of Five games of the entire season.

Must-watch: Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (9 p.m., ESPN, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City)

Dylan Raiola and the Cornhuskers look to take the next step after making a bowl last year, and they begin the campaign with a neutral-site matchup against a Bearcats squad that hasn't lived up to expectations so far under coach Scott Satterfield.

Maybe worth watching

  • Ohio at Rutgers (6 p.m., Big Ten Network)
  • East Carolina at NC State (7 p.m., ACC Network)
  • Jacksonville State at UCF (7 p.m., ESPN+)
  • Buffalo at Minnesota (8 p.m., FS1)
  • Miami (Ohio) at Wisconsin (9 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Friday, Aug. 29

Must-watch game: Auburn at Baylor (8 p.m., FOX)

The Tigers begin a critical third year under Hugh Freeze with a road game against a potential Big 12 contender in Baylor. Jackson Arnold will make his Auburn debut against a Bears team that was playing really good football at the end of 2024.

Maybe worth watching

  • Appalachian State at Charlotte (7 p.m., ESPNU, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte)
  • Georgia Tech at Colorado (8 p.m., ESPN)
  • UNLV at Sam Houston (9:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network)

Saturday, Aug. 30, Noon Block

Must-watch game: Texas at Ohio State (12 p.m., FOX)

We'll start the day on Saturday with one of the biggest matchups of the entire season as the No. 3 Longhorns hit the road to take on No. 1 Ohio State in a rematch of last year's CFP semifinal. Ohio State lost quite a bit from its national title team but does return arguably the two best players in college football, while the Longhorns are set to begin the Arch Manning era.

Maybe worth watching

  • Syracuse vs. Tennessee (12 p.m., ABC, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
  • Mississippi State at Southern Miss (12 p.m., ESPN)
  • Northwestern at Tulane (12 p.m., ESPNU)
  • Toledo at Kentucky (12:45 p.m., SECN)

Saturday, Aug. 30, Mid-Day Block

Must-watch game: Alabama at Florida State (3:30 p.m., ABC)

The Crimson Tide enters Year 2 of the Kalen DeBoer era with high expectations after last season ended in fairly disappointing fashion, and it begins on the road against a Florida State team that is almost entirely retooled after a shocking 2-10 finish last fall.

Maybe worth watching

  • Montana State at Oregon (4 p.m., BTN)

Saturday, Aug. 30, Night Block

Must-watch game: LSU at Clemson (7:30 p.m., ABC)

It's a Tiger-on-Tiger matchup at Clemson's Death Valley on Saturday night, and in what I view as the best game of the week, we'll see preseason Heisman candidates Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier in what should be a thrilling duel with major implications for the rest of the season.

Maybe worth watching

  • UTSA at Texas A&M (7 p.m., ESPN)
  • Idaho at Washington State (10 p.m., CW)
  • California at Oregon State (10:30 p.m., ESPN)
  • Utah at UCLA (11 p.m., FOX)

Sunday, Aug. 31

Must-watch game: Notre Dame at Miami (7:30 p.m., ABC)

One of the best games of the weekend will be on an island Sunday night as Notre Dame travels to take on Miami. Both these teams have CFP hopes this fall but will be debuting new quarterbacks and, in Miami's case, a lot of new pieces on both sides of the ball.

Maybe worth watching

  • Virginia Tech at South Carolina (3 p.m., ESPN)

Monday, Sept. 1

Must-watch game: TCU at North Carolina (8 p.m., ESPN)

The Bill Belichick era begins at North Carolina against a TCU team that had a quietly successful 2024 season. It's the greatest coach in NFL history, coaching non-professional athletes for the first time in his career. What more do you need to know?

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Ultimate viewing guide for Week 1 of the college football season

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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