The 2018 college football season is weeks away, but the anticipation has already begun.
The defending national champion Alabama begins another season at a neutral site, this time Orlando, while Atlanta's annual Chick-fil-A Kickoff game features a Pac-12 team for the first time. That is just one of a few firsts in college footballs' first weekend:
Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018
Michigan at Notre Dame (7:30 p.m., NBC) in South Bend, Ind. This will be the Wolverines first meeting against the Irish since 2014. Early line: Notre Dame, -2
Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: Auburn vs. Washington at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. First meeting between the two schools. Early line: Auburn, -4Florida Atlantic at Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Owls quarterback Chris Robison transferred from Oklahoma. Early line: Oklahoma, -21
Camping World Kickoff: Alabama vs. Louisville at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Lamar Jackson has left the Cardinals for the NFL. But the bigger question may be whether Alabama starts Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa? Early line: Alabama, -30
Belk College Kickoff: Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. New coach Jeremy Pruitt leads the Volunteers in their first meeting against the Mountaineers.
Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018
AdvoCare Classic: Miami vs. LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The schools haven't faced each other since the 2005 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. The Hurricanes haven't scored a win against the Tigers since 1988. Mark Richt 4-4 against LSU. Early line: Miami, -1
Monday, Sept. 3, 2018
Virginia Tech at Florida State (8:30 p.m., ESPN) at Tallahassee, Fla. Willie Taggart's opener in Tallahassee comes on Labor Day. Early line: None
About the Author