College football is back in full swing. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 0.
The season kicks off with a ranked game in Ireland, as Kansas State plays Iowa State. The Cyclones are coming off an 11-3 season that saw them reach the Big 12 Championship Game. Rocco Becht is back at quarterback with plenty of experience under his belt. The offense scored 31.1 points per game, but did lose wide receiving talent to the NFL. Their defense allowed 22.9 points per game and returns key players in defensive tackle Domonique Orange and safety Jermiah Cooper.
Kansas State went 9-4 last year, which was a bit of a disappointment after starting hot and faltering at the end of the regular season. Avery Johnson and Dylan Edwards create a good backfield duo that can make the offense dynamic. They averaged 30.8 points per game and more should be expected. Linebacker Austin Romaine is back to lead the defense after they ranked 50th in scoring defense last season. There are a lot of expectations for these two teams and this game could have a real impact on the Big 12 and CFP.
Dan Mullen has been in television the last three seasons after being let go by Florida. He is rejoining college football this year at UNLV, where he takes over for Barry Odom, who took the job at Purdue. The Rebels went 11-3 last season and although they don’t return more than a few key players from last season, expectations are that they can have another good season.
The Mullen era at UNLV will start off with a game against Idaho State. The Bengals likely won’t pose too much of a threat, as they don’t rank in the top 25 for the FCS level. It will be interesting to see how Mullen does at UNLV, starting with his first game. Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea and Michigan transfer Alex Orji have been battling for the starting quarterback spot, with each having the capabilities of making it a good offense. The defense will be a bigger question mark this season. Mullen has some tough work ahead, but UNLV can be a solid MWC team.
Kansas was projected to have a solid season in 2024, but stumbled out of the gates. They recovered, but it was too little, too late, as they went 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game. Although they have just six returning starters from last season, there is hope Kansas can win six games at least and then go to a bowl game. They’ll have to start the season out better.
They open their season with Fresno State, a team that went to a bowl game last season and could be competitive in the MWC this season. Kansas will need quarterback Jalon Daniels to stay healthy and put up points. A win over Fresno State to start things off could lead the Jayhawks to a better season in 2025.
Farmageddon is a conference game, but so too is another game in week 0. Two of the better projected teams in the C-USA, Western Kentucky and Sam Houston State, will also play this week. Western Kentucky is on the road in this game and will bring just three returning starters with them. Maverick McIver transferred in from Abilene Christian after having a successful season as a quarterback at the FCS level. The starting cornerbacks from last year’s team return, but will be relying on a lot of transfers otherwise.
Sam Houston State brings back four starters from last year’s team, including quarterback Hunter Watson. Transfers are coming in to fill in the cracks for an offense that should score more than the 23.8 points they did last season. The defense is more of a question mark, as they don’t have any returning starters. A win in this game could help a team make a push for an appearance in the C-USA Championship Game.
Stanford and Hawaii play the last game of Week 0 in a game that should be competitive. The Cardinal will travel to Hawaii where the Warriors are currently favored. Stanford won just three games last season and have a new coach in Frank Reich, who will just be coaching for a season. Their 10 returning starters should help, but the offense and defense ranked in the 100s in scoring. They’ll need to take huge jumps forward to become bowl-eligible.
Hawaii won five games last season, missing out on a bowl game. This year, they’ll be looking to make their first bowl games since 2020. Five starters return on offense, including weapons Nick Cenacle and Pofele Ashlock. The offense is expected to take a jump forward. Defensively, the Warriors bring back four starters from their unit last season, which ranked tied for 75th in scoring.
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