College football season opens with new coaches, eligibility chaos and a Top 25 showdown

College football kicks off with only one matchup between Associated Press Top 25 teams, Sunday night, when No. 24 Louisville hosts No. 9 Mississippi in Music City. Week 1, however, is packed with storyline pressure: new head coaches, fresh faces, eligibility turmoil, and jersey patches. A major focal point is Clemson at No. 11 LSU Saturday night in Death Valley. LSU’s Lane Kiffin and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney will see eligibility disputes spill into court, including LSU’s interest in players who sought court action and those who had signed NFL preseason contracts. The piece also expects lopsided results, with No. 1 Ohio State favored by more than 50 points over Ball State and multiple top-10 teams favored by 40+. It highlights Heisman watch names including Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Texas’ Arch Manning, plus mentions top teams like Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Oregon hosting Boise State.