The crowd roars with excitement as the team walks through the tunnel. 110,000 people stand and cheer as 125 red jerseys run through the fire. The first game of the season brings incomparable energy and anticipation. The teams have been back in action since August 28, with the exception of Iowa State and Kansas State who battled on August 23.
The biggest game of the weekend was the Texas Longhorns travelling to Columbus to take on the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes. This top three match up was long awaited as both teams had new quarterbacks waiting to succeed. Arch Manning for the Longhorns is projected to be a Heisman favorite and was said to do great things for Texas this season. On the other side, Julian Sayin, the top recruit from the 2024 class, had limited experience for the Buckeyes, but a good skill set.
This game lived up to hype ending in a fourth down stop by the Buckeyes to keep their 14-7 lead. The number one team fought to the end but it was the third ranked Buckeyes that prevailed.
The first major upset of the season occurred when unranked Florida State beat the number eight team in the country, Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been known for having one of the best defenses in the country, but Florida State took control and won 31-17.
Another game that drew a lot of views was the Louisiana State Tigers against the Clemson Tigers. Both these teams are expected to have breakout seasons and possibly make an appearance in the post season. The Tigers battled through all four quarters but LSU topped Clemson by 7, winning 17-10.
While these games mark just the beginning of a season filled with excitement and energy, they also marked the end of an era. Lee Corso, a sports broadcaster, made his last debut at the table for College Game-day. Corso was known for his historical game-picking event where he put on the headgear of the team he picked to win. Corso had 38 successful seasons and finished with a bang as all his picks won.
\With the 12-team playoff returning this year, many of these teams may still be in the running for a playoff spot, however, some could be facing a difficult season to climb back up in the rankings. There are still 13 more weeks to look forward to full of shaking stadiums, close games, and celebrations.
