Previewing the FBS Week 0 Matchups

Headlined by a top-25 showdown in the Big-12, there will be some entertaining matchups this weekend to kick off the 2025 college football season.

Stanford vs Hawaii- Saturday, 8/23 at 4:30 PM, CBS/ Paramount

First-year head coach Frank Reich faces a test in week 0 when his squad makes the trip to Honolulu. Coming in as slight underdogs, the Cardinal will be lead by former Oregon State QB Ben Gulbranson, who helped lead the Beavers to a 10-win season back in 2022. The Rainbow Warriors see Stanford as a prime opportunity to get a win over a power four team, and this should be a fun one to watch on Saturday.

22 Iowa State vs 17 Kansas State- Saturday, 8/23 at 9 AM, ESPN

Runners up in the Big 12 last season, the Cyclones head into Manhattan to face a very tough Kansas State team. The Wildcats have a seasoned Quarterback at the helm in Avery Johnson, and they will be looking to build off of a solid 2024 campaign. On the other side, Iowa State returns Rocho Brecht, and he will need to be on his game at K State, who has one of the best home field advantages in the conference. Set your alarms for Saturday morning, because college football is back, and you won't want to miss this one.

UNLV vs Idaho State- Saturday, 8/23 at 1 PM, Mountain West Network

Fresh off an eleven-win season and a victory in the 2024 LA Bowl, UNLV enters the 2025 season hunting a Mountain West title. They are returning star halfback Jai'den Thomas, and are now led by former Florida head coach Dan Mullen. The Rebels should have little trouble in their season opener, favored by 26.5 against Idaho State.

Fresno State vs Kansas- Saturday, 8/23 at 3:30 PM, Fox

The Matt Entz era at Fresno State begins this Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to take on the Kansas Jayhawks out of the Big-12 conference. Though Kansas enters as a 13-point favorite, this game has plenty of potential to be competetive. Veteran QB EJ Warner will be looking to go right at the Jayhawks' questionable secondary, which will be relying heavily on transfers playing their first game in the program. However, Kansas should have an edge at the line of scrimmage, and should look to exploit an inexperienced Fresno front seven. The Pressure should weight more heavily on Kansas, after an abysmal start to 2024 derailed their season last year.

WKU vs Sam Houston State- Saturday, 8/23 at 4 PM, CBSSN

The Hilltoppers have high hopes for a bounce-back season, and will now be led by Maverick Mcivor, who threw for over 3,800 yards last season with Abilene Christian. Sam Houston State, on the other hand, is coming off a 10-win season, but has undergone significant roster turnover. They are returning starter Hunter Watson, who can be a real force this season if he's able to limit interceptions.