Ranking five must-watch college football games this weekend

College football finally returns Saturday with a schedule that offers more than the usual collection of glorified scrimmages. From an international opener to a late-night fight in Las Vegas, these are the five college football games most deserving of your attention.

5. Hawaii at Stanford

Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ACC Network

Neither program enters the season with national championship expectations, but that does not make this game disposable. Stanford is only a four-point favorite, making this one of the weekend's closest projected matchups.

The Cardinal desperately need evidence that their rebuild is moving somewhere. Hawaii, meanwhile, can grab a valuable road victory against a Power Four opponent. It may not be beautiful football. Close games between flawed teams rarely are, which is half the fun.

4. Jacksonville State at North Dakota State

Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network

North Dakota State begins its new FBS era with an opponent that understands how quickly a former powerhouse can climb after making the transition.

Jacksonville State will walk into one of college football’s nastiest environments as a seven-point underdog. The Fargodome should be roaring long before kickoff, and the Bison have an immediate chance to prove their dominance did not belong exclusively to the FCS level.

This is not the weekend’s flashiest game. It might be its most physical.

3. NC State at Virginia

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

The first ACC game of the season comes with consequences that will follow both teams for months.

Virginia enters as a 5.5-point favorite after winning 11 games last season, although several of those victories came down to the final possession. NC State has an opportunity to expose the Cavaliers before they find their rhythm and grab an early conference road win.

Losing in August would not eliminate either team from the ACC race. It would leave the loser chasing everyone else before Labor Day, though. That is a miserable way to spend the holiday.

2. North Carolina vs. TCU

Kickoff: Noon ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Dublin, Ireland

North Carolina and TCU get the season started from Dublin in the weekend’s most recognizable matchup.

TCU enters as a 7.5-point favorite, but international openers have a habit of becoming strange. Travel, new personnel and first-game mistakes can erase an apparent talent gap rather quickly.

North Carolina under head coach Bill Belichick is also trying to establish stability after a turbulent offseason. An upset would instantly change the mood surrounding the program. TCU can avoid that circus by controlling the game early and reminding everyone why it entered as the favorite.

1. Memphis at UNLV

Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
TV: Fox

The hottest game of the weekend arrives after dark in Las Vegas.

UNLV is favored by 5.5, while the projected total sits at 57.5. That combination offers the best chance for a close game with enough offense to keep everyone awake.

There are also legitimate postseason implications. Memphis and UNLV are expected to compete for the highest-ranked conference champion spot outside the four power conferences. One result in August could become a crucial comparison when the College Football Playoff committee begins sorting resumes.

The college football season starts in Ireland, but the game most likely to provide chaos waits until everyone reaches Las Vegas.