College Football Week Zero Needs an Overhaul: Why Fans Deserve Better Games

Drew Thirion|published: Tue 19th August, 10:27 2025

Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) throws a pass during the first quarter of the game against Arizona at Bill Snyder Family Stadium Friday, September 13, 2024. PHOTO USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES

I want to start this off by saying I’m not complaining about more football.

Like every sane man in America, I’ve desperately been missing the sport—college football in particular—so seeing any action, even if the games are ugly, will be appointment television.

However, if college football is going to go through the ordeal of hyping up a Week Zero slate of games, then why not add a few that are actually interesting?

Last year’s Week Zero was abysmal, with the best games being Florida State vs. Georgia Tech or Nevada vs. SMU. Granted, those games turned out to be entertaining, but the level of play wasn’t exactly what gets fans fired up for the new season.

This year’s schedule is slightly better with a ranked Big 12 matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland.

Matt Campbell is one of the most underrated coaches in the country at Iowa State, and Avery Johnson is one of the more intriguing quarterbacks in the nation. As one of the highest-rated QB recruits in Kansas State history, Johnson is looking to take a big leap forward this season.

That game carries some intrigue. Outside of it, though, the rest of the slate is rough.

Idaho State vs. UNLV: Boring.

Fresno State vs. Kansas: Could be OK, but overall, not much intrigue.

Sam Houston vs. Western Kentucky: Boring.

Stanford vs. Hawaii: Sneaky—not that bad.

The fix seems so simple.

Three ranked games, or at least matchups featuring perennial college football powers, should be on Week Zero.

Give me a ranked Big 12 game at noon. Then throw in one of the big Florida schools against a strong Group of Five program like Boise State. And cap the night with a neutral-site showdown between two College Football Playoff contenders—Georgia, Clemson, Oregon, or Ole Miss.

That’s the recipe: a good game to start the day, a fun mid-afternoon upset watch with a spread around -9.5, and then a true heavyweight clash in primetime.

It feels obvious, yet the NCAA always seems to find the wrong decision.

Yes, I’ll still have these games on in the background. But the arrival of football should be appointment television—not a snooze fest of a slate.