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College football opens Labor Day weekend with Kiffin debut at LSU and single Top 25 matchup
Week 1 features Lane Kiffin's arrival at LSU against Clemson, alongside a lone ranked clash between Louisville and Ole Miss.
The short version
- College football begins its first full slate over Labor Day weekend, highlighted by only one game between AP Top 25 programs.
- Lane Kiffin makes his head coaching debut for No. 11 LSU as the Tigers host Clemson on Saturday night.
- No. 24 Louisville faces No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville on Sunday in the weekend's sole matchup between ranked teams.
- Major programs and Heisman contenders, including Notre Dame's CJ Carr and Texas's Arch Manning, kick off campaigns across the holiday weekend.
Key facts
- The only Week 1 game featuring two AP Top 25 teams pits No. 24 Louisville against No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville on Sunday.[Associated Press]
- Lane Kiffin is set to coach his first game for No. 11 LSU when the team hosts Clemson on Saturday evening.[Associated Press]
- Other high-profile weekend matchups include No. 4 Notre Dame playing Wisconsin at Lambeau Field and No. 19 SMU traveling to Florida State on Monday night.[Associated Press]
- Washington State and No. 17 Washington will play their 118th Apple Cup on Sunday, marking the first time the rivalry serves as a season opener.[Associated Press]
- Florida State head coach Mike Norvell enters Monday's game holding an 8-18 record since 2023, with a contract buyout of $53.3 million if dismissed after the season.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The performance of rebuilt rosters, including LSU's reported top-spending transfer-heavy lineup and Oklahoma State's 91 new players, remains untested in competitive play.[Associated Press]