The first two weeks of the college football season have been, let's be honest, a bit of a snooze fest. While the NFL rolls out prime-time showdowns from Week 1, college football's opening slate has been mostly about tune-ups and cupcake games. That's why OutKick founder Clay Travis is stirring the pot, and fans are rallying behind him.
Travis took to X on Saturday to voice his frustration, arguing that college football is squandering its solo spotlight before the NFL kicks off. His solution? An SEC vs. Big Ten challenge, similar to what college basketball does, stretched across the entire opening weekend.
"I love college football, but the opening week games — without NFL competition — have to be way better," Travis posted. "Imagine an SEC vs Big Ten challenge all opening weekend — games Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday. It would dominate. No brainer."
He didn't stop there. Travis pointed out that only one top-25 matchup exists across Week 0 and Week 1 — Louisville vs. Ole Miss — and that's just not enough to excite the casual fan. "Compare how brilliantly the NFL schedules signature windows to college football, it's night and day," he added. "This is college's time by itself on national stage and most games are weak."
The response from fans was overwhelmingly positive. "Let's do this yeah," one fan replied. Another echoed the sentiment: "I do wish the first week had better matchups … I understand why it's set up the way it is but I think it would be better to have some of these matchups mid season and have the first week have stronger matchups to kick off that energy better."
Even with a few exciting finishes, like the thriller in Atlanta, the overall slate has left many wanting more. "Boise State vs Oregon and Clemson vs LSU are the only watchable games on," one fan noted, while another bluntly said, "These opening week games are lame as hell."
The idea of an SEC vs. Big Ten challenge isn't new, but it's gaining traction. With the expanded College Football Playoff, teams might be more willing to schedule tough non-conference games early. This kind of event could also bring some much-needed juice to the opening weeks, which often feel like an afterthought.
Of course, there are hurdles — TV contracts, conference politics, and the tradition of home-and-home series. But if fans keep clamoring for it, perhaps the powers that be will listen. After all, as Travis noted, it's a no-brainer for the sport's popularity.
Imagine a Friday night clash between Georgia and Oregon, a Saturday afternoon slugfest between Alabama and Ohio State, or a Sunday night showdown between LSU and Michigan. That would be a start to the season worth waiting for.
Until then, we'll have to settle for the occasional marquee matchup and hope that the college football heartland keeps the passion alive. And who knows, maybe the Pat McAfee field goal challenge or controversial coaching moves will keep us entertained in the meantime.
