7:15 a.m. It smells like football outside -- the feel is everywhere, thanks to that crisp, 48-degree air outside my front door. There's something about the first day of the football season that just doesn't come through during those steamy, opening days of preseason camp.
Today, it feels right.
Enough of that. Let's get down to business: Nebraska and Western Kentucky don't kick off until 6:10 p.m. at Memorial Stadium, but there's plenty on the docket earlier. Check out Michigan State on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. for a taste of what the Huskers can expect soon; NU will travel to East Lansing in 2012 and every even year thereafter -- that is, until the Big Ten expands again and blows up this three-day-old division format.
Missouri and Illinois play at 11:30 on FSN. I'm interested to see the Tigers; not the Illini. Texas will pound Rice at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. UCLA visits Kansas State in an interesting game that brings Rick Neuheisel back to the Big 12 at 2:30 on ABC.
Also at 2:30, I'll take check out Connecticut-Michigan with an eager eye on the Big House in anticipation of my first visit next November. Watch out for the Huskies to pull an upset.
Oklahoma State plays on Fox network of stations at 6, as does Kansas -- and, of course, Nebraska (pay-per-view only). If you're bored in the second half of the Husker game, tune in to ESPN2 for Cincinnati-Fresno State at 9; Nebraska hosts Fresno State next year and plays at Fresno in 2014.
Looks like a fun day -- and a fun season -- of football.
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