The long wait is over! The 2022 College Football season is upon us with a full slate of week zero matchups that will satisfy the hunger we have felt this off-season. It’s been an off-season unlike any we have ever witnessed in the history of College Football. From coaching feuds, USC and UCLA jumping the Pac-12 ship to land on dry water in the Big-10, to NIL arguments that still rage in the minds of schools across the country.

Yet, like a long-lost friend, College Football returns this weekend to provide stability to the masses. Nothing in the world can compare to the feelings a new College Football season brings. For many, Week Zero into Week One is their one chance to dream of their respected programs winning a National Championship and bringing glory to their school. For others, a new season brings the expectation that greatness is the only option. Then you have a program in Georgia that is fresh off their first National Championship in 40 years.

Week zero provides the die-hard College Football fans an opportunity to watch College Football a week earlier than historically speaking. The matchups aren’t always as exciting on paper as those in Week One, but either way, it’s College Football, and for that, we’re thankful.

So, what few matchups should you tune into on Saturday as a College Football fan?

For me, I’m in the minority. I will likely watch every game on Saturday just because I love College Football that much.

However, for you not-so-obsessed College Football fans, there are three matchups that I will pay closer attention to than the others just because of the storylines involved.

First, starting off Week Zero on Saturday morning, you have an FCS school in Austin Peay traveling to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Austin Peay made the 2021 FCS Playoffs and have an upset on their mind as they get ready to do a battle with the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. For Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers come into a new season looking to capitalize on their nine-win season in 2021. Western Kentucky should defeat Austin Peay, but it will be interesting to see how the Hilltoppers do in replacing Bailey Zappe, who left Western Kentucky to chase his dreams of playing in the NFL. Western Kentucky and Austin Peay will kick things off with an early kick at 11:00 on the CBS Sports Network.

Shortly after Western Kentucky and Austin Peay kick things off for the 2022 season, you will have the chance to watch Nebraska and Northwestern battle it out in Dublin, Ireland. It’s a weird matchup, but Nebraska and Scott Frost head into the 2022 season desperately needing a win to salvage any hope for the 2022 season. Last season was a gigantic disappointment for the Cornhuskers as the once proud program could only muster three wins. Word on the street around Lincoln is Scott Frost could be without a job if Nebraska has another season like last season. Nebraska and Northwestern will get underway at 11:30 central, with the game on your local Fox channel.

Lastly, to close out an exciting day of College Football in the nightcap, Vanderbilt Commodores head to Hawaii to take on the Fighting Rainbow Warriors. Vanderbilt is a weird program right now. On the outside looking in, it seems the Commodores might have found their guy in Head Coach Clark Lea. At SEC Media Days, Coach Lea talked and positioned Vanderbilt for a lot of deserved hype heading into the season opener on Saturday night. Nobody has any idea what to expect from the Commodores, a win over Hawaii in week one would allow Lea and his program to position for a Bowl Game this season. Vanderbilt and Hawaii will get underway at 9:30 Central on the CBS Sports Network.

It might not be much, but College Football is back! Enjoy it.