In less than 24 hours, college football will be on television sets across the country as happiness, and our distraction from everyday issues comes roaring back as if a long-lost friend. There’s something about this season that is different, though. America itself feels so torn by politics, the threat of war, and an ever-worsening economy, yet college football comes around as a distraction for many of us who long for the freedom and happiness these next three and half months bring to us. For many of us, despite what the world may or may not throw our way during the work week, college football comes around every Saturday to escape from the harsh realities of life, connect with our inner child, and experience the world with generations that came before us.

Photo Credits- FSU Football X account

Friday afternoon, we saw the return of the Pat McAfee show from the road on the college road. With College GameDay in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, Pat and his crew took over a pub in Dublin, which went about as excellent as one could expect. From a hilarious exchange with Coach Saban and Ms. Terry to being hammered the entire show, there was a certain level of swagger to the show that felt like college football. Then, you turn over to the SEC Network, and Paul Finebaum was doing what Finebaum does, getting the fans of the Southeastern Conference excited to watch a matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech on Saturday as an appetizer for the big boys next weekend.

This season has seen a lot of change already. The Pac-12 is dead, and the Southeastern Conference, Big 12, and Big 10 have added teams that seem weird on paper but have adapted to each conference’s ways. Yet, this season feels different. It’s hard to describe with words alone, but people seem more interested in it than ever before. On every street corner, from the big cities in the North to the small towns in the Midwest and South, there’s a buzz surrounding the season’s hype that’s hard to contain. People are ready for college football, and this season has the potential to unite all of us, unlike anything in the history of the world.

Photo credits- GT Football on X

Week zero will get underway on Saturday with four Division One games and three FCS games to wet the whistle of college football fans across the country. Highlighting the action will be an early kickoff between two ACC rivals in Dublin, Ireland, between Florida State and Georgia Tech. Florida State and Georgia Tech will have the early game in the States, with a kick slated for noon Eastern on ESPN.