Take a look around the world wide web at the stories that are dominating the headlines of college football as the season rambles into Week 1. You’ll see a common theme. A large number of them are about one of the following:
- Lee Corso’s swan song on College GameDay
- Dave Portnoy being banned (or not) from Ohio State
- Arch Manning taking the reins at Texas
- Bill Belichick’s upcoming debut as a college coach
If we could boil down why people are writing and talking about these four topics into one single word, it would be this: celebrity.
Corso, who has been on our television screens on College GameDay since 1990 and has been donning the headgear of mascots since 1996, is bidding farewell to a public life with his final appearance on Saturday ahead of Ohio State’s clash with Texas. For a long time, Corso was the singular mascot for college football and probably the most famous person associated with the sport who wasn’t a player or head coach. He didn’t build up that credibility and near-universal likability across decades on ESPN by being extremely analytical or critical; he did it by leaning into the silliness of this sport, never taking himself too seriously, never being afraid to make fun of himself, and always making sure that entertaining the audience was the main focus.
“It’s entertainment, sweetheart. Football’s our vehicle,” Corso has said.
But it sort of feels in recent weeks like the pendulum of college football is swinging too far into manufacturing entertainment instead of just allowing the game to provide it.
Let’s revisit those four topics again.
Because of his long career as the sport’s unofficial spokesperson, Corso deserves all the coverage he’s getting. But why does anyone care whether or not Portnoy was banned from the stadium of the school he despises? Whether or not this incident was manufactured like a professional wrestling work is sort of irrelevant at this point, because people do care. Reporters are writing about it, podcasters are talking about it, and folks are likely going to flip over to FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff from College GameDay on Saturday to see what shenanigans Portnoy is going to get into in Columbus. This is why FOX hired Portnoy — he’s not a former player or a former coach, he’s not an x’s and o’s or analytical savant, but he knows the job is to entertain and he knows how to dial it up and accomplish that mission. The same could be said for his doppelganger on ESPN, Pat McAfee. While he did actually play college football, he’s not on the set of GameDay because of his incredible punts at West Virginia. He’s there to create viral moments — like interrupting Rece Davis or dancing next to Nick Saban.
Portnoy and McAfee have these platforms on the two most popular college football pregame shows because they are celebrities.
Let’s get to the other two: Manning and Belichick.
There’s been an endless line of profiles about Peyton and Eli’s nephew (and Archie’s grandson) this week. And while Manning has shown some flashes of potential in his 12 appearances in actual college football games over the past two seasons, he never did anything so spectacular that folks were clamoring for him to be the Longhorns’ starter over Quinn Ewers. So, why are folks writing and talking about him? It’s not because of the 325 yards he threw for against Mississippi State last season. It’s because his last name is Manning. It’s because he’s a celebrity.
North Carolina’s reasoning for firing 73-year-old Mack Brown and hiring 73-year-old Bill Belichick — who has never coached in college football in any capacity and has never won anything of significance in the NFL with teams that didn’t feature Lawrence Taylor or Tom Brady — was because they wanted to be relevant. As UNC Board of Trustees member Jennifer Lloyd told reporters in December at Belichick’s introductory press conference, the Tar Heels were tired of being at “the kid’s table” and “in a JV tier” in football.
Much of what followed in the months after his hiring — centered around his 24-year-old girlfriend — could be characterized as “kid’s table” or “JV tier,” but North Carolina is relevant in football, for now. ESPN is coming to town to put on a GameDay-lite ahead of their Monday night kickoff against TCU and media credentials are hard to come by.
How long North Carolina stays relevant might be based on how good this team actually is at football, but there’s a chance that even if this team barrels toward a 7-5 season, they’ll continue to get good time slots and spotlight in the national media. Why? Because of Belichick. Because of the celebrity.
Welcome to the celebrity era of college football.
One could make the case that Deion Sanders started this, but without his son starring at quarterback and a two-way Heisman Trophy candidate playing for him, we’ve seemingly moved on from the Buffs. The primetime slots are going to Bill and Arch now. Big Noon Kickoff is now obsessed with the Michigan vs. Ohio State beef, not what’s going on in Boulder.
Things like wins and losses, jimmies and joes, and resumes and records might matter later on in the season. But heading into Labor Day Weekend, college football is all about entertainment, celebrity and starpower.
And maybe it always has been.
Here are the games to watch this week:
Best Game of the Week: No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State
Saturday, 12 p.m. ET — FOX
A rematch of last year’s Cotton Bowl will set the tone for a few narratives this season. The Buckeyes — while seemingly at war with one particular pregame show panelist — are seeking to repeat as national champions. Texas is trying to set the stage for a storybook season with Manning leading the way. The overreactions to this game will be endless, but it should be entertaining.
Game that might have an impact on the College Football Playoff: No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET — ABC
Tigers vs. Tigers. Death Valley vs. Death Valley.
For both LSU and Clemson, both teams expecting to be part of the 12-team College Football Playoff field, this game will serve as a resume point for the remainder of the season. A win for Clemson will further establish its status as a contender this season, while a loss for LSU — another in a season-opener — will only make Brian Kelly’s seat warmer. If the game swings the other way, it just gives the folks who believe the SEC is the best conference more ammunition.
Weird Weeknight Game of the Week: East Carolina at N.C. State
Thursday, 7 p.m. ET — ACC Network
In the same way that some North Carolina fans like to say that N.C. State is not their rival, some Wolfpack fans refuse to recognize the Pirates of Pitt County as a primary adversary. But that is not true. And if you need evidence that N.C. State and ECU really do not like each other, I point you to the 2024 Military Bowl — the last time these two teams played — where a benches-clearing brawl broke out as the Pirates were putting the finishing touches on a victory. Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren is 3-3 all-time against the Pirates, and five of the last eight meetings between N.C. State and East Carolina have been decided by six points or less. N.C. State is favored by about two touchdowns at most online sportsbooks, but expect this one in Raleigh to be a lot closer and full of fireworks.
Awesome Group of Five matchup worth watching: Central Michigan at San Jose State
Friday, 10:30 p.m. ET — FS1
This is the debut for Central Michigan head coach Matt Drinkall who has long been an innovative offensive mind in various levels of the sport. Before working as an offensive assistant on the Army staff in a few different roles for the past six seasons, he installed schemes that piled up yards at NAIA schools like St. Ambrose and Kansas Wesleyan. At West Point, he was mostly tasked with developing the offensive line and creating a more dynamic rushing attack for the Black Knights. Army tried — and failed — to quit leaning on the triple option in 2023, but bounced back in a big way last season when it got back to basics with Drinkall as the co-offensive coordinator, going 12-2 in its first season in the American.
Somewhat ironically, Drinkall’s head coaching debut comes against former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. Last year, in his first season leading San Jose State, Niumatalolo ditched the triple option for a run-and-shoot approach and guided the Spartans to seven wins and a bowl game. Now, Niumatalolo has to figure out how to continue to generate an explosive offense without the nation’s leading pass-catcher, All-American receiver Nick Nash, who has since graduated.
Sickos Guilty Pleasure Game of the Week: Hawaii at Arizona
Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET — HBO Max
The Rainbow Warriors haven’t gotten off to a 2-0 start since 2019, when they won 10 games. That was also the last time they beat multiple autonomy conference opponents in a single season. Hawaii being good and fun and relevant again would be a great thing for college football. Remember 2007?
Georgia Tech at Colorado — Friday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
Auburn at Baylor — Friday, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami — Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
TCU at North Carolina — Monday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
