Friday night gives college football fans a five-game appetizer before Saturday’s loaded schedule, with three ranked teams in action and the renewed Missouri-Kansas Border War providing the clear headliner. Louisville and Virginia enter as enormous favorites, NC State desperately needs a bounce-back performance, and Rutgers-Boston College could be the most evenly matched game of the night.
No. 23 Missouri at Kansas
The marquee matchup comes from Lawrence, where No. 23 Missouri visits Kansas for the 121st meeting of the Border War. Missouri leads the all-time series 57-55-9 and won last year’s renewal 42-31, but this will be the Tigers’ first trip to Lawrence since 2005. That history alone should make David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium one of the loudest environments of the evening.
Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons opened his season by throwing for 252 yards and four touchdowns against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Kansas presents a much more serious test, particularly with Missouri expected to be without running back Ahmad Hardy. The Jayhawks will look to quarterback Isaiah Marshall, whose mobility and ability to push the ball downfield could challenge a Missouri secondary still developing chemistry.
Rutgers at Boston College
Both teams badly need a win after disappointing openers. Rutgers was stunned 37-21 at home by UMass, while Boston College fell to Cincinnati. The Scarlet Knights struggled with turnovers and defensive breakdowns, while BC at least showed encouraging signs offensively despite losing.
The setting gives this game additional meaning. Boston College will hold its annual Red Bandanna Game, honoring former BC lacrosse player Welles Crowther on the 25th anniversary of September 11. On the field, BC’s narrow three-point favorite status reflects how evenly matched this game appears. Rutgers needs a much cleaner performance and must establish its running game, while Boston College should have opportunities against a defense that allowed UMass to repeatedly create big plays.
No. 24 Louisville vs. Villanova
Louisville has only five days to recover from its exhausting 41-38 loss to No. 9 Ole Miss, but the Cardinals showed plenty of reasons for optimism in Nashville. New quarterback Lincoln Kienholz overcame a slow start to throw for 307 yards and two touchdowns while adding 69 rushing yards. Louisville rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter before losing on a field goal as time expired.
Villanova enters 1-1 and is a respected FCS opponent, but Louisville has overwhelming advantages in size and speed. The Cardinals’ real objective should be eliminating the penalties, coverage mistakes and special-teams errors that cost them against Ole Miss. With SMU waiting next, Jeff Brohm will want a clean performance rather than merely a large margin.
Norfolk State at No. 25 Virginia
Virginia enters the Top 25 after opening its season with an impressive 34-8 victory over NC State, and Friday offers an opportunity to continue building momentum. Norfolk State has already experienced both extremes, crushing Winston-Salem State 56-0 before losing 31-10 at Old Dominion.
The Cavaliers are favored by 46.5 for a reason. Virginia should control the line of scrimmage and have a major depth advantage, but the bigger goal is remaining sharp and healthy before the schedule becomes more difficult.
Richmond at NC State
NC State may be the most interesting heavy favorite of the night because the Wolfpack have something to prove. Their season began with an ugly 34-8 loss at Virginia, where they surrendered 258 rushing yards and possessed the ball for fewer than 22 minutes. Quarterback CJ Bailey now gets a chance to establish rhythm in the home opener.
Richmond should not be completely dismissed. The Spiders are 2-0 after victories over Bucknell and Howard, and freshman receiver Bryce Allen already has 143 receiving yards and three touchdowns. NC State should have the physical advantage, but Richmond is capable enough to expose any lingering problems.
The Friday slate may feature several large spreads, but there are still meaningful storylines everywhere. Louisville and Virginia are trying to validate their rankings, NC State needs to restore confidence, Rutgers and Boston College are fighting to avoid 0-2, and Missouri-Kansas has the history, hostility and competitive balance to deliver the game of the night.