Brothers typically watch out for each other, but they also sometimes compete. So it is on Saturday with college and NFL football, when the two will wrestle for your attention on one of the calendar’s few days the different versions of your favorite sport face one another.
The NFL is wrapping up its preseason with 10 Saturday games, before the regular-season begins Sept. 4. The college football season has begun with five games featuring FBS Division I teams in Week Zero.
And all – college versus pros – are being programmed against each other.
That’s a great opportunity to bring OutKick’s college and pro football senior writers together to discuss which direction your attention should swing – because you definitely don’t want to spend Saturday cleaning out your garage.
So, what you got, Trey Wallace, ‘ol college football expert and outstanding scribe of the college game?
Wallace: College Games Better Than NFL
WALLACE: “The weekend slate is led by a Top-25 showdown between Kansas State and Iowa State, which will take place in Ireland, If I’m being honest, I do not like how the college game has decided to go the NFL route by playing these games overseas, but I won’t complain much, since the backdrop is gorgeous.
“Also, we do get the opportunity to see how Kansas will look this season, with its game against Fresno State, who won’t be a pushover. And while it’s not the ‘Pac-12 After Dark’, I’m intrigued to see how Stanford comes out of the gates against a formidable Hawaii team, considering former Colts QB Andrew Luck helped put together this Cardinal team as the new general manager.
“Oh, and Stanford has an interim head coach this season, which makes this entire ordeal that much crazier.
“I will say this all beats watching the NFL preseason, which is seemingly just four weeks of practice games that mean absolutely nothing besides who will add depth to the roster. Sorry, but you know it’s true, though the gamblers can get their fix before the regular season begins, and the bookie starts calling. So, for that, I guess these practice runs in the NFL are good for something.”
Salguero: NFL Preseason Matters
Wow, Wallace takes a couple of verbal jabs at the NFL there. Nothing like negative campaigning, sir. It’s kind of how the Democrats run for office.
Anyway, what you got, Armando Salguero, wise sage of the NFL, who is getting ready to start covering his 35th NFL season?
SALGUERO: “First, let me say that Trey Wallace is one of the best in the business covering the college game. It is his privilege and honor to work with me.
“Second, this feeble attempt at clicks reminds me of that Saturday Night Live skit – back when the show was good – featuring Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtain. To wit:
“Trey, you ignorant slut, you should know that the NFL preseason may not count, but it definitely matters. This preseason, the Indianapolis Colts settled their QB competition, picking past draft bust quarterback Daniel Jones over current draft bust Anthony Richardson.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws a pass in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Saints Have QB Decision To Finalize
“The final weekend of the preseason will help the New Orleans Saints decide their starting QB derby between Tyler Shough (pronounced shuck) and Spencer Rattler (pronounced unproven).
“And it being the NFL, the action is never limited to the field where one team faces another – not even in the preseason.
“I”ll be interested to see how the respective telecasts handle the strained relationship between Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and edge rusher Micah Parsons. And whether Titans quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle teammate Jeffery Simmons can play nice on the same sideline.”
Look at Salguero plugging his stories from this week. For shame, sir.
Wallace, give us some actual expert analysis, please.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Quarterback Avery Johnson of the Kansas State Wildcats warms up before the Rate Bowl against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Chase Field on December 26, 2024. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
K-State To Score A Lot
WALLACE: “You called me a slut, so now the gloves are coming off. Please continue kissing the NFL’s ass while it tries to end racism with phrases in each end zone. As for Kansas State, if the Wildcats are going to be a serious threat in the Big 12, then QB Avery Johnson has to protect himself when the pocket collapses, and he skirts off on a 20-yard scramble. On the other side, QB Rocco Becht has a chance to catapult Iowa State back into the national conversation under head coach Matt Campbell, who folks continue to sleep on.
“This game has the chance to be an old-fashioned Big 12 offensive showdown, which should have the Irish fans agitated about the lack of opportunities to see the kicker in action.”
SALGUERO: “Weird, the NFL didn’t think I was kissing up when I ripped the league’s new marketing phrasing for Thanksgiving. And did you really type “an old-fashioned Big 12 offensive showdown?” In professional football, that’s called absentee defense.
Give me something tangible. Here’s an example:
Josh Allen will not play for the Bills on Saturday, which means Mike White and Mitch Trubisky will continue to battle for the backup QB job in Buffalo. It’s Trubisky’s job, barring a meltdown.
This will make the first preseason Allen doesn’t play at all.
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Former Stanford Cardinal and former Indianapolis Colts player Andrew Luck sits in the stands against the California Golden Bears in the second quarter at Stanford Maples Pavilion on January 23, 2025. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Stanford An ACC? Also-Ran
WALLACE: “Great, thanks for telling me what’s not happening. Back to Stanford, this season has disaster written all over it for the prestigious ACC squad. Ok, I’m only slightly kidding about the ‘prestigious’ part when putting Stanford in the category on the football field, but being a 2.5-point underdog against Hawaii is not how I expected the Cardinal to open their second season in the ACC.
“And, it might be a depressing flight home, given how quickly the Warriors can score points on offense. But, I still expect this to be an entertaining game, and thankfully it will start at 7 pm ET, so I don’t have to stay up until 3 am to finish this one.”
SALGUERO: “Thank you for reminding me Stanford is in the ATLANTIC COAST conference. Makes a ton of sense. Next you’ll tell me something similarly kooky, like Oregon plays in the Big Ten.
“Anyway, the NFL has one really late game on Saturday — a 10 p.m. ET kickoff between the Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.
“The Cardinals are playing their starters, including quarterback Kyler Murray. The Raiders? Tune in and find out.”
