5 Must-Watch Games on College Football's Opening Weekend

#10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas Longhorns

One of the biggest stories surrounding this game is whether Malik Zaire or DeShone Kizer will be the "starting quarterback" for the Fighting Irish. Head coach Brian Kelly has already said that both will play, but he hasn't indicated which player will be under center for the first snap of the season. If it were up to me, it would be Kizer. But whether it's #8 or #14, Notre Dame's biggest playmaker will be their quarterback.

In a matchup with an ever-improving Texas Longhorns team -- especially on the defensive side of the ball -- the Irish will be forced to make a few plays if they hope to separate enough to secure a win. The current spread (-4) doesn't bode well for that, but you should note that Notre Dame's passing defense gave up fewer than 200 yards per game a year ago, good enough for 27th in the nation.

The same can't be said for a Texas team that allowed 452.6 total yards per contest in Charlie Strong's second season in Austin. As a young group, they have a lot of room for improvement and could be headed in the right direction this season. They'll be out to prove themselves come primetime Saturday.

But even if Texas' defense shows out, they'll have to find a way to better balance their offensive attack. Last year, approximately 61% of their total yards per game came via the ground game, which tells us that whoever is under center -- whether it's senior Tyrone Swoopes or freshman Shane Buechele -- will have to make some throws to keep the Irish from stacking the box on D'Onta Foreman and company.