MIAMI, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will host the Austin Peay Governors in the first game of Week 0, launching the first slate of games for the 2022 college football season.
The teams will kick off at noon EDT Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Ky.
"We've had a good week of practices and guys are ready to roll," Hilltoppers coach Tyson Helton told reporters Friday. "They are excited to play this game."
The Hilltoppers are heavy favorites, despite the off-season departure of quarterback Bailey Zappe.
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Zappe, a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft, broke the NCAA single-season records for touchdown passes (62) and passing yards (5,967) last season.
"They are really talented," Hilltoppers new quarterback Austin Reed said Thursday, when asked about the Governors. "They force a lot of turnovers. They fly around.
"They've got a really good team and a really good secondary. It's going to be really fun for us. We can't take these guys lightly whatsoever."
The first game of the college football season will air on CBS Sports Network. The Governors haven't beaten the Hilltoppers since 1995. The Hilltoppers won the five meetings during that span by an average score of 43-9.
Wide receiver Drae McCray, defensive back Shamari Simmons and defensive lineman Chukwuemeka Manning Jr. are among the Governors' top players. Offensive lineman Quantavious Leslie, wide receiver Daewood Davis and Reed will be among the top Hilltoppers to watch Saturday in Bowling Green.
Another 10 games will follow the Hilltoppers-Governors matchup Saturday. Week 0 typically features a smaller batch of games than the following week, which includes dozens more games and involves Top 25 teams.
Northwestern will host Nebraska in Saturday's second game of the season at 12:30 p.m. on Fox. Nebraska is favored in that Big Ten Conference matchup.
UNLV will face Idaho State at 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. UNLV is a heavy favorite in that matchup at the Las Vegas Raiders' Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
UConn will battle Utah State at 4 p.m. on FS1. UConn is a 27.5-point favorite to win that game. Illinois will host Wyoming at 4 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
Florida State, North Carolina, Hawaii and Vanderbilt are among the other teams that will be in action Saturday as part of Week 0. The full schedule of games is listed below.
Next up
Alabama, the runner-up to national champion Georgia last season, is the No. 1 team in the coaches poll. Junior quarterback Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, leads the top-ranked Crimson Tide.
No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Clemson and No. 5 Notre Dame are among the other Top 5 programs. No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Utah, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 10 Baylor also are among the top teams entering the 2022 season.
Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, No. 15 USC, Texas A&M, Michigan, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, No. 18 Texas and Utah are among the favorites to make this year's College Football Playoff.
Cincinnati made last year's College Football Playoff, but lost several key players to the 2022 NFL Draft, and dropped to No. 22 in the preseason coaches poll.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is the favorite to win this year's Heisman Trophy.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Young, Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary, Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, Texas running back Bijan Robinson and Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs also are among this year's Heisman favorites.
Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers are among other expected Heisman contenders.
Anderson, Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, Stroud, LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, Smith-Njigba and Young also are among the players expected to be selected early on in the 2023 NFL Draft.
No. 11 Oklahoma State and No. 16 Pittsburgh will be the first ranked teams to take the field this season. Oklahoma State will host Central Michigan on at 7 p.m. EDT Thursday in Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys are favored to win that game in FS1.
Pittsburgh will host West Virginia at the same time in Pittsburgh. The Panthers also are favored in that matchup, which will air on ESPN.
No. 19 Wake Forest will be the only other ranked team to play Thursday. The Demon Deacons will host VMI at 7:30 p.m. on ACC Network. Another eight games will air Sept. 2. The bulk of games will be played Sept. 3, when more than 100 teams will compete across the country.
Georgia will battle No. 12 Oregon in the first matchup between ranked teams. That game will kick off at at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3 and air on ABC.
Alabama will start its title defense with a game against Utah State at 7:30 p.m. that night on SEC Network. The top matchup that night will feature Notre Dame and Ohio State. That game will also kick off at 7:30 p.m. and air on ABC.
Week 0 schedule
All times EDT
Saturday
Austin Peay at Western Kentucky at noon on CBSSN
Nebraska at Northwestern at 12:30 p.m. on Fox
Idaho State at UNLV at 3:30 p.m. on CBSSN
UConn at Utah State at 4 p.m. on FS1
Wyoming at Illinois at 4 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Duquesne at Florida State at 5 p.m. on ACC Network
Charlotte at Florida Atlantic at 7 p.m. on CBSSN
Florida A&M at North Carolina at 8:15 p.m. on ACC Network
North Texas at UTEP at 9 p.m. on Stadium
Nevada at New Mexico State at 10 p.m. on ESPN2
Vanderbilt at Hawaii at 10:30 p.m. on CBSSN
