At long last football is here. Not previously recorded football on ESPN Classic or the upper level Fox sports channels, or practice football where NFL veterans don’t want to play and rookies want to make a team, but real, live, honest-to-goodness competitive football.

The college football season kicked off Thursday night with No. 9 South Carolina rallying to avoid an early upset. The college game will now consume my life and I embrace its return. No more Honey Boo Boo Child. No more watching people embarrass themselves in front of celebrity judges. Football is here.

I like watching it and talking about it, so let’s talk about it. Every week I’ll share “The Best Games of the Week.” The University of Texas Longhorns run my life, but there are 119 other Division I football teams.

Since Texas is a big game every week to me, I’ll only include them if it’s a big game to anyone else. Feel free to disagree/agree/nominate your own games.

This is for entertainment purposes only. Do not use this for betting guidance for one simple reason: I am an idiot.

Saturday, Sept. 1

No. 14 Clemson Tigers vs. No. 25 Auburn Tigers: 6 p.m. on ESPN

Chick-fil-A for everyone! The Georgia Dome hosts this Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. This is going to be a very interesting game: Clemson superstar Sammy Watkins is out (suspended for an offseason arrest) and Auburn has new coordinators on offense and defense.

And it’s Tigers vs. Tigers? That’s crazy!

I like the offensive line for Auburn, and the next time an ACC team shows up in a big game will be the first. Clemson should win, but I think War Eagle runs the ball well and takes control of the game, despite a big day from Tajh Boyd.

Auburn 30, Clemson 24. I just don’t trust you, ACC. Prove me wrong.

No. 8 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide: 7 p.m. on ABC

I am openly rooting for Michigan for several reasons. First, I am done with the SEC. A mixture of too much hype, too much publicity, plus jealousy and bitterness from the 2010 Rose Bowl all combined to form an anti-SEC attitude in me.

Second, Nick Saban. Do I really need to expound on that?

Third: I love this Michigan team. They have Brady Belushi Hoke, Denard Robinson, those jerseys with the Big “M” on them. It would be super if they could win this game . . .

But they won’t. Too much speed, too much talent and too much Saban for the Maize and Blue. There should be a fast field in this Cowboys Stadium showcase and Denard Robinson will make some plays, but I think that 'Bama defense, despite all the new faces, will also make plays.

Roll Tide grinds it out, 28-17.

Worst Game of the Week

Savannah State Tigers at No. 19 Oklahoma State Cowboys: 6 p.m.

I hate it when Division I teams play I-AA teams (or FCS teams as they're politically correctly dubbed today). It isn’t fair. They don’t have the same number of scholarships (63 to 85) and they don’t have the same talent or resources.

In short, it’s dumb and it shouldn’t be allowed to happen, and a win over an FCS school shouldn't count toward earning a bowl berth under any circumstances.

The simple fact that a Top 25 team is playing an FCS school makes it the worst game of the week. (I'm not just talking about Oklahoma State. All teams playing below their division should be ashamed of themselves.)

However, Oklahoma State is breaking in a new quarterback and coach Mike Gundy will want the world to see that the reigning Big 12 champs have not fallen off much. This is going to be ugly and it will happen quickly.

Hope the check was worth it, Tigers.