Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes secondary coach Tim Walton talks to cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium.

It is finally here.

The start of the college football season happened last weekend, but the first big weekend starts on Thursday with 17 games on the schedule. The Big Ten had no teams play in Week 0, but will have four teams hitting the field on Thursday in the first game of their season. The first full weekend of college football will bring us some great games, and a Big Ten/SEC matchup will headline it.

The first weekend brings the optimism of every fan base that this is the year they finally break through. Whether it be a national championship or just making a bowl game, the first game always brings excitement for the school and its fans.

The first weekend is here, and before we get to Thursday, we'll take a look at the top games in the Big Ten and put one team on upset alert.

Nebraska vs Cincinnati - Thursday at 9 p.m. ET

This is the best game of four on Thursday night for the Big Ten and should be a good test for a Nebraska team that many are expecting to make a jump up the conference standings this year. The game will be played at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Cornhuskers should still have a bit of a home-field advantage. The Cornhuskers return quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is coming off a freshman year in which he threw for 2,819 yards and 13 touchdowns. He did throw 11 interceptions, though. He has modeled his game after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, so he will be trying to conjure up his magic. He will be looking to take care of a Bearcats team that lost its last five games last year after going 5-2 over its first seven.

Northwestern at Tulane - Saturday 12 p.m. ET

The Wildcats are coming off a 4-8 season in which they lost five of their last six games. It was the second season under head coach David Braun, who took over for Pat Fitzgerald. Braun had a successful first year, but struggled in 2024. The Wildcats will get tested in this first game, as Tulane has become one of the best Group of Five teams in the country over the last couple of years. It is by far the toughest non-conference game for the Wildcats, and they need to find a way to win if they want to have a realistic shot at making a bowl game this year.

Utah at UCLA - Saturday 11:00 p.m. ET

UCLA has a new quarterback in Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava, and they are hoping he can help turn things around. The Bruins did play better in the second half of the season in 2024, as they won four of their last six games, but they went just 1-5 in their first six. It was not a good first year in the Big Ten for the Bruins. Saturday, they get a former conference foe in Utah and could really turn some heads if they can pick up a big home win.

Texas at Ohio State - Saturday 12 p.m. ET

This is by far the biggest game in the Big Ten and one of the biggest in the whole country. Texas is ranked No. 1, while Ohio State is No. 2. The Longhorns are handing the reins over to Arch Manning, and the Buckeyes are breaking in Julian Sayin at quarterback after Will Howard graduated. Neither team has to win this game to make the playoffs, but the winner will have a much easier path. The two teams both have tough schedules in their respective conferences, and getting a win of this magnitude early could go a long way in paving the way for the rest of the season. The Buckeys are a slight favorite at home, but this game truly looks like a toss-up.

Upset Alert - Michigan State

The Spartans are trying to prove that they can compete in the Big Ten, but they first need to make sure they win their non-conference games. They play Western Michigan on Saturday and are a huge favorite, but we have seen MAC schools come to town and upset the Big Ten. The Broncos are no strangers to playing Big Ten teams, as they battled both Wisconsin and Ohio State last season. They were blown out by the Buckeyes, but led the Badgers 14-13 early in the fourth quarter. They would go on to lose the game 28-14, but were in a position to pull off the upset. They are a big underdog on Saturday, but don't be surprised if they shock the Spartans.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Breaking down the top Big Ten games in Week 1

Reporting by Adam Childs, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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