Every Thursday I’ll grace these electronic pages with my “Three by Three” previewing the upcoming week in college football. I’ll look at three things of interest in the Mizzou matchup, the SEC, and the nation as a whole. I’ll also try to touch on some lesser-known things, and not just against Georgia and Ohio State every week, you know?

Missouri vs. Murray State – Thursday, 7:00 p.m. on SECN

Dominant defensive line

When a top team plays an FCS team, there’s not much to watch for in the individual games that set the tone for conference play to come. But you expect a certain level of play, especially from an entire unit, and that’s why I need to see Missouri’s newly formed defensive line absolutely dominate on Thursday. Not just win, not just play well — dominate. With end Darius Robinson in the NFL and three-quarters of the tackle rotation gone, this group will undergo significant restructuring. In particular, I’m curious to see how Corey Batoon utilizes Johnny Walker Jr. and boundary defensive end Joe Moore, who he said will be given more responsibility in coverage. And I’m curious to see the young players like Marquis Gracial, Williams Nwaneri and Jakhai Lang. If the Tigers want to repeat last season’s success, they’ll first have to eliminate the bugs up front on Thursday night.

Replace stars

This game is the official farewell to last year’s club. While last year’s stars will live on forever in your memories and in Mizzou history, they won’t appear on your game schedule. I’m excited to see the new guys get their chance. I think Nate Noel will be a crowd favorite; his explosive running game brings a new element to this offense. I can’t wait to see Marcus Bryant stand up to even the most fearsome pass rushers. I’m excited to see Triston Newson and Khalil Jacobs’ performance as devastation personified at linebacker. And of course, the man with the biggest shoes to fill of all: Blake Craig, who replaces the legendary Thiccer Kicker. We have some familiar stars to cheer for, but I’m excited to see these new guys capture our hearts tonight.

Touchdown Luther Burden

As much as we’re excited to see our new Tigers, let’s be honest – we’re all dying to see the man himself back in action. We’re running out of opportunities to see the best and arguably most important recruit in Mizzou history in a Tiger uniform. Luther’s fame takes the program to a new level and I think the staff will give him some easy opportunities to improve his stats. The main goal is to win games, but it’s also important that Luther puts on a performance in December that gets national recognition. That journey starts tonight and I can’t wait to see what magic he creates when he fills the scoresheet.

In the SEC

Clemson vs. Georgia – Saturday, 11 a.m. on ABC

There are only a handful of really interesting Power Five matchups this week, and four of them are SEC teams. Despite the recent activity of FOX and CBS in the Big Ten, the SEC is still the undisputed leader, with the best game in all three broadcast times. The Mouse wins again.

This game is great, featuring two of the three active coaches to win a national title. (Bonus points if you can name the third one—that’s pretty nifty.) Georgia is obviously loaded with talent, but Clemson’s starting lineup is excellent, too. Tigers defensive tackle Peter Woods is a monster, and he leads a group tasked with slowing down Carson Beck and Co.

Miami vs. Florida – Saturday 2:30 p.m. on ABC

Florida head coach Billy Napier is sitting in a chair that’s getting hotter than an August afternoon kickoff at the Swamp. Unfortunately for him, he’s been dealt a double whammy: a brutal SEC schedule and a non-conference schedule with three in-state rivals. His Gators better get off to a good start against Miami or the rumors will become a full-blown outcry. Miami has laid it all on the table with NIL and the portal and will start Cam Ward at quarterback. One of those two teams and one of those two fan bases is going to be VERY upset come Saturday evening.

Notre Dame at Texas A&M – Saturday, 6:30 p.m. on ABC

Notre Dame’s offensive linemen have been dropping like flies, and the Domers will open the season with players they were planning to redshirt or use as backups. That’s not good news when the first game of the season is against a defense as talented and aggressive as Texas A&M’s. The Aggies will once again look to refute accusations that they’re just talking big. At least they’re now led by a real ball coach in Mike Elko rather than a borderline imposter like late-career Jimbo Fisher. This game will be physical and hard-fought, with two great defenses and two offenses that are, er, let’s say, “still getting their act together.”

Across the country

North Dakota State vs. Colorado – Thursday, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN

This feels like a matchup between a high-flying Colorado team and a brutal, grinding team like the Bison. But Colorado actually played much slower after Pat Shurmer took over as offensive coordinator midseason last year, nearly 17 snaps per game slower. That’s a huge slowdown and something to keep an eye on as the Buffs try to take the wind out of their sails. North Dakota State has cooled off a bit from its dominant peak, but this is still a physical team and an FCS contender. Will they be able to challenge Colorado’s top-heavy squad?

Boise State at Georgia Southern – Saturday 3:00 p.m. on ESPNU

You didn’t think you were going to get out of here without me talking about a Sun Belt team in a good matchup, did you? These two longtime midmajor heavyweights meet under the blazing Georgia sun and promise a high-scoring game. Boise is one of the favorites for the Group of Five playoff spot, but they threw an unexpected twist on everyone by naming unknown Maddux Madson as their starting quarterback instead of former five-star recruit and USC transfer Malachi Nelson. Still, they should be able to score early and often against a generous Georgia Southern defense. This should be an exciting matchup of running games: Boise’s Ashton Jeanty and Georgia Southern’s Jalen White are two of the most underrated tailbacks in the nation.

Boston College vs. Florida State – Monday, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN

I’m intrigued by both sides of this game. I’ll be watching to see if Florida State can bounce back from a bitter Week Zero loss. The Noles have a strong roster, but not a perfect one: The defensive line and backfield are excellent, but the linebackers looked weak in Dublin. The offensive line has experience and the backfield has talent, but the running game was shaky. DJ Uiagalelei made key plays, but also some terrible misses. To compete, this team will need creative coaching and razor-sharp execution to overcome its glaring deficiencies. That comeback begins Monday night against future Mizzou opponent Boston College. Bill O’Brien’s team has just the right recipe to fill those gaps: a dynamic, rushing quarterback in Thomas Castellanos and an experienced defensive front.