We made it! College football has finally arrived. Week zero may not be filled with high profile games, but it will give us a good idea of what to expect from some of the top teams in the Mountain West. In this week’s edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,” we are going to preview each of the Mountain West’s four games, while also taking a look at a game that will be held in Ireland.

A Tier (Game of the Week)

Memphis @ UNLV (8:00 pm MT on Fox)

The game every Group of Six fan has circled on their calendar is sure to give us plenty of answers. Both teams have grand dreams of winning their conference and making the College Football Playoff. It is hard to say any week zero game is an elimination game, but this is as close as it gets. Memphis is an interesting team. Like the Rebels, they will be breaking in a new quarterback and have plenty of questions on the defensive side of the ball. The team with the better defense wins this game. This will also be a bit of a measuring stick and a chance at bragging rights for the Rebels. Boise State also plays Memphis in a few weeks.

Hawaii @ Stanford (5:00 pm MT on the ACC Network)

For the second consecutive season, the Rainbow Warriors will open the season against Stanford. Last year’s victory gave us a glimpse of what was to come for the Hawaii football team. A late field goal sealed the win and put the rest of the Mountain West on notice that Hawaii football is back. The Rainbow Warriors are 5.5 point underdogs, a number that seemed odd at first. But this is a statement game for Timmy Chang. His team has struggled to win games on the road, and a win over the Cardinals would go a long way in putting together a successful season.

North Carolina vs. TCU (10:00 am MT on ESPN)

Arguably the most anticipated game of the weekend features two programs that are looking to get back on track. Big things were expected for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels last season and it ended up being a massive disaster. TCU is looking to regain their former status as one of the top teams in the Big 12. The game is being held in Ireland and should have a very unique environment. It is also a game that both teams desperately want to win in hopes of bringing excitement to programs that did not quite live up to expectations last season.

Jacksonville State @ North Dakota State (3:30 MT on CBS Sports Network)

The Bison’s first game in the Mountain West is an intriguing one. Jacksonville State was a solid program last season, but will be traveling to one of the most unique environments in college football when they take on North Dakota State at the Fargodome. I was a little surprised to see the Bison were only seven point favorites in this one. I think they will be looking to make a statement and should win big in their first game as members of the Mountain West.

San Jose State @ USC (1:00 pm on NBC)

This is the only game of the week where the Mountain West team is a massive underdog. Expectations are extremely high for a USC team that has a realistic chance of playing in the College Football Playoff, as they enter the season with a number 14 ranking. This is one of those games where Spartan fans just want to see progress. If they can be competitive against a team with far more talent, they will have reason for optimism this season.

Which week zero game are you looking forward to? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.