Getty Lane Kiffin will be closely watched by the college football world in 2026.
The college football season is now just 23 days from officially commencing with contests in week zero.
The first games of the season will be relatively tame as far as ranked matchups are concerned, but that will quickly be remedied.
Below are five of the games that carry the most significance in the College Football Playoff race.
September 12: Ohio State @ Texas<img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6232389" class="size-medium wp-image-6232389" data-lazy-load="" src="https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GettyImages-2232906625.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=300" alt="Manning is seeking to gain revenge on Ohio State" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GettyImages-2232906625.jpg 4893w, https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GettyImages-2232906625.jpg?resize=150, 100 150w, https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GettyImages-2232906625.jpg?resize=300,
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