Thanks to the intriguing matchup between No. 11 Oregon and No. 16 Auburn on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC) -- the only Week 1 game featuring two AP-ranked opponents -- there is already lofty significance to this weekend in college football.
And we're not even talking about the playoff.
It starts with the perception of the Pac-12, which has faced heightened criticism after missing the College Football Playoff and finishing below .500 in bowl games each of the past two seasons. After producing a three-loss conference champion last fall, the league could desperately use an Oregon victory to help change the negative narrative.