NFL football is officially back. The NFL opens its season tonight, on a Wednesday for the first time since 2012, and it does it with a rematch. The Patriots head to Seattle after the Seahawks beat them 29-13 in last year’s Super Bowl.

In college football we have another season opener rematch. No. 1 Ohio State travels to No. 4 Texas on Saturday night, the third straight year these two have opened against each other, and the first two both went the Buckeyes' way.

Elsewhere, the NFL plays its first regular season game in Australia, Harbaugh debuts with the Giants on Sunday night, and the US Open crowns champions this weekend.

The stakes: The NFL is back and we get a Super Bowl rematch to open the season. Seattle beat New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX back in February, and now the Patriots come to Seattle for the opener. New England got Drake Maye new weapons this offseason headlined by adding A.J. Brown, who's posted 1,000-plus yards in six of his seven pro seasons. Brown is also reunited with coach Mike Vrabel, the coach who drafted him in Tennessee to begin his career.

Seattle looks a bit different than the team that won it all last season. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III left in free agency, backup running back Zach Charbonnet is still out recovering from a torn ACL, and the run game now falls to rookie Jadarian Price. They also lost top offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak who took the Raiders head coach job.

What to watch for: A.J. Brown against a thinner Seattle secondary. The Seahawks had the NFL's best scoring defense last season at 17.2 points allowed per game, but one of their top corners, Riq Woolen, is in Philadelphia now and star safety Nick Emmanwori has been limited with an ankle issue. Overall the secondary has been banged up through camp. With better weapons and a Seattle secondary short a starter and playing hurt, the Patriots should move the ball more easily this time around.

Skin in the Game: Back the Patriots +3. New England will want to put on a better showing following the Super Bowl loss and they’ve upgraded weapons around Drake Maye. They're also catching Seattle in a vulnerable spot here. A new play-caller, a rookie starting at running back, and a secondary that isn't at full strength. Take the points in a better effort from the Patriots. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

The stakes: This is the marquee matchup of the college football season so far and some view this as the game of the year. No. 1 Ohio State goes to Austin to face No. 4 Texas. The Buckeyes have won both previous meetings, 28-14 in the 2024 Cotton Bowl and 14-7 in Columbus last year.

The matchup features three Heisman candidates and arguably the best players in college football. Arch Manning has the third-best Heisman odds, Julian Sayin the fifth, and Jeremiah Smith is arguably the best player in the sport at any position.

It also matters well beyond Saturday night. Both teams have championship aspirations and brutal schedules ahead, which means a September loss here could be the one that decides who's in the playoff come December.

What to watch for: The passing game on both sides will decide this one. For Ohio State, it starts with Jeremiah Smith, who opened the year with 8 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Texas held him in check last September, and it was a big reason the Buckeyes managed only 14 points.

Texas should have an easier time moving the ball this time around. Ohio State's defense returns just three starters after a wave of draft departures, and it's facing a much-improved Arch Manning, who now has a new weapon in Cam Coleman, the Auburn transfer widely considered the top receiver in the portal.

Skin in the Game: Back Texas -1.5. Manning looks like a genuinely improved quarterback, he's got a better supporting cast around him, and he's at home. Ohio State's defense was the reason the last two meetings went their way, and that unit lost most of its starters. Take the Longhorns to finally get one. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

49ers vs. Rams | Thursday, 8:35 PM (Netflix): The NFL plays its first regular season game ever in Australia, with both teams heading to Melbourne. Each team’s travel plans have become the main storyline of this game. San Francisco got to Australia last week to help acclimate, while the Rams plan to arrive a day before kickoff. A 20-hour flight and a full day of time-zone adjustment is a real factor in a division game between two teams expected to contend.

Cowboys at Giants | Sunday, 8:20 PM (NBC): John Harbaugh's Giants debut on Sunday Night Football, after 18 seasons in Baltimore. He inherits a team that badly needed credibility, and he opens against a Dallas squad with a much-improved defense that many are expecting to be Super Bowl contenders this season.

US Open Semifinals and Finals | Friday-Sunday (ESPN/ABC): Ben Shelton stunned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five set thriller that ended at 3:30 am this morning. That sets up an all-American semifinal against Frances Tiafoe, which guarantees an American man will play for the title Sunday. No American has won here since Andy Roddick in 2003. Alexander Zverev is now the favorite on the other side of the draw.

On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is chasing a third straight title after grinding past Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková in three sets. Coco Gauff is the biggest threat to stop her, rolling through the draw without much trouble so far.

Must-watch:

Worth tuning in:

— Zach Blumenstein

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