College football is back. And its Week 1 lineup of games is as good as ever.

Arch Manning will try to deliver a road victory for No. 1 Texas at No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 9 LSU will aim to assert itself as a contender against No. 6 Clemson, in what will be a pivotal game for Brian Kelly. LSU has never won a season opener under Kelly, who’s entering a pressure-packed season. Hype and pressure surround Manning, too.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether Manning or Kelly faces more pressure in Week 1. The alarmists will be ready to pounce. In reality, either Manning or Kelly can recover from an opening loss, but Manning struggling or LSU losing would lay groundwork ripe for hot takes and overreaction.

Later in the episode, the hosts react to the SEC’s decision to add a ninth conference game beginning in 2026 and discuss why this decision helps the SEC in more ways than one, and why it might spur a scheduling change inside the Big Ten, too.

For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered free to your email inbox.

College football is back. And its Week 1 lineup of games is as good as ever.
<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2025/06/30/sec-quarterback-rankings-arch-manning/84242628007/" aria-label="Link Arch Manning">Arch Manning</a> will try to deliver a road victory for No. 1 Texas at No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 9 LSU will aim to assert itself as a contender against No. 6 Clemson, in what will be a pivotal game for <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/01/09/brian-kelly-lsu-football-notre-dame-transfer-portal-rankings/77480446007/" aria-label="Link Brian Kelly">Brian Kelly</a>. LSU has never won a season opener under Kelly, who&rsquo;s entering a pressure-packed season. Hype and pressure surround Manning, too.
On today&rsquo;s episode, hosts <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/staff/2648210001/blake-toppmeyer/" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/staff/2647548001/john-adams/" aria-label="Link John Adams">John Adams</a> debate whether Manning or Kelly faces more pressure in Week 1. The alarmists will be ready to pounce. In reality, either Manning or Kelly can recover from an opening loss, but Manning struggling or LSU losing would lay groundwork ripe for hot takes and overreaction.
Later in the episode, the hosts react to the SEC&rsquo;s decision to add <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/nletter/2025/08/25/sec-football-schedule-nine-conference-games-cfp/85751190007/" aria-label="Link a ninth conference game beginning in 2026">a ninth conference game beginning in 2026</a> and discuss why this decision helps the SEC in more ways than one, and why it might <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/08/21/sec-football-conference-schedule-big-ten/85768207007/" aria-label="Link spur a scheduling change inside the Big Ten">spur a scheduling change inside the Big Ten</a>, too.
For more from Toppmeyer and Adams, <a href="https://profile.tennessean.com/newsletters/sec-unfiltered/" aria-label="Link sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter">sign up for the SEC Unfiltered newsletter</a>, delivered free to your email inbox.

SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.

SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.

SEC Football Unfiltered

Why LSU's Brian Kelly faces more Week 1 pressure than Arch Manning at Texas

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