Several interesting matchups await area teams opening the football season this weekend.

The University of South Dakota takes on an FBS opponent as the Coyotes go on the road to meet Kansas State.  USD is trying to bounce back from a 2-10 season while K-State is coming of a 9-4 record but lost several starters to graduation.

Nebraska faces its most challenging season opener in more than a decade when BYU visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

First-year Cornhuskers coach Mike Riley said playing a high-quality opponent gives him an opportunity to learn a lot about his new team.

Iowa State opens by hosting Northern Iowa.

Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads enters his seventh season in Ames under great scrutiny after back-to-back 3-9 and 2-10 seasons; including two straight defeats to FCS opponents on opening day. A third such loss — on a night when the Cyclones will host their largest crowd in school history — could doom Rhoads’ tenure at Iowa State.

Northern Iowa opens 2015 ranked 10th in the FCS and eager to make a long playoff push.

C.J. Beathard has been waiting for his chance to be Iowa’s starting quarterback for years .Beathard will make just his second career start — and his first at Kinnick Stadium  when the Hawkeyes host FCS school Illinois State on Saturday.