The college football season has officially started as North Carolina exacted revenge for the way that last season started, picking up a 15-10 win over TCU. Many thought that the game would be a blowout for the Horned Frogs like we saw last season, but a blowout in either direction would indicate that an offense had success.
The first FBS game of the college football season was incredibly sloppy and left a ton to be desired on both sides of the game. Part of that could be blamed on the weather conditions and the game being played in Ireland, but neither team showed a ton to be excited about moving forward.
The "Monster" Big 12 logo is absolutely hideous
One of the storylines heading into this game that no one talked about was that this was a home game for TCU, even as it was a neutral-site game. That meant that for the first time this season, we'd see the Big 12's new partnership with Monster displayed on the field, and it looked absolutely hideous like everyone expected.
First look at the field logo for the Big 12–Monster Energy $20M partnership. pic.twitter.com/fblzoA3ONt
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 29, 2026
On-field advertisements are becoming a popular part of college sports as teams look to continue generating revenue as rosters get more expensive, and for the most part, you don't notice them. The Monster Big 12 logo, however, is impossible to miss, which is great for the brand but awkward to look at.
In fairness to Monster and the Big 12, the sponsorship may have been perfect for everyone watching this matchup. After the first quarter, every fan at home probably needed to reach for a Monster energy drink to stay awake as the teams combined for just 5 points the rest of the game.
The entire season opener was gross between the rain, 3 lost fumbles, the missed field goal, and the snap that sailed over the head of TCU's punter, leading to a safety, and the giant advertisement taking up 10 yards of the field reminding fans of this new money driven era of college sports where every decision (including holding the game in Ireland) is made for the biggest financial benefit.
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