What a fortnight it’s been in the wonderful world of Scottish football, with the return of league action providing a welcome tonic following a summer of post-Euros discontent.
And yet, just as things are getting started, we’re taking a break - of sorts - as the Premier Sports Cup takes centre stage.
Holders Rangers welcome St Johnstone to Hampden, just days after Dynamo Kyiv put paid to any ambitions of Champions League football for another year. An early cup exit is simply unthinkable.
Celtic will face Hibernian for the second time in a week, and will be looking to carry on from where they left off having emerged with a 2-0 win from Easter Road.
While on loan last season, Adam Idah scored twice against the Edinburgh side to secure a vital win for the eventual league champions, and the Irishman could get the nod at Celtic Park having completed his permanent move earlier in the week.
Falkirk have got off to a great start in Championship and will look to shoot down Hearts
HIbernian will be seeking revenge after Celtic's league win at Easter Road
Killie's stars celebrate their Tromso heroics ... and Motherwell are next in their sights
Elsewhere, there are six other ties to look forward to over the coming days, with teams up and down the country looking to secure their spot in the quarter-final draw.
Saturday shocks on the cards?
After Hearts’ capitulation at Dens Park last time out, a visit to Championship high-fliers Falkirk probably wasn’t first on manager Steven Naismith’s list of preferred destinations this weekend.
An excellent opening-day performance against Rangers was enough to earn a point in front of their home support, but their dismal defeat to Dundee seven days later was enough to spark serious cause for concern amongst the Tynecastle faithful.
Their mood won’t be helped much should their team slip up again on Saturday afternoon, yet that appears to be a more than realistic prospect given both sides’ respective starts to the season.
John McGlynn’s men went unbeaten as they stormed to the League One title last year, and the feel-good factor shows no sign of disappearing any time soon after making a 100 per cent start to life in the second tier.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn, above left, and his Bairns will savour the visit of Hearts
Dundee have been scoring lots of goals ... and face a similarly high scoring Airdrie side
St Mirren will be desperate to bounce back from Euro exit when they go to Tannadice
If they can keep an out-of-form Lawrence Shankland - and the visiting fans - quiet, then a spot in the last eight looks likely.
Fellow Championship side Queen’s Park also have ambitions of taking a top-flight scalp, but face the daunting task of overcoming a resurgent Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
New Dons manager Jimmy Thelin has made an excellent start since making the switch from Sweden over the summer, and will be confident of making it seven wins from seven against Callum Davidson’s side.
With the sale of Bojan Miovski to Girona now officially completed, it will be interesting to see how Thelin attempts to fill the void.
It will be an almost impossible task to replace the North Macedonian but, as we’ve already seen this season, Aberdeen are capable of spreading the goals around, which could spell trouble for today’s opponents.
League Two side The Spartans welcome Ross County to Ainslie Park, and will be quietly confident of ruffling a few of the Highlanders’ feathers, having already beaten Livingston and Cove Rangers on their way to the last 16.
With County likely to make a number of changes from the side which snatched a last-gasp draw against Dundee United last weekend, there may well be an opportunity for the hosts to take full advantage and keep their surprise cup run going.
Saints and Killie hope to avoid European hangover
Both St Mirren and Kilmarnock return to domestic duty on Sunday after their midweek European exploits.
It was despair for Stephen Robinson’s side in Bergen, as two late goals finally put an end to their Europa Conference League dream.
Their European exertions appeared to take their toll last weekend as they slumped to defeat in Aberdeen and, having given so much without reward on Thursday evening, they will have to find a way to lift themselves or face a similar fate at Tannadice.
Kilmarnock, meanwhile, will be hoping their historic victory against Tromso will prove to be the catalyst they need to kickstart their season.
Derek McInnes’ side have conceded seven without reply in their opening two Premiership games, and have so far looked a million miles away from the team which finished fourth last year to secure a place on the European stage.
Thursday’s display reminded us that, when they get it right, they’re a tough nut to crack.
Their focus for now is back on domestic challenges and they will be targeting a second away win in four days as they travel to Motherwell before attention turns to next week’s glamour play-off tie in Copenhagen.
Dens Park is the place to be for goals
For any neutrals simply looking for some weekend entertainment, then Dens Park might just be the place to be.
Games featuring Dundee and Airdrieonians this season have produced a remarkable 54 goals in total. Given September is still a few weeks away, that’s pretty good going.
With the likes of Simon Murray and Ben Wilson - who have 11 goals between them already - set to lead their respective lines, fans and neutrals alike could be in for a classic in Tayside.