It is that time of year again, when the college football fanatics run out to their local drugstore to pick up their copy of Lindy's, Sporting News', or Athlon's preview of the season that lay ahead. Everything from schedules, to position battles, to coaches on the hot seat are packed into a couple hundred pages, making the common fan itch more and more for that initial kickoff in late August.
While games with no impact on postseason play often lose their luster come week four or five, it is the hostile conference rivalries, or hot non-conference match-ups that really claim the fame of the season.
So, what are we waiting for? Let's take a brief look at the five biggest games on tap for the 2008 college football season.
1. Florida vs. Georgia: November 1, Jacksonville, Florida
Last season. Enough said. After having Georgia celebrate in their faces after the first touchdown of the 2007 game, Florida went on to lose the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party 30-42 and the Capital One Bowl to Michigan. There is no doubt the Bulldogs are the Gators' bait this season. Both teams know what could be at stake in terms of the SEC and the month of January, as the game is later in the season than it normally is.
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2. Ohio State vs. Southern Californina: September 13, Los Angeles, California
There is no limit to what could be at stake during this game and the hype that will accompany it. It is not only championship implications for the teams playing, but because the college football is unfortunately computerized, others' fate could very well hinge on this game. Arguably the two most athletic teams in the land, fundamentals will prevail and a great night of football is in store.
3. Ohio State vs. Illinois: November 15, Champaign, Illinois
Last year, the title game hopes of the Buckeyes were severely hurt because of Juice Williams and crew. The Buckeyes will carry a chip on their shoulder to Champaign this season in an effort to leave no doubt as to where they are in the league. An early season loss to USC could make this a redemption game for the Bucks if they are still in the championship discussion come November.
4. South Florida vs. West Virginia: December 6, Morgantown, West Virginia
Combine the number of starting seasons between Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe and Mountaineers' quarterback Pat White, and the number is seven. South Florida is looking to repeat some of last year's magic, after they were one of the several teams ranked second in the country during the season. Under new coach Bill Stewart and coming off of a twenty point win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, the Mountaineers have a much more favorable schedule than in years past. However, their biggest test will come in this final game of the year when the two preseason Heisman-hyped quarterbacks meet and possibly settle some BCS questions.
5. Michigan at Notre Dame: September 13, South Bend, Indiana
While the odds are very unlikely that no questions will be answered relating to the postseason with the result of this game, an experienced Notre Dame defense will go head to head with what has been touted as a disaster waiting to happen. Former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez could quiet the cynics with a BIG win in South Bend while gaining some momentum for the conference season ahead. The same goes for Notre Dame. Last year after their first win against UCLA on October 6, the Irish took the momentum and used to to beat Stanford and Duke to finish off the year. The Wolverines and Irish will most likely need every win possible to compete for a bowl spot.
With that, let's look forward to some quality college football this season.
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