In case some of you didn't know, I'm a huge Arizona fan with Notre Dame taking a distant second. While that may affect my judgement in Heisman related conversations and preseason predictions, I know good football when I see it: college football. To save you, the avid fan, the trouble, I'm letting you know which games to watch out for in '08. And Arizona and Notre Dame don't crack the list other than their individual rivalry games. So without further Adieu:
WEEK 1
Saturday August 30:
Though the season starts with a whimper on Thursday, Saturday is college football and it's there that we'll start (sorry to those of you who thought Hofstra at Connecticut were going to excite me). Granted I'll watch Thursday football that week, but won't recommend it to the masses.
Anyway, opening weekend will see a big match-up of Midwest powers. Rose Bowl participant Illinois (if you can call them that, and I love the Illini) will be heading to Missouri to open the season and I'll be watching. Set your calendars, 8:30 ET will be setting stage for the biggest contest of week one.
Also that week Hawaii will visit Florida. This should be closer than the Sugar Bowl of last season...but not much. Let's see if Tucson boy Tyler Graunke can take over for Colt Brennan against the much more powerful Florida team. Also that week, Appalachian State will be at LSU. This won't be close but I'm sick of Appy State getting rammed down our throat since beating Michigan last year. Congrats, anyone could beat Michigan, except my beloved Irish...
WEEK 2
Saturday September 6:
WORST week of the entire season. The "Best" game to watch is between former power Miami and Florida. If you have to miss a week of college football this year, this would be the week to miss.
WEEK 3
Friday, September 12/Saturday, September 13:
A surprisingly decent Friday game with Kansas at South Florida should whet your appetites for the BEST WEEKEND OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL EVER. This weekend has Wisconsin at Fresno State, Georgia at South Carolina (in the definition of a trap game with the Dawgs looking at next week's ASU game) and the capper, at 8:00 PM ET Ohio State heads to USC for the best regular season game in probably 25 years. This will let us see a preview of the postseason. If Ohio State gets blown out they won't be in the BCS championship this year, and if they win, hey will. This is NOT the week to leave town, unless you're going to Southern California and watching the game.
WEEK 4
Saturday September 20:
7 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Nick Martin 10 months ago
No mention of Penn State vs. Oregon State week 2?
Clash of Westside flash and east coast grit, that makes for great football, just ask Michigan last season week 1 and 2
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 10 months ago
Hey Chris, love the the enthusiasm. There are some great games and match ups this year. On those "bad" weeks you mention there's some good stuff that may have slipped through the cracks. That week 5-7 stretch is one of those where it college football like every night of the week and in week 6 oregon plays USC which could be the Pac-10 title game. Also in that stretch is the Alabama-Georgia game and Tennessee-Auburn not to mention Michigan-Wisky. I guess I can't sit here and type every game. :)
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Gabe Simonds 10 months ago
i don't think u gave georgia#1 vs. auburn #7 enough credit
if the rankings are right (which they won't) this will be an amazing game
like the two Mizzou games tho
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Timothy Croley 10 months ago
Chris, I usually don't like to be negative towards writers, but man you've got to go back and look at your schedule's again. I know you will probably say I'm a Bammer and that's the only reason I'm mentioning these first picks, but you completely left of Bama/Clemson in week 1.
I mean GameDay is even going to be there. So ESPN says it is the game of the week, but you give it no love (which I hate ESPN to be honest, but that's for another place and time, so I may not fault you so much on not agreeing with ESPN's decision as to the best game of the week).
Week one also has a game that everyone will be impressed with if they will watch it -Thursday night Troy @ Middle Tennessee
Week two will have Cincinnati vs Oklahoma which will probably be better than most think. Agree though this could be a pretty down week.
You also left off Bama/UGA on Sept. 27. In fact you said there ain't much else besides one game??? What about Auburn/Tennessee? That should be a pretty good game. What about Wisconsin/Michigan? That should also be a pretty good game.
Week six could have included FSU at Miami - always a great game!
Week seven you left off the game that will perhaps determine the ACC - Clemosn @ Wake Forest.
What about UGA and LSU in week nine? What about Penn State @ OSU the same week? What about Bama @ UT - one of the most heated rivals in college football?
Week ten has texas vs Texas Tech.
Week eleven - are you kidding? Saban's first trip back to LSU and you say it will only be interesting if you went to school at Tuscaloosa or Baton Rouge. You've got to be kidding, right? Plus, what about the Bowden Bowl - Clemson and FSU?
In week fourteen, which is Nov 29 by the way, you left of Auburn/Bama possibly the best rivalry in all of college sports! Bama has a chance to end the streak this year, but they don't make your list? What about FSU and Florida? Texas and Texas A&M?
Just wondering where a lot of games are on this list. I could even list more!
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Nick The Only 10 months ago
"This should be closer than the Sugar Bowl of last season...but not much."
I don't see how Hawaii is going to play a closer game against Florida than Georgia. Georgia won by 31 points against a 12-0 team.
Florida is playing a Hawaii team that is a shell of the team that Georgia throttled. Hawaii lost its coach, its starting QB, its top 4 wide receivers, and some other key players.
On the other hand, Florida has the most efficient offense in the nation and has 8 returning starters on defense. Hawaii may put up points, but they will be lucky to make even 1 stop against Florida.
I'd be surprised if Florida doesn't win by more than 40 points.
My guess: Florida 60 something points - Hawaii 17.
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Michael Bergman 10 months ago
Yep, that's pretty much it. Good job man.
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Bob Martin 10 months ago
You overlooked a potential BCS busters matchup on Nov. 22 - BYU and Utah in the Holy War.
If Utah upsets Michigan on Week 1 and BYU does what they're supposed to against Washington and UCLA these two teams will be 11-0 and high up in the rankings come Nov. 22
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