College Football 2011: 50 Games Worthy of ESPN "College GameDay" Consideration
ESPN's College GameDay has become a part of most college football fans' Saturday mornings, and on a week-to-week basis, fans wonder where they will head to next. Every week, the crew looks for the marque matchup and heads to campus.
With the 2011 season right around the corner, here is a look at 50 games that will be in the mix for College GameDay's attention.
Week 1: Oregon vs. LSU
1 of 50GameDay has already made the correct choice in Week 1 as they head down to Dallas to watch the game of the week between LSU and Oregon.
While there are other options on the schedule, this game will pit two national title contenders against each other in the opening weekend.
Week 1: Boise State at Georgia
2 of 50The other option in Week 1 would be to head to Atlanta and watch Boise State take on their first big road test in a while. Boise State will bring Heisman candidate Kellen Moore down south with them and could deliver a big blow to Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Week 2: Utah at USC
3 of 50In Week 2, Utah will get their first taste of Pac-12 play and will have to do so on the road against USC.
USC is looking forward to being the conference team that will get to welcome the Utes and show them that this is truly a huge step up for them.
Week 2: Nebraska vs. Fresno State
4 of 50One thing that Fresno State and coach Pat Hill has made clear is they want to take this program from being good to being great. A game against Nebraska will be a chance for them to announce they are taking a step forward.
Week 2: Notre Dame at Michigan
5 of 50Last year the Wolverines pulled off a four-point victory at South Bend and will welcome the Irish to the Big House in 2011. The Irish are looking to return the favor in this historic rivalry.
Week 2: South Carolina at Georgia
6 of 50This could end up being the game that finally ends Mark Richt's time in Georgia. South Carolina comes in with a triple threat on offense and could cause Georgia to start out 0-2.
Week 2: Alabama at Penn State
7 of 50Last year, Penn State came down south and left Alabama with a 24-3 loss. This year, Alabama goes on the road and will be taking on Penn State at Happy Valley.
The home field could help this be a lot more entertaining game.
Week 3: Michigan State at Notre Dame
8 of 50In 2010, the game between Notre Dame and Michigan State was a classic that was decided on a fake field goal in overtime.
In 2011, the game shifts to South Bend, and Michigan State may need to pull out all the stops to win this game.
Week 3: Oklahoma at Florida State
9 of 50Florida State and Oklahoma played against each other last year, and the game did not quite live up to the hype, as Oklahoma blew out FSU.
In 2011, the Sooners head to Florida State, and this will be a game that could pose a serious threat to Oklahoma's title run.
Week 3: Nebraska vs. Washington
10 of 50It doesn't happen too often, but in 2010, the Huskies and Huskers played against each other twice and split the two games, with Washington winning the bowl game.
The game will be played in Lincoln this year, and the Huskers will be looking for a key non-conference victory.
Week 3: Utah at BYU
11 of 50Last year's loss was a heartbreaker for the BYU Cougars; they lost by one point, 17-16.
This year, Utah will be trying to earn a victory on the road.
Week 4: LSU at West Virginia
12 of 50LSU will continue their difficult non-conference schedule when they go on the road to take on West Virginia. While LSU should win this game, it will be quite a scene in Morgantown.
Week 4: Missouri at Oklahoma
13 of 50Last year's game at Missouri saw the Sooners lose their first game of the year.
While the Sooners are poised for a title run in 2011, this is not a game they can afford to look past.
Week 4: Alabama vs. Arkansas
14 of 50This will be the beginning of the SEC schedule for the Crimson Tide, and they will remember that last year's victory was a tough game.
Without Ryan Mallett and on the road in Tuscaloosa, Arkansas will have their backs against the wall in this game.
Week 4: Arizona State vs. USC
15 of 50If last year's game is any indication of what we will see this year, College GameDay will want to be there.
These two teams are the favorites in the Pac-12 South Division, and this game will go a long way to figuring things out.
Week 5: Nebraska at Wisconsin
16 of 50With new quarterback Russell Wilson, Wisconsin will be taking on Nebraska for the first time in conference play. Both of these teams have their eyes on the conference title, and will go back and forth in this game.
Week 5: Alabama at Florida
17 of 50Alabama had no problems taking care of Florida in 2010.
This year, the Crimson Tide head down to Florida to take on the Gators and their new offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis.
Week 5: Michigan State at Ohio State
18 of 50Both of these teams ended the 2010 season as co-champions of the Big Ten, but never played each other.
This year, the Spartans head to Columbus and will take on a depleted Buckeyes squad that could still be adjusting to offseason losses.
Week 6: Texas vs. Oklahoma
19 of 50Oklahoma won the Red River Rivalry last year and will look to make it two straight in 2011.
Texas is looking to rebound after a rough year, and when these two get together, you almost always get an entertaining game.
Week 6: Florida at LSU
20 of 50Florida lost a close home game in 2010 and will have to head to LSU for a night game at Death Valley.
LSU at night is always electric and would be a great stop for the GameDay crew.
Week 6: Miami at Virginia Tech
21 of 50After losing at home, Miami will be hungry to return the favor in 2011. College GameDay may want to consider heading to Blacksburg to see these two go at it.
Week 6: Ohio State at Nebraska
22 of 50With Nebraska now a member of the Big Ten, Ohio State will make their first trip out to Lincoln for a conference game.
If the Buckeyes can find a replacement for Terrelle Pryor, this could be a great game.
Week 6: Arizona State at Utah
23 of 50Utah could still be adjusting to conference play at this point, but they will need to find a way to win this game at home to keep their dreams of playing for the conference championship alive.
Week 7: Michigan at Michigan State
24 of 50No reason needed in this game.
Michigan and Michigan State will be going at it in Week 7, and GameDay should want to be there as the Spartans look to continue their strong play against the Wolverines.
Week 7: Florida at Auburn
25 of 50Auburn will be an interesting team to keep your eye on throughout the 2011 season.
In Week 7, Florida comes to town looking to earn a key road victory in the SEC.
Week 7: Oregon vs. Arizona State
26 of 50Arizona State struggled to take care of the ball and lost to Oregon at home in 2010.
Some think this could be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship, but it will be interesting to see how Arizona State handles the Autzen crowd.
Week 8: Wisconsin at Michigan State
27 of 50Wisconsin will be making their second straight visit to East Lansing to take on the Spartans. This is another game that could go a long way to determining the conference championship.
Week 8: Auburn at LSU
28 of 50Another chance for College GameDay to head down to LSU will be for their game against Auburn.
Both teams could still be in the SEC title hunt or even have their eyes on a bigger prize.
Week 8: USC at Notre Dame
29 of 50The Fighting Irish caught many people off-guard as they went on the road and pulled off a huge victory over USC.
If Notre Dame can defend their home field, we could be seeing the revival of a great rivalry.
Week 9: Stanford at USC
30 of 50As the second half of the season starts to close out, Stanford will be tested, and that begins with a trip to USC. The Cardinal could still be undefeated, and Heisman candidate Andrew Luck will be on display.
Week 9: Wisconsin at Ohio State
31 of 50After taking over the top spot in college football last year, Ohio State was defeated by Wisconsin. This year, the Buckeyes will be more than willing to try and return the favor.
Week 9: Michigan State at Nebraska
32 of 50Michigan State and Nebraska could be the two at the head of the pack in the Legends Division, and this will be a game that could eliminate one of them.
Week 9: Florida at Georgia
33 of 50These two went into overtime, and Florida escaped with a 34-31 victory last year.
Georgia may be under new leadership at this point and could be worthy of a visit from College GameDay.
Week 10: Texas A&M at Oklahoma
34 of 50Oklahoma could still be undefeated at this point and will still have their eyes on the national title.
Last year, the Sooners lost this game and will look to avenge that in 2011.
Week 11: Oregon at Stanford
35 of 50The Ducks and Stanford had College GameDay in town for an early-season game last year.
This year, these two could be playing for the Pac-12 North division crown, and GameDay will want to be there for that.
Week 11: Florida at South Carolina
36 of 50Another option for College GameDay in Week 11 would be this SEC conference game between South Carolina and Florida.
We could be in store for a lot of points in the Spurrier Bowl.
Week 11: Miami at Florida State
37 of 50Most NCAA fans hope for this rivalry to be reborn every year, and 2011 will be no different.
Florida State would be the clear-cut favorite, but you never know what year could be the one to spark this rivalry back to life.
Week 11: TCU at Boise State
38 of 50Usually these two teams battle for positioning in the national rankings to see who can crash the BCS party.
In 2011, they find themselves in the same conference and will have a chance to eliminate the other for the opportunity to head to a BCS game.
Week 12: Oregon vs. USC
39 of 50College GameDay was in Southern California last year for this game and was not disappointed.
In 2011, GameDay could return to one of their favorite spots and cover the game in Eugene.
Week 13: Texas at Texas A&M
40 of 50These two in-state programs will go up against each other in a loaded week of college football.
Texas fans will hope this game has huge implications at this point in the year, and GameDay will be present.
Week 13: Pittsburgh at West Virginia
41 of 50The Backyard Brawl is always an entertaining game, and the Big East hopes this year is no different. This game could be a showcase for a conference that is quickly losing respect.
Week 13: Notre Dame at Stanford
42 of 50Stanford walked into South Bend and left with a comfortable victory.
This year, the Irish will head to Stanford for an end-of-the-year game for the Cardinal. Many storylines, including Andrew Luck and the potential return of the Irish to the BCS, could lead to an appearance by GameDay.
Week 13: Florida State at Florida
43 of 50Week 13 continues to provide many marquee games, including the match between Florida and Florida State.
Regardless of where they are in the rankings, this will be an outstanding game.
Week 13: Ohio State at Michigan
44 of 50This year's game between Michigan and Ohio State will have a very different feel.
The two teams will go at it with new head coaches, and the Wolverines are hoping they can turn the tide in this rivalry.
Week 13: UCLA at USC
45 of 50If Rick Neuheisel is still the head coach of UCLA, a loss in this rivalry game could be the final nail in his coaching career with the Bruins. Neuheisel has promised a change in this rivalry, and now would be the time to see that.
Week 13: Oregon vs. Oregon State
46 of 50The Civil War has seen the Ducks win three straight, and in those games, a berth in the Rose Bowl and National Championship have been on the line.
College GameDay went to this game last year and will certainly give this one a look in Week 13.
Week 13: Alabama at Auburn
47 of 50It is hard to forget about this game from last year as Alabama looked to be cruising to a victory, only to have Auburn turn the tide and earn a much-needed road victory.
Alabama will be itching for a shot at Auburn and would love to return the favor by beating them at home.
Week 13: Ole Miss at Mississippi State
48 of 50Last year, Dan Mullen came out and said he would not lose to Ole Miss ever again.
While the talent may be on his side, he has certainly provided the motivation for the Rebels in 2011.
Week 14: Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
49 of 50When Oklahoma and Oklahoma State faced off last year, it turned into a shootout, and 2011 should be no different. Expect to see College GameDay on site for this game.
Week 15: Army vs. Navy
50 of 50Regardless of what happens on the field, the scene and pageantry that comes along with this game is priceless.
In this game, our national troops put aside their off-the-field duties and do battle for 60 minutes.










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