The 15 Potential Biggest Recruiting Weekends of the 2012 College Football Season

Since this season is already off to a great start, there figure to be some highly significant games coming up later on in the season. With significant games with huge championship and rivalry implications also come a great time to impress recruits.

Why not bring a large group of prospects to campus for a huge game that weekend, showing off your campus and game-day atmosphere? Well, that's what many programs do, and in this piece, I'm going to give you 15 potentially huge recruiting weekends coming up.

Recruiting visits and big weekends are crucial in college football recruiting so that coaches can have the challenge of coaching the team to victory while selling the program to a recruit, all in the same weekend. It's a challenge, but it's a fun and great tool in recruiting.

Tennessee Hosting Florida on September 15th

Both of these programs want to get back to owning the SEC, and this has been a neat rivalry for quite sometime. Tennessee will come into the game looking to impress recruits and other programs by showing growth under Derek Dooley.

RB Derrick Henry, a 5-star recruit, (Scout.com) will be at the game and will be looking closely at how the Vols play in person. With his decision date coming in only a matter of weeks, Knoxville needs to be jumping, and the Vols need a win.

Michigan State Hosting Notre Dame on September 15th

This is a big weekend for Sparty as MSU has double duty. First, it has to remain focused on beating a confident Notre Dame squad, but it also has to to show 5-star DT Montravius Adams a ton of love.

Michigan State is a dark horse for the stellar DT prospect from Georgia, and a solid showing could keep its chances alive. Other prospects will be at this game, but none are of the same caliber and importance to Michigan State than Adams. 

Auburn Hosting LSU on September 22nd

The Tigers are known for going big with recruiting visits, for if they are confident when a recruit sees their campus, they will be impressed. The LSU game later on this month would be a good time to arrange a large weekend.

Why not let this be the weekend that you bring in studs like RB Derrick Green and DT Montravius Adams to see a lathered up game-day atmosphere? With LSU being a SEC rival, Auburn will be insane, and it could seal the deal with both big-time talents. 

Notre Dame Hosting Michigan on September 22nd

The Irish and Wolverines share a rich and tradition-filled rivalry that is always a joy to see unfold on the field. This year the game will be in South Bend, and it gives the Irish a good chance to show off their campus and host a large number of recruits.

Scout.com shows that top level prospects like DB Priest Willis, CB Johnny Johnson and CB L.J. Moore, will be there to visit this weekend. 

Florida Hosting LSU on October 6th

The Gators have their eye on a few more prospects before they wrap up their 2013 recruiting campaign. They host the mighty Tigers at The Swamp in early October, and this could be a good weekend to bring some kids in.

If I'm Will Muschamp, I would ask OT Laremy Tunsil to drive over to visit while also telling WRs Stacy Coley and Laquon Treadwell to stick with Kelvin Taylor all weekend.

Washington Hosting USC on October 13th

Steve Sarkisian beat USC once in Seattle and I'm sure that he feels that he can do it again this year. Don't be shocked to hear that U-Dub is hosting a slew of prospects for this game during this weekend.

With a class that is squeezing for a top 25 finish, the Huskies could bring in Troy Williams, Elijah Qualls and Darrell Daniels for visits to see this game. 

Texas A&M Hosting LSU on October 20th

Kevin Sumlin already has shown that he knows that he isn't at Houston anymore. The new Aggie coach held together last year's class down the stretch and has a top 10 pace right now on the trail.

When the Aggies host LSU in late October, he could choose this as the weekend that he asks WR/TE Ricky Seals-Jones to come over to College Station. With LSU in town, an already jaw-dropping atmosphere will definitely be taken up to a new level.

DT Justin Manning and QB Kohl Stewart could also be on hand at this game too.  

Miami Hosting Florida State on October 20th

Miami is doing all it can to keep OLB Matthew Thomas home, but right now I expect him to leave. A talented defender, Thomas will likely feel local pressure to stick around and play for Al Golden.

An official visit could occur and this may indeed be the weekend that Golden hosts Thomas in Coral Gables. DT Jaynard Bostwick could also be at Miami this weekend. 

USC Hosting Oregon on November 3rd

The Trojans shocked everyone but themselves last year by beating the Ducks in Eugene. This year, look for them to have a big recruiting weekend when they host Oregon in early November.

Sure, they can't sign many more recruits, but USC won't stop recruiting. They'll bring in their commits for this year along with prospects like perhaps Tahaan Goodman, Matthew Thomas and Alquadin Muhammad.

Also look for several top 2014 prospects to be at this game. 

LSU Hosting Alabama on November 3rd

Baton Rouge will be burning up when the Tide rolls into town, as this rivalry is one of the strongest in the country. We all know what happened both times last year, and the BCS bowl game berth could already be on the line in this regular season game.

LSU will be likely have recruits there such as DE Tim Williams, CB Priest Willis and ATH Kendell Beckwith. So this game will have implications for the SEC title and the national championship and on the recruiting trail.

UCLA Hosting USC on November 17th

The Bruins are off to a 2-0 start and have growing confidence under Jim Mora Jr. QB Brett Hundley looks like he has star potential and the new defensive scheme is being installed well.

UCLA also is recruiting exponentially better than it has in recent years, and the USC game will be huge for the school. It would not make any sense not to have a big recruiting weekend for the USC game, so look for Mora and his staff to roll out the red carpet that week. 

Florida State Hosting Florida on November 24th

The Seminoles and Gators always get nasty when they play each other, and it's always a huge weekend for the hosting team.

This year's annual contest will take place in Tallahassee so Jimbo Fisher has his turn to host. Recruits will be on the 'Nole sidelines, but many of them will also be looking at the Gators too. 

Prospects like OLB Matthew Thomas, RB Greg Bryant and WR Stacy Coley could be there.

Clemson Hosting South Carolina on November 24th

The Tigers have stepped up their recruiting game under Dabo Swinney and have upgraded their talent. They can't stop now, and hosting a big weekend for recruits against their arch rival would be a good move.

With the Gamecocks coming to town, the Palmetto Bowl will commence. These two don't like each other and that means that Clemson's campus will be buzzing all week.

This could be a good weekend to have Robert Nkemdiche and his family visit to show the great atmosphere, fanbase and campus. 

Alabama Hosting Auburn on November 24th

There are two prospective names for Alabama that could be in attendance this weekend. So let's just say that Nick Saban could circle this day as his main "do it big" in-season recruiting weekend.

The Iron Bowl has an intense rivalry. It's always a big game and recruits are always in the house, be it at Auburn or in Tuscaloosa. This year should be no different, and this should be one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the season.

Ohio State Hosting Michigan on November 24th

Urban Meyer will get his first personal taste of the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry game in late November. As one of the most shrewd recruiters in the modern era, Meyer could have some tricks up his sleeve for this game.

He wants to beat Michigan, of course, but Meyer will also have some recruiting surprises in store when he hosts Brady Hoke's program.  DB Vonn Bell, OT Dorian Johnson, WR Robert Foster and LB Mike Mitchell could just be at the tip of the iceberg of recruits at this one.

Edwin Weathersby has worked in scouting/player personnel departments for three professional football teams, including the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena League. He spent a year evaluating prep prospects & writing specific recruiting and scouting content articles for Student Sports Football (now ESPN Rise-HS). A syndicated scout and writer, he's also contributed to WeAreSC.com, GatorBait.net and Diamonds in the Rough Inc., a College Football and NFL Draft magazine.