10 Most Anticipated Rematches of the 2015 College Football Season

Even with how much teams and schedules change from year to year, fans can almost always look forward to rematches of big games—shots at revenge or chances to keep bragging rights.

The 2014 college football season provided some of the biggest showdowns and wildest finishes of the last decade. And while we can't point to a rematch of the Ohio State-Alabama semifinal at the Sugar Bowl or another Baylor-Michigan State clash like the one at the Cotton Bowl, many of 2014's regular-season thrillers will be contested again in 2015.

Here are the top 10 rematches on this season's slates. These matchups were chosen and ranked by how they played out in 2014 and what the potential stakes could be for the 2015 rematches. While we don't know for sure just how big some of these games will be until we get to that particular week, preseason polls and predictions can be good guides.

Tell us which rematches you're looking forward to the most in 2015 and what other ones could be potential blockbusters in the comments below.

Honorable Mention

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

USC vs. Notre Dame (Oct. 17): While USC routed the Irish last season in Los Angeles, this could be between a pair of early national title contenders at this point in October.

Ole Miss vs. Auburn (Oct. 31): Ole Miss will be looking to avenge the heartbreak of last season's late loss to Auburn in a big-time Halloween game on the Plains.

LSU vs. Alabama (Nov. 7): This will be the latest matchup in what has been a series of slugfests between these two SEC West powerhouses.

Arizona vs. Arizona State (Nov. 28): With the exception of 2013, the last few battles for the Territorial Cup have been close, dramatic games between these two bitter rivals in the Pac-12 South.

Ohio State vs. Michigan (Nov. 28): Ohio State has won the last three and should be the favorite this season, but this is the first showdown between Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer. Enough said.

10. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

2014: Georgia Tech 30, Georgia 24 (OT)

2015: Nov. 28 (at Georgia Tech)

Over the last decade, "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" could be better described as "Clean, Old-Fashioned Dominance" of Georgia Tech by in-state rival Georgia. But the tide started to turn in 2013 as the Bulldogs needed two overtimes to record their 12th win in the previous 13 years over the Yellow Jackets.

The matchup went into overtime again in 2014, but Georgia Tech was the one to emerge victorious in a game that featured bizarre special teams plays and tons of late drama. Georgia had what looked to be the game-winning touchdown pass with 18 seconds left, but Georgia Tech still found its way into position to kick a 53-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 24.

Georgia Tech's Zach Laskey scored a third rushing touchdown in overtime, and Georgia's Hutson Mason threw an interception to seal a GT win in a game that featured a combined 851 yards and five turnovers.

The last two games in this series have featured free football, and both Georgia and Georgia Tech look to be contenders in their respective conferences for this upcoming season. While the Bulldogs will be looking for revenge, the Yellow Jackets will be looking for their first winning streak against Georgia since 1998-2000. This could be rivalry weekend at its finest yet again.

9. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State

2014: Oklahoma State 38, Oklahoma 35 (OT)

2015: Nov. 28 (at Oklahoma State)

Four of the last five games in the Bedlam Series have been decided by nine points or fewer. This rivalry might not always have national or even conference title stakes, but it's consistently one of the craziest games of the college football calendar.

In the final few minutes of last season's game, Oklahoma State rallied from a 14-point deficit to Oklahoma and tied the game on a stunning 92-yard punt return—after the Sooners elected to rekick off a roughing the kicker penalty—with less than a minute remaining. After Oklahoma missed a field-goal attempt in overtime, Oklahoma State hit its 21-yarder to clinch bowl eligibility and a wild upset.

"While [Oklahoma State quarterback] Mason Rudolph’s performance at Baylor two weeks before provided a glimmer of hope, the Vegas-odds makers and much of the OSU fan base anticipated a blowout," the Oklahoman's Kyle Fredrickson wrote. "And then … Bedlam happened."

This season, Bedlam returns to Oklahoma State, where the last two games have been between ranked rivals, with at least one team in the top 10. But even if this matchup doesn't help determine the Big 12 championship, fans aren't going to want to miss the insanity this series usually brings.

8. UCLA vs. USC

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

2014: UCLA 38, USC 20

2015: Nov. 28 (at USC)

The Pac-12's South division was decided in the state of Arizona last season, but the predicted top two teams in the division for this upcoming campaign can both be found in the city of Los Angeles.

Last year's matchup wasn't as close as the other games on this list, with UCLA notching its third straight victory over USC with an 18-point win in the Rose Bowl. But both teams are potential top-10 squads for 2015 and could be on track for a huge matchup this fall.

"UCLA has had USC’s number during the Mora era and they aren’t about to roll over and let the Trojans take back the victory bell," Reign of Troy's Alicia de Artola wrote. "Though the Bruins lost key figures, they return the bulk of the squad and should at least be challenging for a spot in the Pac-12 title game. It would be no surprise for this game to ultimately decide who will go on to face the north champion in Santa Clara."

Adding to the potential of this rematch is the fact that it's the last game on the regular-season schedule for both teams—the Trojans play Notre Dame earlier this year. The bright lights of Los Angeles will be firmly on this city clash.

7. TCU vs. Oklahoma

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

2014: TCU 37, Oklahoma 33

2015: Nov. 21 (at Oklahoma)

While the preseason anticipation of a Baylor-TCU rematch is already in full swing, the TCU-Oklahoma game could have just as much of an impact in the race for the Big 12.

Last season, it served as a dramatic and early statement win for the Horned Frogs. This season, the rematch will happen six days before TCU hosts Baylor, and Oklahoma will be fresh off its matchup with the Bears. (How great is November shaping up to be in the Big 12?)

The 2014 game saw TCU race out to an early 14-0 lead before Oklahoma rebounded with a flurry of offense that helped send the game into halftime tied at 24. But after the Sooners went ahead with a Samaje Perine touchdown in the third quarter, TCU's defense got nasty and later reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter on a pick-six. Oklahoma's only points of the final frame would come off a score from a blocked PAT as the Horned Frogs held on for the narrow win.

Oklahoma's new Air Raid offense will eye more success against the TCU defense than it had in the second half of last season's game. This rematch could either make the Baylor-TCU game an unofficial title game, or it could give the Sooners a chance at another conference crown.

6. Oregon vs. Michigan State

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

2014: Oregon 46, Michigan State 27

2015: Sept. 12 (at Michigan State)

The lone nonconference game in the top 10 of this list is a huge showdown between two of the most consistent programs of the last decade and a rematch of what was a major win for the Ducks' 2014 season.

The first half of last year's contest in Eugene felt like a role reversal, as the Ducks were held to three 3-and-out drives and Michigan State had two lightning-fast touchdown drives right before the break. Down 27-18 in the third quarter, future Heisman winner Marcus Mariota turned it on for the Oregon offense, which scored four unanswered touchdown to leave the Spartans in the dust.

Michigan State would go on to lose just one more game on its schedule—a game against the other half of January's first CFP national championship. But, this season, the Spartans will be the favorites heading into this Week 2 blockbuster with the advantage of home field and more experience over the Ducks.

Last year's contest set the tone for an Oregon championship run and gave Michigan State an early disappointment to overcome on its path to a New Year's Six bowl. This year's game in East Lansing could have a major impact once again on the trajectory of these two programs and the playoff landscape.

5. Ole Miss vs. Alabama

2014: Ole Miss 23, Alabama 17

2015: Sept. 19 (at Alabama)

Call it the revenge of the Katy Perry Game. This year's game between Alabama and Ole Miss will be a huge early-season SEC West showdown and a rematch of one of 2014's most memorable matchups.

Despite a 14-3 halftime lead and a 17-10 lead with 6:24 left in regulation, Alabama couldn't put away an Ole Miss team determined to knock off a top-ranked opponent for the first time in school history. Bo Wallace hit Vince Sanders with a long strike to tie things up at 17, and Alabama return man Christion Jones' fumble on the ensuing kickoff return setup a Wallace go-ahead touchdown pass to Jaylen Walton.

Alabama blocked the extra point and was just a late touchdown drive away from potentially escaping Oxford with the victory. However, Senquez Golson made an acrobatic interception in the back of the end zone with less than a minute remaining to send Vaught-Hemingway Stadium into a frenzy.

While the loss didn't damage Alabama's SEC or national championship hopes in the long run, the Crimson Tide would still love nothing more than to avenge last season's road loss with a big home win this year. This rematch will be a battle between two great defenses and two offenses with new quarterbacks in charge.

4. Florida State vs. Clemson

2014: Florida State 23, Clemson 17 (OT)

2015: Nov. 7 (at Clemson)

The 2014 matchup between these two ACC powerhouses turned out to be one of the weirdest close games of the entire season. So who else is ready for another round?

With star quarterback Jameis Winston standing on the sidelines for a one-game suspension, Florida State struggled to get any offensive momentum going in this early-season matchup at home. Clemson, who rolled out excellent freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson for the first extended amount of action in his career, couldn't either, and the two sides were locked in a defensive struggle for most of the game.

Watson pushed Clemson ahead 17-10 early in the fourth quarter with a touchdown run, but Florida State backup quarterback Sean Maguire hit Rashad Greene for a 74-yard score with 6:04 remaining. After giving the ball away in great field position near the end of regulation, Clemson was stuffed on 4th-and-short in overtime and watched Florida State's Karlos Williams take a 12-yard carry for the victory. 

This year, these two Atlantic Division rivals will face each other in November. On paper, Clemson looks to have the upper hand heading into the season, and home-field advantage in Death Valley could be the difference between snapping FSU's run of ACC titles or seeing the Seminoles get back to the big stage.

3. Michigan State vs. Ohio State

2014: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 37

2015: Nov. 21 (at Ohio State)

Ohio State stepped into Spartan Stadium in early November looking to avenge its Big Ten championship loss to Michigan State from a year before—one that kept the Buckeyes out of the final BCS National Championship Game.

This time, with Ohio State and Michigan State in the same Big Ten division, the Buckeyes kept their title dreams alive with a road victory. While Michigan State had the advantage for most of the first half, J.T. Barrett and Ohio State tied the game and took the lead with a pair of long passing touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half.

Ohio State held Michigan State to just a field goal in the third quarter and kept the hosts an arm's length away for the rest of the game. The win went a long way in clinching the Big Ten East for Ohio State and solidifying its place in the discussion for the national title it would win two months later.

Both teams are reloaded as title contenders for the 2015 season, and this looks like another division decider on paper. This winner of Nov. 21's matchup in the Horseshoe should have the momentum to win the Big Ten and stake its claim as one of the top four teams in all the land.

2. Alabama vs. Auburn

2014: Alabama 55, Auburn 44

2015: Nov. 28 (at Auburn)

The anticipation for the Iron Bowl inside the state of Alabama reaches extreme levels every season, regardless of Alabama and Auburn's records. But the rest of the college football world tune in every year, as five of the last six winners of this rivalry clash have gone on to win the SEC and had a shot to win the national title.

Last season, the rivalry gave fans a 99-point explosion inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide had already punched its ticket to the SEC Championship Game, and the Tigers were trying to shake off a late-season skid and put a huge dent in their rivals' national title hopes. Auburn opened up a 33-21 lead in the third quarter but couldn't find an answer for Alabama's unstoppable 34-3 run in what was a shootout for the ages.

"Alabama 55, Auburn 44 was the highest-scoring Iron Bowl ever by three touchdowns and change, but it wasn't won by [Gus] Malzahn, the head coach with a reputation as an offensive genius," AL.com's Kevin Scarbinsky wrote. "It was won by [Nick] Saban, the head coach known as a defensive guru."

Few would be surprised if the 2015 rematch between these two teams has SEC and national title implications once again. And, to make things even more dramatic, this year's Iron Bowl will be the first time the game has been played in Auburn since one of the wildest endings in sports history. 

1. Baylor vs. TCU

2014: Baylor 61, TCU 58

2015: Nov. 27 (at TCU)

One of the best new rivalries in college football did more than live up to its hype last October, when it crammed two games worth of offense in one unbelievable comeback victory in Waco.

TCU and Baylor's prolific offenses traded punches until midway through the second half, when the visiting Horned Frogs opened up a 58-37 lead that was capped by a pick-six of Bears quarterback Bryce Petty. But Baylor only needed a few minutes to tie the game. After stopping TCU on a fourth-down play near midfield, Baylor took advantage of a controversial pass interference call and nailed a game-winning, 28-yard field goal as time expired.

The result turned out to be a crucial one for the rest of the 2015 season. Even though Baylor won this game and finished the regular season with the same 11-1 record as TCU, the Big 12 declared both teams co-champions—and the conference was shut out of the College Football Playoff.

That won't happen this year, as the Big 12 changed its tiebreaker rules this offseason. Now toward the end of the season and on a Friday night, the 2015 matchup between these two national title hopefuls has the potential to determine the Big 12 title and perhaps a spot in the four-team playoff.

Justin Ferguson is an on-call college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.