College football is less than a month away, and with that realization comes pulling out the fall calendar and examining some potential must-watch games to look forward to around the sport.
With hundreds to choose from and plenty of debate, this list has been narrowed down to Power Five games throughout the regular season, with the division title and CFP stakes as the main criteria. Let the conversations commence.
5. Week 8: Wisconsin @ Illinois (Oct. 21)
Illinois has undergone a razor-fast rebuild under coach Bret Bielema, who enters his third season in Champaign.
The Illini had the best scoring defense nationally in 2022 with a hefty ground attack led by running back Chase Brown, who rushed for over 1,000 yards. Combined, they helped propel the Illini to their best season since 2007, finishing 8-5 and taking eventual Big Ten champion, Michigan, to the wire in Ann Arbor last November.
Despite Brown and quarterback Tommy DeVito’s departure. Illinois returns yet another run-heavy offense and a new quarterback, Luke Altmyer, to keep the momentum going. Defensively, Jim Leonard, Wisconsin’s ex-defensive coordinator and interim coach, was named a Senior Analyst for the Illini, making the Week 8 matchup against Luke Fickell and Phil Longo that much more interesting.
With his ties to Madison, Bielema beat his old school 34-10 when Illinois traveled to Camp Randall in 2022 and overtook a Badgers team that had dominated the previous twenty seasons.
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Assuming the Big Ten West is as deep as predictions indicate, fans could very well see a scenario in which the Illini and Badgers are unbeaten or have one loss each, with the winner moving into sole possession of first place in the division.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsCQOx05Uf8
4. Week 4: Ohio State @ Notre Dame (Sept. 23)
Ohio State and Notre Dame are two potential College Football Playoff contenders, and it would be hard-pressed to say that this game is one either team should look past.
Plain and simple, this game could very well define the second year of the Marcus Freeman era, and it could very well come down to Buckeye quarterback Kyle McCord making the first mistake to give the Irish a chance.
If both teams are unbeaten, this game will live up to the hype and much more. And barring the outcome, it could put a wrench in the early top-four College Football Playoff projections.
3. Week 12: Georgia @ Tennessee (Nov. 18)
It’s safe to say that Georgia has a relatively easy schedule in 2023, except for one game that may prove to be a difficult test. That game is none other than their matchup against Tennessee, which likely will determine the winner of the SEC East.
Barring a shocking loss from Georgia, Tennessee has to survive with at most one SEC loss before the game. However, if they can stay clean, the Vols’ opportunity to defeat a Bulldogs team vying for a three-peat in a rocking Neyland Stadium will be a story to watch.
2. Week 10: LSU @ Alabama (Nov. 4)
LSU and Alabama are looking for an encore after last year’s 32-31 overtime slugfest, which saw the Tigers get the home win in emphatic fashion. Chances are, the SEC West will again come down to this game and answer the proverbial question of whether or not Brian Kelly is still the guy to lead LSU to the promised land.
For Alabama, the question it will need to answer is if Nick Saban can still rebound after a rare 10-2 season in Tuscaloosa. Adding to the difficulties of playing in the SEC is the uncertainty at quarterback for the tide. If Alabama wants to put last season aside and win the west again, they have to overcome both obstacles and get by a fiesty LSU first.
1. Week 13: Ohio State @ Michigan (Nov. 25)
The Game needs no introduction, as Jim Harbaugh will look for his third-straight win against Ryan Day as Michigan-Ohio State returns to Ann Arbor with a lot of bad blood at stake.
Expect this game to come down to the final seconds with J.J McCarthy or Kyle McCord having the ball last with a chance to win. Or, maybe it could be a replication of last year’s double-digit margin of victory. And it would be fitting if both were undefeated because why not, right?
And, of course, the game will more than likely have playoff implications, and the winner will likely also end up in Indianapolis in the Big Ten title game.
The new season kicks off Aug. 26, with Big Ten games scheduled to begin Aug. 31 when Nebraska travels to Minnesota for a Thursday night tilt.
