Here’s a look at five big college football showdowns this upcoming season:
Aug. 30: No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State
Arch Manning against the reigning national champions.
A rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Two championship contenders representing the nation’s two premier conferences meeting in a potential January preview.
What else could you want to kick off the season?
Aug. 30: No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson
Is Clemson back among the nation’s top tier?
We should get an early indication on the first full Saturday of the season.
Three of the previous four years, the Tigers started their year with a dismal loss to a power-conference opponent, a foreboding sign.
Their 34-3 defeat to Georgia to begin the 2024 campaign was particularly eye-opening.
This group has an early opportunity to prove it is different against LSU and Heisman Trophy contender Garrett Nussmeier.
Sept. 27: No. 7 Oregon at No. 2 Penn State
An early opportunity to make a statement in the Big Ten for both programs.
It would be shocking to see either team enter this matchup with a loss, though Oregon will be more battle-tested, facing Oklahoma State and Northwestern the previous two weeks.
This is by far the toughest game on Oregon’s schedule, since it doesn’t have to deal with Ohio State or Michigan during the regular season.
A win in Happy Valley and it’s hard to see the Ducks not repeating as Big Ten champions.
Sept. 27: No. 8 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia
Despite Georgia’s emergence as a national powerhouse over the past decade, Alabama has still owned this rivalry, winning nine of the past 10 meetings.
And, yet, this showdown in Athens feels more important to the Crimson Tide and coach Kalen DeBoer, coming off a disappointing four-loss first year in Tuscaloosa.
A win here would set a strong tenor for his second season.
Nov. 1: No. 2 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State
It’s been nearly a decade since Penn State knocked off Ohio State, and 14 years since it won in Columbus.
But the Nittany Lions enter the season believing they can be the last team standing.
So, maybe, this is finally their time.
Otherwise, coach James Franklin will keep hearing about how small he comes up in big games, as his ugly 3-17 mark against top-10 teams would indicate.
It’s also important for Penn State because it has few opportunities for marquee wins due to Franklin’s typically soft non-conference schedule.
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