By Matthew Miller — Sports Staffer
Big Ten – USC VS Penn State Oct. 10, Week six
After firing James Franklin mid-season, Penn State went into the off-season looking for a new coach to lead them to glory. The hiring of Matt Campbell marked the start of that change.
On the other side, USC brought back the most starters of any team in college football. After four seasons without a College Football Playoff appearance, Lincoln Riley finds himself on somewhat of a hot seat going into the season. Unfortunately for him they play Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon. Playing the three highest-ranked reams in the preseason poll is a recipe for a historic season or just another let down.
Penn State avoids all three of the top teams. They play Michigan, Washington, and USC. With Ohio State playing both Indiana and Oregon, at least two of the top three teams will have one loss. This gives a different team the opportunity to go undefeated and sneak into the Big 10 conference championship.
This game — the White Out game, is gearing up to set the tone for Matt Campbell’s tenure at Penn State. It can also possibly give them a chance to go undefeated and get into not only their championship game but also the College Football Playoff if they win. With a USC win, it will more than likely mean that the championship game is between two of the top three best teams in the conference. Giving fans an instant classic anyway.
Big 12 — BYU vs. Utah Nov 7, Week 10
It is the Holy War folks. One of the best rivalries in all college football. Dating back to 1896, these two teams absolutely hate each other. BYU won the last three by a total of 13 points with the last two games by a total of four.
Utah comes into the season ranked 21st with a new head coach hungry to make a run in a Big 12 conference that only has four contenders. BYU comes off a season where they lost in the championship game. They kept their coach and most of their offense including their star QB Bear Bachmeier.
This marks the last head-to-head game between the four contenders, so both BYU and Utah will know what is at stake.
Texas Tech avoids everyone, but Houston gives them an easy path to the championship game once again.
Meanwhile, Utah plays Houston on October 24, and BYU only has to worry about their out-of-conference match against Notre Dame. The winner of this game can find themselves playing Texas Tech or Houston if they exceed expectations in the championship game on December 4.
SEC — Texas vs. LSU Nov 14, Week 11
The impact of this game is a shot in the dark, but that is how the SEC works.
The Big 10 has seven ranked teams, but only four or five that have a real shot at the championship. The Big 12 and ACC each have four ranked teams, with only two or three looking like real contenders. The SEC, however, has nine ranked teams, and all nine — maybe only eight should be considered real contenders. Georgia looks like a buzzsaw and will probably go undefeated. Texas A&M has a gauntlet of a schedule and could easily go 11-1 or 10-2. Alabama and Tennessee both have hard years and would need to win multiple games as underdogs but could get to 10 wins. Ole Miss and Missouri both have brutal schedules and would be lucky to win more than eight games.
That leaves LSU and Texas. LSU had the craziest off-season maybe of all time, and Texas looks to develop a quarterback with the blood of legends. Lucky for us, they play each other. A Week 13 matchup that has the potential to be cinema.
Texas will have already played Tennessee, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Missouri, with A&M still to come. LSU will have been tested by Ole Miss, A&M, and Alabama, while Tennessee waits in the wind.
If both teams can get through those games with one loss each, this game will decide who plays in Atlanta for the coveted SEC championship trophy.
ACC — Virginia vs. SMU Oct 17, Week seven
The ACC has become an outlier among its fellow Power Four conferences. Comparatively, the ACC has one team at the top and two to three teams that might give people trouble come bowl season. Meanwhile every other conference has at least two teams that could be contenders in other conferences.
However, this is college sports, and chaos and upsets are the name of the game. With Miami boasting an easy schedule outside their non-conference game against Notre Dame, that second spot in the championship game in Charlotte is up for grabs.
SMU looks to get back to the playoffs after their run in 2024. Virginia is looking to avenge their loss in the championship last year. Meanwhile, Louisville is trying to sneak in — dealing with a harder conference schedule and a Week one loss to Ole Miss.
Virgina, who already has a conference win against NC State looks to this Week 7 away game to strengthen their path to Charlotte. SMU, who will have already played Louisville, looks to defend their turf and get their shot at the ACC top dawg Miami in Charlotte.
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