53. 61. But otherwise 50. Here are 25 games we can't wait to see this season that will undoubtedly come with conference championship and College Football Playoff implications. What is Ole Miss' Most Important SEC Matchup in 2023? ", Everything current-day offensive coordinators are attempting to do, mixing formations and tempos to create mismatches, the 2008 Sooners did in droves. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. Oklahoma controlled the first half, but Florida made two goal-line stands -- a fourth-down stop and a deflected interception -- to buy itself time. The return of college football is more than just a game; it's a celebration of unity, camaraderie, and sheer joy. With players like Jefferson and Sanders on the opposite side of the field, Jaxson Dart and Quinshon Judkins will need to be on their A-game. Steely Dans Countdown to Ecstasy at 50, PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists, PopMatters Seeks Television Critics and Essayists. A vital game for both programs, Florida State badly needs a marquee victory underMike Norvelland this might be the best shot the Seminoles are going to get vs. the Tigers with a first-year coach inBrian Kelly. ET) Why: Remember how incredible this game was last year?Both teams should enter the season ranked in the top-ten, and the fact . 29. The upcoming campaign could be one of college football's most memorable in a long time, especially if the College Football Playoff race or at least how it's perceived is derailedin September with several appetizing early-season showdowns. Turnover Margin The Cougars play five miles from their campus, against an outmanned team. KU won 57-56 in overtime, signaling a new era for the Jayhawks. How will they be received? 101. In those seven Northeast states, fewer than 4. The Sports Illustrated cover that week read, "Mizzou, that's who. A&M would go on to win 11 games, and Manziel would become the first freshman to win the Heisman. Feed Judkins and keep the ball out of Jefferson's hands. Miami at Clemson in November could be a precursor of sorts to another matchup two weeks later when the champions of each division meet in the ACC title game. With a blue-chip quarterback (Graham Harrell) and the best receiver in college football (Michael Crabtree), the Red Raiders began 2008 10-0, thanks in part to this classic. When: Nov. 4Why:I really cannot get over how many great games 2022 had. 71. BYU at West Virginia, Nov. 4: From the Wasatch Mountains (Rockies) to the Alleghenys (Appalachians). Two decades later, Rodriguez and Graham would coach against each other again, as rivals at Arizona and Arizona State. These are the teams picked at the top of the conference, and if that proves true, this could be a game of national significance. Perhaps you prefer the symbolism of Big 12 transplant Missouri reaching the SEC title game, and nearly the BCS Championship, in its second season in the league. The offense he left behind, now coordinated by Mark Mangino (and a smidge more balanced), continued to roll. The Huskies will hope their game against Oregon at Husky Stadium on Oct. 14 isnt season-defining because of how early it is (game No. Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. The preseason favorites in the Big Ten's two respective divisions, Wisconsin has a point to prove after failing to reach the conference championship game last fall, much like Ohio State, following that memorable loss at Michigan. Outside Linebacker (Defense) 12. Such behavior may simply be kids being kids, but since college players are less experienced than pros, theyre more susceptible to being affected by the raucous atmosphere at road games. Soon-to-be Heisman finalist Chase Daniel completed 40 of 49 passes and Mizzou took a 28-7 lead into the fourth quarter before weathering a late charge. Iowa State at Ohio, Sept. 16: The Cyclones put themselves at risk with these Mid-American Conference road trips. 76. 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OU vs. Texas in Dallas, Oct. 7: The Big 12 would like nothing better than for neither of these teams to make it to Arlington, and after this game, we'll know more about the feasibility of that dream. 1 teams in the College Football Playoff. With a manageable schedule before this one, the Ducks should have a chance to move to 6-0 here with four of six games at home the rest of the way (including against USC). The run game is what keeps Lane Kiffin's offense moving, and if the Razorbacks can stifle Ole Miss' runners, victory will not be far behind. That's a game the Tigers really, really need to win. BYU at Kansas, Sept. 23: The Cougars Big 12 opener comes in Lawrence, which forever was a football ghost town but now wont be easy. Last year, it was a blowout in Athens, but this time Tennessee will have home-field advantage against the Dawgs. The seismic opener gives fans of both teams a chance to see significant changes in both starting lineups, notably Oregon's first game with Auburn transferBo Nixat quarterback and Georgia's wide-scale changes defensively following record-setting NFL Draft depletion. The Nittany Lions' only win over the Buckeyes since the 2012 season came in 2016 at home with that memorable finish. 34. Equally important for Clemson, College Football Playoff hopes diminish greatly for the Tigers with a loss in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Central Florida at Cincinnati, Nov. 4: Will this become a rivalry from American Conference days? One of the ACC's top games of the year, Wake Forest controls its own destiny the rest of the way if the Demon Deacons are able to take out Clemson at home early. And in the SEC and Big Ten, getting through the weekly meat-grinder in those conferences littered with nationally-ranked teams as the last program standing will be a notable feat. 72. Don Carthel, UTEP's offensive-line coach when Mumme was the offensive coordinator. While major professional sports leagues field an average of roughly 30 teams, the NCAAs grouping for Division-I football alone includes 119 squads, spread across the country in every state. Norvell's pressure increases quite a bit if history repeats itself in 2022. This was as close to a Big 12-style shootout as you're going to see in the NFL, and it's not a coincidence that it is also regarded as one of the most entertaining games in league history. While the FBS was experiencing an offensive renaissance in 2008, as tends to be the case, the really wild stuff was happening at the lower levels. Jefferson is one of the hardest players to stop in college football. 49. 90. Top attractions and things to do in San Jose, CA (the heart of Silicon Valley) include California's Great America theme park and The Tech Interactive museum. The effects were immediate: Northwestern improved from 110th to 10th in scoring offense, and against a still-mighty Michigan, the Wildcats rushed for 332 yards and threw for 322 over 90 snaps, outscoring the exhausted Wolverines 18-6 in the fourth quarter. 9 Best Things to Do in San Jose, CA | U.S. News Travel OSU at Arizona State, Sept. 9: Most years, a non-conference matchup like this would rank much higher, but the Cowboys appear down and the Sun Devils even downer. The 25 most important games in college football's spread revolution - ESPN West Virginia at Houston, Oct. 12: Thursday night game is a reunion of UH coach Dana Holgorsen and the Mountaineers, whom he coached from 2011-18. 33. No longer. Sometimes they change gradually, sometimes with the full force of a barreling Mack truck." What a September for the Mountaineers. He hired Lane Kiffin to modernize his attack, and Bama won the 2015 national title with it. This one ended in a 32-31 LSU overtime victory that would eventually send the Tigers to the SECCG. 35. But Lance Leopolds rebuild is impressive. 78. Sam Houston State at Houston, Sept. 23: Yes, the city of Houston was named after the general who produced victory in the 1836 Texas Revolution. Central Arkansas at OSU, Sept. 2: The I-AA Bears play on a purple-and-gray striped field. If UT pulls the upset, its still an SEC win. Will BYU at OSU on Thanksgiving Saturday mean much? Cooper was a great recruiter who sent a boatload of star players to the NFL, but he could never grasp the significance of The Game. Some Buckeye fans are known to say that 1-10 would be a good season if the one win came against Michigan. Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. West Virginia at Central Florida, Oct. 28: The series is two games old, with WVU wins in 2003 and 2004. 26. March to Infamy: An Interview with Pelicans Trevor Shelley de Brauw. Texas at Iowa State, Nov. 11: The Cyclones have won three of the last four in the series. Recap: This game checks just about every single box. TCU at Texas Tech, Nov. 2: Some believe Tech could be this years TCU. 58. Tramel's ScissorTales: Would SEC consider NFL-style scheduling after OU football arrives? 36. Jalon Daniels wears chain displaying his 2022 highlights, Kansas State: College football's quietest conference champion, Will Georgia finish with the best class ever? Unfortunately, East Central's decidedly old-school offense -- fullback Tyler Jack ran for 318 yards in the title game -- won the day, and a defense coordinated by a young coach named Todd Graham made just enough stops. Florida's won 16 of the last 18 in this series, with the Vols winning last year. Check out the SI.com team page here. The five factors: College football's most important stats Dotting the I during Script Ohio formation is an honor reserved for the band's most senior sousaphone players. The 2010-11 college football regular season has now ended, with the exciting postseason Bowl games just around the corner. 17. Tramel's ScissorTales: College football nation mourns as Army scraps the triple option, Tramel: BYU leads the celebrations as Big 12 Conference enters new era, Tramel: Gus Malzahn could give UCF football stability as Big 12 era arrives, Tramel: Dana Holgorsen guiding Houston into Big 12, just like he did West Virginia, Tramel: Who can fix college football's weak scheduling? The most important game for Ole Miss this season has been announced. The Tide took a 24-14 lead into the fourth quarter, but Swinney's Clemson was controlling the football, eventually snapping the ball 99 times to Bama's 66, and even a defense as deep as Saban's wilted. Tua Tagovailoa throws a perfect pass to DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard TD in OT, giving the Crimson Tide their fifth national championship under Nick Saban. No, because he has a top-end quarterback inTyler Van Dykewho is going to make everyone around him better, not to mention the Hurricanes' impressive group of returning starters on the other side of the football. Perhaps. Source: Uladzik Kryhin / shutterstock. Texas State at Baylor, Sept. 2: The Bobcats have just one winning season (2014) after 12 years in Division I-A. 86. The team that scores more goals wins. BGSU averaged 41 points per game in 2002 and thoroughly destroyed a Missouri team seeing its own offensive renaissance with quarterback Brad Smith (who would eventually become the first quarterback to average a 2,000/1,000 season over his career). The odds are pretty good you thought, "Harrell to Crabtree.". This would be the equivalent of a big city mayor taking time away from metropolitan business to protest a bad call in an NFL game it just doesnt happen. In a national title matchup of two of the spread's early adopters, Urban Meyer's Gators found an edge. 41. 67. The seed had officially been planted. 74. The Places in America Where College Football Means the Most Grading five college football recruiting overreactions, Venables eyes Oklahoma growth in 2nd season, Ex-Georgia staffer sues school, Eagles' Carter, SEC extends 'visionary' Sankey through 2028, WVU's Brown annoyed by 'lazy' call to finish last, spread offense's revolutionary life cycle, How the spread offense conquered college football, from Hal Mumme to Joe Burrow, The 150 greatest games in college football history, The legend of Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes' 2016 epic, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. . 65. He discovered the zone read when his quarterback bobbled the snap on an inside zone handoff and tucked the ball and ran for a nice gain instead. 1 pick Baker Mayfield and Texas Tech's future NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. In 1998, the Green Wave surged to 12-0 and 45 points per game. Seems a little low, but if so, this game could be one-sided. West Virginia at Penn State, Sept. 2: Looks like a mismatch, but at least its a resumption of a grand old Eastern-independent rivalry. 6), but its set up as a game that could set the trajectory for how good the year can be. It wasn't like that was some crap Michigan team. It was one that will go down in history for Tennessee fans as the game that brought the Vols back into relevancy in the world of college football. When the Rebels won in 2021, they registered 324 rushing yards and five touchdowns compared to 287 passing yards and two scores. South Alabama at OSU, Sept. 16: The Jaguars are a little dangerous, having gone 10-3 last season with a near-upset at UCLA. That would probably be good enough for a top-five ranking and all that. I got Jermaine Gresham, and he's gonna play both in the slot and at tight end. 1 this summer, the Crimson Tide welcome back arguably the two best players in college football in Bryce Young andWill Andersonand take their show on the road to match up with a group expected to turn the corner underSteve Sarkisianfollowing a five-win flatline last fall. 7. Williams led FBS players with 2,102 rushing yards this season, becoming only the 16th Division I player . Meyer and a staff that featured eventual successor Gregg Brandon and future Mississippi State and Florida head coach Dan Mullen crafted an offense around ahead-of-his-time quarterback Josh Harris, and the offense ignited. Unqualified, the word football normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Why is this game ranked higher than Alabama's matchups with LSU and Auburn this season? Southern Methodist at OU, Sept. 9: Will SMU be a future Pac-12 member by September? San Jose Attractions. This time around, the Volunteers will bring arguably their best team during this five-year stretch of futility back to Athens in a matchup that could decide the division or, (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports), NC State ended its long skid against the Tigers last season but couldn't deliver down the stretch and take the ACC Atlantic. 4. Middle Linebacker (Defense) 5. In each of the last two matchups between Ole Miss and Arkansas, Jefferson has scored at least three passing touchdowns. Alumni feel like the team is really their team, whereas the same is a mere illusion in pro sports. When: Oct. 7Why: Jimbo Fisher will forever hold the title of being Nick Saban's first former assistant to beat him in a head-to-head match. Villanova at Central Florida, Sept. 16: Yes, the Wildcats SuperNova in basketball play I-AA football. To commemorate the moment, let's look back at the 25 most important and definitive games from the spread revolution. You're looking for a consistent result of below 6.0, but between 6.0 and 7.0 is normal. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. A vital game for both programs, Florida State badly needs a marquee victory under. But in the past two full seasons -- tossing aside a 4-2 record in 2020 -- the Cardinal lost . The most important Oregon non-conference football games of - 247Sports In 1980, Hal Mumme was quarterbacks coach at West Texas A&M, asking existential questions about how the passing game could be deployed and why people didn't use it more. Kent State at Central Florida, Aug. 31: Believe it or not, UCF and Kent State were Mid-American Conference mates in from 2002-04. Southern Utah at BYU, Sept. 9: Dont you wish the Cougars were playing Utah instead of I-AA Southern Utah? Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey and Boston College's Andre Williams know all about 100-yard games. 69. More: Tramel: Dana Holgorsen guiding Houston into Big 12, just like he did West Virginia. The Most Important Stat in Football By Allen Barra, updated on October 14, 2022 Ed Zurga / AP Photo Bud Goode (pronounced "goody"), the father of pro football analysis, was a mathematician at heart who spent almost half a century collecting and analyzing football statistics. For this reason, games like Ohio State-Michigan or Auburn-Alabama are what college football fans live for. In 2022, Georgia was No. The last time he played in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, however, Jefferson went nuclear. In front of what was then the second-largest crowd in the history of UK's Commonwealth Stadium, Anwar Stewart returned a blocked field goal 68 yards late in regulation, Tim Couch connected with Craig Yeast for a 26-yard score in the first overtime (he threw for 355 yards on the day), and the Wildcats beat the Crimson Tide for the first time since 1922. Tight End (Offense) 9. Jefferson, one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. The most important game for Ole Miss this season has been announced. ", (This being college football, the oligarchy quickly struck back. Mayfield threw for 545 yards and seven touchdowns, the Sooners' Joe Mixon gained 377 combined rushing and receiving yards and Dede Westbrook caught nine balls for 202. When: Sept. 30Why: Ok, imagine if somehow Ole Miss beats Alabama the week before and enters this game with a 4-0 record that includes a win over the Tide. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. Few programs in college football experienced as much success during that time period as the Cardinal. You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023. But most of the owners are akin to modern robber barons who are more interested in making a buck than fielding a winner; theyll move their team to another city in a heartbeat if they think they can get a better financial deal (just ask fans in Baltimore, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Cleveland all of whom have lost home teams as owners sought greener financial pastures). 100. When it comes to a sports impact on the fabric of American pop culture, none can rival college football. COLLEGE FOOTBALL, USA -- If you ranked the 10 most important regular-season games of the 2021 college football season in terms of their affect on the playoff race, that list might looking . In fact, given the strength of both of these programs coming into the season, there's a chance this one could mark the first of two meetings this fall between the Sooners and Cowboys. Georgia should win this game, but it won't be easy. Will Alabama leave its mark at Texas in September and will the moment be too big for the Longhorns? 8. A competitive game could go a long way in helping the Longhorns in terms of confidence while a road loss for Alabama complicates matters in getting back to the playoff.