Obviously any rational human will try to consume as much of every single game as humanly possible, but in the case that you have to pick and choose, here are some options throughout the day:
The Early Games
No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Florida Atlantic Owls
This matchup may not feature two top-25 teams, but it's almost as close as you can get, as FAU received 38 votes for a top 25 ranking (fifth most outside of top 25). There is a lot to prove for both of these squads as they face off in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners have head coach Lincoln Riley set to take on his second season, and he needs to prove that he can find success without the help of a Heisman winner/No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Oklahoma had great talent aside from Baker Mayfield, and they'll be fielding some serious talent again. But if the Sooners want 2018 to even slightly resemble 2017, they'll need to find a way to make their offense click. With a typically lackluster defensive unit, it's crucial to put up plenty of points on the board.
As for FAU, Lane Kiffin can show how serious of an improvement he's made for the Owls, as if last season's 11-3 record (8-0 in conference) wasn't enough. Is it very likely that Kiffin and his boys can march into the Sooners' house and upset them? No, it's certainly not. Oklahoma is favored by 21 points. But it will be exciting to see if FAU can at least hang with them for a bit. And for the people out there who were bold enough to say FAU could be the potential Group of Five team that somewhat disrupts the playoff picture, a victory over Oklahoma would most definitely bring truth to that.
No. 23 Texas Longhorns vs. Maryland Terrapins
I know, this is absolutely not one of the day's most exciting games. This is definitely one of the games you keep in your back pocket for commercial breaks, halftime, etc. I'm just interested to see Texas play all season, because Tom Herman's coaching career is about to be under the microscope even more than prior, now that he's "had time to settle in" and implement his system and culture within the program. It's also worth noting that the Longhorns embarrassingly dropped a loss to Maryland last Labor Day Weekend, as they gave up 51 points at home to the Terrapins. Hopefully this game looks a lot different, for the sake of us someday, hopefully soon, being able to declare the Longhorns as "back."
As for No.4 Clemson vs. Furman and No. 5 Ohio State vs. Oklahoma State, these are obviously going to be blowouts but watching the nation's top talent beat up on far inferior opponents is part of the experience. However, these games will have plenty of highlights shown during studio updates and intermissions (not to mention all over Twitter), if a blowout isn't your cup of tea. I'd also keep an eye out for updates on the Houston vs. Rice game, strictly to see Ed Oliver put on an absolute clinic.
The Afternoon Games
No. 9 Auburn vs. No. 6 Washington
This top-ten matchup is easily the best game of the afternoon time slot, and quite possibly the best of the weekend. Washington is returning 17 starters from last year, highlighted by quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin. The Huskies are being viewed by many as a potential playoff team, and what a way to be tested right off the bat, facing off against the Auburn Tigers of the big, bad SEC.
Auburn doesn't boast quite the experience that Washington does, but the Tigers still return 13 starts from last season. Auburn was extremely close to being a playoff team until Georgia bulldozed them in the conference championship. They were the only team to beat Alabama, the eventual National Champ. There has been a lot of hype surrounding quarterback Jarrett Stidham entering this season, and a top-ten victory would be one hell of a way to announce your impact. I like the Tigers in this one, as I think they'll control the trenches on both sides of the ball. I do expect Washington to hang with them all game, as the Huskies' big plays will cause plenty of momentum shifts throughout. A rather unexperienced Auburn offensive line will have to step up in a big way and give Stidham time when he drops back.
Also, shame on the NCAA for doing so many neutral site games. Neutral sites can be cool when utilized sparingly, and for the right occasion. Playing the game in Atlanta is essentially a home game for Auburn, so why not just have the game at Jordan-Hare? I think it's a better experience for everyone involved if big games are on campus (with exceptions such as Lambeau Field, Bristol Motor Speedway, etc.).
No. 17 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
This game will be a fun watch as Will Grier and the high-powered West Virginia offense should put on a show. It will also be interesting to see Jeremy Pruitt take on his new challenge of being head coach for Tennessee. It will be sad to not see my tight boy Butch Jones on the sidelines for the Vols, but every Tennessee fan is grateful for this clean slate. I'm currently seeing West Virginia as ten point favorites, and personally I think that's a little low. I have a feeling the Mountaineers will torch the Vols. Also, another shameful neutral site selection. Nobody, and I mean nobody, would prefer this game to happen at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium than either schools' stadium.
The Night Games
No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 14 Michigan Wolverines
Michigan. Notre Dame. South Bend. Under the lights. Jim Harbaugh. Brian Kelly. Top-15 matchup. This is the game to watch at night and it's not even close. If you're not watching this, you better be asleep from having too much fun during the day. If we're talking aesthetics, this is one of the most ideal matchups possible. And lucky for us, the talent on both sides of the roster should matchup incredibly as well.
One of the major story lines of this game is obviously Michigan's quarterback Shea Patterson, who transferred from Ole Miss. For years now, we've been told Michigan's sole missing piece is a good, reliable quarterback. Is Patterson the one? We'll see. We'll also see pretty quickly what we should expect from Harbaugh this year, as now seems like the time for him to meet expectations as Michigan's coach.
Much like Michigan, Notre Dame's performance will be heavily dependent on quarterback play. Brandon Wimbush has shown promise as a great athlete, but has also shown moments that strike feelings of doubt and distrust. Who knows, Wimbush could thrive in the storybook atmosphere on Saturday night and have the game of his life. But I personally see Michigan's defense being too overwhelming for Wimbush, leading to some costly mistakes. I can't help but predict this to be an absolute battle, but I think Michigan steals this one on the road.
Sunday
No. 25 LSU Tigers vs. No. 8 Miami Hurricanes
Yet another lame neutral site game, but I guess I really can't complain because we'll be getting college football on a Sunday, and no work the next day. This one is being played at Jerry World, which has been done time and time again. Miami was as back as they've been in awhile last season, after starting out 10-0 and doing so in very entertaining fashion. The 'Canes return seven offensive starters and seven defensive starters from last season's campaign.
This game is honestly the least of LSU's worries in the grand scheme of things, as their primary focus is the daunting SEC West schedule that lies in weeks ahead. I think the U is currently in more of an eager position for immediate success, while LSU has a lot of things to figure out, especially on the coaching end of things. I am definitely interested to see how LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, an Ohio State transfer, plays in his first start. I have a good feeling about Miami in this one, as I think they'll continue to hit their stride in 2018 for Mark Richt's third season as head coach. They've got talent and experience on both sides of the ball and they're going to come out swinging.
Monday
No. 19 Florida State vs. No. 20 Virginia Tech
These two programs are in quite different places at the moment, as the Hokies are entering their third season under Justin Fuente, while Florida State is coming off of a dismal season in which they said goodbye to Jimbo Fisher. Now the 'Noles will be under the command of Willie Taggart, who finished 7-5 with Oregon in 2017.
I'll admit, for a top-20, in-conference matchup, this one doesn't move the needle as much as it should. Virginia Tech and Florida State are both good teams at intriguing points for each program, but I don't think this one has many national implications. This one is more interesting for the sake of the coaching processes of Taggart and Fuente. The Seminoles have home field advantage in this one, and I think the playmaking ability of their athletes is more impressive than those of Virginia Tech, so I'm taking Florida State in this one.
We're almost there. Just a few more days and then it's game day. Be sure to follow on twitter @CalebBlackmur for the excitement that is college game day.
