The 2015 College Football Weekends: Ranked From Best To Worst
By Ty Duffy
The 2015 College Football season is nearly within sight. We surveyed the schedule. Below, with a rough approximation of team strength, is a ranking of football watching weekends from best to worst. If you’re anti-fall weddings, use this to guide your irritation level.
WEEK 13 [Nov. 24-28]
Iowa at Nebraska | Washington State at Washington | Missouri at Arkansas | Oregon State at Oregon | Baylor at TCU | Oklahoma at Oklahoma State | Ohio State at Michigan | Penn State at Michigan State | Alabama at Auburn | Florida State at Florida | Georgia at Georgia Tech | Louisville at Kentucky | Texas A&M at LSU | Ole Miss at Mississippi State | Clemson at South Carolina | UCLA at USC | Notre Dame at Stanford | North Carolina at N.C. State
Rivalry Week. Obtain extra screens. Stay hydrated. Clear the social calendar. Cordon off the family. The Iron Bowl. Harbaugh vs. Meyer. The Civil War. The Egg Bowl. The Apple Cup. Bedlam. Toss in a potential playoff eliminator Friday night when Baylor travels to TCU. Nothing borderline erotic about this one. It’s going to be a hell of a holiday weekend, folks.
WEEK 5 [Oct. 1-3]
Iowa at Wisconsin | Ole Miss at Florida | Alabama at Georgia | South Carolina at Missouri | Arkansas at Tennessee | Mississippi State at Texas A&M | Notre Dame at Clemson | North Carolina at Georgia Tech | Louisville at N.C. State | Arizona at Stanford | Arizona State at UCLA | Washington State at California | West Virginia at Oklahoma | Kansas State at Oklahoma State | Texas at TCU | Baylor vs. Texas Tech
Alabama at Georgia should be a landmark game. In a supporting role, come a number of solid regular season conference matchups in the SEC, Big 12, ACC and Pac 12. Notre Dame travels to Clemson, if you’re into traditional powers. There are a number of “shootout alert” games: Washington State at California, West Virginia at Oklahoma, Baylor vs. Texas Tech.
WEEK 12 [Nov. 17-21]
TCU at Oklahoma | Baylor at Oklahoma State | Michigan State at Ohio State | Michigan at Penn State | Mississippi State at Arkansas | Tennessee at Missouri | LSU at Ole Miss | Georgia Tech at Miami | USC at Oregon | UCLA at Utah | California at Stanford | Boston College vs. Notre Dame
For the most part, this is SEC-esta weekend. But, the other conferences pick up the slack. Potential “game of the season” affairs in the B1G (MSU at OSU) and the Pac 12 (USC at Oregon). BC vs. ND in a night game at Fenway. LSU at Ole Miss. Some solid Big 12 meetings. This should be a well-rounded, quality week of college football. An appetizer before the fine weekend that follows.
WEEK 1 [Sept. 3-7]
North Carolina vs. South Carolina | Michigan at Utah | TCU at Minnesota |Washington at Boise State | Stanford at Northwestern | BYU vs. Nebraska | Louisville vs. Auburn | Arizona State vs. Texas A&M | Texas at Notre Dame | Wisconsin vs. Alabama | Ohio State at Virginia Tech
Opening weekend is always exciting after the long drought. This slate features no “Game of the Century.” But, there are a number of interesting contests and stories. Jim Harbaugh’s debut, Chris Petersen’s return to Boise, Petrino vs. Malzahn, Sumlin vs. High Octane. Things will be happening, and the games are well spaced.
WEEK 10 [Nov. 3-7]
Baylor at Kansas State | Michigan State at Nebraska | Florida State at Clemson | Arizona at USC | California at Oregon | TCU at Oklahoma State | LSU at Alabama | Arkansas at Ole Miss | South Carolina at Tennessee | Auburn at Texas A&M | Minnesota at Ohio State
This week doesn’t look like it will produce a season-alterer. However, it’s a strong week in the SEC. All five conferences could feature a title game eliminator. Just a good week of football.
WEEK 7 [Oct. 13-17]
UCLA at Stanford | Auburn at Kentucky | Michigan State at Michigan | Oregon at Washington | Arizona State at Utah | Oklahoma at Kansas State | Louisville at Florida State | Missouri at Georgia | Florida at LSU | Alabama at Texas A&M | USC at Notre Dame | Penn State at Ohio State
There’s no marquee game on this slate. But, there are a smattering of B-plus games and rivalries. Louisville vs. Florida State. USC heads to Notre Dame. Harbaugh and Dantonio square off for this first time. A possible Thursday night letdown spot for Auburn. Not spectacular, but nice.
WEEK 3 [Sept. 17-19]
Clemson at Louisville | Georgia Tech at Notre Dame | Nebraska at Miami | Auburn at LSU | South Carolina at Georgia | California at Texas | Stanford at USC | Ole Miss at Alabama | BYU at UCLA
The SEC conference season begins in earnest. That rounds out a solid weekend of football. Clemson at Lousiville is an A-grade Thursday Night game. Stanford vs. USC tends to be quality entertainment. The HBC vs. Georgia is always appointment viewing.
WEEK 11 [Nov. 10-14]
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech | USC at Colorado | Oregon at Stanford | BYU vs. Missouri | N.C. State at Florida State | Miami at North Carolina | Georgia at Auburn | Arkansas at LSU | Alabama at Mississippi State | Florida at South Carolina | Oklahoma at Baylor | Texas at West Virginia | Minnesota at Iowa
Georgia vs. Auburn absolves some mediocre offerings elsewhere. USC heads to Colorado on a short week. Oregon at Stanford tends to be a big one in the Pac 12 North. Maybe a Big 12 shootout. Entertainment will be had.
WEEK 6 [Oct. 8-10]
SMU at Houston | Washington at USC | N.C. State at Virginia Tech | Georgia Tech at Clemson | Arkansas at Alabama | LSU at South Carolina | Washington State at Oregon | TCU at Kansas State | Oklahoma vs. Texas | Oklahoma State at West Virginia | Connecticut at UCF | Miami at Florida State | Wisconsin at Nebraska | Navy at Notre Dame
Chad Morris vs. Tom Herman in the AAC game of the year on Thursday Night. Some traditional rivalries. Some solid conference matchups. UConn’s invented rivalry with UCF. Few will leave this weekend disappointed.
WEEK 4 [Sept. 24-26]
UCLA at Arizona | USC at Arizona State | Utah at Oregon | TCU at Texas Tech | Oklahoma State at Texas | BYU at Michigan | Texas A&M vs. Arkansas | Mississippi State at Auburn | Tennessee at Florida |
Pac 12, Big 12 and SEC regular season games. Will probably get a great game out of one of the Arizona vs. SoCal games and at least one of the SEC games.
WEEK 8 [Oct. 20-24]
California at UCLA | Washington State at Arizona | Washington at Stanford | Kansas State at Texas | Tennessee at Alabama | Auburn at Arkansas | Texas A&M at Ole Miss | Clemson at Miami | Florida State at Georgia Tech |
Not an especially strong slate for late October. Some potentially intriguing games. Maybe one of the SEC West games ends up being crucial. Not a terrible week to get stuck going to a wedding.
WEEK 9 [Oct. 29-31]
Oregon at Arizona State | Clemson at N.C. State | Ole Miss at Auburn | South Carolina at Texas A&M | Arizona at Washington | USC at California | Florida vs. Georgia | Michigan at Minnesota
There are a couple potential trap games here, a cocktail party, and a few decent Pac 12 pairings. Not really a lot to disrupt any riotous Halloween plans.
WEEK 2 [Sept. 10-12]
Oregon at Michigan State | Oklahoma at Tennessee | LSU at Mississippi State | Boise State at BYU | Oregon State at Michigan
Hope you enjoyed the first weekend, because this one looks bleak. Oregon at Michigan State. Maybe a coming out party for a young, talented Tennessee team. That’s…basically it.