With many exciting matchups on Friday and Saturday, many are calling this weekend the most exciting one of the CFB season. To start the weekend off, Virginia upset No. 8 Florida State in double overtime. It was an absolute battle, with both teams exchanging touchdowns until a late game incompletion and interception sealed the game for Virginia. This was QB Thomas Casellanos’s second loss in two years to the Cavaliers. Although this game was incredible, it was just the start of a perfect weekend for college football,
Starting off the day this Saturday, there are two great matchups at noon. The first important game to note is USC vs Illinois. No. 23 Illinois is 3-1, coming off a major blowout against Indiana. They are hoping to prove themselves against No. 21, 4-0 USC. This game may be a deciding factor for playoff contention for either team.
The second notable game on the slate is Arkansas vs Notre Dame. Both teams have had rocky starts to the season, each trying to bounce back. Arkansas is trying to end their two game losing streak while Notre Dame is trying to prove that they deserve to be the 22 ranked team in college football, even though they are 1-2.
At 3:00pm, there are also many great games to watch. One of those games is Auburn vs Texas A&M. Auburn has just lost their ranking after a tough loss to Oklahoma last week and are trying to prove that their 3-1 record is not a fluke. Texas A&M, on the other hand, is trying to maintain their undefeated season and 9th seed ranking. There are many superstars on both sides of the ball, which should make for a very exciting game.
Another notable matchup, and possibly playoff deciding game is Ole Miss vs LSU. Both teams have been undefeated this season. Ole Miss is trying to prove themselves and move up the rankings, as a possibly undervalued 13 ranked team. LSU, on the other hand, is fighting to maintain their impeccable season and further plaster their spot as a high ranking playoff worthy team. LSU’s stellar defense is going to be challenged by the high performing offense of Ole Miss. Hingham High freshman Liam Neville had an opinion on the game. He stated, “I believe that LSU will win because their defense is unstoppable.”
Lastly, the most exciting slot, will be the nighttime matchups. One of these games is a recent rivalry between two high ranking SEC teams, Alabama and Georgia. A former matchup that was commonly seen in the National Championship will be aired this weekend, as each team tries to prove their worth this season. Georgia is coming off of an exhilarating win against a talented Tennessee team and have started off the this season undefeated. They have climbed the ranks to be No.5 and are trying to cement their spot in the playoffs.
Alabama is trying to prove that their week one loss against Florida State was a fluke and they are still a high level, playoff contending, football team. There will be a fair share of tension in this rivalry that will be exciting to watch. Senior Will Crespi claimed, “It will be interesting to see if Alabama can break Georgia’s win streak at home.”
The last exciting game of the week may also be the most anticipated one. Penn State takes on Oregon in their famous white out game. The two top ten ranked teams will duke it out in a rematch of the Big Ten final, just one year earlier. Penn State is attempting to continue playing as one of the top ranked teams in the country, as their No.3 ranking reflects. Oregon, on the other hand, is working on proving that they are still the championship team that they were last year and also improving upon their No. 6 ranking. This game will be incredibly exciting, as Penn State’s very deep and skilled lineup will fight to overcome the talented Oregon team. This game will be a battle from start to finish and it is a must watch.
Overall, weekends like this in College Football do not happen too often, so make sure you tune in and enjoy!
