It’s rivalry week around the country for college football and many games could have a big impact on the College Football Playoff.
There are six top 25 matchups this weekend, five of them are major college rivalries. The top two teams, Clemson and Alabama, play their rivals in games that most people think will be blowouts. However, everyone knows that even the biggest mismatches can mean nothing in big rivalries.
We all know which game is the most important for fans in this state but it might be overlooked by the neutral college football fan. The Iron Bowl has had a big impact over the past few seasons, sometimes featuring two national contenders. However, it falls behind many of the rivalry matchups this season as a lot is on the line for some of the top teams in the country.
We take a look at the top 10 games of rivalry weekend and see where the Iron Bowl ranks. No matter what you decide to watch on Saturday, there will be plenty of good games for college football fans to enjoy as the season gets closer to its conclusion.
(Vegas Lines are as of Wednesday morning at 12:56 CST)
10. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels (-6) at North Carolina State Wolfpack
2:30 pm CST, Saturday, ABC/ESPN2
North Carolina has been the surprise team of the season. After suffering a terrible loss to South Carolina to open the season, the Tar Heels have reeled off 10 consecutive wins to clinch a spot in the ACC title game. They are sitting pretty low in the eyes of the playoff committee but could get a big boost with some chaos in the final weeks and a win over Clemson next weekend. However, the rivalry game with the Wolfpack comes first and it may be the most important. NC State has won six of the last eight in this series and will hope to send senior quarterback Jacoby Brissett off with a big win.
9. 15 Navy Midshipmen (-1) at Houston Cougars
11:00 am CST, Friday, ABC
This game is in no way a rivalry but it could be the start of one. Navy and Houston have only faced each other one time – a 35-0 Houston win in 1980 – but they will be playing for the AAC’s Western Division title. Keenan Reynolds has set the FBS all-time record for career rushing touchdowns (79) and has led the Midshipmen into a realistic (albeit, unlikely) chance at a playoff birth with a late Heisman push. The Cougars have beaten two power five teams this season but are coming off their first loss of the year to an average Connecticut team. Navy’s only loss is on the road to Notre Dame and could still have three games (Houston, AAC Championship, Army) to help make their case at a big bowl game.
8. 22 UCLA Bruins at USC Trojans (-3.5)
2:30 pm CST, Saturday, ABC/ESPN2
Both of these teams have roller coaster rides this season but still have the opportunity at a double-digit win season. The winner of this game will get a chance to play Stanford in the Pac-12 championship and could lead to a New Year’s Six bowl game. The game also features two of the most talented quarterbacks in the country. UCLA’s freshman star Josh Rosen has faced some consistency problems this season but has made plenty of throws that make you think that he is the next best thing. Cody Kessler has not had the same production he had in his junior season but many think he is still the best quarterback in college football.
7. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (-14) at Auburn Tigers
2:30 pm CST, Saturday, CBS
This may still be the best rivalry in college football but it is taking the back seat to a lot of great games this week. The Iron Bowl’s recent history has shown that it is always important but the hype around this year’s game is not nearly the same as it has been in the past. The talent level is still there and the game may still produce a national champion but the game itself should not be as good as some of these other rivalries. Alabama’s ranking and the looming spirit of the Kick Six still keeps this rivalry on the list as the Iron Bowl should never be overlooked by college football fans across the country.
6. 18 Mississippi Rebels (-1) at 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs
6:15 pm CST, Saturday, ESPN2
The Egg Bowl is always a fun game to watch and there is a lot riding on this year’s game. For starters, it is Dak Prescott’s final home game and it is against the hated Rebels so the cowbells will be in full effect in Starkville on Saturday night. Ole Miss will likely see the result of the Iron Bowl before this game kicks off and they could be playing for a spot in Atlanta. The Bulldogs could finish as high as second in the SEC West but a loss could drop them all the way to sixth. The home team has won 10 of the last 11 games in this series.
5. 7 Baylor Bears (-1.5) at 19 TCU Horned Frogs
6:30 pm CST, Friday, ESPN
This game does not have the same luster as it did back in August but there are still bragging rights on the line between two very talented teams. Injuries have plagued both these teams but Baylor has managed to make the most of it and still has a shot at a Big XII championship and a berth to the College Football Playoff. The Bears have won the last two games in this series by a combined six points and needed 24 unanswered points to win last season in Waco. Baylor leads the overall series 52-51-7. That’s about as even as you can get and TCU will look to get it back to 50/50 on Friday night.
4. 3 Oklahoma Sooners (-7) at 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys
7:00 pm CST, Saturday, ABC
The Bedlam Series has been dominated by the Sooners over the course of history but Oklahoma State has managed to earn a split over the last four seasons, including an overtime win in Norman last season. Mike Gundy has brought the program up and the Cowboys are competitive each year when this game rolls around. Oklahoma has managed to work their way back into the playoff committee’s good graces despite their mid-season loss to Texas. Oklahoma can clinch the Big XII with a win but may not control their own destiny despite being number three this week (see 2014 TCU). The Cowboys can clinch the conference with a win and a Baylor loss. They could jump right back into the playoff race with the help of a little bit of chaos down the road.
3. 13 Florida State Seminoles (-2) at 12 Florida Gators
6:30 pm CST, Saturday, ESPN
The Seminoles have won four of the last five in this series and despite already having two losses this season, they are a 2-point favorite in The Swamp on Saturday night. The Gators are having a great season and are one of the best surprises of the season but have struggled over the last three weeks against bad teams. The committee has dropped Florida seemingly out of a spot to control their own destiny but their final two games are opportunities to jump into the playoff. Both of these teams have relied on stingy defenses and power running games to win games this year, which could cause a slow and physical contest in Gainesville.
2. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 9 Stanford Cardinal (-3.5)
6:30 pm CST, Saturday, FOX
This game has become one of the better rivalries in college football over the last two decades and this season puts it in the spotlight. Both of these teams are still in the playoff hunt but in two very different ways. Notre Dame was seemingly in control of their own destiny but the committee dropped them two spots despite a win against Boston College. (They also fell behind a team whose only loss was to Texas. Notre Dame beat Texas by 35.) This is the last game the Irish will have before the committee chooses the final four so they need their best performance of the season against a good Stanford team. The Cardinal have two losses already but their wins have kept them in the top 10. Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey leads a strong offense into the final two games – Notre Dame and Pac-12 Championship – which could give them a push into the playoff.
1. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes at 10 Michigan Wolverines (Even)
11:00 am CST, Saturday, ABC
“The Game” has been won by the Buckeyes for 10 of the last 11 seasons. That kind of streak can often dampen the hype on a rivalry until both teams begin to win games. However, this season’s game has too many story lines to look past. The history of the rivalry speaks for itself but the success of both teams this season has helped build this game up. Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh will be coaching in his first game against Ohio State while Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes will try to bounce back from their first loss since Virginia Tech in 2014. Both teams have a realistic shot at a playoff spot still and a Michigan State loss on Saturday would put the winner of this game in the Big Ten title game against Iowa. Ohio State may still be the most talented team in the country but they have not shown it on the field yet. The Wolverines have improved more than anyone else in the country since week one. Whether we in the South like it or not, The Game is back and is the best rivalry game of the weekend.
Caleb Turrentine is a contributor at Touchdown Alabama Magazine. Follow him on Twitter, @CalebTurrentine.
