The Southeastern Conference mantra — “It Just Means More” — will ring true for college football matchups well beyond that powerhouse league this season.
Schedules will garner increased interest, with conference realignment and expansion bringing Oklahoma and Texas into the SEC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC into the Big Ten and Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado into the Big 12. Because the conferences at the top are so loaded now, there will be more big games in league play. And with the new 12-team playoff, more late-season games could affect the national championship race.
Preseason No. 1 Georgia has a rugged schedule, with three games against top six opponents and two more against the top 15. For the record: Most agree that Florida has the toughest schedule of all, with eight ranked games, including trips to Florida State, Texas and Tennessee along with the annual showdown with the Bulldogs.
Every week has must-watch games. Here are seven that appear to rise above the rest as the season arrives.
No. 4 Texas at No. 9 Michigan, Sept. 7
Perhaps the nation’s most significant non-conference game matches powerhouse programs from the SEC and Big Ten. A Michigan win underscores the defending national champions as a threat to repeat and gives coach Sherrone Moore footing as he establishes himself in place of Jim Harbaugh. A victory for Texas creates more buzz for a program looking to prove it’s ready for the SEC. The winner could tip seeding for the College Football Playoff in favor of its conference.
No. 12 Utah at No. 17 Oklahoma State, Sept. 21
The Big 12 is wide open and this is a tasty early clash between two league title favorites (along with No. 18 Kansas State and No. 21 Arizona). The Utes have their usual rugged defense and a 25-year-old, seventh-year senior quarterback in Cam Rising to make a run at a playoff spot this season. The Cowboys have All-America running back Ollie Gordon II, who led the nation with 1,732 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns last season.
No. 1 Georgia at No. 5 Alabama, Sept. 28
An early measuring stick game for Alabama and a chance for new coach Kalen DeBoer to grab a signature win following Nick Saban’s retirement. Georgia will have something to prove after losing to Alabama in the SEC title game last season. That result cost Georgia a shot at a third straight national title and ended the Bulldogs’ 29-game win streak.
No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Oregon, Oct. 12
It’s not a dream Rose Bowl game, just life in the newly expanded Big Ten. Two behemoth programs led by transfer quarterbacks eager to make a mark (Dillon Gabriel for the Ducks, Will Howard for the Buckeyes). A big win could help with CFP seeding and be a big step in the race for the Big Ten title game. Oregon is 1-9 against Ohio State but won the last matchup in 2021.
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No. 1 Georgia at No. 4 Texas, Oct. 19
If QB Carson Beck and Georgia beat Alabama and Texas beats No. 16 Oklahoma, this one has massive potential between two teams picked to go 1-2 in the SEC. Quinn Ewers-led Texas could be ranked even higher if the Longhorns are undefeated after facing No. 9 Michigan, too. Georgia is 1-4 in the short but sweet series between these two storied programs and only one of those games was hosted by one of the schools (in Austin, 1958).
No. 10 Florida State at No. 7 Notre Dame, Nov. 9
Both teams have to navigate hurdles long before this ACC-style showdown but it could be a marquee game for a lot of reasons. The ACC race could be bubbling — the Seminoles face top foe Clemson in October — and the battle for CFP berths will be in full bloom as teams chase one the seven at-large bids available to those that don’t win their leagues.
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Michigan, Nov. 30
Ohio State has lost to Michigan three straight times after winning the previous eight matchups. Both teams have major tests along the way but even if they don’t arrive at this year’s showdown unscathed a win here could be the difference between having a playoff bye, hosting a postseason game or falling to an also-ran bowl.