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College football is back, don't miss these games this weekend. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons user Matthew Tosh)

The 7 college football games you don't want to miss this weekend

Brace yourself, college football season is here.

No this isn’t a joke, a drill, a procedure. This is the real deal. College football is back baby and along with a few million other people, I couldn’t be any happier.

With a full slate of games that run from Thursday through Monday starting with No. 2 Ohio State at Indiana and ending with No. 25 Tennessee at Georgia Tech, this weekend is sure to be filled with joy, happiness, passion and maybe heartbreak for some fans.

Of all the games being played across the country, here are the seven games you should not miss.

Number 1: No. 3 Florida State at No. 1 Alabama – 8 p.m. kickoff (Saturday)

This week-one matchup between two of the most historic college football programs in the nation is the pinnacle matchup on opening weekend. Last season, the Alabama Crimson Tide (as per usual) won the Southeastern Conference title en route to playing in a historic championship game against Clemson. 

The Crimson Tide lost 35-31 to the Tigers and many critics and fans alike thought that coach Nick Saban had lost a step. I am here to say that as long as Nick Saban is the coach at Alabama, they will be in contention to make the college football playoff every year

As for the Florida State Seminoles, which plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning games will not come easy. The Seminoles went 10-3, including wins against Ole Miss, Miami (FL), Florida and Michigan. 

Losing running back Dalvin Cook to the NFL draft in this past off-season, the Seminoles will need to execute their game plan perfectly in order to defeat the Crimson Tide. 

Score Prediction: 35-27 Alabama

Number 2: No. 11 Michigan at No. 17 Florida – 3:30 p.m. kickoff (Saturday)

The ultimate war of coaching pettiness between Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and Florida coach Jim McElwain has ensued in the media in the moments before the game with each coach hesitant to release an updated version of their respective rosters. That said, this game will be an interesting feud as it is a top-25 matchup. 

For the Wolverines, question marks have surrounded them all off-season as they lost an exceedingly large number of players at the end last season due to the NFL draft and/or graduation. To offer some perspective, Michigan returns just five starters — four on offense (including quarterback Wilton Speight) and Mike McCray is the lone returning starter on defense. With many spots to be filled, Michigan and its fans are in for one hell of a week one, no matter the outcome. 

As for the Gators, the word suspension has been casted upon “the swamp,” as seven players have been suspended for the season opener including returning starters Antonio Callaway and Keivonnis Davis. 

Regardless of suspensions and despite being the lower ranked team, the Gators bring back the experience and tools able to defeat the Wolverines. A quarterback battle that has been waging on throughout the off-season came to a conclusion late Wednesday night when McElwain announced that redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks will get the start on Saturday. Redshirt junior Luke Del Rio and Notre Dame graduate transfer Malik Zaire may potentially see some game time depending upon on how the game goes. Playing in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, throw out home field advantage, this game is sure to be a good one. 

Score Prediction: 21-17 Michigan

Number 3: No. 22 West Virginia at No. 21 Virginia Tech – 7:30 p.m. kickoff (Sunday)

A rivalry reborn between two Appalachian universities will take place on Sunday in Maryland, when the Mountaineers of West Virginia take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech. 

The two teams have met on the field 51 times with West Virginia leading the all-time series 28-22-1. The Mountaineers and Hokies last played against each other in 2005 with Virginia Tech taking home the prized “Black Diamond Trophy” as a result of a 34-17 victory. 

After waiting for 12 years, the rivalry is reborn and what better way to open up the season for either team. 

Both coaches have stated the emotional aspect of what this game means, not only to the teams, but to the states of West Virginia and Virginia themselves. As the hangover from Saturday resides, tune to ABC to watch a game that critics and fans alike have longed to see since they last played. 

Score Prediction: 27-24 West Virginia

Number 4: No. 25 Tennessee at Georgia Tech – 8 p.m. kickoff (Monday)

It seems that every single season that Butch Jones has been the coach at Tennessee, they always make the AP Top-25 poll, even though they don’t have the most successful case to be so (SEC bias). Anyways, the Volunteers square off against the Yellow Jackets in the last game of week one on Monday night in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The Volunteers biggest off-season loss in quite some time occurred this past year as three-year starting quarterback Joshua Dobbs graduated (with a degree in aerospace engineering, fun fact). He eventually got drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and former running back Jalen Hurd transferred to play at Baylor University. Needless to say, the Volunteers have lost two of its offensive anchors and the emergence of new stars will have to happen in order for them to succeed. 

As for the Yellow Jackets, coach Paul Johnson enters into year 10 at the helm at Georgia Tech. With a notorious triple option attack that’s been the weapon of Tech’s sleeper-like success, Johnson and his team will give an unproven Tennessee a good test come Monday.

 Score Prediction: 29-20 Tennessee

Number 5: Texas A&M at UCLA – 7:30 p.m. kickoff (Sunday)

The Rose Bowl will once again be filled by the masses this Sunday, when the Aggies of Texas A&M take on the Bruins of UCLA. A matchup that I consider great for three reasons: Josh Rosen, UCLA’s beautiful uniforms and watching the Aggies’ defense play without Myles Garrett. 

Josh Rosen, the quarterback at UCLA, whom many think will do big things this year, is one of the better quarterbacks in the collegiate game. In the past two seasons, Rosen has amassed 5,585 passing yards with 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. While he doesn’t have the best surrounding cast, he is a playmaker. 

To the uniform part, UCLA has one of my favorite uniforms in all of college football, wearing a sky blue jersey with a golden helmet.

As for A&M, they’re missing their best defensive player since Von Miller — number one draft pick Myles Garrett. In his last season as an Aggie, Garrett totaled up 33 tackles paired with eight and a half sacks. However, with coach Kevin Sumlin leading A&M out onto the field, Aggie fans shouldn’t have too much to worry about. 

Score Prediction: 31-20 UCLA

Number 6: Maryland at No. 23 Texas – 12 p.m. kickoff (Saturday)

Ever since it was announced in late November, I’ve been wanting to see Tom Herman lead the Texas Longhorns out of the tunnel into Darrell K Royal-Memorial Stadium and just absolute dominate someone, signaling to the world that Texas football is back. Saturday, at noon, I get at least part of my wish granted. 

Herman, famously known as the offensive mastermind that helped Ohio State coach Urban Meyer guide the Buckeyes to a national championship, announced he was leaving to take over the program at Houston following that season. In his three years at Houston, Herman went an outstanding 22-4 and 1-1 in bowl games. While impressive, Herman will have to prove himself on a much bigger stage as Texas plays in the Big 12; a traditional powerhouse conference with teams such as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor that have some serious talent. 

Maryland coach DJ Durkin enters his second year at the helm of the football program. Last season the Terrapins went 6-7 ultimately losing to the Eagles of Boston College in their bowl game. 

Score Prediction: 37-12 Texas

Number 7: Brigham Young University at No. 13 LSU – 9:30 p.m. kickoff (Saturday)

Much like No. 23 Texas, No. 13 LSU enters the 2017 season with a new coach. Leading the Tigers out onto the field at Death Valley is Ed Orgeron. The best interim head coach in the history of college football finally has a team of his own. 

When former coach Les Miles received the pink slip letting him know he was done at LSU, “Coach O” was announced as the interim coach. Having previously been the interim head coach at USC (led them to a 6-2 record under his direction), LSU announced this past season that the interim tag would be removed and that Orgeron was the official head coach at LSU, his first head coaching kick since 2005, where he coached at Ole Miss. 

Much interest has been casted upon the Tigers as Orgeron announced that no media would be allowed at any practices, so we can only use our imagination on what LSU will be like this season. They do return running back Derrius Guice and while recovering from an injury, he is expected to play against BYU. 

Which brings me to my next point, the Cougars are already 1-0 on the year as they played Portland State last Saturday. The Cougars totaled only 365 yards against an FCS school. They play a dominant SEC team on Saturday. What I’m dubbing as a cat fight between the Cougars and Tigers should actually be a dominating performance by LSU. 

Score Prediction: 40-20 LSU

@mparker_5

mp109115@ohio.edu 

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