Rivalry week is here, and it feels like there are tons of must-watch games with big-time stakes.
Below, I’ll pick out a few that you should definitely tune into because of history, the College Football Playoff picture, or for Sicko purposes.
But let’s run through a few others real quick here that shouldn’t be glossed over.
Mississippi State at No. 14 Ole Miss (Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC): Weird things always seem to happen in the Egg Bowl.
Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET on FOX): This hasn’t been the season fans of the Wolverines wanted after winning a national championship last yeah, but can they extend their win streak over the Buckeyes? Probably not, but maybe.
No. 5 Notre Dame at USC (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS): The Irish have won nine straight games. Will their momentum be enough against a Trojans’ team with nothing to lose?
Auburn at No. 13 Alabama (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC): I want to preface this by saying that I am not in the business of rooting for good things to happen to Hugh Freeze, but would it not be hilarious to everyone that isn’t an Alabama fan if Auburn got bowl-eligible in Bryant-Denney Stadium at the expense of the Tide, pushing everyone in Tuscaloosa into an all-time post-Saban panic?
Let the games begin.
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+
(Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
For the first time since 2011, the Longhorns and the Aggies will meet on the gridiron. After a 13-year hiatus, the Lone Star Showdown resumes.
The winner of this game will face Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.
What else is there to say?
Saturday, 12 p.m. ET – ESPN
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and South Carolina Head Coach Shane Beamer talk before the game at Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina Saturday, November 27, 2021.
In the simplest terms, the loser here can kiss its playoff wishes goodbye, while the winner can be anxious and hopeful heading into Dec. 8 when the final rankings are unveiled. Both teams need help getting into the 12-team field, but it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility for either. Clemson needs Miami to lose to earn a ticket into the ACC title game in Charlotte, while South Carolina has won five straight and looks like the most deserving of a playoff bid of the three-loss SEC teams.
Will either of these teams crack the field? We’ll see. But another win is surely a resume booster. This is a non-conference rivalry game with real hate and real stakes this year.
Friday, 12 p.m. ET – FOX
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Two things are at-stake here: bowl eligibility for Pac-12 champs Oregon State and Boise State’s positioning in the College Football Playoff. For the Broncos, a win here and in next weekend’s Mountain West Conference title game could bolster them up into a first-round bye, especially if there’s any additional unexpected results or chaos in the Big 12 or ACC. The Beavers snapped a five-game losing streak last week to beat Washington State at home. Do they have the magic to stop Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos? Tune in while making yourself a leftover turkey sandwich.
Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Take a quick nap after dinner, grab a cup of coffee and seize the remote so your family doesn’t try to put on the NFL. The best football game on television on Thursday is this clash between Memphis and Tulane, a pair of 9-2 teams in the American Athletic Conference.
With quarterback Seth Henigan and running back Mario Anderson leading the way, Memphis is aiming for back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time in program history. Tulane, meanwhile, in its first season under Jon Sumrall, needs a victory to host Army in the AAC title game and to keep its playoff hopes alive. If the Green Wave want to unseat Boise State for the Group of Five bid, it begins by getting an impressive win over Memphis.
Taking down Ryan Silverfield’s Tigers won’t be easy though. Memphis is 20th in scoring offense this season and have been held to less than 21 points in a single game just once this season.
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – ACC Network
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
It’s the last dance for Mack Brown. Will he end his second stint in Chapel Hill with a win over the Tar Heels’ rivals, or will the Wolfpack reach bowl eligibility with their fourth consecutive win over UNC?
Navy at East Carolina: Friday, 12 p.m. ET – ESPN
Georgia Tech at Georgia: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+
No. 8 Tennessee at Vanderbilt: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+
No. 6 Miami at Syracuse: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
