Ranking the Weeks of the College Football Season

So I thought it would be fun to rank the weeks of the college football season from best to worst and boy was I wrong. Three hours later, my list is ok. Essentially weeks 1 and 2 (in the rankings) are interchangeable. Weeks 3 through 9 as well. I hope you all enjoy:

1. October 6th
Maybe I'm biased in this one, but October 6th features what figures to be the marquee regular season game between LSU and Florida in Baton Rouge. If you think that place won't be rocking at 8pm that night you're crazy. Also, the greatest neutral site game takes place as Texas and OU battle for Big XII south supremacy. Throw in undercards Georgia vs. Tennessee and Notre Dame vs. UCLA you have potential for a great day of college football.
Sleeper game: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State: Two teams possibly fighting for an outside chance at a division title, the high flying Cowboy offense matches up with the ground and pound Aggies.

2. September 8th
Maybe the best non-conference showdown of the season happens when Virginia Tech travels to Baton Rouge (common theme in my rankings) to play LSU.
Winner has an inside track towards a national title game run. Also the most intriguing David vs. Goliath game of the year happens when TCU invades
Austin. This game has potentially a bigger impact than Boise State beating Oklahoma for the mid majors. Frog fans have hats, t-shirts, adult diapers (kidding) printed up
saying "Beat Texas" they beat OU in a down year a couple of years ago and they could make a BCS run with a win over Texas. Other interesting games include
Michigan/Oregon, Miami/OU, Notre Dame/Penn State, Wake Forrest/Nebraska.
Sleeper Games: NC State at Boston College: Tom O'Brien left BC for Tobacco Road, something tells me the Eagles are looking forward to this one.
South Florida at Auburn: People are predicting a down year for the Tigers and a breakthrough for the Bulls this one could be REALLLLLY interesting
or over by halftime.

3. September 1st
Ok, so maybe the slate of games isn't as good as in other weeks, but it's OPENING DAY! And unlike another sport where you have to wait 5 months to find out your team really does stink even though they started well, faded in June, made a big trade at first base, but have no starters and a worn out bullpen (this isn't referring to anyone specifically), in college football your fortunes for the season are known much sooner. Cal looks to return the beat down Tennessee put on them last year, Oklahoma State looks to prove they are legitimate against Georgia, The world awaits to see who Charlie Weis annoints QB while Georgia Tech fans are happy to see someone, anyone, at QB other than Reggie Ball. Wake Forest looks to prove they are legitimate against a team that should challenge them for divisional dominance in BC. And the weekend ends with Miami fans thrilled they get to watch Clemson play an ugly game on Labor Day against Florida State rather than them.

4. November 10th
If USC is going to lose many feel like it will happen when they go to Berkely to face Cal. The winner of Michigan and Wisconsin will probably win the Big 10, ditto West Virginia and Louisville. So you have three possible conference title games there. Virginia Tech/FSU might be a preview of the ACC title game. And you have SEC grudge matches,Florida against South Carolina and Georgia against Tennessee.

5. November 24th
Ah yes, not only the week of Turkey, but the week of rivalries! Texas looks to get revenge on Texas A&M who won in Austin last year, perhaps the best interstate rivalry in college football the Iron Bowl. Georgia Tech could beat Georgia now that Reggie "0-4" Ball is gone, Florida/FSU battle, as do Darren McFadden and LSU. Perhaps the best game of the weekend happens Friday when last year's post season darling Boise State travels to the islands to face this year's potential darling Hawaii.

6. October 20th
The last time USC went to South Bend the greatest regular season game in the history of sports played between mankind (or so ESPN said) it ended in The Bush Push, an early pre-cursor that showed Reggie Bush particpates in deviant behavior. Maybe Touchdown Hay-sus will have something magical working. If anyone in the SEC West can beat LSU it's Auburn, though it doesn't seem likely. Miami and FSU renew one of the better rivalries in college football. Cal and UCLA jockey for position if by some miracle USC doesn't romp through the Pac-10. And the one rivalry that has nothing to do with what happens on the field takes place when Phil Fulmer, probably the most hated man in Alabama brings his Volunteers to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama.

7. September 18th
Nebraska has been one the premier program in college football over the past half century. Ever since getting beat down by Colorado in the Big 12 title game and Miami in the national title game in 2001 the Huskers have struggled. They have been slowly rebuilding the program so their game in Lincoln on this night is perhaps the biggest regular season games in the programs history. Everyone I know who has been to Lincoln says it is a magical place when the Huskers play so perhaps the Huskers can pull a shocker. If that's not enough to entice you, hows about the best rivalry in the SEC East, Tennessee and Florida? Or Notre Dame Michigan? Undercard includes Georgia Tech and BC fighting for divisional position and Arkansas and Alabama trying to make a statement.

8. October 27th
The week begins on Thursday as Boston College runs into the buzzsaw that is Virginia Tech at home on a Thursday night, it still could be a preview of the ACC title game. A personal favorite of mine happens this weekend as Georgia will probably lose its 34th of 36 game to Florida (ok it only feels like it's been that many). Nebraska heads to Texas where the Horns usually own the Huskers. Last year's most exciting regular season contest took place in Piscataway when Rutgers beat Louisville, the State University of New Jersey will try to recapture that magic against West Virginia. Ohio State and Penn State could be a good one, but it's overshadowed by the other games.

9. November 3rd
One of the most anticipated games of the season takes place as LSU takes on old coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Bama should be rocking. Possible division deciding games between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech and FSU and BC also adds some intrigue. Texas/Ok State is usually a good one as is Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Oregon State looks to be on the bad end of a beatdown from USC for last year's upset.

10. September 29th
Only two marquee games on this day, but both should be good and both take place in the Sunshine State. After blowing it big time last year against Arkansas, Auburn rebounded to serve Florida with its only loss in 2006. The Gators want revenge in the swamp no doubt. The other game is a non conference game in Jacksonville. Two proud programs looking to return to glory battle as Alabama takes on FSU. Tickets sold out ridiculously quickly for this game and the attendance will probably set a stadium record.

11. November 17th
Only one real marquee game, but it's probably the most anticipated rivalry game in the nation, that's right, Temple and Syracuse. No, of course it's Michigan and Ohio State. Big Blue could be in line for a national title shot and the Buckeyes would love nothing more than to ruin those plans. If Lloyd Carr loses to the Buckeyes again, could his job be in jeopardy? The only othe intriguing game is Virginia Tech and Miami. Usually it's a good one, but will Miami be good enough to hang with the Hokies?

12. October 13th
After the football heaven that will be the week prior to this, this week is devoid of big games, but there are some solid ones. Last year Florida State lost 6 games, five of them by a touchdown or less. The one real embarassment came when Wake Forest shellacked them by 30 in Tallahasee. Now the 'Noles go to Winston-Salem looking for revenge. Speaking of revenge, Auburn was supposed to contend for a national title last season but that ended when Darren McFadden exploded on to the national scene in a big win over Auburn, now the Tigers want revenge. Penn State looks to end a potential dream season for Wisconsin and Texas A&M and Texas Tech showdown in a heated, but usually inconsequential rivalry. Told you there wasn't a lot going on.

13. December 1st
The last week of the season lacks many big time games. USC will probably get revenge for last year over UCLA to make it to the BCS Title game. Louisville will probaby get revenge over Rutgers to possibly make a BCS game. Oregon and Oregon State will play an intense rivalry game few outside the pacific northwest will care about. Hawaii plays Washington in a game that might have BCS implications for the Warriors.

14. September 22nd
Peeeeeee-yew, what a stinker of a week. Look, I have respect for Miami and nothing but contempt for Texas A&M (oh wait, you are supposed to say something nice before the BUT, oh well) BUT when the best match up is between two teams whose best case scenario is MAYBE making a run at a conference title, you're in trouble. It should be an interesting game. A&M is going to try to run on a fierce run defense. The rest of the schedule is bleak. Penn State could play spoiler to a Michigan national title run, but the game is in Ann Arbor. Iowa could play spoiler to a conference title run for Wisconsin, but the game is in Madison. Georgia should play an interesting game with Alabama, but that game lacks any major implications. If Arizona is going to be a surprise team in the Pac-10 they could get a boost by winning at Cal. I'm really reaching here folks.

So there you have it, if your old lady wants you to spend time with her on a Saturday tell her that September 22nd is best day for you unless you are a die hard fan of the team mentioned above. If not, tell her that you're busy every other week with what should be a great season of college football.