Nothing beats the excitement and anticipation of age-old College Football rilvaries.
Tons of games are in store for us. But only a handful will undoubtedly require the attention of the whole nation. Rivalries like the one involving the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns will be among those which will make football fanatics’ blood boiling of excitement. And that’s even way far from the thrill brought by the rematch everyone is begging to happen – the September warfare between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M Aggies.
Here are 10 of the most anticipated college football games in 2013
1. Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas A&M Aggies | September 14
Simply put, this is the most anticipated game in 2013 college football schedule. This is a match-up that brings together on the same field the defending champion Crimson Tide against the Aggies – the only team that put a dent in Alabama’s record last season. In last year’s meeting, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel baffled Nick Saban’s squad with an exceptional performance to propel Texas A&M to a 29-24 victory. With revenge on their minds, expect the Crimson Tide to pour everything they got against a determined Texas A&M squad. College football doesn’t get any better than this.
2. Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns | October 12
Exciting the fans of Big 12 conference is the 108th edition of the Red River Rivalry. The Longhorns are expected to bounce back after a humiliating 62-21 loss to their Red River rival last year. The Sooners are 3-0 SU and ATS in their last 3 games versus Texas. However, the Longhorns capped their 2012 season campaign with a 31-27 come-from-behind stunner against Oregon State to win the Valero Alamo Bowl.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Stanford Cardinal | November 30
It would be perfectly understandable if you reschedule any other plans on November 30 just to catch this match. In their last meeting, the Fighting Irish barely escaped Stanford in a 20-13 overtime victory. The drama generated by that game still lingers up to this day making their rematch one of the most anticipated this season—spurred further by the fact that both teams are still highly in the college football rankings; Notre Dame is ranked #4 while Stanford is not far behind at #7. Though the Fighting Irish won their last meeting, the Cardinal keep a 3-1 SU and ATS in their last 4 games against Notre Dame.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines | November 30
You wouldn’t want to miss a rivalry game tabbed by many sports pundits as the fiercest in college football. Last year, the Buckeyes shackled Michigan to record a 26-21 win to cap their season with a perfect 12-0 record. Recent trends have the Buckeyes dominating the rivalry. They are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games against Michigan and 6-0 ATS in the last 6. But no matter how one-sided this match-up has become, the Buckeyes can’t relax as a loss to Michigan could hijack their BCS bid.
5. LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide | November 9
Les Miles and his Tigers squad will get another crack at defeating the defending champions.
LSU is 0-2 SU in its last 2 games against the Crimson Tide. Given the history of these two teams, we can expect yet another thriller like their last meeting. The currently ranked #1 Crimson Tide defeated LSU last November 3, 2012, 21-17, but not without them getting pushed to the edge. With less than two minutes left on the game, Alabama’s AJ McCarron fired a touchdown pass to T.J. Yeldon to grab the lead, 20-17, before Jeremy Shelley made the extra point. Though LSU lost back-to-back to the Crimson Tide, it is 3-1 ATS in their last 4.
6. Florida vs. LSU | October 12
People are more likely to pay to watch a game where two teams are offensively potent. Both Florida and LSU are neither that but fans will still find it hard to resist the allure of this match. This October date between Florida and LSU features two of college football’s best defensive programs. Last season, the Tigers’ defense ranked 12th in the nation while the Gators are 5th. Their last meeting was a low-scoring affair ending in a 14-6 victory for the Gators.
7. Texas A&M Aggies vs. LSU Tigers | November 23
Who wouldn’t want to see Johnny Manziel get a rematch against LSU? Employing their vaunted defense, the Tigers forced Texas A&M to commit five key turnovers that led to their 24-19 victory over the Aggies last season. However, things could be very different on November because lots of LSU’s defenders last year are now gone. Also, this game could have major implications on both team’s chances for a BCS appearance. But regardless, Texas A&M sure is itching to exact revenge on the Tigers. In the last 2 match-ups, LSU has won both games SU and ATS.
8. Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs | November 2
“The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” may sound like a friendly nickname but once the Gators and Georgia catch sight of each other on the field, the party’s over. Their upcoming meeting on November would play a big role in determining which team will rule the SEC East. After losing thrice in a row to Florida from 2008-2010, Georgia is now in perfect position to have their three-game winning streak versus the Gators.
9. Oregon Ducks vs. Stanford Cardinal | November 7
You cannot think of any better match-up between two Pac-12 teams this season than Oregon-Stanford which is scheduled to take place in November. Aside from the fact that both teams are hotly involved in early discussions of BCS contenders, another story-line that adds spice to this game is the Ducks’ intention to avenge itself from the stinging 17-14 loss it suffered last year against Stanford. That loss derailed Oregon’s BCS title hopes. The Cardinal will look to win back-to-back against Oregon, while the Ducks are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games versus Stanford.
10.Georgia Bulldogs vs. Clemson Tigers | August 31
This meeting is a ton of fireworks waiting to get lit. Last season, both Georgia and Clemson showcased their offensive prowess scoring an average of 37.8 PPG and 41 PPG, respectively. Basically, this is a match-up between the best offenses of the SEC and ACC. The Bulldogs and Tigers have only played each other three times since 1995. In their last meeting back in 2003, Georgia executed a 30-0 demolition job of the Tigers. This game also pits two highly-ranked quarterbacks with Georgia’s Aaron Murray dueling Clemson’s Tajh Boyd.
Not only are the above games highly anticipated from a game day excitement perspective they’re being considered as an integral part of the NCAA Football Futures. Which match up are you most excited about?
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