Top 10 College Football Matchups to Circle in September

10. Louisville at Notre Dame - September 28

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took down the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station on Saturday night and instantly became a favorite to head to the College Football Playoff. That was a significant hurdle that has now been crossed. While the Fighting Irish did not look great on offense for stretches of that game, it was more than good enough to prevail, and they now have an easier-than-usual schedule remaining. Louisville looked quite good in Week 1, and they play a pair of crucial games in September: Georgia Tech at home and at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish should be 4-0 heading into this game, and it will be a chance to exact revenge for a loss last season while crossing off one of the last hurdles to a playoff bid.

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2. Tennessee vs. North Carolina State - September 7

After just two weeks of action (counting Week 0), the ACC has suffered several high-profile losses and looks like a one-bid league. In short, this critical non-conference game is significant for the conference’s image. More importantly, this is our first chance to see Nico Iamaleava on a big stage. The star quarterback was 22-28 for 314 yards with three touchdowns in just one half of action as Tennessee steamrolled Chattanooga 69-3 in the season-opener. North Carolina State trailed in the fourth quarter against Western Carolina, and they could use a good performance against a team that looks poised for a playoff push.

3. Arizona at Kansas State - September 13

The winner of this game will have an inside track on one of the two spots in the Big 12 Championship Game. The league is wide-open, but Kansas State and Arizona figure to be two of the teams in the fight for the conference’s automatic bid and bye in the College Football Playoff. The Wildcats had a shootout in Week 1, beating New Mexico 61-39 as the two squads combined for more than 1,100 yards of offense. Kansas State took care of business against UT-Martin, but this is a significant step up in competition. This is a battle between two of the nation’s best young quarterbacks and potential breakout stars, Avery Johnson and Noah Fifita, and there should be fireworks.

Big 12 Conference Winner Odds: Kansas State +370/Arizona +1300

4. Alabama at Wisconsin - September 14

The Kalen DeBoer era got off to a smooth start as Alabama rolled Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa. They’ll get a stiffer test in Week 2 against USF and then take to the road for a rare trip North. Alabama is playing in Madison against the Wisconsin Badgers, and the atmosphere at Camp Randall Stadium should be enjoyable. Wisconsin failed to impress in a Week 1 slog, but the matchup with Alabama will be a real chance to make a mark before diving into conference play. Alabama will use this as a tune-up before entering the gauntlet of the SEC.

5. Memphis at Florida State - September 14

The first two weeks of the season have changed the complexion of this game. Before the season, it looked like a matchup between the ACC favorite and one of the better Group of Five teams, plus Mike Norvell’s current team versus his former program. Florida State has looked disinterested and is now 0-2 and teetering on a disastrous campaign while rival Miami ascends. They get an off week before hosting Memphis, and this game now looks very winnable for the Memphis Tigers. If they can win in Tallahassee, they immediately jump to the head of the line in the Group of Five’s chase for the automatic playoff bid.

Memphis Odds to Make CFP: +500

6. Tennessee at Oklahoma - September 21

The first SEC game for the Oklahoma Sooners is a showdown with former OU quarterback Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers and a matchup of redshirt freshmen Nico Iamaleava and Jackson Arnold. Many have dismissed Oklahoma as an afterthought this season, but this will be very difficult for Tennessee. The Volunteers and Sooners both harbor legitimate College Football Playoff thoughts, and this is the kind of toss-up game that would go a long way toward earning a team an at-large bid.

Odds to Make CFP: Tennessee +185/Oklahoma +440

7. North Carolina State at Clemson - September 21

The season is young, but Miami appears to be the class of the ACC. The odds now list the Hurricanes as the solid favorite to win the conference, but two teams get to play for the conference title and the automatic playoff bid and bye that goes with it. Louisville impressed in Week 1, but that was against Austin Peay. Florida State is now 0-2 in the league and looks very poor, and Virginia Tech lost to Vanderbilt. North Carolina State was unimpressive in a win against Western Carolina, and we’ll learn a lot more about them against Tennessee. At the same time, Clemson was humbled by Georgia and will play Appalachian State before a Bye Week. This game is in Death Valley, and the loser will likely be staring at two losses before the end of September.

ACC Championship Odds: Clemson +300/NC State +950

8. Utah at Oklahoma State - September 21

The Big 12 will be filled with competitive and potentially critical games in the race for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. Utah’s first major test in the league will come on September 21 as they travel to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State. The Cowboys began the campaign with a 44-20 victory over South Dakota State, and they’ll play Arkansas and Tulsa before hosting the Utes. Utah welcomed Cam Rising back to the lineup and waxed Southern Utah 49-0. Utah gets Baylor and then plays Utah State before the game against the Cowboys. This one features the first and third-best odds teams in the Big 12.

Big 12 Championship Odds: Utah +270/Oklahoma State +650

9. Georgia at Alabama - September 28

Georgia versus Alabama in Tuscaloosa needs no further introduction. The Bulldogs are the number one team in the country after hammering Clemson in the second half of the season opener in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide are currently ranked fifth, and they shut out Western Kentucky in the first game of the Kalen DeBoer era. This is the first game of a new chapter in this rivalry as Kirby Smart will meet DeBoer on the field for the first time, and both teams hold legitimate shots to win the league and earn a bye in the College Football Playoff.

Odds to Win National Title: UGA +270/Alabama +1100

10. Louisville at Notre Dame - September 28

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took down the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station on Saturday night and instantly became a favorite to head to the College Football Playoff. That was a significant hurdle that has now been crossed. While the Fighting Irish did not look great on offense for stretches of that game, it was more than good enough to prevail, and they now have an easier-than-usual schedule remaining. Louisville looked quite good in Week 1, and they play a pair of crucial games in September: Georgia Tech at home and at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish should be 4-0 heading into this game, and it will be a chance to exact revenge for a loss last season while crossing off one of the last hurdles to a playoff bid.

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