Nov 26, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
20 Biggest College Football Games: October
It’s easy before the season to look ahead and figure out what the best college football games and matchups should be - just take the best big name teams and go from there - but once it all starts, everything changes.
All of a sudden, games involving a two-loss Clemson team don’t seem like that big of a deal - even if they are. All of a sudden, games involving an unbeaten Maryland seem like a big deal. All of a sudden, everything involving Colorado has become a big deal.
Of course, a lot depends on games earlier in the month - Missouri at Kentucky on October 14th becomes a monster if both are unbeaten after the Cats play Georgia and Mizzou deals with LSU, but it’s not likely so there’s a bit of a projection here.
After a fun start to the season, what are the 20 biggest college football games in October. Which ones are about to shape the rest of the 2023 season? These are the big ones we’re all going to care about.
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20. UNLV at Fresno State, Oct. 28
Let’s kick this all off with something quirky and potentially a whole lot of fun. If Fresno State can survive Wyoming this week, it should be able to beat Utah State and be on track for a New Year’s Six game.
If UNLV wins at Nevada and beats Colorado State, first year head coach Barry Odom’s team will be 6-1 going into what would the by far the school’s biggest game as a Mountain West program.
19. Colorado at UCLA, Oct. 28
The world needs more Colorado hype like it needs more pregame NFL shows entirely devoted to Taylor Swift attending a football game - NO ONE milks wins over mediocre teams better than the Buffs - but the Coach Primes will likely beat Arizona State and Stanford meaning they’ll be 5-2 going into a trip to the Rose Bowl. Deion, Los Angeles, you know what’s coming.
18. Iowa at Wisconsin, Oct. 14
Yeah, yuck. However, in a miserable year for the Big Ten West, this is probably it. This likely decides the division.
17. Duke at Florida State, Oct. 21
Is Riley Leonard going to be okay in a few weeks? Duke has a week off and has to survive a home game against NC State, but then comes the showdown with the Seminoles for positioning in the ACC title chase.
16. Tennessee at Alabama, Oct. 21
Both teams have to get by Texas A&M, but if the Vols can do that after getting this week off off, they’ll be 5-1 with a chance to crank its season up to 11 if they can beat the Tide for a second year in a row.
15. Utah at USC, Oct. 21
Utah has USC’s number - outside of LA. By this point the hope is for Ute QB Cam Rising to be ready to go, and if both teams can sidestep a few landmines, the repeat of the Pac-12 Championship might mean everything to the title chase.
14. West Virginia at UCF, Oct. 28
Wha? Huh? Yup. West Virginia should be favored against Houston and Oklahoma State. Win those two, and it’ll be 6-1 going to UCF. After that is a home date against BYU, which means it’s entirely possible that the team will be 8-1 going into a road game against Oklahoma if it can get out of the Bounce House alive.
13. Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 28
Both teams have massive games before this, but considering Ohio State’s showdown with Penn State is in Columbus, this is the one dangerous road game between now and the trip to Ann Arbor. And God forbid it loses to the Nittany Lions the week before, this would be a shot for former Buckeye-now-Badger-head-coach Luke Fickell to deliver a knockout blow to the OSU season.
12. Alabama at Texas A&M, Oct. 7
The winner is the favorite to win the SEC West and stays in the hunt for the College Football Playoff. The loser’s season is essentially over, the media will be all over the “is he still right for the job” coaching questions, and … these two play fun games lately.
11. Florida vs Georgia, Oct. 28
The Billy Napier era continues to sputter and cough as it tries to get going, but if Florida can win THIS, it goes into hyperdrive. With Missouri, Ole Miss, and Tennessee right after this game, Georgia can’t afford a misfire, and the Gators might be just good enough to provide it.
10. Miami at North Carolina, Oct. 14
The Hurricanes have to get by Georgia Tech and North Carolina faces Syracuse, but if that happens, this is a battle of unbeatens in a powerhouse of an ACC showdown.
9. Notre Dame at Louisville, Oct. 7
Just how real is unbeaten Louisville? Can Notre Dame beat another good team to keep the College Football Playoff hopes alive? Even for Notre Dame this might fly slightly under the radar, but it’s a huge game with national implications. If Jeff Brohm’s team can pull this off, game on for a program that's suddenly in the mix for nice things.
8. Washington State at Oregon, Oct. 21
This is the biggest IF game of the bunch. IF Washington State can win at UCLA and then get by a dangerous Arizona, and IF the Ducks win at Washington, this would be the biggest game in a weekend loaded with big games. Even if they both lose, the winner is still deep in the Pac-12 and College Football Playoff chases.
7. Maryland at Ohio State, Oct. 7
Does Ohio State look all that amazing to you? Maryland has been quietly rolling right along, it has a nasty D, tough running game, and veteran QB in Taulia Tagovailoa. Do not be at all shocked if the unbeaten you’re not thinking about pulls this off.
6. Kentucky at Georgia, Oct. 7
Does Georgia look all that amazing to you? Kentucky was quietly rolling along, and then it rim-rocked Florida to look the part of a team that might just be able to do something amazing. Do not be at all shocked if the unbeaten you’re not thinking about pulls this off.
5. Clemson at Miami, Oct. 21
The Clemson that beat Syracuse last week is the one that - even at 1-2 in the ACC - still might be a whole lot more in the conference title chase than everyone thinks. Miami has to go to North Carolina the week before, but no matter what this is a showdown that should in one way or another shape the course of the two programs.
4. Oklahoma vs Texas, Oct. 7
Not to program-shame or assume anything, but both teams should be massive favorites the rest of the way, and this will probably be the first of two meetings, but …
Who’s really BACK? Is Texas back? If it’s a true player, it wins this, establishes its dominance as the unquestioned star of the Big 12, and everyone assumes it’s off to the College Football Playoff. Is Oklahoma back? This 5-0 start to the season has been fun and all, but after getting destroyed by Texas last year, head coach Brent Venables can quickly turn the national spotlight on to his program.
3. Penn State at Ohio State, Oct. 21
It’s Part One of what might be one of the biggest messes in college football this season - if we’re lucky. Ohio State hosts Penn State, Penn State hosts Michigan, and Michigan hosts Ohio State. If all the home teams win, and all go 11-1 … here’s the first huge step in what should a fantastic race for the Big Ten East.
2. USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 14
If Notre Dame can win this week at Louisville, then here we go. Heismans are won on this game - Caleb Williams took it with his performance last year - but more importantly, the winner gets past one of the biggest obstacles to the College Football Playoff.
Both have work to do - the Irish have to go to Clemson and the Trojans have a killer of a Pac-12 run to deal with - but it’s Notre Dame and USC when both are good. It’s a big deal.
1. Oregon at Washington, Oct. 14
This is everything the Pac-12 has been dreaming off played by the two schools that, effectively, ended the conference.
Get ready, Big Ten. This is what you bought, and you’re going to love it starting next year.
Both teams get this week off before what might just be the most important and wild game of the year. The Heisman, the lead - along with, likely USC - in the Pac-12 race, and a clear path to the College Football Playoff is there for the winner.
Both still have to deal with USC, Washington State, and Oregon State, but those are for later. In the dying days of the Pac-12 as we know it, this should be special.
Bowl Projections | CFN Rankings 1-133
- 5 Most Surprising Teams So Far
- 5 Most Disappointing Teams So Far
