

Back by semi-popular demand (my editor and a guy down the street said they liked it), we have the second annual Most Intriguing series previewing the 2013 college football season. This week: the 25 most intriguing games:





1. Alabama at Texas A&M, Sept. 14. Johnny Football vs. Nicky Hardware, the matchup fans have been talking about since five minutes after last season ended. Two-time defending champs against defending Heisman Trophy winner, who pretty much won the award last year in a shocking upset in Tuscaloosa. This time around, both could be ranked in the top five. Of course, we all know Nick Saban isn’t big on the concept of revenge games … Hahaha.



2. Oregon at Stanford, Nov. 7. The past two years, the visitor has inflicted the lone loss of the season on the home team. The Ducks were on track to play for the national title last year until being upset by the Cardinal, and in 2011 Oregon ruined Andrew Luck’s dream of a perfect senior season. This year, the two Pac-12 heavies hook up on a Thursday in what could be the biggest weeknight game in recent college football history.

3. LSU at Alabama, Nov. 9. This rivalry has been the most important, most talent-laden and most intense in the nation the last two years. In fact, it can be argued that the Tigers are responsible for both of the Crimson Tide’s last two defeats – in 2011 in the regular season and last year, when an emotionally flat and physically bruised 'Bama team was stunned the following week by Texas A&M.

4. Georgia at Clemson, Aug. 31. When quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Tajh Boyd both came back for their senior years, this became a marquee season opener between neighbors with national title aspirations. The Tigers took a big step forward in respectability by beating LSU in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl last year, and a second straight win over an SEC power would be huge. For the Bulldogs, this begins an incredible opening month of the season, with South Carolina and LSU both to come in September.

[Related: What to expect from SEC football]

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5. Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 30. “Ohio” vs. “That School Up North” is a reinvigorated rivalry with Brady Hoke and Urban Meyer in charge. This year the Buckeyes have the schedule to again go undefeated – but no postseason ban to limit the stakes. The final regular-season roadblock to that would be in the Big House against the hated Wolverines. There isn’t much better in college football than an Ohio State-Michigan game with national title implications.

6. UCLA at USC, Nov. 30. The Bruins shook up Los Angeles by pounding the Trojans last year for their first win in the series since 2006, and just their second since 1999. This time around, Lane Kiffin could be fighting for his job – no matter what Pat Haden said in July – or both teams could be battling for the Pac-12 South title. On either end of that spectrum, the implications will be significant.

7. Florida State at Florida, Nov. 30. In a '90s flashback, both teams were ranked in the AP Top Ten last year. And when the seven-point underdog Gators scored a big win in Tallahassee, the rivalry regained some of the old juice. The Seminoles could possibly be playing in their 36th consecutive game as a favorite (according to Phil Steele’s yearbook) when this game kicks off. One or both teams could have national aspirations on the line.

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