A Surprisingly Tasty Slate

To the naked eye, this weeks slate pales in comparison to last weeks proclaimed "Monster Saturday". But, for true College Football fans, there is PLENTY to be excited about. Here are just a few of the matchups that have my appetite primed:

#12 Arkansas vs. Georgia - The Razorbacks have their highest ranking since 2006. All of the offseason hype was surrounding Ryan Mallet and the chance they have to supplant Auburn, LSU, and Alabama as the perennial favorites in the SEC West. Well after 2 warmup games, they get their first true test against a Georgia team that is in a must win situation after their Week 2 loss at South Carolina. Are the Razorbacks really as good as advertised?

#21 West Virginia vs. Maryland - The Mountaineers escaped Marshall with an overtime victory. A team that was supposed to contend for the Big East title has looked extremely vulnerable in the first 2 weeks. Maryland provides an out of conference test against a young but excited 2-0 ACC team. WVU travels to Death Valley (LSU) next week, so a good showing here is vital to any hopes they have at being a national contender.

Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina - The ACC has been embarrassed during the first 2 weeks of the season. Both Georgia Tech and UNC lost out of conference matchups (to Kansas and LSU respectively). The winner of this game takes the driver’s seat in a competitive ACC race, while the loser will have trouble keeping its head above water.

#10 Florida vs. Tennessee - This has become one of the most exciting early season rivalry games in all of College Football. Florida seemed to “find itself” in the 2nd half of a win over USF last week. Now the Gators, led by John Brantley, hit the road for the first time. Can they start their SEC run out with a win?

#8 Nebraska vs. Washington - The Huskers go on the road with their new starting QB for the first time. Jake Locker has the chance to prove his Heisman worth in front of a national audience. Are the Huskers truly a title contender?

#7 Oklahoma vs. Air Force - The Sooners got a huge win against Florida State last week that put them squarely in the conversation for the National Championship. But, a hangover against Air Force will result in a loss. Air Force is 2-0 and has 3 players over 100 yards rushing this season already.

Florida State vs. BYU - Both teams were embarrassed last week, but both have the chance for big rebound wins. The ‘Noles annihilated the Cougars in Provo last year. Can Bronco Mendenhall’s team exact revenge in Tallahassee?

#4 TCU vs. Baylor - Most folks will brush this game off and Vegas has already made Baylor 21 point underdogs. But Bears QB Robert Griffin III is the type of player that can lead a team to an upset. This game could be one to watch as the afternoon shifts to evening.

#16 Auburn vs. Clemson - Tigers vs. Tigers. ACC vs. SEC. Primetime. Doesn’t get much better. Both teams are looking for a signature win early in the year. This will be most people’s first look at Heisman candidate Cam Newton, the dual-threat Auburn QB.

Notre Dame vs. Michigan State - Can Brian Kelly rebound from the heartbreaking loss to Michigan? It will be his first road trip as the Irish Head Coach.

#6 Texas vs. Texas Tech - Tommy Tuberville gets his indoctrination into Big 12 football from Mack Brown as the 2 clash for early season Texas supremacy. The last time the Longhorns traveled to Lubbock, the biggest upset in Red Raider history occurred. Is an encore on tap?

#9 Iowa vs. #24 Arizona - Iowa looks to show the nation that their Preseason Top 10 ranking is justified. Arizona looks to grab a statement win for the Pac-10. Wildcat QB Nick Foles could spring himself into the Heisman conversation with a winning performance.