Must Watch Games

College Football is finally here! While most teams play low level DI teams and even some play DI-AA teams opening weekend, there are also some games that you MUST watch. I take a look at some of the key games coming up this weekend.

Friday

#14 TCU at Baylor: The Horned Frogs get back on the field after a 13-0 season last year an a Rose Bowl victory. Many say that they are ranked to high in the preseason but we'll see what Gary Patterson has done this offseason to make up for the loss of Andy Dalton and his top targets on offense. The TCU defense that gave up only 12 points a game last season will be tested early and often while trying to stop Baylor's Robert Griffin III.

Saturday

Duck's quarterback Darron Thomas is back

#3 Oregon vs #4 LSU: This is the best match up in the opening weekend and one of the best all season as two top 5 teams will face off. Oregon starts their campaign to get one step further and win the national title while LSU looks to shrug off their recent offseason troubles at Cowboys Stadium. This will also be a battle between elite defense and elite offense.

#5 Boise St vs #19 Georgia: This game sets up very well for Mark Richt and his Bulldogs because in all likelihood 90% of the Georgia Dome will be in Red and Black. The Broncos knocked off Virginia Tech in a hostile environment at Fedex Field last season and it looks like they can do it again. This will also be the measuring stick for quarterback Aaron Murray, who some say is the best in the SEC.

South Florida at #16 Notre Dame: Brian Kelly enters his second season at the helm of the Irish program as he looks to bring them back to a BCS Bowl for the first time since an embarrassing Sugar Bowl loss to LSU in 2007. B.J. Daniels leads an underrated and athletic Bulls team that could surprise many in this opener. Daniels will also test a Notre Dame defense that has been terrible the last few seasons. There are always high high hopes in South Bend come football season but this looks like it could be the year that those hopes pan out.

Cyrus Grey could be the best
running back in the Big 12

Akron at #18 Ohio St: This should be an easy win for the Buckeyes but it should be interesting to see how Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller preform. Also I'd like to see how Luke Fickell manages his team in his first game in command of The Ohio State football team.

Sunday

SMU at #8 Texas A&M: Could this be the beginning of the Aggies last season in the Big 12? Looks like it will. They start off vs the Mustangs, who are coming off of two straight bowl games, and look to keep the ball rolling with a win over a top 10 opponent. This should be the Aggies game from the beginning but don't be surprised if the Mustangs hang around during this instate rivalry.

Miami (FL) at Maryland: The Hurricanes will be playing their first game since the Nevin Shapiro scandal that will result in some huge coinsecquences and possible destroy the program. Look for Al Golden and the Hurricanes to try and prove themselves vs quarterback Danny O'Brien and the rest of the Terps in College Park.

We're Playing There?? Hardest Places to Play in College Football

As we are approach the upcoming College Football season I take a look at the Top 10 places that opposing players don't want to enter on a Saturday afternoon.

10. Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin Badgers: Camp Randall may not be the best football stadium in Wisconsin but it still ranks as one of the best in the College Football world. On staurday afternoons and nights the 80,000+ Sconnie's get rocking. There may not be a crazier moment in College Football then when "Jump Around" gets playing at the end of the third quarter.

Oregon Fans at Autzen Stadium

9. Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokie faithful in Blacksburg, Virginia get real rowdy come Saturday afternoons in the fall. It also doesn't hurt that you have a team that has double digit wins every season since 2003. It seats only 66,000 but its still easily one of the loudest stadiums in College Football.

8. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee Volunteers: The 105,000 fans in attendance at Neyland make it one of the best venues in sports on a Saturday afternoon. The Volunteers have struggled lately but its still a place where teams prefer not to play on Saturdays.

7. Sanford Stadium, Georgia Bulldogs: You don't want to play "between the hedges" on a Saturday afternoon because not only do you have to face the consistently dominant Bulldogs but you also have to face the more than 90,000 crazy Georgia fans. Example: Georgia Fan

 6. Ohio Stadium "The Horseshoe", Ohio St. Buckeyes: The Horseshoe may lose some noise heading into this year after all the off season problems in Columbus but its still hard to top the O-H-I-O before the game. The Horseshoe on a Saturday afternoon is a place you must visit if your a College Football fan.

Whiteout on a Saturday night at Beaver Stadium

5. Autzen Stadium, Oregon Ducks: Autzen is the smallest stadium on the list, holding just about 55,000 a game, but it gets crazy loud in Eugene. You walk into the stadium and your ears start tingling. The stands are so close to the field and it was created so that it would keep the sound inside the stadium. On a wet and rainy day with the crowd screaming it'd be hard to find a more difficult place to play.

4. Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma Sooners: "Boomer Sooner" is continually said loud and clear throughout the stadium and just makes the place go crazy and the intimating structure in the middle of no where doesn't hurt either. 85,000 Sooners will be cheering for the preseason #1 overall team in 2011.

3. Beaver Stadium, Penn St Nittany Lions: A whiteout on a Saturday night at Penn State is arguable the most intimidating thing in College Sports. You have 110,000 crazy Penn St fans packing into Beaver Stadium and it just feels like the stadium is going to fall apart. Imagine what the players feel like when the ground starts trembling as you enter from the tunnel.

2. Tiger Stadium "Death Valley", LSU Tigers: I dont know anyone who wants to go down to Baton Rogue on a Saturday afternoon and play the LSU Tigers in "Death Valley". The Tigers always have some of the best fans in College Football and when you pack 92,000 of them into a stadium it can get very intimidating.

"Death Valley" on a Saturday night

1. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium "The Swap", Florida Gators: "The Swamp" has been one of the most feared venues in sports over the last few decades. No one likes to see the Florida Gators on their schedule, especially if you have to play them in the swamp. The passionate Florida fans have given the Gators the second best home winning percentage since 1990 and that looks to continue under Will Muschamp.

Honorable Mention

Michigan Stadium" The Big House", Michigan Wolverines

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama Crimson Tide

Memorial Stadium, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Kyle Field "12th Man Stadium", Texas A&M Aggies

Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame Fighting Irish