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We’ve finally made it Thanksgiving week, one filled with rivalries and huge games that will shape the College Football Playoff field. It’s one of the best weeks of the entire year and a perfect opportunity to sit down with your family and watch as much college football as you can handle.
These rankings are subjective, but factor in league and national impact along with how exciting and how close the games will be. Games are ranked on a 1-5 Georgia Dome scale (the site of the SEC Championship Game), with 5 being the most watchable game and 1 being the least.
5 GEORGIA DOMES
No. 13 Florida State at No. 12 Florida, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN — It’s not just a rivalry between two Sunshine State schools battling for supremacy in Florida, it’s also a huge matchup in the rivalry between the SEC and the ACC. Not to mention, there are some serious playoff implications involved. Here’s a nightmare scenario for the conference: Florida State beats the Gators, who turn around and knock off Alabama in the SEC title game. That’s likely the only way the league gets shut out of the playoff, so if you’ve ever chanted S-E-C, S-E-C in your life you’ll likely want to tune in and root hard for the Gators.
No. 2 Alabama at Auburn, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS — On paper it should be a blowout victory for Alabama and not much to see, but this is the Iron Bowl and we know anything can happen. If the Crimson Tide plays to its capability and rolls over the Tigers then it has solidified its spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. If Auburn pulls off the upset, or even keeps it close, then Bama’s current invincibility slips heading into the conference championship game.
4 GEORGIA DOMES
No. 18 Ole Miss at No. 21 Mississippi State, 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2 — This Egg Bowl doesn’t have quite the juice of last year’s version, but anytime the two Mississippi schools are ranked and clash it’s something pretty special. Dak Prescott is playing his final game in Starkville and that alone makes it something to check out as one of the SEC’s all-time greats gets an opportunity to leave a hero. But Ole Miss would love to play spoiler and the result will be taken into account by the playoff selection committee when judging Alabama.
Texas A&M at LSU, 7:30 p.m. ET, SECN — If you had said a month ago this game would feature two unranked teams and be relegated to the SEC Network, that would have sounded crazy. But here we are with a game that looked like a true five-star classic barely getting four Georgia Domes in this rating. The overall implications are diminished, but this is still Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis’ return to Baton Rouge, where he spent a good chunk of his career working for LSU. It could also be the finale for Tigers coach Les Miles. Emotions will be high.
3 GEORGIA DOMES
No. 1 Clemson at South Carolina, noon ET, ESPN — This one takes elements of what makes Florida-Florida State and Alabama-Auburn intriguing and combines them. There’s no way South Carolina, the team that lost to The Citadel, should be able to hang with Clemson, but strange things happen sometimes in bitter rivalries. If this one is even close, considering the Gamecocks already beat North Carolina, it could be taken as an indictment of the ACC.
Missouri at Arkansas, 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, CBS — There’s not a lot on the line in this one, but considering how entertaining all of Arkansas’ games have been lately, why not tune in the day after Thanksgiving and see what craziness is in store. It might also be Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel’s last game.
2 GEORGIA DOMES
Georgia at Georgia Tech, noon ET, ESPN2 — It has been a hugely disappointing season for both schools. One of them gets an opportunity to end it on a higher note. It’s a fun rivalry and Mark Richt might be on the way out, which could boost the intensity.
Louisville at Kentucky, noon ET, SECN — Kentucky has hopes of ending a five-year streak without a bowl game. Louisville has rebounded nicely from a horrible start to the season which included a loss to Auburn in the opener. If Kentucky can’t win, the seat might start getting hot for Mark Stoops, but overall this one isn’t of significant importance.
1 GEORGIA DOME
Vanderbilt at Tennessee, 4 p.m. ET, SECN — This one is probably the least intriguing of all the in-state rivalries involving SEC teams and this year doesn’t have much impact on the conference race at all. Don’t be afraid of missing much of you get up to check the fridge for leftovers.
Shane Mettlen is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Texas A&M, Missouri and Alabama.
