With Week 0 quickly approaching, the college football season is almost here. Some of the biggest games sit early in the calendar, and Josh Pate broke down his top matchups of the year. Pate revealed his 10 biggest games of the year on Josh Pate’s College Football Show Thursday night, and the top game is […]
With Week 0 quickly approaching, the college football season is almost here. Some of the biggest games sit early in the calendar, and Josh Pate broke down his top matchups of the year.
Pate revealed his 10 biggest games of the year on Josh Pate’s College Football Show Thursday night, and the top game is in Week 1. Texas and Ohio State both topped the preseason AP poll – as well as the JP Poll – which adds to the anticipation for the matchup. It will mark the official start of the Arch Manning Era in Austin.
But plenty of other marquee matchups are also sprinkled throughout the year. Here are the biggest college football games of the 2025 season.
Texas at Ohio State – Week 1
All eyes will be on Columbus in Week 1 when Texas and Ohio State square off. It’s not only a rematch of last year’s Cotton Bowl, but also Arch Manning’s first game as the Longhorns’ full-time starting quarterback.
College GameDay will also be in attendance for the opening game at The Horseshoe for Lee Corso’s last show, and the matchup tops Josh Pate’s list of biggest games of the season. It’s looking like quite the way for the 2025 campaign to officially get underway as the top two teams square off on the big stage.
USC at Illinois – Week 5
An interesting Big Ten race could get even more intriguing in Week 5. That’s when USC will make the trip to Champaign to take on Illinois in what could be a turning point for the Trojans, Josh Pate said.
USC has a bye following the matchup against the Fighting Illini, and a potential 5-0 record would create some much-needed momentum with games vs. Michigan and at Notre Dame immediately following. Illinois, meanwhile, could fully cement itself as a bona fide contender in the Big Ten with a favorable conference schedule outside of the Ohio State game.
Auburn at Oklahoma – Week 4
Week 4 will see a return to Norman for Jackson Arnold. Now the quarterback at Auburn, he will head back to the program with which he began his college career before transferring this year.
There’s more at stake for both Auburn and Oklahoma, though, according to Josh Pate. If the Tigers win, they could build some much-needed confidence with a road victory. But if the Sooners win, they could be looking at an undefeated record entering the Red River Shootout against Texas.
LSU at Clemson – Week 1
Another highlight of the Week 1 slate, LSU and Clemson square off in a bona fide “hinge game,” Josh Pate said. Brian Kelly’s group will look to end its streak of losses in season openers while Dabo Swinney and Co. will try to make an early statement.
LSU is coming off an up-and-down 2024 season, and a win in the season opener could be paramount as the program looks to prove it’s ready to contend once again this year. For Clemson, though, it’s an opportunity to show last year’s 0-3 record against the SEC is in the past and get an early marquee victory on its resume.
Ohio State at Michigan – Week 14
A list of the biggest games of the season has to include The Game. Ohio State at Michigan will be one of the biggest matchups of the year once again – especially given the Buckeyes’ current losing streak against their rival.
The Wolverines have won the last four matchups, including last year as Ohio State still managed to win a national championship. Josh Pate argued the game still has plenty of meaning for the Buckeye fan base, and he noted the schedule might not allow as much “wiggle room” as last year for a slip-up.
Texas at Florida – Week 6
In Week 6, Texas and Florida will square off in “the most underrated game in the SEC this year,” according to Josh Pate. The Longhorns and Gators will both be coming off a bye, and all eyes will be on the quarterbacks.
Arch Manning will enter a hostile environment at The Swamp while DJ Lagway is set to get his first taste of the matchup after missing last year’s game due to injury. It also marks the start of SEC play for Texas and Florida’s second conference game, and both teams could be in position to capitalize on an early league win.
Notre Dame at Miami – Week 1
The final Week 1 matchup on Josh Pate’s list of biggest college football games of the 2025 season is the Sunday night standalone game. Notre Dame will travel to Miami to renew an old rivalry in what’s now a Top-10 matchup.
The Fighting Irish are coming off a run to the national championship game a year ago and will look to announce it was not a one-off thing. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, reloaded in a big way this offseason and has a chance to show how those additions translate on the field.
Clemson at Georgia Tech – Week 3
Another under-the-radar matchup, Josh Pate views Clemson at Georgia Tech as an important ACC matchup. Pate thinks the Yellow Jackets could be in position for a conference title game berth, which makes the Tigers game even bigger.
Clemson and Georgia Tech last squared off in 2023, but both teams are in different spots now. The Tigers have most of their production returning from last year’s College Football Playoff appearance while the Yellow Jackets will continue to ride a staunch rushing attack to a leap forward in 2025.
Alabama at Georgia – Week 5
Last year, Alabama vs. Georgia became one of the best games of the season. They’ll square off again in 2025 – this time, in Athens, and Josh Pate said there will be plenty at stake.
A Bulldogs loss would mark a second straight against Alabama, which Pate said would spark questions about Kirby Smart against the Crimson Tide. For Kalen DeBoer’s group, a loss could create the narrative about any possible “holes” in the roster.
Penn State at Ohio State – Week 10
By the time Penn State at Ohio State comes around, Josh Pate said tickets could be punched for the Big Ten Championship. But that Week 10 game is perhaps the biggest on the Nittany Lions’ schedule ahead of an anticipated 2025 season.
Ohio State has an eight-game winning streak against Penn State, including last year’s matchup as James Franklin’s group tried to break through a crowded Big Ten. A win over the Buckeyes would prove the Nittany Lions are a legitimate title contender, making it a “hinge game” in every sense of the phrase.
Week 0 is almost here, and Week 1 means the college football season will be off and running. It’s now into the home stretch before it’s time to initiate Gameweek Protocol.
Category: General Sports
