The best college football game for each week in November
By Austin Lloyd
Week 13: Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 25)
And last but not least, we have a classic rivalry that is in no way a surprising pick for Week 13.
Back when I was justifying the idea of Michigan/Penn State being named Week 11’s biggest game, I argued that it had serious potential to influence the Big Ten’s playoff window greater than “The Game” would, and I stand by that.
However, the last thing that is meant to imply is that “The Game” is not important; it nonetheless sits as one of the greatest rivalries in CFB, and that is especially so for as long as both parties are playoff-caliber. Speaking of which, that is precisely what locks the showdown in the top spot for this week.
As previously established, last season was the first to have a CFP bracket include two teams from the same division. Now seems like a good time to remind everyone that those teams were Michigan and Ohio State, and when eyeing the studs they have on both the field and the sideline, them being the pair to shatter such a ceiling is far from a shock.
Today, the excitement us fans feel when watching the duel unfold goes beyond a battle of the brands, as it currently involves some of the biggest names on the CFB landscape. Some noteworthy examples of these names include J.J. McCarthy (Michigan QB), Blake Corum (Michigan RB), Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State WRs), Jim Harbaugh (Michigan HC), and Ryan Day (Ohio State HC). Quite an impressive bunch.
The rivalry, the brands, the players, the coaches, the standards they’ve set—it all blends together to provide the world with everything a great football game is supposed to have and then some. When a matchup can capture that kind of magic, being regarded as Week 13’s best is the least it could get in return.
Next. Takeaways from college football realignment, plus predicting what’s next. dark
This time every year, the CFB season is welcomed with expectations surrounding high-profile matches, ones that can ignite the passion fans of the sport are constantly desperate to experience. After these past few weeks of looking at the loaded Saturdays, this fall has lined up for us, I’d have to say that 2023 undoubtedly has that matter under control.