Being the last month of the college football regular season, November should have a boatload of meaningful games—but which ones are the best?
We’ve done August, we’ve done September, and we’ve done October. All that’s left is November: Where the might of the college football regular season reaches its boiling point.
November is often known for being the month that begins separating the men from the boys, laying the groundwork for what is always a thrilling postseason. It is also the home of some of the sport’s most iconic rivalries.
That means that it, in theory, should be bringing several big-name battles to the table—but which ones should be the best? Which ones should be the most exciting? Which ones should have the most riding on them as Weeks 10-13 put their finishing touches on the stretch of bowls that will soon follow? Let’s find out.
Here are my official picks for the best college football game in each week of November.
Week 10: Washington at USC (Nov. 4)
We’re getting things started with some controversy here, as I’ve put Washington at USC over the unpredictable Southeastern bloodbath that will be LSU at Alabama. But instead of plunging ourselves into some verbose debate over which one is more deserving of Week 10’s crown, let’s keep things simple.
Think about it: Of the two matchups, which one includes the best teams in their conference (by means of 2022 win totals)? Washington at USC. Which one includes the better quarterback duel? Washington at USC. Speaking of quarterbacks, which one includes defending Heisman winner Caleb Williams? Washington at USC.
While I shouldn’t have to explain how all of that shifts the conversation heavily in favor of the Huskies and Trojans, that’s not even the craziest part. Rather, what really sets them apart is how their meeting looks like the biggest of the Pac-12’s regular season as a result. Can the same be said about the Tigers/Tide clash in the SEC’s regular season? As of today, no.
Many are hesitant to take the college football spotlight off of Alabama and I can see why, as the Crimson Tide has been known to consistently prove its doubters wrong the minute they’re summoned. However, the fact of the matter is that neither the Tigers nor the Tide were good enough in 2022 to headline their conference’s 2023 slate. For me, that’s the smoking gun confirming that Week 10 is not theirs to claim.
Yet with all of that said, I want to stress that I am not picking the Huskies and Trojans solely out of opposition to another eye-catching affair. The two West Coast squads should hopefully produce a very competitive fight—and heat November’s opening weekend up in the process.
Week 11: Michigan at Penn State (Nov. 11)
Usually when people think of the biggest games of the Big Ten football season, the first one to come to their minds is the classic war between Michigan and Ohio State (known by many as “The Game”). When considering how dominant the two powers have been both historically and recently, that’s not exactly a hot take.
There is another pairing, though, that I feel has the potential to dethrone that rivalry this time around, and that’s Michigan/11-win Penn State. One can easily come to this conclusion upon looking at things from the East division’s perspective, and here’s how.
Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all play in the Big Ten East, meaning that the three schools encounter each other on the gridiron annually. With last season being the only one (so far) to see two teams from the same division make the playoff, that means that their matchups are likely to play pivotal roles in deciding which one represents the East in the 2023-24 bracket and which two don’t (it is a fair assumption that at least one of the East’s members will be in a position to do so, as that has been the case in seven of the nine college football installments so far).
With all of that now in the equation, let’s do what we did for Week 10: Ask simple questions. Who, as of last season, are the top squad to beat in the Big Ten? The Michigan Wolverines, who convincingly beat both Penn State (24-point win) and Ohio State (22-point win) en route to their 2022 Big Ten title. Of those two challengers, which one should now have the better shot at an upset? Penn State, as the Nittany Lions will have home-field advantage while the Buckeyes will be traveling to Ann Arbor.
By those criteria, this Week 11 meeting between the Wolverines and Nittany Lions is the one that’s most likely to hand the former their first conference loss since October of 2021 and, subsequently, shake up the Big Ten’s postseason footprint. That makes the case for it quite possibly being the conference’s biggest game of the year. With that much riding on it, the honor of being labeled America’s best game in Week 11 feels like a done deal.
Week 12: Georgia at Tennessee (Nov. 18)
Right on cue, boys.
In Week 10, we mentioned LSU at Alabama—which I explicitly said will not be the SEC’s biggest game—while covering Washington at USC—which will likely be the Pac-12’s biggest game. Then, in Week 11, we covered Michigan at Penn State—which will likely be the Big Ten’s biggest game. What better way to follow that trio up than with what is officially the top regular-season game in the mighty Southeastern Conference? Enter Week 12’s Georgia at Tennessee.
The Bulldogs are actually a pleasant surprise to have on today’s list, as this is their first time making an appearance in any of them (thanks to a relatively weak schedule). With that said, we had to take advantage of their biggest threat finally showing up.
Especially when held next to Georgia’s other opponents, the Volunteers are inarguably the toughest adversaries that the Dawgs are set to face in their 2023 regular season. But just for fun, let’s argue the point anyway.
Last year, the Bulldogs entered the postseason with only three wins decided by under three scores (all of which were in league play); they beat Missouri by four points, Tennessee by 14, and Kentucky by 10. Of those three foes, only Tennessee faced them in Athens.
That means two things: Firstly, it means the Volunteers gave them trouble that no other team could, and that speaks volumes about what could ride on the 2023 meeting from a postseason standpoint; secondly, it means the Volunteers will be at home for said meeting. Those factors would make things tricky for Georgia no matter what, but to me, it’s the uniqueness of Tennessee’s stadium that puts it all over the top.
With the ability to hold around 102,000 people, Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium is not only amongst the largest sports venues in the SEC, but also in college football, America, and the world. Combining two passionate fanbases in there for a rivalry game of this magnitude is going to make for one of the most chaotic atmospheres of the entire college football season.
When you put the biggest matchup from the best conference in one of the biggest stadiums ever built, it produces the exact reason as to why college football is so beloved. If this game turns out to be even remotely competitive, it’ll have been worth every second we spent watching it.
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.
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.