The college football season is beginning to wind down. Only a few weeks remain in the regular season and the picture is becoming very clear. The SEC Championship game is already set, with Georgia and Alabama clinching their respective divisions last week. Clemson has separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the ACC.
The Pac-12 is a train wreck right now, with Washington State the best hope for a playoff spot. The B1G feels like it should be Michigan but anything can happen there. The Big XII is down to Oklahoma and maybe West Virginia. Add in a 9-0 Notre Dame to the mix and these last few weeks will be one fun ride. Here are the best college football games to watch in Week 11.
All games are listed in chronological order and all times listed are Central Time. All rankings reflect the most recent College Football Playoff poll. And remember, if your team doesn’t make this list, it’s only because I hate them.
College Football week 11 games to watch
Thursday November 8
Wake Forest @ #14 NC State
Carter-Finley Stadium – Raleigh, NC
Kickoff: 6:30pm
TV: ESPN
Why you should watch: It’s the only game of the night. NC State bounced back from consecutive losses and trounced a hapless Florida State team. Meanwhile, Wake Forest sits at 4-5 and needs to win two of their next three games to make it to go to a bowl game for a third straight year.
Friday November 9
#23 Fresno State @ Boise State
Albertson’s Stadium – Boise, ID
Kickoff: 9:15pm
TV: ESPN2
Why you should watch: It’s the better of the two games one. A loss here would pretty much doom Boise State’s hopes of reaching the Mountain West Championship game (they have one loss in conference play while Utah State has none). Fresno State meanwhile is playing really good football this year and they’re sitting at 8-1 with their only loss on the road at Minnesota.
Saturday November 10
#10 Ohio State @ #18 Michigan State
Spartan Stadium – East Lansing, MI
Kickoff: 11:00am
TV: FOX
Why you should watch: It’s two ranked teams in a game that could have BIG title implications and maybe even NY6 bowl implications. The game last year in Columbus was a massacre and the Spartans will look to exact revenge on an Ohio State team that seems to be in chaos right now.
#16 Mississippi State @ #1 Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, AL
Kickoff: 2:30pm
TV: CBS
Why you should watch: It’s two ranked teams. But that’s not really a huge deal here. Alabama is steamrolling people and it would take a minor miracle for Mississippi State to keep this one close. That’s not to say that the Bulldogs are a bad football team. That’s just saying that Alabama is historically good.
Oklahoma State @ #6 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium – Norman, OK
Kickoff: 2:30pm
TV: ABC
Why you should watch: It’s the Bedlam game, one of the best rivalries in college football. Last year’s insanity probably won’t be surpassed but it could still be a very good football game. Mike Gundy has struggled big time against the Sooners, winning just twice in 13 tries against them. And Cowboys booster T Boone Pickens is notoriously unhappy with that.
#24 Auburn @ #5 Georgia
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA
Kickoff: 6:00pm
TV: ESPN
Why you should watch: It’s two ranked teams in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Nobody really thinks that Auburn is a legitimate Top 25 team, but the CFP committee wants ranked vs. ranked matchups whenever possible so here it is. Georgia has already locked up a spot in the SEC Championship game but a loss at any point the rest of the season would probably see them eliminated from the CFP race.
#2 Clemson @ #17 Boston College
Alumni Stadium – Chestnut Hill, MA
Kickoff: 7:00pm
TV: ABC
Why you should watch: It’s another ranked vs. ranked matchup. College GameDay will be in the house. This is probably Clemson’s toughest test the rest of the season (and that would include the ACC Championship Game). The Tigers have been mashing people of late and are playing very well on both sides of the ball. On the other side, this is the best Boston College team since Steve Addazio has been there and this would be a signature win for the Eagles.
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