UPDATE #4: Star system modified and games changed below.
UPDATE #3: Picks added.
UPDATE #2: Bill Connelly and ESPN updated their ratings, so the games below have been updated as well. Bama/Wisconsin is now a 4-star game and Ohio St./VT has been upgraded to a 3-star game.
UPDATE: Added the AP Top 25 rankings.
Two weeks from today we will celebrate College Football Day. In honor of the coming holiday, here are the top games you should watch during Week 1 (September 3-7).
Games are ranked like recruits: 5 stars, 4 stars, and 3 stars. Just like in recruiting, 2-star and 1-star games won’t be given much attention.
Games are ranked using a super-scientific system comparing the overall quality of the two teams and the closeness of the match-up. The quality of each team is found using Brian Fremeau’s, Bill Connelly’s, and ESPN’s advanced stats ranking systems.
Without further ado: the games. All times AZ.
Four-Star Games / Game of the Week
| GAME | DAY | TIME | TV | PICK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. #15 Arizona St. vs. Texas A&M (in Houston) | Saturday | 4:00 PM | ESPN | ASU* |
| 2. #3 Alabama vs. #20 Wisconsin (in Dallas) | Saturday | 5:00 PM | ABC | Bama |
Three-Star Games
| GAME | DAY | TIME | TV | PICK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Michigan at Utah | Thursday | 5:30 PM | FS1 | Michigan* |
| 2. BYU at Nebraska | Saturday | 12:30 PM | ABC | Nebraska |
| 3. #6 Auburn vs. Louisville (in Atlanta) | Saturday | 12:30 PM | CBS | Auburn |
| 4. Texas at #11 Notre Dame | Saturday | 4:30 PM | NBC | Notre Dame |
| 5. North Carolina vs. South Carolina (in Charlotte) | Thursday | 3:00 PM | ESPN | South Carolina |
| 6. #1 Ohio St. at Virginia Tech | Monday | 5:00 PM | ESPN | Ohio St. |
| 7. Penn St. at Temple | Saturday | 12:30 PM | ESPN | Penn St. |
*Upset picks
Above the Press Box 