The first full week of the college football season features four games pitting top 25 teams against each other and is capped with an ACC Labor Day showdown. Here are the top five games to watch:
Tennessee (0-0) vs. No. 17 West Virginia (0-0)
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; CBS
The Buzz: Tennessee kicks off the Jeremy Pruitt era in style: on the road in a neutral-site showdown against a ranked opponent. The Volunteers are looking to snap a seven game regular-season road losing streak dating back to 2016. Tennessee also is looking for the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since defeating Nebraska 38-24 in the 2016 Music City Bowl. West Virginia quarterback Will Grier is 1-0 against Tennessee, beating the Vols during his days with the Florida Gators in 2015.
No. 6 Washington (0-0) vs. No. 9 Auburn (0-0)
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; ABC
The Buzz: Auburn returns to Atlanta for the third consecutive game, with the Tigers hoping for better results. Last season, Gus Malzahn’s team lost both the SEC Championship Game and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Washington is looking to improve on a dismal 3-10 overall record against teams from the SEC, with the most recent loss coming against Alabama in the 2016 Peach Bowl.
No. 14 Michigan (0-0) at No. 12 Notre Dame (0-0)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; NBC
The Buzz: Jim Harbaugh and Michigan travel down to South Bend for a Saturday night showdown with Notre Dame. It’s the first time these two traditional powerhouse programs have met since the series was halted in 2014. The Fighting Irish are riding a two-game home win streak against the Wolverines, with the last loss at Notre Dame Stadium coming in 2010. Harbaugh is 2-2 all-time as a coach against Notre Dame, splitting four games during his tenure as Stanford’s head coach.
No. 8 Miami (0-0) vs. No. 25 LSU (0-0)
Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; ABC
The Buzz: College football fans are in for a rare treat with this Sunday showdown in the Advocare Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The programs have elite history, combining to win eight national championships. Miami enters this season ranked No. 8 in the preseason Associated Press top 25 poll, the highest ranking earned by a Hurricanes team since 2004. LSU, meanwhile, looks to Ohio State transfer quarterback Joe Burrow to lead a revamped offense in his second full season under Ed Orgeron.
No. 20 Virginia Tech (0-0) at No. 19 Florida State (0-0)
Monday, 8 p.m.; ESPN
The Buzz: Willie Taggart makes his debut as Florida State’s head coach during this holiday weekend finale. It is the eighth time the Seminoles have played on Labor Day and the fourth time Virginia Tech has played on the holiday. This is the first time these programs have faced off in Tallahassee since 2008, with FSU earning a 30-20 win. Florida State is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, with the program’s last win coming in the 2016 Orange Bowl.
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