ESPN ranks Top 10 best games to watch in 2025 college football season

The 2025 college football season is right around the corner, and this fall is chock-full of high-profile, marquee matchups across the board. With many rivalry matchups and big-time non-conference bouts set to litter the upcoming year, ESPN revealed the 10 best games to watch that fans can look forward to seeing this season.

From The Game, to a Week 1 blockbuster matchup, to a couple of FCS rivalries worth the watch, there’s no shortage of entertaining matchups to tune into this fall. Here’s how ESPN ranked them from 10 to 1.

10. Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 29)

The storyline surrounding this game is simple — will Michigan defeat Ohio State for a fifth-straight season? The Game has proven to provide no shortage of storylines and controversial moments in recent years, and these two heated rivals would do anything to win this game.

Michigan is revamped, motivated and looking to find itself back at the top of the Big Ten under second-year head coach Sherrone Moore. Meanwhile, Ohio State would love nothing more than to end their regular season with a defeat at home.

9. Texas A&M at Notre Dame (Sept. 13)

Notre Dame traveled to College Station to take on Texas A&M in the regular season opener in 2024. They would leave victorious, defeating the Aggies 23-13 on their way to eventually becoming the national runners-up in the College Football Playoffs. Now in 2025, the Aggies march into South Bend to seek revenge after last season.

The Aggies have a couple of tuneup games before facing the Fighting Irish. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will be coming off a game against Miami two weeks prior.

8. South Dakota at North Dakota State (Sept. 27)

ESPN made sure to clarify that they purposefully placed South Dakota in this matchup — not South Dakota State, the longtime FCS powerhouse. Citing NDSU’s coach leaving along with a litany of players with him, South Dakota could use this opportunity to take over in the Dakota.

7. Montana State at Montana (Nov. 22)

Montana State won last year’s matchup 34-11 on its home field and has largely dominated the series in recent years. Since 2016, Montana State has a 6-2 record against their in-state rival. Montana added some FBS-level talent from the transfer portal this offseason and could change their fortunes beginning in 2025.

6. Boise State at Notre Dame (Nov. 22)

In a first-time-ever matchup, Boise State will travel to Notre Dame with an opportunity to solidify itself as the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff. Replacing Ashton Jeanty is no easy task — and neither is defeating Notre Dame.

If Boise State is unable to capture magic again in 2025, there are other opportunities for G5 teams to take their spot. ESPN predicted Tulane’s game vs. Ole Miss or Memphis’ matchup against Arkansas would be the other two matchups to keep an eye on in this regard.

5. Oregon at Penn State (Sept. 27)

A rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship game, Penn State will host the Ducks for the first time since 1964, and the first time as conference foes. The two teams did not meet in the regular season during Oregon’s first season in the conference.

The game will serve as Penn State’s conference home opener. Oregon will already have kicked off conference play against Northwestern by that point.

4. Texas at Georgia (Nov. 15)

Georgia defeated Texas in both the regular season in Austin, and again during the SEC Championship game in Atlanta during the 2024 season. The Longhorns finished the season 13-1 against everybody else.

So late in the season, this matchup could have conference championship game implications. However, by mid-November, Texas and Georgia fans will know exactly what they’re getting in new quarterbacks Arch Manning and Gunner Stockton.

3. Penn State at Ohio State (Nov. 1)

Penn State will travel to Columbus for this year’s edition of the Nittany Lions-Buckeyes rivalry. However, the matchup has been fairly one-sided in recent years as Ohio State holds an undefeated record against Penn State since 2016.

This matchup to start November could be the determining factor in a potential Big Ten Conference title game, or even a College Football Playoff seed or two. With conference and playoff implications likely tied to this game — neither team can afford to lose it at that point in the season.

2. Alabama at Georgia (Sept. 27)

One of the most anticipated matchups during every college football season, the Crimson Tide travels between the hedges in the SEC opener. The Crimson Tide bested the Bulldogs 41-34 during head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season as coach, and Kirby Smart is looking to even the series.

Both programs will have new arms at quarterback, most likely Gunner Stockton for Georgia and Ty Simpson for the Crimson Tide. They’ll be expected to perform to the occasion when their numbers are called during the high-stakes SEC matchup.

1. Texas at Ohio State (Aug. 30)

The first marquee game of the season might just be the best if ESPN’s rankings are to be believed. It’s a rematch of the national semifinal from last season, and both programs are expected to be at the forefront of college football once again in 2025.

Texas enters the Arch Manning era under center, while the Buckeyes will have to replace national championship-winning quarterback Will Howard this offseason. The storylines and potential College Football Playoff implications so early in the season will have eyes glued to this matchup.