Dozens of big games mark 2000 season

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Dozens of big games mark 2000 season

Aug. 21, 2000
SportsLine.com/Lindy's reports

Cry if you want about the lack of a playoff system in college football, but the flip side to that is that every week of the regular-season becomes a playoff-like scenario with playoff-like intensity -- stumble once, in Week 1 or Week 11, and you can probably kiss the national title good-bye.

With that in mind, SportsLine.com takes a look at the biggest of the big games this season, from this weekend's opening games all the way through the Big 12 and SEC conference championship games in December. With at least two big games to pick from every week, it's time to put fresh batteries in the remote control.

August 26
BYU at Florida State	LaVell Edwards' farewell tour begins against '99 champs.
August 27
Penn State vs. Southern Cal	Will Lions' QB Rashard Casey play? Can Pac-10 win a big game?
September 2
Texas A&M at Notre Dame	Bob Davie badly needs a win like this one.
Alabama at UCLA	Tide steps out to West Coast for intersectional tilt.
September 9
Miami at Washington	'Canes defense vs. UW QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Nebraska at Notre Dame	Yes, two storied programs, but this is a mismatch.
Oregon at Wisconsin	Badgers face their one tough non-league opponent.
September 16
Florida at Tennessee	Annually the biggest game of the year in the SEC.
Michigan at UCLA	These teams could do a Jan. 1 rematch in Pasadena.
Washington at Colorado	Rick Neuheisel back in Boulder. Armed escort is expected.
September 23
Notre Dame at Michigan State	Big win over ND last year got Sparty's train rolling.
Penn State at Ohio State	Early Big Ten monster tilt... loser relegated to rear.
September 30
Tennessee at Louisiana State	Nick Saban's first real big one; Vols haven't lost at LSU since '74.
Wisconsin at Michigan	Looks like the game of the year in the Big Ten.
October 7
Florida State at Miami	Starting to look like the early '90s all over again.
Michigan at Purdue	Last in a brutal four-game stretch for Michigan.
Tennessee at Georgia	Will Bulldogs stand up, or sit back down and shut up?
October 14
Mississippi at Alabama	This has the feel of SEC West deciding factor.
Oklahoma at Kansas State	Oklahoma's crazy passing vs. K-State's shut-down secondary.
October 21
Purdue at Wisconsin	Purdue's elite QB against Wisconsin's elite defense.
Alabama at Tennessee	Vols have won five straight, but now Tide has more talent.
October 28
Nebraska at Oklahoma	First meeting since 1997 ... Sooners haven't won since 1990.
Georgia at Florida	Annual showdown in Jacksonville could be for East title.
Kansas State at Texas A&M	The No. 2 pick in each Big 12 division square off.
November 4
Clemson at Florida State	Tigers are ACC's best hope to stop Seminoles.
Virginia Tech at Miami	This looks like the Big East championship game.
November 11
Nebraska at Kansas State	To the winner: Division? Conference? Orange Bowl bid?
UCLA at Washington	Bruins wrecked Washington's path to Rose Bowl in '99.
November 18
Michigan at Ohio State	Always a titanic struggle, but will OSU be more than spoilers?
Florida at Florida State	Seminoles could be on a 22-game winning streak.
Auburn at Alabama	Looks like another Iron Bowl with major ramifications.
November 24
Texas A&M at Texas	Hook 'em or gig 'em? Shootout for South title.
Colorado at Nebraska	Huskers had to go overtime to silence Buffs last season.
November 25
Mississippi State at Mississippi	Egg Bowl is always wild, and 2000 will be no exception.
Notre Dame at USC	No matter the stakes, always a traditional must-see game.
East Carolina at Southern Miss	Matchup was moved to end of season to set up "title" game.
December 2
Conference championship games	SEC and Big 12 determine automatic BCS representative.

Lindy's Football Annuals (National, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, plus Pro) are available at newsstands regionally, or can be ordered as a set at www.lindyssports.com, or by calling 1-205-871-1182.

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2000 schedules
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