Kirk Herbstreit names his six must-watch games of Rivalry Weekend

The end of college football is sadly almost upon us, as Kirk Herbstreit released his list of six must-watch games ahead of Rivalry Weekend. There is endless entertainment on tap, as Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Wisconsin will all be playing for trips to their respective conference championship games.

In addition, plenty of teams are playing for their College Football Playoff lives as well. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so let’s enjoy it.

Kirk Herbstreit top six Rivalry Weekend games

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 5 Michigan: No stage is bigger in college football than the one in Ann Arbor this Saturday. Not only are the Buckeyes and Wolverines fighting for a Big Ten Championship Game appearance, but also a trip to the College Football Playoff. ESPN’s College GameDay will be on hand to capture the surely electric scene in one of the game’s greatest rivalries.

No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Oklahoma State: Oklahoma’s streak of six straight Big 12 championships are in serious jeopardy. The Sooners need a win against the Cowboys or a Baylor loss if they hope to even compete for the conference crown. Can an Oklahoma State defense that ranks third in the country earn its first Bedlam victory since 2014?

No. 3 Alabama at Auburn: The Crimson Tide enter this game as three touchdown favorites, but nothing is guaranteed in the Iron Bowl. The home team has won each of the past five meetings, and this year that just so happens to be Auburn. Can the Tigers spoil Alabama’s Playoff hopes with an upset?

Oregon State at No. 11 Oregon: The Ducks knocked themselves out of Playoff contention with last week’s loss to Utah. They’ll get their shot at revenge in the Pac-12 Championship Game, but first they’ll look to take their anger out on the Beavers. Oregon has won three of the past five games, but OSU took last year’s version.

Penn State at No. 12 Michigan State: The Spartans have had a disappointing end to an otherwise fantastic season. After at one point looking like the conference’s best bet to make the College Football Playoff, they have dropped two of their past three games. To make matters worse, Michigan State could be missing up to 20 players due to a flu outbreak. Penn State is still one of the better teams in the Big Ten, so the Spartans’ quest for victory No. 10 won’t be easy.

No. 14 Wisconsin at Minnesota: After beginning the year 1-3 against a brutal schedule, Wisconsin hasn’t lost a game since. Their incredible turnaround could culminate in a Big Ten West division title if they can beat Minnesota on Saturday. The Badgers have the second-best defense in the country behind only Georgia, the main reason why they have gotten to this point.