In the first half of my look ahead to 2007, we saw a lot of non-conference games and the beginning of conference play. In this part, we walk through the heart of league play and the big-time rivalries that mark the end of every college football regular season. Again, this is just one appraisal of what we have to look for, and the fact half of these games might not matter while a dozen more might be of much more consequence is what makes the sport great.

16) October 13th, Boston College at Notre Dame: The Irish and Golden Eagles have played some heart-breaking games over the last few seasons, including the end of Ty’s Return to Glory in 2002 and contributing to my miserable freshman year football experience three years ago. People want to perhaps complain about Ty’s lack of recruiting or point to the fact he’s an African-American as the reason for his demise, but I’ll go ahead and point to his in-game decision in the 2004 BC game as the reason Our Lady’s University needed to move on. Up 20-17 in the fourth quarter and facing a 4th and 5 at the opponent’s thirty, Ty trotted DJ Fitzpatrick out on the field to attempt a 47-yard…he punted. HE PUNTED. Don’t believe me? Here’s the clip from ESPN.com’s play-by-play:

This will be a heated clash of Youth vs. Experience and is sandwiched in the middle of a roadtrip to UCLA and a home game with the Trojans for the young Irish. If they can steal one of those games, I’d imagine it would have to be this one, but Matt Ryan would probably think otherwise.

18) November 3rd, LSU at Alabama: Obviously not nearly as exciting as the first trip Nick Saban will eventually make to Baton Rouge (as the head coach of Auburn…ZING!), but if the Crimson Tide can field a competitive team, this should be a hard-hitting game full of vitriol and SEC speed. Alabama coming down after a sensational senior-laden 2005 campaign isn’t that stunning, especially with the need to replace shirtless Brodie Croyle, but it was the stupid decisions Mike Shula made along the way that got him canned. The cupboard in Tuscaloosa isn’t bare, but it might seem like it to Saban when compared to the horses he helped bring to the Bayou Bengals. The crowd might not be as loud as it could be after prematurely shooting its wad in what was supposed to be a dry run Saturday, but I’m sure they’ll manage.

19) November 3rd, Wisconsin at Ohio State:Wouldn’t want to leave pigskin genius Bret Bielema and his fighting Badgers off the list. After missing the loaded 2006 Buckeyes, a mostly-intact-save-for-John Stocco/Joe Thomas will travel to Columbus in what will be another huge game in deciding the Big Ten. Tyler Donovan’s got some snaps over the years and PJ Hill maintains his level of "Fat Running Back Who’s Hard To Tackle", so while Ohio State will have to lean on its defense and play TresselBall, it’s not going to be easy, even in the ‘Shoe. Again, strictly in the experience sweepstakes, Penn State and Michigan have the advantage under center, but Wisconsin’s bringing back 16 starters from a one-loss team.

20) November 8th, Louisville at West Virginia (Thursday Night): Round One of White/Brohm went to triple-overtime and was sadly overshadowed by USC/Notre Dame and Penn State/Michigan. Round Two resembled an AFL game, where not scoring on a lone possession marked you for death. Some Penn State fans trying to shout from their mountain mock Thursday night games, but I’d love to have one a season. The whole college football world focused on you without the clutter of the rest of the weekend, with Erin Andrews guaranteed to be on your sideline? This doesn’t just have Big East title implications, but it’s got the potential to decide one half of the national title picture. Morgantown at night, chock full of "Country Road", Noel Devine and burning couches; don’t pretend you won’t be there.

21) November 10th, Arkansas at Rocky Top: Couldn’t do a Top Thirty List without making mention of the returning Heisman runner-up, Weapon X, Darren McFadden. Despite all the offseason turmoil, the Razorbacks can still run the rather simple-yet-deadly offense of "Whoever at quarterback/McFadden/Felix Jones/Marcus Monk" and run it well. Tennessee will be looking for a bit of redemption after McFadden ripped them to the tune of 181 yards on the ground before he got bored and decided to throw for a touchdown in a 31-14 win Erik Ainge missed due to his annual injury. Unless you want to count Alabama, Mississippi or dealing with deranged parents, this will be the first true road test of the season of Houston Nutt.

22) November 10th, Florida at South Carolina: Meyer vs. The Visored One, Round Three. The new Gator coach already matched the master’s national title total, but if Jarvis Moss hadn’t neglected gravity and suspension, Florida wouldn’t have been in Glendale. The first game in Columbia was an old-fashioned schooling, and if the combination of Blake Mitchell-to-Kenny McKinley, ten returning defensive starters and a sweet Ol’ Ball Coach recruiting class against the champions doesn’t produce another great game, I’d be very surprised.

23) November 17th, Ohio State at Michigan: Because it’s Ohio State/Michigan, dammit! And ESPN probably has a countdown ticking somewhere! Even if this doesn’t have the same implications as last year, Lloyd Carr would like to turn around that three-game losing streak (all which featured Wolverine leads at some point, if memory serves me correctly) by unleashing his senior backfield tandem at home in the season finale. I still think the Big Ten is stupid for not bumping this game back a week or two, but that’s met with cries of "blasphemy", so it’ll just stay here parked a fortnight before the end of the season. Just throwing this out there: Lloyd Carr in the last three years against Notre Dame, Ohio State and in bowl games: 1-8.

(And just to appease the Michigan folks, Weis’ two-year record against Michigan, Southern Cal and in bowl games: 1-5. Everyone feeling sorry about themselves now?)

24) November 23rd, Texas at Texas A&M (Friday): Tough Guy Stephen McGree goes up against Registered Pussy Colt McCoy in the finale of both team’s regular season, although one of them or Oklahoma will surely be representing the South in the championship game. Last season, the Aggies pulled the upset over a favored Longhorn team in Austin, using a grueling go-ahead touchdown drive and the Cheap Shot of the Year to knock McCoy out of the game. It’s very possible Texas could be on the brink of a trip to New Orleans here, and Texas A&M would love nothing more than to put another disappointing end on their rival’s season. Only qualm: Why do they start this game so damn early? I’m still sleeping off the turkey and alcohol when this kicks off, and that’s Eastern time.

25) November 23rd, Boise State at Hawaii (Friday): Ian Johnson, the wife and the rest of the Broncos head to the big island to take on 2006 MaxwellPundit winner Colt Brennan and the Rainbow Warriors in what’s sure to be a WAC shootout. While Boise State has to replace a bunch of starters from last year’s undefeated (but no championships! Down with playoffs! Why can’t we just go back to the old system and let the more popular teams win titles!? I understand that single elimination tournaments aren’t perfect, but at least you can’t win every game put in front of you and still not be declared champion), Hawaii returns most of their defense and top receivers to go with one of the Heisman and MaxwellPundit favorites. Rainbow Warriors in the BCS? This game could go a long way in deciding that.

26) November 24th, Utah at BYU: Think Utah might want a little revenge for this last year? John Beck graduates to the NFL, the rivalry lives on:

27) November 24th, Georgia at Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech comes out as a wash from last season, returning most of their buzzing defense, losing Calvin Johnson but also getting rid of Reggie Ball. The Bulldogs have had it easy in this rivalry the last four years with Ball’s "heroics", but they should be able to take care of business on their own as dashing young Matt Stafford grows into Mike Bobo’s offense, although he might need a wide receiver with some balls to help him out. The offensive line will have to hold up against Jon Tenuta’s blitzes while the young Bulldog defense won’t be able to just wait for a pick six from Ball to seal things.

28) November 24th, Florida State at Florida: Two young teams, a recent history of Florida handling things and the omnipresent goal of needing to win for recruiting purposes all mean another great Thanksgiving weekend game. Will Drew Weatherford still be quarterback at this point in the season? Will Bobby Bowden still be alive? Want to see what happens when Tim Tebow meets Myron Rolle in the open field? Tune in to find out.

29) November 29th, Rutgers at Louisville (Thursday Night): Louisville had one loss in the 2006 season and it came on a cold Jersey night after an offsides call on a missed field goal. Brian Brohm probably still sees Jeremy Ito celebrating in his nightmares, and this is his chance, on his senior night in the Pizza Palace, to get revenge on Greg Schiano, Mike Teel, Ray Rice and the rest of the state of New Jersey. Bobby Petrino’s gone, but to think the talent he’s left in place won’t result in another classic shootout would be foolish.

30) December 1st, UCLA at Southern Cal: This might very well be your Game of the Year. UCLA returns twenty starters and two capable quarterbacks, which might end up a blessing or a curse. Southern Cal will be close to a consensus preseason number one, needing only a few of those highly-touted wide receiver recruits to step up in order to reach full-fledged juggernaut status. If you’re unfamiliar with the HTML slapfights, personal attacks and countless insults that occur on SBN year-round between BruinsNation and ConquestChronicles, tune in this week and in the aftermath to see all manner of what makes the internet both great and terrible. If you want to talk about revenge, 13 to 9 cost the Trojans a shot at the national title, and you can guarantee Carroll and his crew will want to make amends for that grievous error.

I know I missed a lot of potential classics, so please be sure and point out my ignorance for putting in Iowa/Penn State and Boise State/Hawaii instead of the Civil War up in Oregon or Oklahoma State's trip Between the Hedges. You can never have too many exciting college football games to choose from.