One NCAA game Falcons fans need to watch every week of the college football season

Saivion Mixson

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One NCAA game Falcons fans need to watch every week of the college football season image

After 11 years of waiting, College Football 25 has graced the shelves and digital libraries of gamers everywhere. Football fans across the country have miraculously developed food poisoning and other 24-hour bugs so that they can harness the nostalgia from their childhoods.

To celebrate, we look through the hundreds of games that will be played through the 14-week NCAA regular season and recognize one game from every week of the college football season for Atlanta Falcons fans to tune into. 

All of these will be dependent on 2025 NFL draft prospects the Falcons could be looking at as they continue to build their roster toward becoming true Super Bowl contenders. I did what I could to give you new names and new matchups each week. Let’s get into it!

Sidenote: This is made specifically for the Falcons, most of the notable prospects will be in projected positions of need for Atlanta. I understand that quarterbacks Carson Beck and Shedeur Sanders will be key cogs to their teams’ success, but with the drafting of Michael Penix Jr., that is not a need for the Falcons. This exercise will be focused on positions such as, but not limited to: EDGE, CB, WR, OT, S, LB, DT.

Week 0: Florida State @ Georgia Tech, Saturday, August 24th, 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Prospects to watch: EDGE Patrick Payton (FSU), OL Terrence Ferguson II (FSU), WR Christian Leary (GT), CB Fentrell Cyprus (FSU)

Playing in Dublin, Ireland to start the season, Patrick Payton and the Florida State Seminoles look to wash the stink of how last year ended off with what should be an easier game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The matchup of Georgia Tech wide receiver Christian Leary and cornerback Fentrell Cyprus. However, all eyes should be focused on edge rusher Patrick Payton, the next in line to be the premium pass-rusher in the garnet and gold.

Week 1: Notre Dame @ Texas A&M, Saturday, August 31st, 7:30 p.m. EST, ABC

Notable Prospects to watch: CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), S Xavier Watts (Notre Dame), EDGE Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), CB Will Lee III (Texas A&M)

If you want to see who the Falcons could pick in the first round, this is certainly the game for you. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison may be gone already, but edge Nic Scourton seems to be the early consensus to be a Falcon after the 2025 season. A welcomed addition to a team devoid of a premier pass-rusher since, say it with me, John Abraham in 2012.

Week 2: Texas @ Michigan, Saturday, September 7th, Noon EST, Fox

Notable Prospects to Watch: CB Will Johnson (Michigan), DT Mason Graham (Michigan), OT Kelvin Banks (Texas), S Andrew Mukuba (Texas), S Rod Moore (Michigan)

An early-season test for these two teams with heaps of talent throughout the roster. Cornerback Will Johnson and safety Rod Moore hold down the back end for the Wolverines, while Kelvin Banks holds down the Texas offensive line. 

Week 3: Colorado @ Colorado State, Saturday, September 14th, 7:30 p.m. EST, CBS

Notable Prospects to Watch: WR/CB Travis Hunter (Colorado), S Shilo Sanders, WR Tory Horton (Colorado State), WR Will Sheppard (Colorado)

From the bad blood in this matchup to the fact that Will Sheppard is going to be catching passes from a good quarterback, this game is so exciting. Travis Hunter will have his work cut out for him as he and the fighting Deion Sanders look to make it 2-0 against the Rams in the Primetime era of Colorado Buffs football.

Week 4: North Carolina State @ Clemson, Saturday, September 21st, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: LB Barrett Carter (Clemson), OT Blake Miller (Clemson), OT Anthony Belton (North Carolina State), CB Aydan White (North Carolina State)

This is a selfish pick, I just love Clemson’s Barrett Carter. Seeing cornerback Aydan White and tackles Blake Miller and Anthony Belton will be nice as well, but the play of the athletic Carter is what makes the decision easy for me.

Week 5: Georgia @ Alabama, Saturday, September 28th, 7:30 p.m. EST, ABC

Notable Prospects to Watch: S Keon Sabb (Alabama), S Malachi Moore (Alabama), S Malaki Starks (Georgia), DE Mykel Williams (Georgia), OL Tyler Booker (Alabama), OT Earnest Greene (Georgia), DT Nazir Stackhouse (Georgia), DL Jaheim Oatis (Alabama)

Low-hanging fruit, I know, but come on, it doesn’t get much better than Georgia vs. Alabama in the regular season. There will be plenty of versatile defensive backs who will be looking to make their mark on the game, but the game will be won up front. Alabama’s Tyler Booker and this Crimson Tide offensive line will have their hands full going up against Mykel Williams, Nazir Stackhouse and this Georgia defensive line.

Week 6: Iowa @ Ohio State, Saturday, October 5th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State), CB Denzel Burke (Ohio State), S Xavier Nwankpa (Iowa), TE Luke Lachey (Iowa), EDGE JT Tuimoloau (Ohio State), S Sebastian Castro (Iowa), EDGE Jack Sawyer, OT Josh Simmons (Ohio State), S Sonny Styles (Ohio State)

Ohio State’s roster is loaded from top to bottom with talent. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had a claim to be a top wide receiver in last year’s draft, despite it being one of the more loaded in recent history. Edges JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer would have been some of the better defensive players in the 2024 draft had they come out. Safeties Xavier Nwankpa and Sebastian Castro headline the Iowa defense that, let’s face it, will have a lot of heavy lifting to do yet again in 2024.

Week 7: Ole Miss @ LSU, Saturday, October 12th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: OT Will Campbell (LSU), LB Harold Perkins (LSU), OT Emory Jones (LSU), EDGE Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), WR CJ Daniels (LSU), WR Tre Harris (Ole Miss), DL Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), WR Antwane Wells (Ole Miss)

This game is a perfect encapsulation of why I did this exercise. From the top-end talent in Will Campbell and Harold Perkins to the talent that will see day two like edge Princely Umanmielen and wide receiver Tre Harris, there are names that you will see throughout the 2025 NFL draft playing in this game.

Week 8: Kentucky @ Florida, Saturday, October 19th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: DT Deone Walker (Kentucky), WR Barlon Brown (Kentucky), CB Jason Marshall, Jr. (Florida), LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Kentucky)

A lot of eyes will be on Georgia-Texas this week, but (presumably) before that heavyweight bout ensues, you can watch one of the longest-standing rivalries in college football, dating back to 1917. When Kentucky and Florida do battle, most of the eyes will be on the inside at 6’6”, 348-pound Deone Walker. Even so, the battle between Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. and Kentucky wide receiver Barlon Brown should be fun to watch when the Wildcats have the ball.

Week 9: Illinois @ Oregon, Saturday, October 26th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: WR Evan Stewart (Oregon), CB Jabbar Muhammad (Oregon), OT Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon), OT J.C. Davis (Illinois), OT Ajani Cornelius (Oregon), WR Tez Johnson (Oregon), LB Gabe Lucas (Illinois)

From poaching cornerback Jabbar Muhammad from Washington to deploying the tackle tandem of Josh Conerly Jr. and Ajani Cornelius, the Oregon Ducks are littered with talent and are looking to make a push for the new 12-team playoff format. Illinois isn’t without talent, offensive tackle J.C. Davis comes into this season as one of the tackles to watch out for in the Big Ten. 

Week 10: Arizona @ UCF, Saturday, November 2nd, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), CB Tacario Davis (Arizona), OT Jonah Savaiinea (Arizona), S Deshawn Pace (UCF)

Arizona has some real stars on both sides of the ball: Offensively, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is one of the most electrifying receiving prospects in next year’s draft, while offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinea’s massive frame makes him a solid tackle prospect. Tacario Davis and his long, lanky frame make him a perfect target for the Atlanta defense. Safety Deshawn Pace looks to get out of the shadow of his brother, Ivan (now with the Minnesota Vikings), and pave his way to the NFL as a Golden Knight. 

Week 11: Oklahoma @ Missouri, Saturday, November 9th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: WR Luther Burden III (Missouri), WR Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), LB Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma), WR Deion Burks (Oklahoma), LB Dasan McCullough (Oklahoma), S Billy Bowman Jr. (Oklahoma)

There was no way to make it through this exercise without bringing up Luther Burden III. The star-studded receiver out of Missouri will have his work cut out for him as he tries to lift this Tigers offense past their limited ceiling. On the other side, Nic Anderson and Danny Stutsman bring a star-studded Sooners ball club into Columbia, MO as they face off against a former Big-10 rival. 

Week 12: Louisville @ Stanford, Saturday, November 16th, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: DL Ashton Gilotte (Louisville), WR Elic Ayomanor (Stanford), CB Quincy Riley (Louisville), DE David Bailey (Stanford)

This exercise was made to get as many names to Falcons fans as possible, but the quality of the players in this matchup made it to where four names were enough. Ashton Gilotte for Louisville and Elic Ayomanor for Stanford are two huge highlight players who are looking to make some real noise going into the 2025 NFL draft. Keep your eyes peeled for cornerback Quincy Riley as well, the battle between him and Ayomanor should hopefully be better than Ayomanor’s performance against Hunter last season.

Week 13: Penn State @ Minnesota, Saturday, November 23rd, TBD

Notable Prospects to Watch: EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State), S Kevin Winston Jr. (Penn State), DE Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State), TE Tyler Warren (Penn State), OT Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota), CB Justin Walley (Minnesota)

It took to Thanksgiving, but we finally got the Penn State Nittany Lions on here and it’s during a supposed cupcake in Minnesota. Offensive tackle Areontae Ersery and the Gopher offensive line will have their hands full with the likes of Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. How will the Gophers combat the potent pass-rushing tandem the Nittany Lions have in store?

Week 14: Oregon State @ Boise State, Friday, November 29th, Noon EST, Fox

Notable Prospects to Watch: RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State), WR Chris Marshall (Boise State), OT Joshua Gray (Oregon State)

This is not my way of telling you to watch Oregon State-Boise State over Oklahoma State-Colorado or even Minnesota-Wisconsin. This is me saying to keep your eyes open for offensive tackle Joshua Gray as a potential tackle replacement and the talented tandem of Ashton Jeanty and Chris Marshall for Boise State, just for the fun of it. There should be a whole lot of offense for the viewing audience to enjoy.

Saivion Mixson

Saivion Mixson Photo

Saivion Mixson is a graduate of the University of North Florida’s Sports Management program. He was previously a staff writer/content creator for LastWordonSports, Around The Block Network, Fansided’s Blogging Dirty and USA Today’s Vikings Wire. Mixson resides in the Charlotte Metro area and is an avid Atlanta Falcons fan. You can find him on Twitter/X @MixsonS_NFL.