College Football Weekend Watch Party: Michigan Vs. Michigan State, There Can Be Only One

Editor's note: Every Friday, we'll use this space to tell you about the college football game you absolutely need to watch that weekend, even if it's flying under the radar. It might not always be the matchup of the two best teams, but it will definitely be the most entertaining contest. Because fun is what college football is all about, right?

This week, we're deviating from our usual mission—highlighting less heralded but more enjoyable games—to reinforce the obvious: you absolutely, positively should watch No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan.

This in-state rivalry has been one-sided for most of its history, and unsurprisingly Michigan has dominated. So far this decade, however, the drama has come from an inversion of said sides. Michigan State has won five of the last six games, finding its footing as a national contender, while the Wolverines are on their third coach since the end of the Lloyd Carr era.

Of course, that third coach is looking like a charm: former Wolverines quarterback Jim Harbaugh continues to be definitely not the Zodiac Killer. He's a sorcerer. He turned around a dismal Stanford program, made the awful San Francisco 49ers good in his first year—eventually reaching the Super Bowl and making Colin Kaepernick look like a competent professional signal-caller—and now has Michigan in position to (no, really) be a national title contender. The Wolverines lost their first game of the season at Utah, a loss that doesn't look nearly as bad now as it did then: they've improved every week since and are now playing like (no, really) the best team in the country.

To wit: Michigan is the first team in 20 years to register three straight shutouts, with two of those against pretty good teams, BYU (31-0) and No. 13 Northwestern (38-0). In other words, the Wolverines' defense is downright dominant, and the school's offense is finding its footing.

Michigan State boasts the best offense Michigan will face all season. Will that be enough for the Spartans? MSU looked like a title contender entering the season, and that impression was reinforced with an early win over Oregon. Now that Oregon appears to be one of the worst teams in the Pac-12, however, that victory has lost much of its luster; moreover, the Spartans haven't earned any points the last two weeks, barely beating Big Ten bottom-feeders Purdue and Rutgers.

There are so many different ways this game could go. Michigan could expose Michigan State and register another dominant win. The MSU offense could take over and show why it got so much hype entering the season. We might get a really close game decided by a major mistake or crazy play. One thing is certain: after six years of Spartan domination, it's good to have some intrigue back in this rivalry.

Justin Fuente is one of college football's hottest young coaches, thanks to his turning Memphis from a perennial loser into a legitimate AAC contender. The Tigers have a fearsome offense, and they'll have a chance to show just how far their program has come against an inconsistent but ultra-talented Ole Miss team that already owns a road win over Alabama. Can the upstart steal a victory at home?

This game already was going to be interesting: two top 10 teams; SEC bragging rights; Tigers coach Les Miles potentially making decisions in a close contest. It's even more intriguing now that Florida's starting quarterback, Will Grier, is out for a year due to a positive test for a banned substance. The big question: What will Florida's suddenly competent offense look like with Grier replaced by previously shaky starter turned backup Treon Harris? The other big question: Is LSU for real? The Tigers are one-dimensional on offense, riding on the back of star runner Leonard Fournette. (Note: it's not just for Auburn defenders!) Is that a winning formula against a top defense? We'll find out.

USC is a mess following Steve Sarkisian's firing and a 3-2 start. The Trojans have ample talent, enough to beat anyone in the country, but they have yet to play up to their potential. Will anything change with Sarkisian gone? Notre Dame, on the other hand, has capably weathered key injuries and still could be a playoff team despite last week's loss to Clemson. If the Irish look impressive while beating the Trojans, they'll be right back in the hunt.

This game became appointment television after Texas A&M shocked Alabama in its first year in the SEC (and its first year with Johnny Manziel). Kevin Sumlin's Air Raid offense has given the Crimson Tide fits, but Nick Saban seemed to figure it out last year, as Alabama pummeled A&M 59-0. The Aggies are a much better team this year, and they're also playing at home, with a chance to pull off another huge upset with major playoff implications. DO NOT MISS.

I am attending this game, because I'm from Iowa, went to Northwestern, live in Chicago, and have some friends from my home state coming up for the game. None of that means you should watch, too. Sure, it's on national TV and both teams are ranked, but it's going to be the most conservatively played, boring 14-13 game you'll ever see. I'll be drinking a lot of apple pie and Jack and Coke to prepare for this one. I strongly suggest you do the same if you decide to tune in for whatever reason.