College football is officially back.

In this neck of the woods, it begins with a huge one on Friday night between the Auburn Tigers and Baylor Bears.

In a game that looks like a must win for Hugh Freeze as he tries to get season three off on the right foot.

Alabama takes the field Saturday afternoon for a huge game of their own against the Florida State Seminoles — but the Tide and Tigers are hardly the only two teams with huge games this Labor Day weekend.

The slate is full of massive showdowns across all areas of the country.

Here are five games you simply must be keeping an eye on this weekend:

No. 1 Texas @ #3 Ohio State

Saturday 11:00 a.m. CST

Not only is this without a doubt the biggest game on the calendar this week in terms of high profile and highly ranked teams taking the field, it’s one of the most significant games on the schedule this entire year. The defending national champion Buckeyes are replacing a ton including quarterback, now led by former Alabama high profile recruit and post-Saban retirement transfer Julian Sayin.

For the top-ranked Longhorns, it’s the highly anticipated season debut for Arch Manning, who might just have more expectations than any other player in the nation. Manning gets to make his first major start on the road against one of the best teams in the nation, and it should be an absolutely epic showdown to get things started on Saturday.

Syracuse vs. #24 Tennessee

Saturday 11:00 a.m. CST

In Atlanta, it’s a neutral-site battle of orange. Tennessee rolls in with Josh Heupel’s prolific offense and a new look, while the Orange surprised last season under former Kirby Smart assistant Fran Brown. The Vols are favored by two touchdowns, but some think Syracuse can push them, especially after Tennessee had to find a new quarterback this spring following Nico Iamaleava’s dramatic transfer to UCLA.

#9 LSU @ #4 Clemson

Saturday 6:30 p.m. CST

Next to the Ohio State vs. Texas game, this is the second-biggest game of the weekend and promises to be a barnburner. In a battle of not only Tigers but also for Death Valley supremacy as each program fancies themselves the real version of the intimidating moniker. On the field, it’s a duel of Heisman hopeful quarterbacks in Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier with each team having national title aspirations as well. These very well could each be playoff teams, and with LSU having lost five straight opening games, the pressure is squarely on them to change the luck in what is their most difficult matchup yet.

Virginia Tech vs. #13 South Carolina

Sunday 2:00 p.m. CST

The best part of Labor Day weekend is that it means games being played not just on Saturday, but Sunday and Monday as well. This year, the Gamecocks — a team with a ton of offseason hype — gets the chance to be the stand alone game and prove that they are legit.

Led by one of the best quarterbacks in the nation in LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina hopes to establish themselves as a legitimate playoff contender. They are favored over the Hokies by a little over a touchdown and it’s a great early measuring stick to see if the team matches the hype for the Gamecocks.

#6 Notre Dame @ #10 Miami

Sunday 6:30 p.m. CST

The third top-ten matchup of the weekend goes down on Sunday night after South Carolina wraps up, and it’s another good one. The Irish came within a hair of claiming a national championship last year, ultimately unable to overcome Ohio State in the title game.

As for the Hurricanes, they are coming off an impressive season of their own and replace No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft Cam, Ward with Georgia Bulldogs transfer Carson Beck. Notre Dame is favored by less than a field goal as they try to get back on the horse and become a title threat once again.

For college football fans, it’s an absolute dream weekend. The best time of the year has officially arrived.