2023 CFB Regular Season thread (AKA: The last year of normal college football)

[HuskerOC]

Been a fun season. My Huskers still suck ass so for the 20-something straight season I have to enjoy the game for what it is.

Not a dominant team out there. Bama is no longer Bama anymore, and Jawja can definitely be beat.

Every team seems beatable. Feels like anybody in the top 20 or so can beat anybody else. November is gonna be electric. Might have to take up wagering again and bet every underdog in top 25 games.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 7- Top 10 Games

...Clearly @HuskerOC is not paying attention to Georgia or Michigan or Ohio State when he says "The season is wide open". Huh?! Shoot, I thought the mike was off! Anyway, let's get going with...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 7)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Wyoming @ Air Force [7:00, CBS Sports Network] (Wow. For the 2nd week in a row, the Wyoming Cowboys have made it into my "Top 10 games" list! Wyoming passed a tough test against Fresno State last week, but now it's time for a game that could be even harder. For the Cowboys will travel to Air Force to face the unbeaten Falcons... who may not be so happy with being ignored in the "New Year's Six" conversation.)

9. NC State @ Duke [8:00, ACC Network] (A rivalry game on Tobacco Road! It always draws a crowd. Anyway, Duke has had 2 weeks to figure out how they're gonna play without QB Riley Leonard [who's out for the rest of the year due to injury]. What will they do against a rugged NC State team that is always tough?)

8. Kansas State @ Texas Tech [7:00, FOX Sports 1] (This is just a simple battle for positioning in the Big 12. No more, no less. Although I am interested in how Kansas State will rebound after that loss to Oklahoma State last week... and if their QB can cut back on his INT's. As for Tech, they have won 2 straight after a poor start and just wants to keep the train going.)

7. Missouri @ Kentucky [7:30, SEC Network] (Both Missouri and Kentucky are off their first losses of the year; Missouri lost a duel with LSU, while Kentucky got a BIG humble check against Georgia. This game is just to see which team in the SEC East can rebound quicker... but why do I see Kentucky getting torched for the 2nd week in a row?)

6. Texas A&M @ Tennessee [3:30, CBS] (So how does Texas A&M feel after their loss to Alabama? Are they proud for pushing the Tide? Disappointed that they couldn't finish them off? Or are they still in awe over that juggling catch that the Alabama WR made to seal the game? In this game, we'll find out as they go to Tennessee. And this could be a must-win for BOTH teams; Tennessee will face Alabama next week.
P.S.: Huh. The SEC looks pretty quiet this week.)

5. Iowa @ Wisconsin [4:00, FOX] (So we have another "Battle for the Heartland Trophy" that could go a long way to determining who wins the Big 10 West. And the O/U for this game is only at 34.5? Looks like nearly EVERYONE is expecting a run-first, defensive minded battle. But what's this about Wisconsin being a double-digit favorite?! Are the Vegas sharks drunk?)

4. Miami @ North Carolina [7:30, ABC] (This game would have been higher on the list had Miami not done that choke-job against Georgia Tech. Anyway, we'll see if Miami can rebound from that debacle and upset the Tar Heels. Oh, and now UNC is thinking about a playoff berth. Is that crazy talk warranted? Are the Tar Heels REALLY that good?)

3. UCLA @ Oregon State [8:00, FOX] (Man! Primetime is REALLY gonna be crazy this Saturday. In this battle between the Bruins and the Beavers, it may be quite rainy. Which team will adapt better to the rain? And can the Beavers break that solid UCLA defense? More importantly, which team will stay close to the top of the crowded PAC-12?)

2. USC @ Notre Dame [7:30, NBC] (With that loss against Louisville, the Fighting Irish are out of the national title race. So why is their game against USC still so high on the list? Well, it's the annual "Rivalry that Knute Rockne Build" game. And this installment is ALL about the USC Trojans; after a few close calls [and some defensive troubles] the Trojans are now down to #10 in the AP poll. Will USC finally give us a complete game this year, or does Notre Dame have another dose of magic in their arsenal?)

1. Oregon @ Washington [3:30, ABC] (Last week on "College Gameday", the crew were ALREADY making plans to go to Seattle next week. That should tell you guys how HUGE this game is in the Pacific Northwest. It's Bo Nix vs. Michael Penix Jr.! National title contender vs. National title contender! ...And honestly, I think the first team to play some actual defense in this game will walk away the winner.)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Ohio State @ Purdue (Normally, Ohio State would struggle playing at Purdue because the Boilermakers play on a grass field. But... I don't think THIS Purdue team will challenge the Buckeyes too much.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Syracuse @ Florida State, Auburn @ LSU, Tulane @ Memphis, California @ Utah, and Kansas @ Oklahoma State.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 7 Predictions

You know, yesterday I was able to conquer and beat the game "Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom"! Now if only I can conquer these picks in Week 7:

Top 25:
(1)Georgia 50 @ Vanderbilt 10
Indiana 10 @ (2)Michigan 44
(3)Ohio State 49 @ Purdue 14
Syracuse 16 @ (4)Florida State 41
UMass 6 @ (6)Penn State 51
(8)Oregon 31 @ (7)Washington 34
(10)USC 31 @ (21)Notre Dame 35
Arkansas 10 @ (11)Alabama 47
(25)Miami 23 @ (12)North Carolina 30
(14)Louisville 32 @ Pittsburgh 30
(18)UCLA 28 @ (15)Oregon State 24
California 7 @ (16)Utah 31
NC State 19 @ (17)Duke 20
Texas A&M 31 @ (T-19)Tennessee 28
Arizona 20 @ (T-19)Washington State 37
Auburn 24 @ (22)LSU 38
(23)Kansas 21 @ Oklahoma State 27
Missouri 35 @ (24)Kentucky 17

Other big games:
Iowa 21 @ Wisconsin 20
Wyoming 21 @ Air Force 31
BYU 26 @ TCU 28
Tulane 37 @ Memphis 34

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "Buddy Games".

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Early games recap

The early part of Week 7 were actually freakin' amazing! We got Coastal Carolina sinking App. State with a last-second field goal, Tulane winning at Memphis for the first time since 1998, and Fresno State winning a dogfight against Utah State. We also got that crazy finish in Houston as the Cougars stunned the Mountaineers.

Stanford 46-43 Colorado (Oct 13, 2023) Final Score - ESPN And then, there was this roaring disaster for the Colorado Buffaloes.

 

[redskinsfan1963]

washington and oregon get a chance to showcase to america.i expect a shootout.colorado pulled a chokejob last night losing 46-43 after keading 29-0 at the half.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Washington vs. Oregon

It was great to see people like @redskinsfan1963 excited for yesterday's action in the PAC-12. We got Washington State getting embarrassed AT HOME by Arizona, Oregon State winning against UCLA, and Utah beating Cal.

Washington vs. Oregon score: Michael Penix Jr. delivers yet again as Huskies notch crucial top-10 rivalry win

The Huskies solidified themselves as legitimate College Football Playoff contenders in the top-10 showdown

www.cbssports.com

And, happy days! This game was everything we expected it to be!

P.S.: Too bad everyone is paying attention to USC getting boatraced by Notre Dame right now.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 7- Good and Bad

Wow... I had completely forgotten about the "2020 Easter Tornado Outbreak". But when I saw that YouTube video... Huh? Oh, sorry, the weather always fascinates me for some reason. Anyway, here are the good and the bad from Week 7:

It was a Good Week for:​

Tennessee (Not only did the Vols defeat Texas A&M yesterday, they also saw Alabama struggle to put away a 2-4 Arkansas team. Maybe they can put up a good fight at Alabama next week if they stay positive.)
Notre Dame (Yeah! For the 6th straight time, Notre Dame kicked USC's @$$ in Notre Dame Stadium. And also, teams like Duke, Central Michigan, and Navy would win THEIR games too. That should also help the Irish out.)
Elic Ayomanor (While the Colorado/Stanford game is still fresh, let's remember what this Stanford WR did in that game. 13 catches, 3 TD's, and 294 yards! This man became a STAR last Friday.)
The Florida Gators (The best "under-the-radar game of the week" award goes to the Florida/South Carolina game. And the Gators won this barnburner 41-39.)
Air Force (Air Force is now 6-0 after beating Wyoming 34-27 in a close game. Oh, and I'll bet that when Boise State lost to Colorado State on that Hail-Mary, they had a few laughs about it.)

It was a Bad Week for:​

Oregon coach Dan Lanning (As I mentioned earlier, Washington was a winner over Oregon. And going 0-3 on 4th down certainly didn't help the Ducks... especially when coach Dan Lanning's play calling was a BIT questionable on those 4th downs.)
Louisville (Well, putting the Cardinals at #14 in the AP Poll was a mistake. We got the classic "hangover spot" for Louisville; one week after beating Notre Dame, they play at 1-4 Pittsburgh. And they failed to handle business, losing 38-21.
My dark side: "Should have pulled the trigger on that upset pick, bucko!")
Michigan State (Sure, that comeback win at homecoming was marvelous for Rutgers. But this loss is ALL on Michigan State; how do you blow a 18-point lead in only 6 minutes?!)
Wisconsin (Another Big 10 team that is in the dumps right now is Wisconsin. They lose QB Tanner Mordecai to injury, and then they lost 15-6 to Iowa, effectively putting them behind the 8-ball in the Big 10 West.)

And finally, North Dakota State lost another game! What is going on in the FCS?!

 

[redskinsfan1963]

Washington vs. Oregon

It was great to see people like @redskinsfan1963 excited for yesterday's action in the PAC-12. We got Washington State getting embarrassed AT HOME by Arizona, Oregon State winning against UCLA, and Utah beating Cal.

Washington vs. Oregon score: Michael Penix Jr. delivers yet again as Huskies notch crucial top-10 rivalry win

The Huskies solidified themselves as legitimate College Football Playoff contenders in the top-10 showdown

www.cbssports.com

And, happy days! This game was everything we expected it to be!

P.S.: Too bad everyone is paying attention to USC getting boatraced by Notre Dame right now.

was hoping for and got a good game.did,nt give a damn who won or lost.

 

[HuskerOC]

Need some Oregon State in your timelines.

6-1 after beating UCLA by 12 at home.

P12 schedule is rugged, but could get to 9 wins before facing UDub and Oregon late in November.

 

[Gohogs14]

Feels like Arkansas is essentially SEC Nebraska with all of these close losses the past few years. Keep waiting for the odds to average out and win a few of them but it never seems to happen lol.

Not sure how you end up losing to BYU by more than LSU or Alabama.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 8- Top 10 Games

Since we saw some CFB action yesterday, it's time for another "Top 10" list. And a little warning: Week 8 is a little "top-heavy" in terms of games, so don't be surprised if you see a few surprises on here. Consequence of the season, I guess.
So let's go with...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 8)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Oklahoma State @ West Virginia [3:30, ESPN] (We got two teams here going through different emotions. For OK State, they look to be back in the saddle after wins over the 2 Kansas schools. As for WVU, we all saw how Houston stole a win from them last week thanks to that Hail-Mary. Now we'll see which team can stay on pace with Oklahoma in the Big 12.)

9. Toledo @ Miami-Ohio [4:00, ESPNU] (...Yeah, I can't believe that a game in the MAC is on this list either! We have two division leaders... who are in-state rivals and are a combined 12-2 right now. And whoever shall win this HUGE game will be the MAC's best chance in getting a team into the "New Year's Six" in 2023.)

8. Michigan @ Michigan State [7:30, NBC] (It's the annual "Paul Bunyan's Trophy" rivalry contest. And we know what happened after the game last year, when some MSU players got physical with Michigan guys in the locker rooms. So of course it's gonna be tense in East Lansing. The Wolverines are just looking to smack the Spartans here and get on with their title push, but what about MSU? This may be their last chance in 2023 to do SOMETHING positive.)

7. Air Force @ Navy [12:00, CBS] (Good news for Air Force! They got into the national rankings and are ready to go for the "New Year's Six"! But here's the bad news: Their starting QB Zac Larrier is out hurt, and 2 of their next 3 games are against their military rivals. Oh, and Navy is coming into this game on a little winning streak. Time to see if the Falcons is man enough to hang on to their good fortunes.)

6. Washington State @ Oregon [3:30, ABC] (It's another busy week here in the soon-to-die PAC-12! Over in Eugene, we'll see if Oregon can recover from that really tough loss to Washington and get back into the playoff race. It's Bo Nix vs. Cameron Ward, and it SHOULD be fun to watch. I said SHOULD be fun, because Washington State is in a deep funk right now after getting smashed by Arizona 44-6... AT HOME. Can the Cougars fix their terrible defense in time?)

5. Texas @ Houston [4:00, FOX] (Yay! It's the Texas Longhorns facing the Houston Cougars in a Big 12 conference game! ...If only this wasn't a 1-year-only thing! UGH!! ...Personal feelings aside, let's focus on the actual game. Houston is feeling good after getting their 1st Big 12 win last week, but Texas has had a week off to unwind after their latest loss to Oklahoma. What sort of fury will the Longhorns unleash on Houston... if they have any left?)

4. Tennessee @ Alabama [3:30, CBS] (Considering that Alabama has been pretty inconsistent throughout their last 6 games, people might be tempted to fade them in this big "revenge game" against Tennessee. But don't forget; Tennessee shocked the Tide last year, and Nick Saban doesn't let stuff like that go. Plus, Tennessee HAS been doing well recently, but their offense is a little slow. If they want to hang around in Tuscaloosa, the Vols will have to try to fix that.)

3. Utah @ USC [8:00, FOX] (So all of USC's defensive struggles finally caught up to them, and last week Notre Dame smashed their national title hopes. Now the Trojans return home to L.A. to face a recent PAC-12 nemesis in Utah. And I guarantee you guys that USC does NOT want to lose their unbeaten record in conference. The X-factor here is Utah's offense; it hasn't been that dynamic recently. That costed them against Oregon State, and it could cost Utah again if it can't exploit USC's bad D.)

2. Duke @ Florida State [7:30, ABC] (Before I begin, I need to give you a BIG update on Duke QB Riley Leonard. Turns out he is NOT out for the rest of the year, and in fact he could play this week. But will he be ready to lead Duke in this BIG game in the ACC, where conference unbeatens square off? Mike Eiko sounds upbeat, but this is still a "wait-and-see" situation.
But what about the other side of the coin? Duke's defense has been solid as a rock so far, but Jordan Travis and the FSU offense is a different animal. If Jordan Travis breaks it, Riley Leonard's health might not matter at all.)

1. Penn State @ Ohio State [12:00, FOX] (Much like Washington vs. Oregon last week, you don't need any fancy setup for this heavyweight clash. Finally, Kyle McCloud will see what Drew Allar is all about! And finally, Penn State will be sorely tested in 2023! Is the Nittany Lion defense really this good, or will it let James Franklin down again against the Buckeyes? Only one way to find out: Let them fight!)

Best "mid-major" game: South Dakota State @ Southern Illinois (North Dakota State has lost TWO Missouri Valley games in the same season for the first time in... forever! Can their rivals South Dakota State pick up the slack? We'll see when they face a Southern Illinois that is 5-1 and looking great as well.)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: UCF @ Oklahoma (Here's the other "first and only time" game in the Big 12 this week. But unlike Houston against Texas, I don't think UCF has ANY chance against a well-rested Oklahoma squad.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: James Madison @ Marshall, Minnesota @ Iowa, and North Texas @ Tulane.

...Told you that it was slim pickings outside of the "top level" games this week. My weekly predictions are next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 8 Predictions

Now for a brief update on my prediction records:
Week 6: 14-4
Week 7: 18-4

Hey! I've been doing really good so far this season! Let's see if I can keep that going with my Week 8 picks:

Top 25:
(2)Michigan 34 @ Michigan State 24
(7)Penn State 31 @ (3)Ohio State 38
(16)Duke 20 @ (4)Florida State 33
Arizona State 14 @ (5)Washington 45
UCF 14 @ (6)Oklahoma 57
(8)Texas 46 @ Houston 35
Washington State 24 @ (9)Oregon 42
Virginia 15 @ (10)North Carolina 34
(17)Tennessee 20 @ (11)Alabama 27
(13)Ole Miss 41 @ Auburn 34
(14)Utah 27 @ (18)USC 30
Army 10 @ (19)LSU 49
South Carolina 28 @ (20)Missouri 31
(22)Air Force 21 @ Navy 14
North Texas 38 @ (23)Tulane 35
Minnesota 18 @ (24)Iowa 20
(25)UCLA 31 @ Stanford 24

Other big games:
Oklahoma State 37 @ West Virginia 30
Toledo 23 @ Miami-Ohio 27
UTSA 38 @ Florida Atlantic 31
Clemson 25 @ Miami 28
Georgia State 31 @ Louisiana 24

Wait a minute. Clemson/Miami is taking place this week?! I completely forgot about it! ...Man, Clemson has really fallen off, haven't they?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Clemson vs. Miami

Quarterback Emory Williams and ‘Canes Football Overcome 10-Point Deficit, Beat Clemson for the first time at home since 1956 - The Miami Hurricane

With the ‘Canes trying to avoid going 0-2 in ACC play for the first time since 2016, the Miami Hurricanes sent out true freshman quarterback Emory Williams to rebound against a premier Clemson defense. On 4th and goal at the one-yard line, junior linebacker Corey Flagg made the play of his...

themiamihurricane.com

Thought I'd put this game on the thread, just so we don't forget about it again.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Ohio State vs. Penn State

Penn State 12-20 Ohio State (Oct 21, 2023) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Ohio State Buckeyes NCAAF game, final score 12-20, from October 21, 2023 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Another year, another tough loss to Ohio State for the Penn State football program.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 8- Good and Bad

Once again, it's that time to see what was good or bad about a certain week in football!

It was a Good Week for:​

Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel (It was REALLY tough sledding against UCF, but Dillon Gabriel kept his cool and saved Oklahoma's bacon in a 31-29 win. What could have been a horrifying loss turned into something that OU fans can point at later. Like "Oh, that was just our 'great escape' victory. Almost every national champion has one.")
Utah QB Bryson Barnes (Oh no! Cameron Rising is out for the rest of the year! And Utah... still won against USC [again]?! Give this Bryson guy some credit! He passed for 3 touchdowns and led that game-winning drive for the Utes, and now Utah still has their PAC-12 chances.)
Nevada (The longest losing streak in the nation is OVER! Nevada won at San Diego State 6-0, snapping a 16-game skid.)
Long-suffering teams (And on that note, Minnesota won at Iowa for the first time since 1999, giving P.J. Fleck his first "Floyd of Rosedale" win. Nebraska is back over .500. New Mexico finally got a win in Mountain West play. Rutgers is now BOWL-ELIGIBLE, and so is UNLV. And how can anybody forget about what Virginia was able to do at Chapel Hill?)

It was a Bad Week for:​

North Carolina (But on that note, what the f--k were you doing, Tar Heels?! We put you guys in the Top 10, and then you do THIS s--t? Losing AT HOME to a team that was 1-5 and had no real offense before last night? UGH!)
Tennessee's coaching staff (Jeremy Platt and his staff are on here this week, for not doing a good job making 2nd-half adjustments. They were leading Alabama at the half 20-7... and then lose 34-20. Jeez.)
Miami-Ohio (The Redhawks lost that showdown game with Toledo 21-17. Their next opponent [Ohio] is now bowl-eligible. And their friends at Cincinnati is now 2-5 after losing at home against Baylor.)
TCU (I won't rag on about how disappointing TCU has been this year, but it still isn't a good look when you lose 41-3 in conference play.)

...and I'm done! Oh, and just know that Washington is fine after that scare against Arizona State, and they appreciate your prayers.

 

[redskinsfan1963]

fsu looks good every week.since unc lost to uva,they have the acc almost locked up.

 

[PIBuckeye]

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9- Best "mid-major" games

So according to the ESPN schedule, the first "CFP Top 25" will be coming out tonight. That must mean we have entered the REALLY busy part of the schedule.

Now here is a little "spoiler alert" for my next Top 10 games of the week list: There are 2 [or maybe 3] games from the "Group of Five" list. So there won't be a countdown for them this week. Instead, here is just a little list of some other "Group of Five" games to look at:

Liberty @ Western Kentucky [7:30 tonight, ESPNU] (The Liberty Flames are still unbeaten! ...But a very weak schedule is not only costing them a national ranking, but could eventually cost them a major bowl. Anyway, all Liberty can do now is keep winning and hope for the best. Trouble is, they're now going on the road for their toughest remaining game on the schedule. Can the Hilltoppers stop the madness... and the Flames offense?)

Georgia State @ Georgia Southern [7:30 Thursday, ESPN2] (Two in-state rivals who are a combined 11-3, fighting it out for bragging rights and valuable positioning in the Sun Belt. Can't get much better than that if you're the Panthers or the Eagles... unless you win this game.)

South Dakota State @ South Dakota [2:00, ESPN+] (It looks like the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State are ready to be the new flag-bearer for the FCS. Just ONE little issue to take care of first... and it's their in-state rival South Dakota. And the Coyotes have already beaten NDSU thanks to their strong defense; what will happen if they do the same thing to shock SDSU and take 1st place in the Missouri Valley?)

Miami-Ohio @ Ohio [3:30, CBS Sports Network] (It's the annual "Battle for the Bricks", featuring two teams who are 6-2 and wanting 1st place in the MAC East! Thing is, Miami-Ohio is coming off a tough loss to Toledo. Will the Redhawks recover, or will the Bobcats take advantage and beat them for the 3rd straight year?)

Old Dominion @ James Madison [8:00, ESPNU] (Hey, look at this! James Madison made the AP Top 25 for the 2nd year in a row! Now let's see if they can do what they couldn't do last year and WIN as a ranked team. Won't be easy, though; here comes in-state foe Old Dominion. And the Monarchs are within striking distance of the Sun Belt East, so this should be a good one.)

So which "Group of Five" games made my "big-boy" Top 10 list? You'll find out on Thursday!

 

[PIBuckeye]

Weak slate of games for Week 9.

Oregon/Utah looks to be the best game.

OSU/Wisky not bad.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 9- Top 10 Games

Weak slate of games for Week 9.

Oregon/Utah looks to be the best game.

OSU/Wisky not bad.

Well, Mr. PIBuckeye, let's see if this week's slate is as weak as you say. Let's get to...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 9)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Tulane @ Rice [4:00, ESPN2] (So the American conference is starting to creep back up in terms of publicity, thanks to the Tulane Green Wave being back in the rankings. But now Tulane is going on the road to face a Rice team that isn't that bad. It's Michael Platt vs. JT Daniels, and I can't wait to see who wins [and stays in control of their fate in the American].)

9. Air Force @ Colorado State [7:00, CBS Sports Network] (For Air Force, this is Part 2 of a trilogy of tough games that'll determine if they can be a true "New Year's Six" team. Last week it was Navy, and now the 7-0 Falcons go to rival Colorado State to compete for the "Ram-Falcon Trophy". And Air Force must contend with not only the Rams passing attack, but also the fact that Army is on the horizon.
Now if only Colorado State can fix their shitty defense. Then we'll REALLY have something!)

8. Oregon State @ Arizona [10:30, ESPN] (...I'm sorry, UNLV @ Fresno State. I wanted to put you guys on my list, since both of you are 6-1. But the game in Tucson, Arizona is sticking out like a sore thumb right now. I mean, Oregon State is 6-1, which means that they're still in the mix for the PAC-12 title and maybe the playoff. And if Arizona can crush Washington State in Pullman, they're capable of anything. Plus, the Wildcats has had 2 weeks to prep for this.)

7. Florida State @ Wake Forest [12:00, ABC] (This is just Florida State going on the road again, looking to keep the ship steady and get to 8-0 on the year. But Wake Forest just got their first ACC win of the year, so I don't think they've given up on the 2023 season just yet. Plus, FSU has to be somewhat tired after the grand fight that Duke gave them last week.)

6. Duke @ Louisville [3:30, ESPN] (Oh, and speaking of Duke, I'm wondering what kind of fightback they're going to show in this ranked-vs.-ranked contest in Louisville. Oh, and the Cardinals have had 2 weeks to get over that bad loss to Pittsburgh. Will Louisville bounce back, or will the toughness of Duke come through in the clutch?)

5. BYU @ Texas [3:30, ABC] (Don't look now, but here comes BYU! Of the 4 newcomers to the Big 12, BYU is easily having the most success. So what can they do in this nationally-televised game in Austin? I mean, Texas will be missing Quinn Ewers for a while due to a shoulder injury. And some no-name called Maalik Murphy is stepping in. Will Maalik step up and save Texas? Will Arch Manning have to come in? Or will BYU spring the big upset and push Texas out of the national title race?)

4. Oklahoma @ Kansas [12:00, FOX] (I normally wouldn't put Oklahoma vs. Kansas this high on my list. But Oklahoma's VERY close call against UCF last week has added intrigue to this contest. Plus, Kansas has had 2 weeks of time to prep for this game... time they have spent trying to get Jalon Daniels back onto the field. But here's the thing: If the Jayhawk defense doesn't have a good plan to stop Dillon Gabriel, it won't matter if Jalon plays or not.)

3. Ohio State @ Wisconsin [7:30, NBC] (So Ohio State was able to win their slugfest with Penn State last week. Good for them. But they must stay alert! In this Saturday night game, Camp Randell Stadium will be LOUD as hell. Will it help Wisconsin stop Ohio State for the first time in over a decade? Can the Badgers offense find a way around Lathan Ransom and the Buckeye secondary?)

2. Georgia vs. Florida [from Jacksonville] {3:30, CBS} (Huh. I'm surprised that PIBuekeye didn't mention this game in Jacksonville. Anyway, it's time for yet another showdown between the Gators and the Bulldogs! Yet everyone is worried about Georgia ever since they lost TE Brock Bowers for the year. Oh, and Florida has won 5 out of their last 6 games, with their offense running well now. Hmmmm...)

1. Oregon @ Utah [3:30, FOX] (Well, the PAC-12 conference is about to take center stage once again! This time, we got a "playoff elimination" game between the Ducks and the Utes. And fans on the West Coast all know about the recent history between these 2. Who will come out on top? Bo Nix and Oregon, or the resilient no-names for Utah that'll fight you for the entire 60 minutes? One thing's for sure: The playoff picture will become clearer once this is over.)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Pittsburgh @ Notre Dame (Notre Dame is coming off a bye week of their own, so this should be an easy win for those guys.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Georgia State @ Georgia Southern, UNLV @ Fresno State, Tennessee @ Kentucky, and North Carolina @ Georgia Tech.

My prediction segment is next!