The college football season is officially in the home stretch with the dawn of the second Saturday of November. The committee will now weigh in every week the rest of the way, but in truth all the teams still in the mix know what they need to do. But that won’t stop us from having some fun watching some other teams that might not have a realistic shot at the field of 12 but are still enjoying the game.
The Week 11 schedule features only a couple of ranked matchups, but there are plenty of other tantalizing contests on the docket to keep you entertained throughout Saturday. Here are our top seven choices.
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: When all the resumes are considered, a three-loss team might still be among the top 12 in the final playoff rankings. But for all practical purposes, both these teams must treat this contest like an eliminator, so expect a high degree of intensity with a fully-fueled night atmosphere in Baton Rouge. This will be LSU’s first action since being overrun in the second half by Texas A&M two weeks ago, so the Tigers would like to make something good happen early to erase any bad memories. Alabama’s most recent outing, a 34-0 blanking of Missouri, was a much more positive experience. LB Jihaad Campbell and the Crimson Tide should be in for a stronger challenge from LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, who likely will be more comfortable in friendly environs. Alabama QB Jalen Milroe has struggled with accuracy since his magnum opus in the win against Georgia, and he’ll need to hit some throws quickly to quiet the crowd. LB Whit Weeks, the centerpiece of the Tigers’ defense, will lead the effort to keep him contained.
Why it could disappoint: It couldn’t possibly, could it? Given that neither team has exactly been secure with the lead, we fully expect a lot of wild momentum swings and plenty of fourth-quarter drama.
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Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: Only two SEC contests remain for the Bulldogs, but neither will be a walk in the park. Up first is this trip to Oxford, where the Rebels are coming off their most dominant offensive performance of the year in a romp at Arkansas. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart had his way with the Razorbacks despite missing his top weapon, WR Tre Harris. He remains questionable, but Jordan Watkins is also a dependable big-play threat. Slipping behind Georgia DB Malaki Starks is usually difficult, and the Bulldogs can generate a lot of heat up front as well. Georgia QB Carson Beck has been alarmingly pick prone of late. He’s now been intercepted 11 times on the season, and Rebels CB Trey Amos could add to that total if his carelessness continues.
Why it could disappoint: We’ve seen Ole Miss struggle with physical defenses – think Kentucky –, so that might not bode well against the Bulldogs. Conversely, Georgia has let a lot of opponents hang around thanks to inconsistent execution in different facets of the game. It probably won’t get away from either side, but it might not always be pretty.
Time/TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: With bowl eligibility already checked off the to-do list, the Buffaloes are now focused on being in the thick of the Big 12 race. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, return home to Lubbock after handing Iowa State its first loss and could still be in the mix themselves. Texas Tech got a much better performance from its defense in last week’s upset win at Iowa State. But LB Jacob Rodriguez and Co. might have a harder time contending with Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and his array of playmakers, including WR LaJohntay Wester and two-way star Travis Hunter. The Red Raiders are well equipped to keep pace in a track meet, with QB Behren Morton and RB Tahj Brooks providing a one-two punch from the backfield. The Buffs can struggle to mount pressure from the front line, but LB Nikhai Hill-Green and DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig are good tacklers who can also be deployed on blitzes.
Why it could disappoint: Both teams have been involved in several games that came down to the final possession. It’s reasonable to expect this one to stay close throughout given the explosive potential of both offenses, but a rash of mistakes could put one or the other in a hole.
Time/TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, SEC.
Why watch: There’s no SEC title on the line here (Vandy is mathematically alive but needs a whole lot of favorable results to make the title game), but these two programs have already overachieved this season and should stage an entertaining contest. The Gamecocks still need another victory to go bowling. The Commodores hit the six-win mark last week and are now looking for more in their best campaign in recent memory. The headliner for Vanderbilt of course is QB Diego Pavia, who makes excellent use of TE Eli Stowers and RB Sedrick Alexander to control the clock with long drives. It will be up to DE Kyle Kennard and the Gamecocks’ front line to get third-down stops. South Carolina will counter with QB LaNorris Sellers and RB Raheim Sanders, whose big plays in the ground game spurred last week’s takedown of Texas A&M. Vandy LBs Bryan Longwell and Langston Patterson must make their tackles stick.
Why it could disappoint: By design, Vandy games can be grinding affairs. The Gamecocks do a lot of their damage on the ground as well, so if you like aerial fireworks this might not be the game for you. A close finish is likely, though, so be sure to look in on it late.
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2.
Why watch: Army’s first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference has already been a smashing success. With just two league contests to go, a spot in the league title game could be in the offing. Up first is this long road trip to Denton, where the Mean Green look to snap a two-game skid to stay in the league hunt. The Black Knights got by Air Force without starting QB Bryson Daily. RB Kanye Udoh was eventually able to take over the game, but Army will probably need more from the aerial attack, possibly from backup Dewayne Coleman if Daily remains sidelined, to keep pace with the Mean Green’s more accomplished offense. Scoring points hasn’t been the issue for North Texas, putting up over 40 points a game with QB Chandler Morris at the controls. But the defense gave up 97 combined points in high-scoring setbacks against Memphis and Tulane.
Why it could disappoint: As impressive as the Black Knights have been, none of the FBS opponents they’ve beaten thus far has a winning record. We have yet to see how Army responds in comeback mode, though the Mean Green haven’t fared well themselves of late in close contests.
Time/TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: A few weeks ago, this renewal of the interrupted ‘Holy War’ rivalry appeared to have top-10 potential. Unfortunately, the Utes’ offense has been derailed by QB Cam Rising’s season-ending injury, but an upset of the Cougars would go a long way toward salvaging a lost year in Salt Lake City. We aren’t likely to know until gametime whether Isaac Wilson, who has been playing through an injury himself, or Brandon Rose will be at the controls for the Utes. We do know that RB Micah Bernard gives the Utes their best chance to generate yardage, but LB Harrison Taggart and the BYU run stoppers are equally aware of this. Cougars QB Jake Retzlaff can be hot and cold with his passes, but when he needs a big play he usually looks for WR Darius Lassiter. The Utah defense can still be formidable, with DL Van Fillinger leading the charge into the opposing backfield.
Why it could disappoint: Utah’s best hope to keep this competitive is to make it a defensive slog, and a battle of punts might test the staying power of the #Big12AfterDark audience. A couple of quick scores by the Cougars could mean it’s time for bed.
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: One team in this Big Ten tilt enters the game with a perfect record and eyeing possible league title and playoff berths – and the other is Michigan. If you haven’t seen this Indiana squad in action yet, this might be worth a look just to marvel at how the conference landscape has changed in less than a year. The Hoosiers look to continue what can only be described as a historic season in Bloomington, while the Wolverines at this point are just trying to get to the finish line of a disappointing follow-up to a championship campaign. Michigan’s defense is good enough to cause issues, with next-level talents like DL Josaiah Stewart. But the Hoosiers have QB Kurtis Rourke back after a one-game absence, and his injured thumb didn’t appear to trouble him in last week’s rout of Michigan State. The Hoosiers’ defense has been somewhat overshadowed by Rourke’s big year but has been every bit as impressive, with DL Mikail Kamara leading the push up front. That’s not good news for the Wolverines’ beleaguered QB tandem of Davis Warren and Alex Orji, who are going to need a lot of help from RB Kalel Mullings to keep drives alive.
Why it could disappoint: Like Utah, Michigan will need to keep the score down to have any shot at shaking up the standings. That said, there’s a curiosity factor to see how the Hoosiers stack up against the Wolverines in comparison to Michigan’s last opponent, top-ranked Oregon.
