Week 10 College Football Viewing Guide: What games to watch
Week 10 College Football Viewing Guide: What games to watch
Highlighting five of the week's best games for the upcoming weekend
Can you believe it's Week 10 of the College Football season already? Can you fathom it? The initial College Football Committee Playoff Rankings have been released. The AP Top 25 Poll was updated with some changes. One thing to watch is how teams fare following these initial rankings. Upsets happen occasionally. However, Week 10 of the College Football Season features five exciting matchups within the Top 25.
Pac-12 takes center stage in Week 10, with USC getting ready to face Washington. Oklahoma faces a crucial matchup with Oklahoma State that could impact the Big 12 Title race. Additionally, Alabama and LSU will engage in a Primetime battle in Tuscaloosa, which may determine the outcome in the SEC West.
With so much at stake, teams are engaged in an intense competition to secure their position in the College Football Playoff rankings and their conference standings. Hold on tight because Saturday is going to be action-packed from start to finish.
Join me as we explore the games to watch in Week 10 of the College Football season.
No. 5 Washington vs. No. 20 USC
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: ABC | Line: UW -3 | Total: 76.5
This is a massive matchup in the Pac-12. Any loss at this time of the year will truly cost a team a shot at the Pac-12 Title game. USC barely got out of Cal unscathed, and as many have stated relentingly, their defense is not very good, which is the main reason they are ranked as low as they are in both of the polls.
Washington has not looked near as good as they portrayed against their monster win against the Oregon Ducks. If their offense doesn't step up, it feels like they're simply coasting toward a loss. Michael Penix Jr. will need to devise a strategy to kick the offense into gear against a USC defense that has been struggling all season.
Two potential Heisman Trophy Candidates will go head-to-head in what should be a high-scoring game. If the Huskies are defeated, USC will be alone at the top. This is a chance for USC to breathe new life into its season. Despite having two losses, the Trojans are still in contention for the Pac-12 race following their nail-biting 50-49 victory over Cal last week. However, can we truly rely on the Trojans' defense in this situation?
No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 22 Oklahoma State
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | TV: ABC | Line: OU -6 | Total: 61.5
The disheartening truth settles in that Bedlam's last edition has arrived, and there won't be another one anytime soon. Questions arise about the future encounter between the Sooners and Cowboys as Oklahoma prepares to transition from the Big 12 to the SEC. Since 1904, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have regularly faced off against each other, creating a long-standing rivalry that has endured for over a century.
Oklahoma State has the opportunity to throw a wrench into their opponent's plans. The fact that Oklahoma State has won four games in a row has made Saturday's potential upset even more surprising. The gears of Mike Gundy's offense are smoothly clicking into place in Stillwater.
The Oklahoma Sooners defense, dominating the game against the Texas Longhorns, has been virtually nonexistent ever since. If the Sooners' defense shows up against the Cowboys this week, Oklahoma State will find themselves in a predicament.
It's worth noting that the Cowboys haven't faced a player of Dillon Gabriel's caliber this season. If Gabriel starts off strong and doesn't have any trouble with his possessions, the Sooners can steamroll their way to victory. If the game remains tight, be on the lookout for a possible upset. The stakes are high in this game, as a victory will put either team in a favorable position for the Big 12 Title Game. If they suffer a loss, they will face an uphill battle trying to regain their position.
No. 12 Missouri at No. 2 Georgia
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | TV: CBS | Line: UGA -15.5 | Total: 54.5
The rise of Missouri in college football has caught everyone off guard. The Tigers are on the verge of their best season since the roar of their back-to-back SEC East titles in 2013 and 2014. Since 2018, the Tigers have struggled to have a winning season, but their current record of 7-1 is giving them hope as they head into Athens on Saturday.
Georgia was on the edge of their seats last year when the Tigers gave them a big scare, but this year's team, especially on offense, is much stronger. The UGA defense will have their hands full with Mizzou's impressive array of skill players, spearheaded by the talented WR Luther Burden.
Georgia is on a quest for its third consecutive national title, and last week, their schedule intensified in difficulty. After defeating Florida with a score of 43-20, the Bulldogs remain undefeated at 8-0 and now face three consecutive ranked opponents.
The absence of star tight end Brock Bowers, sidelined by an ankle injury, left a big question mark hanging over the UGA offense in the Florida game. UGA passed that test as QB Carson Beck unleashed his throwing prowess, surpassing the 300-yard mark for the fourth time in the last five games. Beck is quickly becoming a standout player in his debut season as the Bulldogs’ quarterback. Can he sustain his success?
No. 23 Kansas State at No. 7 Texas
Time: Noon ET | TV: Fox | Line: UT -4 | Total: 49.5
Can Texas (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) manage to win without Quinn Ewers, their star quarterback, for another week? Because of Ewers' injury in the Oct. 21 win over Houston, Maalik Murphy was given the chance to start for the first time against BYU. Texas sailed to a comfortable 35-6 win, despite Murphy's slightly uncertain performance. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 170 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
To win against Kansas State, Texas will need to rely on their run game and solid defense, just like they did in their previous successful games. The Longhorns' CFP hopes hang by a thread, leaving them with no margin for error. Stopping Jonathon Brooks and his powerful rushing will boost the Wildcats' chances of pulling off a surprise victory.
Kansas State lost two games earlier this season to Missouri and Oklahoma State but has been dominant in its last three outings. The Wildcats (6-2, 4-1) had an outstanding second half in a 38-21 win over Texas Tech and then strangled TCU and Houston by a combined margin of 82-3. K-State has been using a two-QB system by integrating speedy freshman Avery Johnson into the lineup with starter Will Howard.
It has worked effectively as the two have combined for 12 rushing TDs. Texas has the best run defense in the conference, so it will be a tall task for K-State to beat Texas for the first time since 2016. This game will be a test of wills. Texas has the depth on defense, but stopping a Kansas State two-QB system is going to be a challenge they haven’t faced this season.
No. 14 LSU at No. 8 Alabama
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET | TV: CBS | Line: Alabama -3 | Total: 60.5
Welcome to the Game of the Week. This is going to be a fun matchup to watch and see how these matchups for the game will unfold. Brian Kelly vs. Nick Saban. LSU’s electric offense led by Jayden Daniels against the vaunted Alabama defense and Jalen Milroe vs. the lackluster defense of the Tigers. This is going to be a game of matchups, and I am thoroughly interested in seeing how it turns out.
LSU sort of got pushed to the side when they lost to Ole Miss to fall to 3-2. The fact that the Tigers had two losses before the end of September was surprising, considering they won the SEC West last season and were hyped as national title contenders entering the season.
Since then, however, LSU has won three straight and is 4-1 in conference play as QB Jayden Daniels has put up Madden-type statistics. If LSU wins in Tuscaloosa, it will have a good chance to make it to the SEC title game. This is especially true because Ole Miss will play against Georgia next week.
On the other side, Alabama stands determined to bring about their national championship ambitions. Despite losing to Texas at home in Week 2, the Crimson Tide has bounced back with an impressive six-game winning streak. They currently have a 7-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 record in SEC play. This Alabama team is not as potent on offense as its predecessors.
However, Jalen Milroe has adapted well as the starting quarterback and has been more vigilant to sidestep mistakes, given the team's reliance on its defense. Will Nick Saban be able to lead this team to the College Football Playoff?
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