Undefeated teams in East Lansing. This is fun. This is a fun game.
The Big One
Michigan @ Michigan State – 12:00 PM EDT, FOX
Michigan’s no Ohio State, and Michigan State’s no Michigan, but even if today’s winner loses to the Buckeyes in a few weeks, they might be a win over Penn State away from presence in the playoff picture. Three of the 28 previous playoff teams were one-loss Power Five units who didn’t win their conference championship. With fewer undefeated teams this year, there’s a chance that number will grow.
Contenders and Factors
Sparknotes for those new here: A contender is a team it’s reasonable to expect will make the playoff, a factor is a team it’s reasonable to expect could make the playoff. Mileage may vary, but for contenders, we have Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, and Oregon; and for factors, we have Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Mississippi. Alabama has this week off.
Cincinnati @ Tulane – 12:00 PM EDT, ESPN2
Colorado @ Oregon – 3:30 PM EDT, ABC
Cincinnati and Oregon face conference opponents who, though lively at times earlier in the year, aren’t expected to give them much trouble.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma – 3:30 PM EDT, ABC
Georgia vs. Florida – 3:30 PM EDT, CBS
Penn State @ Ohio State – 7:30 PM EDT, ABC
Oklahoma, Georgia, and Ohio State are all at least two-score favorites against conference foes themselves. For Oklahoma, the pressure’s on to bounce back after the worst twelve-point win any of us have ever seen (if you missed it, Oklahoma had a terrible time at Kansas). Georgia and Ohio State are playing teams that should be better than they are, which can sometimes be a dangerous recipe.
Miami @ Pittsburgh – 12:00 PM EDT, ACCN
ACC favorite Pitt hosts Miami in a game the Hurricanes could certainly win. In addition to ruining Pitt’s faint playoff hopes (they’d better hope an ACC championship counts the same as it usually does, and/or that the committee forgives the Western Michigan loss), a win for Miami would put them back in the conference title race themselves.
For Pitt, Kenny Pickett tries to continue building the hype.
Mississippi @ Auburn – 7:00 PM EDT, SECN
Mississippi has a rough road ahead, but perhaps no remaining game is tougher than today’s on the plains. We’re a ways from thinking too seriously about Lane Kiffin’s playoff candidacy, but it’s not an impossibility, raising the stakes of a game with some natural fun to it already.
Teams We Have to Note
There are fifteen teams with a playoff path that’s been trodden before. In addition, there are four Group of Five undefeateds remaining. Of those nineteen teams in the picture, we mentioned ten of them above, while UTSA is idle this week.
Duke @ Wake Forest – 4:00 PM EDT, ACCN
The other Power Five unbeaten, Wake has a great chance of getting to 8-0 today. It’s a tougher four weeks from here, but nothing impossible. The Deacon dream lives on.
Iowa @ Wisconsin – 12:00 PM EDT, ESPN
The last time we saw Iowa, Purdue was pulling their pants down at Kinnick Stadium, and we were laughing. Oh, were we laughing. The Hawkeyes go to Madison today with the Big Ten West quite possibly on the line.
North Carolina @ Notre Dame – 7:30 PM EDT, NBC
SMU @ Houston – 7:00 PM EDT, ESPN2
Fresno State @ San Diego State – 10:30 PM EDT, CBSSN
In Group of Five land, Notre Dame continues to serve as an ally to the cause, looking to take care of UNC and bolster their own 11-1 chances, and thereby Cincinnati’s chances of having one of the best wins in the country when decision time comes for the committee.
SMU’s also looking for a win that would help the Bearcats. If the Mustangs can keep it up, they’ll give Cincinnati a likely ranked opponent twice in the season’s final three weeks. (Houston could have been in this boat themselves, but they lost to Texas Tech to open the year.)
Finally, San Diego State tries to stay unbeaten against a solid guest from Fresno.
Texas @ Baylor – 12:00 PM EDT, ABC
Kansas @ Oklahoma State – 7:00 PM EDT, FS1
In the Big 12, Baylor and Oklahoma State try to keep the one-loss thing going. It’ll be harder for Baylor, who welcomes a talented Longhorn team coming off a week of rest. Big 12 title implications here.
Kentucky @ Mississippi State – 7:00 PM EDT, SECN
Kentucky still has one loss, and you know what, after here their schedule goes Tennessee (H), Vanderbilt (A), New Mexico State (H), Louisville (A). The Volunteers should be tough, and Louisville isn’t terrible, but compared to a competitive SEC team (which Kentucky is), those other two are terrible. A New Year’s Six bowl is already in the picture. Winning tonight would bring it into focus.
Six (or Fourteen) More Fun Ones
Virginia @ BYU – 10:15 PM EDT, ESPN2
Virginia’s 6-2, they like to play offense and not defense, this is happening in front of a presumably fired-up crowd in Provo after all the lights have gone out. Fun.
UCLA @ Utah – 10:00 PM EDT, ESPN
Man, great slate after dark tonight. Huge one for the South division, where Utah’s lost to Oregon State, Arizona State’s lost to Utah, and UCLA’s lost to Arizona State and Oregon.
Iowa State @ West Virginia – 2:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
The Cyclones are in a good place in the race to play Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship, but they can’t afford a slip today in Morgantown, where the Mountaineers are looking to rally towards bowl eligibility.
Purdue @ Nebraska – 3:30 PM EDT, ESPN2
Can Scott Frost stay at Nebraska without making a bowl? The Huskers need this one or we’re almost certainly going to find out, with Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Iowa all remaining on the schedule. Meanwhile, Purdue thinks they have a shot at making the Big Ten title game, and I will not tell them no just yet.
UTEP @ Florida Atlantic – 6:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
Sorry, but UTEP’s 6-1, so this could set up a combined-one-loss UTSA/UTEP game next week. FAU’s a big favorite, though, and is trying to stay on the Conference USA title track, which someone on this site will probably call the national championship.
Florida State @ Clemson – 3:30 PM EDT, ESPN
I can’t not mention it. Look how far they’ve both fallen. To borrow from Titus & Tate, is this a blip or a bomb for Dabo Swinney’s Tigers?
William & Mary @ Villanova – 1:00 PM EDT
North Dakota @ Missouri State – 3:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
Southern Illinois @ Northern Iowa – 5:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
Davidson @ Morehead State – 2:00 PM EDT, ESPN3
McNeese @ Southeastern Louisiana – 7:00 PM EDT, ESPN3
In playoff-playing FCS land, we’ve got William & Mary looking for a CAA shocker on the road, one that would open the door back up to a James Madison conference title. In the MVFC, North Dakota and Missouri State are on life support for the playoffs but good enough to make runs if they make it. Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa are in a bit of danger but are both top-ten teams by quality. And McNeese, pining for a Conference USA spot, tries to take down current Southland king Southeastern Louisiana.
Dartmouth @ Harvard – 12:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
Columbia @ Yale – 12:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
South Carolina State @ North Carolina Central – 2:00 PM EDT, ESPN+
In non-playoff-playing FCS land, Dartmouth tries to keep the Iy League title in its reach ahead of Friday night’s tilt with unbeaten Princeton. Very much the undercard, the team that beat Dartmouth goes to Yale, who also has just one conference loss to date. And in the MEAC, a potential conference championship is going down, with South Carolina State trying to get to 3-0 with just a visit from Howard and a trip to Norfolk State remaining in league play.
Viewing Guide
Start with Michigan/Michigan State, of course. In the afternoon slot, it’s a little sparse, with Georgia/Florida more impactful but Purdue/Nebraska likely to be the better game. Come primetime, Mississippi’s trip to Auburn should be a lot of fun, and after dark, there are options, but UCLA/Utah’s the best in terms of both quality and impact, if we get objective about this.
