Things are taking shape in the ACC and the SEC as the Big 12 has respectfully declined playoff consideration, at least for the time being. With nothing noteworthy in the Group of Five, here are the games for the playoff watcher to keep an eye on, in a rather arbitrarily chosen order of intrigue.
How Healthy is Notre Dame?
Florida State @ Notre Dame (7:30 PM EDT Saturday, NBC)
Florida State isn’t much this year, and saying that might be generous to the Noles. But Notre Dame is coming off two straight open weekends, the latter by design and the former by virus. There’s some uncertainty about the Irish already, as the seeming second fiddle in this year’s ACC. The virus has introduced more of that uncertainty, and the slate starts ratcheting up from here.
What Cruel Punishment Does Nick Saban Have Prepared for Lane Kiffin?
Alabama @ Mississippi (7:30 PM EDT Saturday, ESPN)
To be clear, I don’t think Saban’s going to punish Kiffin for one particular thing. I think Saban is going to punish Kiffin for existing. Lane Kiffin seems like the kind of entity that pisses Nick Saban off.
Mississippi won a fun one last week in Lexington. Things have been a bit chaotic with Hurricane Delta preparing to work its way up the Mississippi valley. The Tide are a massive favorite, but there’s enough odd stuff going here to at least keep half an eye on the score.
How Seriously Should We Take Tennessee?
Tennessee @ Georgia (3:30 PM EDT Saturday, CBS)
The Dawgs crushed Auburn, and they now get a visit from their neighbors to the north. The idea of Tennessee being good is a fun one, but while the wins at South Carolina and at home against Mizzou were solid, the Vols are a long way from having proven themselves. For now, this is closer to Notre Dame and Alabama’s games for Georgia than it is to Florida’s or Clemson’s.
Is Florida Back?
Florida @ Texas A&M (12:00 PM EDT Saturday, ESPN)
We realized the suggestion of Florida’s back-ness might be coming when we checked their schedule last weekend and found they might be favored in every regular season game. This is one of the trickier ones—A&M has been a bit of a mess so far, but Alabama’s outsized place in their performance to date (it’s fair to speculate that Bama impacted A&M’s showing against Vandy) keeps this from being a take-care-of-business affair for the Gators.
The ACC Undercard
Virginia Tech @ North Carolina (12:00 PM EDT Saturday, ESPN)
UNC was supposed to be closer to Clemson and Notre Dame than to Virginia Tech and the rest, but here we are. The Tar Heels took a long time to pull away from Syracuse in their opener and were a two-point conversion away from overtime last Saturday in Boston. Meanwhile, though Virginia Tech didn’t thrash Duke in Durham, they’ve now won consecutive games somewhat comfortably, which is saying something for a middling ACC program. Each team has a chance to prove something. We just don’t know what it will be.
The Main Event
Miami @ Clemson (7:30 PM EDT Saturday, ABC)
Clemson has these games. They play an ACC foe coming in with some hype. That foe isn’t bad, but they aren’t Clemson. Which Clemson makes it a point to prove.
Will Miami’s visit follow the script? The assumption in Vegas seems to be that it will, with the Tigers 14-point favorites over The U. But there’s always a chance with these. There’s always a chance.
