There is only one ranked matchup this week on Saturday, but it is the biggest one of the season with No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan facing off in what will likely be another classic version of The Game.
Even though many games don’t feature ranked teams on both sidelines, it is still a week full of rivalries which always carry a lot of weight in terms of bragging rights for a year.
Here’s some of this week’s top matchups:
No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Michigan (12 p.m., Fox): There has been a lot of coverage on this website of this game already, but this is not only the biggest game to watch in all of college football this week, it is the biggest game to watch this entire season to this point. With the storied rivalry that this matchup already has, the fact that it is a top-three matchup for a shot at the Big Ten Championship and likely the College Football Playoff, and the added wrinkle of Michigan’s sign-stealing investigation that is still ongoing, there is no other game that deserves the attention this one does.
The Buckeyes go into Ann Arbor as underdogs this year, which they weren’t in the last two seasons that they lost in. Jim Harbaugh will not be on the Wolverines sideline since he is suspended, but there won’t be any shortage of interesting storylines here.
The rest of college football collectively rolls its eyes at the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan sometimes, but that won’t be the case for this game. All eyes will be on Ann Arbor as soon as noon comes around.
No. 4 Washington at Washington State (4 p.m., Fox)
On the same channel as Ohio State and Michigan right after that game ends will likely be a tough act to follow for this Pac-12 rivalry, but Washington is trying to keep a perfect season intact and prove that it belongs in the College Football Playoff in the last year before it moves to the Big Ten Conference.
The Huskies have survived a tough schedule up to this point, beating teams like Oregon, Oregon State, Utah and USC, but they were all close games. The Cougars are going to have upset on their mind after an 18-point loss in this game last season. Michael Penix Jr.’s Heisman odds aren’t looking as strong after a 162-yard, two touchdown performance last week in the two-point win over the Beavers, but he can still make his case if he explodes like he is capable of in this game, and that might be a motivating factor for him.
All Washington needs to do is make sure it isn’t looking forward to next week’s rematch against Oregon where both teams will be fighting for a spot in the playoff.
No. 5 Florida State at Florida (7 p.m., ESPN)
Florida State has a lot on the line in this game. After losing quarterback Jordan Travis to a terrible leg injury, they will be looking to prove that he wasn’t the only player that got them off to this undefeated start. The College Football Playoff rankings and the AP voters both dropped the Seminoles down one spot in the rankings, so even the experts don’t believe in them as much without Travis.
The Gators are only 5-6 this year, but they want to be the team that knocks off their unbeaten rival and keeps them out of the CFP. Florida State already has a spot in the ACC Championship game against No. 10 Louisville, but with the committee already down on them, they are likely still playing a must-win game if their goal is to make an appearance in the playoffs. Losing to Florida, even if somehow they still go on to win the ACC title, would likely be too much of a knock against this team so late in the year.
Tate Rodemaker came in against North Alabama last week after Travis was injured and threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns, completing 13 of 23 passes. The Gators will present more of a challenge for the backup, so he will be tested in his first start
Other notable games on the schedule include:
- Kentucky at No. 10 Louisville (12 p.m., ABC)
- Texas A&M at No. 14 LSU (12 p.m., ESPN)
- No. 8 Alabama at Auburn (3:30 p.m., CBS)
- No. 15 Arizona at Arizona State (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
- BYU at No. 20 Oklahoma State (3:30 p.m., ABC)
- Vanderbilt at No. 21 Tennessee (3:30 p.m., SECN)
- No. 18 Notre Dame at Stanford (7 p.m., Pac-12N)
- Iowa State at Kansas State (8 p.m., Fox)
- No. 1 Georgia at Georgia Tech (7:30 p.m., ABC)
