5. Toledo @ Miami (OH) (3 p.m. on ESPNU)
Yeah, yeah, it’s a slower week. The highs are high in the Week 8 schedule, but as evident in this rankings, it’s a top-heavy week.
That is no disrespect to this matchup, though. Toledo and Miami (OH) are both 6-1 on the season, with both losses coming from power-five teams. They are both in different divisions in the MAC, meaning this could very well be a preview of the conference championship game.
With the way the other group of five conferences are shaping out, both of these teams have just as good a shot as any others to make a New Year’s Six bowl. It will only be the winner who has that opportunity, however, making this an important game for both sides.
Toledo’s offense has been good this season, but came back down to earth last week, managing just 13 points against Ball State. Home field advantage, while also having the 26th ranked defense in the nation will be the reason the RedHawks prevail on Saturday.
Winner: Miami (OH)
4. No. 14 Utah @ No. 18 USC (7 p.m. on Fox)
Despite not being a conference matchup, last year’s Heisman winner, junior quarterback Caleb Williams, and USC finally suffered its first loss this season against Notre Dame. If they want to make the playoffs, they will have to win out.
That’s not an easy task, either, especially this week against a top-25 Utah team.
The tale of the tape is the complete opposite for both sides. USC has a strong offense with a poor defense, while for Utah it is vice versa.
USC has the advantage being at home, but the Utes’ No. 5 ranked defense in the nation is no joke. The Trojans’ defense has proven it can’t stop anybody. Utah should be able to move the ball up-and-down the field with the most success they have had this season.
The Utes will pull off the upset in Los Angeles this weekend.
Winner: Utah
3. No. 17 Tennessee @ No. 11 Alabama (2:30 p.m. on CBS)
A big rivalry matchup is taking place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama this weekend, but it’s not the Iron Bowl. Instead, a Tennessee team that has to win to stay alive in the SEC East is traveling to take on a team sitting pretty atop the SEC West standings.
Despite being undefeated in the SEC, Alabama dropped a game to Texas, meaning they likely will have to win out to make the playoffs.
What more do you need in a rivalry matchup than season results being on the line?
The Crimson Tide have not been the force that they have been in the past, but it’s still Nick Saban, and it’s still the dynasty that is Alabama. Tennessee looked poor offensively in its win against Texas A&M, and if the Florida game proved anything, it’s that they can’t handle a rough environment.
Alabama will not lose in front of that home crowd this weekend.
Winner: Alabama
2. No. 16 Duke @ No. 4 Florida State (6:30 p.m. on ABC)
Not many people would have predicted this matchup at the beginning of the season to have as much importance as it does now, but Duke and Florida State are both undefeated in conference play and will fight for a spot in the conference title game this weekend.
The Blue Devils shocked the nation with a Week 1 victory over Clemson and were a defensive stop away from taking down Notre Dame. Duke also has the No. 4 defense in the nation with former A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko as head coach.
Offensively, they have been average — but good enough to get the job done. However, fans saw how an average offense can come back to bite them, as the Notre Dame defense was able to hold them to only 14 points.
For Florida State, the time to win is now. It has been a long time since the Seminoles have had this good of a chance to win the conference and make the playoffs. All of that is possible if the Seminoles win the rest of their games ahead, in which they should be favored in all of them.
Duke presents Florida State’s toughest challenge the rest of the way, but the Seminoles will take care of business at home on Saturday.
Winner: Florida State
1. No. 7 Penn State @ No. 3 Ohio State (11 a.m. on Fox)
This could go down as one of the most important regular season games of the season. Penn State and Ohio State sit at 6-0 on the season, with a conference title on the line.
Alongside the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes,sits Michigan, who is also undefeated. The winner of this matchup will set up a massive game against the Wolverines that will likely have the division title up for grabs.
For Penn State this is the best chance they have to win the division since doing so in 2016. The defense has been absolutely dominant, only allowing a high of 15 points in a game this season.
Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar has also been impressive thus far, throwing for 1,254 yards without a single interception.
The Buckeyes’ defense has been just as dominant as the Nittany Lions’, however the offense has shown to be inconsistent. It started off shaky in the win against Maryland, and when Notre Dame’s defense actually had all 11 players on the field, the Buckeyes struggled to move the ball. Ohio State alsoonly managed to muster up 23 points against the nation’s No. 92ranked defense in Indiana.
One advantage the Buckeyes hold over Penn State is the location of the game. That’s just not going to be enough to stop this Nittany Lion squad. Penn State wins by a field goal, setting up a massive matchup against Michigan on Nov. 11.
Winner: Penn State
Honorable Mentions:
Oklahoma State @ West Virginia (2:30 p.m. on ESPN)
It’s as simple as this: Win and your conference championship hopes stay alive. West Virginia will be that team this Saturday at home against an improving Oklahoma State team.
Winner: West Virginia
UTSA @ Florida Atlantic (5 p.m. on ESPN+)
Four undefeated teams in conference play remain in the American Athletic Conference, with two of them squaring off this weekend in UTSA and Florida Atlantic. The Roadrunners’ offense has been on a roll the last two weeks and it will continue to roll to a victory this weekend in Boca Raton.
Winner: UTSA