College football viewers’ guide: Late afternoon ranked and Pac-12 after dark matchups highlight the weekend
It’s another weekend of college football, which means it’s time to cancel your other Saturday plans to binge-watch games from morning until late night. The Times’ Eduardo Gonzalez lets us know what will be on our televisions and computer screens this weekend:
FRIDAY
UCLA (0-3) at Colorado (3-0), 6 p.m., FS1
This game showcases two surprises so far: a winless UCLA team and an undefeated Colorado team. If UCLA wants to notch its first win, the defense will need to pressure Colorado quarterback Steven Montez. He has passed for 855 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions.
5 p.m.: Memphis at Tulane, ESPN2.
SATURDAY MORNING
No. 12 West Virginia (3-0) at No. 25 Texas Tech (3-1), 9 a.m., ESPN2
Expect a lot of points as both teams are averaging over 500 yards of offense and more than 42 points a game. West Virginia quarterback Will Grier hopes to add another impressive win for his Heisman Trophy campaign. Texas Tech will try for another upset after beating then-No. 15 Oklahoma State 41-17 last week.
9 a.m.: Louisiana at No. 1 Alabama, SEC Network (SEC); Syracuse at No. 3 Clemson, Channel 7; Central Michigan at No. 21 Michigan State, FS1; Arkansas at Texas A&M, ESPN; Indiana at Rutgers, Big Ten Network; Army at Buffalo, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN); Oklahoma State at Kansas, FS West; Temple at Boston College, ESPNU; Bowling Green at Georgia Tech, Prime Ticket.
9:15 a.m.: Virginia at North Carolina State, KDOC.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Tennessee (2-2) at No. 2 Georgia (4-0), 12:30 p.m., Channel 2
This game will feature Nick Saban disciples on opposite sidelines. Georgia, with coach Kirby Smart, cleared another hurdle in its quest to repeat as SEC East Division champion with a 43-29 win over Missouri. Now the Bulldogs welcome a Tennessee team hungry to get the first SEC win for coach Jeremy Pruitt.
No. 4 Ohio State (4-0) at No. 9 Penn State (4-0), 4:30 p.m., Channel 7
This game might decide who will win the Big Ten East and have a leg up for a College Football Playoff bid. And if you’re looking for a lot of points, this might be the one to watch. Ohio State averages 54.5 points a game, Penn State 55.5. Each team has scored at least 40 points in every game.
No. 7 Stanford (4-0) at No. 8 Notre Dame (4-0), 4:30 p.m., Channel 4
Stanford continues the tough stretch of its schedule with a visit to Notre Dame to play a team that has found its groove with quarterback Ian Book. Book threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for three scores in a 56-27 win over Wake Forest last week. Stanford’s K.J. Costello threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-31 overtime win over Oregon.
No. 20 Brigham Young (3-1) at No. 11 Washington (3-1), 5:30 p.m., Channel 11
Washington has had some difficulty putting inferior opponents away. Brigham Young might be the Huskies’ biggest test since their season-opening loss to Auburn. Washington’s Jake Browning looked good against Arizona State as he passed for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
12:30 p.m.: Baylor at No. 6 Oklahoma, Channel 7; Pittsburgh at No. 13 Central Florida, ESPNU; No. 18 Texas at Kansas State, FS1; Cincinnati at Connecticut, CBSSN; Rice at Wake Forest, Prime; Purdue at Nebraska, Big Ten; Florida State at Louisville, ESPN2.
1 p.m.: Southern Mississippi at No. 10 Auburn, SEC; Nevada at Air Force, ESPN News.
1:30 p.m.: No. 14 Michigan at Northwestern, Channel 11.
3 p.m.: Florida at No. 23 Mississippi State, ESPN; Utah at Washington State, Pac-12 Networks.
4 p.m.: Virginia Tech at No. 22 Duke, ESPN2; Boise State at Wyoming, CBSSN; Iowa State at Texas Christian, ESPNU.
4:30 p.m.: South Carolina at No. 17 Kentucky, SEC; Louisiana Tech at North Texas, beIN.
SATURDAY EVENING
No. 19 Oregon (3-1) at No. 24 California (4-0), 7:30 p.m., FS1
Who knew Cal would be undefeated at this point? The Golden Bears welcome an Oregon team that blew a 17-point lead and lost in overtime to Stanford last week. Cal will be tested by Oregon’s Justin Herbert, who passed for 346 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinal.
USC (2-2) at Arizona (2-2), 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Which USC team will show up this weekend? The one that lost two in a row on the road or the one that came from 13 points down in the second half to beat Washington State last week? Freshman JT Daniels had his best game so far with 241 yards passing and three touchdowns against the Cougars. Arizona running back J.J. Taylor rushed for 284 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-14 win against Oregon State last week.
6 p.m.: Mississippi at No. 5 Louisiana State, ESPN.
7 p.m.: Oregon State at Arizona State, Pac-12.
7:30 p.m.: Toledo at Fresno State, ESPNU.
Twitter: @edmgonzalez
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