College football viewers’ guide: Contenders and pretenders will be revealed this 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
No. 23 Utah (5-2) at UCLA (2-5), 7:30 p.m., ESPN
After the first month of the season, not many thought this matchup would have Pac-12 South implications. But UCLA has won two in a row, meaning the winner of this game will be in first in the division. Utah’s Tyler Huntley passed for 341 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-28 win over USC last week. UCLA’s Wilton Speight came in for an injured Dorian Thompson-Robinson to finish with 204 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 31-30 win over Arizona.
3:30 p.m.: Louisiana Tech at Florida Atlantic, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).
4 p.m.: Miami at Boston College, ESPN.
5 p.m.: Indiana at Minnesota, FS1.
7 p.m.: Wyoming at Colorado State, CBSSN.
SATURDAY MORNING
No. 2 Clemson (7-0) at Florida State (4-3), 9 a.m., Channel 7
Clemson made a statement last week by routing then-undefeated North Carolina State 41-7. Freshman Trevor Lawrence passed for 308 yards and a touchdown. Florida State will try to get into the division mix with an upset. Deondre Francois passed for 353 yards and two scores against Wake Forest in a 38-17 win.
9 a.m.: No. 20 Wisconsin at Northwestern, Channel 11; Vanderbilt at Arkansas, SEC Network (SEC); Texas Tech at Iowa State, ESPN2; Wake Forest at Louisville, Prime Ticket; Massachusetts at Connecticut, ESPNU; Army at Eastern Michigan, CBSSN; Purdue at Michigan State, ESPN; Bethune Cookman at Nebraska, Big Ten Network (Big Ten).
9:15 a.m.: North Carolina at Virginia, KDOC.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
No. 9 Florida (6-1) vs. No. 7 Georgia (6-1), 12:30 p.m., Channel 2
For the first time since 2012, the game in Jacksonville, Fla., will have Southeastern Conference East Division implications. The Gators and Bulldogs both are 4-1 in conference, tied for first in the East with Kentucky. Florida, which was off last week, has won five in a row. Georgia hasn’t played since losing at Louisiana State on Oct. 13. Florida’s Feleipe Franks and Georgia’s Jake Fromm could each eclipse the 1,500-passing mark for the season in this game.
No. 18 Iowa (6-1) at No. 17 Penn State (5-2), 12:30 p.m., ESPN
Penn State escaped with a 21-19 win over Iowa last season, scoring a touchdown as time expired. Iowa was on point last week, shutting out Maryland 23-0. Penn State ended a two-game losing skid with a 33-28 win against Indiana as Trace McSorley passed for 220 yards and rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Arizona State (3-4) at USC (4-3), 12:30 p.m., Channel 7
USC still has a shot at the Pac-12 South title, but the Trojans will probably need to win out and get help. Third-string quarterback Jack Sears might make his college debut as JT Daniels is in concussion protocol and Matt Fink is out with a rib injury. The Sun Devils’ three conference losses (Washington, Colorado and Stanford) have each been by a touchdown.
No. 16 Texas A&M (5-2) at Mississippi State (4-3), 4 p.m., ESPN
Texas A&M has won three in a row and hopes to keep pace in the SEC West. Kellen Mond led the Aggies to a 26-23 win over South Carolina last week with 353 passing yards and a touchdown. Mississippi State will try to bounce back after a dismal performance in a 19-3 loss to LSU.
No. 3 Notre Dame (7-0) vs. Navy (2-5), 5 p.m., Channel 2
Navy and Notre Dame have played each other close the last few seasons and this year they meet in San Diego at SDCCU (formerly Qualcomm) Stadium. Fighting Irish quarterback Ian Book has 1,151 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. Malcolm Perry has been carrying the Midshipmen on the ground with 729 rushing yards.
Noon: Texas Christian at Kansas, FS1; Oregon State at Colorado, Pac-12 Networks (Pac-12).
12:30 p.m.: Kansas State at No. 8 Oklahoma, Channel 11; No. 21 South Florida at Houston, ESPN2; Illinois at Maryland, Big Ten; Duke at Pittsburgh, Prime Ticket; Northern Illinois at Brigham Young, ESPNU; Cincinnati at Southern Methodist, CBSSN.
1 p.m.: No. 12 Kentucky at Missouri, SEC.
3:30 p.m.: No. 15 Washington at California, FS1.
4 p.m.: No. 14 Washington State at No. 24 Stanford, Pac-12; No. 22 North Carolina State at Syracuse, ESPN2; Boise State at Air Force, CBSSN; Tulane at Tulsa, ESPNU.
4:30 p.m.: Tennessee at South Carolina, SEC; Florida International at Western Kentucky, beIN.
5 p.m.: No. 6 Texas at Oklahoma State, Channel 7.
SATURDAY EVENING
No. 19 Oregon (5-2) at Arizona (3-5), 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Oregon has not won in Arizona since 2011. Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert passed for 270 yards and a touchdown in a 34-20 loss to Washington State last week. The Wildcats might again have to turn Rhett Rodriguez, who passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA. Rodriguez filled in for Khalil Tate, who has been bothered most of the season by an ankle injury.
7:30 p.m.: Hawaii at Fresno State, ESPN2; San Diego State at Nevada, ESPNU.
Twitter: @edmgonzalez
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