College football viewers’ guide: Chaos could be brewing in ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 matchups
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
Louisville (2-7) at No. 13 Syracuse (7-2), 4 p.m., ESPN2
Syracuse, one of the surprise teams of the season, will try not to look past a struggling Louisville team. Syracuse’s Eric Dungey rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown in a 41-24 win against Wake Forest last week.
7:15 p.m.: No. 23 Fresno State at Boise State, ESPN2.
SATURDAY MORNING
No. 10 Ohio State (8-1) at No. 18 Michigan State (6-3), 9 a.m., Channel 11
Michigan State needs a win to remain in contention in the Big Ten East. The Spartans stuffed Maryland 24-3 last week, with Connor Heyward rushing for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State continues to struggle against inferior opponents. The Buckeyes held off Nebraska 36-31 last week thanks to J.K. Dobbins, who rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns.
9 a.m.: Texas Christian at No. 9 West Virginia, FS1; Navy at No. 12 Central Florida, ESPN2; South Carolina at No. 15 Florida, ESPN; Wisconsin at No. 20 Penn State, Channel 7; Tulsa at Memphis, ESPNU; Kansas at Kansas State, FS West; Lafayette at Army, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN); Vanderbilt at Missouri, SEC Network (SEC); Mississippi at Texas A&M, Channel 2; Illinois at Nebraska or Maryland at Indiana, Big Ten Network.
9:15 a.m.: North Carolina at Duke, KDOC.
11 a.m.: UCLA at Arizona State, Pac-12 Networks.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
No. 16 Mississippi State (6-3) at No. 1 Alabama (9-0), 12:30 p.m., Channel 2
Now it’s Mississippi State’s turn to try to put a dent in Alabama’s perfect season. The Crimson Tide passed a huge test last week, routing host Louisiana State 29-0. Tua Tagovailoa threw his first interception of the season, but still managed 295 yards passing and two touchdowns. Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald passed for 243 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-3 win over Louisiana Tech last week.
Oklahoma State (5-4) at No. 6 Oklahoma (8-1), 12:30 p.m., Channel 7
The recent meetings between these rivals have been shootouts, including last year’s 62-52 win by the Sooners. Kyler Murray guided Oklahoma to a 51-46 win over Texas Tech last week, passing for 360 yards and three scores. The Cowboys were stunned in a 35-31 loss to Baylor, the Bears scoring the go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds left.
No. 24 Auburn (6-3) at No. 5 Georgia (8-1), 4 p.m., ESPN
Georgia won the Southeastern Conference East Division and a berth in the conference title game by beating Kentucky 34-17 on the road last week. But the Bulldogs can’t overlook Auburn, which took down Texas A&M 28-24 behind a defense that forced three turnovers. The Tigers handed the Bulldogs their lone defeat during the regular season in 2017, before the Bulldogs won a rematch in the SEC title game.
Florida State (4-5) at No. 3 Notre Dame (9-0), 4:30 p.m., Channel 4
Notre Dame controls its destiny in the College Football Playoff and faces a Florida State team that has lost consecutive games against ranked opponents. The Seminoles would love to spoil senior day for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book will not play because of a rib injury suffered against Northwestern last week. Former starter Brandon Wimbush will get the nod.
No. 2 Clemson (9-0) at No. 17 Boston College (7-2), 5 p.m., Channel 7
Boston College could create chaos for the College Football Playoff committee and jump Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division with an upset. Eagles running back AJ Dillion, who returned after missing 21/2 games with an ankle injury, rushed for 149 yards in a 31-21 win over Virginia Tech last week. Clemson rushed for 492 yards and scored 77 points against Louisville last week.
12:30 p.m.: No. 4 Michigan at Rutgers, Big Ten; No. 8 Washington State at Colorado, ESPN; No. 11 Kentucky at Tennessee, SEC; Northwestern at No. 21 Iowa, Channel 11; Baylor at No. 22 Iowa State, FS1; New Mexico at Air Force, CBSSN; Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh, ESPNU; Purdue at Minnesota, ESPN2.
1 p.m.: East Carolina at Tulane, ESPN News.
2:30 p.m.: Oregon at Utah, Pac-12.
4 p.m.: Miami at Georgia Tech, ESPN2; Temple at Houston, CBSSN; South Florida at Cincinnati, ESPNU.
4:30 p.m.: No. 7 Louisiana State at Arkansas, SEC; No. 19 Texas at Texas Tech, Channel 11; Southern Mississippi at Alabama Birmingham, beIN.
SATURDAY EVENING
California (5-4) at USC (5-4), 7:30 p.m., ESPN
USC has defeated California 14 straight times and a win Saturday would keep the Trojans in contention in the Pac-12 South. USC’s running game tore apart Oregon State last week, with Aca’Cedric Ware rushing for 205 yards and three touchdowns. The Golden Bears were tied with Washington State last week until giving up a touchdown with 32 seconds left.
6 p.m.: Oregon State at Stanford, Pac-12.
7:30 p.m.: Nevada Las Vegas at San Diego State, ESPN2; Colorado State at Nevada, ESPNU.
Twitter: @edmgonzalez
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