College football viewers’ guide: Division championships and rivalry games highlight weekend
It’s a holiday weekend of college football, which means it’s time to cancel your other Friday and 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 long weekend.
FRIDAY
No. 6 Oklahoma (10-1) at No. 13 West Virginia (8-2), 5 p.m., ESPN
The winner will punch its ticket to the Big 12 championship game next week. The Sooners are the top-scoring team in the nation (49.5 points a game); the Moutaineers (40.9) are ninth. Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has thrown for 3,310 yards and 34 touchdowns; West Virginia’s Will Grier has thrown for 3,325 yards and 33 touchdowns.
No. 16 Washington (8-3) at No. 8 Washington State (10-1), 5:30 p.m., Channel 11
At stake is the Pac-12 North Division title and a spot in the conference championship game next week against Utah. This is the fourth straight season that both teams enter the Apple Cup ranked. Huskies quarterback Jake Browning passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-23 win over Oregon State last week in his final home game. Gardner Minshew II poured it on Arizona with 473 yards passing and seven touchdowns in a 69-28 win.
9 a.m.: No. 14 Texas at Kansas, FS1; Nebraska at Iowa, Channel 11; Akron at Ohio, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN); Buffalo at Bowling Green, ESPNU; Houston at Memphis, Channel 7.
11:30 a.m.: Arkansas at Missouri, Channel 2.
12:30 p.m.: East Carolina at Cincinnati, CBSSN; Virginia at Virginia Tech, Channel 7.
1 p.m.: Oregon at Oregon State, FS1.
1:15 p.m.: No. 9 Central Florida at South Florida, ESPN.
SATURDAY MORNING
No. 4 Michigan (10-1) at No. 10 Ohio State (10-1), 9 a.m., Channel 11
For the first time since 2004, Michigan goes to Ohio Stadium as the favorite. The winner clinches the Big Ten East Division and earns a date with Northwestern in the conference championship game. The Buckeyes have won six in a row over the Wolverines.
9 a.m.: Georgia Tech at No. 5 Georgia, SEC Network (SEC); No. 11 Florida at Florida State, Channel 7; No. 20 Syracuse at Boston College, ESPN; Western Kentucky at Louisiana Tech, CBSSN; Baylor at Texas Tech, FS1; Purdue at Indiana, ESPN2; Navy at Tulane, ESPNU.
9:15 a.m.: North Carolina State at North Carolina, KDOC.
9:30 a.m.: Wake Forest at Duke, Prime Ticket.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Auburn (7-4) at No. 1 Alabama (11-0), 12:30 p.m., Channel 2
Alabama’s only loss over the last two seasons came last year against Auburn in the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide somehow were tied at 10 with the Citadel at the half last week before cruising to a 50-17 win. The Tigers beat Liberty 53-0 last week, gaining more than 500 yards and forcing four turnovers.
South Carolina (6-4) at No. 2 Clemson (11-0), 4 p.m., ESPN
Clemson looks to conclude a perfect regular season when it welcomes in-state rival South Carolina to Death Valley. The Tigers got 251 yards passing and two touchdowns from Trevor Lawrence in a 35-6 win over Duke last week. The Gamecocks became bowl eligible with a 49-9 win over Chattanooga.
No. 3 Notre Dame (11-0) at USC (5-6), 5 p.m., Channel 7
The 90th meeting between the rivals features teams headed in opposite directions. USC is trying to avoid its first losing season since 2000, while Notre Dame is trying to clinch its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Since taking over at quarterback for the Fighting Irish, Ian Book has thrown for 2,116 yards and completed 72.6% of his passes. Spoiling Notre Dame’s playoff hopes may hush rumors about USC coach Clay Helton’s job status.
Noon: Stanford at UCLA, Pac-12 Networks (Pac-12).
12:30 p.m.: Maryland at No. 12 Penn State, Channel 7; Illinois at No. 19 Northwestern, Big Ten Network (Big Ten); No. 24 Pittsburgh at Miami, ESPN; Arizona State at Arizona, FS1; Minnesota at Wisconsin, ESPN2; Southern Methodist at Tulsa, CBSSN; Temple at Connecticut, ESPNU.
1 p.m.: Rutgers at Michigan State, Channel 11; Tennessee at Vanderbilt, SEC.
4 p.m.: No. 15 Kentucky at Louisville, ESPN2; Kansas State at No. 25 Iowa State, FS1; San Jose State at Fresno State, ESPNU; Colorado at California, Pac-12.
4:30 p.m.: No. 7 Louisiana State at No. 22 Texas A&M, SEC.
5 p.m.: Oklahoma State at Texas Christian, Channel 11.
SATURDAY EVENING
No. 21 Utah State (10-1) at No. 23 Boise State (9-2), 7:15 p.m., ESPN
The winner will clinch the Mountain West Conference Mountain Division and meet Fresno State in the conference title game next week. Utah State’s lone loss came in the season opener at Michigan State. The Aggies are second in the nation in scoring at 49.3 points a game. Boise State, which has won six in a row, is led by Brett Rypien, who has thrown for 3,270 yards and 28 touchdowns.
6:30 p.m.: Nevada at Nevada Las Vegas, CBSSN.
7 p.m.: Brigham Young at No. 17 Utah, FS1.
7:30 p.m.: Hawaii at San Diego State, ESPNU.
Twitter: @edmgonzalez
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