College football: Best games to watch in Week 8
Each week, the Times’ national college sports reporter J. Brady McCollough will help plan your Saturday game watch schedule by revealing the matchups he will have his eye on at each stage of the day’s slate.
Kegs and eggs
No. 2 Cincinnati at Navy, 9 a.m., ESPN2
With Navy’s triple-option, things can get weird. If the Midshipmen get a lead, they can bleed the clock.
Northwestern at No. 6 Michigan, 9 a.m., Fox
The country gets to watch the Wolverines tune up for their top-10 showdown with Michigan State.
Fire up the grill
Wisconsin at No. 25 Purdue, Noon, Big Ten Network
The Badgers have been dreadful but beating them would still validate Purdue as a Big Ten West contender.
No. 10 Oregon at UCLA, 12:30 p.m., ABC
The Chip Kelly Bowl is the Pac-12’s best shot to play a competitive, entertaining game on a national stage this season.
UCLA is the slight favorite heading into its Pac-12 showdown with Oregon, but can the Bruins prevent Kayvon Thibodeaux from wreaking havoc?
No. 8 Oklahoma State at Iowa State, 12:30 p.m., Fox
The Cowboys just won at Texas, but taking down a veteran Iowa State team in Ames will be just as big of a test.
Louisiana State at No. 12 Mississippi, 12:30 p.m., CBS
Will LSU play hard for now-interim coach Ed Orgeron? Ole Miss could use some help with Matt Corral banged up.
Clemson at No. 23 Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m., ESPN
Pitt has received a lot of hype for a team that lost to Western Michigan, and Clemson has plenty to prove.
USC will look to make a statement win against the rival Notre Dame, but are the Trojans up to the task of stopping the Fighting Irish offense?
Brigham Young at Washington State, 12:30 p.m., FS1
BYU has lost back-to-back games. Washington State has won three in a row but lost head coach Nick Rolovich, who was fired because he refused to get vaccinated.
Night game buzz
Tennessee at No. 4 Alabama, 4 p.m., ESPN
Tennessee fans who threw objects onto the field last week get rewarded with a beatdown from rival Alabama.
No. 5 Ohio State at Indiana, 4:30 p.m., ABC
The Buckeyes get one more chance to humiliate an opponent before the meat of their schedule arrives next week with Penn State.
As USC and LSU leaders search for a new football coach, we evaluate which job is better.
USC at No. 13 Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m., NBC
When these two uniforms are on the field together, it’s appointment viewing. Maybe the Trojans can make it interesting.
Utah at Oregon State, 4:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network
The Beavers faltered against Washington State, but they’re fully capable of handing Utah its first Pac-12 defeat.
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