9 Finest College Football Video games to Watch in Week 9: Contenders vs. Pretenders Week

We’re simply over per week away from Halloween and spooky season has come loads earlier for some faculty soccer applications than others. Nevertheless, a ton of groups are nonetheless within the combine for his or her convention championship video games—and Saturday ought to do wonders for serving to us skinny the herd. 

If you’re solely into faculty soccer for the heavy hitters, Week 9 isn’t for you. But this Saturday options among the most intriguing video games of the season, together with three matchups between Big Ten groups that sit at 5–2. That’s why we’re calling this “Contenders vs. Pretenders Week”—as a result of it’s time to separate the actual from what’s pretend and plenty of the very best video games to look at this week will assist us do this.

Along with the summaries of what to look at in every of this week’s 9 greatest video games, Sports Illustrated positions the members of every matchup as contenders or pretenders—in no matter approach is smart in the meanwhile. Whether that’s relevancy within the convention, a chance to play in a league title sport or being bona fide CFP or nationwide championship hopefuls, the targets are a bit of totally different for every college. Nevertheless, some will contend and a few will fake from right here on out this season.

Let’s dive in.

Saturday, midday ET, ABC

All due respect to the Big Ten clashes that may come later, however the battles between the SEC’s upper-middle class have deeper ramifications in terms of what applications may backdoor their approach into the playoff. Look no additional than the matchup in Norman, Okla., this weekend. This ought to be the one sport Ole Miss isn’t favored in for the remainder of the season, however arguments might be made concerning the Rebels’ lack of high quality wins outdoors of LSU in the event that they lose Saturday. Meanwhile, the Sooners didn’t want John Mateer to do a lot to shine off South Carolina after a Red River Rivalry loss. That received’t be the case this weekend as Mateer goes toe-to-toe with the dual-threat Trinidad Chambliss. Oklahoma’s protection (first in FBS in yards per play allowed, second in factors allowed) will solely have the opportunity to take action a lot to comprise the Division II switch, that means the Sooners might want to put factors on the board. Verdict: With these quarterbacks? And Oklahoma’s protection? Contenders. 

Saturday, midday ET, ESPN2

If I may deem one thing as unwatchable, it might’ve been Memphis’s late-game, goal-line execution in final week’s head-scratching loss to a UAB group that had fired its coach the earlier week. The Tigers false began 3 times of their closing seven performs, together with twice on the Blazers’ 1-yard line and did not get into the top zone to power additional time. The outcome provides this week’s sport in opposition to the Group of 5 front-runner rather less luster, but it surely’s must-win territory for Memphis. South Florida has been on hearth for the reason that Miami loss, successful by 27 factors or extra in every of the final 4 video games and averaging 57 factors whereas doing so. Adequately channeling final week’s frustration and this week’s desperation ought to enable Memphis to remain nearer than the Bulls’ latest opponents. Verdict: Still each Group of 5 Playoff contenders, however the practice is dangerously near teetering off the tracks for Memphis.

Saturday, midday ET, FS1

The first of three Big Ten matchups that includes six groups that each one pose the query, What ought to we make of this? Northwestern was the hammer to the nails of DeShaun Foster and James Franklin, delivering losses to each UCLA and Penn State in what proved to be each coaches’ closing outings with their colleges. But the Wildcats and their ground-heavy method haven’t truly crushed a Big Ten group with a successful total document. The Huskers are virtually in the identical boat with wins over Maryland and Michigan State (who’ve a mixed 1–7 document within the Big Ten) and are recent off a 24–6 loss at Minnesota. Dylan Raiola was sacked 9 occasions by the Golden Gophers and Nebraska ranks 131st in sacks allowed per sport, which doesn’t bode effectively in opposition to a deep Northwestern line of defense that rounded into kind with a shutout of Purdue final week. Verdict: Both pretenders except the winner of this sport additionally takes down USC of their subsequent matchup—for the Huskers on Nov. 1, for the Wildcats on Nov. 7. 

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox

The Bachmeier present is required viewing till the Cougars have a tally within the loss column—as a result of this group merely doesn’t know how you can lose. BYU was outgained by greater than 100 yards by Utah within the Holy War and gave up 226 yards on the bottom and nonetheless received due to a well timed interception, plus 4 fourth-down stops. Still, the Cougars once more go into Saturday as underdogs, this time to a reeling Iowa State group. The Cyclones badly wanted a bye after one-score highway losses to Cincinnati and Colorado, the previous of which noticed Matt Campbell’s usually stingy protection enable 260 dashing yards. BYU is second within the Big 12 in dashing and tenth nationally, which ought to give the Cougars the matchup benefit as they appear to remain undefeated. Verdict: Still contenders for the Big 12’s automated bid, however not a lot previous that. For now. 

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Both groups pulled out powerful video games in opposition to Auburn, on the highway, and LSU, in Nashville, final week. Yes, you learn that appropriately: Missouri beat Auburn and Vanderbilt beat LSU within the yr 2025. Welcome to the brand new cream of the crop within the SEC. Fun apart, each of those groups are legitimately good, anchored by dynamic quarterbacks and bodily run video games. As for the precise matchup, it’s all about which protection will be capable of comprise the 2 stars: Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and Missouri operating again Ahmad Hardy. Pavia was distinctive in opposition to LSU, amassing 246 whole yards and three scores. Plus, he appears to thrive off the house crowd vitality in Nashville, which ought to be the place to be in faculty soccer come Saturday. Verdict: At-large playoff contenders within the new-look SEC. Just like all of us predicted!

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Minnesota made a press release final week by knocking off then-No. 25 Nebraska in dominant trend, instilling a bit extra confidence than the one-score wins over Rutgers and Purdue had. On the opposite facet, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski hasn’t thrown a landing cross since he threw a pair in opposition to UMass in Week 3, but it surely hasn’t caught up with the Hawkeyes but due to his ability set as a runner. That may show more difficult in opposition to Minnesota’s protection, which has spent ample time within the backfields of opposing groups, racking up 23 sacks (second Big Ten, tied-eighth FBS) and 47 tackles for loss (tied-third Big Ten). Verdict: Still pretenders however don’t rely out Iowa. With two losses by 5 factors or much less, the problem will probably be high quality wins. If the Hawkeyes may shock Oregon and/or USC on the highway, they might be within the playoff dialog.

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

To shut out the Big Ten’s Contenders vs. Pretenders Week is a pair of groups that most likely fancied themselves having a shot at being the third greatest program within the league this season. Illinois simply can’t sustain with the very best of the very best, shedding by a mixed 71 factors to the highest two groups within the nation, Ohio State and Indiana. Washington took a fair greater blow this previous weekend when Demond Williams Jr. threw three interceptions and was fully at a loss with Michigan’s protection in a 24–7 defeat. All eyes will probably be on how Huskies star operating again Jonah Coleman (FBS-leading 12 dashing TDs) fares in opposition to Illinois’s protection entrance, which has been a lot better for the reason that Indiana trouncing. Also keep watch over two of the very best receivers within the Big Ten: the Illini’s Hank Beatty and the Huskies’ Denzel Boston. Verdict: Illinois nonetheless has an opportunity to contend for a playoff bid with a win given the ultimate 4 video games on the schedule. Washington is extra of a pretender.

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

The Aggies have performed with hearth plenty of occasions this season, however beginning off a three-game highway journey by eking out Arkansas was maybe the largest trigger for concern but. In equity, Texas A&M was up 10 with lower than a minute to go, so this sport wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating steered. Even nonetheless, giving up 527 yards to the two–5 Razorbacks was a brand new low. Awaiting this week is a visit to Baton Rouge, the place Brian Kelly’s Tigers are teetering on the cliff of one other disappointing season. The offense, which was anticipated to be a lot better with draft hopeful Garrett Nussmeier behind heart, has come up effectively in need of expectations and ranks twelfth within the SEC in each yards per sport and scoring. Even worse, the Tigers are fifteenth within the league in terms of operating the ball. The season-opening win over Clemson seems like a very long time in the past and Kelly may tremendously assist himself with an upset this weekend. Verdict: At this level, A&M is a contender. LSU … not a lot.

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2

To shut out a day that isn’t prime heavy, however has intriguing matchups up and down the slate, is the newest battle between Big 12 applications attempting to realize an higher hand. Arizona State is again on monitor with a more healthy Sam Leavitt having handed Texas Tech its first loss per week after shedding by 32 at Utah. The Sun Devils now not management their very own future with Cincinnati and BYU a sport forward, however rely out the toughness of Leavitt and the regular hand of Kenny Dillingham at your personal peril. At Houston, the Willie Fritz turnaround feels actual, even when the Cougars had been pushed to the restrict at house in opposition to Arizona final Saturday. The Cougs even have a pair of ability gamers to match ASU’s Raleek Brown–Jordyn Tyson duo with Amare Thomas, one in all faculty soccer’s greatest deep threats, and Dean Connors, a hard-nosed operating again. Verdict: This sport is pivotal with the winner staying within the Big 12 combine and the loser probably going full pretender.

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