Back
What is the best college football game this weekend? The Week 10 college football schedule is loaded with some excellent matchups, including some ranked-versus-ranked battles with major implications. Week 10 eels even more important because of the first set of College Football Playoffs rankings, which as baffling as they were, put even more weight on top teams around the country.
Let’s dive into our list of the 10 best college football games this weekend.
The Holy War is the best game in college football Week 10. It would have been even better if BYU Cougars running back LJ Martin was fully healthy and this fantastic rivalry was being played under the lights at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Still, these two schools absolutely loathe one another and the fact that BYU could spoil Utah’s perfect season or the Utes could knock the Cougars out of playoff aspirations only adds to the greatness. Kickoff is at 12:00 PM ET.
One of the best college football games this weekend takes a bit of a hit due to injuries. Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney is undergoing ankle surgery and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be without linebacker Drayk Bowen. With that said, Saturday night’s matchup (7:30 PM ET) is especially critical for both teams. If 11th-ranked Notre Dame loses at home, it can effectively kiss its playoff aspirations goodbye. As for Miami, it is the top-ranked team in the country, but it has beaten only one ranked opponent this season with its defense being responsible for near upsets versus Florida State and North Carolina. If the Hurricanes lose on Saturday, its resume this season is alarmingly underwhelming, which makes winning the ACC Championship Game imperative. We can guarantee one thing, expect a lot of points because neither of these defenses inspires a ton of confidence.
The rest of the nation will be happy with either outcome in Week 10. That is because of what happens to the loser in this game. If the LSU Tigers lose at home, it is another defeat on national television for a three-loss team with Lane Kiffin’s abysmal record versus top-10 programs getting even worse and a state that poured tens of millions of dollars into building a national championship contender being eliminated from playoff aspirations on November 7. It is that or, days after being inexplicably ranked as the fifth-best team in the nation by the playoff committee, the Alabama Crimson Tide lose three-plus games for the third consecutive season under Kalen DeBoer. It would be the first time that has happened at Alabama since the Mike Shula era. We should also mention this late afternoon matchup (3:30 PM ET on ABC) will also be a great football game with some explosive plays.
The last time we saw the Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels go head-to-head, Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss put up 362 passing yards with three total touchdowns and a 90.5 ESPN QBR in a 39-34 shootout victory in the Sugar Bowl. Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs rarely lose to the same program twice within a year and the Rebels will be without standout running back Kewan Lacy in this one. Chambliss is arguably the best quarterback in college football and he could single-handedly beat this Bulldogs defense in Oxford. Kickoff is at 7:30 PM ET on ABC, so have that second screen ready with Miami vs. Notre Dame also going on.
The Tennessee Volunteers have historically dominated this rivalry series, but the Kentucky Wildcats enter Week 10 ranked as the superior team. Under first-year head coach Will Stein, Kentucky is operating one of the most effective rushing offenses in the Power 4 and they are playing well defensively. Tennessee, also being carried by its run game and an elite defense, might be feeling a little extra motivation right now after being disrespected by the playoff committee. Kentucky desperately wants to prove itself on the national stage (6:15 PM ET on ESPN) and the Volunteers are looking to keep their playoff aspirations alive after losses to Texas and South Carolina. There might not be a ton of points, but it will be very physical.
We are excited to see the running back tandem of Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts leading the Missouri Tigers offense in this Week 10 matchup at home. The Texas Longhorns are favored, but there is one important factor to consider. Texas is without running back Hollywood Smothers and left tackle Trevor Goosby, and there is a very real chance of edge rusher Colin Simmons and wide receiver Cam Coleman not suiting up on Saturday or playing at far less than 100 percent. If the Longhorns defense cannot win at the line of scrimmage, the door is wide open for Missouri to hand Arch Manning and his depleted supporting cast a third loss this year.
Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles (13-1 touchdown-interception ratio, 1,898 passing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns) in Chip Kelly’s offense against the Iowa Hawkeyes defense is a matchup we are excited to see. Northwestern is coming off a disheartening loss at Oregon, while Iowa is riding high after a 30-0 shutout win against Wisconsin. We understand why Iowa vs. Northwestern is flying under the radar nationally, but this is a chess match between two great minds with some underrated skill players that hard-core college football fans should keep an eye on when it kicks off at 7:30 PM ET on FOX.
The UCLA Bruins (8-0) are the biggest surprise in college football this season and a national audience gets to see what Bob Chesney has done with this program on Saturday at 12:00 PM ET on FOX. The Bruins’ offense hasn’t been quite as exciting since starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava went down with a season-ending injury, but running back Wayne Knights remains this unit’s driving force that’s paired with a well-coached defense. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are coming off a two-game stretch of beating Iowa and then taking Indiana to overtime. There’s a real chance of Minnesota ending UCLA’s undefeated season on Saturday.
Most don’t have the West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders as one of the best college football games this weekend. Texas Tech is nearly a three-score favorite, so we understand why. However, we’re eager to see Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (1,598 passing yards, 836 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns) along with running back Cam Cook (1,038 scrimmage yards) versus this Texas Tech defense. It’s also a late game, kicking off at 9:30 PM ET on ESPN. If you want some fireworks to end your night, this is it.
Honestly, we think the Week 10 matchup between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes is overrated. Without Julian Sayin, this Buckeyes offense is a shell of its former self and it’s only made worse because of an offensive line that leaves inexperienced quarterback Luke Fahey under duress quite often. Ohio State also isn’t particularly good defensively. In previous years, Oregon could take advantage of that. However, the Ducks offense is stuck with the inconsistent play of quarterback Dylan Raiola and leading rusher Jordon Davison is sidelined. Ohio State beating Oregon (5-3) doesn’t carry much weight at this point and a second consecutive loss for the Buckeyes, albeit with a backup quarterback, probably means we don’t get to see Jeremiah Smith in the College Football Playoff.
Back
Top
| Privacy Statement Terms of Service Contact |
Refresh
|
All the best breaking news stories from Apex Scores Lite. Optimised for feature phones and low end Android devices, Apex Scores Lite helps users with legacy devices and poor network connectivity access the latest football news and live scores. Particularly relevant for breaking football news in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.