October has arrived, but we’ll still have to wait for the next couple of weeks for the biggest games that will define the chase for berths in the expanded College Football Playoff. Worry not, however, for the Week 6 slate should provide plenty of entertaining moments nevertheless.
It will be hard to top last week’s Alabama-Georgia headliner, but with conference play now in full swing there are plenty of offerings for your viewing enjoyment.
Here are the seven we’ve chosen to highlight, presented as always with the standard caveat that the discerning neutral observer should be ready to switch channels as unanticipated developments warrant.
Time/TV: noon ET, ABC.
Why watch: This is the lone Top 25 matchup on the Week 6 slate, but it’s a big one in the crowded SEC race. The Aggies opened with a loss to Notre Dame but still have a clean conference record. The Tigers had to work overtime to get by Vanderbilt when last we saw them, so their fans must hope they made good use of their open date to iron out some things. Missouri QB Brady Cook and WR Luther Burden III have yet to unleash their full potential, and doing so against disruptive Aggies DE Nic Scourton won’t be easy. But Cook has other weapons at his disposal like WR Theo Wease Jr. and RB Nate Noel. The A&M attack doesn’t have as much flash potential, but mobile QB Marcel Reed’s turnover-free game was vital in last week’s squeaker against Arkansas. Wherever Reed goes, he can expect to see Tigers LB Corey Flagg Jr. nearby.
Why it could disappoint: It probably won’t be the most crisply played example of the sport. Both are among the most penalized teams in the league, so we can expect frequent flag interruptions. If anyone pulls away it’s more likely to be the Tigers, though they haven’t exactly looked dominant against power-conference competition.
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: The Buckeyes easily handled their first Big Ten test of the campaign at Michigan State. They return home to meet the Hawkeyes, whose stout defense always makes them a tough out. While the level of competition has admittedly not been the highest, Ohio State QB Will Howard and his dazzling array of playmakers have been all but unstoppable to this point. Veteran LBs Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson lead a well-disciplined Iowa defense that will try to make the Buckeyes work for their yards. The Hawkeyes have been more competent on the offensive side of the ball this season with QB Cade McNamara healthy again. He’ll need to provide a measure of aerial support for RB Kaleb Johnson to keep DB Sonny Styles and the outstanding Buckeyes’ secondary from crowding the line of scrimmage.
Why it could disappoint: Quite simply, Iowa can’t let this become a track meet. If the Buckeyes break a couple of long scoring plays early, it’s going to be a long day in Columbus.
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Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
Why watch: There’s surprisingly little fanfare for this rematch of last year’s national title game, though that is understandable with both programs having undergone wholesale changes on the field and on the sidelines. These Wolverines are not going to steamroll everything in their path the way last year’s championship squad did, but they’re doing enough to stay in the Big Ten hunt. They make their first trek to the league’s new west-coast contingent, where the Huskies are hoping to regroup from a frustrating loss at Rutgers. Michigan QB Alex Orji is not going to air it out regularly, but he needs to do enough with the passing game to keep the lanes open for RBs Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards. Washington LBs Carson Bruener and Alphonzo Tuputala will lead the effort to keep them bottled up. The Huskies had no trouble moving the ball against the Scarlet Knights but couldn’t finish drives. QB Will Rogers and WR Denzel Boston are capable of home-run connections at any time as is RB Jonah Coleman, but DT Rayshaun Benny and the rest of the Michigan linemen are hard to move.
Why it could disappoint: This will not be Alabama-Georgia. There could be the occasional breakthrough from a running back, but this appears to be one of those games in which yards and points will be at a premium. That’s just fine with Michigan, but Washington could steal such a game as well.
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: After breezing through non-conference play, the high-flying Rebels hit an unexpected snag as they dropped their SEC opener to Kentucky. They’re now in a virtual must-win situation going forward as they visit the Gamecocks, who demolished that same Kentucky squad a few weeks earlier and nearly toppled LSU. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart was unable to generate his usual number of long gainers last week, and Gamecocks DE Kyle Kennard will try to make sure that is the case once again. After an ankle injury against LSU, South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers sat out the team's tune-up win against Akron. He should be ready to return following an open week. He’ll need his mobility to elude Rebels DE Princeley Umanmielen.
Why it could disappoint: It shouldn’t, unless one team gets careless with the ball. Either offense is capable of orchestrating a comeback if needed, so a blowout in either direction seems unlikely.
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: The Razorbacks can still shake up the SEC race after coming up short against Texas A&M. Their remaining schedule is a killer, however, starting with this home date with the Volunteers. Tennessee can likewise ill afford a stumble with its own major tests ahead. The Vols kept things fairly conservative after grabbing the lead at Oklahoma. QB Nico Iamaleava figures to use more of the playbook early on here, though having RB Dylan Sampson on hand to finish drives certainly helps. Arkansas will need a much cleaner game from flashy but turnover-prone QB Taylen Green, who will again make extensive use of RB Ja’Quinden Jackson. On the defensive side, you’ll likely hear the names of Razorbacks LB Xavian Sorey and Tennessee LB Arion Carter called often.
Why it could disappoint: There’s more than a little heat on the home team here. Should the Razorbacks fall behind and start pressing, things could snowball.
Time/TV: noon ET, ESPN.
Why watch: The Mustangs couldn’t have asked for a better ACC debut last week as they dominated a faltering Florida State squad. They now face their first road test in their new league against the Cardinals, who are undoubtedly a little salty after letting an opportunity at Notre Dame get away. The SMU offense has gone into overdrive since Kevin Jennings assumed the full-time QB reins. His arsenal includes RB Brashard Smith and TE RJ Maryland Jr., all of whom will keep LB Stanquan Clark and the Louisville front busy. Cardinals QB Tyler Shough and his unit will be glad to be back home after getting rattled for the first time all season in South Bend. They’ll have to beware of active DB Ahmaad Moses, who has three of the Mustangs’ nine picks.
Why it could disappoint: It will be interesting to observe how both squads handle their current situations, recent success for the Mustangs and defeat for the Cardinals. Neither side will come out flat, but the level of execution needs to be sharp.
Time/TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: #ACCAfterDark? We’ll just go with it as the Golden Bears play their first high-profile home contest in their new conference. Cal’s strong start was derailed a couple of weeks ago at Florida State, but they had last week off while the Hurricanes were in a four-quarter struggle with Virginia Tech that wasn’t decided until a somewhat controversial ruling from the replay booth went in their favor. The Golden Bears have struggled to produce yardage with standout RB Jaydn Ott slowed by an ankle issue. He should be a full go following the open date, and he’ll be a huge boost for QB Fernando Mendoza as he tries to solve LB Francisco Mauigoa and the Miami stoppers. Hurricanes’ fans have seen both sides of QB Cam Ward, whose high-risk, high-reward style is never boring. Making extensive use of WR Xavier Restrepo usually serves him well, although Cal CB Nohl Williams is equally aware of that.
Why it could disappoint: It probably will if we’re being honest. As long as the Hurricanes don’t help out by giving the ball away, a couple of quick strikes could put this one on ice.
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