College Football Cheat Sheet: Week 9
Another college football weekend has arrived. October will end on with a Saturday filled with its fair share of marquee games after an interception party by undefeated Pittsburgh got the weekend started.
KSR’s College Football Cheat Sheet is back to set the table. Full schedule, top games, matchups to watch, and much more.
Let’s football.
The Slate
Louisville at Boston College7:30pm ET (Friday)ESPN2No. 17 Boise State at UNLV10:30pm ET (Friday)CBS Sports NetworkRutgers at USC11:00pm ET (Friday)FOXCharlotte at MemphisNoon ETESPNUTulane at North TexasNoon ETESPN2Buffalo at OhioNoon ETCBS Sports NetworkNo. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy (MetLife Stadium)Noon ETABCNebraska at No. 4 Ohio StateNoon ETFOXOklahoma at No. 18 Ole MissNoon ET ESPNWashington at No. 13 IndianaNoon ETBig Ten NetworkGeorgia Tech at Virginia TechNoon ETACC NetworkNorth Carolina at VirginiaNoon ETThe CWArkansas at Mississippi State12:45pm ETSEC NetworkGeorgia State at Appalachian State1:00pm ETESPN+Temple at East Carolina2:00pm ETESPN+Central Michigan at Miami (Ohio)2:00pm ETESPN+No. 11 BYU at UCF3:30pm ETESPNNo. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama3:30pm ET ABCNo. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon3:30pm ETCBSKent State at Western Michigan3:30pm ETESPN+Northern Illinois at Ball State3:30pm ETESPN+Eastern Michigan at Akron3:30pm ETESPN+Bowling Green at Toledo3:30pm ETESPN+Southern Miss at James Madison3:30pm ETESPN+UTSA at Tulsa3:30pm ETESPN+Texas Tech at TCU3:30pm ETFOXOklahoma State at Baylor3:30pm ETESPN+Wake Forest at Stanford3:30pm ETACC NetworkRice at UConn3:30pm ETCBS Sports NetworkNorthwestern at Iowa3:30pm ETBig Ten NetworkMaryland at Minnesota3:30pm ETFS1Oregon State at California4:00pm ETESPN2No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt4:15pm ETSEC NetworkNew Mexico at Colorado State5:00pm ETMountain West NetworkULM at South Alabama5:00pm ETESPN+Florida State at No. 6 Miami7:00pm ETESPNUtah at Houston7:00pm ETESPN+West Virginia at Arizona7:00pm ETFS1Utah State at Wyoming7:00pm ETCBS Sports NetworkTroy at Arkansas State7:00pm ETESPN+Michigan State at Michigan7:30pm ETBig Ten NetworkNo. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin7:30pm ETNBCNo. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M7:30pm ETABCAuburn at Kentucky7:45pm ETSEC NetworkNo. 22 SMU at Duke8:00pm ETACC NetworkKansas at No. 16 Kansas State8:00pm ETESPN2San Jose State at Fresno State8:00pm ETTruTVCincinnati at Colorado10:15pm ETESPNWashington State at San Diego State10:30pm ETCBS Sports NetworkNevada at HawaiiMidnightPPV
Top Games
No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M
No. 17 Boise State at UNLV
No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt
No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy
No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin
No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon
No. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama
No. 22 SMU at Duke
Cincinnati at Colorado
Washington at No. 13 Indiana
College Football Gambling Corner
Want spread plays? We got spread plays.
— Luckett’s Locks: Finding Winners
A big stage for Garrett Nussmeier
The biggest game of the weekend will occur in College Station where top-15 Texas A&M will host top-10 LSU. The winner at Kyle Field could have the inside track to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Mike Elko is having a terrific debut but Saturday night could become about what LSU has at quarterback.
Garrett Nussmeier has been one of the best players in college football this season but he is not getting deserved attention yet. The fourth-year player could enter the top of the Heisman Trophy conversation at Kyle Field.
Nussmeier is on pace to throw for over 3,800 yards and 31 touchdowns in the regular season. Without a very good run game and an adequate (but improving) defense, the quarterback has a lot on his plate. A big performance could lead to another LSU quarterback becoming one of the best in the sport yet again.
Remember when this program could never get the quarterback position right?
UNLV could open up the Group of Five playoff bid race
Friday nights have consistently delivered terrific college football games throughout the season and we will get three games in Week 9. The one in the Mountain West after dark window has the most at stake.
Boise State is rolling as tailback Ashton Jeanty is on pace for 2,496 rushing yards in the regular season and currently leads the Heisman Trophy race. The Broncos have looked like the best Group of Five team all season and have a clear path to a 12-0 record entering Championship Week.
UNLV could change that at home on Friday night.
The Rebels have the offense to keep pace with Boise State in a shootout and Barry Odom‘s run defense (No. 30 in rushing success rate allowed) might be good enough to keep Jeanty somewhat contained. Expect some track meet football.
The Group of Five race could be opened this weekend as Memphis, Tulane, Army, and Navy all need Boise State to stumble.
Texas takes on Diego Pavia
Vanderbilt will not get a second chance to knock off No. 1 at home after Texas fell to Alabama last week but the Commodores will get to play in the biggest game in program history on Saturday afternoon in the West End. The Longhorns are dealing with some injuries, struggle to run the ball, and might have a brewing quarterback controversy.
Can Diego Pavia take advantage?
The Horns are somewhat surprisingly excellent and that will present Vanderbilt’s unique shotgun triple option offense with some more challenges than normal. However, Pavia has been game for each game as an underdog this season and Vandy’s play style almost always allows them to hang around as long as disaster does not strike.
As long as it stays close, Vandy will have a legitimate chance because of the playmaking magic Pavia can create.
Measuring stick for Navy
Navy is off to a 6-0 start this season with each win coming by double digits. This option offense ranks No. 3 nationally in points per drive (3.22) as quarterback Blake Horvath (20 total touchdowns) deserves some Heisman Trophy recognition.
We will learn how real the Midshipmen are on Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.
Notre Dame’s defense ranks No. 3 in EPA/play allowed but the Irish have been mostly outstanding against the pass. Ground game success can be found against the Irish. That’s where Navy thrives.
The yearly contest has some significant playoff stakes in Week 9. An Irish win increases the chances that Notre Dame finishes the regular season at 11-1. A Navy win makes this service academy a legitimate threat in the Group of Five race.
In a matchup where both teams want to run the football, the team who finds more explosive plays in the passing game will likely have the advantage.
Another road test for Penn State
Penn State needed a double-digit comeback and overtime to get by USC. Now the Nittany Lions will get another test against a hot Wisconsin team.
Since blowing a lead to USC in Week 5, Luke Fickell‘s team has delivered three consecutive Big Ten victories by a combined score of 117-16. Phil Longo‘s spread offense is starting to show some proof of concept in Madison and the defense is starting to look like one of the best in the Big Ten.
Now Fickell has a chance to deliver a signature win in a prime-time window on national television. A Penn State win could set up a monster home clash with Ohio State next weekend in Happy Valley. This one is important for both sides.
Degenerate Unders
— Northwestern-Iowa Under 37.5: The Hawks always make this list but the over is 6-1 in Iowa games this season and failed to cash only against Ohio State. It might be time to stop putting Iowa here.
— Utah-Houston Under 36.5: The under is a combined 12-2 in Utah and Houston games this season. They couldn’t make this total low enough. Both teams have major quarterback issues and struggle to run the football. The first one to score two touchdowns probably wins in this Big 12 game.
— Michigan State-Michigan Under 39.5: Michigan has major passing game problems and Michigan State has some turnover issues. We will likely see a rock fight at the Big House.
The rest of the college football card
— Illinois is 6-1 but probably not as good as its record. Oregon holds the No. 1 ranking but I’m not sure many believe this is truly the best team in the country. However, the Ducks should roll in this ranked vs. ranked matchup at Autzen Stadium against an Illinois defense that struggles to create stops without turnovers.
— The Missouri vs. Alabama matchup has lost a lot of luster due to some recent lackluster performances by both programs. Now the Tigers will likely be without starting quarterback Brady Cook on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Kalen DeBoer probably needs to win this one by double-digits or the heavy criticism could amplify.
— No one had SMU vs. Duke as a huge matchup in the ACC title race but that is exactly where we are. The Blue Devils keep winning close games thanks to an excellent defense and the Mustangs are quickly proving that they are a legitimate top-25 team. Can Rhett Lashlee beat his former boss? It’s a Miami Bowl in Durham when Manny Diaz‘s squad hosts SMU.
— The after dark window gives us an excellent matchup as Cincinnati and Colorado have both been surprises in the Big 12 under second-year head coaches. Shedeur Sanders and Brendan Sorsby might be the best two quarterbacks in this conference. A shootout might break out in Boulder.
— Indiana is without starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke and is facing a Washington offense that ranks No. 13 in success rate and No. 22 in EPA/play. The Huskies also had extra time to prepare for this big game in Bloomington. Are the Hoosiers on upset alert?
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