Only two ranked games in week 10: Number one Alabama travel to number 13 LSU, hoping to remain undefeated while keeping their winning streak against the Tigers upright, while number 10 Nebraska visit number 6 Ohio State in a grand Big Ten showdown, as both teams can’t really afford to lose in this one.
Here are our thoughts on the 21 games top 25 teams will be involved in:
- #14 Oklahoma travel to Iowa State. Nothing but a convincing win in Ames is an acceptable result, although Oklahoma should care less about style, and simply staying undefeated in the conference
- #15 Colorado might put another nail in the coffin that is the hopes and dreams of UCLA doing something this season, which means more Jim Mora to LSU rumors
- San Jose State will try not to get destroyed by #24 Boise State, who are now trailing in their MWC division, and will probably let out some steam after losing to Wyoming
- #4 Texas A&M will remain in the top 4 if they beat the worst team in the division, Mississippi State, although it’s obvious they won’t be a top 4 team if the SEC West doesn’t change somehow
- Vanderbilt are travelling to #9 Auburn. This season, the Tigers don’t have to worry about games like this
- #7 Louisville travel to Boston College, fully aware that continuing to impress keeps them in the hunt for a playoff spot, all the while waiting for Clemson to stumble
- #8 Wisconsin travel to Northwestern, a tricky game which they hope to master, while crossing fingers Nebraska lose again, which is completely within the realm of possibility
- Georgia Tech will visit #21 North Carolina, hoping their running game counts for something. It probably won’t
- Maryland are 5-3, but heading into #3 Michigan, they’ll probably pick up their fourth Big Ten loss of the season, and it won’t be pretty either
- Syracuse are heading into undefeated and #2 Clemson, who really don’t have much standing in their way of making the ACC championship game again
- #19 Virginia Tech can turn any game into a difficult one, but considering how bad Duke are this season, this one shouldn’t offer them too many problems
- #!8 Oklahoma State are coming off a big and important win over West Virginia. It won’t be surprising if their visit to Manhattan against Kansas State will end up erasing the good impression
- TCU and Baylor (#17, 6-1) has been a marquee game in the Big 12 for the last couple of years. This season, it feels like a potential blowout in Baylor’s favor
- #11 Florida can’t win big against anyone because their offense is a mess. Still, at Arkansas, they should have enough defensive quality to keep the scare of tumbling down the SEC East away
- Arizona don’t seem like they’re good enough to stop the surprising Washington State from another week in the top 25
- #20 West Virginia go back home, getting to play the awful Kansas, which means a chance to put up some frustration points
- #22 Florida State travel to the tricky North Carolina State. A loss here for the Seminoles and they can kiss the top 25 bye bye for good this season
- Iowa have been struggling to impress all season, and it should be difficult once more as they travel to face #12 Penn State, although the Nittany Lions are probably not good enough to turn it into a one sided affair
- #10 Nebraska travel to Ohio State, the #6 team. At stake? The Huskers hold on the Big Ten West, while the Buckeyes try to remain in the playoff race, hoping for Michigan and Penn State to slip
- #1 Alabama travel to #13 LSU, which offers what seems like a small opportunity of someone actually beating the Crimson Tide this season, and a big test for Ed Orgeron, hoping to keep his job for more than just the interim period
- #5 Washington should use the vent from being ranked outside the top 4 on a California team that can’t defend very well