Week 11 is loaded with trap doors, and a few ranked teams are walking straight toward them.
Last week already showed how quickly things can flip. Three top-10 teams lost, Miami took its first defeat after a wild second half in South Bend, and the No. 1 team also fell. With the season moving into its late stretch, the margin for error is getting thin.
Utah is one of the teams that has to be careful. The Utes come in undefeated and fresh off an emotional Holy War win over BYU, but now they have to take that record on the road against No.
23 Arizona. Utah opened fast against the Cougars, scoring on its first two drives, then managed points on only two of its final 11 possessions.
The defense helped cover for that uneven stretch by forcing four turnovers, but the offense still needs more steadiness. Arizona, meanwhile, got back in the win column last week, and Noah Fifita has enough juice to make this one uncomfortable.
It has the feel of a classic letdown spot, and Morgan Scalley will have to navigate it in his first season.
Texas is another team that can’t afford to drift. The Longhorns climbed back to No. 6 after winning three straight, and last week they trailed Missouri into the second half before taking over the fourth quarter in Columbia.
That result suggested things may finally be settling down in Austin. But now Texas has to travel for a second straight week, this time to LSU.
The Tigers were embarrassed by Alabama and should be playing with plenty to prove, especially with Baton Rouge set to be loud on Saturday night. Arch Manning was excellent against Missouri, and the question now is whether he can do it again.
Tennessee also heads on the road after a surprising blowout of Kentucky. The Volunteers looked sharp last Saturday, but they have not been nearly as comfortable away from Knoxville.
Their last road trip ended in a loss to unranked South Carolina, and this week brings a trip to Texas A&M. The Aggies have had a rough year by their standards, nowhere near the College Football Playoff run their fans expected last season.
Even so, College Station is a difficult place to play, and Marcel Reed could catch fire at any moment. Tennessee’s best path is simple: sell out against the run and make George MacIntyre win the game.
Indiana enters Week 11 with a little more uncertainty than usual after a shaky October. The reigning national champions lost to Ohio State by inches, then needed a fourth-quarter rally to beat Nebraska, and also survived overtime games against Michigan and Minnesota.
A BYE week may have come at the right time for Curt Cignetti’s group. Still, USC is arriving with momentum after beating Ohio State 30-18 and having extra time to prepare for the trip east.
If Indiana’s offense doesn’t start producing more points, Jayden Maiava could make the Hoosiers pay.
Wake Forest has been one of the steadier teams in the mix, and Jake Dickert’s group has looked locked in. The Demon Deacons are in the College Football Playoff conversation and trying to keep stacking wins as they chase their first-ever trip to the 12-team field.
But the next step is a tricky one: a two-game road swing that starts at SMU. The Mustangs are 7-2 and still unranked after a loss to Syracuse a few weeks ago, but Kevin Jennings showed plenty of life last week with 51 points in a win over Virginia Tech.
SMU has enough to make this interesting, and Wake Forest hasn’t really been tested since September.
In Other News...
Indiana Faces A Huge Availability Question Against USC
USC is heading into its Big Ten matchup with Indiana in unusually good shape, at least by conference standards this season. The Trojans did not add any new significant injuries, and a few important names are still worth watching on the report, including safety Trestin Castro and defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, while tight end Mark Bowman has made it back to full participation.
Indianas side of the availability picture is a little more complicated. Starting quarterback Josh Hoover is no longer on the injury report, which is a welcome sign for the Hoosiers, but they will still be without starters Joe Brunner and Turbo Richard because of injuries, leaving the lineup a little thinner in a game where depth could matter. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Massive Playoff Test Against Surging USC
Indianas Week 11 matchup with USC brings plenty more than a marquee name to Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are set to host the Trojans in a game that carries real College Football Playoff weight, with both programs trying to strengthen their position in a crowded national race. It is the kind of late-season meeting that can reshape how a season is viewed, especially when a ranked opponent comes in with history on its side.
USC has won all four previous meetings, which only adds to the challenge for Indiana as it looks to protect its home field and keep its postseason path in focus. The game also comes with the usual Saturday details that matter to fans planning around it, including kickoff time, television coverage and the weather forecast in Bloomington, but the bigger storyline is simple enough: a surging Trojans team arrives with momentum, and Indiana gets a chance to answer on a stage with major consequences. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces One Huge Offensive Test In Playoff Fight Vs USC
A playoff race game at Memorial Stadium brings a different kind of pressure this weekend, with No. 9 Indiana set to host No. 18 USC in a matchup that could shape both teams postseason paths. Both sides are coming off a bye week, and the noon kickoff on CBS gives the Hoosiers a chance to reset at a time when every possession matters a little more.
USC arrives with momentum after its upset win over Ohio State and still has plenty to play for in the College Football Playoff chase. Indiana, meanwhile, has to sort through injuries and find a cleaner offensive rhythm against a USC defense that will ask a lot of the Hoosiers from the start, making this one of the most revealing tests left on their schedule. [Read more 🡒]