Saturday’s college football slate is the kind that makes the rest of the weekend feel like background noise. The message is simple: clear the calendar, ignore the chores and keep the TV on from noon ET until Late Thirty. There are six ranked-on-ranked matchups on deck, and the day also includes three more Big Ten games with serious weight attached.
The first of the heavyweight showdowns comes in Provo, where BYU hosts Utah in a rivalry that has tilted heavily toward the Utes over the years. Utah leads the series 59-34-4, and the Cougars spent a long time chasing their first breakthrough, starting 0-17-3 before finally beating Utah in 1942. The early kickoff matters here, at least in the way the source frames it: a 10 a.m. local start should suit BYU, whose fans are said to be expected to arrive sober anyway, while Utah supporters will need to get the tailgate going before they’re fully ready.
The pick is Utah 27, BYU 20. Utah’s surge into “scary mode” came last week in a road demolition of Cincinnati, when the Utes led 42-6 at halftime, scored touchdowns on their first four offensive possessions and added two defensive scores.
That kind of explosion may not be repeatable against the Big 12’s No. 2 defense, but it did show what Utah can do. BYU, meanwhile, has not been nearly as explosive, ranking last in the Big 12 in scrimmage plays of 10-plus yards and 30-plus yards.
Another ranked matchup with plenty of intrigue sends Texas to Missouri. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 18-6, though the teams haven’t played a regular-season game since 2011, before Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC. Missouri has been perfect at home, going 4-0 with every win coming by double digits, while Texas has played only one road game so far, a win at Tennessee.
Missouri is the pick, 20-17, and the injury picture is a big reason why. Texas is dealing with a long list of absences or potential absences at key spots, including left tackle Trevor Goosby, No. 2 rusher Hollywood Smothers and defensive backs Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips.
Star edge rusher Colin Simmons could return after missing two games, but Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman are also expected to land on the injury report in some fashion. The setup, as presented, points toward an upset that could knock Texas out of the College Football Playoff.
At night in Baton Rouge, LSU gets Alabama in a game that still carries the weight of the Tide’s recent run in the series. Alabama has won three straight, five of the last six and 13 of the last 15.
But the setting is different this time: it’s not the usual night game at Death Valley, and LSU coach Lane Kiffin, described here as a conspiracy theorist, made his feelings known about the change. “If someone thinks the SEC wants us to win this year after what’s been going on, they must’ve just been on Mars the last four months,” Kiffin said.
The call here is LSU 30, Alabama 24. LSU is unbeaten at home this season and has been winning there by an average of 36.2 points.
Alabama’s last road game ended in a 16-point loss. With tight end Trey’Dez Green back last week, LSU posted its biggest yardage total against an FBS opponent since the opening blowout of Clemson.
Tennessee’s trip to Kentucky brings a different kind of pressure. The Volunteers have won five in a row, while Kentucky has managed only three wins against Tennessee since 1984. Kentucky did go the entire month of October without a turnover, a four-game stretch that stands as the program’s longest in 13 years.
Tennessee is projected to win 24-21, with the edge coming from its work up front. The Volunteers lead the SEC in sacks with 35 and tackles for loss with 66, and the idea is that if they can keep quarterback Kenny Minchey off-rhythm and under constant duress, Kentucky will have trouble keeping pace.
Georgia’s meeting with Mississippi brings another layer of familiarity. Mississippi won the most recent matchup in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals last year and has taken the last two meetings in Oxford. The Bulldogs also had trouble with Ole Miss twice last season, splitting those games, with Trinidad Chambliss accounting for five touchdowns in those contests.
Georgia is picked to win 35-24. The reasoning is that Kirby Smart’s team may have already burned through its annual meltdown game in the Auburn loss and now looks ready to roll.
That theory got support from last week’s 27-8 rout of Florida, and Georgia also has revenge on its mind after the Rebels ended its season last year. The expectation is that the Bulldogs will have a better answer for Chambliss this time.
The final ranked-on-ranked game on the list sends Miami to Notre Dame, with the Hurricanes having won the last two meetings, both of which hurt Fighting Irish playoff hopes. The matchup to watch is between Miami’s Malachi Toney, described as America’s slipperiest route runner, and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, called America’s best cornerback.
Notre Dame gets the nod, 41-34. The source says Miami’s defense is unraveling, and that gives the Irish an opening with their quarterback and offensive balance. Notre Dame has also had this one circled since the schedule came out, after the impact of the loss in Miami on the 2025 playoff picture.
The day’s Big Ten slate is just as loaded. No.
5 UCLA goes to Minnesota in a 9 a.m. body-clock kickoff for the undefeated Bruins, Oregon visits No. 11 Ohio State in what’s framed as a CFP elimination game, and No.
21 Iowa travels to Northwestern in another elimination game. The picks there: UCLA, Ohio State and Iowa.
Beyond the marquee games, Baylor’s interim coach Klanderman made an immediate splash in his debut after Dave Aranda’s firing, leading the Bears to a 41-9 road beating of Central Florida. Baylor outgained UCF by 222 yards and scored its most points against an FBS opponent since September 2025. With BYU, Texas Tech and Houston still ahead, Baylor could end up having a major say in the Big 12 race.
At Oklahoma, the change came on offense. The school fired coordinator Ben Arbuckle on Monday after a season-long struggle that hit a new low in Saturday’s defensive collapse against South Carolina.
The Sooners gave up 521 yards, their most in four years, and 42 points, their most in three. In Year 5, that was presented as the latest sign that Venables “ain’t it” at a place that wants championships.
And for anyone looking for a small bonus recommendation amid all the football, the source notes a recent stop in Los Angeles and a sample of Stone Brewing’s Stone Delicious IPA.
In Other News...
Missouri Opens Texas Week With One Early Advantage
Missouris first SEC availability report for its matchup with Texas brought a bit of clarity to the start of a big week, and the Tigers came out of it in decent shape. The league-required update listed no new injuries for Missouri beyond the players already ruled out, which at least gives the Tigers a clean initial read as they begin preparing for one of the conferences marquee games.
Texas, meanwhile, had a longer list to sort through, with several starters and key contributors showing up as questionable or out, including wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, running back Hollywood Smothers and defensive end Colin Simmons. The reports will be updated daily as kickoff gets closer, so Missouris early edge is only a snapshot, but it is the kind of snapshot a team would rather see on its side heading into a week like this. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Shot At A Statement Win May Depend On Texas Saturday
Missouri heads into Saturday with the same injury picture it has been carrying, as Malae Fonoti, Josh Atkins and Gavin Hoffman remain out. The bigger question, though, is what Texas will have available when the Tigers try to turn this into a statement game, because the Longhorns are dealing with a much longer list of concerns and several starters are still in question.
Among the names to watch are Colin Simmons, Ryan Wingo, Cam Coleman, Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton, all listed as questionable. Texas is already without running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Nick Townsend, while Trevor Goosby is out for the season, leaving the Longhorns with some real uncertainty on both sides of the ball as Missouri looks to capitalize on the opening. [Read more 🡒]
Ahmad Hardy Just Became Mizzous Biggest Question Against Texas
Ahmad Hardy finally got back on the field in Missouris win over Arkansas, and even in a limited return, the Tigers had to like simply having their returning All-American running back available again. Hardy played five snaps and carried twice for five yards, a modest first step after missing time, but it was enough to signal that Missouri can begin folding him back into the offense as the stakes rise late in the season.
Eliah Drinkwitz has already said Hardys workload should grow against Texas, which adds another layer to a matchup that already has plenty riding on it. Missouri has leaned on Jamal Roberts to lead the SEC in rushing yards, but the Tigers are now trying to balance that production with Hardys return while staring down a Texas defense that will make every carry count. [Read more 🡒]