HOUSTON – November has arrived, and with it comes the portion of the college football season where championship dreams are either reinforced or undone. From South Bend to Salt Lake City and from Oxford to Baton Rouge, several coaches on the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards Watch List will spend this weekend navigating games that could reshape conference races, alter College Football Playoff seeding, and define the trajectories of their seasons.
Here’s what we’re watching this weekend:
No. 1/1 Miami (8-0) at No. 4/6 Notre Dame (7-1) [NBC]
Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes are coming off a narrow win over North Carolina last week and avoided becoming yet another top-ranked squad to fall to an unranked opponent. This week, they travel South Bend for a top-10 matchup with Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish suffered their lone setback at the hands of BYU two weeks ago, and rebounded nicely with last week’s 35-13 win over Navy. While top-ranked Miami is undefeated entering the game, the Hurricanes top win thus far has been over No. 16/14 Wake Forest – the only win over a then-ranked team for Miami. The Hurricanes close the regular season with three unranked opponents, but need to beat Notre Dame Saturday to bolster their case for an opening-round bye in the CFP.
Merrimack (4-5) at No. 14/14 Wake Forest (7-1) [ACC Network]
A charmed season continues for Wake Forest and head coach Jake Dickert, as the Demon Deacons rolled to a 51-7 win over Virginia last weekend. That should improve to 8-1 this weekend as Wake Forest welcomes FCS independent member Merrimack. The Dukes are 4-5 this year and are coming off narrow wins over New Hampshire and Wagner, and fell 42-7 to Delaware in their lone matchup against an FBS opponent this year.
RV/RV Oregon (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) at No. 11/10 Ohio State (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) [CBS]
In a game that can be seen as a must-win for both programs, the Oregon Ducks head east for a Big Ten matchup with Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State and Oregon were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the preseason AP poll, but have combined for five losses moving into November. The Buckeyes’ offense rolled up almost 450 yards of offense but managed just 18 points in a loss to USC last weekend, and after an earlier-season loss to Texas and important games against Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan ahead, the Buckeyes can ill afford another setback as they vie for a position in the Big Ten championship game.
No. 9/9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2 SEC) at No. 15/15 LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) [ABC]
Whether you call the matchup The First Saturday in November or the Saban Bowl, this weekend’s Alabama/LSU matchup inside Tiger Stadium is one of the most highly-anticipated games of the year – and due to conference scheduling, the rivalry will take a one-year hiatus during the 2027 season – the first break since 1963. It’s a must-win game for both teams as they hope to make a statement in the SEC. LSU has been rock-solid since its loss at Ole Miss, going 5-1 with the lone setback being a 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky. LSU responded with a shutout win over Mississippi State and a 38-17 win over an ascendent Auburn squad. Meanwhile, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama responded from back-to-back losses to Georgia and Tennessee with a 31-20 win over Texas A&M last week.
No. 10/11 Texas (6-2, 3-2 SEC) at No. 19/19 Missouri (6-2, 3-2 SEC) [ESPN]
Saturday’s matchup pitting Steve Sarkisian and Texas against Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri could be one of the most important games not just of the season – but of the respective tenures of the two head coaches. After back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida, Texas responded with home wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State. However, with next week’s showdown with LSU in Death Valley on the horizon, the Longhorns need to maintain their momentum. Meanwhile, the Tigers bounced back from a lopsided loss to Ole Miss with a 34-10 win last weekend at Arkansas. Saturday’s matchup opens a brutal stretch for Mizzou – the Tigers follow this matchup with games at Georgia, and at home against Kentucky and Oklahoma, and according to ESPN, face the second-toughest remaining schedule in the country. The key to Saturday’s game could be turnovers – In Texas’ two losses this year they have a combined -3 turnover margin and are even for the remainder of the season, while Mizzou is +1 in their two losses and +8 for the remainder of the season.
No. 2/2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) at No. 12/12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC) [ABC]
After a big bounce-back win over Auburn last week, Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels play host to one of the nation’s most consistently excellent programs – Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. In just the second game of Golding’s young career as a head coach, he led the Rebels to a win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. And while Saturday’s game may not officially be a playoff game, it certainly has all the feel of one. The Bulldogs’ lone blemish was a narrow 27-24 loss to Auburn, and Georgia rebounded last week with a 27-8 win over Florida. Ole Miss’ offense is potent enough to score points on anyone, and the Rebels have not lost at home this season. A win over the Bulldogs would be a huge statement for Ole Miss, while for Georgia, a win firmly positions them in the drivers’ seat as we enter the final weeks of the season.
No. 8/7 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1 SEC) at No. 16/16 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) [ESPN]
The Kentucky Wildcats under Will Stein have been one of college football’s most surprising stories thus far, with the Wildcats posting their best overall start since 2018 and best start in SEC play since 1977. The Wildcats’ resume includes impressive wins over Texas A&M and LSU, with the lone setback coming at the hands of Alabama. Meanwhile, Josh Heupel and the Volunteers are looking for a bounce-back win after last week’s 27-24 setback at South Carolina. The Vols’ two losses have come by a combined margin of six points, but margin matters not as the Vols try to get through the stretch run, and with games at Texas A&M and LSU before the regular-season finale at Vanderbilt, Tennessee needs a win to stay in the conference race.
No. 7/8 BYU (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) at No. 3/4 Utah (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) [ABC]
Perhaps the most important game of the Big 12 schedule takes place this weekend in Salt Lake City as Kalani Sitake and BYU visits Morgan Scalley and Utah. The stakes are clear – Utah sits atop the Big 12 while BYU is tied with Texas Tech – a team neither BYU nor Utah will face during the regular season – for second. A win by Utah will place them squarely in the drivers’ seat with games at Arizona, TCU, and at home against West Virginia remaining, while a win by BYU will pull the Utes into the land of the one-loss teams with very winnable games at home against Baylor, at Kansas, and at home against Cincinnati remaining. BYU’s lone loss was a 39-31, double-overtime loss at the hands of UCF, and the Cougars bounced back with a 27-20 win over Arizona State in Provo last weekend. Utah remains one of two non-SEC teams to beat an SEC team this season – a 43-10 win over Arkansas in week two. The rest of the country is 1-28 against the SEC in non-conference games.
West Virginia (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) at No. 13/13 Texas Tech (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) [ESPN]
The Red Raiders and Joey McGuire won their second top-25 game last week, picking up a 34-26 win over No. 22 Arizona after being stunned by Cincinnati the week before. This week, Texas Tech plays host to a vastly improved West Virginia team that has won back-to-back games over Cincinnati and TCU after a three-game skid with losses to Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Arizona. The Mountaineers do have one top-25 win – a 38-27 neutral-site win over Virginia, and WVU has put up prolific rushing numbers thus far, averaging 261.6 yards per game – the fifth-best total in the season. Saturday’s game may well be determined by which Texas Tech defense shows up – the unit that gave up 255 yards against Cincinnati two weeks ago, or the unit that allowed just 12 yards to No. 12 Arizona last week. A win by Texas Tech would keep them in the hunt for the Big 12 title game, while giving the Red Raiders a program-record 14th consecutive home win.
Cincinnati (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) at No. 17/18 Houston (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) [FOX]
After a narrow setback at the hands of Utah two weeks ago, Willie Fritz and Houston used last week’s bye week to prepare for this weekend’s homecoming tilt with Cincinnati. Houston remains unbeaten at home with close losses on the road to nationally-ranked opposition – a 28-26 loss at Texas Tech and a 21-13 loss to Utah, and plays host to a Cincinnati squad that has not won outside Nippert Stadium this year. The remainder of Houston’s schedule is lined with winnable games, but as any coach will tell you, the most important game is the next one. For the Cougars, the key to success Saturday will be how well the Houston defense continues to create turnovers – Houston ranks 22nd nationally with 12 turnovers gained – to set up offensive opportunities for standout quarterback Connor Weigman.
No. 20/21 Boise State (7-1, 4-0 Pac 12) at Colorado State (3-5, 1-3 Pac 12) [USA]
The move into the Big 12 conference has worked out well for Spencer Danielson and Boise State, and the Broncos have won seven straight after a season-opening setback at then-No. 2 Oregon. The Broncos are coming off their closest game of the year – a 46-45 win over Texas State at home – in this weekend’s game in Fort Collins. The defensive struggles suffered by the Rams thus far this season may bode well for the Boise State offense – the Rams have surrendered 40 or more points on five occasion – as the Broncos continue to try to hold off New Mexico in the Group of Six bid for the CFP.
No. 22/ New Mexico (7-1, 4-0 Mountain West) at Nevada (3-5, 2-2 Mountain West) [CBSSN]
And speaking of New Mexico, coach Jason Eck has the Lobos moving right along – while the games may not always be pretty, New Mexico has found a way to get the W in all but one game this season – a 14-6 setback at then-No. 21/24 Oklahoma back in September. New Mexico has scored 21 points in three consecutive games, with their last two games against North Dakota State and San Jose State coming by identical 21-16 margins. Nevada has shown flashes of brilliance this season but is coming off a shutout loss at UCLA. The Lobos’ rushing attack has been stellar this year – and will look to control the ball and the clock en route to win number eight.
James Madison (7-2, 4-2 Sun Belt) at Southern Miss (3-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) [ESPN2]
After a 7-0 start, coach Billy Napier and the Dukes have dropped two straight overtime games and will look to rebound Thursday at Southern Miss. It is the third straight midweek game for JMU, who will finish its regular season with games at UConn and at home against Coastal Carolina. Meanwhile, after a 1-5 start, Southern Miss won back-to-back games against Pelican State opposition, downing Louisiana 35-31 and Louisiana-Monroe 35-21. While JMU hopes to keep pace in the G6, USM is looking to finish strong and become bowl eligible.
RV/RV Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) at Kansas State (4-4, 1-4 Big 12) [TNT]
Despite dropping two of the last three games, Eric Morris and Oklahoma State remain one of the nation’s best turnaround stories this year after last year’s 1-11 mark. Those two losses – by a combined four points – are all that separate the Cowboys from being 7-1 and undefeated in Big 12 play. Meanwhile, Kansas State’s 4-4 record has been a true tale of two seasons. The Wildcats are 4-1 at home while being 0-3 away from it – and with Saturday’s game being played in Manhattan – where KSU has averaged over 37 points per game versus just over 22 on the road – the matchup could come down to the wire.
Air Force (6-2) at Army (5-3) [CBS]
In Saturday evening’s service academy tilt at West Point, coach Troy Calhoun leads Air Force into action against Army. This game faces the nation’s two best rushing offenses – Army leads the way at 342.5 and Air Force is second at 341.0. Air Force’s two losses have come to North Dakota State (38-32) and Wyoming (28-14), and the Falcons will need to win the ball control battle if they hope to top Army for the first time since 2002. Meanwhile, Army has won three of four after a 2-2 start, but is coming off a 49-22 setback to Memphis last week. Despite the loss, Army still managed 320 yards on the ground, but critically, was 3-for-10 on third down while the Tigers were 11-15. Indeed, this game could come down to third down – Air Force has converted 61-of-118 (51.7 percent) while holding opponents to 31-of-87 (35.6 percent), while Army is 46-of-97 (47.4 percent), allowing opponents to convert on 48-of-95 (50.5 percent).
Note: SMU, Indiana, USC, Memphis, and North Dakota State are idle this week.
OTHER THINGS WE’RE WATCHING…
- HUNDRED-MILE SHOWDOWN – Former Division II rivals and current UAC conference mates Abilene Christian and Tarleton State will match up on Saturday in Stephenville. Tarleton State is the No. 1 team in FCS after racing out to a 9-0 start this year, and is coming off a close 28-24 win over Eastern Kentucky last week. Meanwhile, No. 23 Abilene Christian is 5-4 overall but has won four straight and like Tarleton is 4-0 in UAC play. Of ACU’s four losses, three are to ranked FCS opposition and one is to FBS member Texas Tech. Abilene Christian holds an all-time 24-13-4 advantage in a series dating back to 1920.
- RECORD CHASING – Top-ranked Ferris State brings a 39-game winning streak – into this Saturday’s GLIAC matchup against Wayne State. The Bulldogs are one win away from tying the all-time Division II record, set by Grand Valley State during the Chuck Martin The last time Ferris State lost a game was on August 31, 2004, when Pittsburg State held Trinidad Chambliss to 13-of-20 passing with 133 yards. The odds appear to be in Ferris State’s favor – Wayne State is 0-9 this season having been outscored 449-84 and has lost 20 consecutive dating back its last win on Nov. 16, 2024.
- BATTLE FOR THE MINER’S AXE – No. 5 Wisconsin-Whitewater makes the 114-mile trip west to No. 2 Wisconsin-Platteville for the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl. In a series that has been heavily tilted toward Whitewater – the Warhawks hold an all-time 86-27-4 advantage in the series – including a 29-19 win last year. Current Kansas coach Lance Leipold played quarterback from the Warhawks from 1983-86 and later served as head coach from 2007-14, with assistant stints from 1987-88 and 1990. He holds a combined 14-1 record in the series as a player and coach.
- TOP-10 NAIA SHOWDOWN – Top-ranked College of Idaho will play host to No. 12 Carroll in a critical matchup between undefeated teams in the Frontier Conference West Division. Carroll – the alma mater of North Carolina offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino – has won six straight while College of Idaho is 8-0 overall after a 49-48 win over Kansas Wesleyan last weekend.
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