The days grow shorter as the college football season heads down the final stretch. The Week 11 lineup doesn’t have quite as many marquee contests as the previous Saturday had, but there might still be some surprises in the offing.
Once again we’ll clarify that we use the US LBM Coaches Poll rankings for this preview. This coincidentally gives us four top-25 matchups on the docket, one from each of the major conferences. Other highly-rated squads could face challenges as well, so as always keep the remote within easy reach.
Right then, let’s get to the weekend’s most important and watchable games.
No. 2 Utah at No. 21 Arizona
Time/TV: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: The Utes successfully vanquished archrival Brigham Young and have a clear path to the Big 12 finale. They
must avoid the dreaded hangover effect, however, as they take to the road to meet the dangerous Wildcats. Arizona required a little last-minute magic last week to escape TCU, so QB Noah Fifita will want to be sharper from the opening snap this time while steering clear of Utes DL Karson Kaufusi. Utah QB Devon Dampier and RB Wayshawn Parker will be just as eager to establish their footing immediately to neutralize the hostile crowd. Wildcats LB Chase Kennedy has had success on blitzes, but more pressure will be needed from the front line.
Why it could disappoint: The Utes have clearly demonstrated they’re the more complete team, so the Wildcats have to hope the big-game hangover theory kicks in. As mentioned, a fast start for Utah would go a long way toward eliminating random craziness.
No. 14 USC at No. 5 Indiana
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: The Trojans, all but written off after a dismal showing at Wisconsin last month, suddenly find themselves with a couple of chances to earn their way back into the playoff hunt. It begins here in Bloomington, where the Hoosiers are well positioned for a chance to defend their title despite some recent close calls. It is unclear whether usual starter Josh Hoover or backup Grant Wilson will be at QB for the IU offense that has not been operating at peak efficiency. Having reliable targets like WRs Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh will help, but they need to get involved right away. Trojans DB Christian Pierce will have a busy day in coverage. USC QB Jayden Maiava is equally in need of a fast start to eliminate any lingering doubts about the team’s road readiness. RB King Miller will provide what ground support he can, but the Hoosiers’ run defense, anchored by LBs Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy, is quite stingy.
Why it could disappoint: USC needs to figure out how to shake its Big Ten road woes. We’ll know pretty quickly if that has happened, but if Indiana finds the end zone a couple of times in the early going it might be game over.
No. 7 Texas at No. 22 LSU
Time/TV: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: Curiously, there is just one Top 25 showdown on the SEC slate this week. It’s an important one though, as the Longhorns look to maintain their recent hot streak against the desperate Bayou Bengals. It will be yet another venture into hostile territory for the Longhorns, who will need a measured performance from QB Arch Manning. Moving the ball wasn’t the problem last week against Alabama for LSU QB Sam Leavitt, but red-zone execution will have to be better. Longhorns DE Colin Simmons and Tigers DE Princewill Umanmielen will lead the respective pass rushes.
Why it could disappoint: If you want a clean, well-executed football exhibition, this probably isn’t the game for you. There are going to be bad misreads and mind-boggling turnovers, so the outcome will hinge on which team commits more of them.
No. 11 Wake Forest at No. 23 SMU
Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ESPN.
Why watch: The ACC takes center stage in the early window. There will be a little more work to be done over the final two weeks, but a win here for Wake Forest will effectively clear the path to the conference championship game. The Mustangs are still in the mix themselves, however, though even with a victory they’d need some tiebreaking scenarios to go their way. Demon Deacons QB Gio Lopez sat out last week’s tuneup against Merrimack and should be ready to go. WR Carlos Hernandez is his primary deep target, but he’s also not afraid to carry the mail himself. SMU QB Kevin Jennings can also uncork a big gainer at any time, with WRs Yamir Knight and Yannick Smith leading a deep pass catching corps. Names to know on the defensive side include Deacons’ LB Vincent Firenze and Mustangs’ DE Marques White.
Why it could disappoint: Wake hasn’t been involved in a nail biter since late September, but the Deacons haven’t seen an offense as potent as SMU’s since then. This one probably won’t be a rout either way, and it also isn’t likely to be a repeat of last year’s 12-10 slog in Winston-Salem.
Duke at No. 6 Miami (Fla.)
Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ABC.
Why watch: Though the Hurricanes came up a touchdown short at Notre Dame, they still have a path to the playoff if they claim the ACC crown. But the Blue Devils might yet have something to say about that as they embark on a challenging stretch drive. Miami QB Darian Mensah took about a half too long to adjust to life without go-to WR Malachi Toney, who remains sidelined following an ankle procedure. Mensah should get on task more quickly with Cooper Barkate and Elijah Lofton this time. But the Blue Devils have a tremendous weapon of their own in RB Nate Sheppard, who has 17 rushing TDs and four more on receptions this season. QB Walker Eget can also help by exploiting the middle of the Miami secondary that has looked vulnerable of late.
Why it could disappoint: Miami has personnel advantages at many positions, but the Blue Devils have plenty of incentive as they face some former teammates. It could ultimately still be a mismatch, but it might take a while to materialize.
Illinois at No. 4 UCLA
Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: The undefeated Bruins jump start the weekend at the Rose Bowl, where strong efforts are being made to turn out a crowd worthy of a championship contender. Of course, the Fighting Illini didn’t travel all the way to the west coast just to roll over for the Big Ten leaders, and they arrive riding a four-game winning streak themselves. RB Wayne Knight remains the most frequent drive finisher for the Bruins, but QB Ty Dieffenbach can hit the occasional long ball when needed. Illinois will counter with QB Katin Houser, who makes extensive use of WR Collin Dixon.
Why it could disappoint: We should know if it will fairly soon. If Illinois can get on the board quickly the Bruins will be in for a game, but a multi-score UCLA lead will likely be insurmountable.
No. 10 Texas Tech at Oklahoma State
Time/TV: Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: We return to the Big 12 for the weekend nightcap. The Red Raiders, who control their own destiny in the championship game hunt, hope to avoid a road landmine against the high-scoring Cowboys. Oklahoma State has put up at least 32 points in all of their league games, but it wasn’t enough on a couple of occasions. The conductor is QB Drew Mestemaker, whose dazzling array of weapons includes WRs Justin Bowick and Wyatt Young as well as versatile RB Caleb Hawkins. The Red Raiders had been winning primarily with defense but needed a big score themselves to get by West Virginia last time out. The offense has shown more punch since the well-traveled Thomas Castellanos started taking more snaps at QB. The entire unit works much better when RB J’Koby Williams has room to operate.
Why it could disappoint: It could go a couple of ways. Either the Cowboys will run away and hide with a barrage of points, or the Red Raiders will rediscover their defensive dominance and spoil the party in Stillwater. We’ll hope for something in between to wrap up the night with some Big 12 After Dark fun.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CFP shakeup could be coming in college football Week 11 schedule of must-see games
