Frogs O’ War Staff Picks: College Football Week 10

Big 12

West Virginia Mountaineers at Houston Cougars – Sat. Nov. 1, 11:00 AM, FS1

Anthony: As close as WVU kept it vs. the Frogs last week in Morgantown, the Mountaineers are a bad football team. Willie Fritz has Houston as a real contender and the Cougars continue their road to Arlington with a easy home win.
Austin: The 7-1 Houston Cougars are certainly the Big 12 Conference’s biggest surprise thus far. Houston continues its winning ways with a victory at home against the reeling West Virginia Mountaineers.

Caleb: Did we all witness the Scotty Fox coming out party last week or did TCU’s defense just fail to gameplay for competent QB play? Time will tell, but Willie Fritz and Houston are for real right now. Houston wins at home.
Drew: Connor Weigman is having a very nice bounce back season after falling out of favor last year at Texas A&M with 12 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in 2025. I have Houston winning this at home easily.
Russ: Could the Houston Cougars make the Big 12 title game, with a favorable schedule, it looks like it could happen. West Virginia falls well short and the Cougars keep rolling.

UCF Knights at Baylor Bears – Sat. Nov. 1, 11:00 AM, ESPNU

Anthony: The last game for Dave Aranda in Waco. He will not be offered an opportunity to be savior by spoiling the seasons of ranked opponents Utah and Houston in the coming weeks. Despite taking the program to supreme heights, winning a Big 12 Title and Sugar Bowl in 2021, the Bears have never sniffed those levels since. The defensive guru currently has Baylor 15th in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 15th in rushing defense, and last in the league in sacks. Perhaps Baylor doesn’t enter into the frightening 2025 coaching carousel, but Aranda has lost even the most optimistic Baylor supporters and will lose this game.
Austin: Baylor can put up a ton of points, but they have trouble stopping practically anyone, especially teams with strong ground games—which UCF has. The Knights rush for over 250 yards to upset the Bears.
Caleb: Congrats UCF, you broke your 3 game skid with a win against WVU two weeks ago. Your reward: a gauntlet featuring 3 of the 4 best teams in the conference. To kick it off, I think the Bears toss the ball all over the field this weekend and queue up another skid to close out Scott Frost’s return tour. Baptists win.
Drew: Baylor is not a very good football team but Sawyer Robertson can still sling the rock and I think the Bears score enough points to win this at home.
Russ: Baylor is slipping and Dave Aranda’s job is falling into jeopardy. Playing at home, however, the Bears do enough to outscore UCF and get back on track.

Arizona State Sun Devils at Iowa State Cyclones – Sat. Nov. 1, Noon,

TNT

Anthony: A 2025 Big 12 Championship rematch! What are the chances both of these coaches are with their respective programs again in 2026? Both will be in high demand and will receive calls from many of the top dollar opportunities in the country. Matt Campbell and Iowa State gets its revenge to avoid a 4th straight loss ahead of its road trip to Fort Worth.
Austin: Arizona State NEEDS Jordyn Tyson. Without their star receiver, the Sun Devils have an uphill climb. Without starting quarterback Sam Leavitt, give me the struggling Iowa State Cyclones, who have entered must-win territory.
Caleb: With Tyson doubtful and Leavitt out, Iowa State is primed for a get-right game against a solid Sun Devil squad. They have a deep defense that travels well, but I can’t pick Jeff Sims to QB a winning team in good conscience. The Fighting Matt Campbell’s win at home.
Drew: Arizona State’s offense has struggled mightily without Jordyn Tyson and Iowa State has the ability to score points in bunches with Rocco Becht under center. I’ll take the Cyclones here.
Russ: Iowa State’s Big 12 title hopes received a crushing blow with a third straight conference loss. A fourth loss would end Iowa State’s season (if it hasn’t ended already). Cyclones survive here.

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Kansas State Wildcats – Sat. Nov. 1, 2:30 PM, FOX

Anthony: Kansas State is beginning to get its mojo back while Tech is feeling the heat of expectations while suffering continued injuries at QB. In a potential trap game spot with a massive showdown vs. BYU looming next week, Joey McGuire rallies his mercenary troops to a win in Manhattan.
Austin: The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ backup quarterback, Will Hammond, tore his ACL against Oklahoma State—a crushing blow for a team whose starting quarterback has been out since early October. Yet, Behren Morton is expected to return, which gives the Red Raiders the edge against the Wildcats.
Caleb: Is Tech banned from throwing tortillas on the road? I think the Red Raiders will have something to celebrate this weekend after Behren Morton comes back and the offense regulates behind his play. Hammond being out for the year ruins their safety net so Morton’s health is of high importance. K-State’s pass rush is not what it’s been in years past so I expect him to be fairly clean in this one. Red Raiders roll.
Drew: Kansas State has scored over 40 points in back-to-back games and did a great job limiting Jalon Daniels and Kansas last week on the road. Texas Tech’s defense is still dominant but I think Morton throws a couple of interceptions on the road and the Wildcats stay hot with an upset win.
Russ: Kansas State is playing better football and I’ve very concerned about Texas Tech’s injuries at the quarterback position. Wildcats upset the Red Raiders in Manhattan.

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas Jayhawks – Sat. Nov. 1, 3:00 PM, ESPN+

Anthony: Kansas has been exposed as below-average this season, but it’s still several miles of crap ahead of where the Pokes are right now. Jayhawks cruise to keep its bowl eligibility hopes alive.
Austin: What a weird season it’s been for both Oklahoma State and Kansas. The Cowboys are lost, with no hope of recovery, while the Jayhawks look good one week and then awful the next. Still, Oklahoma State doesn’t have a fighting chance. Kansas wins handily.
Caleb: Never in my life did I think I’d live to see Kansas favored by 4 possessions against Okie Lite, but here we are. Jalon Daniels will put some good film on tape for this one before converting to slot receiver for the NFL combine. Jayhawks win & cover at home.
Drew: Oklahoma State has one power four win in the past two seasons and no wins against the Big 12. I’ll take Kansas at home.
Russ: It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Jayhawks, but Oklahoma State has been bad all season. Give me Kansas.

Arizona Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes – Sat. Nov. 1, 6:00 PM, FS1

Anthony: The sharks are circling Deion Sanders in Boulder right now, smelling blood in the water as the Prime facade is showing major cracks. The Wildcats go on the road and take the win, dominating both sides of the ball.
Austin: My faith in the Buffaloes dwindled following a 53-7 massacre at the hands of the Utah Utes. Coming off a bye week, the Arizona Wildcats handle business against a subpar Colorado squad.
Caleb: In retrospect, Arizona’s losses to BYU & Houston don’t look that bad now. Maybe we’re shorting them a little bit of credit on how well their team is built. I think they add a couple logs to the fire under Deion’s seat this week as Fifita leads the Wildcats to a road victory.
Drew: Arizona has stumbled a bit with back-to-back losses after a strong start to the season but Colorado is really struggling right now. I think Arizona rights the ship and takes down Colorado on the road.
Russ: Colorado could be a program due for major changes in the offseason. The struggling Buffaloes suffer another Big 12 defeat at the hands of the Wildcats.

Cincinnati Bearcats at Utah Utes – Sat. Nov. 1, 9:15 PM, ESPN

Anthony: Brendan Sorsby is cooking and has the Bearcats rolling. Although the Utes are coming off the dominant performance over Colorado, its return to the Top 25 is short-lived as once again the College GameDay treks out to Salt Lake just to witness Utah get smacked around under the national spotlight. Cincinnati gets the massive upset.
Austin: The Big 12 game of the week is somehow between Cincinnati and Utah, and not between Texas Tech and Kansas State. Who would’ve foreseen that before the season? Not me. While the Bearcats are perhaps the conference’s hottest team, give me the Utes at home.
Caleb: Sneaky solid QB battle up in Salt Lake City this weekend, I like Sorsby as an all-around playmaker more than Dampier based on arm talent. Can the Bearcat defense travel to aid their powerful offense in stamping out the Utes? I believe so, especially considering that Utah has only done a good job of beating lesser opponents this year. Bearcats get a huge road victory in Salt Lake City.
Drew: This should be a very fun game between two of the more physical teams in the Big 12. I expect Rice-Eccles to be packed and I think Utah slows down the Cincinnati rushing attack enough to pick up a top-25 win.
Russ: Utah is coming off of a monstrous win over Colorado and Cincinnati is the underdog story of the Big 12 so far. Playing in Salt Lake City will be no easy task for the Bearcats, who fall to the Utes.

Top National Games

Vanderbilt Commodores at Texas Longhorns – Sat. Nov. 1, 11:00 AM, ABC

Anthony: At this point I just have to keep picking against the ‘Dores. As Vandy continues to climb the mountain and even if Arch Manning isn’t at the helm , a win over the Longhorns in Austin would be another feather in the lavish hat Clark Lea is assembling in Nashville. I think Manning sits out with the concussion and Texas wins, launching a full on quarterback controversy to power talking head shows for the remainder of the season. Steve Sarkisian can go ahead and join the Commodores on the flight back to Music City to take over his next gig as Tennessee Titans head coach.
Austin: Despite being ranked 20th, the Texas Longhorns just aren’t very good. Vanderbilt wins against its third consecutive ranked opponent on its march to the College Football Playoff.
Caleb: My gut bought into the Pavia hype after being force-fed his story on ESPN the past year and a half, but I find myself leaning Texas here. This is only their 4th true home game and first one since playing Sam Houston State in September, just ahead of their bye week. This is Vandy’s 4th straight ranked matchup and so far they’re 2-1 in a series they’d be happy splitting. I think they do just that and drop this matchup in Austin, Hook Them!
Drew: Texas has looked bad in their last two games against inferior opponents and Vandy keeps finding ways to win in big games. The Vanderbilt defense played very well last week against Missouri and I think they lead the Commodores to a win in Austin.
Russ: Diego Pavia outplays Arch Manning and the Commodores earn another statement win.

Navy Midshipmen at North Texas Mean Green – Sat. Nov. 1, 11:00 AM, ESPN2

Anthony: Another super fun marquee showdown in the American as the race to the conference championship and the opportunity at Playoff glory is really heating up. The Mestemaker story is about as perfect a college football story as you can get…however he gets outshined by Blake Horvath in this one and Navy sails to victory. Horvath4Heisman gets truly rolling when the Midshipment head to South Bend next week.
Austin: Boy, is the American Conference fun. One of these teams—Memphis, Navy, North Texas, or USF—figures to be the American auto-bid representative. This game here has massive implications. In a game that features one of the NCAA’s most prolific passing offenses against the most prolific rushing attack, the explosive Mean Green earn a hard-fought victory.
Caleb: Major trap game territory for the Navy Midshipmen here, eyeballing their duel with Notre Dame on the calendar coming up. UNT has been vulnerable to run-heavy offenses (see USF) but I think they shore up some of the issues from that contest. On the flip side, maybe Mestemaker just tosses it around the yard to minimize those issues. Either way, give me the Mean Green.
Drew: This is an interesting clash of opposing styles between the ball control triple option from Navy and the highest scoring offense in the nation in North Texas. I think UNT outpaces the Midshipmen and wins at home.
Russ: Drew Mestemaker is putting up absurd numbers for the Mean Green, who win at home over the Midshipmen in a clash of contrasting offensive styles.

Virginia Cavaliers at California Bears – Sat. Nov. 1, 2:45 PM, ESPN2

Anthony: The Fighting Chandler Morrises get the Atlantic Coast Conference win out west in Berkely in the battle between one of the nation’s oldest QBs in UVA’s Morris vs. one of the youngest with Cal’s true freshman Jaron Keawe Sagaplutele.
Austin: The Virginia Cavaliers have eked out wins time and time again. The Cavaliers haven’t won by more than eight points since mid-September. The Cal Bears are a formidable opponent, but Virginia gets it done once again in a nail-biter.
Caleb: Virginia has turned into a gritty little squad, especially since their victory over Florida State. Eked out a few wins that could have slipped away but Chandler Morris has seen it all at this point and is steering the ship in the right direction. Give me the Cavaliers over the fighting Wilcoxes.
Drew: Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has been one of the most impressive freshman in the country this season and has dragged a lacking Cal roster to 5-3. I think JKS steps into the national spotlight with an upset win over the Cavaliers at home.
Russ: Will former TCU quarterback Chandler Morris and the Cavaliers get it done in a cross-country journey to the west coast? I don’t think so. Give me Cal.

USC Trojans at Nebraska Cornhuskers – Sat. Nov. 1, 6:30 PM, NBC

Anthony: Nebraska just gave head coach Matt Rhule a shiny new contract to avoid his departure for Penn State. Congrats, you played yourself. Rhule is 9-14 in Big Ten games and just 18-15 overall with the Cornhuskers, pushing him to 0-18 vs. ranked opponents during his time at Baylor and Nebraska. Lincoln Riley goes into Lincoln and the Trojans smash to a victory to push that ugly number to 0-19 for Rhule.
Austin: The Nebraska Cornhuskers are an odd team. They’re 6-2, but just suffered an 18-point loss to Minnesota, followed up with a narrow win against Northwestern. The Cornhuskers seem to play to the level of their opponent, while USC has racked up some resounding wins. The Trojans’ offense overpowers the Cornhuskers. USC wins.
Caleb: USC is on a two game road losing streak and I think it continues here. They’ve had two weeks to stew on the fact that they’ve likely been eliminated from any CFP conversations, plus they’ve been soaking in the LA weather. I think the Nebraska cold shocks their offense and the non-existent defense struggles containing Raiola, who plays much better at home. Cornhuskers win it.
Drew: Nebraska has really struggled to stop the run this season and despite the injury to Waymond Jordan, USC is still a solid rushing team. I think USC runs for 200 yards and controls the game in a win on the road over Nebraska.
Russ: Nebraska is a 6.5-point home underdog in a game that will have a lot of energy from the home crowd. Cornhuskers knock off the Trojans.

Oklahoma Sooners at Tennessee Volunteers – Sat. Nov. 1, 6:30 PM, ABC

Anthony: This game is juicy! In what should be a Playoff elimination game in Knoxville you’ll surely see many images of Baker Mayfield leading a charging comeback as the Big 12 Sooners stunned Neyland Stadium in 2015. Although John Mateer is no Mayfield and this Vols team is better than the one a decade ago, the Sooners steal the road upset.
Austin: After a tremendous start, against a relatively easy schedule, the Oklahoma Sooners are falling to Earth. Their descent continues as the Tennessee Volunteers get a much-needed win at Neyland.
Caleb: I can’t tell if OU is good enough for this to be considered a trap game, or if this is just part of their scheduled disintegration as the SEC schedule unfolds. Ole Miss just came in and beat them, now they travel to Neyland before Tuscaloosa in two weeks. Even with a bye to lean up against, I think Tennessee is the better team. Especially now that Mateer has chosen to deform his hand for the sake of playing early, he hasn’t looked right since that the Red River Shootout. Volunteers score a home win.
Drew: Oklahoma has struggled to move the ball even after the return of John Mateer from injury. The Sooner defense is among the best in the nation but they just do not have enough playmakers on the outside. I think Chris Brazzell has a big game for the Vols and Tennessee wins at home.
Russ: Tennessee rolls for an SEC win over the Sooners.