Every week here at Blogging The Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years
to come, this is your weekly college football guide. (For teams previously covered in other weeks, we move down the depth chart, giving you more insight on other draft candidates)
Oklahoma (11) vs. Alabama (4)
Bryant-Denny cranks up the volume as number four Alabama (8–1) hosts number 11 Oklahoma (7–2) in a blue-blood SEC bout with split fanbases and playoff stakes humming in the background. Expect a field-position tug-of-war as Oklahoma’s stingy defense has throttled big plays, but Alabama counters with Ty Simpson and a receiver room capable of stress-testing a secondary. With analysts projecting a tighter, lower-scoring script, the deciders feel classic for this type of game with third-down composure being the deciding factor. Alabama should win this one at home, 24-17.
Game Overview
- Matchup: Oklahoma (11) vs. Alabama (4)
- November 15th, at Bryant-Denny Stadium
- Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m (EST)
- Alabama favored by 4 points
- This game has huge playoff implications for both teams.
Player Watch
Oklahoma:
Marvin Jones Jr, DE
Marvin Jones Jr. gives Oklahoma a long, twitchy edge with real power-through length. His first step stresses sets quickly, and has a heavy long-arm to dent pockets and set a sturdy edge. After flashing at Florida State in 2024, he transferred to OU and has steady production with 14 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack. The problems are simple to fix, keep the pads trimmed and trigger the counter faster when tackles sit on his power. Fix that and he goes from a late Day 3 prospect to one of those early Day 3 gems.
Alabama:
Jam Miller, RB
Miller is Alabama’s downhill starter and tempo setter. One cut, square pads, and enough leg drive to turn light boxes into four and five-yard chunks. After missing the opener with an upper-body injury and later returning to the lineup, he’s logged 88 carries for 321 yards and two touchdowns, with 15 catches for 96 yards. He’s more glide-through-creases than pile-moving sledgehammer, but the pass pro is dependable and the floor is high. Keep him healthy and on schedule, and he keeps the chains honest.
Iowa (21) vs. USC (17)
Game Overview
- Matchup: Iowa (21) vs. USC (17)
- November 15th, at LA Memorial Coliseum
- Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
- USC Tech favored by 6 points
Player Watch
Iowa:
Mark Gronowski, QB
Gronowski shows to have a quick trigger in the quick game, then he’s a sledgehammer in the red zone. The two-time FCS champ jumped from South Dakota State to Iowa in January and immediately grabbed the starting job. His 2025 season has been modest through the air with 1,084 passing, five touchdowns to four interception. But the ground game he’s been a real brute with 338 rush yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, tied for the most rushing touchdowns by any FBS quarterback to this point. Keep the platform clean and he carves on schedule, disrupt it and he’ll lower a shoulder instead. Gronowski is a veteran point guard with goal-line power who’s turned a historically conservative offense into a first-down machine when the field gets tight. But passing is where scouts will point out the issue, making him a Day 3 flyer in the draft, maybe even an undrafted free agent target.
USC:
Anthony Lucas, DE
Lucas gives USC a long, heavy-handed edge presence with a power long-arm that dents pockets and enough range to set a sturdy edge. He’s backed it up post-injury with a solid 2025 line with 26 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble with recovery. After transferring from Texas A&M and having his 2024 cut short, he’s settled in as a veteran tone-setter who can rush standing up or with a hand down and kick inside on passing downs when needed. The development areas for him at this stage is play with a counter a beat faster when tackles sit on his power.
Notable Games
Minnesota vs Oregon
Wisconsin vs Indiana
Texas A&M vs South Carolina
Notre Dame vs Pittsburgh
UCF vs Texas Tech
Virginia vs Duke
Utah vs Baylor
Florida vs Ole Miss
Texas vs Georgia
TCU vs BYU
