What to Watch – Week 8
A supersized What to Watch now with comments on every ranked game and Watch Factor, telling you what you should be watching with an easy-to-follow 1-5 scale. 5 means get it on the big TV because there will be some fireworks. 1 indicates there’s a high probability of a Florida-like showing and you’re better off finding a Law & Order marathon on TNT or USA. Enjoy your Saturday and make it count.
#7 Michigan State @ Northwestern – 12:00 – Some smell upset here. Don’t believe it. Believe me (someone who is currently getting a stellar 44% of his picks right on the year). The Spartans are better than you think and are proving it each week despite the fact that you want them to collapse any minute now. The Wildcats like playing the part of David, but Michigan State is a solid team all around and could very well be the best Big Ten program this season. Watch Factor: 3. Catch a Spartans’ game sometime this season. This may be the time to do it. None of the other 12:00 matchups jump off the page.
Purdue @ #10 Ohio State – 12:00 – Ohio State has one loss to Wisconsin who in turn has one loss to Michigan State, an undefeated team ranked #7. Why are the Buckeyes ranked higher than the Badgers? Oh yeah, because the people that actually watch most of these games don’t get to vote. This may be more indicative of the end of the season as many believe Ohio State will rebound from the loss and breeze through the rest of their schedule. They start with what should be an easy one at home against Purdue. Watch Factor: 2. 12:00 Big Ten games are a staple of any college football Saturday. With a top 10 team in the fold, this game might rank slightly higher, but it loses points due to a better conference game occurring at the same time.
Iowa State @ #19 Texas – 12:00 – The Longhorns shut down Nebraska and avoided their first three-game losing streak in over a decade. Texas now begins the rough climb back to relevancy. At #19, they aren’t completely out of the realm of a successful season, but they have to take care of business. That starts with a big home win over the Cyclones. Watch Factor: 1. Unless you’re a Texas fan, you haven’t watched the Longhorns play the Cyclones ever. Why start now?
Syracuse @ #20 West Virginia – 12:00 – People give the Big East a rough time and sometimes it seems warranted (the Mountaineers are the conference’s only ranked squad), but this looked to be one of the better earlier games of the day. That was until the Orange got waxed last week by an underachieving Pittsburgh team. This is still a game to keep an eye on because of West Virginia and their hope of salvaging the conference’s season. Watch Factor: 3. The options aren’t great at Noon so this one might actually make its way onto your television. Don’t be ashamed if it does. It’s okay.
Duke @ #25 Virginia Tech – 12:00 – After starting the season 2-0, the Hokies haven’t lost and now find themselves at the bottom of the polls. Along with that, Virginia Tech is 3-0 in the ACC and at the top of the conference’s Coastal Division standings. Those of us that wrote off the Hokies early may have done so prematurely. They should easily improve to 6-2 (4-0) after facing the Blue Devils. Watch Factor: 1. Watching Virginia Tech over the years has been rough because you never know what you’re going to get. A game against Duke is one to avoid.
Notre Dame @ Navy – 12:00 – The independents may make up the most consistently even top-to-bottom conference in college football. All three teams have a winning record, although one might not after this game. Navy is better than you think they are and have been for a while now. The Midshipmen play a lot of close games and are 2-1 against the Fighting Irish in the last three (each game was decided by six points or less). This game could be no different. Watch Factor: 3. This could end up being the best game on the early slate. Neither team is ranked and that hurts, but given the history it could be a good one.
Ole Miss @ #23 Arkansas – 12:30 – The Razorbacks are a good football team with a brutal schedule. They are currently 4-2 with losses to Alabama and Auburn and still have to get through the rest of the SEC West, a division that doesn’t have a single team under .500. Ole Miss is starting to gel and while the Rebels won’t be a top team in the conference at season’s end, they could give their opponents some trouble. Watch Factor: 4. It’s the SEC and could offer up explosions from quarterbacks on either side. Normally a game like this would take a slight hit, but since its timeslot competition isn’t very good, it gets the top spot.
#6 LSU @ #4 Auburn – 3:30 – A little further down the list you’ll find the SEC West team that was supposed to be the highest ranked. After a loss to South Carolina, that team has fallen and these two do battle to take the top spot. This is the game of the day and kicks off a nice collection of ranked matchups. Auburn has to have the advantage in this one, but LSU just keeps winning and is in a position no one thought they would be. The blue and orange Tigers have Cameron Newton though, so that has to be the way you lean. Watch Factor: 5. College Gameday has already visited Auburn so they aren’t returning for this one, but make no mistake this is the day’s top game.
#13 Wisconsin @ #15 Iowa – 3:30 – Get angry that what could be the day’s three best games are all on at the same time. This is why they made cable splitters. For a small personal connection to the Badgers, this is #2 among the 3:30 games, but it’s hard to deny the one right below it. We’ve mentioned the letdown game in the past. South Carolina experienced it against Kentucky and went from beating the nation’s top team to losing to an unranked opponent. Wisconsin is in the same situation, but they get a much tougher opponent in Iowa. Watch Factor: 4. Only taking a hit for being up against the above game.
#16 Nebraska @ #14 Oklahoma State – 3:30 – And another ranked 3:30 matchup. The Cornhuskers need to rebound after their loss to Texas and have to try to do so against the nation’s lowest ranked undefeated team. The Cowboys aren’t bad, at all, but also haven’t faced a challenging schedule thus far. That changes with Nebraska this week and Kansas State, Texas, and Oklahoma all on horizon. Oklahoma State sports a balanced offense that could cause some trouble for the Cornhuskers, but their defense has given up points and Nebraska will be looking to get their offense back on track. Watch Factor: 4. Another good, bordering on great, game in the middle of the schedule.
#22 Kansas State @ Baylor – 3:30 – These teams are a combined 10-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12. Really. This is a solid matchup that you won’t watch at all because of unfortunate timing. It has a chance to be one of the day’s better games. The Wildcats are off to a good start at 5-1 and the Bears are gaining respectability. This is one of those you wish you could see, but in most areas it’s unlikely to be televised. Watch Factor: 3. Though I’d take it over any of the Noon games.
Washington State @ #12 Stanford – 5:00 – Are the Cougars ever going to be relevant again? It doesn’t seem like it. Washington State is in a time of funk. They’re the only Pac-10 team without a conference win yet this season. The Cougars’ one victory was a one-point squeaker and now they take on the 5-1 Cardinal. Expect this one to be over early. Watch Factor: 1. Come on? There’s no chance for this one.
Colorado State @ #9 Utah – 6:00 – While most discussions center around Boise State and TCU, Utah has quietly won games and climbed into the top 10. Is there any doubt the Utes will be able to compete in the Pac-10? The Rams are off to a rough start and can’t be looking forward to visiting Utah. Watch Factor: 2. The 3:30 games will still be in progress and most people won’t think to put this on even if they should.
#8 Alabama @ Tennessee – 7:00 – The Vols don’t stand a chance against the Crimson Tide. Of course, the Vols didn’t stand a chance against the Crimson Tide last season either and Alabama only escaped thanks to a blocked field goal. Tennessee also didn’t seem to stand much of a chance against LSU earlier this season, but the Tigers pulled that one out because of a penalty. The Vols have a lot of holes and still have a long way to go before they’ll be a true power again, but they have these games from time to time that they stay in. They will win one of those one day. Watch Factor: 4. WHAT?!? Yes, it’s that high. A good rivalry sparked by last year’s finish. You would think the Tide should win by two or more touchdowns and they easily could, but based on the history you’ll want to keep an eye on this game.
#21 South Carolina @ Vanderbilt – 7:00 – Halfway through their season, the Gamecocks are at the top of the SEC East standings and they should be. They are the best team at this point in 2010. South Carolina is one of the teams that controls its destiny concerning the path to Atlanta. Surprisingly enough, so is Vandy. The Commodores and Gamecocks are the only East teams with only two conference losses. If either wins out, they win the East. You wouldn’t think 2-4 Vanderbilt could do that, but that makes this game bigger than it might normally be. Watch Factor: 2. Even with the SEC implications, it’s still a lower tier matchup.
UAB @ #24 Mississippi State – 7:00 – The Bulldogs are ranked after an offensive thriller of a victory over Florida. Now Mississippi State has to maintain momentum. At home against UAB that shouldn’t be a problem. Maybe this week Dan Mullen will actually allow his offense to throw the ball. Watch Factor: 1. You aren’t watching this game and you know it.
Georgia @ Kentucky – 7:30 – Simply because the SEC East is as up in the air as any division/conference in college football. The Bulldogs can’t look ahead to the Gators and must focus on the Wildcats. Kentucky loved that they were underestimated last week and know anyone could take the East. They’re as much alive as anyone not named Tennessee. Watch Factor: 3. Georgia’s offense has started to roll and Kentucky hasn’t been as bad at football as people think they are.
#1 Oklahoma @ #11 Missouri – 8:00 – Another undefeated game and College Gameday’s matchup of choice. The Sooners stand atop the BCS standings, but have looked vulnerable at times. The Tigers, on the other hand, have ever so quietly marched to #11 while winning games by a margin of 23.7 points. Does the top-ranked team fall for the third straight week? Oregon (#1 in the AP and coaches polls) made sure it wasn’t them. Now it’s Oklahoma’s (the #1 BCS team) turn to do the same. Watch Factor: 5. Undefeated matchups at this point in the season get special attention.
Air Force @ #5 TCU – 8:00 – Because undefeateds will fall and Air Force is good. Not that the Falcons will take down the Horned Frogs, but don’t be a bit surprised if they do. Although at home and the more talented team, TCU may actually have some sort of twisted mental disadvantage against Air Force. Nothing is expected from the Falcons. They just have to keep playing good football. The Horned Frogs, though, are in the middle of the national title hunt and have a huge matchup with Utah later in the year. Watch Factor: 3. Not on in my area, but I wish it was. A good game on paper.
Washington @ #18 Arizona – 10:15 – The last game of the day always makes the list. At 5-1, the Wildcats are finally off to the start many have expected of them for the last few seasons. Unfortunately for them, the Pac-10 is one of those conferences were anyone can beat anyone else on any given week. The Huskies aren’t looking great record-wise, but they have upset ability and are coming off a win over the one team that beat Arizona – Oregon State. Watch Factor: 4. Bonus points for being the final game and being better than a typical unranked-versus-#18 matchup would seem.