Today's Schedule of Games
It’s October in college football land. This is when teams start to separate themselves into title contenders and fall-by-the-wayside illusions. And there are several games today that will do just that.
Here are some of today’s highlights:
At Noon on ABC: #12 Oklahoma at #3 Texas. The big game of the day. The winner has the inside track to the CFP given the remaining schedules, although there could be a rematch in the division-less Big 12’s title game. If Texas wins, they will likely become ranked #1 and they will have deserved it. I’m cool with that, I don’t want Michigan to be ranked #1 during the regular season. Let somebody else deal with that circus while we stay focused and hungry. So, who do I think will win? Let me put it this way, we’ll all wake up on Monday morning with #1 ranked Texas in college football.
Also at Noon on FOX: Maryland at #4 Ohio State. Time to find out which of these teams is for real (if either). Maryland usually gives Ohio State fits, and they are built to do it again. They will be chasing Taulia ghosts all over the field today. But unfortunately, I don’t think that Maryland has enough defense to cash in on that. Ohio State will outrace the Terps to the finish line.
In the Afternoon at 3:30 PM on CBS: #11 Alabama at Texas A&M. This would make an awesome night game, but alas it’s not to be. Nonetheless, it will be a crazy environment at College Station. Jimbo Fisher has pulled off the upset before in College Station over Alabama (the first Saban former assistant to do it). Can he do it again in a game that will determine the SEC West leader? I hope so, but I don’t think so. Alabama has not looked like Alabama, but overlook them and their ocean of 5-stars at your own risk. Jalen Milroe will be the difference maker in a 4th quarter win.
In the Evening at 7:00 PM on ESPN: #20 Kentucky at #1 Georgia. Pssssst Kentucky: Double-cover Brock Bowers at all times, all game long. No charge for that incisive, cutting-edge coaching advice. It’s what I do, I give back to college football. You’re welcome. Despite that expert advice, it probably still won’t be enough. I think that Georgia has an extra gear they have not been showing. It will turn up tonight and Georgia will win.
At 7:30 PM on NBC/Peacock: #2 Michigan at Minnesota. A lot of people thought that Nebraska would be a trap game for Michigan (Hi Urban! Oh, and suck it.) But I didn’t think so due to it being our first road game, against a Big Ten foe with a tricky offensive and defensive scheme to prepare for. They had our undivided attention. But this Minnesota game does feel like a trap game. There is just nothing to get excited about against this Gophers team. I am actually glad it is a night game, at least the lively environment will help keep the team awake. Defense travels (and a strong running game too), and we’ll be glad we have both after Minnesota gives us a punch in the mouth early. But then wake up we will, and take the Jug back into hiding.
At 7:30 PM on ABC: #10 Notre Dame at #25 Louisville. I gotta feel sorry for Notre Dame having to go on the road again at night to face a talented, motivated, dangerous team after the nail-biting emotional wringer they have just been through against Duke, and against Ohio State the week before that. Hah! Just kidding. The hell with Notre Dame. Their luck runs out tonight against Louisville.
Finally, your Pac-12 After Dark Special - meaningless crazy football just for the fun of it:
At 10:30 PM on ESPN: Arizona at #9 USC. If you just watch USC’s offensive drives, they look like the best team in college football by far. But then, hoo boy, you watch their defense. How can a team that can collect that much talent on offense have that much deficiency on defense? It boggles the mind. They are the anti-matter Iowa. When USC and Iowa meet for the first time in 2025 it could be an extinction-level event for the entire planet the first time Iowa is on offense and USC is on defense. However, none of that will matter late tonight because Arizona isn’t out-scoring USC’s offense no matter what USC’s defense does.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7, 2023:
AWAY HOME TIME TV
NOON:
12 Oklahoma @ 3 Texas 12:00 PM ABC
Maryland @ 4 Ohio State 12:00 PM FOX
23 LSU @ 21 Missouri 12:00 PM ESPN
Boston College @ Army 12:00 PM CBSSN
Western Michigan @ Mississippi State 12:00 PM SECN
Rutgers @ Wisconsin 12:00 PM Peacock
William & Mary @ Virginia 12:00 PM ACCN
Toledo @ Massachusetts 12:00 PM ESPNU
AFTERNOON:
Marshall @ NC State 2:00 PM CW NETWORK
UTSA @ Temple 2:00 PM ESPN+
Central Michigan @ Buffalo 2:00 PM ESPN+
13 Washington State @ UCLA 3:00 PM PAC12
Howard @ Northwestern 3:00 PM BTN
Virginia Tech @ 5 Florida State 3:30 PM ABC
11 Alabama @ Texas A&M 3:30 PM CBS
Syracuse @ 14 North Carolina 3:30 PM ESPN
Purdue @ Iowa 3:30 PM Peacock
Wake Forest @ Clemson 3:30 PM ACCN
North Texas @ Navy 3:30 PM CBSSN
Texas State @ Louisiana 3:30 PM ESPNU
Ball State @ Eastern Michigan 3:30 PM ESPN+
Bowling Green @ Miami (OH) 3:30 PM ESPN+
Kent State @ Ohio 3:30 PM ESPN+
Northern Illinois @ Akron 3:30 PM ESPN+
Vanderbilt @ Florida 4:00 PM SECN
UCF @ Kansas 4:00 PM FOX
South Florida @ UAB 4:00 PM ESPN2
Arkansas State @ Troy 4:00 PM ESPN+
UConn @ Rice 5:00 PM ESPN+
EVENING:
Tulsa @ Florida Atlantic 6:00 PM ESPN+
Colorado @ Arizona State 6:30 PM PAC12
20 Kentucky @ 1 Georgia 7:00 PM ESPN
South Alabama @ UL Monroe 7:00 PM ESPN+
Old Dominion @ Southern Miss 7:00 PM ESPN+
2 Michigan @ Minnesota 7:30 PM NBC|Peacock
10 Notre Dame @ 25 Louisville 7:30 PM ABC
Arkansas @ 16 Ole Miss 7:30 PM SECN
Georgia Tech @ 17 Miami 8:00 PM ACCN
24 Fresno State @ Wyoming 8:00 PM FOX
Texas Tech @ Baylor 8:00 PM ESPN2
TCU @ Iowa State 8:00 PM FS2
Colorado State @ Utah State 8:00 PM -
San José State @ Boise State 8:00 PM CBSSN
LATE NIGHT:
15 Oregon State @ California 10:00 PM PAC12
Arizona @ 9 USC 10:30 PM ESPN
October 7th, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
If I was a fan of OSU I’d be preparing myself for at least two losses. They’re slow and out of shape, McCord sucks and Ryan day is regressing worse than Patterson did. Stroud covered for a lot of warts with this team and it’s becoming obvious.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
Well, that won't help McCord's yds per attempt.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
A comedy of errors as boos rain down.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
OSU cannot run the ball, especially up the middle. And they can't throw it deep reliably, everything needs to be ~10 yds from the LoS. I'm really wondering why this is the #4 team in the nation. What UMD is doing here, on the road, with all of these self-inflicted mistakes, is ... Something.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:02 PM ^
ohio, a well oiled machine
October 7th, 2023 at 3:02 PM ^
LMAO, sideline interference on Day.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Texas’s playcalling in that series was awful
October 7th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Harrison Jr is something to watch.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Maryland....what a bunch of losers.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
It would be so frustrating to be a Maryland fan today. They are just giving this game to OSU
October 7th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
That MHJ ~35 yard arm punt catch is a great example of the unreliable downfield passing game they have.
And that TD to Stover is another example of UMD's self-inflicted mistakes. You can't leave people open like that.
This game is over.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
And Maryland gives up a td the next play, both these teams are just lol in different ways today.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
The Big XII plays defense? Who would’ve thought….
That was a hell of a goal line stand.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
Maryland is just so consistently dumb.
And Ohio State sometimes remembers Harrison is on the team.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
I can see why Day's upset: third base coaches leave the coaches box all the time and you never see it called.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:06 PM ^
It's really unfortunate that we're going to hear all week about how OSU sorted out a big win against a really good opponent, and it shows how tough they are.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:06 PM ^
Eh maybe but hard to cover up those rushing stats as sign that they are in fact soft.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
And their offense outside of arm punts to MHJR is basically non-existent.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
Hopefully they are dumb enough to drink the koolaid
October 7th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
That's just fine with me.
Someday they're going to realize that what they're doing isn't really working; they'll revisit their S&C program and stop trying to turn everyone into Dawand Jones.
The longer that day is put off, the better.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:06 PM ^
ESPN is showing OSU with an 82.7% chance of winning now that they're up 10. I'd take the over, I think MD is finished, (But I'd be happy to be surprised.)
October 7th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
what did I just watch Maryland do? What a joke
October 7th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
Maryland's plan to not block a guy who is athletic but can't get off blocks is...incredible.
Maryland should leave Gattis in Columbus.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
"Maryland should leave Gattis in Columbus."
I feel a version of this has been said after each game since 2021...
October 7th, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
I mean would have preferred to see OSU lose but makes me feel good about the games against both teams at the end of the year. Clearly Maryland is still Maryland and OSU looks like a team that UM can physically out muscle again and has the better QB this year to boot.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
The Terps will derp, that is just a universal law. Five guys around and not a single one thinks to get anywhere close to Harrison, lol.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
mizzou on the ropes...alas
October 7th, 2023 at 3:30 PM ^
They're almost in FG range with ~2 min left - I think you're overestimating LSU's defense...
EDIT: LOL!!! This post didn't age well...
October 7th, 2023 at 3:36 PM ^
I can't stand listening to Gus and Klatt trying to convince everybody that OSU is good. They're clearly not a top 5 team. I think PSU will barely pull out a win in a few weeks, as they have the better defense. That being said, both teams have really mediocre offenses
October 7th, 2023 at 3:44 PM ^
OU scores a TD in the final seconds. Book it
October 7th, 2023 at 3:47 PM ^
lol, nice defensive series there Texas. Like a knife through butter.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:49 PM ^
Somewhere Baker Mayfield has gotta be ripping shots on that OU sideline.
What a game!! This is what makes college football so damn great!
October 7th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
Boiler defense still a work in progress, allows a 67 yard TD to Iowa.
October 7th, 2023 at 3:54 PM ^
Doesn't matter that they won at Alabama. Always pick Oklahoma over Texas. Always.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^
Good god are replay officials just awful at their jobs anymore, Syracuse has to waste a timeout just to challenge a play that is clearly wrong because the replay official was looking at god knows what and not buzzing down.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
And they end up not overturning it, wtf. That is at least the 5 or 6th replay review in games this year that has made no logical or reasonable sense. Please make these guys start having to answer questions postgame.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:06 PM ^
This 330 slate is so boring. Couldn't they have shifted UGA/UK here? Or our game so I can watch the fun stuff in primetime.
Or put fucking UCLA/Wassou on a real network.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:09 PM ^
Good god am I pissed if I am an Syracuse fan, ball should have been theirs at NC's 40 after blocking a punt and it becomes a NC td. All because a replay official is apparently a complete dumbass and blind. Unacceptable performance as a whole from replay officials this year, it's embarrassing.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
I missed the ruling, when I saw that UNC had the ball I just assumed Cuse turned it over. How do you not overturn that, it wasn't close.
October 7th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
Like I said just so many calls so far this year across the country where the replay official is clearly not looking at whatever the hell everyone else is who possesses eyes. I really feel like these guys need to start having to explain themselves. They get zero leeway from me in relation to on field officials when it comes to getting something clearly wrong, it should not happen. That replay official just potentially created a 14 point difference in this game and cost Syracuse a timeout to boot.
October 7th, 2023 at 5:32 PM ^
I would love to see Bama lose. That crowd is fired up!