Time for a lovely three game sweep against what should be badly overmatched opponents before our bye and the big difficulty spike. Time to enjoy the college football landscape from the top.
Even if there's only two ranked-vs-ranked games (and they involve BC and Arizona, so not exactly blueblood battles), it's still college football. And who knows who this week's NIU could be?
Thursday game
Arizona State @ Texas State - 7:30 / 6:30 ESPN
This game is shockingly more than a co-ed must watch, and has turned into a really cool football game. ASU feels like they're a Big 12 contender after dusting Wyoming and Mississippi State. GJ Kinne has TSU (I refuse to use their stupid preferred acronym) looking at an outside shot for the G5 Playoff bid.
Friday games
The Big 12 delivers up some fun football again! It's a Sunflower State double feature.
UNLV @ Kansas - 7 / 6 ESPN
The Runnin' Rebs have already taken one Big 12 scalp, but beating a wounded Lance Leipold team at home is a much trickier proposition
#20 Arizona @ #14 Kansas State - 8 / 7 Fox
One of our two marquee matchups is a lame duck "non-conference" matchup between two Big 12 rivals. Noah Fifita and Tetairoa Mcmillan bring star power, but KSU is probably the better team.
Saturday games
#24 Boston College @ #6 Mizzou - 12:30 / 11:30 SECN
Is this actually the best game in this timeslot? No. It's on SECN for crying out loud. But it's the only ranked matchup of the whole Saturday, so let's give those Jesuit boys their flowers before Mizzou punches BOB back to the football junkyard.
Memphis @ Florida State - 12 / 11 ESPN
Rankings be damned, Memphis is probably the best G5. Florida State blows. This one could get very funny, very fast if DJU can't unfuck himself and the rest of the team continues to come together as well as a mint chip and liverwurst sundae.
LSU @ South Carolina - 12 / 11 ABC
Does LSU suck for real, or was this just Brian Kelly pulling out one of his usual first game disappearing acts before winning 10 games? South Carolina's defense looks for real, but LaNorris Sellers is much more athlete than QB.
#4 Alabama @ Wisconsin - 12 / 11 FOX
Another case of "that bad, or just not their night?" gets resolved with Bama. The problem is, the Luke Fickell express hasn't exactly taken off down the tracks in Madison, so will we really learn that much?
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#9 Oregon @ Oregon State - 3:30 / 2:30 FOX
Civil War! Oregon has played footsie with losing to two teams from Idaho before figuring their shit out late. Oregon State's lost their coach and a lot of their talent from last year (thanks for Silas Bolden, guys), but they're competent, and they're fucking pissed. Reser Stadium will be electric if UO can't find a way to silence the crowd early.
West Virginia @ Pitt - 3:30 / 2:30 ESPN2
Backyard Brawl! For real this time! These teams aren't good but this rivalry kicks ass.
Texas A&M @ Florida - 3:30 / 2:30 ABC
Stoppable force, meet moveable object. Can Napier overcome the severe brain injury he seems to have been dealing with during his whole time at Florida and start DJ Lagway and beat a badly limited A&M squad? Loser's season starts to tank very hard here.
Tulane @ #15 Oklahoma - 3:30 / 2:30 ESPN
Last week's Tulane performance beats this very wobbly OU squad. But can they do it away from home the week after after the officials stole a ranked win out of their hands?
Notre Dame @ Purdue - 3:30 / 2:30 CBS
Can Marcus Freeman bounce back from another excruciating performance against a bad (well, now ranked) opponent? He's actually pretty good at that, so we'll see.
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The late games are ...not so good. At least a Texas blowout will be fun.
#5 Ole Miss @ Wake Forest - 6:30 / 5:30 CW
Look, this game was going to be a blowout even before Wake blew a monster lead against UVA last week. But I am attending it in person, so it gets mentioned. Also, weird timeslot and on the CW - it has some chaos game potential.
UTSA @ #2 Texas - 7 / 6 ESPN
Typing "#2 Texas" was so satisfying. UTSA is terrible, Texas is good, this one's going to be a mudholing.
Colorado @ Colorado State - 7:30 / 6:30 CBS
CSU isn't great (and Tory Horton might be dinged up), but hoo boy does Jay Norvell HATE Colorado. If it stays close, keep it in the rotation.
Air Force @ Baylor - 7:30 / 6:30 FS1
Because we all want to see America triumph over evil
San Diego State @ Cal - 10:30 / 9:30
ACC After Dark! Cal is in prime position for a letdown game against a good G5 after ruining Hugh Freeze's whole season on the Plains.