No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 21 Temple, 7 p.m., ABC
A game that was on nobody’s radar before the season has become a crucial and perhaps even season-defining game for both the Fighting Irish and the Owls.
The Irish enter the game with a 6-1 record, the lone loss being on the road against undefeated Clemson, and are still in the thick of the playoff race. Temple is 7-0 and looking for the biggest win in school history, which would also make the Owls the biggest contender for a spot in a major bowl game.
Temple is no stranger to hosting a big game. In the season opener, the Owls smashed in-state powerhouse Penn State 27-10.
No. 8 Stanford at Washington State, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
In a division featuring the high-flying Oregon Ducks and the Jared Goff-led California Golden Bears, who would have expected the biggest game in the division would take place in Pullman, Washington?
The Cardinals and Cougars have both rebounded well from season-opening losses to Northwestern and FCS Portland State, respectively. Stanford has pounded its foes into submission with running back and Heisman contender Christian McCaffrey and a smothering defense en route to six consecutive wins. The Cougars, following their humiliating showing against Portland State, have gone 5-1 and enter this game with three straight Pac-12 wins.
The winner of this game will earn the top spot in the Pac-12 North.
No. 11 Florida vs. Georgia, 2:30 p.m., CBS
In the 93rd or 94th (depending on which school you ask) meeting between these programs, the Gators are on the cusp of clinching the SEC East title and a trip to the SEC Championship Game. In their way is reeling Georgia, which has gone 1-2 in its last three games, being outscored 82-50.
Florida first-year head coach Jim McElwain has worked wonders for the Gators, leading his team to a 6-1 start thanks to an improved offense and a stingy defense.
Last season, unranked Florida upset a highly-ranked Georgia team in Jacksonville. Bulldog fans hope that Georgia reverses that result this time around.
No. 3 Clemson at NC State, 2:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney recently ranted to the media about the rampant use of the term “Clemsoning," which is uttered every time Clemson loses a game that it shouldn’t. So far, his Tigers are undefeated and have looked every bit the part of a national title contender.
Clemson has avoided “Clemsoning” situations this year, beating Louisville on the road on a Thursday night, weathering a storm against Notre Dame and destroying Miami 58-0 on its own field.
Next lies a dangerous trap game at NC State. The Wolfpack has quietly gone 5-2 led by former Florida quarterback Jacoby Brissett, and Carter-Finley Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the ACC.
Clemson’s been a top-10 team in its last two visits to Raleigh, North Carolina. The Tigers are 1-1 in those games.
No. 12 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Mike Gundy’s Cowboys have been one of the most quietly impressive teams in the country this year, starting 7-0 (4-0 Big 12). But the rest of the schedule is difficult, as this game in Lubbock begins a season-ending stretch that includes TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma.
The Red Raiders, meanwhile, have showed improvement from a season ago, starting 5-3 with a signature win at Arkansas. The Red Raiders have struggled defensively against the Big 12’s elite, however. Texas Tech is 0-3 against ranked Big 12 opponents TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma this season, being outscored 181-114 – an average score of approximately 60-38.
If the Cowboys want to remain in the playoff hunt, they’ll need to rely on their underrated defense to stop Kliff Kingsbury’s high-flying offense.
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