Get Ready for Week 11 of the College Football Weekend

Florida Gators @ (5) Texas Longhorns

12 PM ET | ABC

If we’re being honest, the Gators were probably never going to win this game. The once-mighty Gators have been in a state of constant rebuild since Urban Meyer skipped town for Columbus more than a decade ago, and this season is no different.

To make things even harder for Florida, they’re likely going to be without QB DJ Lagway who was carted off the field in last week’s loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Just to make things a little worse for Florida, the Texas Longhorns are coming off a bye week, which means they’ve had an extra week to get ready for a game that they were probably always going to win.

Florida’s defense has improved in the last few weeks, but it’s no match for Quinn Ewers and the high-powered Texas offense. Texas opened as a 21-point favorite in this one, and it’s entirely possible that they cover with room to spare.

Maryland Terrapins @ (1) Oregon Ducks

7 PM ET | Big Ten Network

Speaking of games that have the potential to get out of hand, the Maryland Terrapins get to fly all the way out to Eugne, Oregon this weekend to take on the top-ranked team in the nation. It’s wroth noting that Maryland has the ability to put up some points.

The Terrapins come into the game with the ninth-ranked passing offense in the country. Unfortunately for Maryland, their defense isn’t quite as stout, which is why they are 24.5-point underdogs coming into this one.

Meanwhile, Oregon is atop the rankings for the first time in more than a decade, when the Ducks climbed to the top of the college football world during Chip Kelly’s last season as the team’s head coach.

Of course anything is possible in the world of college football, and we’ve seen upsets in the past, but you probably shouldn’t expect one this week. Oregon has been steamrolling its way through every matchup and Maryland is coming off a 25-point loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

(11) Alabama Crimson Tide @ (16) LSU Tigers

7:30 PM ET | ABC/ESPN+

The only other top-25 matchup this week also takes place in the SEC, as the Alabama Crimson Tide head to Death Valley to take on the LSU Tigers in a matchup of SEC West rivals.

While most programs would love to be sitting at 6-2 and battling for a spot at the top of their conference’s standings, Alabama fans have already started considering this season a disappointment, which may be unfair to a new regime that was tasked with replacing Nick Saban.

Alabama’s two losses came in conference play, which is certainly not something Tide fans are accustomed to. There’s still certainly a path to the playoffs for Bama, but a loss against LSU, which is ahead of the Tide by one game in the SEC West, would make that path much narrower.

LSU fans aren’t exactly thrilled with the job that Brian Kelly has done since arriving in Baton Rouge, as they believed that he was there to get them over the hump and into the College Football Playoff.

A win here could certainly put the Tigers within striking distance of the top 12, but a loss all but eliminates them. In addition to this game being such a long-standing rivalry, the potential playoff ramifications are simply too great to ignore.

Alabama comes into this one as a three-point road favorite. If Jalen Milroe can avoid turning the ball over, the Tide should be in a good position to dash the Tigers’ playoff hopes.

(2) Georgia Bulldogs @ (16) Ole Miss Rebels

3:30 PM ET | ABC

This SEC matchup is one of only two games on this weekend’s schedule to feature a pair of ranked teams. There’s also a lot of attention being paid to this one, as Georgia shockingly comes into it as only a three-point favorite.

What does that mean?

It seems like the oddsmakers are daring people to bet on the Bulldogs in a game where they would traditionally be considered a favorite. When it comes to QB play, this may be one of the most exciting games of the weekend as Georgia’s Carson Beck and Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart are some of the hottest QB names for next year’s NFL Draft, with Beck largely considered a top-10 pick.

Perhaps the most important matchup in this game takes place in the trenches, where Ole Miss’s defensive line leads the nation in QB sacks. The Bulldogs have also had problems getting their running game going, which could make things even trickier.

Most experts are taking the Bulldogs despite the small points spread, but this game has the potential to be a shocker. Ole Miss at home is a completely different animal, and Lane Kiffin is known for his ability to win some games that many say he shouldn’t.

(9) BYU Cougars @ Utah Utes

10:15 PM ET | ESPN

Dubbed “The Holy War,” the annual game between the BYU Cougars and the Utah Utes is set to take place Saturday night. If you were asked before the season to pick which Big 12 team would be the last undefeated squad, you may not have picked the Cougars, but that’s where we’re at.

With this being the first season with an expanded playoff, it looks like BYU is well on its way to getting into the expanded tournament, and Jake Retzlaff has a lot to do with that.

However, Retzlaff and the Cougars’ offense will have their work cut out for them on the road against a Utah defense that knows how to shut down an opposing offense.

We know Utah’s defense is stout, but what we don’t know is who’s going to play QB for the Utes. Isaac Wilson has struggled, and it’s been reported that he split first-team reps with Brandon Rose during Utah’s bye week.

Outside of some spot duty against Houston earlier in the season, Rose hasn’t played much, but we probably won’t know who’s going to start this game until moments before kickoff. BYU is a four-point road favorite, but this one should be close as long as Utah can figure out how to move the ball regardless of who is under center.

(4) Miami Hurricanes @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

12 PM ET | ESPN

It’s homecoming at Georgia Tech and the Yellow Jackets will be hosting the top-ranked team in the ACC as Heisman Trophy frontrunner Cam Ward leads the Hurricanes into enemy territory. Miami comes into the game at 9-0, one of four undefeated teams in the top 10.

It already looks like the Canes will battle for an ACC Championship, and a win against Georgia Tech could all but cement their spot, while also virtually ensuring them a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Miami heads into this one as an 11.5-point favorite on the road, and barring anything unforeseen happening, they’ll probably win this game.

However, it won’t be easy. Mario Cristobal, the head coach of the Hurricanes, has been very complimentary of Haynes King and the Georgia Tech offense.

The Yellow Jackets can move the ball, but this will likely be their toughest test of the season. Miami’s defense is good, even if it’s often overshadowed by the offense. If Georgia Tech wants to win this one, they’ll have to find a way to keep up with the high-powered Hurricanes offense.

(21) Colorado Buffaloes @ Texas Tech Red Raiders

4 PM ET | Fox

There’s probably not a more polarizing coach in all of college football than Deion Sanders. While last season saw Coach Prime and the Buffaloes become the butt of the joke, this season, they’ve put together a 6-2 record and are poised to make a run at the Big 12 Championship.

A look at their schedule points to the fact that this may be their toughest test for the rest of the year. Colorado comes into this one as a 4.5-point favorite, which may not be as large as some experts expected.

While much attention has been paid to the undefeated BYU Cougars and the 6-2 Buffaloes, Texas Tech is 6-3, and a win Saturday could put them in position to compete for the Big 12 title. Meanwhile, a loss by either team makes their path almost impossible.

While Texas Tech remains unranked, this game has some of the most significant potential ramifications of any contest on the Saturday schedule.

Purdue @ (2) Ohio State

12 PM ET | Fox

The highly anticipated NCAA football matchup this weekend features the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1) hosting the struggling Purdue Boilermakers (1-7) on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET, and Ohio State enters the game as a heavy favorite, boasting a 38-point spread against Purdue, which has yet to secure a conference win this season. The Buckeyes are coming off a hard-fought victory over Penn State, winning 20-13, while Purdue lost a close game to Northwestern, falling 26-20 in overtime.

Ohio State is ranked 2nd in the Big Ten, averaging 37.8 points per game, whereas Purdue's struggles are evident as they rank near the bottom with just 20.3 points per game.