Nine Best College Football Games To Watch In Week 9: Contenders Vs. Pretenders Week

We’re conscionable complete a week distant from Halloween and spooky play has travel a batch earlier for immoderate assemblage shot programs than others. Nevertheless, a ton of teams are still successful nan operation for their convention title games—and Saturday should do wonders for helping america bladed nan herd. 

If you’re only into assemblage shot for nan dense hitters, Week 9 isn’t for you. But this Saturday features immoderate of nan astir intriguing games of nan season, including 3 matchups betwixt Big Ten teams that beryllium astatine 5–2. That’s why we’re calling this “Contenders vs. Pretenders Week”—because it’s clip to abstracted nan existent from what’s clone and a number of nan champion games to watch this week will thief america do that.

Along pinch nan summaries of what to watch successful each of this week’s 9 champion games, Sports Illustrated positions nan participants of each matchup arsenic contenders aliases pretenders—in immoderate measurement makes consciousness for nan clip being. Whether that’s relevancy successful nan conference, an opportunity to play successful a convention title crippled aliases being bona fide CFP aliases nationalist title hopefuls, nan goals are a small different for each school. Nevertheless, immoderate will contend and immoderate will dress from present connected retired this season.

Let’s dive in.

Saturday, noon ET, ABC

All owed respect to nan Big Ten clashes that will travel later, but nan battles betwixt nan SEC’s upper-middle people person deeper ramifications erstwhile it comes to what programs mightiness backdoor their measurement into nan playoff. Look nary further than nan matchup successful Norman, Okla., this weekend. This should beryllium nan only crippled Ole Miss isn’t favored successful for nan remainder of nan season, but arguments could beryllium made astir nan Rebels’ deficiency of value wins extracurricular of LSU if they suffer Saturday. Meanwhile, nan Sooners didn’t request John Mateer to do overmuch to polish disconnected South Carolina aft a Red River Rivalry loss. That won’t beryllium nan lawsuit this play arsenic Mateer goes toe-to-toe pinch nan dual-threat Trinidad Chambliss. Oklahoma’s defense (first successful FBS successful yards per play allowed, 2nd successful points allowed) will only beryllium capable to do truthful overmuch to incorporate nan Division II transfer, meaning nan Sooners will request to put points connected nan board. Verdict: With these quarterbacks? And Oklahoma’s defense? Contenders. 

No. 18 South Florida Bulls (6–1) astatine Memphis Tigers (6–1)

Saturday, noon ET, ESPN2

If I could deem thing arsenic unwatchable, it would’ve been Memphis’s late-game, goal-line execution successful past week’s head-scratching nonaccomplishment to a UAB squad that had fired its coach nan erstwhile week. The Tigers mendacious started 3 times successful their last 7 plays, including doubly connected nan Blazers’ 1-yard statement and grounded to get into nan extremity area to unit overtime. The consequence gives this week’s crippled against nan Group of 5 front-runner a small little luster, but it’s must-win territory for Memphis. South Florida has been connected occurrence since nan Miami loss, winning by 27 points aliases much successful each of nan past 4 games and averaging 57 points while doing so. Adequately channeling past week’s vexation and this week’s desperation should let Memphis to enactment person than nan Bulls’ caller opponents. Verdict: Still some Group of 5 Playoff contenders, but nan train is dangerously adjacent to teetering disconnected nan tracks for Memphis.

Saturday, noon ET, FS1

The first of 3 Big Ten matchups featuring six teams that each airs nan question, What should we make of this? Northwestern was nan hammer to nan nails of DeShaun Foster and James Franklin, delivering losses to some UCLA and Penn State successful what proved to beryllium some coaches’ last outings pinch their schools. But nan Wildcats and their ground-heavy attack haven’t really beaten a Big Ten squad pinch a winning wide record. The Huskers are almost successful nan aforesaid vessel pinch wins complete Maryland and Michigan State (who person a mixed 1–7 grounds successful nan Big Ten) and are caller disconnected a 24–6 nonaccomplishment astatine Minnesota. Dylan Raiola was sacked 9 times by nan Golden Gophers and Nebraska ranks 131st successful sacks allowed per game, which doesn’t bode good against a heavy Northwestern protect statement that rounded into shape pinch a shutout of Purdue past week. Verdict: Both pretenders unless nan victor of this crippled besides takes down USC successful their adjacent matchup—for nan Huskers connected Nov. 1, for nan Wildcats connected Nov. 7. 

No. 11 BYU Cougars (7–0) astatine Iowa State Cyclones (5–2)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox

The Bachmeier show is required viewing until nan Cougars person a tally successful nan nonaccomplishment column—because this squad simply doesn’t cognize really to lose. BYU was outgained by much than 100 yards by Utah successful nan Holy War and gave up 226 yards connected nan crushed and still won acknowledgment to a timely interception, positive 4 fourth-down stops. Still, nan Cougars again spell into Saturday arsenic underdogs, this clip to a reeling Iowa State team. The Cyclones severely needed a bye aft one-score roadworthy losses to Cincinnati and Colorado, nan erstwhile of which saw Matt Campbell’s typically stingy defense let 260 rushing yards. BYU is 2nd successful nan Big 12 successful rushing and 10th nationally, which should springiness nan Cougars nan matchup advantage arsenic they look to enactment undefeated. Verdict: Still contenders for nan Big 12’s automatic bid, but not overmuch past that. For now. 

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Both teams pulled retired reliable games against Auburn, connected nan road, and LSU, successful Nashville, past week. Yes, you publication that correctly: Missouri hit Auburn and Vanderbilt hit LSU successful nan twelvemonth 2025. Welcome to nan caller pick of nan harvest successful nan SEC. Fun aside, some of these teams are legitimately good, anchored by move quarterbacks and beingness tally games. As for nan existent matchup, it’s each astir which defense will beryllium capable to incorporate nan 2 stars: Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and Missouri moving backmost Ahmad Hardy. Pavia was exceptional against LSU, amassing 246 full yards and 3 scores. Plus, he seems to thrive disconnected nan location crowd power successful Nashville, which should beryllium nan spot to beryllium successful assemblage shot travel Saturday. Verdict: At-large playoff contenders successful nan new-look SEC. Just for illustration we each predicted!

Minnesota Golden Gophers (5–2) astatine Iowa Hawkeyes (5–2)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Minnesota made a connection past week by knocking disconnected then-No. 25 Nebraska successful ascendant fashion, instilling a spot much assurance than nan one-score wins complete Rutgers and Purdue had. On nan different side, Iowa backmost Mark Gronowski hasn’t thrown a touchdown walk since he threw a brace against UMass successful Week 3, but it hasn’t caught up pinch nan Hawkeyes yet because of his accomplishment group arsenic a runner. That could beryllium much challenging against Minnesota’s defense, which has spent ample clip successful nan backfields of opposing teams, racking up 23 sacks (second Big Ten, tied-eighth FBS) and 47 tackles for nonaccomplishment (tied-third Big Ten). Verdict: Still pretenders but don’t count retired Iowa. With 2 losses by 5 points aliases less, nan rumor will beryllium value wins. If nan Hawkeyes could daze Oregon and/or USC connected nan road, they whitethorn beryllium successful nan playoff conversation.

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

To adjacent retired nan Big Ten’s Contenders vs. Pretenders Week is simply a brace of teams that astir apt fancied themselves having a changeable astatine being nan 3rd champion programme successful nan convention this season. Illinois conscionable can’t support up pinch nan champion of nan best, losing by a mixed 71 points to nan apical 2 teams successful nan country, Ohio State and Indiana. Washington took an moreover bigger rustle this past play erstwhile Demond Williams Jr. threw 3 interceptions and was wholly astatine a nonaccomplishment pinch Michigan’s defense successful a 24–7 defeat. All eyes will beryllium connected really Huskies prima moving backmost Jonah Coleman (FBS-leading 12 rushing TDs) fares against Illinois’s defense front, which has been overmuch amended since nan Indiana trouncing. Also support an oculus connected 2 of nan champion receivers successful nan Big Ten: nan Illini’s Hank Beatty and nan Huskies’ Denzel Boston. Verdict: Illinois still has a chance to contend for a playoff bid pinch a triumph fixed nan last 4 games connected nan schedule. Washington is much of a pretender.

No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (7–0) astatine No. 20 LSU Tigers (5–2)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

The Aggies person played pinch occurrence a number of times this season, but starting disconnected a three-game roadworthy travel by eking retired Arkansas was possibly nan biggest origin for interest yet. In fairness, Texas A&M was up 10 pinch little than a infinitesimal to go, truthful this crippled wasn’t arsenic adjacent arsenic nan last people suggested. Even still, giving up 527 yards to nan 2–5 Razorbacks was a caller low. Awaiting this week is simply a travel to Baton Rouge, wherever Brian Kelly’s Tigers are teetering connected nan cliff of different disappointing season. The offense, which was expected to beryllium overmuch amended pinch draught hopeful Garrett Nussmeier down center, has travel up good short of expectations and ranks 12th successful nan SEC successful some yards per crippled and scoring. Even worse, nan Tigers are 15th successful nan convention erstwhile it comes to moving nan ball. The season-opening triumph complete Clemson feels for illustration a agelong clip agone and Kelly could greatly thief himself pinch an upset this weekend. Verdict: At this point, A&M is simply a contender. LSU … not truthful much.

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2

To adjacent retired a time that isn’t apical heavy, but has intriguing matchups up and down nan slate, is nan latest conflict betwixt Big 12 programs trying to summation an precocious hand. Arizona State is backmost connected way pinch a healthier Sam Leavitt having handed Texas Tech its first nonaccomplishment a week aft losing by 32 astatine Utah. The Sun Devils nary longer power their ain destiny pinch Cincinnati and BYU a crippled ahead, but count retired nan toughness of Leavitt and nan dependable manus of Kenny Dillingham astatine your ain peril. At Houston, nan Willie Fritz turnaround feels real, moreover if nan Cougars were pushed to nan limit astatine location against Arizona past Saturday. The Cougs besides person a brace of accomplishment players to lucifer ASU’s Raleek Brown–Jordyn Tyson duo pinch Amare Thomas, 1 of assemblage football’s champion heavy threats, and Dean Connors, a hard-nosed moving back. Verdict: This crippled is pivotal pinch nan victor staying successful nan Big 12 operation and nan loser apt going afloat pretender.

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