MACtion is back, Pac-12 at night is back, college football has officially risen from the dead. Even with teams in the Big Ten, Mountain West and Pac-12 playing their first couple of games, the college football Week 10 slate provides fans plenty of games to watch throughout Saturday and even a high-profile matchup Friday night. Here are the best 10 games of week 10.
BYU vs. Boise State
Date: Friday, Nov. 6
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Spread: BYU -3
BYU is dominating most of its opponents this season, but it will get the chance to face a true top-25 opponent when it travels north to take on Boise State on the Smurf turf. Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson has played his way into first round contention demonstrating excellent athleticism and arm talent, which will need to be on full display if BYU hopes to win this one. Wilson might find himself in a quarterback duel with Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier, who will be looking to build upon the strong freshman campaign he put together in 2019. Boise State is always a tough out and one of the more complete teams in the Group of 5, but this BYU team is special and has the talent to win this one in what likely will be a high scoring affair.
Prediction: BYU wins 40-34
North Carolina vs Duke
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: Noon ET
TV: ESPN2
Spread: North Carolina -10.5
A great basketball rivalry, North Carolina and Duke face each other in what will likely be more of a competitive football game than the experts think. The Tar Heels have performed well coming off losses this year but in their surprise loss last week, the offense and the defense showed some serious flaws. The trenches were a specific pain point for North Carolina after it gave up over 200 rushing yards on defense and five sacks in its matchup with Virginia. That area of weakness could be exposed once again by Duke’s edge rushing duo of Victor Dimukeje and Chris Rumph, as both could reach double-digit sacks this year. Duke has yet to find its rhythm on offense and while its defense may keep the Blue Devils in this one, Sam Howell and company will not be held in check completely and take control in the fourth quarter.
Prediction: North Carolina wins 38-24
Michigan vs. Indiana
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: Noon ET
TV: FS1
Spread: Michigan -3.5
Last week I picked Michigan to beat Michigan State by 40 points. Turns out Michigan might not be that good, and its win against Minnesota might just have been a win against an average at best Minnesota team. This game is going to be a huge defining factor for the seasons of both Michigan and Indiana. Having already taken down Penn State, Indiana can solidify itself as a true contender if it is able to knock off the Wolverines. On the other hand, Michigan’s season is likely on the line and if it cannot pull out a win. The Wolverines could be looking at a fourth or even fifth place finish in the Big Ten East at best. Michigan might have the more talented roster overall, but Indiana has playmakers to affect the pass game on both offense and defense, which is where Michigan has struggled thus far. This one will likely be close throughout, but Indiana seems to be on a mission in 2020 and will get another signature win for head coach Tom Allen.
Prediction: Indiana wins 30-27
Arizona State vs. USC
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: Noon ET
TV: FOX
Spread: USC -11
Pac-12 at noon? That is what we get when Arizona State and USC take the field this Saturday. While a win here will give both programs a nice start to their season, it will also be crucial for potentially deciding who the Pac-12 South division. Quarterback play will be at a premium with expectations for Jayden Daniels and Kedon Slovis through the rough following their 2019 seasons. This game will ultimately come down to which team can get a few crucial stops. USC has the better defense that should frustrate Daniels and may even create a turnover or two giving the Trojan offense an extra possession. Ultimately, USC will pull this one out fending off a late push from the Sun Devils.
Prediction: USC wins 38-33
Florida vs. Georgia
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Spread: Georgia -3.5
Likely a battle for who will win the SEC East, Georgia and Florida enter this game with some high hopes following bounce back wins against Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. Georgia’s offense has sputtered recently and will look to get back on track against the Florida defense that has shown flashes but struggles to get off the field on third downs. The Florida defense should be supported by the offense, which has been dynamic all year long and now is getting contributions from guys like Jacob Copeland and Trevon Grimes on top of the already great Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney. The Georgia defense is one of the best in the country but showed against Alabama the propensity to get beat in the pass game which could hurt it here. The Bulldogs should succeed in slowing down Florida, but their offense struggled against Kentucky and will let them down again this weekend. Gators win on a last-minute field goal.
Prediction: Florida wins 31-28
Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Spread: Oklahoma State -12.5
No longer undefeated Oklahoma State still has a shot to get to the Big 12 Championship game if it can take care of business the rest of the way. That starts with Kansas State, a team that just has not looked the same since quarterback Skylar Thompson went down with a season-ending injury. The Wildcats play tough defense but really struggled last week with West Virginia’s defense even throwing a pick-six in the third quarter. Now Kansas State must deal with an Oklahoma State defense that has shut down nearly every opponent it faced. With Kansas State’s offense in freefall, the Cowboys should score enough points early and cruise to an easy victory.
Prediction: Oklahoma State wins 34-20
Clemson vs. Notre Dame
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Clemson -5.5
The winner of this game should be firmly entrenched as the clear favorite to make the ACC Championship Game. However, if Notre Dame loses, it will go into a tie-breaking scenario with Miami until one of them loses again. Clemson is the No. 1 team in the country, but without Trevor Lawrence under center, this gargantuan matchup loses a little bit of luster. Regardless of quarterback play, this game will be won and lost in the trenches where Clemson has had an advantage in recent matchups, but Notre Dame might have it now. DJ Uiagalelei will lean on the run game and hope Travis Etienne can get the job done, but it will be Notre Dame’s defense that will ultimately win the day forcing the young freshman into a few mistakes.
Prediction: Notre Dame wins 27-24
Stanford vs. Oregon
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Spread: Oregon -10.5
Oregon returns as the reigning Pac-12 champions with a key matchup against a Stanford team looking to get back to its winning ways. The Ducks will be breaking in a new quarterback, but whether that is Tyler Shough or Anthony Brown remains to be seen. Like the offense, the defense will have some new key pieces to replace, but All-American candidate Kayvon Thibodeaux will be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators all season. Stanford does not have any super prospects like Thibodeaux, but it has a veteran defense specifically in the front seven that could give an entirely new Oregon offensive line problems. On offense, the Cardinal have former five-star quarterback Davis Mills back under center and likely will throw the ball a bit more with no true bell cow running back to speak of. Stanford will keep this one closer than expected, but Oregon simply is the deeper team and should win on the back of its defense and rushing attack.
Prediction: Oregon wins 30-27
Washington vs. Cal
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Spread: Cal -1
Washington meets Cal in a crucial battle for Pac-12 North positioning and the kickoff of Pac-12 at dark we as football fans have missed the past nine weeks. Jimmy Lake will make his debut as the Washington head coach and continue the team’s trend as one of the Pac-12’s best defensive teams. The Huskies will need to rely on their defense as their offense will likely be a work in progress especially at the quarterback position where they have not named a starter from their four-man camp battle. Meanwhile, Cal has no question who its quarterback will be with Chase Garbers returning under center. Garbers dealt with injuries throughout his career but when he is on the field, Cal wins games and it’s as simple as that. Given that both teams have defensive-minded head coaches and question marks on offense, this game likely will be a low-scoring affair with Garbers making just enough plays to get Cal and Justin Wilcox a season-opening opening win.
Prediction: Cal wins 23-22
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