5 must-see college football games this weekend


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SALT LAKE CITY — Here's a look at some of the best games from the upcoming weekend.

No. 16 TCU vs. No. 6 Oklahoma State (ESPN)

A solid Saturday double-header for ESPN begins with a pair of unbeaten, highly ranked Big 12 opponents squaring off in the early afternoon window as TCU heads to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State.

Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph has played himself into the Heisman conversation through three games, throwing 1,135 yards and 11 touchdowns against just one interception — all without playing during the fourth quarter at any point this season.

But he will have his hands full this week with Gary Patterson’s TCU defense, which is allowing just 265 yards and 14.3 points per game (ranked 14th and 21st nationally). Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

No. 17 Mississippi State vs. No. 11 Georgia (ESPN)

The latter half of ESPN’s double-header pits another pair of unbeaten teams against each other as Mississippi State travels to Athens to play Georgia in an inter-divisional SEC matchup.

MSU is coming off its first conference victory last week after routing LSU 37-7, while Georgia is fresh off its 42-14 victory over Samford, its second victory against an FCS opponent this season.

MSU’s Nick Fitgerald has proven himself as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, as the junior has accounted for 783 yards of offense and 12 touchdowns through three games. Georgia is powered by its defense and run game, with the former ranking 16th nationally and the latter ranking 24th. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

No. 8 Michigan vs. Purdue (FOX)

Under new head coach Jeff Brohm, the Boilermakers have been one of college football’s surprise teams early in the season. After taking Louisville down to the wire in Week 1, Purdue posted consecutive blowout wins over Ohio and Missouri, in which it produced 1,005 yards of total offense and 79 points. Purdue has not been ranked since 2007, but a win Saturday would almost certainly change that.

One trend to watch for: Michigan has struggled in the red zone in its first three games, scoring only one touchdown on ten trips inside their opponents’ 20-yard line. Don’t be surprised to see Michigan on upset alert if their red zone deficiencies continue Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

North Carolina State vs. No.12 Florida State (ABC/ESPN2)

Remember the Seminoles? You could be forgiven if you don’t, because after losing its previous two games (ULM and Miami) to Hurricane Irma, Florida State enters Saturday’s game coming off a seemingly unprecedented 21-day layoff. Still looking to avenge its 24-7 loss to Alabama on September 2, Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher told reporters this week he is worried about rust, saying, “Nobody’s been through this.”

Fortunately for the Seminoles, recent history is on their side. They’ve won four straight against the Wolfpack, and despite the long layoff, enter Saturday’s game as a 12.5-point favorite. The early kickoff is set for 10 a.m.

No. 7 Washington vs. Colorado (FS1)

Washington and Colorado open conference play this season in the same way it ended last season: against each other. Washington will make the trip to Colorado in what is a rematch of last year’s Pac-12 Championship game, and with the Buffaloes looking to exact revenge over their Pac-12 rival.

If Washington plays like it did in the first half of their game against Rutgers in Week 1, then Colorado has a fighting chance to knock off the Huskies and make things interesting for their siblings in the Pac-12 North. But if the Huskies play like they did against Montana and Fresno State, then this game will likely end in the way it did last year: a Huskies victory. The late kickoff is set for 8 p.m.

Honorable Mentions:

  • No. 4 Penn State vs. Iowa (ABC), September 23, 5:30 p.m.
  • UCLA vs. Stanford (ESPN), September 23, 8:30 p.m.
  • Notre Dame vs. Michigan State (FOX), September 23, 6:00 p.m.
  • No. 1 Alabama vs. Vanderbilt (CBS), September 23, 1:30 p.m.
  • No. 5 USC vs. Cal (ABC), September 23, 1:30 p.m.

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