Saturday’s schedule for Week 8 of the college football season features some interesting matchups that include bitter rivalries and conference showdowns that could possibly go a long way towards determining which teams play in their respective conference championship games.
No. 7 Penn State travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on No. 3 Ohio State in a Big Ten East battle that will set the tone for the final month of the season. The Nittany Lions have quietly made it to late October without a blemish on the record, while the Buckeyes have navigated through several injuries to key players to stay in the midst of the College Football Playoff race.
Elsewhere, No. 11 Alabama hosts No. 17 Tennessee in the rivalry known as the “Third Saturday in October.” This will be a revenge game for the Crimson Tide after they fell to the Volunteers on Rocky Top last season in one of the most thrilling games of the year. Neither team can afford another conference loss in the race for their respective division titles, so consider this one a swing game for both teams.
What games should you pay attention to on Saturday? Below is a viewer’s guide to help you navigate through the action as the college football season rolls along into Week 8.
All times Eastern
The best games
No. 7 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State — noon on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Here it is — the first game of the Big Ten East round-robin challenge in a three-team horse race that includes Michigan. The Nittany Lions haven’t been tested yet and quarterback Drew Allar has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the country. But can he win a track meet? Ohio State might force him into one, and it’ll be fascinating to see what Allar can do in that kind of game. On the flip side, the Buckeyes will face a massive challenge against the Nittany Lions defense. Get your popcorn ready because this one should be awesome.
No. 17 Tennessee at No. 11 Alabama — 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free): This one will be decided in the trenches, specifically when Alabama has the ball. The Crimson Tide offensive line ranks No. 129 in the nation in sacks allowed per game (4.43) and No. 113 in tackles for loss allowed per game (7.14). The Volunteers defense, meanwhile, ranks No. 4 nationally in sacks per game (4.0) and tackles for loss per game (8.67). It’s going to be on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe to get the job done because it’s likely that pressure will be in his face all afternoon.
No. 16 Duke at No. 4 Florida State — 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Blue Devils star quarterback Riley Leonard could play in this one after missing last week’s game vs. NC State. If he suits up and hits the field, it’ll be massive for a team looking to make another splash on the national scene after defeating Clemson in the opener. Meanwhile, Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis is playing in the perfect time slot to boost his Heisman Trophy campaign and show the world that his team is still a legitimate national title contender.
No. 14 Utah at No. 18 USC — 8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Styles make fights, and this game will determine which team imposes its brand of football on its opponent. The Trojans showed last week that they are deficient on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, which led to a blowout loss to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. However, we all know how explosive the offense can be with quarterback Caleb Williams taking the snaps. The Utes want to make every game a rock fight, which typically leads to mistakes from opposing quarterbacks and low-scoring games.
Best of the rest
- UCF at No. 6 Oklahoma — noon on ABC, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 22 Air Force at Navy — noon on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- Western Michigan at Ohio — noon on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- Washington State at No. 9 Oregon — 3:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free)
- South Carolina at No. 20 Missouri — 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- North Texas at No. 23 Tulane — 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2, fuboTV (try for free)
- Minnesota at No. 24 Iowa — 3:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (try for free)
- South Florida at UConn — 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- No. 8 Texas at Houston — 4 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free)
- Virginia at No. 10 North Carolina — 6:30 p.m. on CW Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 13 Ole Miss at Auburn — 7 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State — 7:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (try for free)
- Army at No. 19 LSU — 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- Utah State at San Jose State — 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- Arizona State at No. 5 Washington — 10:30 p.m. on FS1, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 25 UCLA at Stanford — 10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)
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