The countdown to the second annual College Football Playoff is on. While the next few weeks will deliver showdowns with absolutely massive implications from a national standpoint, the focus for the final weekend of October is a little narrower with big games in the SEC, Big Ten and ACC in particular worth tuning in to see.
Here is a look at the “can’t miss” games on the schedule for Week 9 of the college football season.
Georgia Bulldogs @ No. 11 Florida Gators
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
Florida is coming off a tough loss at LSU but is still ranked No. 11 in the country. They own the best record in the SEC East at 6-1. That could change with Georgia in town this weekend as the Bulldogs bounced back from consecutive losses to Alabama and Tennessee with a win over Missouri in their last game to improve to 5-2. That makes this game that much more important. The Gators could still potentially get another shot at LSU in the SEC Championship game but first they have to make it back there. That will require beating Georgia and winning the SEC East division title. They also have to prove that their quarterbacking has improved as they struggled in their first game without Will Grier.
No. 3 Clemson Tigers @ North Carolina State Wolfpack
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
Clemson is coming off its most impressive win of the season after blowing away Miami in a 58-0 win that sent Al Golden looking for a new job. However, they haven’t clinched anything yet and their next two games will be the toughest they have left on their remaining schedule. The Tigers will visit North Carolina State before clashing with Florida State the following week and they can’t afford to overlook a potential trap game. The Wolfpack gained some momentum with a win at Wake Forest and they have been better than expected this season. They’re not great but they have some talent – especially at quarterback – and they could provide a challenge if they play a clean game. They will throw everything they have at Clemson as they shoot for the upset win at home.
No. 15 Michigan Wolverines @ Minnesota Golden Gophers
Saturday, 7:00 PM ET
The Wolverines have had two weeks to think about their devastating loss to Michigan State, so they should be fired up by the time they take the field in Minnesota on Saturday. Michigan is still very much alive in the Big Ten race and they still get to play Ohio State in their season finale, but the focus right now is on beating the Golden Gophers. When you consider the way they lost to the Spartans a couple of weeks ago, it will be very interesting to see how the Wolverines respond on the road in this one. If they forget about it, this should be a very winnable game for them as their defense has been outstanding this season. Combined with the fact that Minnesota has lacked an offensive punch, this could be a cakewalk. However, if they’re still sulking from the loss and start playing without confidence, they’ll be in for a fight.
No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels @ Auburn Tigers
Saturday, 12:00 PM ET
Ole Miss is coming off an impressive win over Texas A&M in which it completely shut down the Aggies offense and now they turn their attention to an Auburn side that is searching for any sign of its defense following a 54-46 loss to Arkansas. The Rebels have the potential to win this game in a blowout but they can’t afford to overlook Auburn. Their next game is a massive showdown against LSU two weeks from now. Auburn has been a fairly weak team this season but we’ve already seen what happens when Ole Miss let’s their guard down (Memphis). This game will have major implications in the SEC and it will be very interesting to see how both teams respond.
