Week 8 may not be filled with banger after banger like the Week 7 college football schedule was, but upsets and season changes can happen on any given weekend. There is certainly a possibility for that on Saturday.
Fresh off a devastating loss to Ohio State, No. 6 Indiana is scheduled to travel to Michigan, where it will face one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. Quarterback Josh Hoover appeared to injure his shoulder against the Buckeyes, but he was not listed on Wednesday night’s availability report. There is a lot of uncertainty at quarterback on the other side with the Wolverines starting as freshmen.
In Austin, there will be plenty of anxiety as No. 7 Ole Miss takes on No. 19 Texas. The Longhorns need a win in the worst way, but they’ll have to get one against one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Trinidad Chambliss. If Arch Manning struggles again this week, will Steve Sarkisian turn to KJ Lacey behind center?
Elsewhere in the country, Auburn will try to pull off a second straight upset with LSU coming to Jordan-Hare Stadium, and No. 15 Iowa will meet Minnesota in a battle for a 98-pound bronze pig.
With so much college football airing at once, we’ve created a viewer’s guide to help you prioritize your Saturday schedule.
No. 6 Indiana at Michigan – 12 p.m. on Fox, Fubo (try free): How does Indiana respond to a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State? How is freshman quarterback Tommy Carr playing in his first career start against the Hoosiers? The Wolverines picked up a much-needed win against Penn State last week, but that doesn’t mean their offensive woes are suddenly solved. The problem for Indiana is that Josh Hoover hasn’t been called upon the last two games, and he now has to hit the road to face a very good defense. This could be a low-scoring affair.
No. 18 LSU at Auburn – 12 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try free): LSU has lost eight straight road games. Auburn is 1-9 in its last 10 home games against top 25 opponents. Something has to give Saturday afternoon. After knocking off No. 1 Georgia, Auburn returns home to Jordan-Hare Stadium, and fans will be happy to reward that performance in Athens. Can Kiffin and his team finish on the road in a hostile environment – something they weren’t able to do in their two games away from Baton Rouge this fall? There must be some desperation for LSU because it can’t afford a third loss already.
No. 15 Iowa at Minnesota – 3:30 p.m. on FS1, Fubo (try for free): The Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers are playing for a 98-pound bronze hog this weekend. That should be enough to sell you on this game, but there are intrigues beyond the price of pork. Iowa is off to a tremendous start and the offense was extremely effective with Jeremy Hecklinski at quarterback against Washington. Minnesota has a chance to get to 3-1 in conference play with a home win, but the Golden Gophers have been inconsistent so far.
No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas – 7:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try free): Wrinkling could reach an all-time high in Austin this weekend. Texas is trying to avoid a third straight loss, but here comes seventh-ranked Ole Miss and Trinidad Chambliss. Arch Manning wasn’t benched, but KJ Lacey was will get more first team reps in training this week. Oh, and Colin Simmons is listed as questionable on the availability report. Still, the Longhorns are favored to win this game. If they manage to pull out a win, the schedule becomes a little more favorable for at least a few weeks.
NDSU at New Mexico – 10 p.m. on CW, Fubo (try free): Make a pot of coffee and stay up late for this one. Jason Eck is doing comedy skits to pack college stadium, and NDSU wants to make a huge statement on the road. Welcome to the new Mountain West. It’s a glorious league. The winner of this game will have the inside track to a conference title and should absolutely be considered for the College Football Playoff. And if the Lobos win, Eck’s notoriety will only increase among teams that might be looking for a new coach.
No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah – 10:15 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): One of two top 25 games this week, we have a late night banger at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Cougars are coming off a top-25 win over Oklahoma State, and they faced Texas Tech in Lubbock. Utes, on the other hand, haven’t exactly been tested yet. That will change on Saturday, and the matchup between Utah’s defense and Houston’s offense will be fascinating. The former looked shaky at times against Colorado and Kansas, but the latter stuttered against the best defenses on his schedule.
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