What To Watch: Title probabilities at stake all through Power Five

Halfway by means of the season, it is likely to be time for some College Football Playoff elimination video games.

Ranked showdowns between undefeated groups within the Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences all have big CFP implications this weekend.

No. 5 Michigan heads to No. 10 Penn State with the winner hoping to maintain tempo with third-ranked Ohio State within the Big Ten.

No. 8 Oklahoma State visits No. 13 TCU with the winner remaining among the many prime Big 12 groups in line for the league’s title recreation.

The greatest recreation of all is likely to be within the SEC the place No. 3 Alabama travels to No. 6 Tennessee. Neither needs to stumble with loads of ranked opponents left on the schedule.

The Pac 12 has undefeated No. 6 Southern Cal at No. 20 Utah, the convention’s greatest guess for a CFP berth when the season started.

In all, there are six ranked-vs.-ranked matchups in Week 7, together with No. 15 North Carolina State at No. 18 Syracuse and No. 16 Mississippi State at No. 22 Kentucky.

The What to Watch rundown for Week 7 of the school soccer season, offered by Regions Bank:

BEST GAME

No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee. Nick Saban’s protection vs. Josh Heupel’s offense. QBs Bryce Young and Hendon Hooker in a showcase. This one appears to have all of it

Alabama and No. 1 Georgia have swapped spots on the prime of the SEC the previous few years. But Heupel and the Vols are making a run at each. They might take an enormous step by beating Saban and the Crimson Tide, who’ve gained 15 straight within the sequence.

The recreation ought to function two main Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterbacks in Alabama’s Young and Tennessee’s Hooker. Saban is optimistic that Young, final season’s Heisman Trophy winner, will likely be again this week. Hooker is finishing 70% of his throws to steer the SEC’s prime scoring offense.

On protection, Will Anderson Jr. is tearing up Alabama’s opponents whereas Byron Young is doing the identical for Tennessee. Anderson has 5 sacks this season and Young is shut behind with 3.5.

HEISMAN WATCH

Caleb Williams, QB, Southern Cal, The sophomore’s determination to observe coach Lincoln Riley out West is wanting higher and higher every week.

Williams has thrown for 1,590 yards and 14 touchdowns towards just one interception. The Trojans closest name was a 17-14 win at Oregon State two weeks in the past, the place Williams’ late TD move to Jordan Addison was the distinction.

If Williams can get by Utah, he might shut the hole on Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, broadly thought-about the main Heisman contender.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

8.0 — Points per recreation No. 24 Illinois has allowed this season to steer the nation. The Ilini protection has given up simply three touchdowns in six video games, which additionally leads the nation.

12 — Consecutive victories by No. 4 Clemson because the finish of the season, the longest win streak in Division I. The Tigers head to Florida State on Saturday evening.

14 — Years since No. 19 Kansas has been bowl eligible, one thing it could actually accomplish for the primary time since 2008 as early as this weekend with a visit to Oklahoma.

44 — Seasons since a workforce in its first yr transitioning from FCS to FBS was ranked within the AP Top 25. No. 25 James Madison of the Sun Belt Conference is 5-0.

.958 — The share of journeys contained in the 20 yard line that No. 18 Syracuse has scored on this season. The Orange have gotten factors on 23 of 24 occasions within the crimson zone this season. The lone time they didn’t was once they kneeled 3 times there to shut out a 59-0 win over Wagner.

UNDER THE RADAR

Arkansas (3-3) at BYU (4-2).

What a distinction a month makes. After three weeks of the season, the Razorbacks had been ranked tenth and the Cougars nineteenth. Three weeks later, each groups are out of the ballot with with Arkansas having misplaced three straight and BYU dropping two of its final 4.

It seems like Arkansas could have quarterback KJ Jefferson again after he missed final week’s loss at Mississippi State.

HOT SEAT

Bryan Harsin, Auburn

It looks like Harsin has held the following ticket on the deli counter for the previous few weeks as Auburn’s season has devolved.

The Tigers are 3-3 after a 42-10 blowout by No. 1 Georgia. They face one other juggernaut in No. 9 Ole Miss this week as they attempt to keep away from a 3rd straight SEC loss.

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