Honesty, despite what Billy Joel said, is not a lonely word. It is in fact our first priority in this weekly preview.
We must therefore be truthful from the outset and make it immediately clear to you, our loyal readers, that the upcoming college football Saturday is unlikely to be quite as eventful as the last one. That’s admittedly a high bar; the Week 7 slate featured six ranked matchups, while there are a mere two on the schedule in Week 8.
College football picks: Texas or Ole Miss? Week 8 predictions for Top 25 games
Of course, if we’ve learned one thing from watching this sport over so many years, it’s that chaos can happen any time. With all that said then, here are the games most worthy of attention this Saturday.
No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 18 Texas
- Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
- Why watch: The prime-time pairing looked better on paper earlier in the month, but its outcome will still matter in the story arc of the season. Just two weeks removed from holding the No. 1 ranking, the Longhorns are now in desperation mode hoping to end a two-game skid. Naturally, a red-hot Ole Miss squad has other notions. The Rebels have won their last two in decisive fashion and are back in the top 10. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, always a threat to take off himself, can also make use of a dazzling array of weapons including WR Deuce Alexander and TE Caleb Odom. The Texas defense will have to keep him bottled up, and must do so without DE Colin Simmons (ankle). Longhorns QB Arch Manning has not been nearly as sharp of late, and his top RB Hollywood Smothers might also not be available. LB Luke Ferrelli and the Ole Miss defense can struggle away from home but turned in a dominant performance against Missouri last week.
- Why it could disappoint: It shouldn’t. Longhorns’ games for the most part have come down to the wire win or lose, but an Ole Miss romp isn’t entirely out of the question if Chambliss starts fast.
No. 16 Houston at No. 9 Utah
- Time/TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN.
- Why watch: A potential Big 12 After Dark treat closes out the day. The Utes are one of three league squads as yet unscathed, but the Cougars are just a game off the pace and could still be a factor in the conference. Utah QB Devon Dampier is a seasoned veteran who makes few mistakes. His primary weapons are WR Braden Pegan and RB Wayshawn Parker. Houston QB Conner Weigman is also an experienced hand, with WR Amare Thomas and TE Patrick Overmyer most often finishing drives. The Utes’ defense has the statistical edge, with LBs Trey Reynolds and Elijah Elliss frequently winding up wherever the ball goes, but the Cougars have takeaway threats like DB Jordan Allen.
- Why it could disappoint: Utah’s last two wins weren’t exactly convincing, but Houston has already been involved in a couple of nail biters. A rout either way seems unlikely.
No. 6 Indiana at Michigan
- Time/TV: Noon ET, Fox.
- Why watch: It’s a travel day for several ranked Big Ten squads. The Hoosiers kick things off in the Big Noon slot once again as they look to shake off their narrow loss to Ohio State. The Wolverines aren’t exactly celebrating after squeaking by Penn State, but their defense keeps them in most games. That unit, featuring LBs Troy Bowles and Nathaniel Staehling, turns its attention to keeping Indiana QB Josh Hoover and RB Turbo Richard under wraps. Hoover of course has big-play WRs Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh in his arsenal as well, and they’d like to get points on the board as quickly as possible. Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t officially saying so but is expected to start freshman Tommy Carr at QB in place of struggling Bryce Underwood. Carr’s best attribute is that he hasn’t turned the ball over, but Hoosiers DB Amare Ferrell could change that.
- Why it could disappoint: The quarterback change alone isn’t likely to ignite a scoreboard barrage for the Wolverines. Michigan’s wins this season haven’t been aesthetic masterpieces, but a slog is the best hope for fourth-quarter suspense.
No. 14 Iowa at Minnesota
- Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FS1.
- Why watch: Our next stop on the Big Ten road tour is the Twin Cities, where the Golden Gophers, having reclaimed the Little Brown Jug from Michigan earlier, now hope to secure the coveted Floyd of Rosedale trophy. The bronze pig has lived in Iowa City for the last two years, and the Hawkeyes hope to bring it back home with them once again. Known as a defense-first operation under the lengthy tenure of coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa actually has a competent offense this year, with two signal callers capable of running it. QBs Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski have both generated points, with WRs Tony Diaz and Reece Vander Zee able to stretch the field. Minnesota LB Maverick Baranowski will lead the effort to oppose them. Gophers QB Drake Lindsey has also hit some big throws, though his group was largely neutralized two weeks ago at Purdue. The Hawkeyes can still defend a bit, of course, with LB Cam Buffington often around at the finish.
- Why it could disappoint: The Hawkeyes took the last two encounters in the Floyd series by a combined score of 72-17. Minnesota had shown signs of closing the gap this season, but that Purdue result was a major setback.
No. 15 USC at Wisconsin
- Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
- Why watch: We conclude the day in the B1G to look in on the Trojans, who kick off an extremely challenging stretch drive in which they will take on three league opponents currently ranked in the top 10. The Badgers are not among that highly rated trio but can be dangerous nonetheless. Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph wasn’t able to do much against UCLA last week on the road, but he might find the home environs and the Trojans’ still suspect defense more accommodating. USC QB Jayden Maiava and his young group of pass catchers took a while to click but are now putting up over 310 yards a game by air.
- Why it could disappoint: Notwithstanding its win at Penn State, Wisconsin hasn’t fared well against the Big Ten’s upper echelons. The Trojans might not qualify in that regard, but they do have the fire power to forge a big lead.
No. 17 LSU at Auburn
- Time/TV: Noon ET, ABC.
- Why watch: We’ll circle back to the SEC for this all-Tigers affair kicking off another busy day. The Bayou Bengals are coming off a whitewashing of a short-handed Mississippi State squad, but the Tigers of the Plains made an even bigger splash last week by taking down top-ranked and long-time nemesis Georgia on the road. Auburn QB Byrum Brown can be a one-man band at times, though he can also put the ball in harm’s way when looking for WRs Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod. LSU QB Sam Leavitt can be charitable as well, but he’s made better use of RB Dilin Jones in recent outings.
- Why it could disappoint: Auburn would seem to be the likelier candidate to be victimized by the SEC hangover effect. LSU had a much easier Saturday, but the Bayou Bengals’ road readiness is still a concern.
North Dakota State at New Mexico
- Time/TV: 10 p.m. ET, The CW.
- Why watch: We step outside the US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25 briefly to spotlight this important clash in the Mountain West. The Lobos, whose only loss was a close defensive battle with Oklahoma, are among the upper tier of Group of Six playoff candidates. But first they must get past the Bison, who are already bowl eligible in their first season at the sport’s highest level. NDSU can score in unconventional ways as they did last week against Nevada with a return of a missed field goal and a defensive two-point scoop. Usually though it’s QB Nathan Hayes producing the points, with help from WRs Jackson Williams and Mekhi Collins. New Mexico does a lot of its damage on the ground, with QB Toa Fa’avae handing off most often to RB Scottre Humphrey.
- Why it could disappoint: The Bison could be overmatched by the more seasoned FBS program, or the Lobos might still be feeling the effects of last week’s long trip to Hawaii. In truth, however, this probably won’t get away from either team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football Week 8 schedule looks quiet. Here's where chaos could strike