Week 9 of the college football season is here. This is your guide to some of the biggest games under the lights this weekend.
We’re officially on the back end of the college football season with just a few more weeks until bowl season. Conferences are starting to take definite shape and the Top 25 is a battle zone when it comes to position for the College Football Playoff. So let’s take a look at some games to keep an eye on this weekend. As usual, all games are listed in eastern time.
Over in the Big 12, the Kansas Jayhawks will travel to Norman to face Bob Stoops and the No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners. Last week, the Sooners picked up a 66-59 Tecmo Bowl-style win over Texas Tech. It was a game where neither defense bothered to show up, as the Sooners gave up 854 total yards, with 734 of that coming through the air.
The Jayhawks have lost 16 straight Big 12 games, including 11 straight vs. Oklahoma. They’ve also given up a staggering 125 turnovers this season, which is a recipe for disaster in Sooner country. You can watch the game on FS1, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday night.
Unbeaten No. 7 Nebraska will put their team to a big test on Saturday, as they head to Madison to taken on No. 11 Wisconsin. The Badgers have been matched up with five top-10 teams so far this season, and that grueling schedule has done a number on the team’s health. Inside linebacker Jack Cichy is done for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. He leads the team in tackles with 60, so this is a big hit to their defense.
Nebraska however, is off to their best start in 15 seasons. The last time the Cornhuskers were in Madison, 19 players were on the field at some point and head coach Bo Pelini ended up fired two weeks later. So this should be a very interesting confrontation this time around. ESPN will carry the broadcast at 7:00 p.m.
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The big game this week goes to the SEC on Saturday night. In a huge road test, No. 3 Clemson heads south to face No. 12 Florida State. The Tigers haven’t won in Tallahassee since 2006, so they have plenty of fire built up for this one.
They do have a bit of a cushion over the Seminoles in the Atlantic Division, but the rivalry is still evident. Florida State is coming off a much-needed bye week, as running back Wayne Gallman looks ready to start following a concussion on October 15 against North Carolina State. ABC will have the broadcast beginning at 8:00 p.m.