2014 season preview: Five games to watch in week 7
The college football offseason is long and arduous, but its end is almost in sight. We’re going to take a look at five games you have to look forward to for every weekend of the season. (This is also a handy guide to decide how to RSVP for any autumn weddings.)
All times are Eastern and all games are played on Saturday unless otherwise noted.
These games take place the weekend of October 11.
Previously: Week One (August 30) ~ Week Two (September 6) ~ Week Three (September 13) ~ Week Four (September 20) ~ Week Five (September 27) ~ Week Six (October 4)
Oregon at UCLA (TBD)
Two PAC-12 division favorites, two potential playoff contenders and two quarterbacks who could easily go near the top of next year’s NFL draft. UCLA went into Autzen last year as the twelfth-ranked team in the nation and made it to the half tied at 14, but the Ducks blanked them 28-0 after the break on their way to a blowout win. This Bruins team may have lost defensive lynchpins Jordan Zumwalt and Anthony Barr, but they’re deeper and get the Ducks at home. Quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley combined for a smooth 75 touchdowns in 2013, although both lose their leading 2013 receivers. Both teams, however, return four of their five offensive linemen and their top tailbacks.
Texas vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas, TBD)
Last year’s Red River Shootout (please do not call it the Rivalry) was almost surely the low point of an Oklahoma season that included 11 wins, a Sugar Bowl upset over Alabama, a victory at Notre Dame and a regular season finale that denied rival Oklahoma State a BCS bid. (It was without question the highlight for a Texas team that ditched its head coach at the season’s end.) The main problem for Oklahoma in the 30-26 loss was quarterback Blake Bell, who went 12 of 26 for 133 yards and two interceptions, but Bell has given way to Trevor Knight, whose slicing and dicing of the Tide has Sooner fans thinking championship. Texas is also without their starter from last year’s state fair showdown, with senior David Ash (who’s had some issues with injuries throughout his burnt orange career) or sophomore Tyrone Swoopes likely to be replacing Case McCoy. Prior to last season’s upset, Oklahoma had won the last three in this series by a combined score of 146-58.
TCU at Baylor (TBD)
A tricky game in a tricky stretch for Baylor, who looks to be in a season-long race with Oklahoma for the conference crown. The Bears will be in the middle of an at Iowa State, at Texas, TCU, at West Virginia run that will be Baylor’s only test before dealing with the Oklahoma schools in November. Last year’s game summed up TCU’s snake-bitten 2013 season: Two pick sixes by Casey Pachall and a third interception thrown from inside field goal range in the waning moments of a 41-38 loss. Despite the gaudy totals they allowed, Baylor’s defense was sneaky efficient last year, ranking 27th in DFEI, but they lose seven starters including playmakers Eddie Lackey and Ahmad Dixon.
Auburn at Mississippi State (TBD)
There are a number of teams this preseason that you look at in a vacuum and say, “Hmm, they could definitely make some noise. Why aren’t more people talking about them?” Then you look at their schedule and realize who making noise would require beating. For the Bulldogs (and their rival Rebels, for that matter), it means working your way through a division that’s produced four of the last six BCS title game participants and added the growing power in College Station. With road games at LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss, this is the biggest potential home win for Dan Mullen. Mississippi State had this game won last year on The Plains, but Nick Marshall found C.J. Uzomah for the go-ahead score with just 10 seconds remaining to steal one. The Bulldogs did well in containing the spread attack, although it was early in the season before the offense got turned up to 11.
Penn State at Michigan (7:00 p.m.)
A rematch of last season’s wacky and weird four-overtime game, a 43-40 Nittany Lion win that marked their fourth straight victory in the series. The two teams combined for 68 points in regulation but missed kicks and ugly offense resulted in just 15 points in the extra frames, the final six coming on a Bill Belton touchdown run. That game started an ugly slide for the Wolverines, who took a 5-0 record to State College and won only two games the rest of the season on the way to a 7-6 final record. This is likely the biggest home game of the season for Brady Hoke’s squad, who play Ohio State, Michigan State and Notre Dame on the road while dealing with declining student ticket sales and a Board of Regents not particularly enamored with athletic director Dave Brandon. The Wolverines’ depth (particularly in the front seven) should be an advantage, but they will be playing their seventh game in as many weeks while Penn State has sandwiched their trip to Ann Arbor between two byes.
Other games to consider:
BYU at Central Florida (7:30 p.m., Thursday)
Cincinnati at Miami (FL) (TBD)
The American conference was struggling to get respect last year even with Louisville, and now with the Cardinals departure it’s only going to be tougher for them to get into the playoff conversation. Two nice opportunities here, as reigning league champions UCF host BYU and the Bearcats travel to Miami.
Louisville at Clemson (TBD)
In the future (or even in the present should Florida State severely disappoint in 2014), this will be a key game in the ACC Atlantic Division. For now, it’s just the first meeting between two programs who’ve been among the most consistent in college football the last few years.
USC at Arizona (TBD)
When the Trojans ventured to Tucson in 2012 they did so at 6-1 and as the no. 10 team in the country. They lost 39-36, blowing a 28-13 third quarter lead that started a 1-5 spiral to end the season. This will also serve as a reunion for new Wildcats quarterback Jesse Scroggins, a USC transfer.
LSU at Florida (TBD)
Consecutive road games at Auburn and Gainesville do not make a fun stretch for the Tigers. Florida is coming off a road game of their own against rebuilding Tennessee and should they be unable to prevail against the Vols, this might not be the most welcoming crowd for Will Muschamp. If this is anything like most of the previous editions, expect a relatively close, offense-optional rock fight.
Ole Miss at Texas A&M (TBD)
The Rebels had a couple classics against Johnny Manziel, coming out on the wrong side of 30-27 and 41-38 decisions over the last two years. Due to a scheduling quirk, both of those games were in Oxford, so this will be the first time the Aggies host Ole Miss in an SEC game.
Georgia at Missouri (TBD)
If you’re of the belief that the SEC East is a two-way race between Georgia and South Carolina and you’re also of the belief that Missouri is going to have a backslide from their 2013 high then this becomes something of a must-win for the Bulldogs. The Tigers won 41-36 in Athens last year.
North Carolina at Notre Dame (3:30 p.m.)
Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson was originally committed to play both quarterback and point guard in Chapel Hill while UNC tailback Elijah Hood was an outspoken Notre Dame commit before flipping to his home-state Tar Heels. Both teams have put together talented backfield combinations despite the flips.
