10 quick things to know ahead of Saturday's college football slate
There's plenty to keep an eye on as Week 8 of the 2023 college football season kicks off. Here's what you need to know as the season rolls into late October.
Which offense breaks through in Penn State's visit to Ohio State?
No. 7 Penn State enters Columbus as a 4.5-point underdog to the No. 3 Buckeyes as both teams boast fantastic defenses. Which offense can break through for a big play? Penn State’s offense has been struggling to find an explosive gear so far this season, while Ohio State has been dealing with injuries. It looks better for WR Emeka Egbuka and RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams to play against PSU after they were out against Purdue. Penn State, meanwhile, will be looking for a big game from QB Drew Allar. He’s completing 65% of his passes and has thrown 12 TDs without an interception so far this season.
Joe Milton's big test in Tuscaloosa
Saturday would be a fine time for Tennessee QB Joe Milton to have his best game of the 2023 season. Expectations for Milton were sky-high after he was fantastic at the end of the 2022 season following Hendon Hooker’s knee injury. But Milton is averaging fewer than seven yards a pass attempt and has thrown for 339 yards on 54 pass attempts over his last two games. If No. 17 Tennessee pulls the upset at No. 11 Alabama, it’ll be because of a big game from its quarterback.
Will Duke have Riley Leonard against the Seminoles?
The biggest question entering No. 4 Florida State’s home game against No. 16 Duke is the availability of Riley Leonard. The Duke QB suffered an ankle injury at the end of the Blue Devils’ emotional loss to Notre Dame and didn’t play in Duke’s easy win over NC State in Week 7. Duke coach Mike Elko has maintained there’s a “chance” Leonard plays Saturday, and it’s much easier to see Duke giving FSU a scare if Leonard is on the field.
Washington State heads to Oregon after back-to-back losses
Washington State visits No. 9 Oregon after both teams lost in Week 7. By now, you know the Ducks lost a close one to Washington after a missed last-second field goal. Washington State’s game was not close. The Cougars were blown out at home by Arizona. Another loss for Wazzu ends the Cougars’ hopes of a Pac-12 title game appearance, while Oregon is out of the national title picture with a loss. Oddsmakers aren’t confident the Ducks are losing, however. Oregon is a 20-point favorite.
Air Force won't have QB Zac Larrier against Navy
No. 22 Air Force has been the best Group of Five team in the country but enters its game against Navy without QB Zac Larrier. Coach Troy Calhoun said this week that Larrier would “likely be out for a while” after suffering a knee injury in the Falcons’ win over Wyoming in Week 7. Larrier has run Air Force’s triple-option offense excellently so far this season but was forced to leave the 34-27 win in the fourth quarter. Jensen Jones replaced Larrier against the Cowboys and is likely to get the start against the Midshipmen.
UCLA's Dante Moore needs a good game against a Pac-12 opponent
No. 25 UCLA heads to Stanford in Saturday’s nightcap and the Bruins could use a solid game from QB Dante Moore. The five-star freshman has struggled in Pac-12 play as opposing defenses have taken advantage of his inexperience. Moore has thrown six interceptions over the past three games and hasn’t completed greater than 50% of his passes in any of the three.
Auburn hosts Ole Miss as it looks to avoid an 0-4 SEC start
No. 13 Ole Miss visits Auburn in Hugh Freeze’s second game against his old employer. The Tigers are 0-3 in the SEC and will be just one of two winless teams in the SEC West with a loss on Saturday night. Ole Miss, meanwhile, needs a win to stay in the mix for the SEC West — and College Football Playoff — race and is looking for consecutive victories over Auburn for the first time since the 1950s.
It'll be a struggle to score points (again) in Iowa City
If you thought Iowa’s win over Wisconsin in Week 7 was great because it was ugly, you should be extremely excited for the No. 24 Hawkeyes’ game against Minnesota. The over/under for this one (31.5) is lower than it was for Iowa’s 15-6 win over the Badgers as Minnesota’s offense has been nearly as bad as Iowa’s this year. Gophers QB Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown for just 797 yards through the first half of the season. He’s averaging fewer yards per pass (5.9) than leading rusher Darius Taylor is per carry (6.1).
Oklahoma State's trip to West Virginia is meaningful in the Big 12
We’d have laughed uproariously if you told us that Oklahoma State's visit to West Virginia would be a significant game in the Big 12 race after the Cowboys lost 33-7 at home to South Alabama in Week 3. But it’s true. The winner of this game will be tied for second in what’s been a confusing conference through the first half of the season.
Northwestern and Nebraska aim to get above .500
Both Northwestern and Nebraska are 1-2 in the Big Ten West but their matchup Saturday is huge for bowl eligibility for two programs that would be very happy with a six-win season. Northwestern is 3-3, thanks to an improbable comeback win earlier in the season against Minnesota, while Nebraska is .500 after beating Illinois two weeks ago. Given each team’s remaining schedules, the loser is unlikely to make a bowl game while the winner is two victories away from the postseason.
