College football Week 6 viewing guide: Florida State and Jimbo Fisher
Viewing guide
Lamest time window: Late. The best games are spread out well, but the primetime matchups seem likely to be the most lopsided.
Noon: No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 3 Texas (ABC) meet as undefeated teams for the first time since 2011. Also keep an eye on whether 5-0 Maryland can at least scare No. 4 Ohio State (Fox).
3:30: The winner of No. 11 Alabama at Texas A&M (CBS) becomes the frontrunner in the SEC West. No. 14 North Carolina (ESPN) can secure its first 5-0 start since 1997 by beating 4-1 Syracuse (ESPN).
4: Considering Florida’s recent struggles, the Gators are in for their biggest game against Vanderbilt (SEC Network) in years. USF can win back-to-back road conference games for the first time since 2016 by topping UAB (ESPN2).
7: No. 1 Georgia belongs on upset alert against No. 20 Kentucky (ESPN).
7:30: A win over Notre Dame would give unbeaten, untested No. 25 Louisville (ABC) eight consecutive home victories and its longest streak since 2000-01.
8: No. 24 Fresno State at Wyoming (Fox) would have College Football Playoff implications in a 12-team bracket. It’s just a sneaky-good game this year.
10:30: Arizona is one of four defenses without an interception. Good luck against Caleb Williams and No. 9 USC (ESPN).
Florida State’s growth
The Seminoles are one of only seven teams to score on all their red-zone possessions. FSU has only settled for a field goal on three of its 17 trips inside the 20. That’s significant improvement from last season, when FSU was 60th in red-zone success (84.9%) and stalled on too many drives.
FSU upset?
Two points if you want to talk yourself into Virginia Tech knocking off No. 5 FSU: The Hokies have won two of their last three against ranked Seminoles (Willie Taggart’s 2018 debut and the 2010 ACC championship); and Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve spent two years as FSU’s linebackers coach, so perhaps he knows the keys to slowing down Mike Norvell’s offense.
Alex Golesh vs. Trent Dilfer
USF at UAB pits two rookie college head coaches against each other — the Bulls’ Alex Golesh against former Bucs quarterback Trent Dilfer. Dilfer’s lone win came against North Carolina A&T in Week 1, while only four first-year coaches have more wins than Golesh (three): Louisville’s Jeff Brohm, Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell, UNLV’s Barry Odom and Texas State’s G.J. Kinne.
“GameDay” breakdown
The Red River Rivalry feels like an old-fashioned Big 12 shootout. UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel is completing 75.2% of his passes and is on track to break Oklahoma’s single-season record (70.9 set by Bucs starter Baker Mayfield). Texas’ Quinn Ewers has 10 touchdown passes with only one interception but faces a Sooners defense that leads the nation with 10 picks.
This week in Coach Prime…
Deion Sanders never lost consecutive games as a player at FSU but needs to win at Arizona State to avoid a three-game losing streak at Colorado. The Sun Devils have been banged up at quarterback, which makes an upset harder for former FSU assistant Kenny Dillingham. Expect Shedeur Sanders to light up a secondary that has allowed nine touchdown passes without recording an interception.
Locals of the week
Toledo receivers Jerjuan Newton (Clearwater Central Catholic) and Junior Vandeross III (Jesuit High)
Newton’s seven touchdown catches are tied for third nationally, while Vandeross’ fourth-quarter score last week was the difference in the Rockets’ two-point win over Northern Illinois. Toledo’s co-offensive coordinator (former Plant High coach Robert Weiner) should help them pad their numbers against lowly UMass.
Can UCF rebound at KU?
We ranked the Knights’ 28-point blown lead against Baylor among our five worst collapses in state history. Here’s how the other four fared the next week as UCF travels to Kansas:
2019 Florida State: After blowing an 18-point lead to Boise State, the Seminoles blew a 21-0 lead at home to Louisiana Monroe and needed a missed extra point in overtime to escape with a 45-44 win.
2003 Florida: The No. 19 Gators crushed Florida A&M by 60 points the week after Brock Berlin led Miami’s 23-point comeback at the Orange Bowl.
1984 Miami: The Hurricanes got a week off after blowing a 31-point lead against Maryland, then somehow suffered a worse loss: a 47-45 defeat to Boston College in the “Hail Flutie” game.
1994 Florida: The Gators got past the “Choke at Doak” with a comeback of their own in the SEC championship. After a double pass from Chris Doering to Aubrey Hill, Doering caught the go-ahead touchdown with 5:29 left, and an Eddie Lake interception sealed Florida’s 24-23 win over Alabama.
Jimbo Fisher’s evolution
Texas A&M’s offense is clicking under Jimbo Fisher and coordinator Bobby Petrino. The Aggies are averaging 38.6 points per game — Fisher’s highest figure since the 2013 Seminoles averaged 51.6 during their title run. Alabama’s defense is in the top 20 in scoring (14.2 points per game) and yards per play allowed (4.41).
Will Kentucky gash Georgia?
The Wildcats lead the nation with 14 rushes of at least 20 yards after gashing the Gators last week. Georgia’s defense, however, has only allowed two all season (tied for 11th). Whoever wins this game within the game will leave Athens as the SEC East favorite.
By the numbers: Week 6
9 — Passing touchdowns by Iowa State’s Rocco Becht (Wiregrass Ranch High), who is on track to break Brock Purdy’s school freshman record (16)
0 — Times Kentucky and Louisville both started 5-0 before this season
25 — Consecutive quarters Fresno State has scored in under former Bucs assistant Jeff Tedford
26-9 — Norvell’s career record with more than one week to prepare for an opponent. The Seminoles are coming off an open date this week
348 — Consecutive passes without an interception for Missouri’s Brady Cook (an SEC record)
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