Preview Roundups
September 22, 2018
Buffalo at Rutgers 12:00 PM ET
Relying mostly on the running game would appear to be the best option for Rutgers to have any chance of coming away victorious from Saturday's non-conference game against visiting Buffalo. The Scarlet Knights were done in by poor quarterback play and bad defense in yet another embarrassing defeat last week, but they should be able to find success on the ground against the unbeaten Bulls.
Minnesota at Maryland 12:00 PM ET
Minnesota has reeled off 14 straight nonconference wins after
last week’s 26-3 thumping of Miami (Ohio), but Big Ten success hasn’t been as
easy to come by. The Golden Gophers have gone 9-17 in conference play over the last
three seasons and are hoping for better results, starting Saturday when they
kick off their Big Ten schedule at Maryland.
Nebraska at Michigan 12:00 PM ET
No. 21 Michigan looks to make it three wins in a row when it hosts Nebraska in the Big Ten opener for both teams on Saturday. The Wolverines bounced back from a Week 1 defeat to eighth-ranked Notre Dame by besting Western Michigan (49-3) and SMU (45-20) to extend their non-conference home winning streak to 10 games. They are searching for their 12th win in their last 13 Big Ten openers as they meet Nebraska for the first time since 2013.
Akron at Iowa State 12:00 PM ET
The optimism that was building among the Iowa State faithful following its most successful season since 2000 has stalled thanks to a pair of 10-point losses to undefeated teams. The Cyclones hope to get in the win column before jumping back into Big 12 play Saturday when they host Akron.
Boston College at Purdue 12:00 PM ET
Boston College is nationally ranked for the first time in nearly 10 years and it will try to keep the hot start going when it visits a desperate Purdue squad Saturday afternoon. The 25th-ranked Eagles weathered the onset of Hurricane Florence and the Wake Forest crowd with a wild 41-34 win last Thursday in North Carolina, improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2007.
Notre Dame at Wake Forest 12:00 PM ET
Notre Dame takes to the road for the first time this season and puts its undefeated record on the line Saturday at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are coming off their first loss of the season but will be well-rested after their Week 3 game was played last Thursday.
Ohio at Cincinnati 12:00 PM ET
Ohio and Cincinnati will renew their in-state rivalry when they meet for the first time in 37 years on Saturday at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Bearcats have been impressive so far, knocking off UCLA and Miami (Ohio) on the road to start the season, then blowing out Alabama A&M at home last weekend.
Navy at Southern Methodist 12:00 PM ET
Navy has plenty of room for improvement in all phases of its game, according to coach Ken Niumatalolo, as it visits SMU on Saturday in an American Athletic Conference game. The Midshipmen ran wild for 484 yards in a 51-21 victory over FCS member Lehigh last week but it's the passing attack -- namely behind junior quarterback Malcolm Perry -- that appears to be holding them back.
Kent State at Mississippi 12:00 PM ET
Ole Miss will try to put the disappointment of last week's beating behind when it hosts Kent State on Saturday. "It's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you can get back up," Rebels coach Matt Luke told the media Monday. "(We need) the resilience to get up off the mat and go prepare."
Georgia at Missouri 12:00 PM ET
Third-ranked Georgia has looked every bit the national championship contender through three games - although two were against overmatched opponents – but is wary of what awaits at Missouri on Saturday. Tigers quarterback Drew Lock is one of the more prolific passers in the nation and showed that last season against the Bulldogs by throwing for four touchdowns in a defeat - and Missouri has not lost a regular-season game since, recording nine straight victories.
Pittsburgh at North Carolina 12:20 PM ET
Pittsburgh was determined to make up for an embarrassing loss on national television against Penn State in Week 2 and did so with a strong performance against Georgia Tech. When the Panthers visit North Carolina on Saturday in its home opener, the Tar Heels are hoping to do the same after a humiliating 41-19 loss to East Carolina on Sept. 8 followed by a cancellation of last week's game against Central Florida due to Hurricane Florence.
Louisville at Virginia 12:30 PM ET
Malik Cunningham will make his first start of the season at quarterback for Louisville as the Cardinals travel to Virginia in ACC opener for both schools. Cunningham has come off the bench in the last two games, rallying the Cardinals to come-from-behind victories in both.
Kansas at Baylor 3:30 PM ET
Fourth-year Kansas coach David Beaty won a total of three games in his first three years as Jayhawks head coach. He can match that total in the span of just three weeks with a win in Saturday afternoon's Big 12 Conference opener at Baylor.
Kansas State at West Virginia 3:30 PM ET
Coming off an unscheduled bye week courtesy of Hurricane
Florence, 13th-ranked West Virginia returns to action Saturday by
hosting Kansas State. The contest will serve as the Big 12 Conference opener
for both teams.
Clemson at Georgia Tech 3:30 PM ET
Second-ranked Clemson’s quest for a fourth consecutive ACC crown begins when it opens conference play against host Georgia Tech on Saturday. Clemson has won three straight meetings and is trying to match its longest winning streak in the series, but the home team has won eight of the last nine matchups.
North Carolina Central at Duke 3:30 PM ET
In what should amount to a tune-up for a pivotal ACC Coastal showdown next week, Duke will take on instate rival North Central Central on Saturday in non-conference action. Backup quarterback Quentin Harris should be able to gain some valuable experience for the Blue Devils, who can start 4-0 for the sixth time by continuing their domination of the Eagles of the FCS.
Northern Illinois at Florida State 3:30 PM ET
The disappointment with its listless start to the season will hit a new level if Florida State doesn’t take care of visiting Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Seminoles are off to an uninspiring start under first-year coach Willie Taggart, whose team was routed 30-7 at Syracuse last week to drop to 0-2 in ACC play.
Florida International at Miami 3:30 PM ET
No. 20 Miami returns home from a 49-24 victory over Toledo to kick off a three-game homestand with a visit from crosstown foe Florida International. The Panthers and Hurricanes have met just twice before -- both Miami victories -- but the rivalry got off to an emotional start in 2006, when 13 players (eight FIU, five Miami) were ejected due to a bench-clearing brawl in the third quarter.
Virginia Tech at Old Dominion 3:30 PM ET
Following an unexpected bye week, No. 10 Virginia Tech returns to action Saturday against host Old Dominion, which is 0-3 for the first time since reinstating its program in 2009. Virginia Tech opened the season with victories over Florida State and William & Mary before having last Saturday’s game against East Carolina canceled due to Hurricane Florence.
Tulane at Ohio State 3:30 PM ET
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will be back on the sidelines as the No. 4 Buckeyes host Tulane in a nonconference tilt on Saturday. Meyer served a three-game suspension related to his handling of domestic abuse allegations against recently fired assistant Zach Smith and Ohio State thrived without Meyer by averaging 56.3 points and 608.7 yards in his absence.
Texas A&M at Alabama 3:30 PM ET
Alabama coach Nick Saban has never lost to a former assistant and looks to keep that mark intact when the top-ranked Crimson Tide host Jimbo Fisher and No. 22 Texas A&M in an SEC battle on Saturday. Fisher served as LSU offensive coordinator under Saban from 2000-04 and aims to dent Saban's 12-0 mark against former pupils.
Arizona at Oregon State 4:00 PM ET
Khalil Tate and the Arizona offense will try to stay on a roll heading into their Pac-12 opener Saturday afternoon at Oregon State. After a slow start to his much heralded junior season, Tate threw for a career-high 349 yards and five touchdowns last week in a 62-31 win against visiting Southern Utah, the only team the Wildcats and Beavers have beaten this season.
Connecticut at Syracuse 4:00 PM ET
Coming off one of its biggest wins this century, Syracuse aims to remain undefeated Saturday when former Big East rival Connecticut visits the Carrier Dome. The Orange improved to 3-0 last weekend with a convincing 30-7 triumph over Florida State but have not started 4-0 since 1991.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt 4:00 PM ET
Do not count coach Derek Mason as one who was satisfied with Vanderbilt's near-upset last week at Notre Dame, and he made clear his team’s purpose entering Saturday’s SEC opener against visiting South Carolina. The Commodores, who seek to win their conference opener for the first time since 2011, dropped a 22-17 decision to the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish after rallying from a 13-point, second-quarter deficit.
Texas Christian at Texas 4:30 PM ET
TCU stumbled at a neutral site in its big test against a top-10 opponent last week, and the schedule is not getting any easier. The 17th-ranked Horned Frogs will try to bounce back when they open Big 12 play by visiting resurgent Texas on Saturday.
Army at Oklahoma 7:00 PM ET
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray may not spend much more time playing college football, but he may have to put his next career on hold if he continues to match and exceed the standard he has already set for himself. Coming off consecutive games of 300-plus yards and three passing touchdowns, the two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week will attempt to lead his fifth-ranked Sooners to a fourth straight victory Saturday when they host Army.
NC State at Marshall 7:00 PM ET
North Carolina State and Marshall should have an abundance of energy when they meet Saturday in Huntington, W.Va., since the undefeated teams had their games cancelled last week because of Hurricane Florence. N.C. State's chance to see where it stood against No. 13 West Virginia was washed away after opening the season with victories over Georgia State and FCS member James Madison by a combined 65-20.
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State 7:00 PM ET
If history is any indication, there will be a lot of points scored Saturday when No. 15 Oklahoma State hosts Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener for both teams. The Cowboys got contributions from all three phases in their win against No. 24 Boise State last week while Red Raiders quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 605 yards - most by a freshman in Big 12 history and six shy of the all-time national freshman record - and five touchdowns in a 63-49 win last weekend over Houston.
Mississippi State at Kentucky 7:00 PM ET
Mississippi State put up some big numbers during non-conference play and looks like a team that can contend with the likes of Alabama, Auburn and LSU, though it has yet to truly be tested. The 24th-ranked Bulldogs will get their first test against SEC competition when they visit Kentucky on Saturday in the conference opener.
Louisiana Tech at Louisiana State 7:00 PM ET
Few teams played a schedule in the first three weeks as tough as No. 6 LSU, and the Tigers survived unscathed. LSU will try to avoid a letdown and keep its perfect record intact when it hosts Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
Florida at Tennessee 7:00 PM ET
Florida and Tennessee will battle under the lights Saturday as the Volunteers open their SEC slate at home against the rival Gators. Both schools come off resounding victories -- Florida shut down Colorado State 48-10 and Tennessee blanked UTEP 24-0 -- but they are rebuilding under new head coaches and seek their first victory of the season over a Power 5 opponent.
Michigan State at Indiana 7:30 PM ET
Michigan State looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it travels to face unbeaten Indiana on Saturday night in the Big Ten opener for both squads. The No. 23 Spartans have had a week off since falling at Arizona State 16-13, while the Hoosiers are coming off a home rout of Ball State 38-10.
Arkansas at Auburn 7:30 PM ET
No. 11 Auburn gets a break from its tough early-season schedule when it hosts struggling Arkansas in an SEC matchup on Saturday. Auburn already has faced two teams currently ranked in the top 12, splitting those showdowns.
Stanford at Oregon 8:00 PM ET
After cruising through the non-conference portion of its schedule, No. 19 Oregon takes a step up in competition Saturday when the Ducks host Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Love and seventh-ranked Stanford. Love missed last week’s win over UC Davis with an undisclosed injury but is expected to start against Oregon, which ranks fifth nationally in rushing defense at 1.96 yards per carry.
East Carolina at South Florida 8:00 PM ET
South Florida hopes to avoid needing another fourth-quarter comeback and remain unbeaten when it hosts well-rested East Carolina in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday. USF has scored 39 unanswered points in the final quarter of the last two contests, rallying from 10 down to beat Georgia Tech at home before scoring 18 points in the final 15 minutes to beat Illinois 25-19 in Chicago last week.
Texas Southern at Houston 8:00 PM ET
Houston's preparation for Saturday's home game against cross-town foe Texas Southern may be a turning point for the Cougars. This week's game is followed by an off week before American Athletic Conference play starts and the Cougars want to sure up their defense before then.
South Alabama at Memphis 8:00 PM ET
Memphis looks to stay unbeaten at home this season when it welcomes South Alabama for a non-conference contest Saturday night. The Tigers have averaged 62.5 points in two wins at home this year compared to tallying 21 points in a road loss, while the Jaguars are hoping to build momentum off last week’s 41-31 win over Texas State for their first victory of the season.
Wisconsin at Iowa 8:35 PM ET
No. 16 Wisconsin looks to bounce back from its first regular-season loss in almost two years when it opens Big Ten play on the road Saturday against Iowa in the Battle for the Heartland Trophy. The Badgers tumbled out of the Top 10 following a 24-21 loss to BYU last week, which ended their non-conference home winning streak at 41 games, and they hope to recover from the disappointment by beating the Hawkeyes for the sixth time in seven meetings.
Arizona State at Washington 10:30 PM ET
Arizona State recorded a memorable upset of Washington last season and the No. 12 Huskies will be looking to exact some payback when they host the Sun Devils on Saturday in Pac-12 play. Washington was 6-0 and a 17-point road favorite when it was handed a crushing 13-7 setback last October that all but doused its College Football Playoff hopes.