A momentous week in college football saw lots of movement in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, with Georgia taking command of the top spot and perennial playoff teams like Clemson and Alabama seemingly falling out of the race. While most of the top playoff contenders won’t likely be seriously challenged this weekend, we’re blessed with an abundance of fascinating games outside the playoff picture that have high stakes of their own. Conference rivalries, up-and-coming coaches trying to prove themselves, Heisman candidates looking to make an impression, all of that and more are on the menu for Week 11 and we’re here to show you where to aim your remote.
Tulane vs. UCF (3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2):
Two of the best teams in college football outside the Power 5 meet in a game that could be a preview of the AAC title game. Willie Fritz’s Tulane squad has put together a nearly flawless season outside of a bizarre loss to Southern Miss and has been one of the most balanced and complete teams in college football but they’ll face a serious challenge in Gus Malzahn’s explosive UCF offense.
Oregon vs. Washington (7 p.m. ET on FOX):
headed for a showdown with USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game but the next weeks will be a gauntlet for Oregon and will show us just how far they’ve come since the season opening disaster against Georgia. Bo Nix and the Oregon offense are playing some of the most fun offensive football in the country right now but Washington can push them into a shootout and that’s why we’ll have our TVs tuned to this one on Saturday night.
Wake Forest vs. North Carolina (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2):
Drake Maye has been one of the stories of the year in college football, piling up nearly 3,000 passing yards already in early November leading one of the most surprisingly dangerous offenses in the ACC. We’ve already seen Wake Forest take teams like Clemson to the wire and while they’re coming off a brutal loss to Louisville, the Deacs have plenty of reason to get up for this crosstown rivalry with real conference title implications.
Ole Miss vs. Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS):
Alabama is in a rare spot: effectively out of playoff contention with nearly a month of the season still to play. The Crimson Tide have Bryce Young’s magic but not much else to boast about on offense and with no championship to play for, it’s hard to know how motivated they’ll be for what was already going to be one of their most challenging games of the season. Lane Kiffin’s squad has had their own fair share of disappointments this year but beating Alabama would make 2022 an unqualified success for the Rebels and would be a career-defining moment for Kiffin.
Texas vs. TCU (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC):
By far the most consequential game of the weekend, TCU hangs on the precipice of a playoff appearance after a stunningly perfect season. Now they have to finish the job and that means going through Austin. This Texas team is far from perfect but they’ve shown at times that they can be a terrifying team to deal with, especially when their quarterback (whoever it may be at the time) is feeling it. Can Steve Sarkisian derail the Horned Frogs’ fairy tale season?