Massive Games Around the Country in College Football

As big matchups take place in the SEC this weekend, other pivotal games are taking place around the country that will shape the landscape of college football and the postseason. Penn State, Michigan, TCU and more.

No. 10 Penn State v. No. 5 Michigan

This game could drastically shape the Big 10 and the landscape of the College Football Playoff. Penn State and Michigan are two talented, undefeated teams that are chasing Big 10 conference leader, No. 2 Ohio State. Both teams have made easy work of unranked opponents up until this point, making this game a big step-up in competition for each squad.

A fundamental part of this game will be Michigan’s offensive productivity. Blake Corum, Michigan’s running back, has dominated the gridiron this season. Corum has 118 carries for 735 yards, ranking him third in the FBS in rushing. The explosive back has had a 19-plus-yard run in every game, and has found the end zone 11 times. However, the Nittany Lions’ defense will be the toughest challenge Corum and the Wolverines have faced. Penn State’s run defense has held opponents to only 79.6 yards per game, ranking them fifth in the FBS.

Alongside Corum, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy has shined through his first six starts. The sophomore leads the FBS in completion percentage (78%) and has thrown only one interception. The Nittany Lions’ defense, led by stud cornerbacks Ji’Ayir Brown and Joey Porter Jr., may put a halt to the hype train. Penn State has kept opposing QBs to a mere 49.6% completion rate, which leads the country. If Penn State hopes to pull off an upset in Ann Arbor, its defense will have to disrupt McCarthy and mitigate the red-hot Wolverine offense.

Taking things up a notch for Saturday#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/8Ktv4Ys4DL

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) October 10, 2022

Kickoff is set for noon on FOX.

No. 8 Oklahoma State v. No. 13 TCU

The Big 12 has been wild through the first half of the season. The conference’s recent powerhouses, Oklahoma and Baylor, are both unranked. The conference’s usual laughing stocks, Kansas and Kansas State, have only lost a single game each. And Texas, a two-loss team, is still the favorite to be conference champions.

This weekend’s featured matchup of Oklahoma State and TCU should hopefully clear up some confusion within the Big 12. Each team has an outstanding quarterback at the helm and have scored over 30 points in every game. TCU enters the game as four point favorites after back-to-back victories over top-20 teams in Oklahoma and Kansas. But, Oklahoma State’s quarterback Spencer Sanders will be a lot for the Horned Frogs to handle. Sanders, senior, is a dual-threat quarterback who leads the Big 12 with 327 total yards per game, 278 passing yards per game and 18 total touchdowns (12 passing, six rushing). The Cowboys have a skilled, dynamic offense that can put points on the scoreboard in a hurry.

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While Sanders and the Cowboys offense have been unstoppable thus far, TCU’s offense is just as explosive. The Horned Frogs’ QB Max Duggan, holds a 73% completion rate and has 17 total touchdowns (14 passing, three rushing) with only a singular interception. In last week’s 38-31 win over Kansas, Duggan threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns, with 206 of those yards coming from flashy receiver Quentin Johnson.

TCU’s offensive line will be a key point in the team’s success this week. The Horned Frogs’ have given up only seven sacks so far, yet the Cowboys’ defense leads the Big 12 in sacks per game (3.2) and the FBS in tackles for loss (10.2). In order to keep Duggan and the Horned Frogs’ offense — which averages 46.4 points per game — rolling, the O-line will have to protect their QB from the Cowboys’ defense, which give up 24.8 points per game.

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Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

No. 15 NC State v. No. 18 Syracuse

While the ACC’s leading team, the Clemson Tigers, take on a tough road opponent in Florida State, NC State v. Syracuse is a big game for the conference. Syracuse is still unbeaten and, with a win over NC State, can really make national headlines when it faces No. 4 Clemson next week. NC State holds a 13-2 all-time series record. However, Syracuse’s indoor stadium, the JWA Wireless Dome, will be an electric atmosphere that many teams have crumbled in.

Statistically, Syracuse puts up solid numbers. The Orange average 38.4 points per game and allow only 14 points per game. Syracuse’s QB, junior Garrett Shrader, is completing about 71% of his passes and has thrown only one interception. The Wolfpack give up only 15.7 points per game and have nine interceptions this season. For NC State to get things rolling in the right direction, it will need to disrupt Shrader’s rhythm, force turnovers and get QB Devin Leary on the field early and often.

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NC State is coming off two tough weeks. In week five, it lost to Clemson. Last week, it narrowly scraped out a victory over Florida State. Against the Seminoles, Leary completed only 10 of his 21 passes for 130 yards. However, NC State ran for 182 yards, giving it the needed edge to overcome the Noles. This week, the Wolfpack will need to be more productive on offense if they want to take down the Orange. If Shrader and Syracuse’s offense are on the field, they could run up the scoreboard.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network.