NCAAF · 1 year ago

5 College Football Games to Watch: Week 10 Playoff Implications

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Pittsburgh at SMU (-7.5)
The Pitt Panthers are still undefeated, sitting at 7-0 and 3-0 in the ACC. There are four unbeaten conference teams left in the ACC and the two less acclaimed of them matchup on Saturday in Texas. The Pitt Panthers travel to SMU to play the Mustangs who are 7-1 with the lone loss coming by three points to BYU. Both teams probably feel slighted at 18th and 20th in the polls, but they play in primetime and the winner gets a chance to assert themselves as legitimate ACC title threats. Pittsburgh has only given up 52 points in league play, the lowest mark in the league. They’ll be tested away from home but SMU could go down. Both of these teams still have legitimate dreams of making the field but the loser will be cast to the side.

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1. Ohio State (-3.5) at Penn State
The Ohio State Buckeyes survived a scare against Nebraska and remained at number four in both polls. They now travel to Penn State as 3.5-point favorites. The Buckeyes have concerns on the offensive line but quarterback Drew Allar is a “game-time decision” for the Nittany Lions. Ohio State has to win this game to keep their dreams of a Big Ten Championship alive and Ryan Day needs a big win badly. Day is just 2-6 against Top 5 opponents but James Franklin is only 1-9 against Ohio State. Which program gets the desperately needed win? The Buckeyes are an incredibly shaky favorite but if all of that talent clicks on Saturday in State College, Ohio State can quickly right the ship. If Ohio State drops a second game, would they still make the College Football Playoff?

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2. Ole Miss (-7.5) at Arkansas
The Ole Miss Rebels have two losses: Kentucky at home and at LSU in overtime. That leaves Ole Miss with zero margin for error and they need to win at Arkansas, win the Egg Bowl and beat Georgia to have a chance at making the 12-team field. Ole Miss’ advanced metrics are still elite but the Rebels don’t have a consistent running game and Arkansas has the talent and coaching staff to test them. Taylen Green has had a chance to rest up and if he’s healthy again, the Razorbacks will be a live dog that could end Ole Miss’ playoff hopes.
3. Texas A&M (-2.5) at South Carolina
The Texas A&M Aggies played a fantastic second half and comfortably beat the LSU Tigers to remain undefeated in the SEC. The Aggies have to regain focus quickly as they travel to Columbia to play the South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina is just 4-3 and only 2-3 in the SEC but the Gamecocks are coming off of a bye week and their last two games were a close loss at Alabama and a drilling of Oklahoma in Norman. South Carolina has an elite defensive line that could cause major problems for Marcel Reed and the Texas A&M running game and the narrow point spread hints at a game that should be much closer than thought at first glance. Texas A&M has one loss and a game with Texas still remaining, making a trip to South Carolina a potential season-changer.
4. Louisville at Clemson (-11.5)
The Clemson Tigers have quietly moved back onto the fringes of the top ten and they are squarely in the College Football Playoff picture as they host the Louisville Cardinals. After this one, the Tigers still have to play Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and South Carolina. They do not have the strength of schedule to weather a second loss and still make the field, unless that loss is to Miami in the ACC Championship Game. I think Clemson has two paths to make the playoff: win out and then win the ACC Championship Game to get the three seed, or win out and not make the ACC Championship Game due to a lost tiebreaker with SMU and Miami. Either of those avenues involve taking care of business at home against Louisville, but this is their best test since the opening week loss to Georgia.
5. Pittsburgh at SMU (-7.5)
The Pitt Panthers are still undefeated, sitting at 7-0 and 3-0 in the ACC. There are four unbeaten conference teams left in the ACC and the two less acclaimed of them matchup on Saturday in Texas. The Pitt Panthers travel to SMU to play the Mustangs who are 7-1 with the lone loss coming by three points to BYU. Both teams probably feel slighted at 18th and 20th in the polls, but they play in primetime and the winner gets a chance to assert themselves as legitimate ACC title threats. Pittsburgh has only given up 52 points in league play, the lowest mark in the league. They’ll be tested away from home but SMU could go down. Both of these teams still have legitimate dreams of making the field but the loser will be cast to the side.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
1. Ohio State (-3.5) at Penn State
The Ohio State Buckeyes survived a scare against Nebraska and remained at number four in both polls. They now travel to Penn State as 3.5-point favorites. The Buckeyes have concerns on the offensive line but quarterback Drew Allar is a “game-time decision” for the Nittany Lions. Ohio State has to win this game to keep their dreams of a Big Ten Championship alive and Ryan Day needs a big win badly. Day is just 2-6 against Top 5 opponents but James Franklin is only 1-9 against Ohio State. Which program gets the desperately needed win? The Buckeyes are an incredibly shaky favorite but if all of that talent clicks on Saturday in State College, Ohio State can quickly right the ship. If Ohio State drops a second game, would they still make the College Football Playoff?

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5 College Football Games to Watch: Week 10 Playoff Implications

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