NCAAF · 27 minutes ago

Ranking the Top 10 Potential Upsets for College Football Week 6

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

10. Minnesota at Purdue
Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Purdue Boilermakers
- Date: October 10 | Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: BTN
- AP Rank: Minnesota NR | Purdue NR
- Records: Minnesota: 4-1 | Purdue: 2-3
- Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium | Location: West Lafayette, IN
This is a scary spot for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In the past two weeks, Minnesota has won close games against Washington and Michigan, and they have had to expend a lot of emotional capital to prevail. This week, PJ Fleck leads his team to West Lafayette to play the improved Purdue Boilermakers. The Boilers have been competitive this season, and they finally broke through with a Big Ten win over Illinois. The Gophers have been strong on defense, but quarterback Ryan Browne will test them more than Bryce Underwood just did. If Minnesota has an emotional letdown here, the Gophers could get upset.
1. Florida State at Louisville
Florida State Seminoles @ Louisville Cardinals
- Date: October 9 | Time: 7:00 PM ET | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: Louisville: NR | Florida State: NR
- Records: Louisville: 2-3 | Florida State: 3-2
- Stadium: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium | Location: Louisville, KY
A Friday night game featuring Jeff Brohm and Mike Norvell is a recipe for some wild football. I think the Cardinals might be on “quit watch” after falling to 2-3 with a stunning loss to North Carolina State. Meanwhile, many label Florida State a disaster, but they are 3-2 after a close loss to SMU and a 36-point loss to Alabama. The Seminoles have found a good running game and just walloped Virginia 38-7, and they have a real chance to win this game on the road, potentially easing some of the pressure on Norvell.
2. Iowa at Washington
Iowa Hawkeyes @ Washington Huskies
- Date: October 9 | Time: 9:00 PM ET | TV: FOX
- AP Rank: #20 Iowa | Washington NR
- Records: Iowa: 4-1 | Washington: 3-2
- Stadium: Husky Stadium | Location: Seattle, WA
The Iowa Hawkeyes lost to Ohio State, and that surely will deflate their sails a bit, but Kirk Ferentz will have his team ready to go again as they travel to Seattle to play Washington. The Huskies lost to USC, and the offense looks lost under Demond Williams at quarterback. I don’t know how Washington will score many points against this Iowa defense in a game with limited possessions.
3. Indiana at Nebraska
Indiana Hoosiers @ Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Date: October 10 | Time: Noon | TV: FOX
- AP Rank: #7 Indiana | Nebraska NR
- Records: Indiana: 5-0 | Nebraska: 5-0
- Stadium: Memorial Stadium | Location: Lincoln, NE
It’s a battle of unbeatens in Lincoln as the Nebraska Cornhuskers host the #7 Indiana Hoosiers. IU was shaky against Northwestern, a performance that might say more about the rising Wildcats than Indiana, but they hammered Rutgers. What will we get from Nebraska? We know Memorial Stadium will be raucous, and quarterback Anthony Colandrea is the kind of mobile quarterback who has given Indiana’s defense problems. If Nebraska can slow down IU’s running game, this will be a close one.
4. Texas A&M at Missouri
Texas A&M Aggies @ Missouri Tigers
- Date: October 10 | Time: Noon | TV: ABC
- AP Rank: Texas A&M NR | #14 Missouri
- Records: Texas A&M: 3-2 | Missouri: 4-1
- Stadium: Memorial Stadium | Location: Columbia, MO
We see this kind of spot every week in the SEC, and it hasn't gone well for teams coming off huge wins. Last week, Florida came off a beatdown of Ole Miss and got drilled by Missouri. The week before, Ole Miss lost to Florida after beating LSU. It’s just really difficult for decent but not great teams to maintain focus and energy after being told how great they are for a week. Could this same thing be in play this week as the Missouri Tigers host the Texas A&M Aggies after beating Florida? Texas A&M has had time to figure out the offense and how to get good play out of Marcel Reed, and they certainly have the talent to compete with the Tigers on the road.
5. North Carolina at Pittsburgh
North Carolina Tar Heels @ Pittsburgh Panthers
- Date: October 10 | Time: Noon | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: #25 Pitt | UNC NR
- Records: Pittsburgh: 5-0 | UNC: 2-2
- Stadium: Acrisure Stadium | Location: Pittsburgh, PA
The Pittsburgh Panthers won an emotional game at Virginia Tech, and they now return home to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. UNC has a physical offense and a decent defense, but the main reason they have a chance in this contest is Mason Heintschel's status. The Panthers will be without their starting quarterback after he tore his ACL, and I don’t have much faith in the backup (Holden Geriner) to move the ball consistently against Bill Belichick’s defense.
6. Arizona at West Virginia
Arizona Wildcats @ West Virginia Mountaineers
- Date: October 10 | Time: Noon | TV: TNT
- AP Rank: Arizona NR | WVU NR
- Records: Arizona: 4-1 | WVU: 3-2
- Stadium: Milan Puskar Stadium | Location: Morgantown, WV
Arizona is the team to beat in this one, but they have to make a long trip East to play at West Virginia, and that hasn't gone well for teams traveling from the West. The Mountaineers are desperate after back-to-back losses, but Rich Rodriguez’s squad still has dangerous talent, including running back Cam Cook. Arizona’s run defense isn't bad, but it isn't great either, and the Wildcats will be tested by the WVU run game.
7. Texas vs. Oklahoma
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
- Date: October 10 | Time: 3:30 PM ET | TV: ABC
- AP Rank: #1 Texas | Oklahoma NR
- Records: Texas: 4-0 | Oklahoma: 2-2
- Stadium: Cotton Bowl | Location: Dallas, TX
There is no logical reason to expect Oklahoma to win this game, but strange things happen in the Red River Rivalry showdown at the Texas State Fair. Is it possible that the following scenario plays out: Oklahoma spent the bye week figuring out some tweaks on offense that improve John Mateer a bit, the defense for the Sooners gets after Arch Manning and forces a couple of turnovers, OU scores on a short field and breaks an explosive play or two, and this is a really close game in the fourth quarter with all the pressure on Steve Sarkisian and Texas? Unlikely, but certainly possible!
8. UCLA at Oregon
UCLA Bruins @ Oregon Ducks
- Date: October 10 | Time: 3:30 PM ET | TV: CBS
- AP Rank: #21 UCLA | #13 Oregon
- Records: UCLA: 4-0 Oregon: 3-1
- Stadium: Autzen Stadium | Location: Eugene, OR
The Oregon Ducks enjoyed an early bye week last Saturday, and Dante Moore could be back at quarterback as they host the upstart UCLA Bruins. Bob Chesney’s team is unbeaten in his first season, and the Bruins have one of the country’s best rushing attacks. Oregon has a ton of talent on defense, but the Ducks rank 62nd nationally in run defense, allowing 4.1 yards per rush against FBS competition. Good run games travel, and UCLA could challenge an Oregon team that has already been beaten.
9. LSU at Kentucky
LSU Tigers @ Kentucky Wildcats
- Date: October 10 | Time: 7:00 PM ET | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: #10 LSU | Kentucky NR
- Records: LSU: 4-1 | Kentucky: 4-1
- Stadium: Kroger Field | Location: Lexington, KY
The LSU Tigers are on the road against the Kentucky Wildcats, and they need to be ready for one of the most hostile atmospheres in Lexington in years. UK fans are excited about what Will Stein is building, and Lane Kiffin gets a rise out of every opposing school. The Wildcats beat South Carolina last week despite falling behind in the first half, and Sam Leavitt has been turnover-prone so far as the Tigers’ quarterback.
10. Minnesota at Purdue
Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Purdue Boilermakers
- Date: October 10 | Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: BTN
- AP Rank: Minnesota NR | Purdue NR
- Records: Minnesota: 4-1 | Purdue: 2-3
- Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium | Location: West Lafayette, IN
This is a scary spot for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In the past two weeks, Minnesota has won close games against Washington and Michigan, and they have had to expend a lot of emotional capital to prevail. This week, PJ Fleck leads his team to West Lafayette to play the improved Purdue Boilermakers. The Boilers have been competitive this season, and they finally broke through with a Big Ten win over Illinois. The Gophers have been strong on defense, but quarterback Ryan Browne will test them more than Bryce Underwood just did. If Minnesota has an emotional letdown here, the Gophers could get upset.
1. Florida State at Louisville
Florida State Seminoles @ Louisville Cardinals
- Date: October 9 | Time: 7:00 PM ET | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: Louisville: NR | Florida State: NR
- Records: Louisville: 2-3 | Florida State: 3-2
- Stadium: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium | Location: Louisville, KY
A Friday night game featuring Jeff Brohm and Mike Norvell is a recipe for some wild football. I think the Cardinals might be on “quit watch” after falling to 2-3 with a stunning loss to North Carolina State. Meanwhile, many label Florida State a disaster, but they are 3-2 after a close loss to SMU and a 36-point loss to Alabama. The Seminoles have found a good running game and just walloped Virginia 38-7, and they have a real chance to win this game on the road, potentially easing some of the pressure on Norvell.