The SEC is once again the headliner in Week 11.
The only two games featuring ranked teams are held in the SEC and also serve as elimination games for both the SEC championship and the College Football Playoff. No. 3 Georgia visits No. 16 Ole Miss in the afternoon before No. 11 Alabama takes on No. 14 LSU.
Of the four, only Georgia can feel good about its chances of making the playoffs or conference title game with a loss.
Since the SEC will dominate the day, look no further than the Big 12 either. No. 9 BYU is alone in first place and is set to renew its rivalry with Utah, while No. 20 Colorado plays at Texas Tech in a game that will severely affect the loser’s conference title hopes.
Here’s what to watch in Week 11. All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.
Time: 3:30 pm | Television: ABC | Line: Georgia -2.5 | Total: 54.5
This game can’t simply come down to which quarterback plays better, right?
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has burst into the Heisman conversation after he threw for 515 yards and six touchdowns in the Rebels’ Week 10 win over Arkansas. The six TDs were double what Dart had thrown in Ole Miss’s first four SEC games combined.
Meanwhile, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has fallen out of the Heisman conversation after throwing 11 interceptions in the last five games. Beck has also taken on more responsibility in Georgia’s offense this year; the Bulldogs have thrown it nearly 70 more times than they have run it after running it more than they ran it in 2023.
However, Beck has shown up when Georgia needs him and a frenetic defensive front could pose a problem for the Rebels. Just look at how Georgia dominated Texas in the trenches in Austin and how Kirby Smart said after the game that they had doubted his team. Since Georgia is a slight favorite in this one, it’s harder for Smart to say his team is being counted out.
A season ago, Ole Miss’ defensive line came under fire in Athens. The Bulldogs rushed 35 times for 300 yards and five touchdowns in the 52-17 victory. This season, Ole Miss is much better up front thanks to their efforts in the transfer portal. If the Rebels pull off the upset at home, their defensive improvements will be a big reason why.
Time: 3:30 pm | Television: ESPN | Line: Clemson -6.5 | Total: 53.5
Clemson laid an egg last week at home against Louisville and now will likely have to win to have a shot at the ACC title game.
The Tigers can’t afford another loss with Miami and SMU ahead in the standings and both teams facing easy schedules. An offense that had been roaring after Week 1 scored just seven points in the first three quarters against the Cardinals and ended up scoring just 21 despite running 101 plays.
The offense’s problem was through the air, as Cade Klubnik threw 56 passes for 228 yards on 4.1 yards per attempt. The Tigers rushed 45 times for 222 yards. Can the offense get back on track against a Virginia Tech defense that allows opposing quarterbacks to complete just 56% of their passes?
Virginia Tech was without both QB Kyron Drones and RB Bhayshul Tuten against Syracuse, but coach Brent Pry said Wednesday night that both players have a “good chance” to play against the Tigers. Tuten is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and is just 49 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark through eight games, while the Drones have accounted for 16 total touchdowns.
Time: 4 pm | Television: Zorro | Line: Colorado -3.5 | Totals: 62.5
Given how Texas Tech’s season has gone, this will be a close game. Five of the Red Raiders’ six conference games have been decided by a single score and that includes Tech’s 23-22 win over No. 17 Iowa State a week ago. The Red Raiders scored the go-ahead touchdown with 20 seconds left on a five-yard run by Tahj Brooks after Iowa State took its first lead of the second half less than two minutes earlier.
Brooks enters the game with 1,047 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He drives a Tech offense that averages nearly six yards per play. But the defense has been hurt by opposing quarterbacks. That could be good news for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders is completing over 73% of his passes this season for 2,591 yards and has thrown 21 TDs. Texas Tech’s defense allows opponents to complete 62% of their passes for 308 yards per game. A big game for Travis Hunter (60 receptions for 757 yards and eight touchdowns) will only solidify his status as a Heisman favorite.
Time: 7:30 pm | Television: ABC | Line: Alabama -3 | Total: 58.5
The loser will surely be out of the College Football Playoff race with a third loss, barring a wild end to the season.
Both teams were out in Week 10; Alabama blanked Missouri 34-0 at home, while LSU lost 38-23 at Texas A&M on the road. The Aggies dominated the offense in the second half after QB Marcel Reed entered the game in place of Conner Weigman.
Will LSU’s defense fare better against the threat of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe? Reed rushed nine times for 62 yards and three touchdowns after entering the game. The week before A&M rushed for 242 yards against the Tigers, LSU had held Arkansas to 38 yards on 19 carries.
Alabama will need to have a lot more composure than in its last road game. The Crimson Tide has been penalized 69 times in eight games and had 15 penalties for 115 yards in its Oct. 19 loss to Tennessee. The evening crowd at Tiger Stadium will be just as loud as it was at Neyland Stadium.
Time: 10:15 pm Eastern Time | Television: ESPN | Line: BYU -4 | Totals: 40.5
The two heated rivals meet for the first time since 2021 and the first time as members of the Big 12 on Saturday night. And in case you needed a reminder of the intensity of the rivalry, Utah running back Jaylon Glover provided it earlier in the week. (There are curse words in the video below)
Utah also desperately needs a win. The Utes have lost their last four Big 12 games following a win over Oklahoma State and are 4-4 overall. Utah is averaging just 22.8 points per game while Cam Rising is sidelined again with a leg injury and Isaac Wilson has struggled in his place. The rookie brother of former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is completing just 55% of his passes and has thrown as many interceptions (eight) as touchdown passes.
The Cougars are forcing more than two turnovers per game and you have to go back to BYU’s Week 3 game against Wyoming to find an opponent that has committed just one turnover. That ability to get the ball back has been huge for the Cougars, as the defense has been picked apart on the ground each of the last two weeks.
Other games to see
No. 4 Miami at Georgia Tech (noon, ESPN): Can Georgia Tech keep this one close? That may depend on the health of quarterback Haynes King. Coach Brent Key said earlier in the week that he is hopeful King will be able to play. The junior has been out since being injured Oct. 12 against North Carolina and Georgia Tech scored just 19 combined points in the two losses he missed.
Michigan at No. 8 Indiana (3:30 p.m., CBS): The Hoosiers look to get to 10-0 before a bye week and a trip to Ohio State in Week 13. The Hoosiers have never had more than nine wins in a single season and have only accomplished that feat three times, including this season. Meanwhile, Michigan needs to win two of three against Indiana, Northwestern and Ohio State simply to ensure a winning season.
No. 17 Iowa State at Kansas (3:30 p.m., FS1): The Cyclones are only three-point favorites, as Kansas has been one of the worst performing Big 12 so far this season. The Jayhawks need to win their final four games of the season to reach a bowl game, but they may not have much home field advantage. This game is at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and you can expect a lot of Iowa State fans to attend.
Oklahoma at No. 24 Missouri (7:45 p.m., SEC Network): The Sooners are now 2.5-point road favorites as Missouri appears likely to be without QB Brady Cook. He started against Alabama with an injured ankle and then suffered an injury to his throwing hand. The Tigers were somehow surprisingly in the first set of CFP rankings and need to win to go 10-2 and have a very, very slim chance of making the postseason.
Nevada at No. 12 Boise State (8 p.m., Fox): The Broncos are 24-point favorites, so we don’t expect this one to be very close. It’s just listed here because it’s a good opportunity to see Ashton Jeanty if you haven’t gotten to see him much this season. Teams have been preparing to stop college football’s leading rusher and he continues to produce.