Oregon vs. USC highlights 6 college football games to watch
The Pac-12 finally resumes play this week, adding to a full college football schedule with six key games to watch:
No. 9 BYU at No. 21 Boise State
Friday, 9:45 p.m.; FS1
The Buzz: BYU (7-0) hasn’t fared well against Boise State (2-0) in the past, losing seven of the last 10 meetings. Five of those games have been decided by a touchdown or fewer points. BYU is off to its best start in almost two decades, with the program ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 2009. The Cougars could have a chance to make the College Football Playoff semifinals, particularly if quarterback Zach Wilson continues his hot start. Wilson is second in the nation with 2,302 yards of total offense this season while averaging nearly 10 yards per play. Boise State features a balanced offense and is coming off wins over Utah State and Air Force.
No. 23 Michigan at No. 13 Indiana
Saturday, Noon; FS1
The Buzz: Indiana (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) is looking to snap a 24-game losing streak to Michigan (1-1, 1-1 Big Ten) that dates back to 1987. That also was the last time the Hoosiers found themselves ranked in the top 15. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been instrumental in IU’s quick start and the sophomore will need another big performance against a Michigan defense that allowed 323 passing yards during its loss to Michigan State last week. Wolverines quarterback Joe Milton has provided the offense with an extra dimension, totaling 111 rushing yards through the first two games of the season.
Arizona State at No. 20 USC
Saturday, Noon; FOX
The Buzz: The Pac-12 opens its season with an early morning start at the L.A. Coliseum. Few programs have been through as drastic of a makeover as USC (0-0), which made wholesale changes on the coaching staff as Clay Helton looks to keep an unsatisfied fan base at bay. Arizona State (0-0) is coming off an eight-win season with quarterback Jayden Daniels looking to build off a freshman season during which he accounted for nearly 3,300 yards of total offense.
No. 8 Florida vs. No. 5 Georgia
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; CBS
The Buzz: The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party may have lost some of its punch thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean this game lacks intensity. The winner has gone on to claim the SEC East title and a spot in the conference championship game during each of the past five seasons and nine of the last 12 years. This is a classic offense versus defense showdown, with Florida (3-1, 3-1 SEC) quarterback Kyle Trask passing for an SEC-record 18 touchdowns through four games. Georgia (4-1, 4-1 SEC), meanwhile, has allowed nine touchdowns, with five of those surrendered against Alabama.
No. 1 Clemson at No. 4 Notre Dame
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; NBC
The Buzz: One of the most anticipated games of this season is already ripe with interesting storylines including the absence of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who will miss this game while remaining quarantined due to COVID protocols. Backup D.J. Uiagalelei will get the start again for Clemson (7-0, 6-0 ACC) and the freshman will face a Notre Dame (6-0, 5-0 ACC) defense that is playing some of its best football. The Irish are allowing 10 points per game and have only allowed teams 11 chances to score in the red zone.
Stanford at No. 12 Oregon
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; ABC
The Buzz: Oregon (0-0) is coming off its first Pac-12 title since 2014 and the Ducks are favorites to repeat the feat in 2020. Tyler Shough steps in to replace Justin Herbert at quarterback as the prolific offense looks to pick up where it left off last season. Stanford (0-0), meanwhile, is pushing to bounce back from its first losing season since 2008. Injuries hampered the Cardinal in 2019. Stanford coach David Shawn is now pushing for stronger play from every position group.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com.
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