The Top 25, Week 11: College football games and players to watch, plus conference title predictions

Welcome to The Top 25, a weekly rundown of the best of college football.

Each week, The Baltimore Sun will break down the top games, players and teams to watch, from the Power Five to the Group of Five. Here’s what to know for Week 11:

5 games to watch

— No. 9 Alabama at No. 11 Ole Miss (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., CBS): This is uncharted waters for Alabama coach Nick Saban, who hasn’t lost more than two games in an entire season since 2010. In fact, the Crimson Tide haven’t lost three regular-season games or suffered back-to-back losses under Saban since they lost four straight at the end of his debut campaign in 2007. Oddsmakers expect an Alabama victory, but you can bet Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is going to pull out all the stops to try and beat his former boss.

— Central Florida at No. 17 Tulane (Saturday, 3:30 p.m, ESPN2): It’s the biggest Tulane game since their 1998 undefeated season, and it’s not close. The Green Wave have had a winning record just five times since that year and are coming off a 2-10 season that included just one conference win. Now they’re in prime position to not only win the American Athletic Conference but play in a major bowl game for the first time since 1939. A matchup against the Knights is just the first of a tough closing stretch that includes meetings against SMU and Cincinnati.

— No. 25 Washington at No. 6 Oregon (Saturday, 7 p.m., Fox): The Ducks have ripped off eight straight wins after a season-opening blowout loss to Georgia to not only put themselves in contention for a Pac-12 title but perhaps a berth in the College Football Playoff. There’s still plenty of work to do, however, as first-year coach Dan Lanning faces a challenging closing stretch against winning teams in Washington, No. 13 Utah and Oregon State. Quarterback Bo Nix will need to keep playing like a Heisman Trophy contender to outduel Michael Penix Jr. and the surging Huskies.

— No. 15 North Carolina at Wake Forest (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2): The Tar Heels have been far from dominant, but they’ve put themselves in position to win a weak ACC and perhaps join the College Football Playoff conversation. They’ll first need to beat the Demon Deacons, who are pretty much their identical twin (UNC is No. 38 in overall efficiency, while Wake is No. 40). Expect plenty of touchdowns, as two of the nation’s best quarterback-receiver duos — UNC’s Drake Maye and Josh Downs vs. Wake’s Sam Hartman and A.T. Perry — face a pair of defenses that can’t get off the field.

— No. 4 TCU at No. 18 Texas (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ABC): It’s pretty simple for the Horned Frogs — win out, and they’re probably heading to the playoff. Some teams might wilt under that pressure, but TCU has made a habit of winning close games, outscoring conference opponents 62-28 in the fourth quarter this season. They’ll likely need to follow that same script to get past the Longhorns, who have won four of their past five and rank sixth in overall efficiency according to ESPN’s SP+.

5 players to watch

— Arkansas RB Raheim Sanders (vs. No. 7 LSU): The Tigers have struggled to stop the run, allowing 141.4 yards per game and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Sanders ranks seventh in the nation in rushing yards (1,101), averaging 6.4 per carry.

— South Alabama RB La’Damian Webb (vs. Texas State): The junior had a huge performance in a 38-31 win over Georgia State last week, rushing for 247 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries. He’s rushed for 409 yards and seven touchdowns in the past two games, nearly doubling his season totals.

— Houston WR Nathaniel Dell (vs. Temple): In a 77-63 loss to SMU that featured 1,352 total yards, 65 first downs and 16 touchdown passes, Dell was the star receiver, catching 13 passes for 180 yards and two scores. He ranks seventh in the country in receiving yards (919) and trails only Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt in touchdown catches with 12.

— Navy S John Marshall (vs. No. 20 Notre Dame): If the Midshipmen are going to pull off the upset against their longtime rival, they’ll need their defense to lead the way. Marshall, who’s tied for 15th in the country in tackles for loss (12), will be tasked with slowing down a rushing attack that’s averaging 195.1 yards per game.

— Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes (vs. No. 1 Georgia): To hang with Georgia, Mississippi State is going to need turnovers. Forbes could be the one to provide a game-changing play, as he leads the country with five interceptions and has returned two for touchdowns.

5 sneaky important games

— Maryland at No. 14 Penn State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Fox): Both the Terps and Nittany Lions entered the season with high expectations and have fallen a little bit short, with Maryland losing winnable games against Purdue and Wisconsin and Penn State getting knocked out by Big Ten heavyweights Michigan and Ohio State. This is a crucial swing game for both programs, with coach Mike Locksley needing a statement victory with his best roster to date in College Park and coach James Franklin needing to keep Penn State on track for a New Year’s Six bowl bid while maintaining positive momentum with a young roster. It should make for a competitive atmosphere in Happy Valley.

— Purdue at No. 21 Illinois (Saturday, noon, ESPN2): After a stunning loss to a reeling Michigan State team, the Fighting Illini opened the door for a chaotic finish in the Big Ten West. Illinois remains in first with a 4-2 conference record, but Wisconsin, Purdue, Iowa and Minnesota are all just one game back at 3-3. The Illini can gain some needed breathing room with a win Saturday, but they’ll need much more from an offense that ranks 101st in efficiency, according to ESPN’s SP+.

— No. 19 Kansas State at Baylor (Saturday, 7 p.m., FS1): Texas vs. TCU is the game to watch in the Big 12, but don’t overlook the undercard. Should the Longhorns lose, the winner of this matchup will vault into pole position to play in the conference title game, which could be against the undefeated Horned Frogs.

— San José State at San Diego State (Saturday, 10:30 p.m., FS1): The Mountain West Conference has been largely mediocre this season, but there could still be an exciting finish in both divisions. While Fresno State (5-4 overall, 4-1 conference) leads the West, San José State (6-2, 4-1) and San Diego State (5-4, 3-2) are not far behind. Saturday’s winner should push the Bulldogs for a spot in the conference title game.

— Liberty at UConn (Saturday, noon, CBS Sports Network): With a win over Arkansas last week, Liberty moved to 8-1 and put itself in contention to grab the Group of Five’s bid for a New Year’s Six bowl if it finishes with a higher ranking than the American Athletic Conference champion. They can’t afford to look past the Huskies, however, who are one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2015.

5 names to know for the coaching carousel

— Matt Rhule: After being fired during his second season as the coach of the Carolina Panthers, Rhule could return to college, where he helped lead incredible turnarounds at Baylor and Temple. Power Five programs like Nebraska, Auburn and Arizona State could come calling.

— Bill O’Brien: After leading two winning seasons while dealing with scholarship reductions at Penn State and making the playoffs in four of his six years with the Houston Texans, O’Brien returned to college to be the offensive coordinator at Alabama. His track record could be appealing for a program wanting an established name.

— Hugh Freeze: After his 12-25 tenure at Ole Miss ended in scandal, Freeze resurfaced in 2019 with Liberty, where he has gone 34-12 in four seasons. He’s been connected to the Auburn job, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be given another chance to take over an SEC program given his checkered past.

— Deion Sanders: The Hall of Fame cornerback has been wildly successful at Jackson State, going 23-5 in three seasons at the Southwestern Athletic Conference school, including 8-0 this year. He’s already shown his recruiting prowess, flipping Travis Hunter, the top overall recruit in the 2022 class, from Sanders’ alma mater Florida State. He’d be a bold and exciting hire for a Power Five program.

— Ryan Walters: After stops at Memphis and Missouri, Walters has built one of the best defenses in the country, propelling Illinois to an improbable 7-2 record. If he decides to pursue a head coaching job, the former Colorado safety could return to lead his alma mater.

Predicting the Power Five conference winners

— Big Ten: Ohio State. They’ll be tested by Michigan, but the Buckeyes’ superior talent will win out at the end of the day.

— SEC: Georgia. A statement win over Tennessee was a reminder that the defending national champions are still the best team in the country.

— ACC: Clemson. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei’s struggles have capped their playoff ceiling, but the Tigers are still head-and-shoulders above the rest in the conference.

— Pac-12: Oregon. USC, UCLA and Utah all have legitimate claims, but the Ducks have the more balanced team.

— Big 12: Texas. TCU has been playing with fire in close games. The Longhorns have a better defense and a better quarterback in Quinn Ewers.