College football is entering week 6. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 6.
1. Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
While both teams being undefeated may not be that surprising, both Penn State and Iowa being in the top five definitely wasn’t something many had on their bingo board this week. The Nittany Lions went on a winning streak to end last season and that has extended to this year. Penn State has wins over Wisconsin, Indiana and Auburn so far this year, but Iowa presents their biggest challenge. Sean Clifford has played well at quarterback for the Nittany Lions, but the defense has also stepped up, allowing just 12 points per game.
Iowa also ended last year on their own winning streak and have carried that into this year. The Hawkeyes have won 10 straight games by playing their usual style. Iowa is forcing turnovers and killing the clock. Tyler Goodson is running the ball well behind a good offensive line. Iowa leads the country with a +12 turnover margin. If they can force turnovers, they will be able to defeat Penn State and keep their hopes up to make the College Football Playoff.
2. Red River Shootout
A rivalry game that usually seems to deliver some good football happens this weekend between Texas and Oklahoma. The Sooners are undefeated, but have struggled to really play up to their standards this season. Spencer Rattler was a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite who needs to get back on track. The Sooners also haven’t run the ball well this year, as they rank 76th in the country in that regard. Their defense allows 19 points per game, which is an improvement for the team. They need to put a full game together though, and there is no better time than now.
Texas dropped a game to Arkansas earlier this season, but otherwise have taken care of business. They have benefitted by putting Casey Thompson at quarterback, even though he started the season as the backup. Texas also has one of the most electrifying players in college football in Bijan Robinson, who has rushed for 652 yards on the season already. Their defense will be put to the test against Oklahoma, as they have already given up 24 points per game on the season. The winner of this game will likely be the frontrunner to win the Big 12 this season.
3. SEC Losers From Week 5 Matching Up
In two of the biggest games from the week 5 slate, Ole Miss and Arkansas both lost big. Now, both teams will try to get back on track. Ole Miss had a humbling experience against Alabama, but still have a lot to look forward to this season. Matt Corral has made an early push for the Heisman with 1,210 yards and 10 touchdowns. The offense is scoring 44.8 points per game and the SEC West looks wide open behind Alabama, which should mean the Rebels can pick up some wins.
Arkansas started the year out hot, with signature wins over Texas and Texas A&M. They lost to Georgia 37-0 in week 5 and are trying to get back in the win column. The Razorbacks need to go back to running the football well, as they rank 18th in the country. They also need to get their defense back on the right path, as they allow just 19 points per game this season. It will be a tough task against Ole Miss, but the Razorbacks could be up for the challenge.
4. Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry
Rivalry games are always ones to cherish in college football and this weekend Auburn and Georgia will go at it. Georgia has cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the country because of their wins over Clemson and Arkansas. Their defense is playing at an elite level, allowing 4.6 points per game. JT Daniels has been hurt at quarterback, but with a defense that good, it hasn’t exactly mattered that much. Their defense will likely have a big game against Auburn this week.
Auburn has only lost to Penn State on the road this season, but they were able to beat LSU on the road. There has been some quarterback controversy between Bo Nix and T.J. Finley, but Nix played well enough on the road at LSU to get the win. He will have to play on a completely different level than he’s ever shown before to beat this Georgia defense. Anything can happen in rivalries though.
5. LSU at Kentucky
There have already been a few surprises during the college football season in the SEC. LSU has dropped to two losses already, which is surprising, even with their struggles last season. Their losses to UCLA and Auburn have set things back, but so too has the injuries that have come to their defensive backfield in Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley. Max Johnson has passed the ball a lot to help make up for it through the air helping the Tigers throw for over 300 yards per game.
The Tigers could drop another game to a solid Kentucky team, who is undefeated. Kentucky is coming off a big victory over Florida, who was ranked 10th. Their defense stepped up and held Florida to 13 points. Their offense has playmakers in Wan’Dale Robinson at wide receiver and Chris Rodriguez at running back who help move the chains. If Kentucky can leave this weekend for a win, the only game on their schedule that they likely won’t be favored for is their game against Georgia in week 7.
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