College football is back in full swing. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 6.
1. Missouri at Texas A&M
There is a matchup of SEC teams this week that are ranked and trying to make a push up the polls. Missouri will be visiting Texas A&M. The Tigers are 4-0, but have had some close calls to Boston College and Vanderbilt. They are scoring 36.5 points per game and allowing just 12. Star wide receiver Luther Burden will need to step up in this one after already registering 257 receiving yards.
Texas A&M lost their season-opener to Notre Dame, but have been unblemished since. Starting quarterback Conner Weigman has been injured and backup Marcel Reed has stepped in and improved the offense. He has 585 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air. They really have done well on the ground as a team, averaging 231.6 yards per game. The defense is giving up 18 points per game. Whoever wins this game will have a more real claim to being in the talk for the CFP.
2. Miami at California
Miami is undefeated this season and will be traveling to California to take on the Golden Bears in an ACC game. The Hurricanes narrowly escaped with a win over Virginia Tech last week. Quarterback Cam Ward has put himself in the Heisman race by passing for 1,782 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. Miami leads the country with 392.6 passing yards per game and ranks third in the country with 49.4 games per game.
Cal is having a better year than expected, winning three games already. That includes a win over Auburn on the road. They were on a bye heading into this game. Their offense has struggled to get going, but their defense has been impressive, as they have allowed just 12.8 points per game. If star running back Jaydn Ott can get going, the Golden Bears could make it a game against Miami.
3. Syracuse at UNLV
Syracuse has gotten off to a nice 3-1 start to the season and now travel to Las Vegas to take on UNLV. Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord is leading the team to 33.8 points per game. They are averaging 372.5 passing yards per game, which ranks third in the country. The Orange have had trouble moving the ball on the ground and on their defense.
UNLV has had a great season already by beating two power four teams (Houston and Kansas) and also Fresno State. They are undefeated even after starting quarterback Matthew Sluka left the program. New starter Hajj-Malik Williams impressed against Fresno State with both his arm and legs. They average the second most points and the sixth-most rushing yards in the country. The Rebels only allow 13.5 points per game, which is impressive given how tough their schedule has been. A win in this game solidifies their place as the frontrunner for the group of five spot in the College Football Playoff.
4. Ohio State Offense vs. Iowa Defense
Ohio State has looked good so far this season, as they are undefeated. They haven’t been tested yet, as they have had an easier schedule to start the season. That will change this week, as they play Iowa. While Iowa won’t be the best team the Buckeyes will face this season, it is the best team they have played so far. The Hawkeyes also have a talented defense.
With all the playmakers on Ohio State’s offense, it will be one of the more interesting matchups seeing their offense go against Iowa’s defense. There are a lot of future pros on the field and will be a unit of strength going against another. The Hawkeyes are giving up 13.8 points per game, while the Buckeyes score 48.8 points per game. Whether it is freshman stand out Jeremiah Smith or running back Quinshon Judkins, it will be interesting to see who produces against Iowa’s defense.
5. Georgia’s Bounce Back Game
Georgia looked like they weren’t ready to play to start the game against Alabama last week. They were down 28-0. While they made a miraculous comeback, they ended up coming short against the Crimson Tide. With the expanded CFP, Georgia’s loss won’t have too many implications, but they have to take care of business.
This week, the Bulldogs host Auburn in a rivalry game. The Tigers have had a tumultuous 2-3 start to the season, but they have talent and could get up for this game. For Georgia, it will be important to find more go-to offensive playmakers so that the unit doesn’t stall for large parts of the game, like it did against Alabama. If they can do that and develop on offense, they can make the CFP and be a threat to win it all for the third time in four years.
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