Under-the-radar college football games in Week 11
The pool of playoff candidates is down to a select few. But there is still a lot to play for in the season’s final month for the rest of college football’s bowl subdivision.
Here is a handful of games to watch involving teams seeking New Year’s Six invitations or group-of-five conference championships.
No. 10 West Virginia at Texas
Saturday, noon ET, Fox Sports 1 | Pregame.com line: Texas by 2
With just one league loss, the Mountaineers are still very much in the Big 12 mix. But this is suddenly a difficult road trip with the Longhorns on a bit of a roll. Whether Texas has truly turned a corner or has simply taken advantage of the league’s overall inferior defensive play will be answered one way or another as WVU brings the Big 12’s top-rated group of stoppers into Austin.
Wake Forest at No. 6 Louisville
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2 | Pregame.com line: Louisville by 33
Two seemingly immutable realities are taking shape for the Cardinals, one good and one not so much for their supporters. Lamar Jackson is on track to become the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner, but it won’t be accompanied by an ACC championship. They conclude conference play against the Demon Deacons, who are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2011 and are essentially playing with house money as they look to improve their destination. Wake’s defense does rank in the upper half of the ACC, but that isn’t likely to matter against Jackson.
Tulsa at Navy
Saturday, noon ET, CBS Sports Network | Pregame.com line: Tulsa by 1
Considering how quickly Houston got out of the gate, the American Athletic Conference race looked like it might be over before it started. But with the Cougars now tagged twice in conference play, including once by the Midshipmen, this clash in Annapolis with the Golden Hurricane is now for sole possession of the lead in the West Division. As we saw in Navy’s triumph against Notre Dame, it takes superior execution and clock management for the Mids to give their defense a chance to slow a prolific attack. Tulsa has one, with QB Dane Evans at the controls, but Navy has the will — Will Worth, that is — to succeed.
South Florida at Memphis
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU | Pregame.com line: South Florida by 3
Over in the AAC East, the Bulls need this key road win to keep pace with Temple. The Tigers, after suffering their second conference loss at the hands of Tulsa, are playing catch-up in the West but can nonetheless be dangerous.
Appalachian State at Troy
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3 | Pregame.com line: Troy by 1
You’ll need a computer to catch this one, but it should be worth it as two of the three teams unbeaten in Sun Belt play square off. The QB battle should make it a wild ride. Both Troy’s Brandon Silvers and ASU’s Taylor Lamb can be error prone, but they aren’t afraid to go for big plays.
TOP 10 GAMES IN WEEK 11