October is here, which means that the College Football Playoff race is really starting to heat up. We’re just over a month from the first rankings reveal of the season and most schools are getting into the heart of conference play.
That means Week 6 will not be short on impactful matchups at the national and conference level. While Week 5’s slate was packed with enticing ranked matchups, the sixth week of the year sees some top 25 teams hit the road for tough tests against unranked opponents. Especially in the Big 12. No. 14 Iowa State has to travel to face an improved Cincinnati squad, while No. 11 Texas Tech will look to keep rolling at Houston, which remains undefeated on the year.
Florida may be reeling, but it will have a chance to reverse its fortune — at least a bit — when it welcomes No. 9 Texas to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The SEC is also home to perhaps this weekend’s most interesting ranked matchup between No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Alabama.
Here’s a look at the Week 6 games that matter in the playoff race, and what it means for both teams involved.
College football rankings: Oregon rises to No. 2 as Ole Miss, Indiana join top five in CBS Sports 136
Chip Patterson
No. 14 Iowa State at Cincinnati
Iowa State has handled its two Big 12 tests with (relative) ease thus far. The Cyclones looked especially imposing on the road against a solid Arizona team last week. The light finally came on for coveted wide receiver addition Chase Sowell, who had four catches for 146 yards against the Wildcats. If Iowa State can get him going as a big-play threat, that changes the dynamic of their offense. College football fans understand that any loss in the Big 12 is devastating to a team’s postseason outlook at both the conference and national levels. There typically isn’t a wide gap between the top teams and the bottom tier, so every win matters. All that to say, Iowa State can’t overlook anyone, especially on the road.
Cincinnati has, somewhat quietly, had a solid start to its third year under coach Scott Satterfield. Its only loss came by three points against Nebraska and it opened Big 12 play with a thrilling win against a good Kansas team. The Bearcats are far away from being legitimate playoff competitors, but a win against an undefeated top-15 team would definitely get them closer to that conversation.
No. 9 Texas at Florida
Texas opened the year as the top team in the country and yet it has almost steadily slipped in the AP Top 25 poll over the last several weeks in spite of the fact that its lone loss came on the road against an Ohio State team that supplanted it for the No. 1 spot. That’s because the Longhorns really haven’t looked all that impressive in the games since — especially on offense, where quarterback Arch Manning is performing well below expectations. The expectation is that Texas should defeat this sliding Florida team handily. SEC road games are always perilous, though, and Florida did enter the year as a top-15 team before all of its hopes spiraled down the drain.
Florida is effectively out of the College Football Playoff race at this point. The Gators have a chance to play spoiler, at least.
No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama
Vanderbilt is for real. Unlike last season, when the unassuming Commodores shocked the top-ranked Crimson Tide, Alabama knows what to expect from Vanderbilt: a high-flying offensive attack led by bold quarterback Diego Pavia and a defense that, at its best, can keep a game under control. Vanderbilt’s remaining schedule is also brutal. Alabama represents the first of four straight ranked opponents for Vandy. The ‘Dores will need to go at least 2-2 in that span to stay in the race.
Apparently that season-opening loss to Florida State gave Alabama the kick in the pants it needed to look like its old self. The Crimson Tide are 3-0 since and are coming off yet another win against Georgia. This is somewhat familiar territory. Alabama beat Georgia last season, ascended to No. 1 in the AP poll and then immediately lost to unranked Vanderbilt a week later. While a loss to Vanderbilt this year would be less disastrous, it would still put Alabama in that dangerous two-loss territory.
No. 3 Miami at No. 18 Florida State
It’s hard to find any faults with Miami thus far. Transfer quarterback Carson Beck has maintained a high level of offensive production. The Hurricanes have two of the best trench players in football in offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who should have a firm spot in any Heisman Trophy talks. Mario Cristobal has a proclivity for fumbling bags, though, like when Miami lost two of its last three games last season to get knocked out of any meaningful postseason appearances. We’ll see if he’s grown in that area this Saturday, as the door is wide open for Miami to walk to an ACC title.
Florida State came back down to earth in Week 5 in its overtime loss to Virginia. The ACC looks more like a one-bid league with each passing week as it continues to cannibalize itself. The Seminoles are still in the thick of contention for the championship game and, if they beat Miami, they’ll be right back up there in the playoff race as well.
Dark Horse Game of the Week
No. 11 Texas Tech at Houston
Texas Tech has looked every bit of a Big 12 favorite thus far. Its dominant 34-10 road win against a previously ranked Utah team cemented the fact that the Red Raiders are more than just a product of the annual offseason hype machine. That robust transfer class is proving its worth, especially along the defensive line of scrimmage. Tech also doesn’t have a schedule that really lends itself to any major slipups, so every week is crucial.
Houston is one of just two undefeated teams that didn’t receive a single vote in the latest AP poll. The Cougars certainly don’t have the best resume so far. They needed overtime to beat a winless Oregon State squad and they’ve spent most of the early schedule beating up on overmatched teams. Texas Tech will be a fascinating litmus test for the progress that Houston has made under coach Willie Fritz. The Cougars will be undeniable if they emerge victorious.
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