Five College Football Games to Watch: Week Six
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This piece is a continuation of our weekly series, Five Games You Should Watch. The premise is simple: if you’re an Oregon State Beavers fan, it’s already a safe bet that you’ll watch Saturday’s football game at Appalachian State (12:30 PM PST on ESPN+), but here are five more games for you to consider.
Air Force at Navy - 9 AM (PST) on CBS
Why did I pick this game? Two words: triple option. In a world full of high-octane spread passing offenses, including one at ol’ O-S-U, the military academies do something entirely different: the flexbone. Their offensive philosophy eschews passing in favor of running the option. Effective flexbone offenses demand ball control, football IQ, unselfish blocking, and lots of misdirection. When it works, it is a sight to behold, and I look forward to seeing two flexbone schools duke it out on Saturday morning.
#16 Vanderbilt at #10 Alabama - 12:30 PM (PST) on ABC
This week, Vanderbilt star quarterback Diego Pavia confidently exclaimed, “If we play our game, it won’t be close”.
Historically, braggadocious statements like Pavia’s before an Alabama game would invite certain doom, but the sixth-year senior is confident for a reason: he’s beaten Bama before. A year ago, the Commodores stunned Alabama 40-35, a result that redefined expectations for both programs.
Now, Vanderbilt brings an unbeaten record into Bryant-Denny Stadium. Will the Commodores continue their meteoric rise up the college football ranks? Will Alabama earn sweet revenge, and quell the concerns surrounding coach Kalen DeBoer’s future in Tuscaloosa? We’ll all find out on Saturday.
Boise State at #21 Notre Dame - 12:30 PM (PST) on NBC
Yesterday, I briefly wrote about the Broncos’ upcoming trek to one of college football’s most hallowed grounds: Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
No one believes in Boise State: the Broncos disappeared from the polls after a season-opening blowout loss at USF, and despite three straight wins, sportsbooks have the 2-2 Fighting Irish favored by 20.5 points.
For Boise State, a road win against one of college football’s premier programs would vault the smurf-turfers back into the national headlines, potentially push them into the polls once again, and restore confidence in a program that reached last season’s College Football Playoff.
#11 Texas Tech at Houston - 4 PM (PST) on ESPN
Beaver fans likely need no reminder of Texas Tech’s dominance this season. The Red Raiders boast one of the game’s best passing offenses: star quarterback Behren Morton has completed 69 percent of his passes for over a thousand yards and a whopping 11 touchdowns this season. If Morton can play, unbeaten Texas Tech are a Big-12 title contender, and appointment television every Saturday.
#3 Miami at #18 Florida State - 4:30 PM (PST) on ABC
In a previous life, I covered the hated Nike U through the entirety of the Ducks’ Mario Cristobal era. To me, Mario remains one of the most fascinating coaches in all of college football. After leading a long, arduous process of turning a program once known for finesse into one known for its ferocity, Cristobal could have stayed at Oregon forever. Instead, fate called him home.
Cristobal is an outstanding program builder, but he has been plagued by game management woes throughout his coaching career, most notably in a last-second loss to Georgia Tech in 2024. I’d love to see Mario restore Miami football to its former glory, but I’m also curious whether he’ll blow another crucial game.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
Matt fell in love with radio during his college days at Oregon Tech, and pursued a nine year career in sports broadcasting with Klamath Falls' and Medford's highest-rated sports radio stations. He currently lives in McMinnville wine country and is excited to talk about the Beavers again.