It isn't often that the Miami Hurricanes have played at noon this season, so the hope is that we can enjoy a big win over Duke to get back on track and then start watching the scoreboards. At No. 7 in the CFP rankings, the Hurricanes have work to do on the field, and will need some teams ranked ahead of them to fall.
We've only got a few weeks of college football Saturdays remaining, and the games mean more than ever with the CFP rankings taking center stage. Here are the games to watch this weekend:
This 6-pack of games will help decide next week's CFP rankings
Illinois at No. 4 UCLA, Friday (9 p.m.; FOX)
Most people haven't noticed, but Illinois is on a four-game win streak and while UCLA is undefeated, and deserves plenty of credit for that, the Bruins have played some close games. I think this game is going to be a low-scoring, physical contest, and it's exactly the type of game that gives the Fighting Illini a good chance to pull off the upset.
No. 13 Wake Forest at SMU, Saturday (Noon; ESPN)
The ACC Championship Game could be settled by around 3:15 p.m. ET if the Hurricanes and Demon Deacons win their games. SMU is a different team in Dallas, and the Mustangs will be feisty as they try to stay alive in the race to get to Charlotte. Wake Forest is a road-tested team with wins against Louisville and Purdue earlier in the season. Last week, the Demon Deacons enjoyed an incredible soft touch against Merrimack and won 77-0, so they should be fresh and healthy for this big ACC tilt.
No. 22 Missouri at No. 1 Georgia, Saturday (3:30 p.m.; ABC)
No. 6 Texas at No. 21 LSU, Saturday (7:30 p.m.; ABC)
It's time for the powers in the SEC to cut the fat and get some of the second-tier teams out of the picture. Missouri probably didn't deserve to be in the CFP rankings this past week, but I suppose the committee kept the Tigers ranked for Georgia to claim another quality win.
As for Texas-LSU, that game might be a lot closer and if Lane Kiffin needs to win some of these big games if he wants to get the Tigers faithful back on his side. The Longhorns are one of the few teams in the top 12 that probably could afford another loss, but this isn't the spot for it to happen because the Tigers would have a head-to-head advantage in a tiebreaker. With those stakes, it's a true must-win for both teams.
No. 18 USC at No. 9 Indiana, Saturday (3:30 p.m.; CBS)
Will the real Indiana stand up? And while we're at it, will the real USC stand up too? I don't know if a Trojans win on the road would help their CFP chances as much as it would hurt the Hoosiers. This is an interesting clash. USC is an inconsistent road team, and they are making a fourth trip across multiple time zones. Meanwhile, Indiana continues to walk that tightrope, and more times than not the Hoosiers have made it to the other side.
No. 2 Utah at No. 23 Arizona, Saturday (7:30 p.m.; FOX)
It's one of the most underappreciated rivalries in college football, but when the Utes and Wildcats get together, expect a fun battle. Utah holds a 7-6 edge in the series since 2011, when the teams started playing regularly, but Arizona has won the past two. The Wildcats are still hanging onto their CFP top-12 hopes by a thread, but a home win over the Utes would change everything.
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