Week 10’s top 10 college football games: Ohio State-Penn State headlines top-heavy Saturday

It’s a top-heavy slate this weekend with only two ranked matchups. But one of those is a top-five showdown between Ohio State and Penn State that’s rich with storylines, alongside a few other intriguing games featuring Top 25 teams. And much like tee shots that land in the fairway, we don’t like to complain about autumn Saturdays with college football.

Let’s rank the top 10 games of Week 10, starting with honorable mentions and counting down.

Honorable Mention: Minnesota at No. 24 Illinois, Virginia Tech at Syracuse, Vanderbilt at Auburn, UL Monroe at Marshall, Wisconsin at Iowa, USC at Washington, Kentucky at No. 7 Tennessee

(All point spreads come from BetMGM; click here for live odds. Stream college football on fubo.  All kickoff times are Eastern and Saturday unless otherwise noted.)

10. Texas Tech (5-3) at No. 11 Iowa State (7-0), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, ESPN

The Cyclones are attempting an 8-0 start for the first time in program history, which would best the 7-0 start in 1938. Iowa State has been relatively steady thus far, save for a late comeback against UCF, but Texas Tech is a wild card. The Red Raiders started 3-0 in conference play, then lost two straight to Baylor and TCU in demoralizing fashion, and were at the center of raising concerns about the helmet-comms-encryption snafu this week. (Never a dull moment.) Warts and all, Tech still averages more than 38 points per game, and starting quarterback Behren Morton is probable to start after an injury to his non-throwing shoulder knocked him out of the loss to TCU.

Line: Iowa State -13.5

9. Duke (6-2) at No. 5 Miami (8-0), Noon, Fubo, ABC

The Hurricanes are the heavy favorites in this one, with the top offense in the FBS, an electrifying Heisman candidate in quarterback Cam Ward and the second-best odds to make the College Football Playoff in The Athletic’s projection (94 percent) behind only Oregon. But Miami has looked vulnerable at times, including a recent three-game stretch in which it won by a combined 12 points, before trampling Florida State last weekend. Duke lost to SMU in overtime last week in a game where it won the turnover battle 6-0 yet missed two field goals and one extra point. The Blue Devils have still scrounged to six wins, and this marks the return of Duke head coach Manny Diaz to face a Miami program that dumped him for Mario Cristobal.

Line: Miami -20.5

8. No. 13 Indiana (8-0) at Michigan State (4-4), 3:30 p.m., Peacock

The Spartans have been a mixed bag, though they did defeat Iowa at home a couple of weeks ago. But this is about the Hoosiers, who have become appointment viewing. Indiana hopes to have starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke back after blowing out Washington with backup Tayven Jackson behind center. It can’t afford to look past Michigan State on the road, but things are about to get very interesting for Indiana, with Michigan and a trip to Ohio State looming.

Line: Indiana -7.5

7. No. 1 Oregon (8-0) at Michigan (5-3), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, CBS

The Ducks have come a long way since their last trip to the Big House in 2007, which Austin Meek commemorated this week. Even against the defending national champs, Oregon is the Big Ten heavyweight this time, angling to remain atop the AP Top 25 poll ahead of the initial batch of CFP rankings next week. Michigan hasn’t been this big of a home underdog since playing top-ranked Ohio State in 2013 — a game the Wolverines lost by one — but it’s also a bit surprising the spread is this close considering how dreadful Michigan’s offense has been and how dominant Oregon has looked. Another win Saturday would mark the third time in program history the Ducks have started 9-0.

Line: Oregon -14.5

6. Florida (4-3) vs. No. 2 Georgia (6-1), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC

It’s still the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and there is still quite a bit on the line, despite how far the two have drifted apart on the contender scale. Credit to Billy Napier and the Gators for clawing to three wins in their last four games, but his seat is about to heat back up with four straight against ranked opponents: Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss. Matt Baker penned a great article about Napier’s plea for patience when he was hired, and why that needs to pay off now if he wants to keep his job. The Bulldogs got a bye after the big win at Texas and are hoping to get running back Trevor Etienne rolling against his former team, with games against Ole Miss and Tennessee looming.

Line: Georgia -14.5

5. Louisville (5-3) at No. 11 Clemson (6-1), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, ESPN

We all wrote off Clemson after the season-opening loss to Georgia; Dabo Swinney never wrote back. It’s been all green lights for the Tigers since then, with a top-10 offense and a 62 percent chance to make the Playoff according to The Athletic’s projection model. Clemson has a tricky schedule the rest of the way, including a Cardinals team with a trio of one-score losses against Notre Dame, SMU and Miami. Louisville’s offense under quarterback Tyler Shough isn’t far behind Clemson’s, but the Cards have to take care of the ball against a plus-9 turnover differential. The Tigers are 8-0 all-time against Louisville.

Line: Clemson -10.5

4. No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2) at Arkansas (5-3), Noon, Fubo, ESPN

Ole Miss, which entered the season with a $10 million roster and Playoff aspirations, can’t afford another misstep with two losses. Next week at home against Georgia is the big one, but only if the Rebels take care of an Arkansas team that already knocked off then-top-five Tennessee a few weeks ago and is on the verge of bowl eligibility after winning just four games in 2023. Quarterback Taylen Green accounted for six touchdowns, including this ankle-snapper, in a 58-25 win over Mississippi State last week.

He juked him 😳 @RazorbackFB pic.twitter.com/j8wIPXPN3w

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 26, 2024

Ole Miss still looks the part of a blue-chip stock on paper with a top-three offense and defense in terms of yards per play, but the team has labored for much of SEC play (2-2) and could use a commanding performance before next week’s bout with the Dawgs.

Line: Ole Miss -7.5

3. No. 18 Pitt (7-0) at No. 20 SMU (7-1), 8 p.m., Fubo, ACC Network

One of the two ranked matchups this week, and a rematch of the 1983 Cotton Bowl. This time, the schools are back in Dallas for a high-stakes clash in the ACC. (What a sport.) Both teams are a rung below Miami and Clemson in the CFP picture, but the outcome could have significant ramifications on the hornet’s nest of tiebreaker scenarios that await. SMU doesn’t face Miami or Clemson, and Pitt gets the Tigers in a couple of weeks. Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein is good to go after a knock last week and the Mustangs hope to have quarterback Kevin Jennings available with each set to face a top 20 defense.

Line: SMU -7.5

2. No. 10 Texas A&M (7-1) at South Carolina (4-3), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC

The Aggies are in sole possession of first place in the SEC, college football’s premier conference, coming off a comeback win over a top 10 opponent in which Texas A&M benched its starting quarterback. (What a sport.) A&M has won nine of its last 10 against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks have a top-10 defense and took LSU and Alabama to the wire. It will be interesting to see how head coach Mike Elko handles his newfound quarterback controversy between Conner Weigman and Marcel Reed as the Aggies aim to surpass last season’s win total.

Line: Texas A&M -3

1. No. 4 Ohio State (6-1) at No. 3 Penn State (7-0), Noon, Fubo, Fox

The fourth top-five showdown of 2024, with all the requisite pomp and circumstance. ESPN’s “College GameDay” and Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” are both setting up shop in Happy Valley, and our own Bruce Feldman and Ralph Russo talked to a slew of coaches who have faced both teams. Ohio State, which had to grind past Nebraska last week, is looking to avoid a second loss, and Ryan Day has had his troubles against top-five opponents (2-6 in his career). Yet so much of the pressure is still on Penn State in this one. Can James Franklin overcome his big-game struggles and improve his 1-9 record against Ohio State? Will Drew Allar be healthy enough to start at quarterback? Penn State hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes since 2016 and hasn’t been the higher-ranked team since 2017, but a win at home Saturday could change the narrative for these Nittany Lions.

Line: Ohio State -3.5

(Top photo: Dan Sanger / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)