Upsets continued to roll in during Week 8 of the NCAA College Football tournament as Kansas State and West Virginia scored shock victories over Oklahoma and Baylor respectively to help them barge into the playoff picture. The Wildcats and the Mountaineers can further boost their title credentials when they square off with Texas and Oklahoma State in a pair of important Big 12 clashes this week.
These two matches are part of the five best games to watch in Week 9 of the NCAA football tournament. Read on as we break down each game and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the Ole Miss vs. LSU game here.
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Top Five Games to Watch in Week 9 of College Football
Texas Longhorns vs. Kansas State Wildcats (Saturday, October 25, 12:00 PM ET)
[sc:NCAA240banner ]The Kansas State Wildcats recorded a major shock on Saturday as they upset Oklahoma 31-30 to move to the top of the Big 12 standings. A key defensive stand by the Wildcats on their two-yard line plus a rare 19-yard field goal miss by Oklahoma’s all-time scoring leader Michael Hunnicutt helped Kansas State preserve the one-point advantage.
They will look to solidify their hold on the Big 12 when they face Texas this coming Saturday. The Longhorns are brimming with confidence after they recorded an exciting last-second 48-45 win over Iowa State to snap their two-game losing skid. Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes was the star of the show as he completed 24 of 36 passes for 321 yards in addition to his 95 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Writer’s Prediction: The Wildcats beat the Longhorns by double-digits.
Michigan Wolverines vs. Michigan State Spartans (Saturday, October 25, 3:30 PM ET)
The Michigan State Spartans will be heading into their match against rivals Michigan with extreme confidence after they recorded their fifth consecutive win with a comprehensive 56-17 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers. Quarterback Connor Cook was exceptional as he completed 24 of 32 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns to boost the Spartans’ record to 6-1 (3-0 Big Ten).
He will find the going much harder against their rivals Michigan though. The Wolverines are ninth in the entire nation in the total defense department, allowing just 301.0 yards per game this season.
Writer’s Prediction: The Spartans thrash the Wolverines.
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Saturday, October 25, 3:30 PM ET)
The West Virginia Mountaineers pulled off one of the upsets of the season when they defeated fourth-ranked Baylor 41-27 to turn the Big 12 title race on its head. Quarterback Clint Trickett threw two of his three touchdown passes in the final quarter to help the Mountaineers beat a top-five opponent for the first time since defeating third-ranked Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl back in 2007.
West Virginia can make it four wins in a row against Oklahoma State whose College Football Playoff hopes seem to be all but over after they were demolished by the TCU Horned Frogs 42-9. Quarterback Daxx German had a miserable afternoon, completing just 10 of 25 passes for 132 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for the Sooners who were held without a touchdown for the first time since 2009.
Writer’s Prediction: The Mountaineers edge past the Cowboys to extend their win streak to four.
Ole Miss Rebels vs. LSU Tigers (Saturday, October 25, 7:15 PM ET)
The Ole Miss Rebels continued their perfect start to the season with a 34-3 thumping of the Tennessee Volunteers to improve their record to 7-0, their best start since 1962. Quarterback Bo Wallace completed just 13 of 28 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns but that was more than enough for a defense that allowed just 191 total yards, none via the running game.
That defense will be tested, however, this coming Saturday when they face the LSU Tigers who were excellent in their 41-3 drubbing of the Kentucky Wildcats last game. The Tigers have been excellent on the offensive end this season, averaging 35.6 points per contest, good for 28th in the FBS.
Writer’s Prediction: The Rebels roll past the Tigers to preserve their unbeaten season.
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Auburn Tigers (Saturday, October 25, 7:30 PM ET)
The South Carolina Gamecocks snapped their two-game losing streak on Saturday when they blew past the Furman Paladins 41-10. Running back Mike Davis rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns to give coach Steve Spurrier his 51st win without defeat against teams outside the BCS-qualifying conferences.
He will face a much tougher foe though this coming Saturday when they face the Auburn Tigers who are desperate to get their title bid back on track after their shock 38-23 defeat to Mississippi State last week. The Tigers were left to rue their poor start where they allowed the Bulldogs to score three touchdowns in the opening nine minutes to send them crashing to their first defeat since they lost the national championship last season.
Writer’s Prediction: The Tigers storm past the Gamecocks.
