Week 10 saw a mix of tight games and definitive wins. As the playoff picture begins to form, each of these games holds extra meaning.
Auburn fires Freeze
The Auburn Tigers fired head coach Hugh Freeze after a 4-5 start to the season, culminating in a Week 10 loss at home to Kentucky, 10-3. Freeze went 15-19 (6-16 SEC) in three years with the program. Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin has been named interim head coach; Durkin was the head coach at Maryland from 2016-18.
Ohio State Buckeyes (#1) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Ohio State continued their undefeated run, beating Big Ten rival Penn State, 38-14. QB Julian Sayin had over 300 passing yards and four touchdowns for Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ defense shut out Penn State in the second half, holding them scoreless in the third and fourth quarters. OSU moves up to 8-0 on the season.
Indiana Hoosiers (#2) vs. Maryland Terrapins
Indiana’s offense shined this weekend, putting up 55 points against Maryland to win 55-10. Kaelon Black ran for 110 yards and a touchdown for Indiana. The Hoosiers start 9-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
Georgia Bulldogs (#5) vs. Florida Gators
Georgia barely beat Florida 24-20 in a tough SEC matchup. The Bulldogs held off the Gators, and a late touchdown would prove the difference maker. Gunner Stockton had 223 passing yards and two touchdowns for Georgia, leading the way in their victory to make them 7-1.
Ole Miss Rebels (#7) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Ole Miss defeated their SEC rival South Carolina by a score of 30-14. RB Kewan Lacy was huge for the Rebels, rushing for 167 yards and a touchdown. Ole Miss improves to 8-1 on the year.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (#8) vs. NC State Wolfpack
Georgia Tech lost their first game of the year against NC State, falling in a 48-36 shootout. RB Jayden Scott was a standout player for the Wolfpack, running for almost 200 yards and a TD. The Yellow Jackets drop to 8-1 after this loss – and will likely fall in the rankings after losing to an unranked opponent.
Vanderbilt Commodores (#9) vs. Texas Longhorns (#20)
In one of the best matchups of the week, Texas pulled out a 34-31 win over Vanderbilt. Both teams’ quarterbacks had strong performances. Diego Pavia had 365 passing yards and four total touchdowns for the Commodores, while Arch Manning threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns. The Longhorns improve to 7-2; Vanderbilt slips to 7-2.
Miami Hurricanes (#10) vs. SMU Mustangs
Miami lost a heartbreaker to SMU, 26-20. The game was tied at 20 going into OT, and a touchdown from SMU won them the game. Kevin Jennings threw for 365 yards and had two total touchdowns for the Mustangs. The Canes drop to 6-2.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (#12) vs. Boston College Eagles
Notre Dame beats Boston College, who has had a rough schedule, by a score of 25-10. Jeremiyah Love rushed for two touchdowns for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame moves to 6-2 this season.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (#13) vs. Kansas State Wildcats
Texas Tech crushed Kansas State, 43-20, in this Big 12 Matchup. WR Caleb Douglas had a solid performance for the Red Raiders, with 8 catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. The Red Raiders become 8-1 after the win.
Tennessee Volunteers (No. 14) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (No. 18)
Oklahoma delivered a 33-27 victory at Tennessee, snapping a cold streak vs ranked teams. This big win for Oklahoma brings new life to them, while Tennessee once again loses to a ranked opponent. RB Xavier Robinson and QB John Mateer led the Sooners in a strong day on the ground, combining for almost 200 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Oklahoma rises to 7-2 while the Vols plunge to 6-3.
Virginia Cavaliers (#15) vs. California Golden Bears
Virginia continued their reign of terror over the ACC, winning their fifth game against a divisional opponent to improve to 5-0 in the ACC and 8-1 overall. The Cavs, led by two touchdowns on the ground from J’Mari Taylor, won 31-21.
Louisville Cardinals (#16) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Powered by a 21-point second half, Louisville defeated Virginia Tech 28-16. The Cardinals played an almost perfect second half, shutting out the Hokies in addition to those 21 points. Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown combined for 224 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns for the Cardinals. This win bumps them up to 7-1.
Cincinnati Bearcats (#17) vs. Utah Utes (#24)
In a College GameDay matchup between ranked teams, Utah dominated Cincinnati, 45-14. The Utes scored in many ways – two passing touchdowns, three rushing TDs, and a punt return touchdown. This huge Big 12 win for Utah will move them up the rankings and bring them 7-2, while the Bearcats dip to 7-2.
Michigan Wolverines (#21) vs. Purdue Boilermakers
Michigan took down Big Ten rival Purdue, 21-16. Jordan Marshall had three rushing touchdowns for the Wolverines, and they held on to beat the Boilermakers. Michigan rises to 7-2 this season.
Houston Cougars (#22) vs West Virginia Mountaineers
The Houston Cougars were upset by West Virginia, 45-35. The Mountaineers had four rushing touchdowns. This win drops Houston to 7-2.
USC Trojans (#23) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
USC escaped with a 21-17 victory against Nebraska in a tight thriller. King Miller ran for a touchdown and 129 yards for the Trojans. This win makes USC 6-2. Unfortunately, Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken fibula.
Memphis Tigers (#25) vs. Rice Owls
A matchup within the American Conference saw Memphis take down Rice by a score of 38-14. QB Brendan Lewis had over 300 total yards for the Tigers. This victory improves Memphis to 8-1 this season.
This week leaves four ranked, undefeated teams left. These are Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and BYU. Washington moves into the rankings, and Houston falls out.
Next week’s best matchups are #8 BYU vs #9 Texas Tech, and #3 Texas A&M vs #19 Missouri.
