College Football Week 11 Preview: Top Five Games to Watch This Weekend

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

Sheet Litman

College football and soccer analyst

The first official College Football Playoff rankings were released this week, and while there weren’t many surprises, it makes the rest of the season a little more intense as teams know exactly what they need to do to earn a spot in the top rankings secure -Coveted field with 12 teams.

There are some high-risk matchups in Week 11 – particularly in the SEC – as No. 3 Georgia takes on No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 11 Alabama plays No. 15 LSU in Death Valley. Both have implications for the CFP and will be must-see television.

Elsewhere, No. 9 BYU and No. 20 Colorado have their own important Big 12 showdowns, while No. 2 Ohio State and No. 8 Indiana simply need to keep winning to set up a huge conference battle in a few weeks.

However, here are the top five games to watch this weekend:

Purdue in second place Ohio State (Noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)

Purdue Boilermakers

PURE

Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU

The last three games have been challenging for Ohio State. The Buckeyes lost to new Big Ten foe Oregon by one point at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12, then eked out narrow victories over Nebraska and Penn State over the last two weekends. Such results can take an emotional toll on a team, but head coach Ryan Day tells his players not to take their foot off the gas now. Even though unranked Purdue comes to Columbus on Saturday, they can’t let up.

This applies not just to this weekend, but to the rest of the season. Ohio State needs to stay strong over the next few weeks against inferior opponents like Purdue (1-7) and Northwestern (4-5). OSU will have to be at its best in its final two games against No. 8 Indiana and bitter rival Michigan. Every game has to be won, especially if you have already lost.

No. 3 Georgia at No. 16 Ole Miss (3:30 p.m. ET)

Georgia Bulldogs

UGA

Ole Miss Rebels

MISS

This is a huge opportunity for head coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. A Rebels victory over the Bulldogs would shake up the SEC’s playoff picture, and it would also be a monumental victory for Kiffin’s program, which has yet to beat a ranked team this year. The Rebels nearly clinched a victory over then-No. 13 LSU at Death Valley a few weeks ago, but lost 29-26 in overtime. However, they have momentum now after dominating Arkansas 63-13 on the road a week ago.

If Ole Miss pulls off an upset, it will likely be because of its overwhelming defense. The unit leads the country in sacks (41.0) and ranks in the top 10 in points defense (13.2) and yards per play (4.41). Georgia QB Carson Beck, who leads the SEC in interceptions (11), hasn’t had the most consistent season. If Ole Miss can put pressure on him, things could get interesting.

No. 20 Colorado at Texas Tech (4:00 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)

Colorado buffalo

Texas Tech Red Raiders

TEXT

We knew all season that the Big 12 was unpredictable and winnable. This game has the potential to make that statement even truer. Texas Tech is coming off an impressive 23-22 road win over previously undefeated Iowa State last week. QB Behren Morton drove the Red Raiders 71 yards in the final two minutes and RB Tahj Brooks scored a 5-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left, securing the team’s fifth win by eight points or fewer this season .

Now the Red Raiders host Colorado, which was ranked 20th in the first CFP rankings. Thanks to Iowa State’s loss, the Buffaloes are now tied with the Cyclones for second place in the Big 12. If they win, head coach Deion Sanders’ team could play for the conference championship and a spot in the CFP.

That’s entirely possible, especially with QB Shedeur Sanders running the offense. He has a chance to put up some big numbers in Lubbock facing the Big 12’s worst pass defense (Texas Tech is giving up 307.2 yards per game). Sanders leads the league in pass efficiency (73.3%) and touchdowns (21) and has thrown just six interceptions this season.

No. 11 Alabama at No. 15 LSU (7:30 p.m. ET)

Alabama Crimson Tide

ALA

LSU Tigers

LSU

This is effectively a CFP elimination game as both Alabama and LSU have two losses. The annual meeting of these programs is always must-see television, and this year is no exception. Both teams are coming off a break, as always, which head coaches Kalen DeBoer and Brian Kelly hope will benefit their teams after a tough October.

LSU’s last game ended in a 38-23 loss to Texas A&M at Kyle Field. The Tigers led 17-7 at halftime but were unable to finish the game strongly. Alabama has lost two of its last four games, an upset against Vanderbilt and another against Tennessee, both of which were on the road. How will the Tigers and Crimson Tide respond Saturday night in front of a raucous crowd in Death Valley? We’ll find out soon.

No. 9 BYU at Utah (10:15 p.m. ET)

BYU Cougars

BYU

Utah Utes

UTAH

BYU hopes to remain undefeated when it takes on arch-rival Utah in a game that hasn’t been played since 2010. The Cougars occupy a good spot in the CFP picture, sitting firmly atop the Big 12 standings. Unless something wild happens, which is always possible, head coach Kalani Sitake’s team should find themselves in the 12-team field as conference champions.

Utah started the season with potential, but without talented QB Cam Rising (a lower leg injury suffered in October ruled him out for the season), the offense has stalled. Utah is currently on a four-game losing streak. In the Utes’ last game, a 17-14 loss to Houston on Oct. 26, head coach Kyle Whittingham said he was looking for a “spark” and decided to use two quarterbacks in freshman Isaac Wilson and sophomore Brandon Rose. Neither has made a statement, however, and whoever starts Saturday will have their hands full against a solid BYU defense that has the third-most interceptions (14) in the country this season.

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

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