Preview of the tenth gaming week of the NCAA
The regular college football championship is entering its decisive phase. The tenth gaming week starts, which should further separate the playoff applicants from the rest of the teams. The main match will be held in Jacksonville, where Georgia and Florida will be included in the top 10.
Main Weeks
West Virginia - Baylor (12)
There are only nine undefeated teams left, of which only four will play matches this week. Baylor is seeded at number 12 and continues his beautiful season with a game with West Virginia. In the Big-12 conference, the team remained the last without defeats and playing on Halloween is a great chance to extend the series and even more impress those who make the ratings.
South Georgia - Appalachian State (20)
Of the teams representing Group 5, the Appalachian State is now in a better position to fight for getting into one of the New Year's bowls. Last season, their duel remained with South Georgia, but now the Mountaineers are playing on their own field, and quarterback Zach Thomas, who missed almost all of 2018, is in perfect order.
Georgia (8) - Florida (6)
The main game of the week, the winner of which is to go to Atlanta for the final of the SEC conference. In the past few weeks, Florida looks preferable to an opponent, but the two previous full-time matches ended with convincing victories of the Bulldogs (42-7 in 2017, 36-17 in 2018).
Miami - Florida State
This year there is not as much hype around the principle game as usual, but the intrigue is undoubtedly present, as both teams continue to fight for getting into the bowls. Miami won an important victory over Pittsburgh last week and continue to fight for first place in the division. Florida State has starry runnerback Cam Akers, who can win the match almost alone.
Utah (9) - Washington
Pac-12 traditionally has many opportunities to once again lose the chances of a playoff. After the failures of Georgia, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, the conference returned to this race - Utah and Oregon entered the top 10. So far, their in-person meeting looks like the most likely ending of the season at the conference, and there is not far a place in the semifinal. Washington may be on its way, beating Utah in its last four face-to-face meetings.
Florida Atlantic - Western Kentucky
In their conference, both rivals suffered only one defeat from Marshall. The result of their game will have a serious impact on the outcome of the fight in the Eastern division of the US conference. Both teams have already surpassed the results of unsuccessful past seasons, and Western Kentucky has only one victory left to guarantee itself a place in the bowls.
UML (15) - Memphis (24)
The central match of the week at the AAC. UML look like favorites and they need a victory to continue the fight for the New Year's bowls. Moreover, in front of them they have heavy games against the Navy and Tulein. To succeed this week, they will have to try to stop Kenneth Gainwell. Ranninbeck Memphis has already scored 979 yards this season (7.1 yards per takeaway attempt).
Oregon (7) - Southern California
Oregon escaped in a game with Washington State thanks to a field goal in the last seconds. Ahead is no less difficult game with Southern California. The Congresses are having an unstable season, but have won their last two matches against Arizona and Colorado. Oregon began to fail defense, which dominated the first six games of the championship. In the last two matches, the Ducks conceded 66 points.
Main issues of the week
Can Chase Young intervene in the fight for Heisman Trophy?
Eight of the last nine prize winners were quarterbacks. The defender received it for the last time and did it in 1997. This year has every chance to become special.
Runningback Wisconsin Jonathan Taylor after two consecutive defeats of his team almost certainly dropped out of the fight. Trevor Lawrence continues to struggle with interceptions, and Tua Tagovailoa missed one match due to injury and may not be limited to this. Quarterback Oklahoma Jalen Hurts also lost, although he will still have significant matches ahead to rectify the situation.
At the moment, the favorite is Joe Burrow from LSS and he can strengthen his position if he wins Alabama next week. But Young has excellent arguments in his favor. This season he has already counted 29 tackles, 13.5 secs, 15.5 captures with loss of yards and five provoked fumbles. In 2009, Ndamukong Su from Nebraska became fourth in the fight for the prize. Young must surpass his result.
Will we see a sensation this week?
Only four out of nine invincible teams will hold their matches, but for three consecutive weeks we saw how non-seeded teams beat opponents from the top 10.
Any outcome of the battle between Florida and Georgia will not be considered a sensation, the teams are approximately equal in strength. In the risk zone of Pac-12, where Oregon and Utah will meet rivals coming with a result of 3-5.
Perhaps Memphis will take advantage of his field and stop the invincible Mustangs of the UY. An attack by the Tigers could very well shoot an opponent.