Every week we take a look at what results across the country could most benefit FSU's chances of returning to the College Football Playoff in 2015. With lots of out-of-conference matchups this week, the rooting guide is posted in chronological order by kickoff time.
Houston vs. Louisville: Louisville. This would be a bad loss for a talented Louisville team coming off that disappointing loss to Auburn. More importantly, this would be a bad loss for FSU's SOS and the ACC. With Clemson looming next Thursday, Louisville has to win this game.
Hawaii vs. Ohio State: Hawaii. Ohio State is ranked ahead of FSU and someone has to beat Ohio State. Seeing as they don't play anyone until Michigan State, it's not happening this week...but we can dream, right?
Tulane vs. Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech. FSU needs Georgia Tech to make it to our game in October unscathed.
Notre Dame vs. Virginia: UVA. Notre Dame jumped FSU in the AP poll this week and looked good against Texas last Saturday. A Virginia upset would likely eliminate ND as a playoff contender and provide a huge win for an ACC team that's actually 100% committed to the conference.
Georgia vs. Vanderbilt: Vandy. Georgia is ranked ahead of FSU and is the SEC East favorite. SEC powerhouse Vandy isn't beating Georgia coming off a home loss to Western Kentucky, but VANDY WOULD WIN 8 GAMES IN THE ACC PAWWWWWLLLLLLL amiright?
Oklahoma vs. Tennessee: Tennessee. At this early point in the season, Oklahoma is more of a playoff threat than Tennessee. Tennessee plays Georgia and at Alabama in back-to-back weeks in October, while OU doesn't play Baylor or TCU until November. If Oklahoma goes on a run, they could be 9-0 when they go to Waco on November 14th. An Oklahoma win would gain nothing for FSU at this stage, but an OU loss would hurt Baylor and TCU's SOS and the Big 12 in general down the road. Plus, a Tennessee win would give the Vols a huge confidence builder 2 weeks before their game against UF.
Ball State vs. Texas A&M: Ball State. If the college football season was 1 or 2 weeks long, Texas A&M would be crowned the undisputed back-to-back national champions by the media. Remember a year ago when ESPN was convinced Kenny Hill was a Heisman candidate and A&M was a darkhorse playoff contender? That mentality has started up again one week into this season with A&M already receiving too much hype for defeating an inflated Arizona State team. The sooner A&M loses, the better it is for FSU.
Oregon vs. Michigan State: Michigan State. Both teams are currently ranked ahead of FSU, but Michigan State still has to play Ohio State later in the season. If Arizona State and Stanford are really as bad as they looked last week, Oregon really only has Utah and USC left on their schedule, and both of those games are at home. A bad loss here by Oregon would also knock the Pac-12 down one more peg after last week, which is in FSU's favor. The Big 10 is likely getting its conference champion into the playoff regardless. The same cannot be said of the Pac-12 right now, and that theoretically could help the eventual ACC champion's playoff chances.
LSU vs. Mississippi State: Clanga. Mississippi State just cracked the Top 25 this week (for a truly impressive 34-16 win over a team that went 3-9 in C-USA last year, I'm sure there was no SEC bias involved) and will probably lose another 3-4 games this year at a minimum. LSU has been hyped as a playoff contender and is a bigger threat to win the SEC West, so a Ceauxrndeauxg loss here would help FSU's chances most at this point in the season.
UCLA vs. UNLV: UNLV. UCLA is sitting pretty in the Pac-12 South after a solid Week 1 performance from their freshman QB and an ugly Arizona State loss. They remain a playoff threat, so a UNLV upset at home here would help FSU's playoff chances. This will also be Josh Rosen's first career road game start...crazier things have happened.
Full Saturday TV Listings
Friday | ||
8:00 PM | Miami at Florida Atlantic | FS1 / FS Go |
9:00 PM | Utah State at Utah | ESPN2 / |
Saturday | ||
11:30 AM | South Florida at Florida State | ESPN / |
12:00 PM | Oregon State at Michigan | ABC / espn3 |
12:00 PM | Bowling Green at Maryland | BTN / BTN2Go |
12:00 PM | Western Illinois at Illinois | BTN / BTN2Go |
12:00 PM | Army at UConn | CBSSN |
12:00 PM | Presbyterian at Charlotte | CSCA *4 / espn3 / ASN (affiliates) |
12:00 PM | Houston at Louisville | ESPN Extra / ACC-RSN / espn3 *4 |
12:00 PM | Indiana State at Purdue | ESPN News / |
12:00 PM | Buffalo at Penn State | ESPN2 / |
12:00 PM | Miami Ohio at Wisconsin | ESPNU / |
12:00 PM | Kansas State at UTSA | FS1 / FS Go |
12:00 PM | Jacksonville State at Auburn | SEC Network / |
12:30 PM | Wake Forest at Syracuse | ESPN Extra / ACC Network / espn3 *4 |
2:00 PM | Sacramento State at Washington | PAC-12 Network |
2:00 PM | UMass at Colorado | PAC-12 Network |
3:00 PM | UTEP at Texas Tech | FSN Affiliates / FS Go |
3:00 PM | Liberty at West Virginia | RSPI |
3:30 PM | Notre Dame at Virginia | ABC / espn3 |
3:30 PM | Hawaii at Ohio State | BTN / BTN2Go |
3:30 PM | Georgia at Vanderbilt | CBS / CBS |
3:30 PM | Minnesota at Colorado State | CBSSN |
3:30 PM | Austin Peay at Southern Miss | CSBA *4 / ASN (affiliates) |
3:30 PM | Tulane at Georgia Tech | ESPN Extra / ACC-RSN / espn3 *4 |
3:30 PM | Fresno State at Ole Miss | ESPN2 |
3:30 PM | Washington State at Rutgers | ESPNU |
3:30 PM | Stephen F. Austin at TCU | FS1 / FS Go |
4:00 PM | Eastern Illinois at Northwestern | ESPN News / |
4:00 PM | Eastern Michigan at Wyoming | RSNW / RSRM / RSSW / MWC |
4:00 PM | Middle Tennessee at Alabama | SEC Network / |
4:00 PM | Toledo at Arkansas | SEC Network Alternate / |
4:30 PM | Iowa at Iowa State | FOX / FS Go |
5:00 PM | San Diego State at California | PAC-12 Network / |
6:00 PM | Oklahoma at Tennessee | ESPN |
7:00 PM | Arizona at Nevada | CBSSN |
7:00 PM | Memphis at Kansas | ESPN Extra / Jayhawk TV / espn3 |
7:00 PM | East Carolina at Florida | ESPN2 / |
7:00 PM | Ball State at Texas A&M | ESPNU / |
7:30 PM | Morgan State at Illinois State | ESPN Extra / CSNC *4 / espn3 *4 |
7:30 PM | Central Arkansas at Oklahoma State | FSN Affiliates / FS Go |
7:30 PM | Lamar at Baylor | FSN Affiliates / FS Go |
7:30 PM | Kentucky at South Carolina | SEC Network / |
8:00 PM | Oregon at Michigan State | ABC / espn3 (also in Spanish) |
8:00 PM | Georgia State at New Mexico State | ALT2 / espn3 / Aggie Vision |
8:00 PM | Florida International at Indiana | BTN (alternate) / BTN2Go |
8:00 PM | South Alabama at Nebraska | BTN / BTN2Go |
8:00 PM | Temple at Cincinnati | ESPN News / |
8:00 PM | Rice at Texas | LHN / LHN |
8:00 PM | Idaho at USC | PAC-12 Network / |
8:00 PM | Bacone College at Texas Southern | RSSW+ |
9:15 PM | LSU at Mississippi State | ESPN / / espn3 Skycam |
10:15 PM | Boise State at BYU | ESPN2 / |
10:15 PM | San Jose State at Air Force | ESPNU / |
10:30 PM | UCLA at UNLV | CBSSN |
10:30 PM | UCF at Stanford | FS1 / FS Go |
11:00 PM | Cal Poly at Arizona State | PAC-12 Network / |