As the concluding week of regular season college football has finally approached, here are some games that fans should consider watching during their Thanksgiving holiday:
No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 3 Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. on FOX
The time has come for one of the top five undefeated teams to take a loss, just like the rest of us. The Ohio State Buckeyes have been nothing short of a dominant force on the field, but Michigan has also shown no signs of backing down. The two will meet again in the exact same fashion as last season, with both teams undefeated and in the same AP rankings. The Wolverines came away with the win for the second season in a row last year, so the Buckeyes will definitely be looking to clinch the victory in a game that will be hard-fought on both sides.
No. 15 Oregon State @ No. 6 Oregon
Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. on FOX
This season, Oregon has once again been an opponent not to reckon with thanks to star quarterback and Heisman hopeful Bo Nix. The senior is currently the No. 1 favorite to receive the trophy after a stellar performance against Arizona State during Week 12, where he threw for 404 yards and six touchdown passes. But Oregon State hasn’t looked too shabby recently, either. In what could’ve been a huge upset to then-No. 5 Washington, the Beavers held the Huskies scoreless in the second half and tightened it to a two-point game during the fourth quarter, unfortunately falling 22-20. Oregon could be in for a long night if they don’t eliminate Oregon State’s rush game.
Houston @ UCF
Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. on FS1
Even though neither of these teams are ranked, don’t overlook this game to be a snooze-fest. The UCF Knights have seen their fair share of struggle this season, but have also impressed with a close 31-29 game against then-No. 13 Oklahoma and 45-3 blowout over then-No. 21 Oklahoma State. In its most recent matchup, UCF almost got the win over Texas Tech, losing by just one point. Both the Knights and the Cougars each boast a dual-threat quarterback who isn’t afraid to rush the ball, suggesting that it will ultimately come down to a battle between defenses. Houston and UCF will surely give fans a nailbiter in their first matchup as Big 12 opponents.
Texas Tech @ No. 7 Texas
Friday, Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. on ABC
These two teams may not have a true rivalry, but they sure play like they do. In a close overtime bout last season, then-No. 25 Texas fell to unranked Texas Tech 37-34 in Lubbock. But this time around, the Red Raiders will travel to Austin to take on a 10–1 Texas team in what will be their final matchup before Texas’ departure to the SEC, and the Longhorns aren’t looking to let up on the momentum they’ve been riding all season. Texas Tech barely squeaked by UCF last weekend, and nearly fumbled the game against Kansas the week prior. The team will look to bring their best performance against Texas as backup quarterback Behren Morton has shown to have a steady arm, throwing for an average of nearly 70% in pass completion status across the eight games he’s appeared in.