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College football enters the final day of October with several contenders looking to protect their positions. Meanwhile, teams on the edge of playoff contention have little room for another setback.
Three matchups stand out, including Arizona’s visit to Texas Tech, Florida’s rivalry showdown with Georgia and Ohio State’s trip to Southern California.
Arizona and Texas Tech face a defining Big 12 test
Arizona visits Texas Tech at noon ET on ESPN in one of the day’s most important conference matchups.
The Wildcats enter with a 6-1 record and growing confidence after defeating Cincinnati by 27 points in Week 8. Quarterback Noah Fifita leads an offense averaging 36 points per game. Receiver Isaiah Mizell has also emerged as a major target, recording nearly 500 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
However, Texas Tech needs a response after losing to Cincinnati. Quarterback Will Hammond and the Red Raiders offense must find more consistency against an Arizona defense that has shown its ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
The winner will strengthen its position in the Big 12 championship race.
Georgia and Florida renew their rivalry in Atlanta
At 3:30 p.m. ET, No. 3 Georgia meets No. 17 Florida on ABC.
The traditional rivalry moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta because of renovations at Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium.
Georgia enters after a disappointing loss to Auburn, while Florida arrives with momentum following an impressive road victory over Texas.
Quarterback play could determine the outcome. Florida has questions surrounding Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr., while Georgia’s Gunner Stockton needs to avoid the costly turnovers that hurt the Bulldogs in their previous outing.
Ohio State faces a difficult road test at USC
The evening’s biggest spotlight falls on No. 2 Ohio State’s visit to USC at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
The Buckeyes will be without injured quarterback Julian Sayin. Freshmen Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair are potential replacements, creating uncertainty around an offense preparing for a demanding road environment.
USC also needs a strong response after struggling against Wisconsin. Another defeat would further complicate the Trojans’ playoff ambitions and increase scrutiny surrounding head coach Lincoln Riley.
Miami looks to protect its No. 1 ranking
Miami has another opportunity to strengthen its playoff credentials when it visits North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Hurricanes are unbeaten and have received strong performances from quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney. North Carolina, coached by Bill Belichick, will need a much stronger defensive performance to challenge the nation’s top-ranked team.
Meanwhile, No. 6 Utah travels to Cincinnati at 3:45 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Utes are unbeaten and looking to avoid the upset that Texas Tech suffered against the Bearcats last weekend.
More Week 9 games to watch
Other notable Saturday matchups include:
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. Navy at noon ET on ABC.
No. 19 SMU at Syracuse at noon ET on ESPN2.
Wisconsin at No. 25 Iowa at noon ET on Fox.
Auburn at No. 12 Ole Miss at 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Minnesota at No. 4 Indiana at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
No. 20 Northwestern at Oregon at 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
No. 8 BYU vs. Arizona State at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
South Carolina at Oklahoma at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Clemson at Florida State at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
No. 11 Texas vs. Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
No. 23 Missouri at Arkansas at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Texas State at No. 20 Boise State at 10 p.m. ET on The CW.
The complete broadcast schedule is available through the NCAA college football TV schedule.
With conference races tightening and playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Halloween Saturday offers another opportunity for college football’s contenders to prove themselves. Several teams have difficult assignments, and the results could dramatically change the national conversation before November begins.
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