Ohio State's playoff chances took a hit this week with their loss at Texas. Of course, the Buckeyes can win every other game as they did in 2014; they'll be a top seed in the CFP. If they lose another game or two, things could get hairy as to where they will be playing in December and January. They can't do much to change that this week, but there are plenty of other games on the college football schedule that can.
(22) Houston vs (13) Texas Tech
Maybe the biggest game of the Big 12 season. For Houston, it is a chance to prove that they are a real threat in this league. If they are good enough to go to Lubbock and win, they should be a lock for the Big 12 championship game. They'd be favored in every other game the rest of the season.
Texas Tech has looked shaky in its first two games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State. If they look more like the Texas Tech of last year, I would expect them to go undefeated in the regular season again with their schedule.
Kent State vs (6) Ohio State
Ohio State gets a chance to take out some built-up frustrations following their loss at Texas against Kent State. The Buckeyes are massive favorites and will have a chance to get some reps for their young guys as they begin Big Ten play next week.
Kentucky vs (9) Texas A&M
Kentucky's collapse in the second half at home against Alabama took some air out of the balloon in Lexington, but they have another big game on tap this weekend as they travel to College Station. This will be the SEC opener for Texas A&M, and they need to be careful.
Kentucky did show in their game against Alabama that they can catch a team by surprise if they aren't ready. Texas A&M goes to LSU next weekend. They need to bring their A game against the Wildcats and avoid the trap game.
Florida State vs (10) Alabama
Alabama should come out angry on Saturday afternoon against a Florida State team that inexplicably beat them in Tallahassee to begin last season. Florida State just fired its athletic director and seems to be preparing to make a change at head coach at the end of this season.
Alabama is an incredibly talented team, as we saw last week in Lexington. There will be concerns about the Crimson Tide if they struggle against the Seminoles, considering where these two programs are in the present day.
(16) SMU vs (23) Louisville
This is maybe the biggest game of the ACC season. Miami looks destined to go unbeaten in conference play. SMU and Louisville are the next two highest-ranked teams in the conference. Looking at each of their schedules, this is probably a bigger game for SMU.
The Mustangs still have games against Virginia and Cal, who are also ACC hopefuls. They also go to Notre Dame in late November, which is not a conference game but will be big for a potential at-large bid for SMU. The Cardinals, on the other hand, could have some more wiggle room.
They'll be favored in every game left on their schedule except for maybe the trip to Kentucky in the final game of the regular season, which has no impact on the ACC race. A win for Louisville puts them in prime position to get to Charlotte with a chance to make the playoff.
If Miami is a lock to get there, which they appear to be, although they also looked that way last year, then the race for that other spot will be extremely competitive, as the conference champion is guaranteed a playoff spot.
(7) LSU vs (8) Ole Miss
This is one of, if not the most anticipated games of the college football season. Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time since leaving Ole Miss right before their College Football Playoff run a year ago. It will be one of the most toxic American sports environments in recent years, especially for how fresh the feelings are.
Kiffin left for LSU just 10 months ago, and this is only the third game of the season. Ole Miss beating Georgia in the CFP and nearly beating Miami to go to the National Championship Game only fueled the hate for Kiffin, as fans now see it as he left a potential championship team.
Feelings aside, this is a huge game for the 2026 season. LSU has four top-15 teams on its schedule after Ole Miss. The Rebels have games against the top 2 teams in the country on their schedule. The loser of this game is going to need to win some big games to make the top 12.
It is especially important for LSU, as they turn right around to play Texas A&M next week, coming off of the most emotionally charged game of their season. If they lose each of their next two games, they'll have to beat Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee all in a row in November without slipping up again to make the playoff. If Ole Miss wins on Saturday night, they will be favored in seven of their final nine games and will get back to the CFP if they win all of them.
New Mexico vs (24) Oklahoma
New Mexico inserted itself as one of the top teams in the Mountain West last season, and with the conference becoming weaker through realignment, the Lobos are favorites to win the conference this season and are playoff contenders.
If Oklahoma won at Michigan last week, this game could've been a lot more meaningful. A competitive game will do wonders for New Mexico's resume, especially if Oklahoma can look more like the team we expected them to in SEC play; New Mexico will have a leg up on other CFP contenders.
If the Sooners blow out the Lobos, it'll be bad news for the entire Mountain West in playoff conversations, but it could also be a sign that Oklahoma could still be a good team, and the loss at Michigan was more of a one-off.
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