College football Week 10 watchability rankings: ACC Chaos is just beginning with Pitt vs. SMU

The thought of nan Atlantic Coast Conference getting much than 2 teams into nan expanded 12-team College Football Playoff seems farfetched. But present we are. With November approaching, nan convention has 4 teams classed successful nan AP Top 25 Poll and 4 teams pinch unblemished records successful convention play.

Clemson and Miami are here, of course. The Tigers paced by 1 of nan champion moving backs successful assemblage shot successful Phil Mafah and a resurgent Cade Klubnik, and nan Hurricanes led by a superhero backmost successful Cam Ward.

And past there’s Pitt and SMU, classed 18th and 20th respectively successful nan AP Poll this week, each unbeaten successful convention play. The only nonaccomplishment betwixt nan 2 teams is simply a three-point conclusion that SMU suffered successful Week 3 astatine nan hands of BYU.

After nan worst play of Pat Narduzzi’s decade-long tenure astatine Pitt past year, nan Panthers person been rejuvenated by a caller violative coordinator and transfers astatine quarterback, moving backmost and wide receiver. Redshirt freshman Eli Holstein – a transportation from Alabama – mightiness beryllium the champion Pitt backmost since a feline named Dan Marino, and he leads an discourtesy that is sixth nationally successful scoring.

SMU is someway still unbeaten successful ACC play aft escaping Wallace Wade Stadium pinch a one-point overtime triumph complete Duke after losing nan turnover conflict 0-6.

For nan ACC, nan favorites to beforehand to nan convention title crippled successful Charlotte and yet correspond nan convention successful nan playoff are Miami and Clemson. The Hurricanes and nan Tigers power their ain destiny: triumph out, and they’re successful nan ACC title and astir apt safely successful nan playoff too.

But these 2 teams, Pitt and SMU, they person activity to do and mightiness request immoderate bully aged fashioned ACC chaos to thief them break into nan field. Because nan remainder of SMU’s schedule is comparatively soft – pinch games against Boston College, Virginia and Cal – they request to hit Pitt and triumph those 3 games to moreover deliberation astir nan playoff.

Should Pitt triumph connected nan roadworthy against SMU, and past triumph nan pursuing week astatine location against Virginia, that would group up 1 of nan biggest regular play games successful nan ACC successful a while, erstwhile Clemson visits nan Steel City connected Nov. 16. That could usability arsenic a play-in crippled of sorts for nan convention championship.

There’s besides a imaginable messy business successful which Clemson, Miami and SMU each decorativeness ACC play 8-0. Tiebreaker factors would find who gets to play for nan ACC crown successful Charlotte. As Chapel Fowler explained this week, who gets to play successful Charlotte could travel down to nan mixed triumph percent of opponents, immoderate unusual analytics rating, aliases a random tie by Commissioner Jim Phillips.

Simply put, ACC chaos is conscionable beginning. And arsenic we each predicted, nan existent title for nan playoff starts Saturday erstwhile nan Panthers return connected nan Mustangs successful Dallas astatine 8 p.m. ET connected nan ACC Network.

Best Game of nan Week: No. 4 Ohio State astatine No. 3 Penn State

Saturday, 12 p.m. ET – FOX

It’s put-up aliases shut-up clip pinch Penn State. Is this going to beryllium a business-as-usual play for nan Nittany Lions wherever they predominate nan remainder of nan Big Ten but stumble against Ohio State and Michigan? Or is James Franklin’s squad yet going to look arsenic a morganatic contender?

Game that mightiness person an effect connected nan College Football Playoff: No. 13 Indiana astatine Michigan State

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – Peacock

This is only present because Kurtis Rourke mightiness not play and nan Hoosiers’ schedule isn’t astir to get easier pinch games against Michigan and Ohio State approaching. To enactment successful nan playoff picture, Indiana needs to return attraction of business successful East Lansing.

Weird Weeknight Game of nan Week: San Diego State astatine No. 15 Boise State

Friday, 8 p.m. ET – FS1

The weeknight slate this week is, well, weak. But hey, Ashton Jeanty is playing successful this game, truthful tune successful to watch him tally each complete a San Diego State defense that ranks 86th nationalist against nan rush.

Awesome Group of Five matchup worthy watching: Toledo astatine Eastern Michigan

Saturday, 12 p.m. ET – ESPNU

A bully MAC game? A bully MAC game, y’all. MACtion is back.

Both of these teams are 5-3 and equipped pinch old, nosy quarterbacks. EMU’s Cole Snyder – connected his 3rd squad successful six seasons – leads nan MAC successful passing yards pinch 1,822. Toledo’s Tucker Gleason – connected his 2nd squad successful 5 seasons – leads nan MAC successful touchdowns responsible for pinch 18.

Sickos Guilty Pleasure Game of nan Week: North Carolina astatine Florida State

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – ACC Network

Fact: In nan entirety of his coaching career, Mack Brown has ne'er beaten Florida State. Not during his first stint arsenic nan coach of nan Tar Heels and not during his 2nd – and he ne'er faced FSU while coaching Texas. Is this nan twelvemonth Mack gets a triumph successful Tallahassee amidst a disastrous FSU season?

Tune into spot if UNC tin get different Thicc-Six, past instrumentality astir to consciousness nan corporate worry and disappointment of these 2 fanbases arsenic this crippled unfolds. The Tar Heels are chasing vessel eligibility, while Florida State is trying put something interesting on nan section truthful nan camera doesn’t cookware to nan feline reference his book successful nan bleachers.

Also watch…

Air Force astatine No. 21 Army: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET – CBS/Paramount+

Florida vs. No. 2 Georgia: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+

Texas Tech astatine No. 11 Iowa State: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPN

No. 10 Texas A&M astatine South Carolina: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+