After winning eight games in a row with no rest, the undefeated Oregon Ducks will now enjoy a much-deserved bye week. Oregon’s players will use their bye week for rest and recuperation, but the grind never stops for Ducks fans. Here are three games Oregon fans should watch during the team’s Week 13 bye.
No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) @ No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten), 9:00 a.m. PST
If you only watch one more game of regular-season college football this year, make sure it’s this one. The game will be this season’s fifth between two teams ranked in the AP Poll’s Top-5, and its winner will most likely be in Indianapolis on Dec. 7 for the Big Ten Championship game.
Led by sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke and first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers enter Week 13 alongside Oregon and Army as one of three remaining undefeated FCS teams. As a result, Indiana recently signed Cignetti to an eight-year, $72 million-dollar contract extension.
Though their strength of previously-played schedule ranks 106th, Indiana has beaten nine of ten opponents by 14 or more points. The Hoosiers are two wins away from playing a Big Ten Championship game in their state capitol for the first time.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they’ll be fighting an uphill battle in Columbus. Ohio State leads the nation in points allowed per game (10.3) and is second in yards allowed per game (250.8). Their season’s only blemish — a 32-31 loss at Oregon in October — is easily the nation’s best loss of the season.
Despite their success, the Buckeyes’ future is unclear. Assuming No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) wins out, Ohio State will need to do the same to secure a Big Ten Championship berth.
No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12) @ Kansas (4-6, 3-4 Big 12), 12:30 p.m. PST
Remember last year, when Oregon fraud-checked Colorado 42-6 in front of the whole country? Colorado does. Now, 14 months later, head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs are contenders for a Big 12 title.
Sanders’ son Shedeur, who currently leads the nation’s No. 7 passing offense (322 yards per game), will likely be the first quarterback drafted in April. Heisman favorite cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter is also making headlines as perhaps the most effective two-way player of all time.
Meanwhile, the Jayhawks enter this Week 13 showdown riding the momentum of two straight ranked wins, first over No. 16 Iowa State and most recently at then-undefeated No. 6 BYU. The Jayhawks must win out if they want to secure bowl game eligibility.
No. 7 Alabama (8-2, 4-2 SEC) @ Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5 SEC), 4:30 p.m. PST
For all that Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has done, he hasn’t beaten Washington, and he hasn’t beaten Kalen DeBoer, who coached the Huskies for two seasons before becoming head coach of Alabama’s Crimson Tide this offseason. Though Alabama struggled in October — losing twice to Vanderbilt and Tennessee — it’s since rebounded, winning its last three games by a combined score of 128-20.
With newfound momentum on their side, the Tide are alive and kicking in the SEC Championship and CFP Playoff races.
Their opponents this weekend? Not so much. After starting 3-0, Oklahoma has lost five of its last seven. Though they won’t be competing for an SEC Championship appearance or playoff berth, the Sooners are one win from bowl eligibility and have two remaining chances to get there.
Will Oklahoma finally find some success, or will the Tide keep rolling towards the postseason?