Five critical matchups in Week 6's biggest college football games
Closing in on the halfway mark of the season, several teams can effectively clinch postseason berths with their sixth wins before Columbus Day.
The big games are in Ann Arbor and Salt Lake City. And though there may not be a heavyweight matchup this weekend, danger is always there for title contenders as evidenced by the narrow victories of Ohio State and Michigan State last week.
Here's a look at the decisive factors in five of Saturday's biggest contests (all times Eastern):
Northwestern running game vs. Michigan defense
The Wolverines have allowed 14 points in four games since their loss to Utah, including shutouts of BYU and Maryland the past two weeks. They're second in the nation in scoring defense. Who is No. 1? That's the Wildcats, who surprisingly have started 5-0 despite having an offense ranked 89th in scoring.
Points are going to be at a premium, so Northwestern has to find a way to move the ball the Big House. Michigan's offense is going to be delivering body blows with its running game for four quarters. Success will have to start with Justin Jackson and the Wildcats offensive line finding running lanes to take pressure of freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson. Left to win the game himself, Thorson is going to be overmatched against the Wolverines in a hostile environment. But if Jackson can find success, that will create space in the passing game and maybe finally dent the Michigan defense.
Jared Goff vs. Utah secondary
The Golden Bears are another of college football's biggest surprises, and their resurgence has come on the arm of their standout quarterback. Goff has thrown for 1,583 yards and 15 touchdowns and drawn comparisons to former Berkeley standout Aaron Rodgers.
Cal is back in the Top 25 and one win from qualifying for their first bowl since 2011. Now comes the hard part: Figure out a way to beat the Utes in Salt Lake. Utah's secondary is talented enough to match up with the Golden Bears receivers, and the Utes defensive backs force turnovers. The group has seven interceptions in four game, including five against its most touted opponents — Michigan and Oregon. The takeaways and ball security on offense have helped Utah rank in the top 10 in turnover margin.
Nothing is going to be easy for California. Goff must avoid mistakes and be patient even if his team gets down. Turnovers will give the home side and crowd more momentum and put the Bears defense in a tough spot.
Kansas State defense vs. Trevone Boykin
The Wildcats won't be able to stop TCU's Heisman Trophy candidate, who leads the nation's No. 2 scoring offense. But they have to find a way to slow down the Frogs. Easier said than done.
Kansas State does have the advantage of strong front seven that has limited opponents to just 71 rushing yards per game. The hope is that by making TCU one-dimensional, it can better defend Josh Doctson and Boykin's other weapons and avoid getting in a shootout. That's the recipe for success, because Kansas State doesn't exactly know what to expect from its offense. Injuries at quarterback have turned what was once a position of depth into uncertainty. Fourth-stringer Kody Cook replaced Joe Hubener against Oklahoma State before he injured his shoulder. Hubener is expected to be cleared from his head injury, but it all adds up to a situation where playing from behind is going to be untenable against the Horned Frogs.
Georgia vs. Disappointment
There's an adage that coaches often cite after a tough loss: You don't let an opponent beat you twice. Losing on the field is one thing. Losing the next week because your team doesn't bring its best effort isn't acceptable. That's the situation that faces the Bulldogs on their trip to Tennessee.
Georgia was anticipating the Alabama game all offseason as it hoped to prove its program was ready to contend for a national title. That feeling of promise ended after being steamrolled by the Crimson Tide. How the Bulldogs react will determine if they remain in SEC title race or fall back into the natural cycle of unfulfilled seasons in Athens.
Alabama exposed holes in the Georgia offense as quarterback Greyson Lambert struggled in his first taste of a nasty defense. The Volunteers aren't the same caliber of Alabama, but they will be playing hard in a must-win at home. The Bulldogs have to match their intensity to win on both lines of scrimmage. This will allow Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to carry the offense and also slow down Tennessee's running game. If they don't, Georgia will be feeling low on Rocky Top.
Al Golden vs. Jimbo Fisher
Golden's tenure has been unsettled since allegations of boosters paying Miami players surfaced before his first game. Four seasons later, there's unrest among fans as the Hurricanes remain mired in the middle of the ACC while digging out of NCAA sanctions. That frustration has been on display with airplane banners asking for Golden's firing. So now is not exactly the best time for Miami to be heading into Tallahassee for a showdown with rival Florida State.
Golden has never beaten Fisher in the four meetings, and Fisher is unbeaten against the Hurricanes since he succeeded Bobby Bowden in 2010. There is some hope for Miami with Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook dealing with an injured hamstring. If quarterback Brad Kaaya can have a big game throwing, that would open the door for the Hurricanes to pull a surprise and maybe cool off the hot seat on which Golden sits.
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