CFB: Key storylines to follow in Week 10
Week 10 of College Football is upon us, and for once, we are going to let the SEC take a bit of a back seat. Of course, we can’t leave out the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, but the clashes in the Big 10 and ACC could be the ones that define the playoff makeup at the end of the year. Let’s look at the key storylines to follow.
Can James Franklin finally overcome his ‘Big Game’ stumbling block?
As head coach of Penn State, James Franklin is 1-9 against top-5 ranked opponents and 1-8 against this week’s visitors Ohio State. It’s a well-documented concern and why the Nittany Lions cannot escape the second tier of college football programs. Could Saturday represent his best chance of taking down a perennial powerhouse as well as cementing Penn State as a legitimate National Championship contender?
Well, he’s certainly catching the Buckeyes at the right time. They are coming off a close loss to Oregon and a rather underwhelming victory over Nebraska. All that offensive talent and being able to only hang 21 points on the Cornhuskers is not the best look for Ryan Day. Day himself is feeling the pressure. A shocking record against bitter rivals Michigan meant fans were already restless before he assembled a de-facto super team for a run at the Natty. Now, Penn State could inflict a significant blow to his job security in this one.
Franklin’s biggest hurdle appears to be the health of his starting quarterback, Drew Allar. Allar left the Wisconsin game due to injury and returned to the sideline in a knee brace. Replacement Beau Pribula didn’t miss a beat, but can he handle an experienced Buckeye defense? He certainly has the mobility to threaten on the ground, but I’m sure Penn State would prefer to go into this one with the more experienced player under center.
Will Billy Napier force a seismic shock and save his job at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party?
It’s that time of year again. Crowds will flock to this high-profile SEC matchup even if the Gators are a 16.5-point underdog. Head Coach Billy Napier now faces a murderer’s row of opponents to finish the season and desperately needs one or two upsets to convince the top brass he is worthy of keeping his title heading into 2025. Green shoots are beginning to poke through in the Swamp, the biggest of which is undoubtedly freshman QB DJ Lagway.
Since replacing Graham Mertz, due to injury, against Tennessee, Lagway has given life to the program. Throwing for 259 yards, rushing for 46 and adding a TD on the ground in a convincing 48-20 victory over Kentucky last week. He won’t have it easy this week, and I’m sure he’s been rewatching the Bulldogs’ domination of Texas, where Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker were almost unblockable. Lagway’s mobility will be key in minimising their effect in this one.
It felt like Georgia had turned a corner with their Longhorns’ victory, putting to bed the disappointing loss to Alabama. However, rivalry games like this one always have an air of unpredictability, so this one should be a must-watch on Saturday evening.
Are Oregon ready to put down a marker in the Big 10?
By the time this one starts late on Saturday, we will have a clearer picture of the Big-10. The face-off between Penn State and Ohio State will make the victor one of the heavy favourites for the conference title, the other being the Oregon Ducks. Their matchup with Michigan would have been considered a marquee fixture ahead of the season. However, the Wolverines’ disappointing form under Sherrone Moore has put pay to that.
The Wolverines still have plenty of talent on the roster and shouldn’t be overlooked, especially not in the Big House. They will be looking to upset the form book here, and their win over Michigan State showed that they could put together a coherent offensive game plan. Davis Warren found Colston Loveland for two touchdowns, and the running back pair of Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards will keep the run defense honest.
On the other side of things, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel has explosive options. Last week, it was the YAC ability of Tez Johnson and previously, transfer Evan Stewart, who had dominated opposition defenses. They will be licking their chops at a Michigan secondary missing its star cornerback, Will Johnson.
A victory away from home against the reigning National Champs would install them as one of the leading players come the sharp end of the playoffs.
Can a shaky SMU end Pittsburgh’s unbeaten streak?
If you haven’t had your football fill by late on Saturday night, then turn your attention to a top-20 matchup in the ACC as Pittsburgh travel to SMU. The Panthers are coming off a dominant win over Syracuse last Thursday evening. It was the kind of showing that made people sit up and really take notice. Three first-quarter interceptions showed the teeth of this defense.
That group will be hoping for a repeat performance against SMU, who had their own struggles when they beat Duke, narrowly escaping in overtime. Mustangs quarterback Keaton Jennings threw three picks and fumbled twice in his most hesitant showing to date.
If Pitt can overcome SMU in this one, they still have Clemson on the schedule, giving them a shot at making it to the conference title game. Can former Alabama transfer quarterback Eli Holstein take the Panthers on a playoff run? It’s not out of the question yet.
Is Marcel Reed the long-term answer for the Aggies?
One of the more surprising news items of Week 9 was the benching of Conner Weigman at Texas A&M. His failure to get the offense moving in their SEC showdown with LSU, sparked Mike Elko into action, replacing him with the more athletic Marcel Reed. Reed had already played earlier in the year due to injury, but he grabbed this opportunity, sparking a comeback mainly with his feet, rushing for 62 yards and three touchdowns.
He did launch one deep pass, but the victory was based on the Aggies’ run game and Garrett Nussmeier’s second-half capitulation. Reed must now step up against South Carolina and prove himself good enough to keep Weigman benched. Elko will likely be happier knowing Reed has a better chance of evading the marauding pass-rush duo the Gamecocks have in Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard.
If he can lead A&M to victory in this one, then things are beginning to set up nicely for a huge one-loss showdown with Texas at Kyle Field on November 30. Wouldn’t that be a spectacle!
Rory-Joe Daniels
NFL & Cfb contributor
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.