Welcome to Week 9, the group of games that precede the first edition of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee’s rankings for the 2023 season.
It’s that time of year when top teams are on alert as the season can change drastically with just one result. Surprises can pop up where we least expect them, so in addition to the big games listed below, we’ll be keeping an eye out for bigger surprises too.
Here’s what we’re watching early Saturday night (scroll for live updates):
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | TV: CBS | Line: UGA -14.5 | Total: 47
After emerging from the bye week 7-0, Georgia’s quest for a third straight national title gains momentum, starting with a rivalry game against Florida (5-2, 3-1 SEC) in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs haven’t faced many challenges, but will face a Florida team that has won five of its last six games before a three-game stretch against ranked opponents. This will be UGA’s first game without star tight end Brock Bowers (ankle). How will Florida’s Graham Mertz and Co.’s offense fare against Georgia’s vaunted defense?
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: Fox | Line: Oregon -6.5 | Overall: 47.5
Oregon and Utah are two of the four teams with one loss in Pac-12 play vying for position behind undefeated Washington. Oregon lost its showdown with UW a few weeks ago but has since rebounded. Utah is the two-time defending Pac-12 champion and is firmly in the running for a three-peat despite numerous injuries. The Utes will be without QB Cam Rising for the remainder of the season. His replacement, Bryson Barnes, led the Utes to a last-minute win over USC in Week 8.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Line: UL -4 | Total: 46
Louisville is typically a middle-of-the-pack team in the ACC, but Jeff Brohm has UL in contention for a conference title in the midst of its first season. The Cardinals got off to a 6-0 start, including a big win over Notre Dame, but then lost to Pitt. Meanwhile, Duke is coming off a tough loss to FSU and QB Riley Leonard is hampered by an ankle injury. This is a big game in the ACC race, so Duke needs Leonard on the field.