Leave it to the SEC to come to the rescue on a Week 9 college football slate that is otherwise a little thin on spotlight games.
The SEC stacks the Saturday schedule with three clashes of ranked teams, with conference title hopes, College Football Playoff aspirations and maybe a coach’s job at stake.
There is also notable football being played elsewhere around the country all the same, even if not with the same national buzz and pizazz.
These are the five college football games to plan your day around Saturday …
(All game times ET; all point spreads via ESPNBet)
1. No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 3-1)
12 p.m. Saturday on ABC
A week ago, Ole Miss was undefeated, on top of the SEC standings and top 5 in the rankings. By the end of Saturday, the Rebels could be rendered longshots in the conference race and on the fringe of the College Football Playoff picture.
That’s life in the SEC.
Of course, that’s just one outcome. If Ole Miss can bounce back from its loss at Georgia last week and score a significant road win at Oklahoma, then it may well be in the driver’s seat to its first CFP appearance.
The Rebels don’t have another ranked opponent on the schedule, closing with South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State, so Saturday can really shape their season.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, is also a one-loss SEC team but in a much, much different position.
The Sooners close the schedule with five straight games against teams currently in the AP top 25 poll. This is just the start of a gauntlet that continues with road games at No. 17 Tennessee and No. 4 Alabama and then home contests with No. 15 Missouri and No. 20 LSU.
Needless to say, Oklahoma can’t afford to lose this one.
The Sooners lead college football in total defense, giving up just 213 yards per game, while ranking second in points allowed (9.4 per game). That’s the identity the Sooners were expecting when they hired Brent Venables as head coach, but it was a rocky first three years for Venables. He still needs a strong finish in 2025 to cement his status moving forward.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, comes in with the No. 8-ranked offense (491.9 YPG) and 16th in scoring at 37.4 PPG, so this matchup is a classic clash of styles.
It also features two intriguing dual-threat quarterbacks. Oklahoma’s John Mateer was at one time the Heisman Trophy favorite but is now out of that race entirely with 1,567 passing yards, 7 touchdowns and 6 interceptions plus 209 rushing yards and 5 scores. Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, the Division II transfer and fun story, is up to 1,549 passing yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT and 323 rushing yards and 5 scores after opening the season in a backup role.
Oklahoma is a 5.5-point favorite.
2. No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) at No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1)
3:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN
Vanderbilt is a top 10 team for the first time since 1947, but the Commodores’ incredible underdog story can still get better if they keep winning.
Vandy looks to follow its momentous win over then-No. 10 LSU last week — and elevated QB Diego Pavia’s now full-bore Heisman campaign — with another top-15 victory as Missouri comes to town.
Both teams have lost only to Alabama, so this is a big game for the SEC standings in general.
Missouri has the No. 7-ranked rushing defense in the FBS, holding opponents to 83.86 yards per game on the ground. Can it hold up against a Vanderbilt rushing offense averaging 213 YPG on the ground, including 239 last week vs. LSU? Pavia is the engine that makes the whole Vandy offense go, leading the team with 438 rushing yards (and 4 TDs) while passing for 1,569 yards, 15 TDs and 4 INTs.
The bigger challenge, though, may be Vanderbilt containing Missouri’s rushing attack, which is also 7th-best nationally at 244.86 YPG. Running back Ahmad Hardy is third in the country with 868 rushing yards and 9 TDs.
Vanderbilt is a 2.5-point favorite.
3. No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC) at No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2)
7:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC
Is the end of the Brian Kelly Era at LSU near? It could be if the Tigers don’t finish this season on a tear.
Kelly faced questions about his job status this week after LSU lost to Vanderbilt and dropped to No. 20 in the AP poll and to the fringe of the SEC race and CFP picture. The Tigers missed the playoffs in Kelly’s first three seasons and will need to win out to breakthrough this year.
Meanwhile, is No. 3-ranked Texas A&M overrated? That’s the other big question to be answered Saturday night.
The Aggies have risen to that lofty ranking by being one of just six unbeaten teams left in the FBS and the only one from the SEC, but they’ve only faced one ranked team all season — the 41-40 win at Notre Dame in Week 3.
Otherwise, Texas A&M has padded its record with wins over Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida and Arkansas (45-42 last week). Those teams are a combined 2-12 in the SEC. This game will tell a lot about the Aggies.
One thing we know Texas A&M can do consistently is score points (36.1 per game) while LSU has yet to top 24 points vs. an FBS opponent.
Texas A&M is a 2.5-point favorite.
4. No. 18 South Florida (6-1, 3-0 AAC) at Memphis (6-1, 2-1)
12 p.m. Saturday on ESPN
There will almost assuredly be just one Group of Five team heading to the CFP, and it will be the highest-ranked G5 conference champion. That’s certain to come from the stacked AAC, so this game has major ramifications in what is a tight conference race at the top.
South Florida has been the best team in the conference with non-conference wins over Boise State and Florida, a statement 63-36 win at then-undefeated North Texas and its only loss coming at Miami.
But Memphis was undefeated until last week when it lost starting QB Brendon Lewis to injury in the midst of a stunning loss at UAB. Lewis’ status remains up in the air and a likely game-time decision. Without him, it’s hard to see the Tigers having a great chance in this one, but Memphis’ season is on the line here.
South Florida QB Byrum Brown is one of the most dynamic players in the country and worth the watch on his own. He’s passed for 1,695 yards, 16 TDs and 5 INTs and leads the team in rushing with 475 yards and 6 TDs.
South Florida is a 5.5-point favorite.
Baylor (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) at No. 21 Cincinnati (6-1, 4-0)
4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2
Speaking of stacked conference races, the Big 12 has seven teams still reasonably alive in the chase for the championship game, but that field should start narrowing more and more by the week.
Cincinnati was just 5-7 last year, but the Bearcats have bounced back in a big way and are riding a six-game winning streak on the arm and legs of veteran QB Brendan Sorsby. He’s passed for 1,732 yards, 18 TDs and 1 INT and rushed for 340 yards and 6 TDs.
Despite Baylor’s record, though, this is not a game the Bearcats can take lightly.
The Bears can put up points with the best of them (36.3 PPG) as QB Sawyer Robertson leads the FBS with 2,376 passing yards (with 21 TDs and 7 INTs). That last stat is the variable that can sway games for Baylor — how well Robertson protects the football and makes good decisions.
This should be a fun Big 12 shootout.
Cincinnati is a 3.5-point favorite.