:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/21594267/184265148.0.jpg)
After a nail-biting conference win, I am looking forward to a week without having to stress over our beloved Auburn Tigers. While our boys are demolishing Boca Raton High School in Jordan-Hare this Saturday, feel free to catch a couple of the other games from around the country. All times listed are Central.
Minor league (non-SEC) schedule
(10) Texas Tech @ (15) Oklahoma: 2:30 p.m., Fox
I've been including Texas Tech previews every week to satiate our gutter-minded female readers, but the Red Raiders land here this week because they are in a big-boy football game on Saturday. Kliff Kingsbury, for all of our joking around, has led his team to a perfect record. The real question about this game is, "Which Oklahoma team will Texas Tech and its high-powered offense face on Saturday?" Will the Raiders face the powerhouse Sooner squad that throttled Notre Dame, or will they encounter the hilariously inept team that couldn't compete with woeful Texas? I'd expect both teams to score some points, but I like Tech's offense to put together a late drive to win it. Hey, girl.
(9) Clemson @ Maryland: 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Contrary to earlier reports, this will not function as a support group for teams that have had visions of a special season shattered by Jameis Winston. Speaking of, I wanted to share one quick thought about Dabo's big loss: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Now that that's out of the way, this has the potential to be a fun game since both teams have potent offenses. Will Clemson bounce back with a big road win, or will I be forced to type more "HAHAs" into next week's column? I know what I'm voting for.
(12)UCLA @ (3) Oregon: 6 p.m., ESPN
SPOILER ALERT: There will be lots of football points scored in this game. Oregon is, well, Oregon. Marcus Mariota is in the Heisman Trophy driver's seat, and deservedly so. The Oregon quarterback has already topped 2,000 yards passing, and he's right at 500 yards rushing. Did I mention that the Ducks will also be getting star running back (and twitter must-follow) De'Anthony Thomas back from injury this week? In other words, UCLA can't bring the same lackluster effort to Autzen that got them pounded by Stanford last week. Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley is an emerging star and has an incredibly bright future. Unfortunately, the cards just seemed to be stacked against him this week. Of course, in a game where a hundred total points are possible, anything can happen.
Penn State @ (4) Ohio State: 7 p.m., ABC
On paper, Ohio State should roll at home against the Nittany Lions, but the Buckeyes have appeared to be ripe for an upset as of late. While they are still undefeated, their last three conference wins have been by seven, 10, and 10 points. That's not shabby, but it's also not the type of beatdowns that the No. 4 team in the country should be laying on a weak Big Ten schedule. Penn State just might be the team to trip them up. The Lions are sitting at 4-2 on the season, and a win on the road against Ohio State could propel them to special year under Bill O'Brien. The Nittany Lions have a defense that's just feisty enough to give Braxton Miller a long day. Look for the potential upset in the Horseshoe.
(6) Stanford @ (25) Oregon State: 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Looking for another potential upset? Look no further than Corvallis, where the Oregon State Beavers will be hosting the heavily favored Stanford squad. Defensively, Stanford is much better at stopping the run than it is the pass, and that suits Oregon State just fine. The Beavers enter this game boasting the nation's top passing offense at 442 yards per game. Conversely, Stanford likes to run the ball on offense, which just so happens to be Oregon State's defensive strength. Stanford definitely has the power to put away the Beavers, but something tells me that this is just not a good matchup for the Cardinal.
Don't forget to check back in on Friday for previews of all this week's SEC games.
More from College and Magnolia:
- Auburn 45, Texas A&M 41: Breaking down the key plays
- Auburn Tigers in the NFL: Week 7
- Undercover Barner: Hooked on a feeling
- The College and Mag Show, Episode 8
- Nick Marshall named SEC Offensive Player of the Week
