#12 Notre Dame @ #24 Navy
Who would have thought we would be talking about this game back in August? Well, the Navy Midshipmen are undefeated at 6-0 and are nationally ranked but face their biggest test yet on Saturday afternoon against Notre Dame.
Navy has had a fantastic season, perhaps one of their best in recent memory. All six of their wins have come by two possessions or more, and they are coming off a blowout victory over Charlotte last week, 51-17. Notre Dame is one of two ranked teams on Navy’s schedule, (Army unironically the other), so this will be a major test to see just how good the Midshipmen actually are. QB Billy Horvath has been brilliant this season, throwing for almost 900 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also rushing for over 600 yards and 10 touchdowns. I don’t think anyone is expecting Navy to win this game, but if they do find a way, Horvath will have to be the driving force.
Notre Dame has recovered so well since their loss against Northern Illinois back in Week 2. Since, they have only had one game that was decided by one possession (Louisville) and have blown everyone else out. The key has been their rushing attack. RB Jeremiyah Love has rushed for 462 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while QB Riley Leonard has added 456 yards and 10 scores on the ground. This duo has not been stopped, as Leonard has been able to open it up in the passing game too, throwing for nearly 1200 yards and six scores. Now that Leonard is fully healthy, I am not sure if there are too many teams in the country physical enough to stop the Fighting Irish rushing attack.
This game will kick off on Saturday at noon and will air on ABC. This is a neutral site game, as it will be played at MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Giants and Jets.
FINAL SCORE PREDICITION: 38-21, Notre Dame
#20 Illinois @ #1 Oregon
While this is a Top 25 matchup, it feels nothing like a big game. Illinois has a great year at 6-1, but not a single person in the country is giving them a chance to win on the road at 7-0 Oregon Saturday.
Illinois has had a really good year for their standards. Their lone loss came at the hands of Penn State, which now looks like about as good of a loss as a team can have. However, some of the Fighting Illini’s wins have been ugly. They beat Nebraska and Purdue in overtime, while only defeating Kansas by one possession. However, Illinois is coming off an encouraging 21-7 victory over Michigan. Just like most good teams, the Illini are led by their QB Luke Altmeyer, who has thrown for 1506 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has had an up and down year, but this is by far his biggest test coming up on Saturday.
Oregon has been as good as advertised from the preseason. QB Dillon Gabriel has started to mesh with his teammates better as the season goes on, and he has that big game/clutch factor that a lot of the great college quarterbacks possess. This Ducks team is also in the middle of their best stretch of the season thus far. After defeating Michigan State by three possessions, they knocked off Ohio State, and then pitched their first shutout of the year against Purdue last week, 35-0. It is easy to pin this team as the best in the country right now. They are playing wonderful on both sides of the ball, beating the teams they are supposed, and still improving every single week.
This game will kick off on Saturday at 3:30 and will air on CBS.
FINAL SCORE PREDICITION: 41-20, Oregon
#5 Texas @ #25 Vanderbilt
Is this the weirdest week of college football ever? Navy, Illinois, and Vanderbilt are all ranked and playing in a Top 25 matchup. Though, following the trend of the two forementioned teams, Vandy does not have a chance against Texas on Saturday.
This has been a great season for Vanderbilt. They are ranked, have a 5-2 record, and the Commodores beat Alabama. It is crazy that this is a world we actually live in, so be thankful you are alive to see it. QB Diego Pavia leads the Commodores in passing and rushing yards, totaling 14 total touchdowns this season. He has been one of the best stories in all of college football in 2024 after transferring to Vandy from New Mexico State for his graduate season. This magical stretch for Vandy and Pavia will likely come to an end Saturday.
Texas will be very hungry, angry, and motivated on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns played perhaps the worst half of football we have seen from them in the last two years against UGA last week. How will they respond? My guess is that they will be more dominant than they were before the UGA loss. This Texas roster is still as talented as any program in the country. Head Coach Steve Sarkisian is as bright as offensive mind in the country. These things have not changed, but I think the motivation to prove these to be true will be in the minds of every Texas fan, coach, and player in Nashville on Saturday.
This game will kick off on Saturday at 4:15 and will air on the SEC Network.
FINAL SCORE PREDICITION: 48-10, Texas
