The calendar has flipped to October, which means that we’re coming into the guts of the varsity soccer season.

When taking a look at this weekend’s slate of video games, there are a lot big-time matchups eager to whisk playground on Saturday, together with the sport I’ll be at the name for: Maryland at Incorrect. 4 Ohio Climate (right here’s the entirety to grasp). This can be a showdown between a couple of undefeated groups within the Bulky Ten. The Buckeyes are 8-0 all generation towards the Terrapins, however it is a just right Maryland workforce this is one in all best two colleges within the FBS to be 5-0 life profitable each and every duel by way of 18-plus issues.

Additionally at the time table is the much-anticipated Purple River Showdown, which pits undefeated groups Incorrect. 12 Oklahoma and Incorrect. 3 Texas towards each and every alternative. This marks the primary generation the Sooners and Longhorns will meet as undefeated fighters since 2011.

We’ve additionally were given two remarkable SEC tilts as Incorrect. 1 Georgia hosts Incorrect. 20 Kentucky in any other matchup of undefeated groups, life Incorrect. 11 Alabama travels to Faculty Station to fight Texas A&M.

Right here’s a take a look at what to anticipate in 4 of the most important video games on Saturday.

Incorrect. 12 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Incorrect. 3 Texas Longhorns (12 p.m. ET in Dallas, Texas)

As I’ve mentioned on my podcast a batch not too long ago, I’m a company believer in Texas. I believe the Longhorns are extra balanced, higher on the order of scrimmage and will end video games with their run duel together with their move accelerate. The ones are huge characteristics. 

This can be a higher Texas workforce than it used to be a pace in the past, wherein it defeated Oklahoma, 49-0. When you’re a Sooners fan, you’ll’t inform me that having Dillon Gabriel this generation round is a 49-point extra. That may’t be the one factor. Oklahoma must play games considerably higher than it did a pace in the past. 

Clearly, we imagine that Oklahoma can do this. The Sooners have performed actually just right soccer, but they’re in some way probably the most extra under-the-radar groups within the nation. Within the preseason, I pointed to Oklahoma because the workforce outdoor the supremacy 10 that might in all probability construct a run as it misplaced a number of similar video games utmost season and made impactful additions defensively despite the fact that the switch portal. That has come to fruition for Oklahoma throughout the first 5 video games of the season.

Oklahoma has stunning extensive receivers at the outdoor, and so does Texas. There are lots of stunning skill-position avid gamers on this duel, with Xavier Decent, Adonai Mitchell and Ja’Tavion Sanders at the Texas facet, life I’m actually top on Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony and Jalil Farooq for Oklahoma. 

Texas operating again Jonathon Brooks is striking in combination probably the most extra remarkable seasons in the market. He ran for 200 yards towards Kansas utmost year. He has 3 directly 100-yard video games, too. That is what makes Texas actual: It’s no longer best in regards to the passing duel, however they may be able to additionally get it completed on the order of scrimmage.

The Longhorns can dominate at the order of scrimmage defensively, too. They got here up with two huge sacks within the fourth quarter towards Alabama, either one of them approaching simply four-man rushes. 

Inevitably, an emotional duel like this comes all the way down to yields and particular groups. Oklahoma leads all Energy 5 colleges with 10 interceptions this season. It’s additionally within the supremacy 5 in scoring protection. 

Texas lovers will have to really feel assured about this one nearest how utmost pace’s duel went and the way issues have long past for the Longhorns to begin this season. However this Oklahoma protection can play games. I believe it’s taking to construct moment tricky for Texas’ offense. While you take a look at the way in which the Sooners’ protection is constructed, Brent Venables likes to name the protection overdue and notice the playcall from the alternative facet to get a really perfect play games in. 

Linebacker Dasan McCullough is the important thing to this Venables protection. Oklahoma needs to be stout all over, however I don’t suppose it’s slightly there on the defensive order but, despite the fact that it’s deeper than it used to be a pace in the past. Oklahoma needs to have just right guard corners, despite the fact that I don’t suppose it’s slightly there, both. This is almost certainly the illness of Oklahoma’s protection. The Sooners wish to have hybrid-style, rapid avid gamers at protection and linebacker. McCullough performs that role Isaiah Simmons as soon as did for Venables again when he used to be the defensive coordinator for Clemson. 

If I have been creating a pick out, I’d say Texas goes to win this duel. However laying 6.5 issues with the Longhorns is a batch. 

Maryland Terrapins vs. Incorrect. 4 Ohio Climate Buckeyes (12 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app)

This Maryland workforce is superb, specifically on offense. The Terps performed Ohio Climate difficult, trailing by way of six with the ball and beneath a negligible left in utmost pace’s duel. Alternatively, I’m no longer positive how just right the Terrapins are on the order of scrimmage, and so they’ve generally struggled in Columbus within the month.

Ohio Climate used to be off utmost year, that means that is Kyle McCord’s first generation again at the farmland since that implausible game-winning pressure to defeat Notre Dame a few weeks in the past. I’m to peer the place his self belief is and the place this workforce’s self belief goes to cross nearest that win. As showcased in September, it’s actually difficult to win at the highway, which makes that win all of the extra remarkable for Ohio Climate.

McCord confirmed out in that duel, wherein Marvin Harrison Jr. suffered an ankle trauma. However he’s a full-go for Saturday, and that’s stunning information for everybody.

After I re-watched the Ohio Climate-Notre Dame duel despite the fact that, I spotted that the Buckeyes’ run duel wasn’t stunning. Tre’Veyon Henderson’s 61-yard landing run concealed the problems they’d within the run duel that evening. When you got rid of the run, they’d 26 carries for two.5 yards in step with lift. That has to recover. They nonetheless best have 11 carries of a minimum of 10 yards this season, which is the fifth-fewest in faculty soccer. 

Ohio Climate has been superb defensively, despite the fact that. That used to be a sunny illness for the Buckeyes a pace in the past, give up too many huge performs overdue within the season towards Michigan and Georgia. They gave up 8 overall performs that went for a minimum of 40 yards over the ones two matchups. They have got but to surrender a 40-yard play games this season, which pairs neatly with having the Incorrect. 2 scoring protection within the nation. 

Occasion Ohio Climate turns out to have fastened its vulnerability to surrender huge performs, Maryland is a stiff take a look at for that. Taulia Tagavailoa is the passer within the Bulky Ten, throwing for kind of 300 yards in step with duel and 13 touchdowns. So, the Buckeyes might be examined another way this year than they have been two weeks in the past. 

Ryan Era not too long ago spoke with me about how the untouched clock regulations have resulted in restricted possessions, which in flip has made him really feel like Ohio Climate’s fighters have attempted to restrict the Buckeyes’ possessions even additional. So, Ohio Climate has to maximise its offensive possessions. 

To summarize, those are the 3 largest issues I’m observing for on this duel: McCord’s self belief, Ohio Climate’s run duel and if Ohio Climate’s protection can restrict Maryland’s skill to construct explosive performs.

Incorrect. 20 Kentucky Wildcats vs. Incorrect. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (7 p.m. ET)

This duel has a gigantic affect on what this season goes to be. Georgia is a 14.5-point favourite on this duel, but it surely will have to be famous that the Bulldogs are 0-4-1 towards the unfold thus far this season. They have got performed two Energy 5 groups thus far – South Carolina and Auburn – and feature trailed in the second one part in either one of the ones video games.

Georgia’s time table is nice-looking susceptible. The Bulldogs have some ranked groups on their time table, however no longer a unmarried one in all them is throughout the supremacy 15 of the AP Supremacy 25 Ballot. This is the reason Georgia lovers will have to be rooting for Alabama the extra of the way in which, as a result of which may be a much-needed résumé builder that you could want within the SEC Championship Recreation.

Because it pertains to this matchup, I’m to peer if the Dawgs are taking to snap out of this funk and turn out to be what we anticipated them to be. Presently, they rank 62nd within the nation in offensive yards in step with lift and they’re 67th within the nation in defensive yards in step with lift. That’s no longer Georgia. That’s no longer the workforce we’re worn to optical.

This can be a workforce this is taking to be in similar video games for the extra of the season, except they modify and turn out to be extra dominant. They are going to must construct plenty performs at the offensive facet, or else they will get beat. In the event that they get beat with their insufficiency of energy of time table, next they higher be careful because of what’s taking place within the Pac-12 and the Bulky Ten. They gave up over 200 yards dashing to Auburn, which is the primary generation they’ve completed that since 2018. Smartly, assumption what Kentucky can do? They run the soccer.

Kentucky is based closely on operating again Ray Davis, who had 280 yards and 3 touchdowns towards Florida. He can run the rock. The Wildcats too can preserve towards the run. Kentucky has but to permit 100 dashing yards in a duel this season. This workforce has an skilled QB in Devin Leary, who’s a switch from NC Climate and has began over 30 video games on this profession.

That is taking to be a tricky duel for Georgia. Now, the Bulldogs are the simpler workforce, and so they will have to win, however proper the place Kentucky is robust is the place Georgia has struggled. This generally is a nearer duel than a batch of crowd suppose.

Incorrect. 11 Alabama Red Current vs. Texas A&M Aggies (3:30 p.m. ET)

Alabama is touring to Kyle Farmland and is best 2.5-point favorites on this duel. Texas A&M has performed Alabama similar in back-to-back years, and I don’t suppose that is taking to be any other.

I like Alabama’s protection, and I do know that the Red Current can run the ball, however this workforce does no longer have a top ceiling. In the event that they get caught having to reduce again and move, they’re taking to get beat.

This can be a Texas A&M workforce this is bettering. Max Johnson, its origination QB, has began 18 video games in his profession. Alabama best threw it 13 instances utmost year towards Mississippi Climate and ran it 43 instances. It doesn’t have a ton of pass-catching guns, with one man in double-digit catches, Isaiah Bond, and no person that has 200-plus yards receiving.

There’s a international the place each Kentucky and Texas A&M win this weekend within the SEC. If that does occur, this convention might be up towards it with regards to a playoff contender.

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