Another week of college football is approaching us, as we are now nearing the end of the regular season. For ten weeks, we have seen some relatively clean football; four Power 5 teams are still undefeated, but could Week 11 be the week that ruins that streak?
Let's find out.
No. 4 Washington
Nov. 12 vs USC
PSA: this is not the same USC team that lost 52-6 to Alabama in the season-opener. Would the Trojans still lose to Alabama? Yes, but they are a much improved team since then.
The big difference since then is the emergence of quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold has thrown for 20 touchdowns and four picks on the year, and has been a big reason behind the current five-game winning streak for USC.
Washington currently has one of the lowest strengths of schedule in the entire Power 5, and USC is by far their biggest test by most metrics. Washington should be the better team here, but if USC gets into a rhythm... they won't fall apart as easily as a team like Cal, and that could spell disaster for the Pac-12.
No. 9 Auburn
Nov. 12 at Georgia
Auburn's best offensive player this season has been running back Kam Pettway, who has become the SEC's leader rusher by a 150-plus yard margin despite not opening the season as the starter. Pettway tied an Auburn record set by Bo Jackson last Saturday against Vanderbilt by becoming the first Tiger since 1985 to rush for at least 150 yards in four consecutive games. He's good.
Why is all of that important? Pettway looked like he suffered a hamstring injury against Vanderbilt, and he had to be taken out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Gus Malzahn didn't rule out Pettway for the contest against Georgia, but if the SEC's leading rusher is indeed out for that game, then it could cripple Auburn in the Deep South's oldest rivalry.
No. 11 Oklahoma
Nov. 12 vs Baylor
I still don't believe in Oklahoma's secondary at all. I'm away of what happened to Baylor last week against TCU, but the Sooners have still been giving up chunks of points like it is nobody's business.
The major plus here is that Oklahoma still has more than the ability to outscore Baylor if they really need to. However, with how many shootouts Oklahoma has already been in this season, I really wouldn't recommend getting into one with Baylor.
