2024 Games of the Slot: Week 10
Breaking down which game to watch at each time slot this weekend
I’ve already highlighted some great games this weekend in yesterday’s Bracketology post, but not all good football is for playoff stakes. If you want to know what the most entertaining games will be this weekend, I’ve got you covered!
So, let’s get into it. What games are the ones you need to see? As always, all times are in Eastern.
Friday Night
Game of the Slot: San Diego State at 14 Boise State (8 p.m., FS1)
At this point, every Boise State game is must watch football.
For one, the Broncos have a stranglehold on the fifth conference champion playoff spot (and could honestly play their way into a bye if there’s some chaos in front of them, but we’re not ready for that conversation). For two, Ashton Jeanty. The star tailback was dinged up last week and Barry Watch took a hit as Jeanty only ran for 128 yards and a touchdown. You hope to see him healthier and ready to take on San Diego State.
On the Aztecs’ side, they’re 3-4 overall but sit at 2-0 in Mountain West play. They’re very much in the conference title race, even if the playoff is a non-starter. But this is a team starting fresh under offensive mastermind Sean Lewis. Tailback Marquez Cooper is good - not as good as Jeanty, but who is? - and they almost pulled an upset on Washington State last week. This could be trap territory for Boise State, so don’t overlook the potential for some Friday night madness.
Multi-Box Games: South Florida at Florida Atlantic (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), Georgia State at UConn (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
Despite the proximity, USF and FAU aren’t really rivals. They’re also not really good, but I think this will be a solid game. On paper, you have two good Group of Five quarterbacks in Byrum Brown for USF and Cam Fancher for FAU, although neither has really played like one. This has all the hallmarks of an entertaining Sicko watch. And honestly, the same can be said for Georgia State at UConn. The Panthers are 2-5 with an inexplicable win over Vandy on their record. They have a decent passing game, but not much else. UConn is more run-heavy, which presents an interesting schematic setup for this game.
Saturday - 12 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 7 Ohio State at 3 Penn State (FOX)
Let’s not beat around the bush. This is the game of the week, isn’t it?
Ohio State’s been the talk of my comments section regarding Ryan Day’s hot-or-not seat, but if he’s going to beat the “Michael Jordan of James Franklins” allegations, the Buckeyes need to beat the very same James Franklin’s Penn State. Ohio State’s run game and defense have suspiciously disappeared the last few weeks, and to win against a very good Penn State, the Buckeyes will need the return of both of those.
For Penn State, you first want to know if Drew Allar is healthy and ready to go, but Beau Pribula didn’t look too shabby against Wisconsin. I think Allar will play and this is just some old-fashioned gamesmanship from Franklin, but you never know. I expect a ton of Penn State running either way to protect whoever’s under center. With noted Nittany Lion hater J.T. Tuimoloau on the other side, that may be for the better.
I think this is going to be an old fashioned Big Ten grind it out game. Both teams are built for physicality and while there will surely be some fireworks in the passing game, whoever is able to win in the trenches will come out on top.
Multi-Box Games: Duke at 4 Miami (ABC/ESPN+), 23 Memphis at UTSA (ESPN2), Virginia Tech at Syracuse (The CW)
This may be Miami’s last true test before the ACC title game, but Duke isn’t going to make it easy for the Canes. Miami’s offense is a juggernaut, but Duke’s defense is by far the best they’ve gone against so far. That should be a fun matchup to monitor. Over in the American, UTSA is in a down year, but still has some meep meep energy stored up. They’ve got a strong passing game led by Owen McCown, but can the defense slow down Memphis’s surprisingly well-rounded offense? We end this timeslot with some CW Action in the ACC. Virginia Tech is still lurking for the conference championship, but Syracuse can be a hard out. This could turn into a shootout really quick.
3-4 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: Texas Tech at 10 Iowa State (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Iowa State’s had some close games in their recent affairs and Texas Tech is fighting for their lives. That alone can create an electric atmosphere worthy of a Game of the Slot.
Texas Tech has a rough loss to Baylor on the docket and are in the midst of a two-game skid. The offense isn’t the problem in Lubbock, as quarterback Behren Morton and tailback Tahj Brooks are having outstanding seasons. Brooks is even closing in on the Texas Tech career rushing record with only 242 yards to go. The defense, on the other hand, has been abysmal, allowing 36 points per game - ranking 123rd in the nation. Iowa State’s got some legit offensive firepower. If Texas Tech can stop them, this could turn into a very good ballgame.
The problem for the Red Raiders is that Iowa State has a very good defense that will get stops against the Texas Tech offense. The Cyclones are only allowing 14.4 points per game - ranking ninth in the nation - all while averaging 31.7. As long as Iowa State’s defense can keep Morton and Brooks in check, I think Rocco Becht and the Cyclone offense can have their way with Texas Tech’s defense.
Multi-Box Games: Florida at 2 Georgia (3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+), North Carolina at Florida State (3:30 p.m., ACC Network), Coastal Carolina at Troy (4 p.m., ESPN+)
Georgia is the clear favorite in this game, but the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party generally delivers a fun, interesting game. I think D.J. Lagway is overmatched against the Dawgs’ defense, but this is going to be a litmus test for the young quarterback on how he performs against elite defenses. UNC-Florida State has the helmet game potential, but both teams are fighting to hold off some tough coaching conversations. I’ll give Mack Brown some grace after starting quarterback Max Johnson broke his leg in the first week, but Mike Norvell’s season at Florida State is getting borderline inexcusable. Someone has to find answers here, which means this is a Sicko game for us to enjoy. Coastal Carolina at Troy would be much more interesting a few years ago, but I’m looking to see how these teams are rebounding after losing some of the best coaches in program history. Troy’s really struggling this season, though, so Coastal may just run away with this game.
Wondering where these rankings are coming from? Check out this week’s SID Sports Top 25 and Players of the Week!
7-8 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 19 Pittsburgh at 15 SMU (8 p.m., ACC Network)
I may be more excited for this than Penn State - Ohio State.
Pittsburgh has been a surprise this season with an overhauled offense led by Alabama transfer Eli Holstein. They’ve got a top-25 passing offense and a top-15 scoring offense - both things you wouldn’t expect from a Pat Narduzzi-coached team. Pair that with a solid defense, and you have a sneaky ACC contender in the Panthers. Holstein has seen his play dip in recent weeks, though. To get past SMU, they’ll need their quarterback primed and ready to ball out.
Speaking of SMU, they’re hoping quarterback Kevin Jennings is healthy and ready to go, though backup Preston Stone isn’t a bad option either. The Mustangs are surprisingly balanced with a top-25 run game and a top-15 scoring offense. Both teams here can score the ball, so the difference in this game may come down to which defense can get stops. Surprisingly, SMU’s been better at that this season, but they’ve had some scares against quality offenses like Duke and Louisville.
This is as evenly-matched a game as you can find. Plus, as a de-facto playoff elimination game, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Multi-Box Games: Louisville at 12 Clemson (7:30 p.m., ESPN), 8 Texas A&M at South Carolina (7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+), Kentucky at 6 Tennessee (7:45 p.m., SEC Network)
Speaking of elimination games, Louisville is on their last chance against Clemson. This also is the biggest test the Tigers have faced since Georgia. No matter who wins this one, we’ll get a clearer ACC picture and a ton of offense if that’s your thing. Texas A&M is hot off a big win against LSU, but gets South Carolina this week, who’s almost played spoiler a few times. Mike Elko’s squad is going to have to look past their big win and stay focused, which is a big ask for a first-year head coach. Lastly, how does Tennessee fair against another quality defense? Arkansas punched them in the mouth, and Kentucky can do the same here. The Vols showed life against Alabama last weekend, but they still haven’t figured out how to score in the first half. Against Kentucky’s defense, that problem may extend further. It’s time for Josh Heupel to give his team some answers if they’re legit contenders.
There’s no games kicking off after 8 p.m. this week, so we’ve reached the end of our Games of the Slot. Which one are you most excited for?
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“Michael Jordan of James Franklins” The only things Michael Jordan and James Franklin have in common are the fact they are bald and have Nike clothing sponsorships.