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Week 6 in college football is here as we dive into another weekend filled with intriguing matchups you won’t want to miss.

Cal is hosting No. 8 Miami on Saturday in an ACC matchup that has Bears fans ready to show up for their team with College GameDay visiting for the first time. But can quarterback Cam Ward and the Hurricanes spoil the show and continue their perfect season on the road?

No. 9 Missouri will travel to College Station to take on No. 25 Texas A&M in the only ranked-versus-ranked matchup of the weekend. While both teams remain undefeated in SEC play, one team is about to get its first conference loss.

Our college football experts preview big games and players to know about and share quotes of the week from coaches ahead of Week 6.

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FSU starting QB | What to focus on to win | Miami-Cal
Freshmen to watch | Quotes of the week

Brock Glenn named starting QB for Florida State in game against Clemson

Before the season started, one of the biggest games circled on the calendar was Clemson at Florida State, with former Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei now playing for the Seminoles. But heading into their matchup Saturday, Uiagalelei will not have a chance to play against his former team.

Uiagalelei is out with a broken finger, meaning backup quarterback Brock Glenn has once again been put in an unenviable spot. According to ESPN Research, Glenn would become the fourth quarterback in the playoff era to make his first three career starts against top-15 teams.

Glenn started his first career game as a true freshman in the ACC championship game last year thanks to injuries to Jordan Travis and Tate Rodemaker. Florida State won, but only after going to Lawrance Toafili out of the Wildcat format. Then Glenn started the Orange Bowl, a 63-3 loss to Georgia. Now he is tabbed to start against Clemson and its formidable defensive front.

Coach Mike Norvell acknowledged the “very difficult circumstances” Glenn has faced in his starts, adding, “He’s built for it. I love his energy, his teammates respect that, the work, the investment he makes. He’s got a great bounce to him. There’s no question Brock has earned his respect here in his time in Tallahassee.”

He might have earned respect, but it has not been easy for Glenn. In those two starts last year, Glenn went 17-of-47 for 194 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Last week in relief of Uiagalelei in the fourth quarter in a loss to SMU, Glenn went 0-for-4. Florida State is 1-4 and has had a host of issues on offense beyond quarterback, including dismal offensive line play and limited production from its backs and receivers.

Florida State ranks No. 116 in the nation in third down conversions, No. 130 in rushing offense (65.2 yards per game), No. 125 in total offense (278.2 yards per game) and No. 113 in turnover margin (minus-8).

Norvell told ESPN earlier this week the frustration runs deep. “I don’t think we’ve handled adversity or disappointing results very well. We haven’t been able to execute, coaches have to make sure we’re putting guys in the right positions. We’ve not done a good enough job of that as players, as coaches, as an entire football team. That’s why we are where we are.”

Will Glenn change those fortunes? Not without help from his teammates. — Andrea Adelson


What each team has to focus on to win

Louisville: There’s a pretty clear formula if Louisville wants to topple SMU in Week 6: Hold on to the football. The Cardinals actually played quite well against Notre Dame last week but lost because they committed three turnovers, all of which resulted in Irish points, and because of a 1-of-5 performance on fourth-down tries, three of which gave Notre Dame a short field and another that would’ve been a chip-shot field goal for Louisville. On the flip side, no team in the country has benefited more from takeaways than SMU, which is plus-63 in points-off-turnovers margin — nearly double the next-closest Power 4 team.

SMU: After a frustrating loss to BYU on Sept. 6, SMU made a change at QB, going from Preston Stone to Kevin Jennings. While it has had a notable impact on the offense overall, it’s not the passing game that has made the real strides. It’s the ground game. In its first two FBS games, SMU averaged 108 rushing yards and scored a total of 44 points. In its past two since the QB swap, it has averaged 221 rush yards and tallied 108 points. But the test gets much bigger in Week 6 against Louisville’s stout defensive front. In its past 10 quarters, the Cardinals’ defense has surrendered just 3.2 yards per designed run and stuffed nearly one third of runs for a loss or no gain. SMU will rely heavily on Jennings and emerging star Brashard Smith to move the ball on the ground, but to do that more effectively than even Notre Dame could against Louisville will be a tough task. — David Hale


Get to know your new conference rival

Eventually, we’ll all get over the absurdity that Miami and Cal are in the same conference, but it still seems worth acknowledging this week in advance of the Hurricanes’ trip to Berkeley. That said, it won’t be unfamiliar territory for some of Miami’s key figures, as coach Mario Cristobal (Oregon), quarterback Cam Ward (Washington State) and leading rusher Damien Martinez (Oregon State) have all previously competed against the Bears in Berkeley. Last year, Martinez won 52-40 at Cal as he rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Ward threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-39 loss.

Cal’s move to the ACC has pumped fresh life into the program, but after a 3-0 start — highlighted by a 21-14 win at Auburn — the Bears were tripped up two weeks ago by then-winless Florida State as their offense kept stalling in the red zone. The big news for Cal this week is it expects to have star running back Jaydn Ott closer to full health, which would provide a huge boost after he had been slowed by an ankle injury suffered in the season opener against UC Davis. Ott is coming off a brilliant sophomore season in which he rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns and when healthy figures to be among the best offensive players in the ACC. — Kyle Bonagura


Five freshmen to watch

Zabien Brown, cornerback, Alabama:

Brown came to Tuscaloosa from California powerhouse Mater Dei and wasn’t even the top cornerback in his own signing class at Alabama. That was No. 2 overall prospect Jaylen Mbakwe. But it’s Brown who has emerged this fall as a freshman starter for the Crimson Tide, and it was his first interception that sealed Alabama’s 41-34 win over Georgia in Week 5.

Starting opposite experienced USC transfer Domani Jackson, Brown trails behind only three Crimson Tide defensive backs in total plays in pass coverage this fall, and he enters Week 6 ranked 43rd nationally in defensive completion percentage, coming in at 31.3% on 16 balls thrown his way. Brown was busy in Week 5 as Georgia targeted him nine times Saturday, but the 6-foot, 196-pound freshman held his own, down to the game’s last meaningful snap when he jumped in front of senior pass catcher Colbie Young to pick off Carson Beck in the end zone, squashing the Bulldogs’ late comeback bid.

While the focus has rightly hung on standout Alabama freshman pass catcher Ryan Williams, the Crimson Tide have a budding first-year star in the secondary, too. Brown should have an easier matchup at Vanderbilt on Saturday (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network) against a Commodores passing game that ranks 101st nationally (184.5 yards per game).

Dylan Raiola, quarterback, Nebraska:

On the heels of his first career loss, Raiola flashed signs of resilience in the Huskers’ 28-10 win at Purdue on Saturday. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound passer finished 17-of-27 with 257 yards and a touchdown, but also threw six passes that led to pass interference calls and overcame a slew of penalties that slowed Nebraska’s offense, including one flag that negated Raiola’s 22-yard touchdown connection with Rahmir Johnson.

Through his initial five college starts, Raiola is completing 70.4% of his passes for 1,224 yards with nine touchdowns and only a pair of interceptions. Among FBS quarterbacks nationally, those numbers leave him 10th in completion percentage, 25th in yards and 31st in touchdown throws. Not bad for a freshman passer and a second-year offensive coordinator in Marcus Satterfield. Raiola’s latest test comes at home Saturday against an unbeaten Rutgers secondary that ranks 36th nationally in passing yardage allowed. With a win over the Scarlet Knights (4 p.m. ET, FOX), Raiola will have the Huskers matching their highest win total since 2016 and a victory away from bowl eligibility.

Bryant Wesco Jr., wide receiver, Clemson:

Florida State’s secondary is susceptible to chunk gains through the air, and Bryant Wesco Jr. seemingly deals only in big plays, making the Tigers’ Saturday trip to Tallahassee an intriguing one for Clemson’s first-year pass catcher.

Among Wesco’s seven catches so far this fall, ESPN’s No. 28 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle has logged four receptions of 30 or more yards, including a 76-yard touchdown grab against Appalachian State in Week 3 and 70-yard catch against Stanford last week. Nationally, only Tennessee‘s Dont’e Thornton Jr. is averaging more yards per catch than Wesco (34.0) this fall. That might spell trouble in Week 6 for a Florida State secondary that’s giving up five big passing plays (15 yards or more) per game and ranks 76th in pass defense this fall. Let’s see if Wesco and Cade Klubnik can take advantage against the 1-4 Seminoles (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Fluff Bothwell, running back, South Alabama:

We acknowledge that you might not have South Alabama’s Week 6 visit to Arkansas State circled on your calendar. But the meeting between two-win Sun Belt foes is worth tuning in to if only for the opportunity to see what Jaguars freshman Fluff Bothwell will do on Saturday.

Bothwell was not star ranked by ESPN when he signed with South Alabama out of Oneonta (Alabama) High School. But the 5-foot-10, 219-pound rusher has gained a foothold in Major Applewhite’s backfield this fall and was averaging 9.7 yards per carry (37 attempts, 359 yards) with six touchdowns before South Alabama got shut down by LSU last Saturday.

Bothwell exploded for 143 yards and two scores on seven carries in an 87-10, Week 3 win over Northwestern State, then backed it up with 116 yards and another two touchdowns against a much sturdier Appalachian State defense a week later. In the same season Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty has fully burst onto the national stage, Bothwell has emerged among the Group of 5 running backs of the future. Expect more fireworks Saturday when he meets an Arkansas State run defense allowing 234.0 rushing yards per game this fall (130th nationally).

Wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Ryan Williams (Alabama):

We’ve spilled plenty of digital ink on these guys already this fall, but for good reason. Through five weeks, Smith and Williams are no longer looking like just the top first-year wide receivers in 2024, but rather two of the best pass catchers anywhere across the country.

Smith highlighted a five-catch, 83-yard, two-touchdown effort against Michigan State last week with a pair of eye-popping, one-handed grabs. Among Big Ten pass catchers, Smith is the only one who ranks inside the top five in receiving yards (364), touchdowns (five), yards per reception (19.2) and yards per game (91.0). As for Williams, pick your favorite from his bobbling grab or the stunning spin move he used on the go-ahead touchdown to power a six-catch, 177-yard performance in last week’s win over Georgia. Entering Week 6, Williams’ 15.3 yards after catch per reception rank fourth nationally and most among Power 5 pass catchers.

Smith and Williams were outstanding Saturday. The question now: How will the pair of dazzling freshmen follow it up this weekend when Smith faces Iowa’s secondary (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS) and Williams meets Vanderbilt. — Eli Lederman


Quotes of the week

“Marcel’s sister Briah Reed is our assistant director of on-campus recruiting here at the University of Missouri, so she’s not allowed to be at practice this week. Didn’t know that until about three weeks ago, when he started against Florida. One of the staff members told me, so obviously happy for their family.” — Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, on finding out one of his staffers is related to Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed.

“I don’t know that there’s many tickets left. They’re very, very excited. The fans are, the student body. And I know with ‘GameDay’ being here, it’s the biggest show, certainly in college football, and maybe the biggest shows in all of sports is ‘College GameDay.’ So it’s great to have them on our campus, and I know the student body is excited for that early Saturday morning wake-up call.” — Cal coach Justin Wilcox

“We had a good month here at home. That’s great for us, but you’ve got to go take it on the road. I tell them all the time: Good teams win at home, great teams win on the road. You’ve got to be able to execute when they’re not all cheering for you.” — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on traveling for its first true road game Saturday against Florida State in Tallahassee.

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Olney: Yankees must replace Gerrit Cole — but they’ll probably have to wait

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Olney: Yankees must replace Gerrit Cole -- but they'll probably have to wait

Gerrit Cole‘s season is over, now that he is headed for Tommy John surgery, and the New York Yankees will have to find a way to replicate the production of a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, someone who is likely to one day make a speech on induction day in Cooperstown.

But this is not a case of a team being blindsided by an injury. Past injuries are the most predictive indicators for future injuries, and after Cole missed nearly the first three months of last season with nerve inflammation in his right elbow, the Yankees knew the chances of losing him were heightened. Their handling of his contract situation last fall was a strong indicator of the uncertainty around Cole.

The pitcher and his agent, Scott Boras, opted out of the last four years of his contract, while asking that the Yankees exercise a $36 million option for the 2029 season, effectively adding a fifth year to his four-year, $144 million deal. Owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman declined to do so, firmly holding the line, and days later, Cole returned to the Yankees without any augmentation of his contract. While the Yankees hoped Cole’s elbow would remain functional, as Masahiro Tanaka’s elbow did following a diagnosis of a partially torn ligament in 2014, they weren’t willing to bet another $36 million on it.

But that doesn’t help them very much right now, when they have lost two starting pitchers to significant arm injuries: Before Cole went down, Luis Gil — the American League Rookie of the Year last season — suffered a lat strain this spring that will keep him sidelined for much of the 2025 season. Max Fried, signed to a $218 million contract over the winter to improve a good rotation, will now be the de facto ace, in front of right-handers Clarke Schmidt and left-hander Carlos Rodon. A month ago, there was a lot of speculation about whether Marcus Stroman would be traded, given his standing as the sixth starter behind a five-man rotation, and now Stroman is needed as the No. 4 starter.

Cashman’s habit is to be patient — to weigh internal solutions before diving into another free agent signing or trade. When Cole was sidelined last spring, the Yankees thought Will Warren might step into his spot in the rotation, and instead, Gil surprisingly emerged to fill in for Cole and was one of the league’s best starting pitchers in the first half.

This year, Warren is having a very good spring, having allowed just two hits and a run in eight innings of work, with two walks and 11 strikeouts. Warren, an eighth-round pick out of Southeast Louisiana in 2021, is the front-runner to move into the Yankees’ rotation.

Just as the Yankees continue to weigh market options for hitting help while Giancarlo Stanton is attempting to work his way back from elbow trouble, they will consider free agent possibilities such as veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson. The Yankees paid for insurance on Cole’s contract, and so they will recoup some portion of the salary they owe him; typically, that rate is about 75%. His contract still counts against their competitive balance tax total, but the insurance money will significantly offset the luxury tax they will have to pay for the addition of any replacement: The Yankees are taxed dollar for dollar, 100%, for any additional player salaries they take on. A new $5 million player costs the Yankees $10 million.

Eventually, their best alternatives, if needed, could be through the trade market, and maybe that turns out to be the Miami MarlinsSandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner who is back after an elbow reconstruction. Under the terms of a deal he signed with the Marlins early in his career, Alcantara is making $17.3 million this year and $17.3 million next season, and there is a $21 million option in his deal for 2027.

The Marlins are not expected to contend this year and have been in a cost-cutting mode since Peter Bendix took over the team’s baseball operations after the 2023 season. Last year, the Marlins demonstrated a willingness to deal very early in the season, when they swapped batting champion Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in the first week of May.

But the price of a trade in April or May is usually set by the team dealing away a star, and the Yankees would have to pay a big price in prospects in the spring after a rough year for their farm system, which is generally regarded as thin by other teams and ranked No. 21 in Kiley McDaniel’s preseason system rankings. Additionally, the Yankees would presumably compete against other teams if and when the Marlins look to trade Alcantara, leaving them at the same disadvantage they faced when trying to pry Garrett Crochet away from the Chicago White Sox — before Chicago dealt him to the Boston Red Sox.

Over the course of the summer, Gil could return from the injured list, and other pitchers could emerge on the trade market as some teams drift out of contention. If the Toronto Blue Jays struggle in the first half, they could be a key source for all kinds of needs, including starting pitchers. Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer might all draw interest if Toronto ever looks to rebuild and, in the Yankees’ case, is willing to deal within the division.

One or more National League West teams could end up feeding the trade market. The Padres enter this season with high expectations after nearly knocking out the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, but if San Diego drifts behind in the playoff race, it holds two of the best impending free agents, Dylan Cease and former Yankee Michael King. Similarly, the San Francisco Giants have veteran Robbie Ray, who is under contract for $25 million this year and next, and the Arizona DiamondbacksZac Gallen will become eligible for free agency in the fall.

Likewise, in the AL West, the Mariners have so far clung to their starting pitchers, like Luis Castillo, but that could change if Seattle sinks in the standings. The Astros demonstrated their willingness to be aggressive with players nearing free agency with their trade of outfielder Kyle Tucker, and if Houston hovers around .500, it could flip Framber Valdez into the market — with his years of postseason experience attractive to contenders.

The pitching market could be flush with options in a few months. And the Yankees might wait until then to make a move to cover for Cole’s absence.

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Yankees ace Cole will have Tommy John surgery

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Yankees ace Cole will have Tommy John surgery

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery, the team announced Monday, ending his 2025 season before it began and leaving the club staggering from another blow as it prepares to defend its American League pennant.

The decision to have the surgery, which will sideline Cole for the 2025 season and at least part of the 2026 season, was made after seeking a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday. Cole will undergo the procedure Tuesday at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. In a statement, the club said that “further updates will occur post surgery.”

Cole started two games this spring, giving up seven runs across six innings. On Thursday, he gave up six runs on five hits, including two home runs, over 2⅔ innings to the Minnesota Twins. He said he felt an “alarming” amount of pain that night into Friday morning, prompting him to notify the team and undergo imaging tests, which revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Cole, 34, went through the same series of stressful events a year ago: Elbow pain in mid-March, tests and opinions from doctors. But the result was different. Cole was diagnosed with nerve irritation and edema and, instead of surgery, he rested and rehabbed. He made his season debut on June 19 and pitched through the World Series without a setback.

In a statement he posted on Instagram later Monday, Cole said the surgery was a “necessary next step for my career,” adding that he has “a lot left to give, and I’m fully committed to the work ahead. I’ll attack my rehab every day and support the 2025 Yankees each step of the way. I love this game, I love competing, and I can’t wait to be back on the mound — stronger than ever.”

The ace logged 124 innings over 22 starts between the regular season and playoffs, tossing at least six innings in three of his five postseason outings. He then opted to alter his offseason throwing program by starting it earlier to continue his positive momentum. He said he was “in a really good spot” compared to other years at the start of camp.

But less than a month later, his season has been declared over.

Cole’s injury is the second major blow to the Yankees’ starting rotation this spring after Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, sustained a lat strain that was expected to sideline him for at least three months.

Without the two right-handers, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt will top the Yankees’ starting rotation. Marcus Stroman, who was notably not expected to make the Opening Day rotation, is projected to slide into the No. 4 spot with Will Warren, a rookie who made his debut last season, and Carlos Carrasco, a soon-to-be-38-year-old veteran in camp as a non-roster invite, as the leading internal candidates to round out the quintet.

Other options in camp include right-hander Allan Winans, who has eight career starts on his résumé, and left-hander Brent Headrick, a starter in the minors who has never started a game in the majors.

The Yankees could also opt to sign a free agent — veterans Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn are among those available — or swing a trade for an established starter.

Cole, a six-time All-Star, won the 2023 AL Cy Young Award and was the runner-up two other seasons. He has tallied at least 200 innings in six of his 10 full seasons (not including last year and the COVID-shortened 2020 season). He is as close to an old-school frontline workhorse in his prime that exists in baseball. It’s why the Yankees chose to sign Cole, a lifelong Yankees fan, to a nine-year, $324 million deal with a no-trade clause in December 2019 — the largest contract given to a pitcher at the time.

The agreement included a player opt-out after last season that the Yankees could’ve voided by attaching another year and $36 million to the four years and $144 million remaining on his contract. Cole exercised the opt out, but he never became a free agent and didn’t receive the extra year. Instead, the two sides agreed to continue as if Cole didn’t opt out two days later, keeping him under contract through the 2028 season at $36 million per year.

The Yankees have insurance on Cole’s contract, which will allow them to recoup some money for the time he’s out.

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Yamamoto gem, Ohtani laser 2B fuel Dodgers’ win

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Yamamoto gem, Ohtani laser 2B fuel Dodgers' win

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out seven over five impressive innings and Shohei Ohtani ripped a 118.5 mph double during the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ penultimate game of the spring schedule on Monday.

Yamamoto threw 75 pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch. His fastball touched 97 mph and four of the seven strikeouts came on his splitter. The Japanese right-hander gave up one run on four hits in his final spring training start, walking one as the Dodgers went on to win 6-2.

Yamamoto is scheduled to start the Dodgers’ regular-season opener against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo on March 18. Ohtani is expected to be the designated hitter.

Ohtani’s third extra-base hit of the spring came in the first inning and the reigning National League MVP jogged into second base for the easy double. He grounded out in the second and struck out in the fourth.

Ohtani is 6 of 17 this spring (.353) with two doubles and a homer. The 30-year-old is trying to bounce back from offseason shoulder surgery.

Rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki is scheduled to start the final spring training game for the Dodgers on Tuesday. He’s expected to start the second Dodgers-Cubs game in Japan on March 19.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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