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In the 15 days in October we spent with the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, you learn a lot about the team. Here is a sampling:

  • The game glove that infielder Ernie Clement uses was purchased a few months ago on eBay. “Mine was getting worn, so this one looked good on eBay, so bought it,” he said. “I have to wear a glove underneath my glove because this glove is so old, it has no padding in it.” Even with a glove purchased on eBay, Clement is a terrific defender. He is an AL Gold Glove finalist at third base and as a utility player. He personifies the flexibility of the Blue Jays, an elite defensive team that moves several players around the infield, and has others who play infield or outfield equally well. Clement can really throw on the run, and his transfer on the double play from second base is lightning fast. He has 18 hits and only two strikeouts in 42 at-bats in this postseason in which he has shined as a damn good player. His aggressive hitting approach comes from Coach Pitch when he was 6 years old. “We got three pitches per at-bat,” he said. “My dad would say, ‘You’d better swing.”’ Clement also happens to look exactly like a young Aaron Boone. “I’ve heard that,” Clement said, smiling. Boone said, laughing, “So have I. I’ll have to meet him someday and tell him that this [his face] is what he has to look forward to someday.”

  • Reliever Louis Varland will pitch whenever you give him the ball. His preference would be to pitch every day. He pitched in 10 of the 11 postseason games for the Blue Jays. He started as an opener against the Yankees in Game 4 of the AL Division Series one day after pitching in relief. “He would have pitched nine innings if I would’ve let him,” manager John Schneider said. That competitive nature comes from his time as a high school wrestler in Minnesota. Varland wrestled as a freshman at 106 pounds and 160 pounds as a senior. His junior and senior year in baseball, he played at 185 pouonds — he would lose 25 pounds to make weight for wrestling, then gain it back for baseball. “I would lose 20 pounds in a week,” he said. “I did it the unhealthy way. We’ll just leave it at that.”

  • Infielder Andres Gimenez is “the best defensive player I’ve ever seen at any position,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who coached Gimenez in Cleveland in 2024. “He is incredible.” Clement, a brilliant defender himself, said Gimenez “is the best I’ve ever seen. He makes plays no one else can make.” Gimenez is the best defensive second baseman in baseball, but after the injury in early September to Bo Bichette, Gimenez moved to shortstop where he has been tremendous. During infield practice, Gimenez takes ground balls from his knees, and uses a miniature glove, each of which trains him to focus his eyes on the ball. He has great feet in part because he played soccer growing up in Venezuela, a la Omar Vizquel. Gimenez loves soccer. “It is my hobby, I watch it all the time,” he said. Gimenez hit cleanup on Opening Day 2025 — and made 18 other starts there — for the Blue Jays. He also started 34 games out of the No. 9 spot in the order during the regular season as well as all 11 games the Blue Jays have played in October. He is one of seven players in major league history to start at least 15 games out of the cleanup spot and 15 out of the No. 9 spot in a season. And during his postseason, he became one of seven players in history to hit home runs in back-to-back games out of the No. 9 spot in a postseason game.

  • Pitcher Max Scherzer remains an extreme competitor at age 41. “He found out that I played basketball,” said Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, who was a great high school basketball player. “So Max told me, ‘We’re playing one-on-one. And we’re playing full court.”’ Bassitt laughed and said, “Max, I’m not playing full court one-on-one with you.” Scherzer started the critical Game 4 of the ALCS against the Mariners, becoming the first pitcher to start a postseason game for six different franchises. He hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24. No one had any idea what he was going to give them, so, of course, he gave a sturdy 5⅔ innings. Schneider went to the mound to check on Scherzer in the fifth inning. “I’m f—ing good!” Scherzer barked at Schneider. “Let’s f—ing go!” Schneider said with a smile, “I was scared,” then added, “you should have seen the conversation we had between [the fourth and fifth innings]. I asked him if he was OK. He said, ‘What, are you f—ing kidding? Get the f— out of here!” The next day, Schneider’s comments were relayed to Scherzer. He smiled, half-embarrassed, half-proud, and said, “I just can’t help it.”

  • Addison Barger swings the bat as hard as any player in the game, and his plan is to do so on every pitch. He takes relentless batting practice every day. His nickname is “Bam Bam,” but it comes from the name of his mother’s dog, not how hard he hits a baseball. He plays third base and right field — more Toronto defensive flexibility. “He has the best throwing arm of any third baseman I’ve ever seen,” Clement said. In an 8-2 victory in Game 4 in Seattle, Barger’s tremendous throw from right field cut down Josh Naylor at third base for a crucial third out in the sixth inning. “He threw 98-99 [mph] in high school,” Schneider said. When I asked Barger if he could throw 98-99 mph today if he were asked to close on the mound, he laughed and said, “I’d throw 100.”

  • Catcher Alejandro Kirk, at 5-foot-8, 240 pounds, looks less like an athlete than anyone on the field, the catching equivalent of Bartolo Colon. But “he has tremendous bat-to-ball skills,” Schneider said. “And the first time I saw him catch, I saw that he had elite hands. And he never gets too excited. And he never gets pissed off.” Kirk blocks balls in the dirt as well as any catcher in the game, and is exceptionally adept at catching pitches down. Kirk hit two home runs on the final day of the season when the Blue Jays clinched the AL East title, then became the first player in major league history to follow two homers in the season finale with two home runs in the first playoff game. Kirk is immensely popular in Toronto. “Everyone just loves him here,” Clement said. “When he stole his first base of the season, I was at the plate. I had to step out of the box because the cheering was so loud from the fans.”

  • Ace Kevin Gausman has one of the best split-fingered fastballs of any pitcher in the game, but the grip on that pitch can occasionally cause a blister so Gausman usually doesn’t throw his split during his bullpen sessions between starts. “That’s rare,” Bassitt said. “But he is so comfortable with the grip, he doesn’t need to practice it.” Gausman pitched in relief in the clinching Game 7 against the Mariners. “I can get loose in a hurry,” he said before the game. “I grew up in Colorado. It was cold. To get warm, and to get loose quickly, I would put hot stuff all over my body. It really worked, but when you I started to sweat, whoa.”

  • First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., one of the best hitters in the game, went to a new level in the postseason, going 19-for-43 with six homers, 13 RBIs and only three strikeouts. “He has power, and he’s a pest at the plate,” Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw said. “Not many hitters are both. He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever played with. Bottom of the ninth, need a hit, I take Vladdy every time.” Guerrero was a wrecking ball against the Yankees in the division series, and equally destructive against the Mariners in the ALCS. “He has a long swing, but he can cover anything,” Gausman said. “Not many hitters can do that.” Clement was asked to explain how anyone can hit with such power, and also put the ball in play as often as Guerrero. “There is no explaining him,” Clement said. “He is on a different level.” Guerrero is also a very good defensive first baseman, he has already won a Gold Glove, and is a Gold Glove finalist this season. He also runs so much better than people think, which he showed when he scored from second on a single in the ALCS. There is a perception that Guerrero is a heavy-set, unathletic first baseman. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” Clement said. Guerrero, the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., is an instinctive player “with a really high baseball IQ,” Schneider said. “He had that when he was 18 years old.” Indeed. In Game 6 against Seattle, he got a great read on a ball in the dirt, advanced to third, then scored on a throw in the dirt by Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. On the key throw by Barger in Game 4 of the ALCS, the throw could have gone home or to third. Guerrero was aggressively signaling Barger to throw it to third. Guerrero gets those instincts, that feel for the game, from his father: They are the other father-son combination to each have a four-hit game in the postseason.

  • Pitcher Trey Yesavage, age 22, made three major league starts, then started Game 2 against the Yankees, becoming the seventh pitcher in history to start a postseason game having thrown 14 innings or less in his regular-season career. Of course, against the Yankees, he pitched 5⅓ innings, gave up no hits, walked one and struck out 11 — he is the first pitcher to strike out 10 in the first four innings of his first postseason start. He showed incredible poise, and has a presence on the mound like that of Gaylord Perry. Schneider never saw Yesavage in spring training. He was so far from playing in the major leagues, he was always throwing on a back field. “As he was moving up, I saw him on film and video,” Schneider said. “But when he got here, he looked different.” Film and video can tell you only so much about a player. Yesavage’s slider is thrown from directly over the top and that steep angle makes it very hard to pick up, a la Juan Guzman. “I have never seen a slider like that,” Kirk said. Backup catcher Tyler Heineman said, “Neither have I.” Yesavage also dominated the Yankees with his split, which also baffled the Mariners in Game 6. There is a rule in baseball that you don’t speak to that day’s starting pitcher on the day of the game. Yet there was Yesavage, before Game 6 against Seattle, talking to ESPN’s Karl Ravech about football. Yesavage went out and threw well for 5⅔ innings in an elimination game.

  • Utility man Davis Schneider is an above-average defensive second baseman and an above-average defensive corner outfielder. He doesn’t look like a baseball player with his mustache and thick glasses. But he is the personification of a baseball player. He hits every day with Barger, his buddy, and he swings almost as hard as Barger does. “He was almost released three times in the minor leagues,” Schneider said. “But he kept on fighting. He just figured it out.” He’s not the only Blue Jay player who figured it out.

  • Schneider is superstitious. Before Game 6, he walked to the ballpark. “I either drive or walk,” he said. “I walked yesterday. We won. So I walked again today.” When asked if he ran into any fans on the street, he said, “Yeah, a few. They all said, ‘Good luck.”’ Then Schneider smiled and said, “Last year, when we weren’t very good, I drove to the ballpark all the time.” Buck Martinez, a former major league catcher and former Blue Jays manager who has broadcast Blue Jays games for 15 years, said that Schneider reminds him “of Bobby Cox in 1985,” the year that the Blue Jays started to win.

  • Straw, like Clement, is considered a “glue guy.” Straw appreciated the compliment, but said, “We have 10 of those guys on this team.” Schneider said, “This is the tightest group I’ve ever been around.”

  • Designated hitter George Springer‘s three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, was one of the three biggest home runs in club history. Springer struggled terribly last year at the plate but worked with former Astros teammate Michael Brantley, a dear friend and a great hitting instructor, in the offseason. Springer, who hit sixth on Opening Day, raised his OPS .285 points in 2025, by far the biggest increase in the major leagues. He became an elite player again, he returned to the leadoff spot and probably will finish in the top five in AL MVP voting this year. “He is 36 years old, but he acts and plays like he is 20,” Schneider said. When told that the Blue Jays’ defense was exceptional this season, Springer laughed and said, “Well, that’s because they got the old guy off the field and let the young bucks roam around the outfield.”

  • The Blue Jays win because of an elite defense, good starting pitching and an offense that led the major leagues in batting with a .265 average. They changed their offense approach this season: use your “A” swing every time, or don’t swing. “Sell out,” Schneider said. “Or don’t swing.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays hit .296; the rest of the playoff teams hit a combined .218. They put the ball in play better than any team in the major leagues. “The major league batting average on balls in play is .300, that’s all you need to know,” Bassitt said. “In the game today, striking out is OK. Not here. For us, it’s not OK to strike out.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays struck out 65 times compared to 108 by their opponent. They struck out every 6.1 at-bats. All other teams in the postseason averaged a strikeout every 3.4 at-bats. The Blue Jays scored 71 runs and struck out 65 times. The last team to score more runs than they had strikeouts in 11 postseason games was the 2007 Red Sox, who won the World Series. And that’s why the Blue Jays have a fighting chance against the mighty Dodgers.

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    Jays’ Bichette, Dodgers’ Kershaw on WS rosters

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    October 24, 2025

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    Jays' Bichette, Dodgers' Kershaw on WS rosters

    • Jorge CastilloOct 24, 2025, 11:43 AM ET

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        ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

    TORONTO — Bo Bichette, who has not played since spraining his left knee in early September, was added to the Toronto Blue Jays‘ roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    The Blue Jays also included first baseman Ty France on their roster for the first time this postseason. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez, who were on the American League Championship Series roster, were not included.

    The question is how limited is Bichette.

    A two-time All-Star shortstop, Bichette has not played in a game since injuring his knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on Sept. 6. He attempted to return in time for the AL Championship Series but could not run the bases without significant pain the day before the Blue Jays had to submit their roster.

    Bichette worked out at second base and faced live pitching Wednesday and Thursday. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette could play second base, shortstop or serve as the team’s designated hitter. If he is the DH, George Springer would likely move to right field.

    A free agent this winter, Bichette had a rebound season after posting a .598 OPS in 81 games in an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The homegrown star, 27, finished second in the majors with a .311 batting average and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBI and an .840 OPS.

    Without him, the Blue Jays have played Andres Gimenez, their regular second baseman, at shortstop in the postseason with Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting most of the starts at second base.

    Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. The Dodgers said Thursday that Vesia was not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter.

    Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the National League Division Series roster following surgery on Oct. 8 to remove of an abscess from an infection on his lower body.

    Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers’ wild-card series roster and did not pitch in the NL Championship Series, is on the World Series roster. Kershaw has said he plans to retire after this season.

    Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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    Thamel: Five questions that will define a wild CFB coaching carousel

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    October 24, 2025

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    Thamel: Five questions that will define a wild CFB coaching carousel

    On Oct. 20 of last year, college football’s first two firings unfolded with little fanfare — East Carolina let go of Mike Houston and Southern Miss dismissed Will Hall.

    By that date in 2025, there already were 11 programs — including seven major conference teams — that dismissed their coach.

    Those seven openings far outpace the final statistics from 2024, when just three coaches were fired for performance — Purdue’s Ryan Walters, UNC’s Mack Brown and West Virginia’s Neal Brown.

    Since this season started, there have been six firings at major conference schools — UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Penn State and Florida. (Stanford’s firing of Troy Taylor came after off-field tumult this offseason.)

    So, how did we get to the point where there are 11 open jobs on the 2025 calendar — including UAB, Oregon State, Kent State and Colorado State — before the first open job in 2024?

    There’s a confluence of factors that range from the slow power conference cycle in 2024 to the professionalization of college programs demanding instant results. (One industry source said jokingly that Curt Cignetti’s instant success at Indiana ruined the expectation curve for all coaches.)

    How crazy will this cycle get? One industry source summed it up this way: “There’s not enough good coaches to fill all of these spots. It’s never a good year to be in the market, but especially not this year.”

    We dove into the numbers and asked industry sources how they see it playing out, as the busiest and most expensive coaching carousel in the sport’s history looms.

    Could this be the busiest coaching carousel ever?

    In short, yes. Especially with the early flurry of Power 5 jobs.

    Comparisons are tricky because of conference realignment and variables like season-long interim coaches. But the most major conference jobs open in a recent season happened in the 2021-22 cycle, when there were 14, per ESPN Research. That cycle included USC (Lincoln Riley), LSU (Brian Kelly), Notre Dame (Marcus Freeman), Florida (Billy Napier), Miami (Mario Cristobal), Oklahoma (Brent Venables) and Oregon (Dan Lanning).

    This year is shaping up to rival that, as in the modern era, this is the earliest we’ve seen seven power conference jobs open.

    Also on the radar are Auburn, Florida State and Wisconsin, with the latter two schools issuing statements about the futures of their coaches this week.

    There are also eyes on Deion Sanders’ health at Colorado, Kyle Whittingham’s potential retirement at Utah and Bill Belichick’s struggles at UNC. Kentucky is 0-4 in the SEC under Mark Stoops, but the Wildcats would owe him nearly $38 million within 60 days of firing him.

    And there are still six weeks left in the season. The legacy of Franklin’s firing at Penn State is that nearly every coach is a three-game losing streak from his job being in trouble. So, don’t be surprised if another school or two finds its situation untenable as the losses pile up. And never rule out a surprise retirement or two, as we’ve seen veteran coaches monitor the landscape and head off to their beach houses in recent years in college football and basketball.

    Combine current openings with potential ones and the inevitable dominoes of hiring away sitting coaches from other power conference jobs, and it’s clear that the recent benchmark of 14 power jobs from the 2021-22 cycle and 2015-16 cycle will be threatened. (That number is 15 in 2021-22 if you count SMU, which has since moved to the ACC, and 16 in 2015-16 if you count UCF and BYU. College sports never makes these things easy.)

    From a pure numbers standpoint, we’re likely amid a historic three-year run. The NCAA keeps annual tabs on new coaches in the FBS, and the past two cycles have been the first time in college football history, per the NCAA, that at least 30 new coaches have arrived in back-to-back years.

    There were 32 to start the 2024 season, and there were 30 to start this season. The only other time in the FBS era there have been more than 30 is 2013, when there were 31 new coaches, good for a record 25.2% turnover.

    That 30-coach benchmark appears likely to be eclipsed again. Even with a handful of duplicate jobs those years, it means somewhere over 60% of the sport is destined to turn over in three years.

    How large will buyouts loom?

    For decades, coaches were the largest talent expense for a program. And because of the competition to hire and retain them, it became standard practice for schools to offer lengthy guaranteed salaries.

    And that has led to piles of dead money being paid to coaches. An ESPN study found $533.6 million in dead money in athletic departments for coaches over an 11-year period from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 31, 2021. There’s already more than $100 million in buyout money owed this year, although many contracts are subject to offset and mitigation. (If Franklin gets a job for $25 million over five years, for example, that would be subtracted from the $49 million he’s owed through the 2031 season.)

    But there are also a few more big figures potentially looming — Mike Norvell’s $58 million with Florida State, Freeze’s $15 million with Auburn and Luke Fickell’s more than $25 million with Wisconsin. Those will factor into decision-making at those schools.

    As another industry source adds: “Look at the candidate pool. If it’s close and you think you might have the right guy, you don’t go in.”

    What became apparent through calls this week is that the fervor over coaches is unlikely to translate to changed behavior in contracts. Restraint and discipline don’t often coincide with desperation.

    Could a coach who makes the playoff jump to a new job?

    Technically, sure. But in reality, that would be a hire that redefines awkward. ESPN spoke to a half a dozen sources about this, and the answers vary. With the transfer portal not opening until Jan. 2, there’s certainly a chance that a school could wait out a playoff coach.

    But two looming factors would be difficult to overcome, even if there’s a proverbial “deal in the drawer” that a coach has agreed to in advance.

    The first is that the coach would put his current team’s title hopes at risk, as his team would be suspicious if a major job remained open and he dodged answers about it. (Not to mention, didn’t sign a new deal with his current school.)

    The second is simple — what happens if a coach wins a few games? A coach could play in the first round Dec. 19 or Dec. 20, lose the game and leave a day or two after to set up his roster in time for next year. But a win or two could extend his season into mid-January, and any athletic director who waits a month and doesn’t have a coach in place for the start of the portal would get squeamish.

    “The tough part will be, if you have that search open, how do you keep it quiet?” an industry source said. “You’re going to have to keep a process going. The only way I see it happening is that school would have to keep a search going all that time.”

    The portal might officially open Jan. 2, but most deals will be done long before. Even with a strong general manager at a program, the ambiguity would undercut the first year’s roster tremendously.

    Essentially, the coach and school would have to announce that he’s leaving. The coach would then coach out the playoff, with the idea that the players are all free agents at the end of every season. It would be awkward and heavily criticized, but that might be the only option.

    So, if a program wants a coach projected to reach the playoff — think Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, USF’s Alex Golesh or Georgia Tech’s Brent Key — there would be some hard conversations.

    Who are the big names who could move?

    Kiffin and Nebraska coach Matt Rhule will be the biggest names looming over the carousel, as they are the speculative favorites for the jobs at Florida (Kiffin) and Penn State (Rhule).

    There are three former power conference coaches who could factor into the major jobs this year — former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, former Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson and former Florida State/Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. The opportunity to go early and avoid the dangerous game of musical chairs may make those coaches attractive.

    There are plenty of sitting power conference coaches who’ll generate interest and could move.

    In the ACC, SMU’s Rhett Lashlee, Georgia Tech’s Key ($4 million buyout), Louisville’s Jeff Brohm ($1 million) and Cal’s Justin Wilcox ($1 million to leave after regular season) all have been bandied about.

    In the Big Ten, Rhule, Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck and Washington’s Jedd Fisch are being discussed. (Rhule’s buyout is $5 million, Fleck’s is $5.5 million and Fisch’s is $10 million.)

    In the SEC, Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz’s buyout drops from $5 million to $4 million after Dec. 1. Clark Lea has Vanderbilt 6-1, and the Commodores are the toast of the country this year. South Carolina’s Shane Beamer ($5 million buyout) will remain a name at Virginia Tech until that job is filled.

    In the Big 12, the buzziest names are Iowa State’s Matt Campbell ($2 million buyout), ASU’s Kenny Dillingham ($4 million) and BYU’s Kalani Sitake (unknown).

    Any of those would create further ripples.

    How did we get here?

    Well, everything changed. So, it makes sense that the coaching cycle would, too. There will be PhD projects and books written about the past handful of years in college athletics.

    If you consider the entire player procurement and payment model being overhauled, it makes sense that there’s constant turnover on the landscape.

    And with bigger investments by schools come more urgency for results. And acquisition mistakes are magnified because they come with an actual price tag.

    “I think in the last three or four years, because of NIL, I just think it’s changed so much,” an industry veteran said. “If you’re going to lead a bunch of 18-to-23-year-olds, the relationship part is so different now that money is involved. Coaching and getting the most out of kids is so different because of the financial implications.”

    Combine that with bosses stressed over money and boosters having more sway because they are footing the NIL bills, and the coaching market is haywire. Another industry source joked that “every school’s Cody Campbell” now has bigger sway in hires, referencing the ubiquitous Texas Tech booster.

    With investment and uncertainty on parallel tracks, it only makes sense that volatility follows.

    Marisa Dowling contributed to this report.

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    Will this season ever make sense? These 32 games could help start the process

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    October 24, 2025

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    Will this season ever make sense? These 32 games could help start the process

    • Bill ConnellyOct 24, 2025, 07:30 AM ET

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        Bill Connelly is a writer for ESPN. He covers college football, soccer and tennis. He has been at ESPN since 2019.

    In recent years, Week 9 of the college football season has been good at shutting down fun upstart stories — or at least severely wounding them.

    Think of unranked Wisconsin pummeling No. 9 Iowa, Mississippi State upsetting No. 12 Kentucky and Michigan State upending No. 6 Michigan in 2021. Or unranked Louisville upsetting No. 10 Wake Forest in 2022. Or Oregon blowing out No. 13 Utah in 2023 and No. 20 Illinois in 2024. Or Texas finishing off last season’s Diego Pavia-and-Vanderbilt episode. Before we get to November, where nearly everything we remember from a given season happens, we evidently have to declutter a bit.

    Maybe that says foreboding things this week about Texas A&M, with its highest poll ranking in 30 years, playing a desperate LSU in Baton Rouge. Or an unbeaten BYU team playing at Iowa State. But how do the college football gods properly declutter this season? Who’s the upstart that falls when No. 10 Vanderbilt hosts No. 15 Missouri? How does an ACC race with five to seven contenders, none of whom were the preseason favorites, get cleaned up?

    The 2025 season has broken containment, and as we careen toward November, let’s see if it’s even possible for it to start making sense. Here’s everything you need to follow in a cluttered Week 9.

    Another huge SEC tripleheader

    Though there’s a chance the SEC race gives us another Alabama-Georgia conference title game, I still believe we might have a major plot twist or two. Week 9 will help us figure out who might benefit from that plot twist, as the league again gives us a tripleheader of interesting matchups.

    No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC)

    Tiger Stadium is typically an absolute cauldron at night; the home team has won eight straight in this series (six by multiple scores), and LSU is desperate after losses at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. A&M coach Mike Elko’s most important task might be keeping his unbeaten Aggies dialed in amid an early sea of noise and emotion.

    The next task will be scoring points. The Aggies have done plenty of that this season, but LSU ranks sixth in defensive SP+ and has yet to allow more than 10 points at home. The Tigers are better against the pass than the run, which could be an issue — even without the injured Le’Veon Moss, A&M averaged 6.2 yards per carry against Arkansas last week. But on third-and-3 or more, Marcel Reed and the Aggies are converting just 23.5% of the time, 129th nationally. Tiger Stadium can get awfully loud on third down.

    LSU’s offense is showing signs of improvement. Even with leading receiver Aaron Anderson limited, the Tigers averaged 6.7 yards per play against South Carolina and Vanderbilt, though red zone failures kept the point totals tamped down. Tight end Trey’Dez Green is becoming a matchup nightmare, and LSU ran the ball well for once against Vanderbilt. If Garrett Nussmeier can complete even a couple of downfield passes, this becomes a very dangerous team. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting on that.

    On passes thrown at least 25 yards downfield, Nussmeier is a shocking 1-for-16 this season. If you can’t create easy points from big plays, and you stink in the red zone, it becomes awfully difficult to score touchdowns.

    A&M is No. 3 in the country, but the stakes are higher for the Tigers, both because they’ve run out of margin for error in the playoff hunt and because of the increasing heat on coach Brian Kelly. If the Aggies overcome this team and this environment, they are legit SEC, and potentially national title, contenders.

    Current line: A&M -2.5 | SP+ projection: A&M by 0.8 | FPI projection: A&M by 0.6

    No. 15 Missouri at No. 10 Vanderbilt (3:30 p.m., ESPN)

    On Oct. 18, 1947, No. 10 Vanderbilt hosted Bear Bryant’s 20th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Led by soon-to-be All-America center Jay Rhodemyre, Kentucky controlled the line of scrimmage, allowing just 151 total yards and getting just enough offense from George Blanda & Co. to prevail 14-0. The Commodores fell out of the AP top 10 … and didn’t return for 78 years. But here they are, ranked 10th and hosting Missouri and “College GameDay” on Saturday.

    The Tigers and Commodores have lost only to Alabama, and one will be 7-1 and in the thick of the SEC and playoff hunts heading into November. If Mizzou wins, it will likely be Bear Bryant Kentucky-style, via the line of scrimmage. Ends Zion Young and Damon Wilson II key a Tigers defense that ranks seventh in success rate*, and after struggling to get Ahmad Hardy and the run game going against Alabama and Auburn, Missouri could get some respite against a Vandy defense that ranks just 62nd in yards allowed per carry (not including sacks). The Commodores are good at limiting big plays, but Mizzou will have an opportunity to generate efficiency for quarterback Beau Pribula.

    The Tigers better do that because Vandy’s offense is as efficient as they come: The Dores are first nationally in points per drive and third in success rate. The offensive line is excellent, backs Sedrick Alexander and Makhilyn Young average 7.3 yards per carry, and quarterback Diego Pavia is the best improviser in the sport. The passing game isn’t particularly explosive, but it’s really hard to knock Vandy off-schedule.

    (* Success rate: How frequently an offense is gaining 50% of necessary yardage on first down, 70% on second or 100% on third and fourth.)

    Current line: Vandy -2.5 | SP+ projection: Vandy by 0.2 | FPI projection: Vandy by 1.3

    No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma (noon, ABC)

    From importance and “styles make fights” perspectives, Ole Miss’ first trip to Norman is one of the most interesting games of the week. As with Mizzou-Vandy, the winner will be in solid shape in the SEC race and in great shape for the College Football Playoff. Everywhere you look, it’s either strength-versus-strength or weakness-versus-weakness.

    Ole Miss offense: 12th in points per drive
    Oklahoma defense: second in points per drive

    Oklahoma offense: 65th in points per drive
    Ole Miss defense: 70th in points per drive

    Oklahoma boasts the most aggressive defense in college football: Opponents have gained zero or fewer yards on 44.0% of snaps, most in the country. Ole Miss, however, has by far the best offense the Sooners have faced to date. Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels just scored 35 points on a Georgia defense that had been allowing 17 per game. Chambliss’ No. 2 and 3 pass catchers (Deuce Alexander and tight end Dae’Quan Wright) are listed as questionable, but Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. can usually scheme up success.

    Of course, Ole Miss also allowed 43 points to the Dawgs. The Rebels are awful against the run, but OU hasn’t established much in that regard. Oklahoma’s success comes via the pass, but Ole Miss is decent in that regard (despite a poor pass rush), and Sooners quarterback John Mateer has averaged just 4.5 yards per dropback since rushing back from a hand injury.

    With the way Ole Miss faltered late against Georgia and the way OU’s offense has performed of late, I could be talked into a blowout in either direction here.

    Current line: OU -5.5 (up from -3.5 on Sunday) | SP+ projection: OU by 5.0 | FPI projection: OU by 1.3

    Who remains unbeaten?

    We’re suddenly down to just six unbeaten teams: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, BYU and Navy. The Buckeyes are off, and we mentioned A&M above, but here’s what the other perfect teams have in store.

    UCLA at No. 2 Indiana (noon, Fox)

    Surely UCLA can’t do it again, right? In the past three weeks, the Bruins have wrecked Penn State’s season (and James Franklin’s tenure), further wrecked Michigan State’s and hastened Maryland’s October demise. Now, they get a shot at Curt Cignetti’s brilliant Indiana Hoosiers.

    The Bruins have turned around their season by creating negative plays and turnovers on defense and running the ball with ruthless efficiency behind backs Jalen Berger, Anthony Frias II and Jaivian Thomas. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is making just enough plays with his legs to overcome his sack-prone tendencies. (He’s also practicing this week after suffering an injury against Maryland last Saturday.)

    Of course, Indiana almost completely avoids negative plays and turnovers on offense and both defends the run aggressively and sacks QBs like few others (third nationally in sack rate). The Hoosiers should handle this test quite well, though at this point, it might be fair to ask, what doesn’t Indiana do well? Where might the Hoosiers be vulnerable to a challenge between now and what feels like an inevitable battle with Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game?

    From a statistical standpoint, I can really find only two areas of concern.

    1. The Hoosiers are strangely poor on fourth downs. They’re just 3-for-11 this season. Granted, this would be more of a problem if they weren’t fourth nationally in third-down conversion rate (54.9%), but something’s off there.

    2. They’re sometimes too aggressive up front. They’re first nationally in stuff rate (run stops at or behind the line), but when they give up a successful rush, it’s a pretty big one. Big plays are holding them back at least slightly.

    Granted, it’s hard to complain too much about a defense that ranks third nationally in points allowed per drive, but big plays have been known to create upsets.

    Current line: Indiana -25.5 (up from -23.5) | SP+ projection: Indiana by 27.9 | FPI projection: Indiana by 26.4

    No. 11 BYU at Iowa State (3:30 p.m., Fox)

    Not too long ago, Iowa State was 5-0 with wins over rivals Kansas State and Iowa and a blowout of Arizona. But after losing cornerbacks Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams to ACL injuries, and with a nonexistent pass rush, the Cyclones gave up too many big plays in road losses to Cincinnati and Colorado. (The offense also failed in Boulder, turning 441 yards into just 17 points.)

    What do you do when your unbeaten season is ruined? Try to ruin someone else’s! Coming off a bye week, ISU is somewhat surprisingly favored at home against unbeaten BYU. The Cougars have already survived a few tight Big 12 contests. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier is a lower-efficiency, higher-explosiveness passer, and he’s making a difference in the run game. Can ISU make enough stops? If not, can Rocco Becht and the offense keep up in a track meet?

    Current line: ISU -2.5 | SP+ projection: BYU by 3.2 | FPI projection: BYU by 1.2

    Syracuse at No. 7 Georgia Tech (noon, ESPN)

    Syracuse is 0-3 since quarterback Steve Angeli was lost for the season; Rickie Collins has thrown six interceptions in his past two games, and the Orange have lost to Duke, SMU and Pitt by an average of 33-11. Georgia Tech’s defense isn’t amazing but is probably good enough to keep Syracuse stuck in neutral.

    Meanwhile, the Tech offense is the best the Orange have faced since Week 1 against Tennessee. It would be great for the Yellow Jackets if they could handle this one easily enough that Haynes King isn’t forced to run a lot and take lots of hits for once.

    Current line: Tech -16.5 | SP+ projection: Tech by 17.8 | FPI projection: Tech by 13.7

    Florida Atlantic at Navy (3:30 p.m., CBSSN)

    FAU is a unique out. Zach Kittley’s Owls go for it on fourth down more than half the time, they play at the nation’s second-fastest tempo and they hunt big plays. Unfortunately, they also rank 120th in success rate and 124th in turnovers. Their aggressiveness often fails to produce points (or give their defense a rest), and they’ve lost four games by an average of 27 points. Blake Horvath and Navy are projected underdogs in each of their past four games — at North Texas, at Notre Dame, vs. USF, at Memphis — but they should move to 8-0 here.

    Current line: Navy -15.5 | SP+ projection: Navy by 19.3 | FPI projection: Navy by 11.1

    Two old Big Ten rivalries (and great trophies)

    They know trophies in the Big Ten. They also know 5-2 records. Eight of the conference’s 18 teams are 5-2, and any of those teams that can win out and get to the finish line at 10-2 will be in the CFP conversation.

    This weekend gives us two of the sport’s best trophy games involving three members of the 5-2 club.

    Minnesota at Iowa (3:30 p.m., CBS)

    It’s really hard to beat the Floyd of Rosedale, a 98-pound bronze pig that Minnesota and Iowa have been fighting over for 90 years. Iowa has held on to it (him?) for nine of the past 10 years.

    Iowa is the projected favorite in this one, both because of home-field advantage and because the Hawkeyes can run the ball and defend the run. They’re 17th in rushing success rate, a massive upgrade over a couple of years ago, and though quarterback Mark Gronowski threw for just 68 yards in last week’s win over Penn State, he rushed for 130 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, Iowa is allowing just 3.4 yards per carry, not including sacks.

    The ground game can be all that matters in an Iowa-Minnesota game, but Minnesota is putting a lot on redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey’s right arm, and he’s holding up mostly well despite an inefficient ground game (103rd in rushing success rate). The Gophers were also brilliant last week, sacking Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola nine times, getting a 16-for-20 performance from Lindsey and even getting 148 rushing yards from Darius Taylor in a 24-6 win.

    Current line: Iowa -8.5 | SP+ projection: Iowa by 10.2 | FPI projection: Iowa by 8.7

    No. 25 Michigan at Michigan State (7:30 p.m., NBC)

    The Paul Bunyan Trophy is a pretty good reward in a series that has seen some recent momentum shifts. Michigan State won eight of 10 between 2008 and 2017 — a run that included one of the most shocking endings of the 21st century — but Michigan has won five of the past seven.

    Both of these teams need this one. Michigan’s excellent 24-7 win over Washington last week laid out a scenario in which the Wolverines are 9-2 and riding a five-game winning streak when Ohio State visits.

    MSU, on the other hand, just needs something positive. The Spartans have lost four straight, all by double digits. Quarterback Aidan Chiles showed flashes of improvement early, but the Spartans’ offensive effectiveness has trailed off. Second-year coach Jonathan Smith is beginning to show up on “hot seat” lists, and though that seems foolish to me — you don’t hire a guy because of his long-term program-building prowess, then drop him in less than two seasons — this will still almost certainly be State’s fourth losing season in a row.

    Current line: Michigan -14.5 | SP+ projection: Michigan by 15.8 | FPI projection: Michigan by 14.6

    This week in the Group of 5

    Memphis’ shocking loss to UAB last week threw the races for both the American title and the Group of 5’s guaranteed playoff bid into uncertainty, and at first glance, it seems like USF is best poised to take advantage. Guess who will play against each other this weekend? Memphis and USF! It’s the pretty obvious G5 game of the week, though I’ve got another interesting game to put on your radar, too.

    No. 18 South Florida at Memphis (noon, ESPN2)

    USF leaves no doubt. Apart from their 18-16 win over Florida, the Bulls have won five games by an average of 52-19 and suffered their lone loss (to Miami) 49-12. Alex Golesh’s offense is both ridiculously explosive and, thanks in part to quarterback Byrum Brown‘s legs, excellent on third downs. And after an average defensive SP+ ranking of 113.0 in Golesh’s first two seasons, the Bulls are currently 57th.

    If last week was just a “stuff happens” loss for Memphis — interim-coached teams (like UAB) have been shockingly good so far this season — the Tigers should have plenty to offer, especially at home. They start and finish drives beautifully (eighth in three-and-out rate, third in red zone TD rate), and though their pass rush is problematic, they control the line of scrimmage against the run and force third-and-longs. They have an immediate chance to right last week’s wrongs and climb back to the top of the conference pecking order.

    Current line: USF -4.5 | SP+ projection: Memphis by 5.4 | FPI projection: Memphis by 0.1

    San Diego State at Fresno State (3:30 p.m., FS1)

    If you’re looking for playoff alternatives outside of the American, take a gander at San Diego State. Starting with a 34-0 stomping of Cal, Sean Lewis’ Aztecs have won four straight, overachieving against SP+ projections by 17.3 points per game. They’re not reliable yet — they’ve scored 34-plus four times and under 14 twice, and they’ve allowed 7.4 points per game in wins and 36 in their lone loss. But corner Chris Johnson and edge rusher Trey White are two of the G5’s best playmakers, and if they can score enough against a solid Fresno State defense (not a given), their odds of reaching 11-1 improve considerably.

    Current line: SDSU -2.5 | SP+ projection: SDSU by 6.1 | FPI projection: SDSU by 2.7

    It’s Dakota Marker time!

    FCS: No. 1 North Dakota State at No. 2 South Dakota State (8 p.m., ESPNU)

    South Dakota State lost coach Jimmy Rogers to Washington State and more than 20 transfers, including quarterback Mark Gronowski (Iowa), to FBS teams. North Dakota State lost a few stars, too, including running back CharMar Brown (Miami) and safety Cole Wisniewski (Texas Tech). The transfer portal can hit you especially, hard even at the FCS level.

    Oh right, I almost forgot: NDSU and SDSU are a combined 14-0 this season.

    SDSU’s stats have slipped slightly, though big quarterback Chase Mason has 1,419 passing yards and thrown 11 touchdowns and one interception, and the pass defense is as nasty as ever, with 12 interceptions and 18 sacks in seven games. NDSU, however, has established a level of dominance we haven’t seen from the Bison in a while. The defending FCS champs have outscored opponents by an average of 44-10, and only one opponent has stayed closer than 27 points. Quarterback Cole Payton is producing Mason-like stats, and the receiver trio of Bryce Lance, RaJa Nelson and Reis Kessel is averaging 20.1 yards per catch. Based on their current SP+ rating, the Bison would be in the top 40 in FBS.

    We’ve seen intriguing performances from programs such as Tarleton State (third in SP+) and Harvard (fourth), but until proven otherwise, these remain FCS’ defining programs. And for the third time since 2022, the Dakota Marker is a 1-versus-2 battle. The No. 2 team won both of the previous games, and it wouldn’t be a shock if SDSU pulled off a home upset. But it would definitely be an upset — the Bison have been at a different level thus far.

    SP+ projection: NDSU by 6.9

    Week 9 chaos superfecta

    We’re once again using this space to will chaos into existence, looking at four carefully curated games with pretty big point spreads and mashing them together into a much more upset-friendly number. We ended a three-week losing streak with a two-fer last week, so we’re back to 4-4 for the year.

    This week, we set our sights on the Big 12. SP+ says there’s only a 54% chance that Cincinnati (75% win probability against Baylor), Utah (86% against Colorado), TCU (84% against West Virginia) and Texas Tech (99% against Oklahoma State) all win. I say there’s a 0% chance!

    Week 9 playlist

    Here are some more games you should pay attention to if you want to get the absolute most out of the weekend, from both information and entertainment perspectives.

    Friday evening

    California at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN). After the turmoil of the past few years, Cal reaching 5-2 is a cool story. But the Golden Bears have gotten here while beating only one team better than 90th in SP+. Virginia Tech is only 91st, but the interim-coached Hokies have been more competitive over the past month and are favored despite their 2-5 record.

    Current line: Tech -4.5 | SP+ projection: Cal by 0.9 | FPI projection: Tech by 6.6

    Early Saturday

    Auburn at Arkansas (12:45 p.m., SECN). This is easily the most stylistically interesting game of the week in the SEC. In league play, Auburn games have averaged 32.8 total points, while Arkansas games have averaged 76.0. It’s like the two teams are playing different sports at the moment, though they’re both losing at those sports. (Combined SEC record: 0-7.)

    Current line: Arkansas -2.5 (flipped from Auburn -1.5) | SP+ projection: Auburn by 0.3 | FPI projection: Arkansas by 0.2

    Northwestern at Nebraska (noon, FS1). Something has clicked for Northwestern: The Wildcats have won four in a row, and over the past three, they’ve overachieved against SP+ projections by 19.6 points per game. Nebraska is favored for a reason, but Matt Rhule’s Huskers were pretty poor in last week’s loss to Minnesota, and Northwestern’s defense is just as good as the Gophers’.

    Current line: Huskers -8.5 | SP+ projection: Huskers by 12.0 | FPI projection: Huskers by 7.2

    Kansas State at Kansas (noon, TNT). Kansas State’s past three games have been its best three of the season, and the sight of Kansas on the other sideline tends to bring out the Wildcats’ best — they haven’t lost the Sunflower Showdown since 2008. Kansas got a week off to recover from a humbling loss at Texas Tech; in which direction does the Jayhawks’ season go from here?

    Current line: KU -2.5 | SP+ projection: KU by 5.0 | FPI projection: KU by 1.7

    No. 16 Virginia at North Carolina (noon, ACCN). UVA tried pretty hard to lose to Washington State at home last week, while UNC went across the country and played its best game of 2025. It’s at least conceivable that Bill Belichick’s Heels can pull a surprise. Still, UVA’s offense is so clean, with minimal negative plays and efficiency via run and pass, that the Cavaliers get the benefit of the doubt.

    Current line: UVA -10.5 (up from -8.5) | SP+ projection: UVA by 12.6 | FPI projection: UVA by 11.9

    SMU at Wake Forest (noon, The CW). These teams went a combined 4-4 in September but are 5-0 in October. Wake plays great defense with the most all-or-nothing offense you’ll see, and SMU’s defense has rounded back into form after a poor start. The Mustangs need this one for ACC contention, but Jake Dickert has Wake moving in a very fun direction.

    Current line: SMU -3.5 | SP+ projection: SMU by 4.1 | FPI projection: SMU by 4.8

    Saturday afternoon

    No. 23 Illinois at Washington (3:30 p.m., BTN). Washington has averaged just 12.3 points per game against top-15 defenses (per SP+) and 51.3 against defenses ranked 85th or lower. Illinois’ defense is in the middle (48th), so I guess we assume the Huskies score 30 or so? Illinois can probably hit that mark against a shaky-but-improving UW defense, too. This should be fun.

    Current line: UW -3.5 | SP+ projection: UW by 3.7 | FPI projection: UW by 2.9

    No. 4 Alabama at South Carolina (3:30 p.m., ABC). After a blowout loss at home, South Carolina turned around its 2024 season by nearly toppling Alabama in Tuscaloosa, then winning six straight. The circumstances are even worse for the Gamecocks this time — last week’s 19-point loss to Oklahoma dropped them to 3-4 — but maybe they still have a turnaround in them? Maybe Alabama suffers a letdown after four straight wins against ranked teams? Possibly? Yeah, I’m not convinced either.

    Current line: Bama -12.5 | SP+ projection: Bama by 10.5 | FPI projection: Bama by 10.7

    Baylor at No. 21 Cincinnati (4 p.m., ESPN2). Baylor lives to entertain: Five of the Bears’ seven games have topped 60 total points, and they’re 19th in offensive SP+ and 98th on defense. Cincinnati doesn’t mind a good track meet, but the Bearcats’ bend-don’t-break defense has improved of late. With games against Utah and BYU looming, Cincy’s Big 12 title hopes would take a hit with an upset loss.

    Current line: Cincy -3.5 (down from -5.5) | SP+ projection: Cincy by 10.9 | FPI projection: Cincy by 4.5

    No. 22 Texas at Mississippi State (SECN). Mississippi State is 0-3 in SEC play, but two losses went down to the wire. So did Texas’ frustrating overtime win at Kentucky last week. The MSU offense is quickly losing steam, but the Texas offense hasn’t really had any. One assumes the elite Texas defense drives another win, but this could be tight for a while.

    Current line: Horns -7.5 | SP+ projection: Horns by 7.2 | FPI projection: Horns by 9.5

    Western Michigan at Miami (Ohio) (3:30 p.m., ESPN+). WMU probably didn’t want a bye last week — the smoking-hot Broncos have won four straight since an 0-3 start, overachieving against projections by 21.3 points per game. Now, they trek to Oxford to face a Miami team that has also gone from 0-3 to 4-3. The winner of this one heads into November’s midweek MACtion slate as the conference title favorite.

    Current line: Miami -1.5 | SP+ projection: Miami by 2.5 | FPI projection: Miami by 0.5

    Oklahoma State at No. 14 Texas Tech (4 p.m., ESPNU). With quarterback Behren Morton injured, Tech suffered its first blemish of the season at Arizona State last week. Backup Will Hammond appears likely to start again Saturday, but even without Morton (or tortillas), one assumes the Red Raiders should manhandle an OSU team that has fallen to an almost inconceivable 121st in SP+.

    Current line: Tech -38.5 | SP+ projection: Tech by 39.3 | FPI projection: Tech by 34.6

    Saturday evening

    Houston at No. 24 Arizona State (8 p.m., ESPN2). ASU has won 11 of its past 13 Big 12 games, and both of the losses were without Sam Leavitt. After Saturday’s injury-aided victory over Tech, the Sun Devils could be in great shape to return to the conference title game with a win here. But they’ll have to take on a strong Houston defense without star receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring), and Houston’s offense is coming off two strong performances.

    Current line: ASU -6.5 (down from -8.5) | SP+ projection: ASU by 0.9 | FPI projection: ASU by 6.0

    No. 17 Tennessee at Kentucky (SECN). Kentucky showed signs of life for the first time in a while against Texas. Was that the start of something or a last gasp? If it’s the former, Tennessee has underachieved against SP+ projections for five straight games and could be vulnerable after last week’s demoralizing loss to Bama. If it’s the latter, never mind.

    Current line: Vols -7.5 (down from -9.5) | SP+ projection: Vols by 10.4 | FPI projection: Vols by 7.3

    Stanford at No. 9 Miami (7 p.m., ESPN). Consider this a good temperature check for Miami after its first setback of the season against Louisville. The Hurricanes will likely roll over Stanford regardless, but with a big trip to SMU looming, now’s the time for a bounce-back game from quarterback Carson Beck and fewer missed tackles from the defense.

    Current line: Miami -29.5 | SP+ projection: Miami by 29.4 | FPI projection: Miami by 26.6

    Wisconsin at No. 6 Oregon (7 p.m., FS1). Against teams ranked worse than 60th in SP+, Oregon has gone 5-0 with an average score of 51-9. Wisconsin is most certainly worse than 60th. In fact, after back-to-back shutout losses, the Badgers would probably take the nine points if offered. Hmm. Tell me why I listed this game?

    Current line: Ducks -32.5 | SP+ projection: Ducks by 31.6 | FPI projection: Ducks by 29.4

    Late Saturday

    Colorado at Utah (10:15 p.m., ESPN). Utah needs to win out to keep its conference title hopes alive and is favored in each remaining game. But quarterback Devon Dampier is listed as questionable after an injury against BYU, and Colorado has dropped hints of defensive competence. Kaidon Salter and the Buffaloes also have some big-play potential on offense. This one might not be a gimme.

    Current line: Utah -12.5 (down from -14.5) | SP+ projection: Utah by 17.0 | FPI projection: Utah by 11.2

    Smaller-school showcase

    Let’s once again save a shout-out for the glorious lower levels of the sport. Besides Dakota Marker, here are three games you should track.

    FCS: No. 16 Presbyterian at Dayton (12 p.m., YouTube). We’re getting pretty used to incredible turnaround stories in college football — hello, Indiana and Vanderbilt — but hello, Presbyterian. In their first 16 years in FCS, the Blue Hose averaged 2.8 wins per season and won more than four games once. They were known primarily for hiring the Never Punts guy in 2021, and they went 1-10 in 2022, Steve Englehart’s first year in charge. But they won their last four games of 2024, three by blowouts, to jump to 6-6 and 85th in FCS SP+.

    Seven games into 2025, Englehart’s team is unbeaten and up to 16th! They’re outscoring opponents by an average of 41-14. From quarterback Collin Hurst to a secondary that has picked off 10 passes, they have no obvious weaknesses, and they’re charging toward their first FCS playoff bid. This one could be tricky, though, because Dayton is up to 31st in SP+. Last week’s tight loss to Butler ended a five-game winning streak, but the Flyers are allowing only 16.1 points per game.

    SP+ projection: Presbyterian by 4.9.

    Division II: No. 18 Grand Valley State at No. 1 Ferris State (1 p.m., FloCollege). Always make room for the Anchor-Bone Classic! Top-ranked Ferris State looks as good as ever despite having lost quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) and several other offensive stars to high-level FBS rosters. Redshirt freshman quarterback Wyatt Bower is posting even better numbers than Chambliss did, as the assembly line keeps cranking out talent. GVSU, however, needs this one. The Lakers are 4-2 after an upset loss to Saginaw Valley State last week, and their playoff résumé might not withstand another defeat.

    SP+ projection: Ferris State by 12.9.

    Division III: No. 8 Wisconsin-Platteville at No. 9 Wisconsin-Whitewater (2 p.m., local streaming). Three weeks into my favorite small-school conference title race — D-III’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference — we have a glorious six-team logjam at 2-1. No. 12 Wisconsin-La Crosse hosts No. 24 Wisconsin-Oshkosh in one matchup of 2-1 teams, but the big one’s in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where two top-five defenses, per SP+, will likely dictate one of the sport’s most physical games at any level.

    SP+ projection: UWW by 4.1.

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