College football Week 10: CFP hopes at stake in Vandy-Texas matchup, Navy in prove-it mode vs UNT

Penn State-Ohio State Week is finally here! A month ago, this was one of the most anticipated games of the season. The twists and turns of the season have left the Nittany Lions to enter November with a coaching vacancy and as a three-touchdown road underdog against the top-ranked Buckeyes.

Another November surprise? No. 9 Vanderbilt heads to No. 20 Texas with its best start since 1941 and seven wins at this point in a season for the first time in 110 years. The Commodores actually are becoming less of a surprise by the week. They own three wins over Top 25 teams and are serious contenders for a College Football Playoff bid.

The other big games in the Southeastern Conference send No. 18 Oklahoma to No. 14 Tennessee and No. 5 Georgia to Jacksonville, Florida, for its annual game against Florida, which will play for the first time since Billy Napier’s firing.

No. 17 Cincinnati at No. 24 Utah is the big game in the Big 12, with the upstart Bearcats looking to extend their winning streak to eight games. The game of the week in the Atlantic Coast Conference is No. 10 Miami at SMU, the teams’ first meeting since the Mustangs joined the league last year.

With Penn State-Ohio State having lost so much luster, attention in the Big Ten shifts to a traditional helmet game between No. 23 Southern California and Nebraska in Lincoln. The Trojans are unbeaten in six all-time meetings with Nebraska, which has lost 28 straight against ranked opponents.

Best game

No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 20 Texas (6-2, 3-1), Saturday, noon ET (ABC)

The roles are reversed for this meeting. Texas was in the top 10 with one loss a year ago when it went to Nashville and won 27-24 to stay alive for a CFP bid, which it received after losing the SEC championship game. This time, the Commodores are in the top 10 with a loss and need a win here to continue feeling good about their CFP chances. This game is a must-win for Texas, which is seeking a third straight CFP appearance.

Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning began the week in concussion protocol. Still, Texas is a slight favorite. Vandy QB Diego Pavia thrives on being underestimated, whether by oddmakers or opponents, and his abilities as a runner and passer will pose the biggest challenge for Texas’ top-20 defense since the opener at Ohio State.

Under the radar

Navy (7-0, 5-0 American) at North Texas (7-1, 3-1), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN2)

It’s prove-it time for the Midshipmen, who will encounter rough seas the rest of the regular season as they try to reach their first American Conference championship game since 2016.

Their five-game closing stretch includes games against the top teams in the American, not to mention a nonconference game at No. 12 Notre Dame. It starts in Denton, Texas, against the nation’s highest-scoring offense (46.1 ppg) and fourth-leading passer in Drew Mestemaker (308.5 ypg), who threw for a conference-record 608 yards against Charlotte last week.

Navy presents big problems for the Mean Green as well. The Midshipmen’s 318.1 rushing yards per game lead the nation and QB Blake Horvath’s 116.3 per game ranks sixth. UNT ranks 120th in run defense (190.8 ypg) and has allowed over 300 twice.

Heisman watch

Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed played his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation with his 310 yards of total offense and four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) in the 49-25 win at LSU. He’s the fourth choice of the wagering public at 11-2 odds, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

The top three candidates are co-favorites Ty Simpson of Alabama and Fernando Mendoza of Indiana (both 13-4) and Julian Sayin of Ohio State (4-1). Vanderbilt’s Pavia (8-1) is lurking behind the top four.

Numbers to know

4 — Maryland interception returns for touchdowns, most in the nation.

5 — Consecutive games with no takeaways by Georgia State, longest active streak in the nation.

12 — Oklahoma State touchdowns, fewest through a Week 9 by a power conference team since Northwestern had eight in 2019, according to Sportradar.

120 — Indiana touchdowns since 2024, most in nation.

151 — Byrd Ficklin’s rushing yards against Colorado last week, most by a Utah quarterback since at least 1996.

Hot seat

Florida State’s Mike Norvell apparently is safe for at least five more games, according to athletic director Michael Alford’s announcement last week about waiting until after the season to make a decision.

The Seminoles (3-4, 0-4 ACC) have lost four straight — all by one score — and that makes Saturday’s home game against Wake Forest huge if Norvell’s fate truly has not been determined.

Norvell is 5-15 since the 2023 team went 13-0 and was left out of the College Football Playoff. His buyout, according to the Tallahassee Democrat, stands at $59 million on a contract that runs through 2031.

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