Clear your Saturday: 10 college football games worth watching in Week 10 

Darian Mensah-led Miami is ranked No. 1 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll, while CJ Carr and Notre Dame are No. 4. Photos by Bob Donnan/Imagn Images (Mensah) and USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Carr)

If you’ve been waiting for a Saturday when every time slot is loaded with must-watch matchups, Week 10 has arrived. 

On paper, this has the makings of the best weekend of the college football season, with playoff implications, conference races and rivalry bragging rights all packed into one loaded slate.

There are three unbeaten teams looking to keep their perfect seasons intact, traditional powers fighting to stay in the College Football Playoff picture and several conference contenders facing games that could define their seasons. 

Add in a few historic rivalries, some potential postseason previews and the unpredictability that comes with November football, and there’s little reason to leave the couch.

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The best part? The action is spread throughout the day, with compelling options from the opening kickoff through prime time. 

Whether you’re settling in for an all-day viewing marathon or just looking for the biggest games to circle on your schedule, this Saturday has something for everyone.

Can you watch all 10? Probably not. Should you try? Absolutely. 

We’ve picked 10 games worth your time, so grab the remote, stock up on snacks and do your best to keep up.

Your Week 10 viewing guide starts here.

Don’t expect the 10 a.m. local time kickoff for The Holy War to dampen the spirits of BYU and Utah fans. Photos by Chris Gardner/Getty Images

No. 7 BYU (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) at No. 3 Utah (8-0, 5-0)

Noon ET, ABC

Ignore the rare 10 a.m. local kickoff — there should be no sleeping through this one out west. The Holy War has all the ingredients of a must-watch November matchup, with first place in the Big 12 on the line and a potential preview of the conference championship game. It’s a rivalry loaded with history and this year’s stakes only add to the intrigue.


No. 10 Texas (6-2, 3-2 SEC) at No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 3-2)

Noon ET, ESPN

Two teams with identical records, plenty at stake and little margin for error in the conference race and the College Football Playoff conversation. Either the Longhorns or Tigers not only will gain ground in the crowded SEC race, but also take an important step toward keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive.


No. 5 UCLA (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) at Minnesota (5-3, 3-2)

Noon ET, Fox

One of only three unbeaten teams left in the FBS, the Bruins have handled everything thrown their way, but now comes a taste of Big Ten November football in the Midwest. Temperatures are expected to be in the 40s, and the Golden Gophers would love to make that chilly reception even colder by sending UCLA back to southern California with its first loss.


The loser of the Alabama-LSU game is all but eliminated from the College Football Playoff conversation. Photos by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images (Alabama) and Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images (LSU)

No. 9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2 SEC) at No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-2)

3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Two SEC powerhouses, nine national championships between them in the 2000s and virtually no margin for error for either team. The Crimson Tide and Tigers both need a win to keep their conference championship game and College Football Playoff hopes alive, setting up a high-stakes showdown in one of college football’s most intense rivalries.


Oregon (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) at No. 11 Ohio State (6-2, 4-1)

3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Remember when the Buckeyes and Ducks opened the season ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively? A lot has changed since then. Both have lost their starting quarterbacks for the season, and Ohio State is fighting to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. It’s a far different picture than anyone envisioned when the first Top 25 poll was released.


No. 8 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1 SEC) at No. 16 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2)

6:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

Raise your hand if you had the Wildcats tied with Georgia atop the SEC standings heading into the first weekend in November. Likewise if you had the Volunteers beating Alabama, then losing to South Carolina a week later. Kentucky will look to prove it belongs among the top SEC contenders, while Tennessee desperately needs a win to keep its conference hopes alive. 


Miami and Notre Dame have delivered some of college football’s most memorable clashes over the years, and Saturday’s showdown has all the makings of another classic. Photos from Miami Herald archives

No. 1 Miami (8-0) at No. 4 Notre Dame (7-1)

7:30 p.m. ET, NBC

The Hurricanes survived back-to-back close calls against Florida State and North Carolina to remain unbeaten. Now comes another major test. The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, have little margin for error in their push to return to the College Football Playoff, giving this game-of-the-year candidate enormous stakes on both sidelines.


No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) at No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2)

7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

From last season’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal (a 39-34 Rebels win) to the SEC gauntlet, these two programs are no strangers to big games. The teams split their two games last season, with the Bulldogs winning 43-35 in Athens. This time, the winner will gain a significant edge in the race for a spot in the SEC Championship Game. 


No. 21 Iowa (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) at Northwestern (6-2, 3-2)

7:30 p.m. ET, Fox

The Hawkeyes head to Evanston riding the momentum after shutting out Wisconsin for the second straight season, while the Wildcats have made themselves right at home in their new stadium, Ryan Field, where they’re 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 121-41. It’s a matchup that carries plenty of importance in the conference race.


The Paul Bunyan Trophy goes to the winner of the Michigan-Michigan State game. Photos by Nic Antaya/Getty Images (Michigan) and Gregory Shamus/Getty Images (Michigan State)

Michigan State (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) at Michigan (5-3, 2-3) 

7:30 p.m. ET, Peacock

Granted, there’s nothing must-watch about this game, unless you’re a Spartans or Wolverines fan. Neither team has much left to play for beyond bragging rights and the Paul Bunyan Trophy, but it’s an in-state rivalry matchup, and crazy things tend to happen in those games.

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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.

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