OCTOBER 24, 2026
By Jim Baxter
If you thought last weekend was crazy, don’t assume things are going to settle down just because we don’t have as many ranked teams playing each other this Saturday.
College football has become increasingly unpredictable.
Georgia lost. Alabama lost. Texas lost. Notre Dame lost. Ohio State lost.
And suddenly, the national championship picture looks considerably different than it did just a week ago.
Miami is sitting atop the rankings, BYU has climbed into the No. 2 position, and several teams that were considered championship favorites are trying to recover from disappointing losses.
Here’s what I’m watching around the country this weekend.
🔥 THE BIGGEST GAMES
No. 14 HOUSTON AT No. 10 UTAH
Saturday | 10:15 PM ET
JB’S NATIONAL GAME OF THE WEEK
This might be the most important game on the national schedule that isn’t receiving enough attention.
Utah is undefeated and has quietly established itself as one of the better teams in the country.
Houston has been impressive as well, and this matchup could have major implications for the Big 12 championship race.
What I like about Utah is its physicality.
The Utes aren’t necessarily going to overwhelm opponents with explosive plays, but they’re going to make you earn everything.
Houston has enough offensive firepower to challenge Utah, but winning in Salt Lake City is never easy.
I expect a physical game decided in the fourth quarter.
JB’S PICK: UTAH 27, HOUSTON 24
No. 7 OLE MISS AT No. 19 TEXAS
Saturday | 7:30 PM ET
I’ve already discussed this game in my SEC Forecast, but it deserves attention nationally.
Texas is becoming one of the biggest disappointments in college football.
The Longhorns have tremendous talent, but they haven’t demonstrated the consistency necessary to compete for a national championship.
Arch Manning continues to struggle with consistency, and I’m beginning to wonder whether Steve Sarkisian is going to have some difficult decisions to make regarding his quarterback.
Ole Miss has been playing considerably better football.
Trinidad Chambliss has given the Rebels an offensive identity, and I like their ability to create explosive plays.
Texas is dangerous at home, but I’m not convinced the Longhorns can put together four quarters of quality football.
JB’S PICK: OLE MISS 31, TEXAS 28
No. 6 INDIANA AT MICHIGAN
Saturday | Noon ET
Indiana suffered its first loss of the season against Ohio State, and now the Hoosiers have to regroup for a difficult road game in Ann Arbor.
Michigan hasn’t been particularly impressive this season, but there’s enough talent on that roster to make this interesting.
The biggest question is whether Indiana can put last weekend behind it.
Good football teams respond to adversity.
Great football teams don’t allow one loss to become two.
I expect Indiana to respond.
JB’S PICK: INDIANA 30, MICHIGAN 20
No. 2 BYU AT UCF
Saturday | 3:30 PM ET
BYU’s victory over Notre Dame sent a message to the rest of college football.
The Cougars are legitimate contenders.
I’ve been impressed with BYU’s defensive discipline and ability to make adjustments throughout games.
UCF has enough speed to create problems, particularly if the Knights can establish their running game.
But I believe BYU is the more complete football team.
The biggest concern is avoiding an emotional letdown following last weekend’s enormous victory.
JB’S PICK: BYU 34, UCF 21
🏆 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS
No. 1 MIAMI VS. PITTSBURGH
Saturday | Noon ET
Miami is playing outstanding football.
Darian Mensah has been one of the most impressive quarterbacks in the country, and his ability to process information and distribute the football has made the Hurricanes extremely difficult to defend.
What impresses me most about Mensah isn’t necessarily his physical ability.
It’s his command of the offense.
He sees the field, understands defensive leverage, and consistently makes good decisions.
That’s what separates good college quarterbacks from legitimate NFL prospects.
Pittsburgh is going to have difficulty keeping up offensively.
JB’S PICK: MIAMI 41, PITTSBURGH 17
No. 8 TEXAS TECH AT CINCINNATI
Saturday | Noon ET
Texas Tech remains undefeated and continues to establish itself as a legitimate Big 12 championship contender.
But this is exactly the type of game that concerns me.
Playing on the road against a Cincinnati team with nothing to lose can become dangerous if the Red Raiders aren’t focused.
Texas Tech has the better roster, and I expect its defense to be the difference.
JB’S PICK: TEXAS TECH 31, CINCINNATI 20
No. 9 UCLA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
Saturday | 3:30 PM ET
UCLA might be one of the most overlooked undefeated teams in the country.
The Bruins are 6-0 and continue to find ways to win.
Michigan State has struggled with consistency, and I don’t believe the Spartans have enough offensive production to keep pace.
I expect UCLA to control this game.
JB’S PICK: UCLA 38, MICHIGAN STATE 17
👀 OTHER TOP 25 TEAMS TO WATCH
No. 15 IOWA AT MINNESOTA
Iowa continues to win games with physical defense and a disciplined approach.
Minnesota is capable of making this ugly, particularly at home.
But I trust Iowa’s defense.
JB’S PICK: IOWA 24, MINNESOTA 17
No. 16 USC AT WISCONSIN
The Trojans have enough offensive talent to challenge anybody in the Big Ten.
But playing in Madison presents some challenges.
Wisconsin will attempt to control the tempo and keep USC’s offense on the sidelines.
I like USC’s explosiveness to be the difference.
JB’S PICK: USC 34, WISCONSIN 24
No. 21 BOISE STATE AT WASHINGTON STATE
Boise State has quietly put together another solid season.
The Broncos have been productive offensively, and their ability to establish the running game makes them difficult to defend.
Washington State will make this competitive, but I like Boise State.
JB’S PICK: BOISE STATE 31, WASHINGTON STATE 24
No. 24 NORTHWESTERN VS. RUTGERS
Northwestern has been one of the pleasant surprises of the season.
The Wildcats aren’t flashy, but they’ve demonstrated an ability to win close games.
Rutgers can make this physical, but Northwestern should have enough to win at home.
JB’S PICK: NORTHWESTERN 27, RUTGERS 17
No. 25 ARIZONA VS. IOWA STATE
Arizona has worked its way into the Top 25, but Iowa State is capable of making this a difficult matchup.
The Wildcats have the home-field advantage and enough offensive weapons to create separation.
JB’S PICK: ARIZONA 34, IOWA STATE 27
🎯 JB’S NATIONAL PICKS AT A GLANCE
GAME
PREDICTED WINNER
Houston at Utah
Utah
Ole Miss at Texas
Ole Miss
Indiana at Michigan
Indiana
BYU at UCF
BYU
Pittsburgh at Miami
Miami
Texas Tech at Cincinnati
Texas Tech
Michigan State at UCLA
UCLA
Iowa at Minnesota
Iowa
USC at Wisconsin
USC
Boise State at Washington State
Boise State
Rutgers at Northwestern
Northwestern
Iowa State at Arizona
Arizona
🔥 JB’S UPSET WATCH
1. OLE MISS OVER TEXAS
Texas has the talent, but Ole Miss is playing better football. I’m taking the Rebels in Austin.
2. HOUSTON AT UTAH
I’m picking Utah, but Houston has the offensive ability to make this interesting. Don’t be surprised if the Cougars have an opportunity to win in the final minutes.
3. INDIANA AT MICHIGAN
Indiana is the better football team, but Michigan is dangerous at home. This could become a much closer game than expected.
📈 TEAMS WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE
BYU
The Cougars are ranked No. 2 nationally, and now they have to demonstrate that they can handle the pressure that comes with being considered a championship contender.
INDIANA
How the Hoosiers respond to their loss against Ohio State will tell us plenty about their mental toughness.
TEXAS
The Longhorns desperately need a quality victory. Another loss would raise serious questions about their postseason aspirations.
MIAMI
Being No. 1 is one thing.
Staying there is another.
The Hurricanes are going to get everybody’s best shot from this point forward.
🏆 JB’S FINAL THOUGHTS
We’re entering the most important stretch of the college football season.
And one thing is becoming increasingly obvious.
There isn’t a team in the country that looks unbeatable.
Miami has been impressive. BYU has surprised people. Ohio State remains dangerous. And despite their recent losses, I wouldn’t completely dismiss Georgia or Notre Dame from the national championship conversation.
But here’s something I’ve learned after decades of evaluating football teams and players.
Talent doesn’t always translate into performance.
You can have the best recruiting classes, the highest-rated quarterback, and more five-star prospects than anybody else.
None of that guarantees you’re going to win on Saturday.
Execution matters.
Coaching matters.
Mental toughness matters.
And perhaps most importantly, the ability to respond when things aren’t going your way matters.
We’re going to find out which teams have those qualities over the next several weeks.
