Saturday, October 24, 2026
By JB Baxter
It’s Saturday morning, and we’ve spent the week breaking down the matchups, looking at personnel, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and trying to figure out which teams are ready to make a statement.
Now it’s time to put the analysis aside and tell you what I think is going to happen.
We’ve got some outstanding matchups today, several games with serious playoff implications, and a few opportunities for teams to expose themselves as pretenders.
Here are my final thoughts and predictions.
TENNESSEE AT SOUTH CAROLINA
I’ve said it all week. I’m not convinced we’re going to see the same South Carolina team that showed up against Florida.
The Gamecocks demonstrated what they’re capable of when LaNorris Sellers plays with confidence, protects the football, and makes good decisions.
But one good performance doesn’t erase the inconsistencies we’ve watched throughout this season.
Tennessee presents a different challenge. The Volunteers have the offensive weapons to make South Carolina pay for defensive mistakes.
For Carolina, it comes down to three things: protecting Sellers, establishing some consistency running the football, and getting off the field on third down.
I expect Williams-Brice to be rocking, but I’m not convinced the Gamecocks can put together four quarters of disciplined football.
MY PICK: Tennessee 31, South Carolina 24
TEXAS A&M AT ALABAMA
This is one of the most intriguing games on today’s schedule.
Texas A&M has the personnel to compete with Alabama physically, and I believe the Aggies can create problems for the Crimson Tide.
The question is whether Marcel Reed can consistently make the throws necessary to beat Alabama on the road.
Alabama has the advantage of playing at home, but I don’t see a significant talent gap between these teams.
I expect a physical game that could come down to a fourth-quarter possession.
MY PICK: Alabama 27, Texas A&M 24
OLE MISS AT TEXAS
This is a dangerous matchup for Texas.
Ole Miss has enough offensive firepower to make life miserable for a defense, and Trinidad Chambliss has demonstrated the ability to extend plays and create opportunities.
Texas needs Arch Manning to play within the offense rather than trying to manufacture big plays.
I’ve been critical of Manning this season, particularly his decision-making and inconsistency. This is another opportunity for him to demonstrate that he’s developing into the quarterback everyone expected.
I think Ole Miss can create enough offensive problems to steal this one in Austin.
MY PICK: Ole Miss 34, Texas 30
LSU AT AUBURN
LSU has more talent, particularly at the skill positions, but Auburn is never an easy place to play.
Sam Leavitt is a quarterback I’ve been watching closely. His ability to process information and create plays outside the structure of the offense makes him dangerous.
The Tigers need to avoid allowing Auburn to hang around into the fourth quarter.
I expect LSU to establish control in the second half.
MY PICK: LSU 31, Auburn 20
OKLAHOMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State has been one of the more interesting teams to evaluate this season.
I’ve been impressed with the potential of quarterback Kamario Taylor. He’s an athletic quarterback who can create problems when defenses lose containment.
Oklahoma has the advantage in overall personnel, but the Sooners cannot afford to underestimate Mississippi State.
I expect this one to be closer than many people anticipate.
MY PICK: Oklahoma 30, Mississippi State 23
VANDERBILT AT KENTUCKY
Kentucky has demonstrated that it can compete with quality opponents, and playing at home gives the Wildcats an advantage.
Vanderbilt is capable of making this a difficult game, particularly if Kentucky struggles to establish offensive consistency.
I believe Kentucky has enough balance to get the job done.
MY PICK: Kentucky 28, Vanderbilt 21
ACC GAME DAY
PITTSBURGH AT MIAMI
Miami has reached the point where simply winning games isn’t enough. The Hurricanes need to demonstrate that they’re capable of maintaining a championship level of play.
Pittsburgh is dangerous enough to make this interesting, but Miami has the advantage in offensive personnel.
I expect the Hurricanes to establish themselves early and force Pittsburgh to play from behind.
MY PICK: Miami 38, Pittsburgh 17
VIRGINIA TECH AT CLEMSON
I’ve been critical of Clemson throughout this season, and I haven’t seen enough to change my overall assessment.
This simply isn’t the Clemson program we watched dominate college football several years ago.
The Tigers lack the elite personnel they once routinely put on the field, and their offensive inconsistencies have been difficult to ignore.
Virginia Tech has an opportunity to take advantage of those weaknesses.
I’m expecting a close, relatively low-scoring game.
MY PICK: Virginia Tech 24, Clemson 21
CALIFORNIA AT SMU
SMU has an opportunity to strengthen its position in the ACC race.
California can be troublesome when its offense develops rhythm, but I believe SMU has the better overall personnel.
The Mustangs need to establish control early rather than allowing California to dictate the pace.
MY PICK: SMU 31, California 20
AROUND THE NATION
INDIANA AT MICHIGAN
This is one of the games I’ll be watching closely.
Indiana has established itself as a legitimate national contender, but Michigan presents a physical challenge.
The Wolverines need to control the line of scrimmage and keep Indiana from developing offensive rhythm.
I believe Indiana is the more complete football team right now.
MY PICK: Indiana 30, Michigan 20
BYU AT UCF
BYU has positioned itself as a serious contender, and this is exactly the type of game a playoff-caliber team cannot afford to overlook.
UCF has enough athleticism to make things uncomfortable, particularly at home.
But BYU has demonstrated the discipline and consistency necessary to win games like this.
MY PICK: BYU 34, UCF 21
OREGON AT ILLINOIS
Oregon has the advantage in overall team speed and offensive explosiveness.
Illinois needs to turn this into a physical football game, control possession, and limit Oregon’s opportunities.
I don’t believe the Illini can consistently match Oregon’s offensive production.
MY PICK: Oregon 35, Illinois 17
HOUSTON AT UTAH
Don’t overlook this game.
Houston has an opportunity to make a significant statement, while Utah has the advantage of playing at home in a difficult environment.
I expect a physical contest with both teams trying to establish control at the line of scrimmage.
This could be one of the better games of the night.
MY PICK: Utah 27, Houston 24
JB’S FINAL WORD
There are three games I’m particularly interested in watching today.
Tennessee at South Carolina: Can the Gamecocks finally demonstrate some consistency, or was the Florida performance simply an exception?
Ole Miss at Texas: Can Arch Manning deliver in a major matchup, or will Ole Miss expose the same weaknesses we’ve seen throughout the season?
Texas A&M at Alabama: This is the kind of game that tells us whether a team is truly ready to compete for a national championship.
And I’ll give you one more thought.
We’re getting deep enough into the season that preseason rankings, recruiting stars, and reputations don’t mean a damn thing anymore.
By now, you are what you’ve demonstrated on the football field.
Some teams are legitimate championship contenders.
Others are still living off their names.
Today, we’re going to find out a little more about which is which.
Enjoy the games, everybody!
JB Baxter
JB Talking Sports
