No. 6 Miami (6-0) at Louisville (4-2)

The Hurricanes miraculously escaped losses in their last two games against mediocre ACC opponents. With a schedule this easy, I didn’t expect Miami to trip up this much, but regardless, they’re 6-0. The best team they will face all regular season should be against Louisville this weekend. As a Florida fan, I have to admit I envy a schedule like this. They have a significantly easier path to the postseason than any other playoff contender in the country. Even if Louisville isn’t that good, which they aren’t, Miami still needs to take them seriously. But Miami has a clear edge here against the Cardinals’ weak pass defense. Cam Ward could also make a great case for Heisman in this game, while Miami’s pass rush should be applying pressure on several drop backs.

Prediction: Miami 38, Louisville 24

No. 24 Michigan (4-2) at No. 22 Illinois (5-1)

The defending national champions were simply not prepared for the departure of J.J. McCarthy. Jack Tuttle makes it the third quarterback to start for the Wolverines this year. He saw some time against Washington a few weeks ago, but struggled in the game. If that performance was any indicator of future starts, the Wolverines are in for a miserable season. Illinois, on the other hand, has been enjoying a very efficient passing attack thanks to Luke Altmyer, who has 14 touchdowns and one interception this year. Illinois’ improved pass protection has been the primary catalyst for its hot start this season. However, they struggled against the elite pass rush of Penn State. Altmyer will be forced to get the ball out quicker than usual against Michigan’s star-studded defensive line. Illinois has also struggled to defend the run this year, something Michigan will heavily lean on to win this game.

Prediction: Michigan 20, Illinois 13

No. 8 LSU (5-1) at Arkansas (4-2)

LSU finds themselves in the top ten for the first time this year after a wild overtime victory over Ole Miss.  But they’re still just 2.5-point favorites on the road over an unranked Arkansas team. The Razorbacks are coming off a bye week and have already pulled off a massive upset at home, beating then-No. 4 Tennessee in its last game. Without much of a run game to speak of, LSU’s been extremely reliant on Garrett Nussmeier and its passing game. The Tigers throw the ball on 63.5% of their offensive plays this season. This works in their favor since Arkansas is much better at defending the run than they are at defending the pass. LSU’s biggest weakness is also their pass defense, but last week they certainly improved against Jaxson Dart. This is another tough game for LSU, but they have the better offense and an improving pass rush.

Prediction: LSU 34, Arkansas 24

No. 11 Tennessee (5-1) at No. 7 Alabama (5-1)

Iamaleava’s issues in the passing game is severely slowing down Tennessee’s offense. Things have gone downhill for him since the Vols began SEC play. If they fall behind Alabama early, they will run into a huge problem unless there is significant improvement. Alabama’s biggest weakness is also at the quarterback position, although it can also be their biggest strength. Jalen Milroe is a big play waiting to happen with his elite mobility and rocket-launcher of an arm. But when those big plays are limited, and he’s forced to be more methodical with his decision-making, issues arise. Even though Milroe has struggled with inconsistency, I trust him and Alabama’s offense in a big game more than I do Iamaleava. Read our full preview for this matchup below.

Prediction: Alabama 31, Tennessee 21

No. 5 Georgia (5-1) at No. 1 Texas (6-0)

The fifth-ranked Bulldogs present the biggest challenge to the top-ranked Longhorns in the entire regular season. In a game that features big-name quarterbacks and tons of star power on both sides, the players in the trenches could decide the outcome. If that is the case, Texas should have the advantage when it is on offense behind, thanks to their top-ranked offensive line. To make matters worse for Georgia, their defensive line has underwhelmed despite having a plethora of talent at its disposal. Georgia will need Carson Beck to stay red hot if they want to come into Austin and take this win. But that will be difficult since Texas also sports the top-ranked pass defense in the nation.

Prediction: Texas 34, Georgia 28

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