This Week in CFB: Top-25 clashes on Halloween – The Vanderbilt Hustler

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Week 9 kicks off after a wild Week 8. UCF stunned No. 2 BYU in a double-overtime thriller, No. 8 Texas Tech suffered their first loss of the year on the road to unranked Cincinnati and No. 15 Iowa dropped its game against Minnesota on a last-second field goal. Tennessee and USC both fell to unranked teams, leaving just three undefeated teams left: Miami, UCLA and Utah. Both Miami and UCLA are heavy favorites to win this week, but Utah will have to earn their win. 
The Hustler is ready to examine this week’s important games. 
No. 22 Arizona at No. 13 Texas Tech (TTU –3.5, O/U 54.5) 
These two Big 12 teams are playing great football to start the year. Both are 6-1 and come into this week fighting for a chance to contend for the Big 12 title.  
The Red Raiders enter the week after dropping their first game of the season to Cincinnati. After holding their first six opponents to just under 18 points per game, they gave up 37 on the road against Cincinnati. The Bearcats ran all over Texas Tech’s defense, as they gave up 255 rushing yards last Saturday. 
Defensive tackle A.J. Holmes Jr. anchors Texas Tech’s defensive line. He has 6.5 sacks this year, playing a star role with four sacks over the past two games. Senior linebackers Austin Romaine and Ben Roberts are turnover machines, as Romaine has two interceptions while Roberts has forced two fumbles and has an interception of his own. The Red Raiders are second in FBS in interceptions, with thirteen takeaways through the air this season. 
Offensively, their team is anchored by quarterback Will Hammond. Texas Tech will look for Hammond to play a clean game, as he has thrown six interceptions to match his six touchdowns. The junior signal-caller didn’t play his best last week, throwing for 227 yards while coughing up two turnovers. The star on the offense is running back J’Koby Williams. Williams has rushed for 619 yards, with a staggering 7.2 yards per carry. These two will be the X-factors this week for the Red Raiders. 
Arizona has been on a tear lately. Since their loss to BYU in Week 2, the Wildcats have won five games in a row. On their winning streak, Arizona has an average margin of victory of 23.8 points. It is coming off a dominating performance against Iowa State, winning 39-3.  
Arizona’s defense is coming off its best performance of the year. Linebacker Taye Brown leads the team in total tackles. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales called Brown “one of the best linebackers in the Big 12, if not the best.” Linebackers Chase Kennedy and Dash Fifita have been ruthless in chasing down opposing quarterbacks, combining for seven sacks this year between the two of them. These three will try to bring the pressure against the Red Raiders. 
Offensively, senior quarterback Noah Fifita has been top-notch this season. Fifita has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns this year, with another three scores on the ground. His elite arm strength and accuracy will allow the Wildcats to move the ball down the field with force. His favorite target is Isaiah Mizell. After a slow start, Mizell has racked up 317 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games. Mizell and Fifita will try to take advantage of a Texas Tech defense that is weak against the pass, despite their high interception numbers. 
The Wildcats and Red Raiders will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m. CDT from Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, with the game airing on ESPN. 
No. 17 Florida at No. 3 Georgia (Georgia –11.5, O/U 55.5) 
This is a critical game in deciding this year’s SEC champion. Georgia enters as the current favorite to win the conference, but there are many other contenders hot on their tail. The Bulldogs are entering Week 9 after their first loss of the season in Week 7 at home against Auburn. On the flip side of the coin, the Gators enter the week riding a high after a massive 27-24 road victory over then-No. 19 Texas that vaulted them back into the AP Poll.  
The Gators’ offensive success is led by star running back Jadan Baugh. Baugh has rushed for 765 yards and is third in college football with 13 rushing touchdowns. He added another 91 yards and a touchdown in the Gators’ win against Texas. In both of the team’s losses this year, Baugh has been shut down, showing that he is an influential factor for Florida’s success. The Gators’ passing game has much more ambiguity. Junior Aaron Philo initially won the starting job, but a shoulder injury forced Florida to start Sophomore Tramell Jones Jr. against the Longhorns. In his first career start, Jones looked sharp, throwing for 155 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. Currently, head coach Jon Sumrall has not announced which QB will start Saturday. 
Linebacker Miles Graham leads a Gator defense that has been shaky at times this season. Graham leads the team in tackles with 48 and has three sacks in his last two games. While Florida has played solid defense in its wins, it struggled mightily during their two-game losing streak, giving up 83 points over the two games. 
Georgia gets started behind fifth-year senior Gunner Stockton, who has thrown for 1,570 yards and sixteen touchdowns this year. Stockton is an experienced quarterback with an elite combination of pocket passing and strong physical running. However, Stockton gave up three turnovers last week — an uncharacteristic game for the veteran. Georgia’s ground game will also look to get back on track after a poor showing. The Bulldogs ran for just 113 yards in their loss, almost 100 yards lower than their average. The drop in production was partly due to running back Nate Frazier being slightly limited by a rib injury. However, the Bulldogs employ a committee-style backfield, led by Dwight Phillips Jr. and supplemented by Chauncey Bowens and Bo Walker. To win this week, Georgia will need both Stockton to take care of the football and the rushing game to revive itself to normal standards. 
Georgia’s linebackers will be the biggest factor in stopping Baugh. Senior Raylen Wilson leads the team with 43 tackles and has four sacks and two forced fumbles. Top NFL prospect and current junior Chris Cole trails Wilson closely with 40 tackles, alongside 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. They are both elite run stoppers, which will be critical in facing Florida’s elite running game. Georgia has a stellar passing defense, holding opposing passing offenses to just 185 yards per game. Elias Robinson IV is an elite cornerback, leading the team in pass deflections. Additionally, safety KJ Bolden could return this week after missing the Auburn game due to a leg injury. Nonetheless, Georgia’s defense will attempt to continue its dominance this season, leading the SEC in scoring defense with just 15.9 points allowed per game.  
The Gators and Bulldogs will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2:30 p.m. CDT from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with the game airing on ABC. 
No 6. Utah at Cincinnati (Utah –6.5, O/U 56.5) 
Utah is 7-0 for the first time since 2010. It is coming off its best win of the season, beating a tough Houston team by 8 points. However, they must head down to Cincinnati to face a Bearcats team that is coming off a major upset win over Texas Tech. After getting blown out by Arizona and losing a thriller to West Virginia, Cincinnati pulled off a stunner, beating the Red Raiders and handing them their first loss of the season. Utah hopes to avoid the same fate as Texas Tech and improve to an 8-0 record, with the College Football Playoff firmly in sight.  
Senior Quarterback Devon Dampier is at the helm of Utah’s offense. Dampier has thrown for over 1600 yards and 15 touchdowns. However, what makes him elite is his dual-threat ability. Dampier has run for 348 yards and five touchdowns this season, with over 150 of those yards and two touchdowns coming in the game against Houston. He prioritized his ability to run for the first time this season and proved how truly dangerous he is on the ground. Dampier’s massive game against Houston was crucial because the Utes’ other offensive star, running back Wayshawn Parker, was shut down by the Houston defense. Parker has been a critical force this season, as he has 644 yards on the ground alongside another 247 through the air. For Utah’s offense to retake its dynamic structure, Parker will need to find ways to break through Cincinnati’s defense.  
The Utes’ defense is arguably stronger than its potent offense. Averaging 14.6 points allowed per game, Utah is second in the Big 12 in scoring defense. They are led by safety Jackson Bennee, who has 32 tackles and five pass deflections this year, as well as two interceptions and a forced fumble. He is an elite combination of size and speed, giving Utah versatility on defense. Linebacker Trey Reynolds is having a stellar senior season, leading the team in tackles with 44. Reynolds leadership ability and football IQ supplement his strong tackling ability.  
Cincinnati will try to beat this strong Utah defense with its ground game. The Bearcats are averaging 235 rushing yards per game — second-best in the Big 12 and eighth in all of FBS. Running backs Cole Tabb and Gi’Bran Payne form a strong duo in the backfield. Tabb has been especially good lately, totaling 347 yards and five touchdowns in the past two games, while Payne missed last week against Texas Tech with an ankle injury. Quarterback JC French IV adds to the rushing attack, as he is a dual-threat quarterback who has run for 291 yards and six touchdowns.  
Cincinnati’s defense has been its weak point this season. It has allowed 26.4 points per game this season, ranking fourth-to-last in the Big 12. However, their unit dominated against Texas Tech, holding their potent offense to just 24 points. MJ Cannon is one of the main players to watch. Cannon has four pass deflections and three interceptions this season. Senior linebacker Jonathan Thompson is another critical piece, leading the team with 60 tackles alongside 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. 
The Utes and Bearcats will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2:45 p.m. CDT from Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, with the game airing on ESPN. 
Enjoy a great day filled with Halloween and football! 
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