Saturday Slate: Alabama and Georgia Duel in Primetime, Quarterback Battle in Miami, and a Shootout in the AAC

By Kevin Harrish on October 17, 2020 at 8:05 am
Georgia vs. Alabama
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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We're still a week away from Buckeye football, but there's still a solid slate of other college games this Saturday. Here's a viewing guide.

King vs. Pickett

  • Pittsburgh @ No. 13 Miami, NOON, ACC Network

I'm gonna level with you – the noon slate ain't great this week, so if you're looking for a good game, there are some decidedly slim pickings.

Your best bet is probably to channel flip for an hour and let the dust settle before choosing your channel. However, if you're looking for one game to watch from the start, Pitt's trip to Miami is probably as good as it gets.

I can't promise this will be an exceptionally good or close game, but it features two fun quarterbacks in Kenny Pickett (listed at questionable but expected to play) and D'Eriq King.

At the very least, watching them duel it out should be enough entertainment for the early afternoon.

You Like Points?

  • UCF @ Memphis, 3:30. ABC

This AAC matchup lost quite a bit of its luster with both of these teams losing last week, but this game still figures to be fun as hell if you're a fan of close games and high-scoring hurry-up offenses.

Historically, this game means points. Since 2017, UCF and Memphis have met four times with final scores of 40-13, 62-55, 31-30 and and 56-41, and this one is looking to be no different.

Vegas has this game pegged as a classic "last team to score wins" sort of game with a points total set at 75.5 and UCF as a narrow 3-point favorite. I'm in.

Game of the Year of the Week

  • No. 3 Georgia @ No. 2 Alabama, 8:00, CBS

The main event – and frankly the only good game of the week – won't kick off until 8 p.m., but it should be worth the wait, because there are plenty of storylines to go around here.

  • We have no idea whether Nick Saban will be on the sidelines as he may or may not have COVID-19.
  • Georgia hasn't beaten Alabama since 2007 with five-straight losses.
  • Nick Saban has never lost to one of his former assistant coaches.
  • Alabama is coming off a game where they gave up 647 yards and 48 points against Ole Miss and ranks 116th of 130 FBS teams in total defense.
  • Georgia is coming off its second-straight win over a ranked opponent and ranks second in the country in total defense.

Buckle up, folks.

Matchup Time TV
Navy at East Carolina 12:00pm ESPN2
Texas State at South Alabama 12:00pm ESPNU
USF at Temple 12:00pm ESPN+
#1 Clemson at Georgia Tech 12:00pm ABC
Liberty at Syracuse 12:00pm RSN/ESPN3
Pitt at #13 Miami (FL) 12:00pm ACCN
Kansas at West Virginia 12:00pm FOX
#14 Auburn at South Carolina 12:00pm ESPN
Kentucky at #18 Tennessee 12:00pm SECN
WKU at UAB 1:30pm Stadium
Army at UTSA 1:30pm CBSSN
Louisville at #4 Notre Dame 2:30pm NBC
UCF at Memphis 3:30pm ABC
Ole Miss at Arkansas 3:30pm SECN
Eastern Kentucky at Troy 3:30pm ESPN3
Duke at NC State 3:30pm RSN/ESPN3
Virginia at Wake Forest 4:00pm ACCN
#11 Texas A&M at Mississippi State 4:00pm ESPN
UMass at Georgia Southern 4:00pm ESPN2
North Texas at Middle Tennessee 5:00pm Stadium
Marshall at Louisiana Tech 6:00pm CBSSN
#5 North Carolina at Florida State 7:30pm ABC
Boston College at #23 Virginia Tech 8:00pm ACCN
#3 Georgia at #2 Alabama 8:00pm CBS
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