There is only one Top 25 match-up this weekend, but three unbeaten American Athletic Conference teams have intriguing contests.
No. 15 Texas A&M (5-1, 2-1) is at No. 24 Mississippi (5-2, 2-1) for a Southeastern Conference battle after both teams remain ranked despite losing last week.
Mississippi Head Coach Hugh Freeze hopes his team can bounce back after falling to Memphis 37-24.
“It starts with Texas A&M, a very talented team with extremely good athletes on both sides of the ball,” Freeze said. “Their defense is playing at a much higher level. They are going to be a really good test for us. It’s nice that we have them at home. I know our people will be excited to get a night game here.”
The Aggies officially lost linebacker Otaro Alaka, who has already missed several games this season.
“Otaro is out for the season,” Texas A&M Head Coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Been a tough time for him. Dislocated an elbow during fall camp. Had a severe illness in his family, with his dad, right after that. Was a difficult time for him mentally. Came back and had a torn labrum. Decision was made to have him have surgery. He’ll fall under the time frame where we’ll apply for a medical redshirt. Think he’ll get this year back. Time for him to get back together mentally and physically. Will have the opportunity to get him back for spring football. Will need him next year.”
This week, Texas A&M will be going on the road for the first time. The Aggies played twice at neutral sites earlier this season.
“We will have been there three times in four years,” Sumlin said. “We’re used to going over there. Don’t know how that schedule worked but that’s the way it worked. Every time it’s been cold and rainy, just like it will be Saturday. Will be nothing new to us.”
No. 18 Memphis (6-0, 2-0), No. 21 Houston (6-0, 3-0) and No. 22 Temple (6-0, 3-0) are all on the road for American tilts.
Temple is at East Carolina (4-3, 2-1) on Thursday, while Memphis visits Tulsa (3-3, 0-2) on Friday.
“We had a fantastic event last Saturday for the city and the community,” Memphis Head Coach Justin Fuente said of the win over Mississippi. “The turnout was incredible and the game was really good.”
“A good win for our kids and now the real work begins,” Fuente added. “We have to turn the page in a very short length of time. As I told you guys last week, win or lose, we got to be able to turn the page after Ole Miss to prepare for Tulsa in this short week. Tulsa is a very explosive team. We have to put the past behind us and move forward to try to win at Tulsa.”
Houston, which was the only American team ranked last week at No. 24, is at Central Florida (0-7, 0-3) on Saturday.
New Quarterback for the Buckeyes
Top-ranked Ohio State (7-0, 3-0) will have J.T. Barrett at the helm of the offense this week as the Buckeyes travel to Rutgers (3-3, 1-2) on Saturday.
During his weekly press conference he wouldn’t say who was going to start at quarterback, Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer announced later that Barrett would replace Cardale Jones.
Here are the rest of the Top 25 games: No. 20 California (5-1, 2-1) at UCLA (4-2, 1-2) on Thursday. Saturday’s games are Iowa State (2-4, 1-2) at No. 2 Baylor (6-0, 3-0); No. 3 Utah (6-0, 3-0) at USC (3-3, 1-2); Western Kentucky (6-1) at No. 5 LSU (6-0); No. 6 Clemson (6-0, 3-0) at Miami (4-2, 1-1); Indiana (4-3, 0-3) at No. 7 Michigan State (7-0, 3-0); No. 9 Florida State (6-0, 4-0) at Georgia Tech (2-5, 0-4); Washington (3-3, 1-2) at No. 10 Stanford (5-1, 4-0); Kansas (0-6, 0-3) at No. 14 Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0); Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2) at No. 17 Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1); No. 19 Toledo (6-0, 3-0) at Massachusetts (1-5, 0-2); No. 23 Duke (5-1, 2-0) at Virginia Tech (3-4, 1-2) and No. 25 Pittsburgh (5-1, 3-0) at Syracuse (3-3, 1-1).
Editor’s note: Quotes, photos and logos courtesy of CollegePressBox.com.