Today's Schedule of Games
A college football weekend is what you make of it. We’ll have to be extra creative about what we make of this weekend, as there is not even a single matchup of ranked teams. So, we’ll have to resort to semi-interesting backstories, like rivalries from long ago or the progress of former players or watching for our rivals to struggle . . . or whatever Coach Prime is up to.
Here are some of today’s semi-highlights:
At Noon on FOX: #7 Penn State at Illinois. Another chance to “scout” Penn State and see how Drew Allar looks against a team with a defensive pulse. He looked pretty legit last week against WVU, but it’s not clear if that’s an Allar thing or a WVU defense thing. So, here’s another piece of the puzzle to examine. This year’s Illinois defense is not last year’s Illinois defense, so we still won’t know the full story when it’s over. More is yet to be discovered. PSU will start out a little slow but then they will wear down Illinois.
In the Afternoon at 3:30 PM on ESPN: Minnesota at #20 North Carolina. Yet another chance to “scout” an upcoming opponent against a team with a pulse. Minnesota could give UNC some trouble if they can control the ball the way they would like to. But the cream will rise to the top and Drake Maye will be the difference maker in a Carolina win.
At 5:00 PM on Peacock: #8 Washington at Michigan State. And odd start time on an odd network for an odd game. Dantonio will be back, but only as a game day “advisor” whatever that means. Probably something to do with how many unsportsmanlike penalties MSU should try to get away with. It won’t matter, Washington and Michael Penix will roll all over the Spartans, Dantonio or not. BTW, is Mel Tucker sexually harassing a sexual harassment prevention speaker the most MSU thing ever? Allegedly.
In the Evening at 7:00 PM on ESPN: #11 Tennessee at Florida. Back in the ‘90s, this was the premier rivalry in the SEC, and one of the biggest rivalries in all of college football. Now . . . not so much. But don’t ever sleep on a night game in the Swamp. Tennessee has not won in Gainesville in 20 years. Make it 21 years, Florida pulls off the upset.
At 7:30 PM on BTN: Bowling Green at #2 Michigan. What a waste of an “Under The Lights” event atmosphere. But a contract is a contract. And the contract don’t give a damn what us fans like, there’s BTN programming to fill up. So here we are, all dressed up in blue on blue with no one to play. This will be our last game of roster roulette before the Big ten season starts. We won’t really learn much, so we should just sit back and enjoy the show and hope nobody gets hurt.
Finally, your Pac-12 After Dark Special - meaningless crazy football just for the fun of it:
At 10:00 PM on ESPN: Colorado State at #18 Colorado. Since there is no official Pac-12 on Pac-12 late game this weekend, we’ll go with half of a Pac-12 After Dark Special, and check in on Coach Prime’s bandwagon. Behind all the swagger and hype, he’s actually a very old school coach. He’s Bo in a cowboy hat and sunglasses. His team will start out a little too hyped up and keep CSU in it for a while. But then they will settle down and make Colorado 3-0. If you are tired of hearing about Coach Prime, you’ve got at least another week you’ll have to put up with it.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2023:
AWAY HOME TIME TV
NOON:
3 Florida State @ Boston College 12:00 PM ABC
7 Penn State @ Illinois 12:00 PM FOX
14 LSU @ Mississippi State 12:00 PM ESPN
15 Kansas State @ Missouri 12:00 PM SECN
Liberty @ Buffalo 12:00 PM CBSSN
Louisville @ Indiana 12:00 PM BTN
Georgia Southern @ Wisconsin 12:00 PM BTN
Wake Forest @ Old Dominion 12:00 PM ESPN2
Long Island University @ Baylor 12:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
Iowa State @ Ohio 12:00 PM ESPNU
Central Connecticut @ Kent State 12:00 PM ESPN+
North Dakota @ Boise State 12:00 PM FS1
AFTERNOON:
Weber State @ 12 Utah 2:00 PM PAC12
VMI @ NC State 2:00 PM CW NETWORK
Massachusetts @ Eastern Michigan 2:00 PM ESPN+
Norfolk State @ Temple 2:00 PM ESPN+
Indiana State @ Ball State 2:00 PM ESPN+
Central Michigan @ 9 Notre Dame 2:30 PM Peacock
South Carolina @ 1 Georgia 3:30 PM CBS
10 Alabama @ South Florida 3:30 PM ABC
San Diego State @ 16 Oregon State 3:30 PM FS1
19 Oklahoma @ Tulsa 3:30 PM ESPN2
Minnesota @ 20 North Carolina 3:30 PM ESPN
Northwestern @ 21 Duke 3:30 PM ACCN
Western Michigan @ 25 Iowa 3:30 PM BTN
Virginia Tech @ Rutgers 3:30 PM BTN
Florida International @ UConn 3:30 PM CBSSN
East Carolina @ Appalachian State 3:30 PM ESPN+
Western Kentucky @ 6 Ohio State 4:00 PM FOX
UL Monroe @ Texas A&M 4:00 PM SECN
Idaho @ California 4:00 PM PAC12
Tulane @ Southern Miss 4:00 PM ESPNU
8 Washington @ Michigan State 5:00 PM Peacock
Northern Colorado @ 23 Washington State 5:00 PM PAC12
North Carolina Central @ 24 UCLA 5:00 PM PAC12
EVENING:
Georgia State @ Charlotte 6:00 PM ESPN+
Villanova @ UCF 6:30 PM BIG12|ESPN+
11 Tennessee @ Florida 7:00 PM ESPN
Samford @ Auburn 7:00 PM ESPN+|SECN+
North Texas @ Louisiana Tech 7:00 PM ESPN+
Murray State @ Middle Tennessee 7:00 PM ESPN+
Northern Illinois @ Nebraska 7:00 PM FS1
Vanderbilt @ UNLV 7:00 PM CBSSN
Miami (OH) @ Cincinnati 7:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
South Alabama @ Oklahoma State 7:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
Tarleton State @ Texas Tech 7:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
Louisiana @ UAB 7:00 PM ESPN+
Prairie View A&M @ SMU 7:00 PM ESPN+
Texas Southern @ Rice 7:00 PM ESPN+
Duquesne @ Coastal Carolina 7:00 PM ESPN+
Stony Brook @ Arkansas State 7:00 PM ESPN+
James Madison @ Troy 7:00 PM NFL NET
San José State @ Toledo 7:00 PM ESPN+
Bowling Green @ 2 Michigan 7:30 PM BTN
Georgia Tech @ 17 Ole Miss 7:30 PM SECN
BYU @ Arkansas 7:30 PM ESPN2
Akron @ Kentucky 7:30 PM ESPNU
Syracuse @ Purdue 7:30 PM NBC
Pittsburgh @ West Virginia 7:30 PM ABC
Wyoming @ 4 Texas 8:00 PM LHN
Hawai'i @ 13 Oregon 8:00 PM PAC12
New Mexico State @ New Mexico 8:00 PM -
Sacramento State @ Stanford 8:00 PM PAC12
Florida Atlantic @ Clemson 8:00 PM ACCN
TCU @ Houston 8:00 PM FOX
Jackson State @ Texas State 8:30 PM ESPN+
LATE NIGHT:
Colorado State @ 18 Colorado 10:00 PM ESPN
Fresno State @ Arizona State 10:30 PM FS1
Kansas @ Nevada 10:30 PM CBSSN
UTEP @ Arizona 11:00 PM PAC12
September 16th, 2023 at 11:35 AM ^
Here's a fancy schmancy schedule link with some nice aesthetically pleasing graphics:
September 16th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
Thanks again for this!
September 16th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
I though Washington-MSU was originally scheduled for 7p. I wonder why the change.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
Florida/Tennessee is one of those games I’ve enjoyed watching over the years. Bummer it’s on the same time as ours today.
Big woof on today’s slate of games. Not sure if there will be any noteworthy upsets.
September 16th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
It's true that there are no ranked vs. ranked, but there are 7 teams among the top 15 playing on the road. Connelly says that SP+ indicates only a 15% likelihood that all 7 win. About one in three chance that one team loses and also about one in three chance that TWO of the 7 lose. It's just as likely (15%) that THREE of the 7 lose as if none of them leave unscathed.
So we're likely to see 1 or 2 of those 7 lose.
Four of them are playing now:
- Penn St
- Florida St
- LSU
- Kansas St
Later:
- Alabama
- Washington
- Tennessee
Which 1-2 of these teams will lose?
September 16th, 2023 at 5:47 PM ^
I think KSU is gonna lose, probably on a long kick
September 16th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
Not Washington
September 16th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
Illinois moving the ball early against the PSU defense
September 16th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
BC strikes first against Florida St, 7-0 BC
September 16th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
Go BC! Beat FSU!
September 16th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
Georgia-South Carolina on CBS? I thought that CBS lost SEC coverage rights. Am I wrong or does CBS have some residual rights or flex scheduling deal if ESPN/ABC/SECN not pick up an option on a game?
September 16th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
I think they still have some SEC games this year.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
Cant believe I’m rooting for Buffet Bert. But I’m already sick of the PSU bullshit!
September 16th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^
PSU goes three and out. Drop on 2nd down was also behind the WR making a 20 yard play into a tougher catch that it needed to be.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Allar looks like another overhyped psu QB. Another non running threat. Why osu and psu made the brilliant decision to play with statues behind center I’ll never know but thanks in advance
September 16th, 2023 at 12:27 PM ^
I just saw a group of guys in Washington jerseys walking on Main. Are they lost?
September 16th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
Wanted to see a real stadium first. Plenty of time to get back.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^
PSU's missed about 5 tackles already.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Fuck psu and all their joepa loving delusional fans!
September 16th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
Illinois gonna Illinois.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Illinois shooting themselves in the foot a couple of times already, tough to see for one of UM's chief rivals* to flounder like this.
I am not overly impressed by PSU thus far either. Illinois looks sorta lost on both sides of the ball.
* In Illini fans' minds.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
I haven’t watched one second of Illinois until today. Sure looks like their D is nowhere near last years.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
Newton is kicking their interior OL's ass, but Illinois really misses Walter/Witherspoon/Brown in the secondary.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
Illinois’ defense got shredded by Toledo and Kansas. So far, they look much better against Penn State.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
I think PSU wins this game against Illinois more because the Illini may just be bad, especially in that secondary, and less because PSU is somehow better than we thought they were.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
Yeah but they still have Franklin who’s bound to do Franklin like shit.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
Illinois is not getting any real pressure on Allar who has a very quick release.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Bert just got the sack
September 16th, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
I'm not sure why, but seeing the straight-t formatin puts a smile on my face. Even if it is Penn State running it.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
Louisville @ Indiana
It's not often that two schools play each other who have a past head coach in common.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Penn State chickens out on 4th and goal and goes for the field goal. Smart.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:40 PM ^
Kinda was. Their yardage was all coverage busts.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Like what I’m seeing from Boston College against Florida State so far. Keep it up.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
🎶 For Boston, for Boooston, we sing our proud refrain... 🎶
September 16th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
I had no clue which team was which for like 5 mins. Why would BC wear white at home?
September 16th, 2023 at 1:09 PM ^
its their Bandana Game uniforms
https://www.outkick.com/welles-crowther-red-bandana-game-boston-college-uniforms/
September 16th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
Yikes that was bad by Altmeyer.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
Not to ding the guy, but that looked like Warren's pick from last game or the first pick thrown by Jalen Milroe against Texas where you can't even figure out what they were looking at.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
If we get it together I can see us running it down penn states throat like last year. I’m not impressed by their D thus far.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
Good lord Illinois is trying to throw this game at this point. PSU's offense looks bad and yet Illinois is actively topping them with ineptitude.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
Penn State doesn't look phenomenal, but 2 Illinois turnovers are giving them more help than they deserve. And it doesn't feel like Illinois is done with turnovers in this game.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Not when you’ve turned the ball over 66% of the time.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Why do all the bitch teams get to cash in on turnovers. Teams turn the ball over against Michigan a good 5% of the time.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
Yep, called that one. And there's probably still more coming.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
Can only one team wear gold helmets in a game? FSU looks weeeeeeird with white helmets.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Jer'zhan Newton is just wrecking these guards.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Any Michigan injury updates? Even against bad competition, missing 1/4 of the season ain't good
September 16th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Allar has some CJ Stroud in him - his accuracy goes way down when his feet are moving.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
I can see Allar being absolutely terrorized against our D. Penn state Oline is ass.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
They have one pretty good tackle and, as always, not much else. It's been Franklin's weakness since he took over and they've never figured out how to field an above-average offensive line to save their lives.