With all the special team endings over the last three weeks, college football once again has proven how unpredicatable games can go. But November is the time where conference play reaches its peak and the national title and conference pictures start to get clearer.
Most eyes will look toward the showdown between LSU and Alabama because it has serious implications on the national title picture yet again. The teams enter the matchup as the No. 2 and No. 4 teams in the country, respectively, as determined by the playoff committee in its first rankings this week.
Here's what fans can expect during the top-five showdown in Tuscaloosa and what other teams to watch out for in Week 10.
Other storylines to watch:
Can Florida State make its way back into the ACC race? All eyes will be on the Tigers after earning the top spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings but Clemson faces its toughest opponent yet with Saturday's game against Florida State. It won't be easy for the Seminoles after the improbable loss to Georgia Tech and with running back Dalvin Cook still banged up after his injury. But a win over the No. 1 team in the country? That should be enough for Florida State to put itself back in the ACC and national spotlight.
How will the Big 12 race shake up after first real tests? The Big 12 has a lot to prove in November which is evident by the shutout from the playoffs last year and none of the teams being represented in the top-four in the first playoff rankings. Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma have yet to separate themselves from one another, but that ends this week with the Horned Frogs and Cowboys meeting in Stillwater. Meanwhile, Baylor and Oklahoma shouldn't overlook their opponents this week against Kansas State and Iowa State, respectively. The Wildcats nearly handed TCU its first loss on Oct. 10 and Iowa State held the Bears to their lowest offensive numbers of the season.
Will both 8-0 AAC teams stay undefeated? Although Temple suffered its first loss to Notre Dame last week, the AAC still has hopes of making the playoffs thanks to undefeated Memphis and Houston boasting 8-0 records. But that could change this week as both programs face some tough competition against Navy and Cincinnati. The Midshipmen have a terrific rushing game led by Keenan Reynolds, who is seeking to break the tie for most career rushing touchdowns, and is very capable of giving the Tigers fits with the triple option. The Bearcats meanwhile kept up with both Temple and Memphis, losing both games by combined 15 points.
