The Week 8 schedule ahead is the perfect time to check in on two Power 5 conferences that haven’t gotten a lot of love this season.
The Big 12 and Pac-12 have been rocked by realignment plans the past two offseasons but the conferences currently have two of the most intriguing championship races in the country.
Following a double-overtime win against Oklahoma State, TCU has taken the reins of the Big 12. It doesn’t get any easier for the Horned Frogs, however, as they welcome a ranked Kansas State team to Fort Worth this Saturday.
UCLA announced its plans to leave the Pac-12 this offseason but it appears the Bruins have their eyes on a conference crown before jumping ship. Standing in their way is a top-10 Oregon team that has bounced back from an opening week blowout loss to Georgia. The top-10 matchup in Eugene will go a long way in deciding which of these teams will be making a Pac-12 championship game appearance — if not both.
Of course the SEC and ACC also have ranked matchups this week that will define the teams’ season. Clemson meets upstart Syracuse, while both Mississippi State and Alabama are looking to bounce back after losses. Oh, and Ole Miss travels to LSU in an age-old rivalry.
Plenty to keep track of this week, here are the top storylines from the best games.
No. 9 UCLA Bruins at No. 10 Oregon Ducks (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
The script that’s been written for this matchup has all the makings of a good one before the first snap is even taken: two top-10 teams each coming off bye weeks. UCLA coach Chip Kelly returning to Oregon, where he was head coach for four seasons. UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bo Nix going head-to-head. GameDay on site. The winner gains the inside track to the Pac-12 championship.
“We know it’s going to be electric here and that’s something we can count on to our advantage,” Oregon safety Bennett Williams said.
“We live for games like this,” Thompson-Robinson said.
While Kelly has gone above and…
Source : espn
