Kentucky-Tennessee, Ohio State-Penn State lead games to watch in Week 9 of college football

By this point in the college football season, we usually have a pretty good idea of which teams are good and which are not. But this year, there is quite a lot yet to be settled in all the power conferences as October draws to a close.

The Week 9 slate does not feature many head-to-head encounters in the sport’s top tier, but it does offer a handful of important contests that could help set the stage for some epic showdowns during the November stretch drive.

We present these five games for recommended viewing, with the caveat as always that you should keep one eye on the scoreboard and one hand on the remote in case unexpected events start to unfold elsewhere.

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 13 Penn State

Saturday, noon ET, Fox

Why watch: This is the clear headliner on the Saturday schedule. The Buckeyes are seemingly on a collision course with archrival Michigan for Big Ten supremacy, but the Nittany Lions might still have something to say about the race in the East Division. After being shut down by the aforementioned Wolverines a couple of weeks ago, Penn State turned in a solid performance against Minnesota last time out. Nittany Lions QB Sean Clifford, who still struggles with accuracy at times, must be at his sharpest as he goes against the active Buckeyes’ back seven that features LB Tommy Eichenberg and DB Tanner McCalister. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud has been quite accurate all season, hitting on 70% of his attempts. He does have four picks, however, and Penn State DB Ji’Ayir Brown will do his best to limit big plays from the deep Buckeyes’ receiving corps.

Why it could disappoint: The Buckeyes to date have been methodical, able to turn mistakes into big runs of points that have put most of their games out of reach by the fourth quarter. That hasn’t happened in OSU’s recent encounters with Penn State, but the Nittany Lions absolutely must keep the turnover column on the stat sheet empty.

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No. 17 Kentucky at No. 3 Tennessee

Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

Why watch: Like next week’s opponent Georgia, Tennessee must avoid a potential trap game against a motivated rival on the eve of a huge top-five showdown. The Wildcats will need help to win the SEC East but could be in the mix for an attractive bowl destination if they can score this major upset. In a savvy scheduling move the Vols were able to follow their emotional victory against Alabama with what amounted to a light scrimmage last week in an easy win against Championship Subdivision member Tennessee-Martin. The Wildcats will also come in rested after an actual open date. Kentucky benefited from having QB Will Levis and RB Chris Rodriguez together in its most recent win against Mississippi State. They’ll need to be productive again to match scores with QB Hendon Hooker and Tennessee’s high-octane attack that leads the nation in scoring and total offense.

Why it could disappoint: Tennessee’s leaky pass defense should allow the Wildcats to keep it close. What UK can’t afford, however, is to settle for field goals in the red zone. If the Vols can build a multi-score lead, it could potentially get away.

No. 9 Oklahoma State at No. 22 Kansas State

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Why watch: As the scheduling fates would have it, TCU’s two most recent comeback victims get together this week in what is now a battle for second place. There’s a long way to go in the highly competitive conference, of course, but the winner here will be in the best position to earn a possible rematch with the Horned Frogs at season’s end. Unfortunately for K-State, the QB situation is a major question after injuries last week to starter Adrian Martinez and highly effective backup Will Howard. The Wildcats figure to lean even more on standout RB Deuce Vaughn, but LB Mason Cobb and the Oklahoma State defense will be aware of that as well. Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders, battling nagging injuries himself, turned in one of the grittiest performances of his career last week leading a comeback victory against Texas. His nemesis this week will be Wildcats DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who recorded 11 sacks during an all-conference campaign last year and has 6½ thus far in 2022.

Why it could disappoint: The Cowboys can give up their share of points, but the Wildcats might have a hard time keeping pace given the offense’s health issues. There haven’t been many blowouts in the Big 12 all year, however, so we expect this one to remain competitive one way or another.

No. 1 Georgia vs. Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Why watch: It seems odd to say this, but the game we’re not supposed to call the Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party anymore* is not the biggest remaining game on Georgia’s SEC schedule. That is assuredly not the case from the Gators’ perspective, however, so the Bulldogs must prepare accordingly. After a brief lull in late September, QB Stetson Bennett IV has the Bulldogs’ offense humming again, with plenty of help from TE Brock Bowers and RB Daijun Edwards. They’ll all want to steer clear of LB Ventrell Miller, the centerpiece of the Gators’ defense. Florida QB Anthony Richardson is as explosive as ever, but he can be careless with the ball when forced to take chances. LB Nolan Smith and the stingy Georgia defense will try to make him do just that.

*We will continue to do so, however, because this is America.

Why it could disappoint: Exposed by LSU a couple of weeks ago in its most recent outing, Florida isn’t exactly entering this rivalry game with confidence. With a couple of exceptions, the Bulldogs have taken charge early and cruised to victory this season, so the Gators must avoid falling into an early hole or it could be lights out in a hurry.

Notre Dame at No. 16 Syracuse

Saturday, noon ET, ABC

Why watch: Though the Orange came up short at Clemson, they remain in the mix for a major bowl destination. Several challenges remain, however, beginning with this home date with the enigmatic Fighting Irish, who seem to perform better when they leave South Bend. Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader had a rough second half last week thanks to frequent encounters with the Clemson defensive line. He’ll likely be asked to make more use of backfield mate RB Sean Tucker this time to help him avoid Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey. Fighting Irish QB Drew Pyne was also not at his sharpest a week ago against UNLV, but having TE Michael Mayer as a safety valve always helps. Mayer for his part can expect added attention from Orange LB Mikel Jones.

Why it could disappoint: Both teams have been in their share of tight finishes, so a rout in either direction seems unlikely. But the game might lack for flashy plays, and there could be numerous mistakes on both sides as well.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky-Tennessee leads college football lineup for Week 9