Faculty soccer Week 8 preview: 5 greatest video games to observe this weekend

Week 8 of the faculty soccer season has arrived, and as soon as once more, all eyes shall be on the 2 dominant conferences within the sport: the Large Ten and the SEC.

You would be hard-pressed to discover a extra anticipated sport than the SEC showdown between No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Georgia. It feels just like the winner of this matchup ought to be thought-about a lock to play within the inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff.

In different motion, Nebraska travels to Bloomington for an enormous sport in opposition to undefeated Indiana, whereas No. 11 Tennessee hosts No. 7 Alabama, No. 24 Michigan heads to No. 22 Illinois for a Large Ten showdown, and Arkansas will get set to host No. 10 LSU.

Now we have reached the halfway level of the season, that means that is the purpose the place the CFP image ought to actually begin to develop into extra clear.

Listed below are the highest 5 video games to observe this weekend:

No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (7:30 p.m. ET)

Since defeating Michigan earlier this yr, Texas has appeared like probably the most full group within the sport. Even with out beginning quarterback Quinn Ewers for two-and-a-half video games, the Longhorns haven’t made many errors and have appeared as sound offensively as they’ve defensively. It has been fairly a primary half displaying and one which has led to a 6-0 begin and the No. 1 rating within the Related Press ballot — twice. In Georgia, although, the Longhorns face the perfect group it has seen and would possibly see all season.

I count on to see Georgia play a whole sport of soccer for the primary time all yr. In each sport it has performed in opposition to FBS opponents thus far, both the offense or the protection has underwhelmed us. And that underwhelming efficiency by the protection in opposition to Alabama value them dearly. They did not look significantly better in opposition to Mississippi State final weekend, which is worrisome. Kirby Sensible is aware of higher than most that UGA would not have to play its greatest sport on the Forty Acres on Saturday, however it does want to indicate itself to be one of many 12 greatest groups within the sport.

The Bulldogs have scored no less than 31 factors in every of their final three video games and failed to do this simply as soon as all yr. If the UGA protection can get up in opposition to a nonetheless maturing Texas offense, there is not any motive to consider the Dawgs cannot go away Austin with the perfect win in school soccer this yr — a victory over the No. 1-ranked opponent on the highway.

“I need to see them play their greatest sport in opposition to Texas,” Sensible mentioned. “I imply merely acknowledged, we have now not performed our greatest sport. Now we have not put a whole sport collectively, and that is what each coach’s purpose is. Proper? To play your greatest sport shifting ahead. That is what is going on to be wanted to go on the highway at Texas. We received to play higher and that is the one purpose I am enthusiastic about proper now, how we play this week.”

In the meantime, Texas hasn’t confronted an elite offensive opponent all yr. Michigan ranks a hundred and tenth within the nation in yards per play, and Oklahoma ranks 127th. And people are the Longhorns’ two greatest wins. Couple that with the information that UGA ranks No. 17 within the nation in yards per play.

No. 7 Alabama at No. 11 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET)

Josh Heupel fields maybe the perfect group he is ever had at Tennessee in opposition to what is likely one of the most explosive offenses within the nation in Alabama. With quarterbacks every able to taking up the ball sport, no less than one game-wrecker at wideout and at operating again for both, I count on this sport to be about which protection can maintain up in opposition to offenses which can be at all times one play away from a fast six and three from mounting a three-score lead.

The problem for Tim Banks’ entrance seven is to comprise Jalen Milroe, which has confirmed troublesome for each group Bama has confronted this season. Even in a sport that got here right down to the final possession in opposition to South Carolina final weekend, Milroe’s athleticism proved the distinction with a dashing and passing TD to seal a much-needed victory.

For Rocky Prime, getting Nico Iamaleava going early shall be key, as this offense has discovered it troublesome to maneuver the ball by way of the air. Iamaleava has but to throw for greater than 200 yards in opposition to an SEC opponent, and the offense has not scored greater than 25 factors in opposition to an SEC opponent. That may not be sufficient in opposition to a Tide group that has scored no less than 27 in each sport it has performed this season and put up 41 in a win in opposition to Georgia.

No. 8 LSU at Arkansas (7 p.m. ET)

Taylen Green performed the perfect sport of his profession within the Razorbacks’ win over Tennessee. The actual fact he did that in Fayetteville in opposition to an SEC group with a top-10 rating must be sufficient to persuade the Tigers that Arkansas is able to scuttling their good begin to SEC play. However so as to pull of the upset the 6-foot-6 QB who led Boise State to the 2023 Mountain West title might want to have one other excellent efficiency. Up to now this season, Inexperienced has thrown for 1,828 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

In the meantime, LSU is as soon as once more in one of many 5 greatest video games of the weekend after successful an time beyond regulation thriller that ended with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier throwing a 25-yard TD move to win at Tiger Stadium. Occurring the highway in opposition to a 4-2 Arkansas group shall be a worthwhile take a look at for the Bayou Bengals, who seem like a challenger for the SEC championship.

Nebraska at No. 16 Indiana (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)

Indiana has mopped the ground with its competitors, turning into the primary group this season to file six wins whereas rating ninth in third-down effectivity (54%), fourth in yards per sport (515.7) and second within the nation in scoring (47.5 factors per sport). Put Indiana in Penn State’s uniforms, and then you definitely’d doubtless agree that it is the third-best group within the nation, and never the sixteenth.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti garnered consideration final December when he left little doubt about who he’s and what he anticipated to do as head coach at Indiana.

“I win,” he mentioned. “Google me.”

Google, we did. Cignetti has by no means had a dropping season as a head coach. He’s 125-35 all time, and he has coached 4 out of the final seasons with simply three losses or fewer. He has since cooled on the rhetoric, although.

“You understand, I made a pair feedback once I first received employed, I used to be on the market on a limb a bit of bit, felt like that is what I wanted to do. I feel it is extra of a mirrored image on how the group has performed and the success that they’ve had on the sector that is gotten individuals excited, and that is only a byproduct of that.”

In the meantime, Nebraska ranks thirteenth in whole protection, 18th in TFLs and twenty sixth in takeaways, having recorded seven interceptions in six video games and giving up simply 11 factors per sport. However the Cornhuskers haven’t overwhelmed a group with a quantity subsequent to their identify within the scorebug since 2016. And so they’re going through actual stress of incomes a sixth win in a season for simply the second time since 2016.

No. 24 Michigan at No. 22 Illinois (3:30 p.m. ET)

In a matchup of prime 25 groups, the Illini seem like the higher positioned program on the midway mark of the season due largely to its benefit at quarterback. Luke Altmyer has rounded into an upper-echelon quarterback within the Large Ten and marked that achievement with a 379-yard passing efficiency in a 50-49 time beyond regulation win in opposition to Purdue final weekend.

The Illini look to knock off a 3rd top-25 opponent of their first seven video games to maintain themselves inside hanging distance of creating the Faculty Soccer Playoff. In the meantime, Michigan cannot afford one other loss if it hopes to carry onto an opportunity of creating the CFP. With out a regular act at quarterback, it is arduous to see how the Wolverines keep what has been a successful season.

RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Quantity One Faculty Soccer Present.” Comply with him at @RJ_Young.

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