October has arrived, and that means conference play is in full swing in college football.
The Week 6 schedule features plenty of important league contests, some of which were anticipated and some that are somewhat surprising in terms of their level of intrigue. A certain traditional rivalry heads the list of games to watch, with spotlight contests in the Big Ten and SEC also on the docket.
Additionally, a prominent independent program we all know gets another prime-time showcase. Curiously the Pac-12 did not make our lineup this time with several of its major contenders getting the weekend off, but No. 6 Southern California’s late-night encounter with Arizona in the Coliseum has serious #Pac12AfterDark potential.
Right then, let’s get to the matchups.
No. 4 Texas vs. No. 12 Oklahoma in Dallas
Time/TV: Noon ET, ABC
Why watch: The Red River showdown is arguably the biggest game on the calendar, a bitter-sweet development at Big 12 headquarters with both teams off to the SEC next year. They might also meet again in a couple of months, but that is far from a certainty at this early stage of the season. We do know that the Sooners’ defense, anchored by LB Danny Stutsman, has made significant strides from a season ago. Whether it can keep Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers and his vast array of big-play targets, led by WRs Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, in check remains to be seen. Sooners QB Dillon Gabriel has boosted the performance on the other side of the ball as well, but DT…
