For the first time ever, Georgia and Florida will play their rivalry game in Atlanta. Stadium renovations in Jacksonville forced the move, and it headlines the college football week 9 games. The first College Football Playoff rankings drop Tuesday, Nov. 3, so this is the last chance to make an impression.
Five of the top 10 teams are in action Saturday, and half the drama comes down to who is not on the field. The stakes are real, too, because only three unbeaten teams are left, so every loss reshuffles the board.
Georgia vs. Florida: the best college football games this weekend start in Atlanta
No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) meets No. 17 Florida (5-2, 3-2 SEC) at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, according to Yahoo Sports. The move to Atlanta also came with a rebrand, since the game now carries a new name.
Georgia is coming off an open date after a 27-24 loss to Auburn in Athens two weeks ago, its first of the season. Florida had a bye too. Fox Sports lists the Bulldogs as 12.5-point favorites at DraftKings, though BetMGM had them closer to 11.5 earlier in the week.
Georgia has won eight of the last 10 in this series, including five straight. A second conference loss would also make the SEC title path a lot harder, since Georgia is already trailing Kentucky in the standings.
Ohio State at USC: a backup quarterback headlines the Saturday college football slate
No. 2 Ohio State travels to Los Angeles for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites, but they’re thin. Quarterback Julian Sayin was hurt in the 19-15 win over Indiana, and ESPN reports he is out indefinitely with an arm injury. As a result, freshman Luke Fahey is likely to start, with sophomore Tavien St. Clair the other option.
Ohio State is without Sayin for the first time since 2024, and about ten players have reportedly been ruled out. USC, meanwhile, comes in after a loss to Wisconsin.
Texas Tech vs. Arizona: Big 12 stakes in week 9 college football games
No. 13 Texas Tech hosts No. 22 Arizona at noon ET on ESPN, per CBS Sports. The Red Raiders are 3.5-point favorites, but they are still stinging from Cincinnati, which handed them their first loss last week.
Few week 9 college football games feel this tight on paper.
Oregon vs. Northwestern: a lost season meets a surprise
Northwestern (6-1, No. 20) visits Autzen Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET. Oregon started the year as a title favorite and now sits at 4-3. Quarterback Dante Moore is out for the season after a concussion against USC, SI reports.
The Wildcats come in off a 42-14 win over Rutgers.
Notre Dame vs. Navy: the bounce-back game
No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1) plays Navy at noon ET on ABC in Foxborough, Massachusetts, hoping to put the stunning loss at BYU behind it. That defeat also stung because of a clock error the Big 12 later admitted.
Navy is looking to snap a two-game losing streak, and the line is roughly 30 points. A spread that big is a polite way of saying the Irish had better show up. Of all the college football week 9 games, this one has the clearest favorite.
What the Saturday slate means for you
If your team lives or dies by the playoff bracket, this is the day it gets decided. A Georgia loss opens the SEC race wide. An Ohio State stumble without Sayin would shake up the top of the Big Ten. Even if you only follow one team, Tuesday’s rankings will set the tone for every argument you have through November.
Kickoffs run noon, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Other games worth a look include No. 6 Utah at Cincinnati and Wisconsin at Iowa. By Tuesday, the committee will have its first look at who actually earned a seat at the table.
Odds move quickly and vary by sportsbook, so check your own app before you bet.
And if the committee has a favorite Saturday, it will be the team that survives without its starting quarterback.
