Hostile Saturday: Alabama-Tennessee Defensive Battle Looms, Ohio State Hosts Penn State In Big Ten Showdown, The Freeze Bowl

Here we go, a run toward the college football playoffs is at-stake this weekend between Ohio State-Penn State, while Tennessee looks for its second straight win against Alabama. A Pac-12 battle between USC and Utah could decide the Trojans' season.

Congratulations, you've made it to the middle of October, and for some of your favorite teams, this is a crucial weekend.

Luckily for us, there are three games this weekend that could determine who potentially plays for a conference title. It all starts with Ohio State hosting Penn State in a top-10 showdown at the horseshoe, while Alabama will host Tennessee in what could turnout to be a defensive slugfest.

On the West Coast, USC looks to keep its playoff and Pac-12 hopes alive, hosting 14th ranked Utah at the Colosseum.

Don't forget the 2023 'Freeze Bowl', as Auburn's Hugh Freeze takes on his former school Ole Miss for the first time as an SEC head coach.

Penn State Looking To Make A Statement Against Ohio State

If you've been paying attention to this matchup, you'd know that Penn State hasn't beaten the Buckeyes since 2016. But the bigger storyline is that the Nittany Lions haven't beaten Ohio State on the road since 2011. Add on the fact that James Franklin is 1-8 versus the Buckeyes, and we've got ourselves a pivotal game for this squad.

The good part for Penn State fans is that this is certainly the deepest roster of talent James Franklin has had since he arrived in Happy Valley. The bad part is, they haven't faced a threat like Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the son of former Colts star Marvin Harrison. In their last meeting, Harrison accounted for 185 yards, in the 44-31 victory at Penn State.

Quarterback Battle Between Drew Allar, Kyle McCord

I haven't seen a quarterback for Penn State with the type of talent Drew Allar possesses in recent years, which makes this showdown with Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord so interesting. Allar might not light up the box score in terms of touchdown passes, 12 this season, but his ability to extend plays will be crucial Saturday.

Kyle McCord has thrown for 1,651 yards and 11 touchdowns, with one interception. Now, with a banged-up backfield, it's crucial for McCord to spread the love through the air. Considering Penn State will do everything possible to prevent Marvin Harrison Jr. from roaming free.

Cade Stover #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes is hit by Kobe King #41 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

One of the bigger problems for Ohio State will be executing on offense against Penn State, who ranks first in the nation in total defense. The biggest area of the game will be in the trenches, especially for the Buckeyes, who have struggled to run the ball on offense. If Ohio State is going to survive this game at home, they might have to do it without receiver Emeka Egbuka and running back Chip Traynum. Both could be questionable.

Either way, this should be an electric atmosphere, with a lot on the line. Whichever teams leaves with a win will have the upper hand in the Big Ten, alongside Michigan. There's also the first playoff rankings coming in two weeks.

2023 Tennessee, Alabama Game Total Opposite Of 2022

Who would've thought the storyline heading into this massive rematch between Alabama and Tennessee would center around the defense. Not me, especially with what we all witnessed last season in Knoxville, where the Vols won an offensive shootout with a last second field goal.

But here we are, and the Vols have finally put together a front-seven that have teams worried. After shutting down Texas A&M and South Carolina, the Tim Banks led defense has come into their own, forcing sacks and preventing big plays down the field.

Tennessee, Alabama Rankings Are Beyond Absurd In Some Categories

The Vols are ranked 20th in rushing defense, while averaging four sacks a game, which has them ranked third in the country. Alabama comes in at 4th, while both teams are ranked in the top-20 of overall defense, with the Tide coming in at 15th, and the Vols at 17.

On the offensive side, this looks nothing like the 2022 Vols, with Joe Milton struggling in the passing game. The good news is that Tennessee is averaging 230 yards per game on the ground, which is sixth in the nation.

Alabama is ranked 71st in rushing, a far cry from what we thought this offense would look like this season. While last year's Tennessee team was setting records on offense, as previously mentioned, this Josh Heupel team is ranked 88th in passing offense.

This is one of the reasons why it's hard to get a read on this game, outside of the rankings and box scores. Both quarterbacks are a risk, but one of them will set the tone in Tuscaloosa.

As for Alabama, the word 'consistent' is being thrown around the offensive meeting rooms this season. Jalen Milroe will look good on one drive, but then struggle on the next. This is one of the reasons why Alabama failed to breakaway from Arkansas, winning 24-21. If Jermaine Burton can find the open spaces this week in the Vols secondary, this will certainly help Jalen Milroe.

I wasn't expecting a defensive battle before the season started, but we just might get one on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. As for the 'revenge' factor, Tennessee finally snapped its 15-game losing streak to the Tide last season, and I can promise you Alabama has that on their minds this week, especially the postgame celebration.

Tennessee Volunteers fans tear down the goal post while celebrating a win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 52-49. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)

USC Hanging On Right Now, With Utah Headed To Town

After the abysmal performance from Caleb Williams against Notre Dame, resulting in three interceptions, USC needs a win over Utah in a big way. We saw a Trojans team finally fall to a team that knew how to win. Sure, the overtime win over Arizona helped, but Lincoln Riley's team looked lost against the Fighting Irish.

So, to keep themselves in the Pac-12 race, they'll need a quick rebound against a Utah team that still doesn't have Cam Rising, but is 14th in the country, with a 5-1 record. If the Utes want to stay alive in the conference title conversation, this is a must win game. Can Utah find success with running back Sione Vaki, who's coming off a 158 yard performance against Cal? If they do, I'll be interested to see how USC DC Alex Grinch finally puts together a solid outing for his defense.

While this won't be an elimination game for USC in the Pac-12 if they lose, it will certainly knock them out of playoff contention. Last week against Notre Dame was big, but getting a win over Utah is imperative for the 2023 success of Caleb Williams and the Trojans.

Other College Football Games Of Note

Pay attention to Florida State-Duke this weekend, with the Noles looking to remain unbeaten against a pesky Blue Devils squad. If Duke quarterback Riley Leonard cannot play against the Seminoles, it could be a long day, as Henry Belin IV started his first game this past weekend, in the win over NC State.

Keep an eye on Oregon hosting Washington State. I know what happened last weekend for the Cougars, losing to Arizona, but maybe they catch the Ducks sleeping for a bit, after the dramatic loss to Washington. I highly doubt this will happen, but it's worth noting.

Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Auburn Tigers celebrates after defeating the Samford Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Also, we get the Hugh Freeze bowl in Auburn this weekend, as the Tigers host Ole Miss. For the first time back as an SEC head coach, Freeze will battle his former employer, and Lane Kiffin. These two coaches could write a best selling novel with the stories they have from the past ten years. Also, the drama between Kiffin and Auburn this past off-season was an entertaining ride, as Kiffin had first dibs on the Tigers opening, but turned it down.

We're past the halfway point of the college football season, and it's flying. So, don't take a weekend for granted, even if your team isn't playing. Thankfully, there are a number of games to keep an eye on, so we shouldn't lack for drama.