Upset Saturday? Who Should Be On Alert, As Oklahoma, Oregon, Georgia, UCLA Will Be Tested In Pre-CFP Weekend Tests

It's the final weekend of college football before the first CFP rankings are released next week. This is certainly the time of year where upsets can shift the landscape, and Saturday presents a number of opportunities.

Georgia will head into its matchup against Florida without Brock Bowers to lean on, with a lot of folks, Bulldog fans included, wondering what this offense looks like without him. Carson Beck's safety net is gone, so I'm interested to see how the Gators attack the Georgia QB.

Another weekend of premier action in the Pac-12 is here, with Oregon traveling to Utah. On the opposite side of the standings, Deion Sanders will take his Colorado team to Pasadena for a matchup with UCLA.

Don't forget about the matchup between Texas and BYU, with the Longhorns playing without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Georgia vs. Florida (Worlds Largest Cocktail Party)

This game has a chance to get interesting, especially without Brock Bowers, along with a rejuvenated Florida offense. Again, not having Bowers on the field will certainly present Georgia with a few problems, if Florida can get to the quarterback.

This feels like a game that Florida can keep things close, especially if you took the Gators and the 14.5 points Vegas was offering. If Florida can establish a rushing attack and keep Georgia's possessions down, this thing could drag into the fourth quarter with a tight game. This game presents Graham Mertz the opportunity to test the Georgia defense, while the Bulldogs offense has taken its time to get going in the first half this season. I like Florida to cover the +14.5

Utah Could End The College Football Playoff Run For Oregon

Thanks to the Pac-12 conference, we've been treated to a number of entertaining matchups this season. This is the case again on Saturday, with Oregon traveling to Utah for a top-15 showdown, with a lot on the line.

After beating USC for the third straight time last weekend, Utah is looking like a team that's adjusted to life without Cam Rising. Not only did Bryson Barnes put on an incredible performance last week against the Trojans, he looked to be in full control of the offense. On the other side of the field, Oregon might be walking into a hornets nest, with a rabid crowd awaiting their arrival.

Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks has his hands full traveling to Utah. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Sure, Bo Nix and the Ducks are one of the best teams in college football, even with the close loss to Washington, but this road test might be too much. There's something brewing for Kyle Wittingham's Utes this season, and after figuring out the QB situation, this team might make a run. We'll see how Dan Lanning approaches his gameplan for Utah on the road, and how many times he rolls the dice on fourth down. I like the upset here, Utah covers the 6.5 points and knocks off the Ducks.

Colorado, Deion Sanders Looking For Upset Over UCLA At Rose Bowl

The television networks are going to showcase Deion Sanders and Colorado every time they get the chance, and Saturday is no different. This time, Coach Prime takes his team on the road to Pasadena for a showdown with UCLA. After dropping three of their last four games, Colorado is coming off a much needed week off.

Can Shedeur Sanders lead this offense to the upset win? Sure, we've seen enough out of Colorado to know they can play against a team like UCLA, who has yet to name a starting quarterback. The question is can the Buffaloes keep up with the Bruins on defense. If they can get to the Bruins quarterback, whether it's Dante Moore or Ethan Garbers, and force turnovers, this one will be tight.

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes looks to bounce back this week in the Rose Bowl. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)

Chip Kelly has been playing hot-potato at the QB spot all season, and I think it catches up with him again. Look for Travis Hunter to have another impressive outing (Besides Stanford Game) and create a turnover to change the trajectory of this one. I like Colorado to cover the 17 points, but come up short in the fourth.

Games To Keep An Eye On In College Football, Potential Upsets

If Tennessee can play the way they did in the first half against Alabama, for four quarters, the Vols can beat Kentucky. But, if we see an inconsistent Joe Milton, this one will get interesting. Josh Heupel and road games don't really mesh well, and Kentucky can run the football behind Ray Davis. Also, the Tennessee defense lost CB Kamal Hadden for the season, so look for Devin Leary to pick on the Vols secondary. I think Tennessee rushes its way to a win in a four quarter battle, covering the 3.5 points.

Ok, keep up with me here. The Texas Longhorns will host BYU, with a new starting quarterback. While Quinn Ewers recovers from the shoulder sprain, we will most likely see Arch Manning for the first time as a Longhorn. But, Maalik Murphy will get the start and could calm the nerves of Texas fans, hoping to remain in the playoff race while Ewers is out. I like Texas here, but I think the offense will be a little shaky at times, enough to keep BYU within 19 points.

Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

One of the wilder games of the day could take place in Louisville, as the Cardinals welcome Duke to town. This could turn into a quarterback duel, as Jack Plummer and Riley Leonard lead their respective offenses. The Blue Devils are coming off a tough fourth quarter against Florida State, but I think they recover. I'm going with the upset, with Duke covering the 4.5 points and winning the game.

AN SEC Upset Brewing?

Mississippi State is coming off the 7-3 win over Arkansas, while Hugh Freeze doesn't have an offense that he feels comfortable with. Freeze is obviously struggling without a quarterback who has separated themselves, and a defense that is barely scraping by. If Will Rogers is healthy enough to start, this one will go the Bulldogs way. But, if Mike Wright has to start again, it's going to be an ugly game. Auburn has lost their last four games, and I think Mississippi State makes it five, with the upset win.

We are bound to see something crazy on the field, with some type of big upset brewing. Does Kansas do it against Oklahoma?

As we look towards the first CFP rankings of 2023, expect some type of chaos. Business is about to pickup around college football, so strap in.