Saturday’s college football slate might be the best of the season so far. The top-ranked team in the country goes on the road at night, three SEC powers are playing games that could decide their playoff hopes, and the Big 12’s two best teams meet in the Holy War. If you only have time for a few games this weekend, these are the four to circle.

No. 1 Miami at No. 11 Notre Dame: A Top-Ranked Team Without Its Top Receiver

The marquee game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC from Notre Dame Stadium. Miami is 8-0 and sits at No. 1 in both the AP poll and the College Football Playoff rankings, but oddsmakers have the Hurricanes as the underdog. Notre Dame is a 7.5-point favorite, with the moneyline at Notre Dame -275 and Miami +235. For casual fans, that is a rare sight: a No. 1 team getting more than a touchdown.

The big reason is injury news. Wide receiver Malachi Toney hurt his ankle in practice on Wednesday and will miss the game. He leads Miami with 73 catches, 1,027 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, so quarterback Darian Mensah has to find new targets. Cooper Barkate and Daylyn Upshaw are the receivers to watch, and running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who scored three times in last week’s 38-35 escape at North Carolina, becomes even more important.

Notre Dame is 7-1 and desperately needs this win to stay in the playoff picture. The Irish lost at BYU earlier this season, then bounced back with a 35-13 win over Navy. Quarterback CJ Carr has thrown for 16 touchdowns with only one interception through his first six games, and the defense has been one of the best in the country. Miami won last year’s meeting 27-24, so the Irish also have revenge on their minds.

Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 PMSpreadMoneyTotal
Miami Hurricanes
+7.5
(-120)
+230
O 55.5
(-105)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
-7.5
(-102)
-265
U 54.5
(-109)

No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU: Lane Kiffin Gets His First Crack at the Tide

This one is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC in Death Valley, and it is a true must-win for both sides. Both teams are 6-2, and the loser may see its playoff chances slip away. LSU is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5, and the Tigers are -225 on the moneyline against +185 for Alabama. The line has moved toward LSU as the week has gone on.

First-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin is facing Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama team for the first time. Alabama has won three straight in the series, but LSU comes in rolling. The Tigers beat Mississippi State 31-0 and Auburn 38-17 before their bye week, with quarterback Sam Leavitt throwing seven touchdowns and running for another in those two games. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns in a comeback win over Texas A&M, but the Tide ran for just 68 yards on 28 carries in that game, which is something to watch against a stout home defense.

No. 7 BYU at No. 3 Utah: The Holy War Has Big 12 Title Stakes

The day starts with a bang at noon ET on ABC from Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah is 8-0, has the nation’s longest winning streak at 14 games, and is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5. The last time Utah lost was last year’s 24-21 defeat to BYU, so the Utes are looking for payback. Both teams sit at the top of the Big 12, and the winner takes a big step toward the conference title game.

Utah’s offense runs through quarterback Devon Dampier, who has 12 total touchdowns and only one interception over the last four games, and the Utes are scoring 38.9 points per game. BYU’s lone loss came at UCF, and the Cougars may get a boost if running back LJ Martin returns after missing four games, though he may not be at full strength. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has carried a lot of the load without him.

No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss: A Test in a Tough Place to Play

The night game in Oxford kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Georgia is a 3.5-point favorite on the road, with the moneyline at Georgia -175 and Ole Miss +145. The total is 56.5, one of the highest on the board, which tells you oddsmakers are expecting points. Ole Miss has won 16 straight home games, and these two teams have already played a shootout, with Georgia taking last year’s regular-season meeting 43-35.

Georgia is 7-1 and comes off a 27-8 win over Florida in which the defense forced four turnovers and the Bulldogs ran for 217 yards. Quarterback Gunner Stockton threw for just 101 yards in that game, so expect more balance, or at least more downfield shots, against Ole Miss. The Rebels are 6-2 and beat Auburn 45-15, with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throwing for 263 yards and running for 65 more. Running back Kewan Lacy is out with a shoulder injury, which could limit the Ole Miss offense.

This Week’s Best Bets

If you are new to betting college football, the simplest way to enjoy this slate is to pick one or two games you feel strongly about and keep your wagers small. Using a betting calculator can help you see what a bet would pay before you place it, and our live NCAAF odds page tracks line moves through the weekend. Here are our picks for the four featured games.

Lines can move before kickoff, so always check the latest numbers before you bet, and please gamble responsibly. See our responsible gambling page if you ever need help or tools to stay in control.