Week 11 of the college football season delivers one of the best Saturdays of the year, and you do not need to be a die-hard to see why. Five games feature two ranked teams, the top of the College Football Playoff rankings is wide open, and less than a month remains before the 12-team field is set. Georgia sits at No. 1 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after Notre Dame beat Miami last week, and every team chasing the Bulldogs has something to lose. Here is a plain-English guide to the games that matter most, who to watch, and where the betting lines sit (all rankings below are the College Football Playoff committee rankings, and lines can move before kickoff).

Texas at LSU: Death Valley Gets a First

The marquee night game is No. 6 Texas at No. 21 LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and it is the first time these two programs have ever met as SEC opponents in Tiger Stadium. LSU is a 4-point favorite with a total around 45.5, which tells you the oddsmakers see a tight, defensive game and give the home crowd real credit. Tiger Stadium at night is one of the toughest places to play in the sport, and LSU is looking for a win to keep its playoff hopes alive after a 31-13 loss to Alabama last week.

Texas has had a bumpy fall, with back-to-back October losses to Oklahoma and Florida, but the Longhorns have won three straight and have beaten Ole Miss and Missouri during that run. Running back Raleek Brown has been a big part of the recovery, piling up 290 scrimmage yards across those two wins, and pass rusher Colin Simmons is back to pressure the LSU quarterback. Arch Manning has played with more confidence lately, though this week the story has been the supporting cast around him. LSU is 6-3 with three conference losses and leans on a disruptive defense that can swing a game with one turnover, and the Tigers face Tennessee next, so there is no room to slip.

For a casual fan, this is the game to have on all night. If you want a side, the 4 points with the home team is the number to watch, because an LSU win by a field goal would not cover. Our lean is LSU in a close one, with the under in play given how much both defenses have to prove.

Utah at Arizona: Can the Last Unbeaten Big 12 Team Survive Tucson?

At 7:30 p.m. ET on Fox, No. 2 Utah (9-0, riding a 15-game winning streak) visits No. 23 Arizona (7-2) in a Big 12 game with real playoff weight. Utah is listed as a small road favorite of about 2.5 points with a total near 54.5, a close line for a team ranked second in the country. A win would move the Utes to 10-0 and put them in strong shape for both the Big 12 title game and a playoff spot, with TCU and West Virginia left on the schedule.

The fun part is the quarterback matchup. Utah’s Devon Dampier is a Heisman-conversation player who beats you with his arm and his legs, and he has even caught a touchdown pass this season. Arizona’s Noah Fifita has completed about 73 percent of his throws and is closing in on 3,000 passing yards, and the Wildcats convert roughly half of their third downs. Utah has one of the best pass defenses in the country, so something has to give. Arizona has beaten Utah in each of the last two meetings, and both of its losses this year (BYU and Texas Tech) came on the road.

This is the classic trap game on paper, because Utah is coming off a huge rivalry win over BYU. We think Utah finds a way, but the points with Arizona are tempting for anyone who likes taking the home underdog in a shootout.

USC at Indiana: Defending Champs vs. Lincoln Riley

The 3:30 p.m. ET game on CBS is one many fans circled in August. No. 9 Indiana (8-1) hosts No. 18 USC (7-2), and the defending national champion Hoosiers are favored by about 7.5 points with a total near 49.5 (a few books have the spread closer to 8.5 or 9.5, so shop around). Curt Cignetti’s team had a bye last week and still slid five spots in the rankings, so this is a chance to remind everyone who won it all last year.

Indiana’s identity is its defense, which ranks among the top five nationally in sacks with 32 and is allowing just 12.4 points and 259.2 yards per game. USC arrives with momentum after a statement win over Ohio State, and Lincoln Riley’s offense can score from anywhere. It is also the first Big Ten meeting between the two programs. The question is whether USC’s offense can handle one of the nation’s best pass rushes on the road, and our read is that it struggles to keep pace for four quarters.

Missouri at Georgia: The New No. 1 Gets a Test

Georgia is the top-ranked team in the country for the first time this season, and the Bulldogs host No. 22 Missouri at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC as a heavy 15.5-point favorite with a total around 47.5. Their only loss came at Auburn, and since then they have beaten Florida and Ole Miss by a combined 54 points. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has a dangerous group of targets, including Talyn Taylor, who caught four passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns against Ole Miss.

Missouri is the kind of opponent that makes a big number uncomfortable. The Tigers force turnovers and have the best run defense Georgia has faced so far, and Georgia has lost 5 of its 15 fumbles this season. Georgia should still win comfortably, but a 15.5-point spread is a lot for a team that just played two emotional games, so the points with Missouri are the more interesting angle.

More Games Worth Your Remote

A few other games shape the playoff picture, and the noon and afternoon windows are packed:

Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 PMSpreadMoneyTotal
Texas Longhorns
+4.5
(-115)
+154
O 46.5
(-106)
LSU Tigers
-4.5
(-105)
-178
U 45.5
(-106)

This Week’s Best Bets

Here are our picks across the four marquee games. As always, lines move, so check the current number before you bet, and only wager what you can afford to lose.

Saturday could reshape the playoff race, with four top-10 teams either on the road or under pressure, so settle in early and stay on the couch all day.