CFP rankings are out. Now comes the weekend that could destroy them

Now that we’ve gotten that Tuesday nonsense out of the way, we can get down to serious business. No, not that, the other Tuesday nonsense.

The most important thing to remember about the first rankings from the College Football Playoff committee is the thing everybody always forgets when this made-for-TV spectacle begins in November. Quite simply, they don’t mean anything. They’ll be consigned to the ash heap of history as soon as next week. That’s especially true this year given, well, given the Week 10 lineup of games that will shred the current pecking order into confetti.

College football picks: Predictions for every Top 25 game on Week 10 schedule

Which brings us to the coming attractions, starting with a couple of quick notes before we dive into the matchups. Our usual allotment of seven must-watch games has been expanded to nine, and ranked teams will continue to be identified by their position in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Right then, let’s get to it.

No. 1 Miami (Fla.) at No. 6 Notre Dame

• Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
• Why watch: It pretty much goes without saying that this is the biggest game on Notre Dame’s schedule. First and foremost it’s a home opportunity against an elite opponent, and it also happens to be against the team that ultimately kept them out of the playoff last year. The Hurricanes don’t need this result as much since they’ll have the ACC path available to them, but they’d certainly like to have it in the bank just in case. The Miami offense has been all but unstoppable, but it won’t be at full capacity with WR Malachi Toney sidelined. QB Darian Mensah does have a good working relationship with fellow Duke transfer WR Cooper Barkate, and TE Elija Lofton provides timely contributions as well. The RB duo of Javian Mallory and Mark Fletcher must also be contained, and the Fighting Irish will be missing LB Drayk Bowen, a key piece to their ground defense. But the Miami defense has also looked vulnerable in recent outings, which could be good news for Notre Dame QB CJ Carr and RB Nolan James. The Hurricanes will need more pressure from DE Marquise Lightfoot and the rest of the front line.
• Why it could disappoint: It’s unfortunate that neither team will have all their top players, but it should be a hard-fought contest regardless. The Fighting Irish are well aware of the importance of the game, so a slow start seems unlikely.

No. 8 BYU at No. 4 Utah

• Time/TV: noon ET, ABC.
• Why watch: They might be a little salty in Salt Lake about getting the early time slot, but it won’t take long for the action on the field to have everyone fully awake. The ‘Holy War’ has always been heated, and now that it carries Big 12 and playoff implications the intensity will be dialed up to 11 from the opening kickoff. BYU is hoping that standout RB LJ Martin will be cleared to return from injury, which would provide a huge boost to QB Bear Bachmeier’s backfield, but that remains a major question mark. Utah’s tandem of QB Devon Dampier and RB Wayshawn Parker have been even more formidable, with help from WR Braden Pegan and TE Noah Bennee. Names to know on the defensive side include Cougars DB Faletau Satuala and Utes LB Trey Reynolds.
• Why it could disappoint: It probably won’t be a track meet, as neither defense gives up an abundance of points. But there will be no lack of intensity, and it should be a four-quarter battle.

No. 2 Georgia at No. 12 Ole Miss

• Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
• Why watch: We now turn our attention to the conference of enhanced meaningfulness, which to its credit does feature four top-20 clashes on this busy Saturday. The prime-time headliner also happens to be a playoff rematch from a year ago. It pits the Bulldogs, fresh off a sound thumping of archrival Florida, hoping to avoid the dreaded SEC hangover effect against the Rebels, who have yet to lose in Oxford this season and could use another marquee win on their resume. Georgia QB Gunner Stockton has been consistently accurate, though he might need to try a few more deep balls this week. No matter where the play goes, Ole Miss LB Luke Ferrelli can usually be found at the finish. Rebels QB Trinidad Chambliss will face his biggest challenge to date this season against the Bulldogs’ lights-out defense, featuring active LBs Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole. He’ll again be without RB Kewan Lacy, who has been battling a shoulder injury for much of the season, so WR Deuce Alexander and TE Caleb Odom must make the most of their touches.
• Why it could disappoint: Georgia’s stronger defense could be a decisive advantage, though the Bulldogs have not always maintained focus with the lead. The Rebels will need some good things to happen early to keep the home crowd involved.

Georgia vs Ole Miss predictions: Can Trinidad Chambliss beat Bulldogs again?

No. 7 Kentucky at No. 16 Tennessee

• Time/TV: 6:15 p.m. ET, ESPN.
• Why watch: For most of its 100+-year history this rivalry has skewed heavily toward Tennessee. But the upstart Wildcats under first-year coach Will Stein hope to close the gap a bit and keep their unexpected playoff push alive. UK QB Kenny Minchey has 14 scoring throws with just one pick. His most frequent targets are WR Kenny Darby and TE Willie Rodriguez Jr., who will get added attention from Tennessee DBs TJ Metcalf and Dejuan Lane. Volunteers QB George MacIntyre has done his best since taking over for injured starter Faizon Brandon, but RB DeSean Bishop will be the top priority for the Wildcats, which should mean a busy day for LB Grant Godfrey.
• Why it could disappoint: The Tennessee defense dominated Alabama on this field a few weeks ago. But it could go the other way if the Wildcats can get on the board quickly and make the Vols’ less reliable offense answer.

Tennessee vs Kentucky predictions: Can Vols derail Wildcats’ dream season?

No. 9 Alabama at No. 15 LSU

• Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
• Why watch: It’s not the night game LSU fans were hoping for, but the crowd in Baton Rouge should be at full voice anyway to welcome the Crimson Tide. It’s not a true championship game eliminator, but a third loss will be hard to overcome. Putting up points hasn’t been a problem for the Bayou Bengals, especially since TE Trey’Dez Green returned to the lineup. QB Sam Leavitt can still be pick prone, however, and the Tide has returned five interceptions for TDs, two by DB Dijon Lee. Alabama hopes to regain the services of WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, whom QB Keelon Russell has visibly missed for the last two games. The LSU defense has also been hit hard by the injury bug, but veteran DB Ty Benefield has helped keep the secondary intact.
• Why it could disappoint: It seems as though it will hinge on how the Crimson Tide offense functions. LSU has engineered a couple of routs in Baton Rouge, and Death Valley should be at full volume even with the afternoon start.

Alabama vs LSU predictions: Can Tide justify controversial CFP ranking?

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No. 11 Texas at No. 19 Missouri

• Time/TV: noon ET, ABC.
• Why watch: The full day in the SEC actually kicks off in Columbia, where the Tigers look to take down another ranked visitor. The Longhorns appear to have righted the ship after a recent two-game slide, but they can ill afford another slipup. Texas QB Arch Manning has not entirely eliminated the turnovers, though WRs Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley have been more sure-handed of late. The Tigers’ pass rush will be led by Daeden Hopkins and Donta Simpson. Mizzou QB Austin Simmons has only been picked off twice all season, and RB Jamal Roberts has hit the 1,000-yard mark in ground support. Longhorns DB Jelani McDonald will be busy as usual.
• Why it could disappoint: Mizzou’s last four games have been blowouts, though the Tigers were on the short end of one of those. The Longhorns tend to be involved in more nail biters, and we’ll probably get an idea which way it is trending early in the proceedings.

No. 20 Iowa at No. 23 Northwestern

• Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox.
• Why watch: The Big Ten slate might not look quite as compelling based on the rankings, but several contests have the potential to alter the picture. We’ll start with the lone pairing of teams with a coaches poll number. The Hawkeyes, fresh off their most complete performance of the campaign in a whitewash of Wisconsin, hit the road to meet the Wildcats, who hope their new home stadium is more forgiving after a rough trip to Oregon. The Iowa QB conundrum appears to have been resolved with Hank Brown taking the reins. It’s Iowa, of course, so establishing the ground game with RB Kamari Moulton will remain a priority, and Northwestern LB Braydon Brus will be ready. Wildcats QB Aidan Chiles and WR Griffin Wilde provide the bulk of the aerial yards, but DB Zach Lutmer and the Iowa secondary don’t give up many long gainers.
• Why it could disappoint: If Iowa looks like it did last week, there will likely be better viewing options as the night unfolds. Chiles and Lutmer are listed as questionable, so the game’s dynamic could be negatively affected if they are limited.

Oregon at No. 10 Ohio State

• Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
• Why watch: The Buckeyes will arguably be the Big Ten’s most scrutinized squad as they try to negotiate their difficult November stretch with absolutely no margin for error. Their first challenge is this date with the Ducks, who probably won’t play for the league title but could still have something to say about who does. Both teams, of course, will be playing without their opening-day starters at QB, a possible edge for the Ducks as they’ve had slightly more success with Dylan Raiola at the controls. The Ohio State defense needs DE Kenyatta Jackson and LB Riley Pettijohn to cause more havoc in the backfield. Buckeyes QB Luke Fahey will need help from his blockers in the red zone, but Oregon DL Bear Alexander is difficult to move in short-yardage situations.
• Why it could disappoint: In a sense it already has. These were the top two teams in the preseason, so the fact that this isn’t among the day’s marquee events is something of a letdown.

More: Ryan Day updates Julian Sayin injury timeline, and it’s not what Ohio State fans wanted

No. 5 UCLA at Minnesota

• Time/TV: noon ET, Fox.
• Why watch: The Bruins put their unblemished record on the line in the first of their two remaining trips over the Rockies. The destination this week is the Twin Cities, where the Golden Gophers have already proven to be dangerous. The UCLA offense has relied heavily on RB Wayne Knight, who has 12 rushing TDs and two more on receptions. QB Ty Dieffenbach has managed things well since taking over for injured starter Nico Iamaleava, but he’s likely going to have to test the deep waters to keep LB Maverick Baranowski and the Minnesota defensive front at bay. The Golden Gophers don’t exactly light up the scoreboard either, but QB Drake Lindsey and WR Javon Tracey have big-play capability. LBs Sammy Omosigho and Jalen Woods anchor the Bruins defense.
• Why it could disappoint: This will likely be another Big Ten tough watch, especially given how Minnesota’s last couple of outings went down. That could mean drama at the finish once again, however, so keep a screen available for it toward the conclusion.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CFP rankings are out. Now comes the weekend that could destroy them