Happy Friday, Hawkeye fans!

We began the day with our score prediction for Iowa's primetime clash with Purdue on Saturday evening, but there's still so much more to get to on everyone's favorite weekday.

We've been releasing viewing guides throughout the 2026 season featuring games that Hawkeye fans should pay attention to for that respective week, but we're mixing it up in the month of November.

This guide remains filled with our thoughts on other college football games, but here's the twist: every game on this list will have College Football Playoff implications for Iowa. Beating Purdue is obviously the Hawkeyes' first focus, but it could be an even better weekend for Iowa if these results happen, too.

But what results could be helpful for the Hawkeyes? We've got the answer here.

NOTE: All times are Central

Friday

Illinois (6-3, 4-2) @ No. 4 UCLA (9-0, 6-0)

Location: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California

Time/TV: 8 p.m. on FOX

If you've got Friday plans, change them. This may not look like a monumental game for Iowa's playoff chances on paper, but keep in mind that the Hawkeyes will travel to Illinois next weekend. Iowa is lacking ranked wins right now, but you better believe the Fighting Illini will be ranked in the top-20 if they can pull the shocker in Pasadena. Fun matchup here.

No. 14 Houston (7-2, 4-2) @ Colorado (3-6, 1-5)

Location: Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado

Time/TV: 9:15 p.m. on ESPN

This is also a very big game for Iowa's CFP hopes. It's hard to see Houston losing to a really bad Colorado team, but weird things can happen on Friday nights. The Buffaloes may also be playing for their coach's life (Deion Sanders) as well, so you just never know.

Saturday

No. 18 USC (7-2, 4-2) @ No. 9 Indiana (8-1, 5-1)

Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana

Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. on CBS

This is easily the Big Ten game of the week, but Iowa really needs USC to drop another game to eliminate the Trojans from CFP contention. If USC wins, there's a chance it could jump the Hawkeyes in the polls, with Indiana also probably landing above Iowa in that scenario as well.

Florida (5-4, 3-4) @ No. 11 Kentucky (7-2, 5-2)

Location: Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky

Time/TV: 5:15 p.m. on ESPN

Kentucky is a fun story, but Will Stein's Wildcats needed a two-point conversion in overtime to beat South Carolina and LSU. Had those two games gone against Kentucky, it wouldn't be close to sniffing the CFP. Could an inconsistent Florida squad pull off the shocker in Lexington?

Michigan (5-4, 2-4) @ No. 16 Oregon (6-3, 4-2)

Location: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon

Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. on FS1

It's hard to see this struggling Michigan offense winning at Autzen Stadium, but Iowa could use another Oregon loss to end the Ducks' CFP hopes once and for all.

No. 12 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1) @ No. 12 Oklahoma State (6-3, 4-2)

Location: Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma

Time/TV: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

Texas Tech is probably the worst 8-1 team you'll see. The Red Raiders have often struggled against some of the worst teams in the Big 12, but this could be the time it costs them. Oklahoma State can score, but this game will obviously come down to its defense. If the Cowboys can be average there, OSU and Iowa fans get a major win.

No. 13 Wake Forest (8-1, 5-1) @ SMU (7-2, 5-2)

Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas

Time/TV: 11 a.m. on ESPN

This is also a mammoth game for Iowa's CFP chances. Wake Forest has been dominant in ACC outside of Miami, but SMU is its toughest test yet. You should be rooting for a Mustangs home win.