As Halloween weekend arrives ahead of the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings, national championship contenders are bracing for nightmare scenarios on the schedule. The final stretch features several high-stakes games that could define playoff hopes.
Top Contenders and Their Toughest Tests
No. 1 Miami (7-0) travels to North Carolina on Saturday, where the Hurricanes have lost five straight and haven't won in Chapel Hill since 2017. No. 2 Ohio State (6-1) visits USC with freshman quarterback Luke Fahey making his first start after the departure of Julian Sayin. No. 3 Georgia (6-1) heads to No. 12 Ole Miss on Nov. 7, where Rebels playmaker Trinidad Chambliss has torched the Bulldogs in two previous meetings. No. 4 Indiana (7-1) hosts USC on Nov. 14, a matchup that could turn into a track meet against the Hoosiers' sputtering passing game. No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1) welcomes No. 1 Miami on Nov. 7, a clash featuring two Heisman candidates that could revive doubts after last year's 10-2 CFP miss.
No. 6 Utah (7-0) faces a three-game gauntlet culminating at No. 22 Arizona on Nov. 14, with quarterback Noah Fifita capable of upsetting ranked teams. No. 7 UCLA (7-0) meets Illinois on Friday the 13th (Nov. 13), a potential trap game amid coaching speculation around Bob Chesney. No. 8 BYU (6-1) visits No. 6 Utah on Nov. 7 for the Holy War, with the Cougars' CFP hopes hanging in the balance after a loss to UCF.
SEC Heavyweights Navigate November
No. 9 Kentucky (7-1) plays at No. 22 Missouri on Nov. 21, likely with an SEC Championship berth on the line. No. 10 Alabama (6-2) and No. 11 Texas (5-2) both travel to No. 15 LSU on Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 respectively, with the Crimson Tide's margin for error gone after two losses in three games. No. 12 Ole Miss (5-2) hosts Auburn on Saturday in a potential upset alert before the Georgia showdown. No. 13 Texas Tech (6-1) faces No. 22 Arizona at home Saturday, with quarterback Will Hammond under pressure. No. 14 Wake Forest (6-1) visits No. 19 SMU on Nov. 14 after a month-long layoff, while No. 15 LSU (6-2) hosts Alabama on Nov. 7, wary of Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell's athletic ability.
