Biggest Question Facing Each Top 25 Team Heading into Week 10
As we head into Week 10 of the CFB 2013 season, each team is facing tough questions surrounding its preparations.
Florida State and Miami are trying to figure each other out in what will be one of the biggest games of the year, while Michigan and Michigan State will also try to make statements in their rivalry games.
Now, check out the biggest questions facing each Top 25 team in Week 10.
*Note: BCS rankings are used throughout this article.
No. 25 Notre Dame: How Will It Stop the Navy Rushing Attack?
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish find themselves ranked in the BCS standings and are on the fringes of a BCS berth. This week, they face the Navy Midshipmen, who have the nation's 10th-best rushing attack behind dual-threat quarterback Keenan Reynolds.
Stopping that rushing attack will be the biggest concern for Notre Dame as it looks to make a late-season charge.
The Fighting Irish rank 42nd in rush defense, so it will certainly be interesting to see if the team's front line is up to the task of slowing down Reynolds and Co.
No. 24 Wisconsin: How Will It Handle a Feisty Iowa Team?
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Winners of three of their last four games, the Wisconsin Badgers are quietly one of the Big Ten's most dangerous teams.
But now they have to face one of the conference's feistiest teams, the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes are 5-3 overall and are coming off an emotional overtime win over Northwestern. They've also played close games against Ohio State and Michigan State this season, so Wisconsin will have to be careful this week.
What could make this matchup even more intriguing is whether or not Iowa—which ranks 24th in rush defense—can stop the eighth-ranked rushing attack of Wisconsin.
No. 23 UCF: How Is It Handling Its Bye Week?
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With a 3-0 record in AAC play, including the huge upset win over Louisville on Oct. 18, the UCF Knights control their own destiny to an automatic berth into a BCS bowl game.
This week, the Knights get to sit at home while the rest of the conference beats up on each other a little bit.
After its bye week, though, UCF faces the Houston Cougars, who are also undefeated in conference play. So that game is certainly circled on both teams' calendars.
UCF has the privilege of having an extra week to get healthy for what is now the biggest game of the season. Should the Knights win over Houston, they should be able to coast to the finish line and a BCS berth.
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No. 22 Michigan State: Will the Spartans Silence the Critics?
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Don't look now, but the Michigan State Spartans have quietly become one of just two remaining unbeaten teams in Big Ten play (the other is Ohio State). The team is also 7-1 overall, with its only loss coming to Notre Dame.
A win on Saturday against in-state rival Michigan puts the Spartans squarely in the driver's seat for a berth into the Big Ten title game.
Yet, despite the terrific season Michigan State is having, it still finds itself on the outside looking in of the Top 20.
Michigan State has one of the best defenses in the country, ranking third in points allowed (12.3). If the team can set the tone on that side of the ball and beat the Wolverines, you've got to think the Spartans will shoot up the rankings.
No. 21 Michigan: Which Wolverines Team Will Show Up?
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The Michigan Wolverines have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the country this year. So the big question is this: What Michigan team will show up against the Michigan State Spartans?
In Week 2, the Wolverines looked like one of the nation's best teams in front of a record crowd at the Big House, beating Notre Dame 41-30. But in their next two games, they struggled to beat Akron and UConn. Then, on Oct. 12, they lost in overtime to Penn State.
Despite the inconsistencies, though, the Wolverines are still one of the nation's most dangerous teams at 6-1 overall, and they still control their own destiny to the Big Ten title game.
Michigan ranks eighth in the nation in scoring (42.4), so that will certainly come in handy against the Spartans' stout defense.
No. 20 UCLA: Can the Bruins' Slide End Against Colorado?
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The UCLA Bruins looked like one of the nation's best teams earlier in the year. But after two straight losses to Stanford and Oregon, the Bruins have fallen out of the limelight and are looking to bounce back.
A date with Colorado is a good time to do just that. The Buffaloes are 0-4 in Pac-12 play and give up just over 37 points per game.
That's good news for the Bruins, who rank 33rd in the nation in scoring.
No. 19 Louisville: Does Teddy Bridgewater Even See the Field in the 2nd Half?
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After Louisville's devastating loss to the UCF Knights, the team bounced back with a blowout win over South Florida last week. Now, the Cardinals are going up against another cupcake team in the UConn Huskies, who are 0-7 this season.
UConn is ranked 117th in scoring and 108th in points allowed, according to ESPN. With Louisville being ranked second in the nation in points allowed and 22nd in scoring, it's easy to think the Cardinals will roll over the Huskies.
So the biggest question is whether or not Teddy Bridgewater will even see the second half before the coaching staff yanks him.
If the Cardinals build a more than comfortable lead early, expect the coaches to pull their star quarterback early.
No. 18 Oklahoma State: Can the Cowboys Pounce on a Vulnerable Texas Tech Squad?
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys are looking for a defining win in 2013, and Week 10 provides the perfect opportunity.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are reeling from their first loss of the season last week, a 38-30 nail-biter against Oklahoma. Now, the Cowboys will look to follow the blueprint laid down by the Sooners and prove to the country that Texas Tech was a fad.
Oklahoma State just creamed the Iowa State Cyclones last week in a game in which the Cowboys established the tempo of the game on the ground with Desmond Roland. If the Cowboys can do that again this week and keep Texas Tech off the field, they could be poised for the upset.
No. 17 Northern Illinois: How Many Total Touchdowns Will Jordan Lynch Have?
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In the last two games, Jordan Lynch has racked up 10 total touchdowns—five passing, four rushing, one receiving.
Now, as the Northern Illinois Huskies prepare to face off against the UMass Minutemen, who rank 93rd in total defense, the only question to ask is how many touchdowns will Lynch rack up?
Lynch is slowly but surely beefing up his Heisman Trophy resume. If he leads the Huskies to an undefeated season and the program's second straight BCS berth, it will be hard not to consider him a finalist for college football's highest honor.
No. 16 Fresno State: Will Derek Carr Bury Nevada Early?
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The Fresno State Bulldogs struggled to put away a troublesome San Diego State squad, winning just 35-28 in overtime.
But now, the Bulldogs face off against the Nevada Wolf Pack, who rank just 55th in pass defense and 111th in points allowed.
Derek Carr is at the helm of the nation's seventh-best scoring offense, so the Bulldogs should run away with this game. And if Fresno State is looking to prove that last week was a fluke, you better believe Carr will be deadly coming out of the gates in Week 10.
No. 15 Texas Tech: Will the Red Raiders Rebound Against Oklahoma State?
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If Texas Tech wants to prove that it's a legitimate threat for the Big 12 title, then it has to win against the Oklahoma State Cowboys this week.
The Red Raiders are trying to bounce back from their first loss of the season after falling to Oklahoma last week, 38-30. While the game was close, it was the first time all year that the Red Raiders faced a Top 20 team.
Now, Kliff Kingsbury has to draw up a game plan for another Top 20 team in the Cowboys. A loss would almost surely knock Texas Tech from Big 12 contention and out of the rankings altogether. But a win would put the team right back in the driver's seat for a Big 12 title.
No. 14 South Carolina: Can the Gamecocks Stay Hot Against Mississippi State?
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The South Carolina Gamecocks finally got a signature win with their upset of Missouri last week. Now, Steve Spurrier will look to keep up the momentum against a struggling Mississippi State team this week.
The Bulldogs have struggled to a 4-3 record this season, but they have won three of their last four games.
However, the 6-2 Gamecocks are clearly the better team in this matchup, so the important thing for them will be to not let the energy from last week's win go to waste with a poor effort.
No. 13 LSU: How Are the Tigers Approaching the Bye Week Before 'Bama?
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LSU gets this week off, but the Tigers are in full prep mode for their highly anticipated matchup with the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide next week.
The week off is certainly a great time for the team to get some much-needed R&R, as this is the team's first bye week all year.
If the Tigers can pull off the upset two weeks from now, it will surely shake up the entire college football landscape. But for now, the Tigers are surely content to recover from a long start to the season.
No. 12 Texas A&M: Can Johnny Football Stay Healthy?
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Despite dealing with a shoulder injury sustained in Texas A&M's loss to Auburn, Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel still started and shined against Vanderbilt last week.
Now, the Aggies will get a break from SEC play, as they'll host a 1-6 UTEP Miners team on Saturday.
With the Aggies nearly out of contention for an SEC title but still vying for an at-large BCS berth, you've got to think that the top priority for Kevin Sumlin this week is keeping his quarterback healthy.
The Miners certainly aren't much of a threat to the Aggies, so as long as Texas A&M takes care of business early, Manziel could be yanked by the second half.
No. 11 Auburn: Where Is Nick Marshall's Health At?
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According to Brandon Marcello of AL.com, Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall is still listed as "day-to-day" after injuring his throwing shoulder against FAU last week:
"The junior has practiced all week, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Thursday on Tiger Talk radio, but Auburn is taking it "day by day" with his injured throwing shoulder. Backup Jeremy Johnson is taking "almost equal reps" with the first-team offense in practice, Malzahn said.
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While Jeremy Johnson is certainly a capable backup against Arkansas, the team the Tigers face this week, Marshall's performance against Texas A&M surely has Auburn wanting him back on the field as soon as possible.
At 0-4 in the SEC, Arkansas doesn't pose much of a threat. But if injury problems continue to plague Marshall, it could be interesting to see how that affects Auburn in the long run.
No. 10 Oklahoma: How Is It Preparing for Baylor's Offense?
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You can never have enough time to prepare for an offense like Baylor's.
That's why the Oklahoma Sooners have got to be loving the bye week this week as they game-plan for the Bears, whom they play next Thursday.
The Sooners are fresh off a win against previously undefeated Texas Tech and have found their way into the Top 10 of the BCS standings.
But if Oklahoma wants a blueprint to beat Baylor, it should look at game film of the Bears' matchup with Kansas State. The Wildcats nearly upset the Bears in Manhattan and actually trailed Baylor in total offense by just one yard.
K-State was able to establish the tempo on the ground that game, with quarterback Daniel Sams and running back John Hubert combining for 289 yards rushing.
Oklahoma ranks 15th in the nation in rushing, so that is certainly a strength the Sooners could use.
No. 9 Missouri: Can It Stave off an Upset Bid from Tennessee?
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Despite losing to South Carolina last week, the Missouri Tigers still control their own destiny to the SEC title game.
In order to stay in control, though, they'll have to hold off a dangerous Tennessee Volunteers team this week. Keep in mind, the Volunteers upset South Carolina just one week before the Gamecocks beat the Tigers.
Although Tennessee is just 4-4 this season, it has that win over South Carolina and also barely lost to a sixth-ranked Georgia team in overtime on Oct. 5.
The Tigers are looking to keep their dream season alive, so fending off a potentially dangerous Tennessee team has got to the top priority.
No. 8 Clemson: Can the Tigers Find Their Stride Again?
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The Clemson Tigers seem to have hit a bit of a slump in the past two weeks. They got demolished by Florida State at home 51-14, then barely beat a mediocre Maryland team 40-27 on the road.
Now, the Tigers hit the road for the second straight week, this time to Charlottesville, Va. to face the Virginia Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers rank 29th in the nation in pass defense, so Tajh Boyd could be in for a bit of a tough day. But if he can find the stride he had earlier in the season, the Tigers should be able to bounce back against UVA.
No. 7 Miami: Are the Hurricanes for Real in 2013?
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Miami has quietly risen to the ranks this season, and at 7-0, the Hurricanes find themselves in the Top 10 of the BCS standings. But now they face by far their toughest test of the season, hitting the road to face the third-ranked Florida State Seminoles.
A loss in this game would all but end the team's national title hopes. But a win could vault the Hurricanes up in the standings and would undoubtedly prove to America that Duke Johnson and Co. are among the best in the land.
It will have to be Johnson who establishes the tone in this huge matchup, as he has in games against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest this season.
Florida State ranks 30th in rush defense, so Johnson has a huge task ahead of him. But if he can establish a tempo and keep Jameis Winston off the field, the Hurricanes have a shot at one of the biggest upsets of the season.
No. 6 Baylor: Will a Week off Help as It Prepares to Face Its First Ranked Team?
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The Baylor Bears have cruised to a 7-0 record and have the nation's most prolific offense. But a big part of their early success is that they have yet to face a BCS conference team with a winning record.
Baylor has a bye this week, but it will take on the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners next Thursday.
Oklahoma is red-hot after upsetting previously undefeated Texas Tech one week ago. You've got to think that the Bears are a little unsettled by that.
But with a week off, Art Briles and Co. should have enough time to mentally and strategically prepare for Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners.
No. 5 Stanford: How Does the Week off Help Stanford's Chances Against Oregon?
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You've got to think that Stanford loves having the extra time to prepare for Oregon's high-flying offense.
After losing to Utah on Oct. 12, the Cardinal have somehow found their way back into the fringes of the national title conversation, as they rank fifth in the BCS standings. A win over Oregon would surely boost Stanford's chances at reaching that goal.
This week is also Stanford's first bye week of the entire season (the team didn't have a game in Week 1). So the extra time to get guys healthy for the biggest game of the season will be crucial.
But Oregon will also have that advantage, so the Cardinal can't bank solely on having the extra days.
Stanford gets to watch from home this weekend, and the anticipation surrounding the Cardinal program couldn't be higher.
No. 4 Ohio State: Can It Keep the Momentum After Blowout of Penn State?
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Ohio State played its best game of the season last week, beating the Penn State Nittany Lions 63-14. The 49-point loss was Penn State's worst loss in 114 years, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN).
Now, the big question is whether or not Ohio State—who, at times, has looked shaky despite maintaining the nation's longest winning streak at 20 games—can keep up the momentum gained from that outing.
The Buckeyes face Purdue on the road, so it's hard to imagine that Ohio State will walk out with a loss. But if it plays like it did against teams like Buffalo and Iowa, it could be a longer day than it should be for the Buckeyes.
No. 3 Florida State: Can It Set the Tone Against the "U"?
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Florida State was able to dominate Clemson two weeks ago because it set the tone in the game early and often. Jameis Winston and the Seminoles will have to do that again when undefeated Miami comes into town.
The Hurricanes are a team that grinds out wins with their ground attack, led by running back Duke Johnson. Their defense has also played extraordinarily this season, ranking 18th in total defense. No team the Seminoles have faced this season ranks higher in that category.
If Miami is able to hang around longer than it should, Johnson could simply wear down the Seminoles defense as the game progresses. But if Winston gets the FSU offense rolling early, Florida State could just run away with the game like it did against Clemson.
No. 2 Oregon: Where Is the Ducks' Mindset with the Week off Before Stanford?
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The Oregon Ducks have proven they are the real deal this year, with two wins over ranked teams over the last three weeks. But now, their rematch with the Stanford Cardinal, the team that ruined Oregon's BCS national title hopes last year, is on the horizon.
Oregon has a bye week this weekend but faces Stanford next Thursday. Both teams are ranked in the Top Five, and the winner will likely be in the driver's seat for a Pac-12 title.
This weekend is the Ducks' first bye week in over a month, so the team finally gets a few extra days to rest up before its biggest game of the year.
If Mark Helfrich uses the extra time to prepare for Tyler Gaffney and the Cardinal properly, it should put Oregon on the inside track to a BCS national title berth.
No. 1 Alabama: How Are the Crimson Tide Approaching the Bye Before LSU?
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The nation's top-ranked team has this week off, but that doesn't mean Nick Saban and Co. aren't hard at work.
Week 11 will see the renewal of one of college football's greatest rivalries when the Crimson Tide take on the LSU Tigers. Both teams have a bye week this week, and how each team approaches the week off will be critical.
Alabama is 8-0 and has comfortably won seven games by double digits. But the Crimson Tide haven't had a bye week since early September, so healing the bumps and bruises of a long season will be crucial this weekend.
Next week's game is sure to shape the landscape of college football as we head into the final part of the season. But for now, Alabama gets to watch from home as it prepares for the biggest game of the year.
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