Hard to believe that next weekend is the halfway point of the college football season.  And, with that, you'll see more and more crucial games on the schedules as teams get deep into conference play.

Here are some games that are interesting this weekend

TEXAS (4-1, 2-0) (+7) vs. OKLAHOMA (5-0, 2-0) (Cotton Bowl, Dallas)--11am--FOX --Tom Herman's club has bounced back nicely after their opening loss to Maryland, including a spanking of TCU two weeks ago.  Oklahoma is scoring a lot of points, albeit against a weaker schedule.  If the Sooners are going to turn the heads of the College Football Playoff Committee, it starts this weekend.

BOSTON COLLEGE (4-1, 1-0) (+5') at NC STATE (4-0, 1-0)---11:30am, ACC Network--WIth Florida State much weaker than expected and Miami still a question mark, identifying the team that is Clemson's biggest challenger in the ACC isn't clear by a long shot.  NC State has been impressive.  Unfortunately, their game against West Virginia was cancelled due to Hurricane Florence, which will really hurt the Wolfpack SOS.  Boston College is no pushover...in fact, they are probably the best team NC State has played this year.

LSU (5-0, 2-0) (-2') at FLORIDA (4-1, 2-1) 2:30 pm CBS--LSU has already cleared a pair of hurdles in their toughest schedule maybe ever.  Here's another one.  Joe Burrow has been impressive in the last two games, but it will be interesting to see what happens against this Gators' defense.  I don't see a lot of points being scored in this one.  LSU has been one of the best in the nation at valuing possession of the football.  That needs to continue if they are to get win #6.

KENTUCKY (5-0, 3-0) (+6) at TEXAS A&M (3-2, 1-1) 6:00 pm  ESPN--Kentucky has been the surprise team in the SEC and maybe the entire country so far.  Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi State have fallen in league play already.  But that Wildcats' defense will be tested in College Station this week.  A&M is only 3-2 but their losses are to Clemson and Alabama.  This is a "show me" game for UK.

NOTRE DAME (5-0) (-7) at VIRGINIA TECH (3-1) 7:00 pm ABC--The Irish have cleared all of their hurdles so far and their wins over Michigan and Stanford are impressive.  Now the schedule becomes more favorable and this might be (at least on paper) their toughest game remaining.  The Hokies have an inexplicable loss to Old Dominion, but they are normally pretty tough in Blacksburg.  Do they have enough to pull the upset.  Irish fans will be awfully loud the rest of the season if this one goes their way.

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