What to Watch for in Week Six

After several weeks filled with high-profile, ranked matchups, Week 6 might seem underwhelming on paper. However, while there may not be any blockbuster showdowns like Alabama vs. Georgia, there are still plenty of under-the-radar games with significant implications for the teams involved.

Syracuse-Unlv

One of the most intriguing games of the weekend will kickoff on Friday night in Las Vegas. Earlier this week, I wrote about how 25th-ranked UNLV has been one of the surprise teams of the 2024 season, and now they face perhaps their toughest test yet against Kyle McCord and the Syracuse Orange.

After transferring from Ohio State, McCord has been a polarizing figure for Syracuse. While he’s thrown five interceptions in just four games, he also ranks second in the ACC with 14 touchdowns and leads the conference in passing yards per game, averaging nearly 365 yards. On the other side, the Rebels are riding the momentum of a 4-0 start, despite the unexpected midseason departure of quarterback Matthew Sluka.

This matchup is so intriguing because, while UNLV has looked impressive and could potentially be the best Group of Five team in the country, they haven’t faced a passing attack like Syracuse yet this season. While Kansas and Houston were both good wins, Houston’s offense has been one of the worst in the country and while Kansas is strong on the ground, they have struggled to find consistency throwing the football. McCord will be the toughest quarterback UNLV has faced so far, and it will be interesting to see if he can end their undefeated run on Friday night.

Missouri-Texas a&m

After a successful 11-2 season, Missouri had high expectations going into this season. While they are undefeated, it has been a bit of a rocky start to the 2024 season for the 9th-ranked Tigers. Missouri had a smooth runway of four home games to open the season where they have been double-digit favorites in each. After a solid 27-21 win over Boston College, the Tigers struggled against Vanderbilt, narrowly escaping with a 30-27 overtime win thanks to a missed field goal.

Missouri’s passing offense was projected to be one of the best in the nation, and though it's been effective, it hasn’t fully lived up to expectations so far. That will need to change on Saturday. This Texas A&M defense is for real and the environment at Kyle Field will be absolutely electric. Nobody has scored more than 23 points against this Aggie defense, and even when the Irish did, a lot of those points were due to costly turnovers. This defensive line is one of the best in the country and Missouri is yet to face a team with guys coming off the edge like Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart.

Tennessee-Arkansas

The Arkansas Razorbacks are just a couple plays away from being 5-0 and one of the most talked-about teams in the SEC. Instead, they blew a 21-7 lead in a loss to Oklahoma State and then lost a tight 21-17 contest to rival Texas A&M last weekend. However, this team is no pushover and they will be all in for this game. With the nation watching the 7:30 primetime showdown, you can expect Fayetteville to be absolutely electric on Saturday night.

On the field, a few key factors will determine the outcome. First, how does Arkansas hold up against this Tennessee pass rush? By now, everyone knows that the Vols have one of the best defensive lines in the country. While James Pierce garners most of the attention, it’s not just him—Tennessee’s front seven ranks third nationally in defensive havoc rate, causing problems for opposing offensive lines all season. Last week against Texas A&M, Arkansas allowed an alarming 30% havoc rate, with 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. The protection in both the passing and rushing offense will have to be better this weekend if they want any shot of upsetting Tennessee.

Another key for Arkansas will be maintaining their explosiveness on offense. The Razorbacks have been solid but have relied heavily on big plays to move the ball, often struggling when those aren’t there. For instance, in the loss to Oklahoma State, Arkansas racked up over 600 yards of offense, with quarterback Taylen Green accounting for over 450. Yet, despite the gaudy yardage totals, they only posted a 42% success rate and even had a negative rushing PPA in the second half. Their ability to create explosive plays was crucial to their offensive success. For Tennessee, I would expect the game plan should be to limit those big plays. Keep everything in front, and force Arkansas to sustain long drives to score.

Michigan-Washington

In a game that has flown somewhat under the radar, we’ll see a National Championship rematch on Saturday night. While both teams feature new coaches, quarterbacks, and almost entirely different rosters, 10th-ranked Michigan heads to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies in what promises to be a thrilling matchup.

The Huskies return to action after dropping a heartbreaking 21-18 loss at Rutgers last Friday, where three missed three field goals came back to bite them. Overall, all of the Huskies advanced metrics look very strong. They have a high success rate, both offensively and defensively on the season, but they have not played a team like Michigan. While the Michigan offense isn’t the most dynamic, they have athletes on a different level than any of Washington's previous opponents. Michigan’s size, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines with standouts like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, could present matchup problems for the Huskies.

That said, just because Washington hasn’t faced a team like Michigan doesn’t mean they can’t beat them. The Huskies are even slight favorites as of right now and we should be in for a fantastic showdown on Saturday night.

Miami-California

Finally, we have what some might consider the best game of the weekend. ESPN’s College Gameday will make its first-ever trip to Berkeley, California, as the 3-1 Golden Bears face off against the undefeated, 8th-ranked Miami Hurricanes.

The first key to this game is familiar: can Cal block Miami’s front? The Golden Bears have already faced Auburn and Florida State, and while neither team is quite as good as Miami, both possess a similar level of athleticism in the front seven. In those matchups—especially against Florida State—Cal struggled across the offensive line, allowing an 18% havoc rate that included 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks. If Miami’s front seven causes similar disruption, it could spell trouble for a Cal offense that’s been inconsistent at times this season.

On the defensive side, Cal has been surprisingly solid. The Golden Bears have yet to allow more than 14 points in a game and are boasting an impressive 27.8% defensive havoc rating. But Miami’s offense is on another level compared to Auburn or Florida State. Quarterback Cam Ward is one of the leading Heisman candidates, ranking second in the country in passing yards and leading the nation with 18 touchdowns. With explosive weapons like Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo, the Hurricanes present a challenge that Cal’s defense has yet to face. The Golden Bears will likely need a 'bend but don’t break' approach, aiming for red zone stops or turnovers to slow down Miami’s high-octane offense.