Planning Your Bye Week Saturday

We’ve already talked about what you should be both watching and rooting for in the American Athletic Conference this weekend. However, with all three league games kicking off around 7 p.m. EST, there is a whole chunk of time that will go uncalled for.

Never fear. With Cincinnati on a bye, here’s your road map to a perfect college football Saturday.

10 a.m.- 12 p.m. - Watch College GameDay from Madison, Wisconsin

You work hard. Sleep in a bit and then pour yourself a bowl of the sugary cereal of your choice and watch the staple of college football pregame coverage.

12 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - NC State (4-1) at No. 3 Clemson (6-0), ABC

Clemson is really, really good but we all knew that. DeShaun Watson also is really, really good. We just sort of forgot that because the Tigers weren’t putting up 50-point routs. That was until last week. On the other side, NC State is good? The Wolfpack is 5-1 and just beat Notre Dame so maybe. Here’s our chance to find out.

On the second TV: No. 20 West Virginia (4-0) at Texas Tech (3-2), FS1

3:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. - No. 1 Alabama (6-0) at No. 9 Tennessee (5-1), CBS

Remember Butch Jones? He’s coaching Tennessee now and the Volunteers are pretty good, maybe even very good. Their modus operandi has been to go down big and then storm back and gift us all with a heart attack inducing final few minutes. It worked extremely well against Georgia.

But not so much last week in a 45-38 double-overtime loss on the road to No. 8 Texas A&M.

Meanwhile, Alabama has been busy doing Alabama things but it did get a scare from Ole Miss on the road. Perhaps the Volunteers can finish the job the Rebels started, although going with the go down big early and comeback strategy is less likely to be effective against a Nick Saban squad.

On the second TV: North Carolina (4-2) at No. 16 Miami-Florida (4-1), ABC/ESPN2

7 p.m. - 8 p.m. - Take a quick break and then flip back and forth between the three AAC games to see if one catches your attention.

UConn at USF (CBSSN) and Tulsa at No. 13 Houston (ESPN2) both start at 7 p.m. and Temple visits UCF at 7:30 (ESPNU). Smart money is on the Houston game being one to watch because it could be one of those games where Greg Ward Jr. has his way with a less than great defense and puts up 500 yards and five touchdowns.

8 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. - No. 2 Ohio State (5-0) at No. 8 Wisconsin (4-1), ABC

Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett has accounted for 19 total touchdowns for the Buckeyes, who are playing better than just about anybody in the entire galaxy. They have absolutely decimated all that have stood in their path, with an average margin of victory of 42.4 points and that includes the beatdown it gave to then No. 14 Oklahoma in Norman.

Wisconsin is returning home after a tough journey through the Great Lake State where it busted past Michigan State and then fell just short against No. 4 Michigan. Ranked third in the Big Ten in total defense behind, oh, what a coincidence, Ohio State, the Badgers will give the Buckeyes everything they’ve got, which could lead to an instant classic.

On the second TV: If none of the AAC games provide must interest, either No. 12 Ole Miss (3-2) at No. 22 Arkansas (4-2) on ESPN or Arizona State (5-1) at Colorado (4-2) on the Pac-12 Network.

11:30 p.m. - ? - Tune in for the second half of Colorado State (3-3) at No. 15 Boise State (5-0) and hope UCLA at Washington State provides some #Big12AfterDark

If you still need more football to watch at this point, those are your best options.