Iowa vs. Ohio State, UCLA vs. Oregon, more we're watching in Week 8

By RJ Young and Michael Cohen
FOX Sports College Football Writers

Iowa brings its vaunted defense into Columbus on Saturday and will try to slow down C.J. Stroud and the dynamic offense of the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.

That matchup will serve to kick off Week 8 of the college football weekend as the featured game on "Big Noon Kickoff" on FOX.

But we've also got our eyes on a game with huge Pac-12 implications as undefeated UCLA visits one-loss Oregon in Eugene, while Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns visit Mike Gundy's Oklahoma State Cowboys in a key Big 12 game.

Here's what we're looking forward to watching in some of the biggest matchups on Saturday. 

What storylines are you watching in Iowa at No. 2 Ohio State (noon ET; FOX and the FOX Sports app)?

Young: While I've thought the Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in the country for three weeks, their game against Iowa is an opportunity for the defense to prove that it’s elite against the woeful Hawkeye offense.

The Buckeyes are near-30-point favorites against a team that averages fewer than 15 points per game and has struggled to move the ball. OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles hasn't seen his defense give up more than 21 points to any single opponent. Against the Hawkeyes, I want to see the defense dominate in a manner that keeps Iowa out of the end zone altogether. 

Cohen: Iowa entered its bye week with pressure mounting on head coach Kirk Ferentz and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to improve the nation’s most anemic unit. The Hawkeyes travel to Ohio Stadium ranked 131st in total offense at 238.8 yards per game and tied for 127th in scoring offense at 14.7 points per game. Their three leading receivers are tight end Sam LaPorta (30 catches, 278 yards), tight end Luke Lachey (nine catches, 157 yards) and wideout Nico Ragaini (13 catches, 157 yards). With two weeks to prepare, the coaching staff needs to bring new ideas to the table. 

On the Ohio State side of things, head coach Ryan Day said last week he expects star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba to be available vs. Iowa. Smith-Njigba injured his hamstring in the season-opening win over Notre Dame (two catches, three yards), and his only other appearance was a two-catch, 33-yard showing against Toledo. He set school records for receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606) in 2021 and will add to the Buckeyes’ embarrassment of riches on the perimeter.  

What are you watching in No. 14 Syracuse at No. 5 Clemson (Noon ET)?

Cohen: Syracuse’s admission to the ACC in 2013 ushered in a new wave of matchups for fans to enjoy, and despite the vast gulf between the Orange and Clemson on a national scale — one program has posted losing seasons in seven of the last eight years; the other has just one losing season this century — the series has been highly entertaining of late. Two blowout wins for Clemson in 2019 and 2020 were sandwiched between a three-point game last season (17-14 Tigers in New York), a four-point game in 2018 (27-23 Tigers in South Carolina) and a Syracuse upset in 2017 (27-24 Orange in New York).

With the Orange ranked in the top-15 for just the second season in the last 20 years, it’s fair to say this is the program’s biggest game since former coach Paul Pasqualoni prowled the sideline in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The tricky part for Syracuse is maintaining success across a second-half schedule that includes Notre Dame, Florida State and No. 13 Wake Forest. But the possibility for the school’s third 10-win season since 2000 is real.

Young: OK, Syracuse, you think you're good? Prove it. Because up until now you ain't played nobody.

The only ranked win the undefeated Orangemen have played is against a North Carolina State squad that was forced to play without their star starter at quarterback, Devin Leary. Wins against Purdue and Virginia by a combined five points don't exactly inspire confidence that Syracuse can walk into Death Valley and win.

As it stands, though, this game is for ACC supremacy. And the Tigers are developing into a national title contender with each passing week.

If Clemson beats Syracuse, that will be its third win against a ranked opponent, strengthening the Tigers' case as one of the four best teams in the sport.

How about No. 9 UCLA at No. 10 Oregon (3:30 p.m. ET; FOX and the FOX Sports app)?

Young: UCLA is looking for its first 7-0 start since 2005. As the last undefeated program in the Pac-12, it behooves not just the Bruins, but the league, for UCLA to walk out of Auzten with a win — at least if the Pac-12 expects to get a team into the CFP for the first time since 2017. 

After an embarrassing loss to Georgia, Oregon has gone on a six-game winning streak. With a decisive win against UCLA, the Ducks might not just play themselves into the Pac-12 title game but back into consideration for the CFP, if Clemson or TCU trip while marching through the ACC and Big 12, respectively. 

Cohen: The Ducks’ national championship aspirations were dismembered in the season-opening 49-3 loss to Georgia, but head coach Dan Lanning’s team rebounded nicely and has a reasonable chance at reaching 10 wins with only two ranked opponents remaining. Oregon has scored at least 40 points in each of its last five games and ranks ninth in total offense at 512.5 yards per game. Dual-threat quarterback Bo Nix, who joined the Ducks after three seasons at Auburn, has a four-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio and averages 8.3 yards per carry on the ground. How high can the Ducks fly if they win this weekend?

UCLA head coach Chip Kelly has guided the Bruins to a 6-0 start for the first time since 2013 on the strength of a high-powered offense that ranks 12th nationally with 505.7 yards per game. Consecutive wins over ranked opponents Washington and Utah elevated Kelly’s team to a top-10 ranking for the first time since 2015. Star quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who is being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy dark-horse candidate, has 19 total touchdowns and only two interceptions. It’s worth wondering if NFL owners would consider giving Kelly another shot in the big leagues if the Bruins keep rolling. He posted two 10-win seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013-14. 

What are you looking forward to seeing in No. 20 Texas at No. 11 Oklahoma State (3:30 p.m. ET)?

Cohen: The return of star quarterback Quinn Ewers from a sprained clavicle changed the outlook for Texas’ season. Beginning Saturday, the Longhorns enter the most critical juncture of their schedule with consecutive games against No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 17 Kansas State and No. 8 TCU. Three straight wins have propelled Texas to third in the Big 12 standings with only Kansas State and TCU ahead of them. In other words, there’s a direct path for the Longhorns to reach the top of the standings by mid-November if Ewers extends his high-level play.  

Last week’s heartbreaking 43-40 loss to the Horned Frogs means Oklahoma State no longer controls its own destiny in the Big 12. Head coach Mike Gundy’s crew led 27-13 early in the third quarter and 30-16 entering the fourth before allowing two touchdown drives that triggered overtime with TCU. A holding penalty in the second extra session got the Cowboys behind the chains and forced them to settle for a field goal that wasn’t enough to win it. Now the Cowboys need help from whichever teams play TCU the rest of the way. It’s Gundy’s responsibility to ensure concentration doesn’t waiver. 

Young: This game could very well decide who plays in the Big 12 Championship. With both ranked opponents taking losses, this has become a must-win game for both.

The difference likely comes back to Ewers vs. Spencer Sanders. Sanders has finally begun to realize his potential as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and Ewers immediately fulfilled the high expectations for him at UT.

What’s clear is the Longhorns are a top-15 team with Ewers at quarterback. I’ll be interested to see if Derek Mason’s defense can stop the Ewers passing attack and force Bijan Robinson and the Longhorns' run game to beat his Pokes defense. 

What interests you most in No. 7 Ole Miss at LSU (3:30 p.m. ET)?

Young: For the first time this season, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels looks like the kind of player who can beat opposing teams through the air. 

He threw for 300 yards in a loss to Tennessee and for 349 in a win against Florida, while quietly taking great care of the ball — just one interception all season.

As he's rounding into form, I'm curious to find out if he and the Tigers can hand Ole Miss its first loss of the season.

Cohen: Two weeks ago, LSU was stomped by Tennessee at home, 40-13, in the most lopsided defeat of head coach Brian Kelly’s FBS career. The last time Kelly lost by such a wide margin was a 45-17 stumble against Northwood University while serving as head coach at Grand Valley State in 2000. The Tigers responded well enough by notching a 45-35 win at Florida last week, but they’ll face another offensive juggernaut in Death Valley this weekend. 

Head coach Lane Kiffin has the Rebels of Ole Miss rolling at 7-0 and in first place in the SEC West. His high-flying offense is averaging 40.9 points per game behind the third-best ground game in the country. Quarterback Jaxson Dart has combined with tailbacks Quinshon Judkins and Zach Evans to run for 1,695 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns this season. They could gash an LSU defense that is tied for 104th in explosive runs allowed with 11 carries gaining at least 20 yards.

How about No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama (7 p.m. ET)?

Cohen: Alabama’s crushing loss to Tennessee last weekend leaves head coach Nick Saban’s team in a position where it likely has to win out to have a chance at the College Football Playoff. Beginning in 2008 — the second year of the Saban era — Alabama is 11-1 in games following a regular-season loss. The average margin of victory in those games is 25.8 points. There’s little doubt the Crimson Tide will be ready for the chance to stabilize their season. 

Now in his third year at Mississippi State, head coach Mike Leach continues to prove why he’s one of the better program-builders in college football. Leach improved the Bulldogs from four wins during his first season, to seven wins during his second, to a 5-2 start in 2022. The next step is finding ways to hang with the SEC’s elite, which always starts with Alabama. Mississippi State is 6-6 when facing ranked opponents under Leach, but just one of those wins came against a top-10 opponent: Leach’s very first game against No. 6 LSU in 2020. Can he elevate the Bulldogs from good to great?

Young: After a loss to LSU in 2019, Alabama stomped out Mississippi State, 38-7.

After a loss to Texas A&M in 2021, Alabama stomped out Mississippi State, 49-9.

After a loss to Tennessee in 2022, Alabama plays Mississippi State again.

Enjoy that AP ranking while you can, Bulldogs.

What’s worth watching in Minnesota at No. 16 Penn State (7:30 p.m. ET)

Young: This game is likely going to knock the loser out of the race to win the league title. 

Both teams are coming off losses and both have outstanding tailbacks — Mohamed Ibrahim at Minnesota and Nick Singleton at Penn State. 

The player who has the better game, Singleton or Ibrahim, will probably end up on the winning team. But that's only if Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan is healthy enough to play. If he isn't, this game might not be one Minnesota can win. 

Cohen: Minnesota is 4-2 overall but just 1-2 in league play after losing to Purdue and Illinois the last two weeks. A third loss would all but eliminate the Gophers in the Big Ten West despite how unpredictable — and underwhelming — that division seems this season. Saturday’s result might hinge on the health and availability of Morgan, who dropped out of last week’s game with a head injury.

Meanwhile, Penn State was humbled by the Wolverines in a 41-17 defeat that was more lopsided than the final score. But at 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the league, head coach James Franklin’s team is still part of the Big Ten East picture — especially with a chance to host Ohio State later this month. The blowout loss to Michigan was Franklin’s sixth consecutive stumble against ranked opponents dating to last season. He’s under pressure to deliver.

And finally, what catches your eye in No. 17 Kansas State at No. 8 TCU (8 p.m. ET; FS1 and the FOX Sports app)? 

Cohen: The redemption tour for Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez is one of the better stories in college football this season among programs outside the top 10. Martinez transferred to K-State after four uneven years at Nebraska during which he passed for more than 8,000 yards, ran for more than 2,000 yards but also fumbled 25 times and threw 30 interceptions. 

In Manhattan, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Collin Klein is maximizing Martinez’s skill set by lessening the turnover woes. Through six games, Martinez is responsible for 15 total touchdowns without throwing an interception. And though he’s still trying to solve his fumbling problem — four already in 2022 — the Horned Frogs aren’t exactly adept at punching the ball loose. First-year defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie’s group ranks tied for 117th nationally with only two forced fumbles, both of which TCU recovered. Just like it was at Nebraska, the Wildcats will go as far as Martinez can take them.

Young: Texas Christian plays its fourth-straight ranked opponent in the Wildcats. If they get the win, the Horned Frogs will join Tennessee as the only undefeated teams with four ranked wins.

What I'm saying is there's a Tennessee-TCU CFP game in play if each of these teams just keep on winning.

Add this: Texas Christian WR Quentin Johnston caught just 33 passes in 2021. He's already caught 34 passes through seven games this season and will likely put together a 1,000-yard receiving on the Big 12's best team through six games.

He is a certified dude.

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.