CFB Saturday Preview: 5 Games That Shake Up the CFP

The first College Football Playoff rankings are out, and this Saturday is built to blow them up. Five games match ranked teams with playoff spots on the line, and the committee's next rankings drop Tuesday, November 10.

Here's what to watch, game by game, with the lines, the players who decide them and GAPOdds' picks. Rankings are this week's College Football Playoff rankings. Lines are as of Thursday and will move, so check the game pages for the latest.

No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss

7:30 p.m. ET, ABC · Georgia -3.5 · Total 56.5

The game of the week. Georgia (7-1) has been the steadier team, scoring 41 points a game while allowing just under 15. Ole Miss (6-2) scores plenty, at 37 a game, but has given up 24.

The player who decides it: Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, with 2,189 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He's hard to sack and dangerous when defenses blitz. On the other side, Gunner Stockton (1,671 yards, 16 TDs) runs an offense that leans on the ground at 200 rushing yards a game.

Why it matters: a Georgia loss could push the Bulldogs out of the top four.

No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU

3:30 p.m. ET, ABC · LSU -5.5 to -6 · Total 52.5

Both teams are 6-2 and coming off a bye, and the loser's playoff hopes take a big hit. Alabama has won three straight in this series, but Tiger Stadium has been a fortress: LSU's defense has allowed under 9 points a game at home.

Players to watch:

Sam Leavitt, LSU QB: 2,173 yards and 17 touchdowns, with seven passing scores and no interceptions over his last two games.
Keelon Russell, Alabama QB: 2,057 yards and 15 touchdowns, coming off a 311-yard, three-score comeback against Texas A&M.
Princewill Umanmielen, LSU DE: 8.5 sacks against an Alabama line that has allowed 23. This is the matchup to watch.

No. 1 Miami at No. 11 Notre Dame

7:30 p.m. ET, NBC · Notre Dame -5.5 to -7.5 · Total 55.5 to 57.5

Undefeated Miami (8-0) heads to South Bend as an underdog. Notre Dame (7-1) sits right near the playoff cutoff, and a win could knock Miami out of the top spot.

Players to watch:

Darian Mensah, Miami QB: 2,425 yards, 25 touchdowns and just one interception.
Malachi Toney, Miami WR: 1,027 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame QB: 1,849 yards, 18 touchdowns and one interception.
Nolan James Jr., Notre Dame RB: 519 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns.

No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah

Noon ET, ABC · Utah -4.5 · Total 48.5

The Holy War, with playoff stakes. Utah (8-0) is unbeaten. BYU (7-1) would hand the Utes their first loss with a win and boost its own playoff case.

Players to watch:

Devon Dampier, Utah QB: 1,876 passing yards and 18 touchdowns.
Wayshawn Parker, Utah RB: 726 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.
Bear Bachmeier, BYU QB: 1,750 passing yards and 12 touchdowns.

No. 6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee

6:15 p.m. ET, ESPN · Tennessee -6.5 to -7 · Total 50.5

Kentucky (7-1) is having a dream season. Tennessee (6-2) is favored at home, and the Vols' offense runs through the ground.

Players to watch:

DeSean Bishop, Tennessee RB: 957 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Kenny Minchey, Kentucky QB: 1,755 passing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Tennessee's QB split: George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon have shared the job. Check the game page for who's starting.

Don't sleep on these
No. 7 Texas at No. 18 Missouri (noon, ESPN · Texas -2.5): Arch Manning (1,727 yards, 15 TDs) against a Missouri team led by RB Jamal Roberts (1,005 yards, 9 TDs). Texas' Colin Simmons has 10.5 sacks.
Oregon at No. 12 Ohio State (3:30, CBS · OSU -7.5): Jeremiah Smith has 1,067 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, and Julian Sayin has 19 touchdown passes.
No. 8 UCLA at Minnesota (noon, FOX · UCLA -5.5): unbeaten UCLA leans on RB Wayne Knight (680 yards, 12 TDs). The 39.5 total is the lowest of the big games.
West Virginia at Texas Tech (9:30, ESPN · TTU -16.5): the late-night game with the biggest total on the board at 65.5.
The props to watch

These are the GAPOdds top College Football plays of the week:

And the players who keep going over their lines:

Do your homework before kickoff
College Football GAP Report: every Power 4 player with a prop line, his median, our projection, the gap and his Rating. The top 10 are free.
Game Pages: every prop line, spread and total for each game, in one place.
College Football Pick'ems: our call on every game with a Power 4 team.
Team Details: see which defenses are soft against the pass, the run and each position.

Enjoy Saturday, and come talk college props with us at r/GAPodds.