2025 Games of the Slot: Week 14
Your full guide to Hate Week, including what games to watch each and every time slot.
There are a few weeks that are just better than others in the college football calendar. The first week of the season is great. You can’t top New Year’s, even with the current playoff structure. Except you can. There’s one week that rules them all: Hate Week.
This is it, folks. Rivalry Week, or Hate Week as I call it, has arrived. All throughout the weekend are high-level rivalries that are filled with absolute hatred, vitriol and close battles. Last year we saw a lead-up with a bunch of stories and talking heads decrying the fact that rivalries don’t mean that much since the playoff is larger. That was followed by a whole host of donnybrooks and fights and even pepper spraying of players at the Ohio State-Michigan game.
Yeah, this is going to be wild. Plus, the playoff is completely unsettled with pretty much every slot still up for grabs in one way, shape or form.
Buckle up, folks. This is going to be probably the best weekend of football we’ve seen in years.
Friday 12 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 7 Ole Miss at Mississippi State (ABC)
This one is going to get ugly, folks.
Most of that is because of the visiting Rebels, who may or may not possibly maybe potentially have a head coach. Lane Kiffin’s interest in the LSU and Florida jobs are well-documented, with a resolution expecting to come on Saturday after the Egg Bowl. On the field, there shouldn’t be much concern if the Ole Miss team is focused. But they weren’t last time Kiffin had an affair with Auburn three years ago, when the Rebels had a huge talent advantage over their rivals, lost at home and finished 8-5 after distractions took over the season. Now, the players are preaching that they’re locked in and focused on Mississippi State, but who knows the truth?
On Mississippi State’s sideline, a huge boost comes from getting this game in Starkville where there will surely be a hostile environment for the Rebels. Jeff Lebby has his team looking a lot better than last season, even if they’re only 5-6 and 1-6 in-conference. But this is the Egg Bowl, one of the nation’s most hotly-contested rivalries there is. Anything can happen. No, the Bulldogs are not good. No, they shouldn’t even get close to matching Ole Miss. But the Egg Bowl has spawned enough wild, tight finished out of thin air that I’m not discounting this game at all.
Multi-Box Games: 15 Utah at Kansas (ESPN); Iowa at Nebraska (CBS); Ohio at Buffalo (ESPNU)
Utah is still holding onto playoff hopes and should run through Kansas. But the Jayhawks have flashed competence at times. Too bad they have the mold of a team that Utah beats by 20+ points. Iowa’s defense should suffocate Nebraska’s offense down Dylan Raiola, but it’s one of the games on so it ends up here. Finally, the MAC conference championship race is a mess with both Ohio and Buffalo in the mix. While Buffalo can’t make it, this is probably the most consequential game in the conference’s race. Plus, seeing Parker Navarro and the Ohio offense against this Buffalo defense will be fun.
Want to see how all the playoff and conference races break out? Check out this week’s Bracketology article:
3-4 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 4 Georgia at 18 Georgia Tech (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Clean, Old Fashioned Hate delivered big-time last season. Now, the two teams are even better, entering at 10-1 and 9-2 respectively. Notably, this will be a neutral site game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and not on Georgia Tech’s campus, though it stays in Atlanta.
Georgia has the look of the typical Kirby Smart death machine as of late. The offense is getting hot behind Gunner Stockton and Zachariah Branch, who have been a lethal combo down the stretch. The Dawg offense ranks 17th in success rate and 12th in Net EPA/play. The defense has tons of talented players across the board, but the advanced stats don’t love what Georgia’s done on that side of the ball. They are prone to giving up big, long chunk plays, which could spell their downfall. But when the offense is humming like it has been, they too can deliver knockout strikes.
Georgia Tech has looked rough as of late, losers in two of their last three. You can’t really sugar coat it. The defense has been so bad that if Haynes King and the offense even think about slipping up, the game has already been lost. But King almost willed the Yellow Jackets on top of their rivals last season and can do it again against this weaker Dawg defense. Buster Faulkner has schemed up tons of big hitters in the rushing game for Georgia Tech, which is a great strategy to go against the Dawgs’ weakness. If Georgia Tech wants to make the playoffs - their hopes hinge on a win here - they’ll have to win a shootout against Kirby Smart’s Dawgs. That’s a lot to ask, but you best believe Brent Key has his team ready to give every drop of effort in this game.
Multi-Box Games: San Diego State at New Mexico (3:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network); Boise State at Utah State (4 p.m., CBS); Temple at 23 North Texas (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
San Diego State at New Mexico might be the underrated best game of the day. The Aztec defense against a unique Lobo offense will be must watch TV. The flip side may not be as interesting, though, so don’t look too far into that. Boise State, even without Maddux Madsen, is a better team than Utah State, but Bronco Mendenhall has the Aggies able to pull the upset and spoil Boise State’s Mountain West title hopes. Finally, North Texas is set to annihilate Temple even after Eric Morris’s hiring at Oklahoma State was announced. Remember, he’ll finish the season here so sit back and watch the fireworks.
Friday Night
Game of the Slot: 3 Texas A&M at 22 Texas (7:30 p.m., ABC)
This is about as even a game as it gets.
Texas A&M has built a propensity for digging holes for themselves and then pulling themselves out of them. It won’t work here. The Aggie offense, led by offensive coordinator Collin Klein, is built off the run game behind Reuben Owens and Le’Veon Moss and Marcel Reed, then using the pass to attack deep with their plethora of talented wideouts. Texas presents perhaps the best rushing defense A&M has tried this against, though, ranking 10th in EPA/rush. It’ll be up to Marcel Reed, who is in the thick of the Heisman race and could have his Heisman moment in the Lone Star Showdown under the lights in Austin.
The Arch Manning show finally got off the ground last week as Manning did whatever he wanted against Arkansas. Will that be a turning point for the Texas offense? Texas A&M has an unusually porous defense for a team coached by Mike Elko, so the chess match between Elko and Steve Sarkisian isn’t as enticing as it could’ve been. Texas is going to get tested, though. A&M’s secondary is the strength of their defense, especially coupled with Cashius Howell coming off the edge to harass Manning. Without a rushing attack, a one-trick Longhorn offense may not get the job done.
Multi-Box Games: Arizona at Arizona State (9 p.m., FOX); 2 Indiana at Purdue (7:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
The Territorial Cup has high stakes as both teams are within my top 30. Arizona has had a great turnaround under Brent Brennan, especially on the defensive side. But Arizona State has somehow made Jeff Sims look like a great quarterback. How they managed that should be studied. Expect a close matchup here. The same can’t be said of what Indiana is about to do to Purdue. Barry Odom has done a lot of work making Purdue look better, but they’re not ready to make this game even look competitive.
Saturday - 12 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 1 Ohio State at 16 Michigan (FOX)
When you call a rivalry “The Game,” it has a lot to live up to. This one will.
Ohio State is the best team in the nation. Undefeated. National title defense on the eyes. Their only game decided by less than two scores was Week One against Texas, then the Number One team by AP rankings. They have the best defense in the nation. Their quarterback is on pace to set a single-season completion percentage record. They’re good. Except against one team: Michigan. Ryan Day can’t get the Wolverines off his back no matter how hard he tries. He blunted Columbus’s pitchforks by winning the national championship, but this is a win he needs.
Michigan, though, is following the same strategy they always do: peak at the right time. The defense has been good all year. But the offense is starting to really click. Bryce Underwood has passed most of his tests this year and is getting better each and every week as a passer. But he hasn’t seen anything like this Ohio State defense yet. Especially down to their third-string running back, the pressure is on Underwood to deliver.
We also have to consider the weather that looks to be below freezing with high winds and a decent chance of snow. I hope you like Big Ten football.
Multi-Box Games: 13 Miami at 17 Pittsburgh (ABC); Toledo at Central Michigan (ESPN+); Kentucky at Louisville (ACC Network)
Miami holds the cards in this game. If the offense can attack a shaky Pittsburgh seconday and Carson beck doesn’t turn it over, the Canes can get a solid win. If the defense falters and mistakes plague Miami as we’ve seen before, Mason Heintschel and Pitt can shock everyone. Toledo and Central Michigan are both alive in the MAC for a spot against Western Michigan. Keep an eye on CMU trying to establish the run against a Toledo rush defense that is among the best in the nation. Kentucky finally has some positive momentum around quarterback Cutter Boley and Louisville is floundering without Miller Moss. With both program seeing a harsh 180-degree turn in recent weeks, this game has chaotic rivalry tilt written all over it.
3-4 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 12 Vanderbilt at Tennessee (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Who would’ve thought that Vanderbilt would have a serious game this late in the season?
The Commodores are here because of one man: Diego Pavia. Their diminutive quarterback has swaggered his way through the SEC for another season and is a legitimate Heisman contender. The offense runs through Pavia in the air, on the ground, and in your heart. That’s not to say there isn’t talent, though. Tennessee’s front seven got hit hard by the draft last year, so Sedrick Alexander will be able to make some chunk rushes that can turn the tide of the game. And I’m still trying to figure out who is covering Eli Stowers. Consider all that and Pavia doing Pavia things and you may have 10-win Vanderbilt in the year of our Lord 2025.
Tennessee is going to pump those brakes, though, because where is the pass defense? Vandy ranks 104th in defensive success rate against the pass. Joey Aguilar is going to feast with his speedy receivers ready to take the top off this Commodore defense. Granted, Vandy has an opportunistic defense that can force turnovers against a quarterback that’s prone to turning the ball over. That may be the key determinant in this game: Can Tennessee protect the football while taking the deep shots we know they will? If so, Aguilar and the Vols should make mincemeat out of the Commodore secondary.
Multi-Box Games: Wake Forest at Duke (3:30 p.m., ACC Network); 5 Oregon at Washington (3:30 p.m., CBS); Florida State at Florida (4:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Wake Forest has looked surprisingly strong in Jake Dickert’s first season, but Duke has been a much better team since conference play started. The Blue Devil offense against a stout Demon Deacon defense is going to be a key matchup in not just this game, but the ACC and CFP races. We talked about Ryan Day not getting Michigan off his back, Washington has Dan Lanning’s number. Demond Williams and Jonah Coleman are an elite tandem and will give the Duck defense fits. But can Washington slow down the Oregon offense? Our Sunshine State battle is one that is going to be atrocious. Watch at your own risk. Both teams and fan bases desperately want a win here, and with nothing to lose for either program, is has all the makings of a Sicko classic.
Wondering where these rankings are coming from? Check out this week’s SID Sports Top 25!
6-8 p.m. EST
Game of the Slot: 10 Alabama at Auburn (7:30 p.m., ABC)
The Iron Bowl is a game of moments. The Kick Six. Fourth and 31. What does this year have in store?
Like many recent years, Alabama is the clear favorite here, but they stumbled against Oklahoma in a major way, with the offense looking like a shell of itself. Ty Simpson was lost against the Sooner defense and Auburn has a similarly elite unit. They rank 14th in defensive success rate and have the second best rush defense by success rate. It’s a good thing Alabama doesn’t want to run the ball, because Auburn wouldn’t let it happen. But how will Alabama deal with Keldric Faulk, Xavier Atkins and the Tiger pass rush? R. Mason Thomas was a problem when the Tide faced Oklahoma and Faulk may be better than him.
Auburn has an interim head coach, nothing to lose, and Jordan-Hare voodoo on their side. This has the makings of an all-timer. Freshman quarterback Deuce Knight has seen some action in recent weeks and has reinvigorated the offense, making them look like a competent team instead of whatever the Jackson Arnold stuff was. Remember, this is an Auburn team that took Vanderbilt to overtime because of their offensive play, not because of that great defense. I don’t know if there’s any more chaotic program than Auburn in the nation and this team is a special version of that.
Multi-Box Games: Virginia Tech at 14 Virginia (7 p.m., ESPN); 24 SMU at California (8 p.m., ESPN2); North Carolina at NC State (7:30 p.m., ACC Network)
Virginia Tech does not have James Franklin on the sideline, but Virginia has played with fire all year. Could they get burned in a rivalry game against an opponent riding high on an elite coaching hire? SMU should handle California with ease, but you bet interim head coach Nick Rolovich is going to turn Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele loose to try to make this a fun game. A Cal upset is a massive wrench in ACC and playoff races. North Carolina at NC State isn’t a great game on the surface, but actually holds a lot of playoff and ACC weight. A North Carolina win benefits Duke, SMU and Virginia. An NC State win helps Miami. And that’s after the prescribed chaos some of the earlier games will wreak on the picture.
West Coast After Dark
Game of the Slot: Wyoming at Hawaii (11 p.m., Scripps Sports)
Yeah, there’s not much on late, is there?
Wyoming isn’t very good. Like, at all. They’re 4-7 and don’t have much to hang their hats on. Except, wait…what is that defense? That’s right, a 4-7 Wyoming Cowboys team ranks 14th in defensive Net EPA/play, 22nd in success rate and 25th in Net EPA/drive. They’re allowing only 19.9 points per game, which ranks 23rd in the nation. So what if the offense isn’t good? The defense is great! Linebacker Brayden Johnson is the lifeblood of the Cowboy defensive side, but he may not get tested too much. Still, he’s versatile in the run and pass games and will make his mark somehow, whether that’s a big sack, batted ball or even a pick.
You know what you’re getting from the Hawaii offense: fireworks. Timmy Chang’s run and shoot is exactly what you want to see from the Rainbow Warriors and Micah Alejado is running it well. That’s why Hawaii is 7-4, after all. Watching this offense work against the Wyoming defense is why this game gets Game of the Slot treatment. It’s by far the best matchup on late at night, even if the flip side of the ball may be a putrid nightmare. You’re still going to see some great gamesmanship in the midst of a Sicko-fest. What more could you ask for from a 11:00 p.m. Eastern kickoff college football game?
Multi-Box Game: 9 Notre Dame at Stanford (10:30 p.m., ESPN); Fresno State at San Jose State (10:30 p.m., FS1)
Notre Dame will not be challenged by Stanford. But, if you want to see a helmet team play, here’s your opportunity. Fresno State-San Jose State may be the closest game of the night, but neither team is that great. I’d pick one of the other games to see more top-level play, but that’s just my opinion.
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