The Week 9 list will be interesting before the weekend even starts.

On Thursday night, No. 20 Pitt faces a tough test against Kyle McCord and Syracuse, while the Panthers look to remain undefeated. Both teams have a bye week and with a win there is a good chance the Dutch will jump into the AP poll, as they were among the others to receive votes last week.

That will be followed by a big Group of Five showdown on Friday night when No. 15 Boise State travels to UNLV to stay in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. Both teams are 5-1 coming off a bye week, and they are tied atop the Mountain West standings.

Once Saturday finally arrives, the SEC will once again be a focal point.

Vanderbilt will look to pull off another upset at home against No. 1 Texas, while there are a pair of matchups of ranked teams poised to shake up the Top 25 poll, with No. 19 Missouri taking on No. 7 Alabama and No. 8 LSU versus No. 14 Texas A&M.

The Big Ten also has a busy day ahead, headlined by No. 22 Illinois on the road against No. 2 Oregon, while the Ducks look to remain undefeated as they make their case for the No. 1 spot in the country. Fellow undefeated playoff contenders Indiana (vs. Washington) and Penn State (at Wisconsin) also face tough, if unranked, opponents.

And finally, who would have guessed that the Notre Dame vs. Navy game would have such significant implications for the playoffs? Both teams are ranked and very active in the hunt for a place in the twelve-team field.

Until then, it could end up being an elimination game for anyone who falls short. The Fighting Irish are looking to avoid a second loss, while the Midshipmen are looking to remain undefeated and stay in the mix for the Group of Five playoff spot.

See you all next Saturday!