CFB Saturday Open Thread: All Eyes on the Pac-12 for USC’s Visit to Seattle

UCLA hasn’t lost the last two Saturdays in a row, and perhaps with Oregon State coming to the Rose Bowl, we can make it a third in a row! But you have all day to watch some other games before you drive to Pasadena (or watch on TV) and see if the Bruins can get Mike Fafaul a win.

Here are some games to keep an eye on:

Baylor at #11 Oklahoma, 9:00am PST, ABC. After dropping non-conference games to Houston and Ohio State, Oklahoma has won six straight conference games. Baylor, after jumping out to 6-0, well, is headed in the opposite direction. Baker Mayfield probably can’t get his Sooners back into the playoff, but they look like the team to beat in the Big 12. Will they be caught looking ahead to West Virginia next weekend? Vegas likes the Sooners at home by 17.5.

#9 Auburn at Georgia, 12:30pm PST, CBS. Auburn took two early losses to two top-ten teams in Clemson and Texas A&M, now they’re surging and look like the only team that could possibly knock off the Crimson Tide. They’ll have to take care of business in Athens against Kirby Smart’s home-dog Bulldog team before they worry about the Tide.

#24 LSU at #25 Arkansas, 4:00pm PST, ESPN. Arkansas found its way back into the rankings again after they beat Florida last week and because of the federal law that requires six out of seven SEC West schools to be ranked at all times. LSU held Alabama to 10 last week in Baton Rouge, but Leonard Fournette averaged 2.1 yards per carry and Danny Etling finished the game with a QBR of 5.7. Bama will do that to you, especially if your offense stinks anyway. Arkansas is getting 7 at home.

#20 USC at #4 Washington, 4:30pm PST, FOX. Clay Helton has his team almost living up to the pre-season hype after trading out Max Browne for Sam Darnold at quarterback. The Huskies finally broke into the all important CFP Committee’s top four this week, after Texas A&M’s loss to Mississippi State. The Huskies, pre-season darlings, are now in the backloaded portion of their schedule, and trying to prove that they belong in the playoff. With GameDay in town, Husky Stadium will be rocking tonight.

California at #23 Washington State, 7:30pm PST, ESPN. #Pac12AfterDark hasn’t been as much of a thing this year, but for your nightcap after a Bruin win (fingers crossed!) this one looks to promise entertainment in the form of lots of points and little defense. Bear Raid takes on Air Raid, this tilt should make for great late-night TV.

Share your thoughts, feelings, meanderings, life-philosophies and all that with BN if you’re watching. This is your Saturday open thread!

Here is today’s full slate of action.

GO BRUINS.