After a chaotic Week 5 filled with upsets and paradigm-shifting wins, Week 6 — on paper, at least — looks like it will be a step back closer to the norm. There’s only one game featuring two ranked opponents as No. 9 Missouri travels to No. 25 Texas A&M at noon ET on Saturday.
Such a stage obviously presents a chance to make a big impression for the Aggies and first-year coach Mike Elko. Texas A&M hasn’t beaten a top-10 team since Nov. 26, 2022, when it ended the season with a home upset of No. 5 LSU. The Aggies are 0-6 against ranked opponents since.
Missouri also has plenty at stake. The Tigers are a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, but a loss in this spot would put them behind the 8-ball with games against the likes of No. 1 Alabama (on the road) and No. 19 Oklahoma remaining.
There are some other intriguing conference matchups worth keeping an eye on, at least. No. 3 Ohio State hosts an always feisty Iowa squad, while No. 12 Ole Miss will look to right the ship on the road against South Carolina. The Rebels are one of nine ranked teams going on the road in Week 6.
Odds via Sportsline consensus
The big games
No. 9 Missouri at No. 25 Texas A&M (-1.5): This game provides a huge opportunity for both teams involved. Missouri can cement its status as a national competitor with a signature road win, especially since its recent results — a six-point win against Boston College and an overtime triumph against Vanderbilt — haven’t inspired a ton of confidence. The Aggies, meanwhile, lost their only game against a ranked opponent this year (Notre Dame) but have started SEC play 2-0 under Elko.
Iowa at No. 3 Ohio State (-21.5): The Buckeyes are a heavy favorite after winning their first four games by an average of 42 points, but this should be a nice test early on into the Big Ten slate. Iowa’s defense and special teams have pushed it to two Big Ten Championship Game appearances in the past three years. The difference this year, though, is that the Hawkeyes have shown some offensive growth. They’ve scored 30 points in three out of their four games and currently boast the Big Ten’s No. 8 scoring offense with 32 points per game.
No. 12 Ole Miss (10.5) at South Carolina: Certainly a game that got a whole lot more interesting after Ole Miss’ Week 5 loss, at home, against unranked Kentucky. The same Kentucky team that South Carolina beat 31-6 on Sept. 7 to open its SEC slate. The Gamecocks also came a couple plays away from upsetting LSU. This is also the first major road test for the Rebels, who played three of their first four games at home and only had to hit the road to face Wake Forest (1-3).
No. 15 Clemson (-13.5) at Florida State: When the Tigers and Seminoles face off, the result normally goes a long way towards deciding the final ACC standings — if not the eventual champion. While that still may be true for Clemson, Florida State is in the midst of a precipitous fall, punctuated by its 42-16 loss to ACC newcomer SMU in Week 5. Beating the Tigers would be a great first step towards righting the ship, but Clemson has blitzed every opponent it’s faced since a season-opening loss to Georgia.
No. 4 Tennessee (-10.5) at Arkansas: Fresh off a bye week, Tennessee hits the road for another prime time test. Arkansas’ offense is fun to watch, with quarterback Taylen Green leading the way, but the Razorbacks are prone to back-breaking mistakes. Not a great sign against a Tennessee team that has bucked convention and lead with its defense so far this year.
