College football picks: Week 10 expert predictions for Miami-Notre Dame, BYU-Utah, more - USA Today

Week 10 of the college football schedule might be Christmas in November for fans across the nation.

It features not only seven games between teams ranked in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, but also two among teams ranked in the top 10: No. 1 Miami at No. 6 Notre Dame, and No. 8 BYU at No. 4 Utah.

The former game, of course, received the "College GameDay" designation of the week, not only for the teams' statuses as historical rivals, but also for the brand power and College Football Playoff implication from the game. That's especially true after a controversial final top 25 in the CFP rankings last year: Despite the Fighting Irish ranking ahead of the Hurricanes all season, the selection committee placed the Hurricanes ahead of the Irish, booting Marcus Freeman's squad from the playoff.

Surely that won't come up again on Saturday, Nov. 7.

In Salt Lake City, the Utes and Cougars will aim for Big 12 supremacy. BYU has been subject to several controversial calls over the past three weeks, but it can put all of that to bed with a win at its most hated rival's house.

Elsewhere, No. 2 Georgia will travel to take on Trinidad Chambliss and 12th-ranked Mississippi. The two teams had two incredible meetings in 2025, with the Rebels getting one back over Kirby Smart's Bulldogs in the CFP quarterfinal game — and without Lane Kiffin, to boot.

Speaking of the LSU coach, he will look to lead his 15th-ranked Tigers to a home win over Kalen DeBoer and visiting, ninth-ranked Alabama in a game with massive SEC and CFP implications. The Crimson Tide and Tigers both have two losses, and another could jeopardize either team's playoff hopes.

Finally, in the Big Ten, No. 23 Northwestern will look to come back from a gutting loss to Oregon with a home game over No. 20 Iowa, fresh off thrashing Wisconsin, 30-0.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Nov. 2

What our experts think: "Notre Dame needs this win for its College Football Playoff hopes. The Fighting Irish are running out of opportunities for signature wins, and are also seeking revenge after losing to Miami last season (which ultimately kept them out of the field). Those reasons — plus, Notre Dame playing at night in South Bend — give the Irish the edge. " — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "The Bulldogs' loss to Auburn may well end up being the most bizarre result of the season. This is a team with an efficient offense and a characteristically nasty defense that looks like maybe the best all-around squad in the country. Not even Trinidad Chambliss' heroics will be enough to overcome that." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "The morning edition of the Holy War is going to lead to a slow start from both sides, but the offenses are going to make for a fun second half. The Cougars are too hit-or-miss while the Utes are excellent on both sides of the ball. Home-field advantage comes up big to keep Utah undefeated." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Minnesota nearly took down a top-10 team in Week 9, but opportunity awaits in Week 10. UCLA’s offense has been lagging recently, and the Golden Gophers defense is going to cause all sorts of problems. It’s another low-scoring affair, but a late field goal does it for the Gophers to shake up the CFP picture." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Will Stein has Kentucky on the brink of a CFP appearance in just his first season. The Wildcats' path to the SEC doesn't take a step back here as Kenny Minchey and Co. walk into Rocky Top and come out with a top-20 win." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt was flat out bad in his first three games: He threw three touchdowns and five interceptions against Clemson, Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss. Since then, he has completed 75.4% of his passes and has vastly reduced his turnovers as he’s adjusted to coach Lane Kiffin’s system. Keelon Russell can get just as hot for the Crimson Tide. We just haven’t seen as much of that lately, so we’ll lean toward Leavitt and Co. here." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Is there real concern with Luke Fahey? Ohio State’s offense looked bad against USC, proving Jeremiah Smith can’t just do everything. Oregon showed a semblance of life against Northwestern, but the Buckeyes defense is going to stop any momentum from carrying over in an ugly win for the Buckeyes." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "It’s tempting to make this all about whether Arch Manning plays well, because he’s arguably the face of the sport. Running back Jamal Roberts’ numbers for the Tigers are pretty determinative in their own right, though. When they’ve won against FBS competition this season, he’s averaging 164.8 yards per game. When they’ve lost, it's 67. The biggest question therefore becomes whether the Longhorns can take him away or not." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Texas Tech's offense looked improved against Arizona with Tommy Castellanos at quarterback, giving the Red Raiders a better dual-threat option under center. West Virginia's defense is among the worst in the country, and while its offense can score some points, it shouldn't pose a problem for Texas Tech." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "It’s hard for any running back to get meaningfully involved in a game when the opponent scores touchdowns on its first five possessions, as Utah did last week against Cincinnati. Cole Tabb still managed 131 yards on just 14 carries in the loss for the Bearcats and he’s averaging 9.3 yards per carry in his past three games. If Cincinnati can apply any kind of resistance to the Cougars and quarterback Conner Weigman, a more favorable game script could lead to a truly huge day." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "This one could be a sneaky good matchup in the Big Ten, as both teams are 6-2 on the season and have the same conference record. Aidan Chiles out-duels Hank Brown and Iowa's defense to continue Northwestern's impressive season." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Since a Week 2 win against FCS Southern Utah, the Rams have allowed fewer than 41 points to an opponent only once ... and in that outlier, they gave up 31 points to Utah State in a 17-point loss. It's no wonder their defensive coordinator was relieved of play-calling duties in the middle of a game." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Arizona nearly pulled off an upset against Texas Tech last week on the road. Noah Fifita helps the Wildcats bounce back with a win against a bottom-tier TCU team in the Big 12. Fifita throws for a pair of touchdowns and records his third consecutive game of at least 300 passing yards." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "The Mustangs haven't lost back-to-back regular-season games since 2022. Coming off a loss to Syracuse last week, expect Kevin Jennings and the high-powered Mustangs to bounce back against a much-improved Hokies squad." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

What our experts think: "Defense has carried New Mexico this season, and that won't change against Nevada. The Lobos offense struggles again, but runs the ball well enough to keep its elite defense off the field long enough." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY

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