Under the Lights: Week 6's prime college football matchups

• All-Time Series: First Meeting
• Location: Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada

Week 6 begins with a great Friday night matchup between the Syracuse Orange and the No. 25 UNLV Rebels. Syracuse is looking to begin a fresh winning streak. UNLV looks to improve to 5-0 after being ranked for the first time in school history.

For Syracuse, the team bounced back from a tough home loss to Stanford by blowing out Holy Cross, 42-14. In the win, Kyle McCord completed 56 percent of his passes for 385 yards. He threw four scores but also threw two interceptions.

Senior Jackson Meeks was the biggest highlight of the passing game, catching 10 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. The Orange's defense held Holy Cross to just nine rushing yards and 3-of-14 on third down conversions. Jayden Bellamy picked off Crusaders QB Joe Pesansky once and he got sacked four times.

On the other hand, UNLV is coming off a blowout win of their own, as they beat Fresno State, 59-14. The team dealt with adversity as former starting QB Matthew Sluka left the program over NIL money. Hajj-Malik Williams, who was thrust in on short notice, performed amazingly.

He threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 119 yards and also scored a touchdown on the ground. Ricky White caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. The defense picked off four Bulldog passes and forced two fumbles.

Keys To The Game

Syracuse needs to get their top receiving target back into the fray. Yes, they have good receivers like Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks, and Umari Hatcher. However, tight end Oronde Gadsden II hasn't been found much over the last two weeks.

He was spectacular in the first two games, combing for 13 catches, 201 yards, and three touchdowns. What has he done in Syracuse's last two games? Nothing. He has combined for only three receptions for 16 yards. The offense needs to find a way to get him more involved if Syracuse wants to win in Vegas.

UNLV does have an insane passing attack. However, if they want to give themselves the best chance to win, they need to incorporate the run into their gameplan. They do have the ability to run, especially after what Hajj-Malik Williams showed last week. He's a dual-threat guy and has speed. The Rebels have a nice rotation of running backs including Kylin James, Greg Burrell, and Michael Allen.

Each has averaged over five yards a carry. Syracuse's run defense isn't great as they rank 67th in the nation, giving up 139 rushing yards per game. SU is also way below the average in the country in yards allowed per carry, as they give up nearly five yards per touch. This is a weakness UNLV can take advantage of and it can help limit opportunities for McCord's offense.

• Last Meeting: SMU won 41-7 (1984)
• All-Time Series: SMU leads 2-0
• Location: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky

SMU and Louisville will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 1984. The Mustangs have begun life in the ACC on a good note. As of now, SMU is 4-1 and is looking for their third straight victory. They are also looking for a win over a ranked opponent for the second straight year. Louisville is currently ranked 22nd in the nation and stands at 3-1. Both teams have won their ACC openers.

The visiting Mustangs won their ACC debut against lowly Florida State last week. In the 42-16 triumph, the defense picked off reeling D.J. Uiagalelei three times. They also held the Seminoles to just 3-for-13 on third-down conversions and 0-for-2 on fourth-down efficiency.

FSU was only able to rush for 71 yards on 26 carries. The offense had a balanced attack. Kevin Jennings threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns. Leading tailback Brashard Smith dominated, rushing for 129 yards and a score. He averaged nearly eight yards per carry.

The hosting Louisville Cardinals suffered their first loss of the season last week to Notre Dame on the road. The defense did an admirable job against Notre Dame's offense and forced two turnovers. However, the offense turned the ball over thrice.

Each time the Cardinals coughed the ball up, Notre Dame took advantage, scoring 17 points off of them. Louisville struggled to move the chains and was stopped four times when going for it on fourth down.

Keys To The Game

SMU has been great when it comes to its turnover margin. The Mustangs have a +7 margin and have forced 14 turnovers through five games. They are tied with Maryland for first in the country in takeaways. As stated earlier, Louisville committed three turnovers.

Their defense also hasn't recorded nearly as many takeaways as their opponent, and they've only forced six takeaways. If SMU can take care of the ball and get another takeaway or two, they would be moving in the direction toward another win.

This is an advantage that Louisville has to take advantage of if they want to win the game. The Cardinals rank 23rd in the country, averaging 297 passing yards per game.

Quarterback Tyler Shough has been on a tear, throwing for over 1,000 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just one interception. He has plenty of targets to spread the ball around such as Ja'Corey Brooks, his top target, as well as Chris Bell and Jamari Johnson.

The passing game is their bread and butter and they have the perfect chance to continue to barrage. SMU ranks 82nd in pass defense, giving up an average of 222.4 yards per game. The Mustangs have allowed 10 scores through the air.

• Last Meeting: Boston College won 27-24 (2023)
• All-Time Series: Boston College leads 7-1
• Location: David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia

Who would've thought that a matchup between Boston College and Virginia would be a marquee matchup? I don't think anybody did yet we are here. The Eagles and Cavaliers are off to their best start to a football season in a long time.

Both are relevant and have a chance to keep surging up the standing in a wide-open ACC. Boston College won last year at home and now Virginia looks to get payback on their home turf.

Boston College is coming off a scare from last week. Against Western Kentucky, starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos left early due to an injury. As a result, the Eagles had a sluggish start on offense. They needed two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to come back from a 13-point deficit to win, 21-20.

Backup Grayson James did a fine job but the running game was almost a non-factor, rushing for only 111 yards. Fortunately, the defense forced three turnovers and only allowed WKU to move the chains five times on 16 attempts.

It was the complete opposite for Virginia last week, as they blew out Coastal Carolina, 43-24. The Hoos raced out to a 27-10 halftime lead and put the game away early in the third quarter. UVA's ground game led the way, as Cavalier ball carriers combined for 384 yards and three touchdowns.

Xavier Brown ran for 171 yards on just nine touches. QB Anthony Colandrea had a solid showing, passing for two scores. The defense forces two takeaways and UVA dominated in time of possession.

Keys To The Game

Boston College does not rank high in passing offense. As of now, they are 103rd in the nation, averaging 184 yards per game. However, it's not due to the passing game being bad. The Eagles rely more on the ground game and while that could be effective again this week, the Eagles need to take advantage of a Virginia pass defense that's had its issues.

They do have a couple of nice pieces such as Jonas Sanker and Antonio Clary. However, UVA is still giving up an average of nearly 300 passing yards per game. If there's one thing the Cavs do effectively though is blitz.

Five of the team's seven sacks have come from non-defensive linemen. Against Wake Forest, they recorded six sacks and have only allowed 3.5 yards per rushing attempt. Let Thomas Castellanos work by having him complete quick and simple throws to the backs and targets over the middle.

The passing game of the Cavs is capable. However, their bread and butter is on the ground. Currently, Virginia ranks 33rd in rushing offense, averaging 195 yards per game. Seven of Virginia's 14 touchdowns have come on the ground. Xavier Brown is one of the more underrated tailbacks in the country, averaging almost nine yards per carry. Kobe Pace is a solid second option, as he's rushed for 210 yards and two touchdowns.

QB Anthony Colandrea has also rushed for two scores. This is the offense's biggest strength. Boston College is solid at stopping the run. However, three of their four FBS rank at the bottom in rushing offense. Their one loss came to Missouri, who ranks 26th in the nation in this category. So, Virginia has the edge here. Run the ball down their throat and let the rest take care of itself/

• Last Meeting: Texas A&M won 35-14 (2021)
• All-Time Series: Texas A&M leads 9-7
• Location: Kyle Field in College Station, Texas

The biggest matchup on the noon slate is a top-25 matchup in SEC play. The Missouri Tigers are ninth in the nation right now. Texas A&M is 25th in the country and is looking for a signature upset win at home. This contest is pivotal for the remainder of the season as this game could decide who has a better chance at being positioned to play in the SEC title game. The Aggies are 2-0 in conference play and Missouri is 1-0.

For the Tigers, that single SEC win came two weeks ago. However, it wasn't a great win. It was a scare that nearly gave Missouri fans heart attacks. Against perennial SEC doormat Vanderbilt, Mizzou needed overtime to claim the 30-27 victory. In the surprisingly close contest, Missouri didn't look bad offensively. They didn't turn the ball over.

Mizzou racked up over 400 yards of total offense. Brady Cook threw for two scores. Nate Noel had his best game of the season, rushing for 199 years. It's just the defense had lapses. Vandy passer Diego Pavia threw two touchdowns and the unit surrendered 146 yards on the ground. Despite kicker Blake Craig missing three field goals, he made a 54-yarder in the third quarter and won the game in the extra session.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M is coming off a win over Arkansas in the last game played between the two schools at the stadium the Dallas Cowboys call home. Backup Marcel Reed has continued to impress, throwing two touchdowns and running for another.

Despite, the Aggies' struggles to covert on third down situations, they used their effective balanced attack to grind out the 21-17 triumph. The defense allowed some big plays for Arkansas. However, they sacked Taylen Green three times and picked him off once. He also fumbled once. The defense also shut down their running game and were stout on third downs.

Keys To The Game

Missouri's ground game is also strong. However, they can also depend well on the pass, averaging over 200 yards through the air per game. Texas A&M's offensive strategy is not like that. The Aggies pass out of necessity however their game plan is to run consistently. Missouri's run defense is great. They rank 19th in the nation, allowing just 91.7 yards per game.

This will be the biggest test the Tigers front will face as TAMU averages 231.6 yards per game. Le'Veon Moss is their premier back and Marcel Reed is second in rushing. Defensively, this is where Mizzou's focus has to be if they want to win.

In last week's win over Arkansas, the Aggies' defense was incredible at getting into the opposing backfield. They racked up 10 tackles for loss. As mentioned earlier, three of the TFLs were quarterback sacks. The defense hurried Taylen Green eight times. They need to play with this same intensity and aggression against Brady Cook.

The Tiger's signal-caller has only been brought down three times and has only thrown one interception. Needless to say, he hasn't been touched or challenged all that much. Texas A&M's defensive unit has to make him uncomfortable, which can happen, especially since the Aggies are hosting in one of college football's loudest atmospheres. Get after him and force him to rush his decision-making.

• Last Meeting: Miami-Ohio won 23-14(2023 MAC Championship)
• All-Time Series: Miami-Ohio leads 29-23-1
• Location: Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio

This entry might be a surprise to some but this will be a great game. The top two contenders in the MAC square off in the Glass Bowl as the defending conference champion Miami-Ohio RedHawks take on the Toledo Rockets. These two teams met in last year's MAC title game.

The Rockets are looking to get back and win their second MAC title in three years and come into the game at 3-1. Miami is 1-3 after facing a tough non-conference schedule but looks to break through early in the MAC season.

For the RedHawks, they are coming off their first victory of the season. Last week, Miami defeated future MAC newcomer UMass in overtime, 23-20. By no means was this Miami's best performance as the stats show. In the tightly contested game, the RedHawks committed nine penalties for 65 yards and Bret Gabbert threw a pick.

The offense also struggles to move the chains, as they went 1-for-8 on third-down efficiency. However, they were able to establish a well-balanced attack. Keyon Mozee rushed for 114 yards to go along with Gabbert's 181 passing yards. Kicker Dan Dzioban made all three field goal attempts, including a 47-yarder to send the game to overtime, and the winner.

Toledo is coming off a bye week. However, they've had extra time to get over a tough 26-21 loss to Western Kentucky. The defeat served as the Rocket's first defeat of the season. After a scoreless first period, Toledo went up 14-0 and had a 21-10 lead in the third quarter. However, a sloppy second half led to the loss.

Quarterback Tucker Gleason committed four turnovers, two picks, and two fumbles. They also committed eight penalties. The defense forced three takeaways and only allowed three third-down conversions. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Keys To The Game

One of the biggest reasons for Miami's 1-3 record had been their struggles on offense. Yes, they did play a decently challenging non-conference schedule. However, the unit has struggled to generate any momentum, let alone points. The RedHawks have only averaged 12 points per game and rank 118th in total offense.

The passing game has been fine, averaging 220.8 yards per contest, but the running game has averaged under 100 yards. Toledo is very stingy against the run but their pass defense gives up nearly 235 yards per game. Brett Gabbert has had solid showings and this could be his time to let the ball sling all over the field. Miami needs to score. If they can do that early, they'd be in great shape.

Just like Toledo, Miami also has a solid defense with a glaring weakness. In this case, Miami has underwhelming results against the run. They give up an average of 201.5 rushing yards per game. Those numbers rank 117th in the nation.

Now, the Rockets don't have a tremendous rushing attack but it's capable of producing results. They have a balanced attack that will pay dividends but Toledo should emphasize establishing the ground game. Tucker Gleason is second on the team in rushing at QB and they do have a good rotation of backs, featuring Jacquez Stuart, Willie Shaw, and Connor Walendzak.

• Last Meeting: Nebraska won 14-13 (2022)
• All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 6-0
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska

The Big Ten has a few intriguing matchups this weekend. One of them takes place in Lincoln as the undefeated Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the 4-1 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Both teams look for their second conference win of the season. Rutgers is looking for their first 5-0 start since 2012. The last time these two schools met was two years ago, a 14-13 Nebraska win in Piscataway.

For Rutgers, they're coming off a close and nail-biting win over Washington. In the 21-18 victory, powerhouse running back Kyle Monangai led the way offensively, as he always does. He ran the ball 25 times and racked up 32 yards and a touchdown.

Passer Athan Kaliakmanis hooked up with wideout Ian Strong for a touchdown. The defense, which has been an issue at times, came up in big situations. Despite allowing 521 total yards, the unit only allowed the Huskies to move the sticks, twice.

Meanwhile, Nebraska had a big win over their own, beating Purdue in West Lafayette, 28-10. It was a dominant bounce back from the Illinois loss, which took place the week before. The offense looked as great as it has been. Nebraska racked up 418 total yards and averaged seven yards per play.

Dylan Raiola continued to look like one of the hottest young stars in the game, throwing for 257 yards and a score. The Cornhuskers defense held Purdue to just 50 rushing yards. They also sacked Hudson Card five times and linebacker John Bullock picked him off once.

Keys To The Game

I mean seriously. What the heck has happened with the Rutgers defense? Last year, the Scarlet Knights ranked 16th nationally in yards allowed. They haven't looked nearly as good through four games this year.

If it wasn't for Rutgers being able to control the clock on offense, they would not be undefeated right now. They need to step up. Over the last two games, they've allowed nearly 1,000 yards combined. There's been little resemblance of a pass rush as the unit has only recorded four sacks.

That's bad enough for 115th ranking in the nation. Even worse, they've only racked up 13 tackles for loss. That results in ranking 128th for the stat category. As said earlier, the D allowed over 500 yards to Washington. That can't happen this week.

This Nebraska offense is the biggest test these guys have faced up to this point. They need to be tighter, especially when playing against the athletically gifted Dylan Raiola. If they can put pressure on him, they'd be on the right track.

Nebraska's run defense has looked stupendous up to this point. As of now, they rank 15th nationally in run defense, allowing only 85.4 rushing yards per game. Even in their only loss to Illinois, the Illini only rushed for 49 yards. So this is a great part of their overall defense. However, they haven't seen a back like Kyle Monangai. If you haven't seen the workhorse yet, do yourself a favor and watch him play.

The dude just refuses to get brought down. He can be the real-life version of Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl. He's averaging 147.3 rushing yards per game and is the backbone of the Rutgers offense. It's not going to take one or two guys to stop him. The whole defensive front has to zero in on him. If they can do a good job of limiting him, the Cornhusker will give themselves the best chance to win,

• Last Matchup: Michigan won 34-13(2024 National Championship)
• All-Time Series: Michigan leads 9-5
• Location: Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington

What do we have here? It's a rematch of last year's National Championship game. Michigan won in a blowout last year. However, in this new Big Ten matchup, both teams look extremely different. Michigan and Washington have new blood with different coaches and rosters compared to last year. The Wolverines are looking for their fourth straight win in their first road game.

Last week, Michigan defeated Minnesota 27-24 to win the Little Brown Jug rivalry game. As per usual, their ground game led the way. Kelel Mullings led the team in rushing with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. They still can't get the passing game going and struggled in moving the sticks. Defensively, Michigan held Minnesota to 38 rushing yards and sacked Max Brosmer five times. They also forced two turnovers.

Meanwhile, Washington is coming off a heartbreaking 21-18 loss to Rutgers. Despite gaining 521 yards of total offense, Washington was undone due to the inability to move the sticks. They went 2-for-12 in third-down efficiency.

Will Rogers threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns. The Huskies were okay defensively as they didn't get lit up. However, they didn't force any turnovers and failed to get consistent pressure on Athan Kaliakmanis. Also, kicker Grady Gross failed to hit three of four field goal attempts, including the game-tying kick on the final play.

Keys To The Game

If Michigan is going to win this game, they will have to keep Washington's offense on the sideline. The Huskies can rack up yards and put up points. The Wolverines have a great ground game.

The combination of Kelel Mullings and Donovan Edwards can bust loose and come up with big runs. Mullings is averaging seven yards per carry. Edwards is averaging 4.4 yards per touch. The duo has combined for eight touchdowns.

Washington's run defense is near the top 50 but the Wolverines are capable of running against them. Put the ball in the hands of those guys and chew the clock as much as possible.

Remember when I said Michigan has to keep the Husky offense off the field? That's because Washington has one of the most explosive passing attacks in the country. UW's passing offense ranks 24th in the nation, averaging 296 yards per game.

Will Rodgers has been amazing, throwing for 1,354 yards, 10 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Denzel Boston, Giles Jackson, Jeremiah Hunter, and others, make up one of the best-receiving corps in America. The Wolverines rank 103rd in the nation in pass defense, surrendering 249 yards per game. It's self-explanatory. Just send bombs down the field and beat Michigan through the air.

Honorable Mentions:

• Pittsburgh (4-0) @ North Carolina (3-2)
• Appalachian State (2-2) @ Marshall (2-2)
• No. 12 Ole Miss (4-1) @ South Carolina (3-1)
• West Virginia (2-2) @ Oklahoma State (3-2)
• Old Dominion (1-3) @ Coastal Carolina (3-1)
• South Alabama (2-3) @ Arkansas State (2-2)
• Nevada (2-3) @ San Jose State (3-1)
• Kansas (1-4) @ Arizona State (3-1)
• Hawaii (2-2) @ San Diego State (1-3)
• UCF (3-1) @ Florida (2-2)
• Texas Tech (4-1) @ Arizona (3-1)
• Auburn (2-3) @ No. 5 Georgia (3-1)
• No. 8 Miami (5-0) @ California (3-1)

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