2016 College Football Week 8 Live Thread, Streaming, TV Info

There are just three games on the docket today in which both teams are ranked. All three of them are SEC intradivisional games:

#6 Texas A&M (6-0) at #1 Alabama (7-0) - 3:30pm ET, CBS

#17 Arkansas (5-2) at #21 Auburn (4-2) - 6:00pm ET, ESPN

#23 Ole Miss (3-3) at #25 LSU (4-2) - 9:00pm ET, ESPN

Instead of highlighting those games, here are a couple of draft narratives I’m looking for clarity on today.

2017 QB class in the air

This quarterback group is all over the map. Right now, there are six QBs in the top tier: Clemson QB DeShaun Watson (Jr.), Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer (RS Soph.), Miami QB Brad Kaaya (Jr.), UNC QB Mitch Trubisky (RS Jr.), Oklahoma St. QB Mason Rudolph (Jr.) and Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly (Sr.). Only Kelly is a senior forced into the draft, but I’d expect at least two of the juniors headlined by Watson to declare.

The first three of that sextet are all off today: Clemson and Notre Dame are on a bye week while Miami got trounced by Virginia Tech on Thursday. That leaves the latter three with a chance to dominate the day for scouts.

Could we get some movement among the prospects of lower stock today?

Iowa QB C.J. Beathard is facing a very stingy defense in #10 Wisconsin. Central Michigan QB Cooper Rush is one of the most talented QBs in the country most people haven’t heard of. And A&M QB Trevor Knight, despite not having a strong NFL skill set, could make a huge statement with a performance against an Alabama defense that is filled with NFL players across the depth chart.

Big day for big DL prospects

Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett has the skills and resume to warrant a #1 overall selection. Bama DL Jonathan Allen isn’t far behind. Michigan St. DL Malik McDowell should eat today against Maryland. Auburn DE Carl Lawson gets a primetime platform on ESPN. Utah’s big DT Lowell Lotulelei will stand out against a UCLA sans QB Josh Rosen on FOX. Illinois DE Dawuane Smoot won’t get a ton of fan attention with the Illini’s struggles, but they get a big matchup against #3 Michigan today.

The 2017 NFL Draft is shaping up to be full of D-line talent. Today might be a big day that helps show some separation behind Garrett at the top of the class.

Showdown setup

Next week is a hornet’s nest.

Virginia Tech at Pitt. Cal at USC. #3 Michigan at Michigan St. #15 Florida at Georgia. #9 Baylor at Texas. Miami at Notre Dame. #5 Washington at #19 Utah. #8 Nebraska at #10 Wisconsin. #21 Auburn at #23 Ole Miss. #4 Clemson at #13 Florida St.

Today is a setup weekend heading into the last weekend of October. The season will be defined in November...as long as teams can avoid falling out these last two weeks.

The setup is as important as the execution. Perhaps nobody will exhibit that more blatantly than Alabama today.

Here’s the watchability table from our friends at SBN CFB: