2019 College Football Insider | Week 11

2019 // week 11

WEEK 11 WHAT’S NEW QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Winning on the road in the league is always special. We saw that last week, but winning on the road against your rival, that’s one of the most special nights you have.”

Miami Head Coach Manny Diaz following the Canes’ third-straight win over in-state rival, Florida State Photo credit of Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

TEAM TO WATCH: ALABAMA With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as a game-time decision, No. 3 ranked Alabama will face a tough test and high-powered offense in No. 2 LSU. Both teams are coming off a bye as they vie for the top spot in the SEC West and a place in the SEC Championship. LSU has been tested with three top 10 wins, while this will be the first time Alabama will be tested against a top-10 opponent.

The Crimson Tide will also travel to No. 12 Auburn to close the regular season. The only ranked win for the Crimson Tide this season is against then No. 24 Texas A&M last October. The festivities in Tuscaloosa begin with College Gameday Saturday at 7 a.m. on ESPN, while kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m. on CBS.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: MEMPHIS In one of the most significant games in Memphis football history, the No. 24 Tigers rose to the occasion and handled the spotlight with a 54-48 American Athletic Conference (AAC) victory over then No. 15 and previously undefeated SMU. With a strong offensive display, the Tigers were led by junior wide receiver Antonio Gibson, who set the school record for all-purpose yards (386) and had a career-high 130 yards in receiving game.

With its first ESPN’s College GameDay appearance for football to a homecoming victory in front of 59,506 fans and an ABC national television audience, the Tigers put themselves in position for a spot in the AAC championship game. Memphis return to action on the road next weekend against Houston.

WEEK 11 CFP RANKINGS 1. Ohio State 2. LSU 3. Alabama 4. Penn State 5. Clemson

6. Georgia 7. Oregon 8. Utah 9. Oklahoma 10. Florida

For full rankings, click here.

BOWL PREDICTIONS ESPN Bonagura: Ohio State vs. LSU

ESPN Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Oregon State

CBS: Ohio State vs. Clemson

CBS: Iowa State vs. Utah State

Stadium McMurphy: Ohio State vs. Clemson

Stadium McMurphy: Iowa State vs. Stanford

USA Today: LSU vs. Ohio State

USA Today: Iowa State vs. Stanford

247 Sports: Ohio State vs. Clemson

247 Sports: Iowa State vs. Wyoming

Sporting News: LSU vs. Ohio State

Sporting News: Iowa State vs. Arizona State

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 11

WEEK 11 WHAT’S ON TAP GAMES OF THE WEEK #4 PENN STATE AT #17 MINNESOTA 11.9 | 10 AM | ABC

#2 LSU AT #3 ALABAMA 11.9 | 1:30 PM | CBS

#16 KANSAS STATE AT TEXAS 11.9 | 1:30 PM | ESPN

#18 IOWA AT #13 WISCONSIN 11.9 | 2 PM | FOX

IOWA STATE AT #9 OKLAHOMA 11.9 | 6 PM | FOX

For a full schedule of Week Eleven games, click here. (All times in AZ)

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: ZACH ERTZ A member of Stanford’s lone Fiesta Bowl appearance, consensus All-American, Zach Ertz had four catches and one touchdown in Stanford’s close loss against Oklahoma State, 41-38. Fast forward to last weekend, where the Super Bowl champion carried Philadelphia to a 22-14 win over Photo credit of Chicago, with season-highs of nine catches Doug Pensinger/Getty Images and 103 yards. Married to 2019 Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade Grand Marshal, Julie Ertz, he also hauled in a 25-yard touchdown catch, his longest in five years. The Eagles have a bye this week before hosting, New England on November 17.

FIESTA BOWL FOOTBALL FOCUS PODCAST EPISODE 2 – MIKE LEACH This week we are joined by Washington State Head Coach Mike Leach. The former Cheez-It ® Bowl champion talks hunting, teaching, the state of college football and reminisces on his time at Texas Tech, when he headed the largest comeback in bowl history here in the Valley in 2006.

We’ll bring you a new interview-style conversation twice a month with some of the biggest names in college football and college athletics.

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WHERE IS COLLEGE GAMEDAY? ESPN’s College Gameday will return to Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s highlyanticipated matchup against top-ranked LSU. It will be the first time the show has visited Tuscaloosa since Oct. 22, 2016 when then No. 1 Alabama beat then No. 6 Texas A&M, 33-14. Overall, the Crimson Tide has appeared on College Gameday more than any other college football team with 46 and has a 30-16 record following its appearances. Both teams are 8-0 overall with this game determining the SEC West leader for the time being.

The top-two matchup kicks off in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, November 9 at 1:30 p.m. on CBS.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 11

FIESTA BOWL FACTS FIESTA FEATURE: CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Yesterday, Wednesday, Nov. 6 marked the 150th anniversary for college football. In commemoration, we look back on how the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl has created several moments for the great sport of college football. We start off with the “Battle for Number 1” in 1987 where Penn State and Miami played in the highest-rated championship game in history with more than 70 million viewers. The journey continues in 2003, where perennial powers Ohio State and Miami participated in the first overtime game in Fiesta Bowl history. We when “Group of Five” Boise State defeated “Power Five” Oklahoma, 43-42. Learn more about the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl’s top three moments.

SHORT AND TWEET Who were this year’s draft picks? Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers, powered by @DriveTime hosted Draft Day on Tuesday, October 29 and granted 200 teachers their $5000 wish! Check out the winners on wishesforteachers.org

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT As part of its mission to benefit Arizonans through youth, sports and education, the Fiesta Bowl organization and its Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program, powered by DriveTime has donated $1 million total to 200 Arizona teachers for the second straight year. This $1 million granting is believed to be the largest donation to Arizona teachers.

An elevated Draft Day highlighted the selection and notification of the 200 teachers. Through a full event and livestream production with a virtual set at SNEAKY BIG, a combination of a draft day and telethon brought together local celebrities, community champions and the Fiesta Bowl Family to randomly select and then call teachers to inform them of their award.

Purchase tickets today! Get your tickets for the PlayStation @Fiesta_Bowl and @CheezItBowl before they’re sold out. Buy here: fiestabowl.org/tickets

I just listened to the new @Fiesta_Bowl Football Focus podcast and you should too.

Great conversations with @CoachUrbanMeyer and @Coach_Leach. LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2019 | WEEK 11

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