Baylor wide receiver Ketron Jackson Jr., left, celebrates after a touchdown by quarterback Sawyer Robertson, right, in the first quarter against BYU during an NCAA college football game Sept. 28 in Waco. (Richard W. Rodriguez/AP Photo)

Staff, Wire Reports

No. 9 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) at No. 25 Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0)

When: 11 a.m. Saturday.

TV: ABC. Radio: The Team 92.1-FM

Where: Kyle Field, College Station.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas A&M by 2 1/2.

Series record: Texas A&M leads 9-7.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

The winner will have a leg up in the conference standings and a chance to start separating itself from the rest of the SEC. Missouri is aiming to start 5-0 for the second straight season. The Tigers are looking to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to nine games dating to last seasonT. exas A&M is trying to start 5-1 for the first time since 2020 and start 3-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2016.

KEY MATCHUP

Missouri RB Nate Noel vs. Texas A&M’s rush defense. Noel, who ranks fourth among active FBS running backs with 3,515 yards rushing, has rushed for 441 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in two straight games. Noel rushed for a season-high 199 yards in the Tigers’ last game against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. The Aggies have allowed 100 yards rushing or less in each of their last three games, with Arkansas finishing with 100 yards last week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Missouri: WR Luther Burden III has 19 receptions for 267 yards and four touchdowns this season. Burden had two touchdown passes in the Tigers’ last game against Vanderbilt. He is tied for tenth in school history with 150 career receptions.

Texas A&M: RB Le’Veon Moss is averaging 94.2 yards rushing this season and has three rushing touchdowns. The junior ran for a career-high 117 yards last week against Arkansas. The Aggies have rushed for at least 200 yards in three of the last four games.

FACTS & FIGURES

This will be the first matchup at Texas A&M between the two teams since 2014 when Missouri defeated the Aggies 34-27. They last met in 2021 at Missouri when Texas A&M won 35-14. … The Aggies are tied for first in the SEC with seven interceptions this season. … Missouri ranks third in the country in total defense allowing 219 yards per game. … Texas A&M freshman quarterback Marcel Reed has accounted for all eight offensive touchdowns for Texas A&M in those games. He is likely to get the start again Saturday with Conner Weigman still dealing with an injury to his throwing shoulder. … Missouri quarterback Brady Cook has thrown for at least 200 yards in four straight games, and ranks fourth in Missouri history with 7,424 yards passing in his career.

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SMU (4-1, 1-0 ACC) at No. 22 Louisville (3-1, 0-0)

When: 11 a.m. Saturday. TV: ESPN.

Where: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Louisville by 6½.

Series record: SMU leads, 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

SMU and Louisville meet for the first time since 1984 with the winner grabbing a share of first place in the ACC. The Mustangs made an emphatic ACC debut by blowing out struggling Florida State 42-16 at home. They now seek a 2-0 start against last season’s conference runner-up, which aims to regroup from a mistake-laden 31-24 non-conference loss at No. 14 Notre Dame. Louisville committed three first-half turnovers leading to 10 points and yielded three sacks. The Cardinals still had a chance to at least tie in the final minute but was penalized for a delay of game before turning the ball over on downs.

KEY MATCHUP

SMU outgained FSU 458-285, including 204 yards rushing, and rank 55th nationally (419.4 per game) in total offense. The Mustangs are also 27th in rushing (205.6) thanks to Miami transfer Rashard Smith (509, seven TDs) but face a Louisville defense that allows just 94.8 on the ground (T-23rd) and stands 17th overall (271.5). Though the Cardinals allowed Notre Dame to convert three takeaways into 17 points on short fields, they stayed close by holding the Irish to one TD and 130 yards after halftime. They must keep SMU’s ground game in check and deny the balance that has served the Mustangs well the past two weeks.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings is coming off a career-best 254-yard, three-touchdown passing performance against FSU for six total this season with one interception. He has completed 63% of his passes for 733 yards and rushed for 149 with one score. The sophomore completed 16 of 23 against the Seminoles.

Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead has two of the school’s longest field goals after converting a record 56-yarder at Notre Dame that surpassed his 53-yarder last season. Travelstead is 4 of 7 this season with two misses from over 50 yards.

FACTS & FIGURES

Smith is tied for 13th nationally in rushing and seventh with 7.3 yards per carry. He had 129 yards and a TD on 17 carries against FSU. … Linebacker Kobe Wilson earned ACC weekly honors after making seven stops with a school record-tying 82-yard interception return for a TD. … The Mustangs’ plus-seven turnover margin is tied for ninth in FBS. Louisville is tied for 31st at plus-three and committed its first turnovers of the season last week. … Cardinals WR Ja’Corey Brooks leads the ACC with 92 yards per game.

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Baylor (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) at No. 16 Iowa State (4-0, 1-0)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday. TV: Fox.

Where: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Iowa State by 12 1/2.

Series record: Baylor leads 12-10.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

The Cyclones are the highest-ranked team in what looks like a wide-open Big 12, and they’re out to their best start since 2000. Defending home field is key if they are going to be a contender. Never mind its record, Baylor is a tough out. The Bears’ three losses are by 11, 7 (in overtime) and 6 points. This is a big game for Dave Aranda, whose seat is warming quickly in Waco.

KEY MATCHUP

Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson vs. Iowa State defense. Robertson, who has started three games in place of the injured Dequan Finn, threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a TD in last week’s 34-28 loss to BYU. He needs to get the Bears off to a faster start, though. They fell behind 21-0 to BYU. Iowa State’s defense is second-best in the nation against the pass.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Baylor: RB Bryson Washington, the leading rusher in an offense that distributes carries among five players, needs to get going for the Bears to have success. If the Cyclones’ defense has a weakness, it’s stopping the run consistently. Washington ran for a career-high 106 yards against Air Force on Sept. 14.

Iowa State: QB Rocco Becht has been a rock for the Cyclones in his 17 career starts. He threw his 30th touchdown pass — and 18th in eight games — and went over 4,000 yards passing against Houston last week.

FACTS & FIGURES

Matt Campbell last week became Iowa State’s career coaching wins leader with 57. He is 16-11 when the Cyclones are ranked. … The Cyclones’ shutout of Houston was their first on the road in a conference game since a 24-0 win at Kansas State in 1971. … ISU has won the turnover battle in all four games and is 36-9 under Campbell when doing so. … Baylor is 25-28 in five seasons under Aranda, including 15-23 in conference games. … Baylor has held opponents to a total of 20 second-points in five games compared with 74 first-half points.

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Texas Tech (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) at Arizona (3-1, 1-0)

When: 10 p.m. Saturday.

TV: Fox. Radio: The Team 92.1-FM

Where: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Arizona by 6.

Series record: Texas Tech 26-5-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Two of the six teams that have yet to lose in Big 12 play meet in the desert. Arizona bounced back from a road loss to No. 20 Kansas State by picking up an impressive 23-10 road win at No. 18 Utah. The Wildcats were stellar defensively after being run over by Kansas State, intercepting two passes with eight pass breakups and seven tackles for loss. The Red Raiders have won three straight since losing to Washington State the second game of the season, including 44-41 over Cincinnati last week.

KEY MATCHUP

Arizona’s run defense vs. Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks. The Red Raiders have been known through the years as a pass-first offense, but Brooks was stellar against Cincinnati last week, running for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona’s defense was good last week, but the Wildcats are ninth in the Big 12 against the run, allowing just over 150 yards per game. Brooks has gone over 100 yards rushing in four straight games, so the Wildcats will have their hands full.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas Tech: QB Behren Morton. Should Arizona load up to stop Brooks, Morton could have a big game. The first-year starter is fourth nationally and leads the Big 12 with 14 passing TDs. He has thrown for 1,426 yards through the first five games.

Arizona: CB Tacario Davis. The junior was named the Big 12 defensive player of the week after breaking up five passes and notching seven solo tackles against Utah. Davis also had a breakup in the end zone on a fourth-and-goal in Arizona’s fewest points allowed against a top-10 team since the 1994 Fiesta Bowl.

FACTS & FIGURES

Texas Tech and Arizona will be playing their first game as Big 12 opponents, but their history goes way back. The Red Raiders and Wildcats were once members of the Border Conference, which began in 1931 and continued to 1962. Arizona won the last meeting 28-14 at home in 2019. … Texas Tech is 2-0 to open conference play for the first time since 2013. …. Texas Tech has won 12 games through 20 games under coach Jerry McGuire, most since Steve Sloan had 14 from 1975-77. … Arizona DL Tre Smith is third nationally with 12 quarterback hurries. … Texas Tech’s Josh Kelly leads the BS with 14 catches on third downs, including 10 that resulted in first downs.

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West Virginia (2-2, 1-0 Big 12) at Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2)

When: 3 p.m. Saturday. TV: ESPN2.

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Oklahoma State by 4 1/2.

Series record: Oklahoma State leads 10-5.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Oklahoma State was picked to finish third in the Big 12 preseason poll and was expected to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. But the Cowboys have opened conference play with losses to Utah and Kansas State and are in danger of falling completely out of the league race. Running back Ollie Gordon II has gotten off to a relatively slow start this season but showed signs of regaining his form last week. West Virginia could emerge as a sleeper if it can pull out a win. Mountaineers coach Neal Brown would get a nice boost with a quality road win.

KEY MATCHUP

Oklahoma State QB Alan Bowman vs. West Virginia secondary. Bowman, the seventh-year quarterback, ranks seventh in FBS with 1,537 yards passing. He occasionally makes mistakes, but he has ample opportunities to do damage with a group of talented receivers because defenses are so focused on Gordon. West Virginia has one of the worst pass defenses in the nation and it will be tested.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Virginia: RB Jahiem White. The 5-foot-7 sophomore has been limited to 194 yards on 37 carries in four games, an average of 48.5 yards. He led the Mountaineers with 842 rushing yards a year ago.

Oklahoma State: WR De’Zhaun Stribling. The big play threat has emerged as one of the nation’s top playmakers. He ranks ninth in FBS with 502 yards receiving and averages 18.6 yards per catch. His presence has balanced Oklahoma State’s passing game, creating space for receptions leader Brennan Presley on shorter routes.

FACTS & FIGURES

West Virginia has a 10-19 record on the road under Brown, including 10 losses by at least 17 points. The Mountaineers won 24-19 on their last trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 2022. … West Virginia allowed Gordon to rush for 282 yards and four TDs in a 48-34 win a year ago in Morgantown, West Virginia. … The game will feature several of the Big 12’s top tacklers. Oklahoma State’s Trey Rucker and Nick Martin are 1-2 in total tackles, while West Virginia’s T.J. Jackson leads the conference with 8.5 tackles for loss and has 3.5 sacks.

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No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday. TV: ABC.

Where: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Tennessee by 13 1/2.

Series record: Tennessee leads 13-6.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Tennessee appears to have the potential to make a run at a berth in the SEC championship game. A win here would keep the Vols unbeaten in the league as they try to keep up with Texas, Alabama, Missouri and LSU. Arkansas appears close to a breakthrough. Its two losses were close calls against Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. In both games, the Razorbacks outgained both by significant margins but lost the turnover battle.

KEY MATCHUP

Arkansas RB Ja’Quinden Jackson vs. Tennessee’s defense. Jackson has emerged as one of the nation’s most effective backs. He leads the SEC with 509 yards rushing and is second with nine rushing touchdowns. He faces a Tennessee defense that ranks second nationally in rushing defense, giving up just 50.8 yards per game. Opponents are averaging just 1.6 yards per rush against the Vols.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tennessee: QB Nico Iamaleava. This will be his sixth career start and second straight on the road in the SEC. He is 5-0 with three of those wins coming over ranked opponents. He is averaging 223 yards passing per game completing 69.3% of his passes. He has thrown seven TD passes with only two interceptions.

Arkansas: QB Taylen Green. In five games, Green has passed for 1,236 yards and rushed for 331. He can be spectacular, but he sometimes struggles with accuracy and ball security — he has thrown five interceptions.

FACTS & FIGURES

Arkansas has won the last three in the series and the last three in Fayetteville. … Arkansas seeks its first home win against a top 5 team since beating Tennessee in 1999. … Tennessee is 4-0 for the second time in three seasons under coach Josh Heupel. That’s the program’s first time since 1991-92. … The Vols also have won six straight dating to last season’s regular-season finale over Vanderbilt. That is the fourth-longest active streak nationally, trailing only Missouri and Army (eight) and Duke (seven). All of Tennessee’s win in this streak have come by double digits. … Tennessee is one of four FBS programs yet to trail in a game this season along with Texas, Indiana and Army. … The Vols are outscoring opponents 149-6 in the first half this season. … Heupel is 8-1 coming off an open date as a head coach, including 3-0 with the Vols.

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No. 1 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1)

When: 3:15 p.m. Saturday. TV: SEC Network.

Where: FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Alabama by 23 1/2.

Series record: Alabama leads 63-18-4

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Now that Alabama is ranked No. 1 for the first time since 2022, the trick is holding onto that top spot — as SEC rivals Georgia and Texas have found out. The Crimson Tide rose three spots after a 41-34 win over the then-No. 2 and previous-No. 1 Bulldogs It is the 16th season of the last 17 that Alabama has made it to the top, with 2023 the only exception. The Commodores are trying once again to pull off a huge upset. They flirted with one last week, taking No. 9 Missouri into a second overtime before falling 30-27. The Commodores haven’t beaten Alabama on the field since 1984.

KEY MATCHUP

The Commodores did a decent job containing the Tigers’ Brady Cook-to-Luther Burden III connection. But now they’ll face the big-play threat combo of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams. Vandy ranks 71st nationally giving up 212 yards passing per game. Williams leads the nation with an average of 28.9 yards per catch and has five touchdowns, including a late 75-yarder that gave Alabama the lead for good against Georgia.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alabama: All eyes are on Milroe, who emerged as the Heisman Trophy favorite after his superb performance against Georgia. Milroe has accounted for 18 touchdowns (10 passing and eight rushing) already this season, and he is rated No. 2 in passing efficiency.

Vanderbilt: QB Diego Pavia, a New Mexico State transfer, has passed for 721 yards and six touchdowns without an interception. He has also run for 279 yards and two scores.

FACTS & FIGURES

Alabama has won the last 23 games against Vanderbilt, and 23 straight over unranked opponents. The last unranked team to beat the Tide was Texas A&M on Oct. 9, 2021. … This will be the ninth Top 10 opponent Vanderbilt has played under coach Clark lea. … The Tide defense has allowed just 11 third-down conversions in 64 attempts, a 17.1% rate that is second in FBS. … Vandy has already played two overtime games, the most since 1998. The Commodores opened with a 34-27 OT win over Virginia Tech. … Vandy leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally with 21.3 yards per punt return, led by Martel Hight.

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Auburn (2-3, 0-2 SEC) at No. 5 Georgia (3-1, 1-1)

When: 2:30 p.m. TV: ABC.

Where: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Georgia by 24 1/2.

Series record: Georgia leads 64-56-8.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Coming off a 41-34 setback at Alabama, its first regular-season loss since 2020, Georgia is still firmly in the playoff mix. But, with tough games against Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee still looming on the schedule, the Bulldogs can’t afford to slip up against a team of Auburn’s caliber.

KEY MATCHUP

Auburn QB Payton Thorne vs. Georgia’s defense. After briefly losing the starting job to Hank Brown, Thorne is back atop the depth chart for the Tigers, largely because coach Hugh Freeze doesn’t have much choice. Thorne has thrown six interceptions in four games, including a back-breaking pick-six last week as Auburn squandered an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter of a 27-21 loss to No. 19 Oklahoma. The Bulldogs did not allow a touchdown through their first three games, but they were burned for 547 yards by the Crimson Tide. Georgia now faces a team that has struggled mightily on offense during Freeze’s two seasons at the helm.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Auburn: WR Cam Coleman is averaging 23.6 yards per catch, with nine receptions for 212 yards. The Tigers will be looking for ways to get the talented freshman more involved in the offense.

Georgia: QB Carson Beck threw for a career-high 439 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama, nearly pulling off an improbable comeback. But he also was intercepted three times, including a pick in the end zone when the Bulldogs were in position to force overtime. The performance was a big blow to a quarterback who was touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate and potentially one of the top picks in next year’s NFL draft.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Deep South’s oldest rivalry, with the first game played in 1892. These teams have played each other 128 times, more than any other major-college series except Wisconsin-Minnesota (133 meetings). … Georgia had a streak of 42 consecutive victories in the regular season before its loss to Alabama. … The Bulldogs have lost only three games overall since the beginning of the 2021 season — all of them to the Crimson Tide. … This is Auburn’s first road game of the season after opening with a five-game homestand. Georgia, on the other hand, is playing just its second game of the year at Sanford Stadium. … The Bulldogs have a school record 26-game winning streak at home, the best in FBS.