SEC, Big 12 showdowns highlight busy Week 8 in college football

Several key matchups in the SEC and Big12 highlight a busy Week 8:

LSU (4-3, 2-2 SEC) at No. 12 Ole Miss (5-1, 2-1 SEC)

3:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS

The Buzz: Now that LSU has announced it is cutting ties with coach Ed Orgeron at the end of the season, expect a lot of speculation surrounding the next Tigers’ coach. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is among a list of rumored candidates, giving this one a little extra meaning. Rebels quarterback Matt Corral is first in the SEC in total offense (363 yards per game), second in points responsible-for (134), and third in passing yards per game (288) but the last time he faced an LSU defense (2020) he threw a career-worst 5 interceptions.

No. 8 Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) at Iowa State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12)

3:30 p.m. Saturday, FOX

The Buzz: Oklahoma State hopes to improve to 7-0 for the first time since 2015 as the Cowboys continue to push for their first Big 12 title since 2011. OSU has found a way to battle through adversity, winning four one-possession games. Iowa State is 15-6 in October under coach Matt Campbell, including a 5-2 mark against ranked teams. The Cyclones have lost eight of the last nine meetings in this series with the last six decided by a touchdown or less.

No. 10 Oregon (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) at UCLA (5-2, 3-1 Pac-12)

3:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC

The Buzz: UCLA coach Chip Kelly is 0-2 against his former team, including last year when Oregon jumped out to a 14-0 lead and forced four Bruins turnovers before hanging on for a 38-35 win. UCLA has lost eight of the last nine games in this series and is looking for its first win over a top-10 team since 2010. This matchup features two of the top tailbacks in the league in UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet (697 yards) and Oregon’s Travis Dye (527 yards).

Tennessee (4-3, 2-2 SEC) at No. 4 Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC)

7 p.m. Saturday, ESPN

The Buzz: Alabama has won 14 straight games against Tennessee in this cross-divisional rivalry, including eight straight at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This is a matchup of two of the top three offenses in the SEC, with the Crimson Tide (45 points per game) leading the league and Tennessee (39 points) ranked third. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young remains a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. He ranks third nationally in passing touchdowns (24) and points responsible for (146) and fourth in passing efficiency (180.0).

USC (3-3, 2-3 Pac-12) at No. 13 Notre Dame (5-1)

7:30 p.m. Saturday, NBC

The Buzz: Notre Dame hopes to make it four straight wins in this long-standing rivalry series that saw the 2020 game canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time USC won at Notre Dame Stadium was 2011 when Matt Barkley passed for 224 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans jumped out to a 17-0 lead on their way to a 31-17 win. Notre Dame saw its 26-game home winning streak snapped by Cincinnati on Oct. 2. The last time the Fighting Irish lost two home games was in 2016.

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.