COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State is set to return to Ohio Stadium on Saturday to face Minnesota in a Big Ten matchup. The 4-0 Buckeyes are hosting their second home night game of the season. Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck acknowledges the challenge of playing in a hostile environment. Ohio State coach Ryan Day was pleased with his team's recent performance against Washington, especially quarterback Julian Sayin. Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey has also shown promise. Both teams have strong defenses, with Ohio State ranking first in scoring defense. The Buckeyes have dominated the series historically, winning 46 of the last 50 meetings.
UNDATED (AP) — Maryland hasn't trailed all season and will put its unbeaten record at stake Saturday when it hosts Washington in this week's most intriguing Big Ten matchup. Washington is favored despite not having won a Big Ten road game since joining the conference last year. Minnesota freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey faces a major challege this week when the Golden Gophers visit No. 1 Ohio State and their top-ranked scoring defense.
UNDATED (AP) — In college football, the focus has shifted from blowouts to parity, close games, and upsets. The average winning margin in Week 5 was 14.2 points, the narrowest since Week 7 in 2022. Losses by Penn State, LSU, and Georgia marked the first time since 2016 that three top-five teams lost in the same week. Top-five teams are 1-4 against opponents ranked 6 to 25, the worst record through a Week 5 since at least 2000. Penn State coach James Franklin used the recent upsets to motivate his players, emphasizing the importance of positioning for the playoffs.
UNDATED (AP) — College football heats up as October kicks off with conference races and the chase for playoff spots ramping up. Only two Top 25 matchups are on the schedule: Miami at Florida State and Vanderbilt at Alabama. Miami aims for its first win in Tallahassee since 2019 while Vanderbilt seeks a historic 6-0 start. In the Big 12, Houston faces Texas Tech and Iowa State visits Cincinnati. Heisman watch sees Oregon's Dante Moore leading after a strong performance against Penn State. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's coach Luke Fickell feels the pressure heading into its game at No. 20 Michigan.
UNDATED (AP) — Commissioners of Football Championship Subdivision conferences are exploring the possibility of bringing private equity investment into the FCS playoffs. Most of the 24 playoff teams either lose money or break even. Big Sky Conference commissioner Tom Wistrcill says this is why FCS commissioners are considering a proposal from Sequence Equity to make the playoffs profitable. Wistrcill said the FCS conferences would be majority owners and Sequence would hold a minority stake. The NCAA's current rules and TV contracts could complicate this shift. Some experts doubt the NCAA would allow an outside entity to run the playoffs.
