College football’s October 24 schedule produces three games in which both teams are ranked in the top 25 of at least one of the AP, Coaches or SP+ systems. Ole Miss–Texas and Houston–Utah are conventional ranked-versus-ranked games; Indiana–Michigan qualifies because SP+ still rates the Wolverines No. 23 even though both human polls leave them unranked.
Rankings reflect the polls and ratings published after the games of October 17. SP+ is a predictive efficiency rating, not a résumé ranking.
| Matchup | AP | Coaches | SP+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana at Michigan | Indiana 6, Michigan NR | Indiana 6, Michigan NR | Indiana 5, Michigan 23 |
| Ole Miss at Texas | Ole Miss 7, Texas 19 | Ole Miss 7, Texas 18 | Ole Miss 14, Texas 8 |
| Houston at Utah | Houston 14, Utah 10 | Houston 16, Utah 9 | Houston 18, Utah 10 |
No. 6 Indiana at No. 23 SP+ Michigan
Saturday, October 24 — 11 a.m. CT — FOX/FOX One
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday line: Indiana -7; total: 41.5 at DraftKings
Indiana’s 22-game winning streak ended last Saturday, but a 19-15 loss to SP+ No. 1 Ohio State hardly exposed the Hoosiers as pretenders. Josh Hoover passed for 296 yards and found Nick Marsh for a fourth-quarter touchdown that pulled Indiana within four. The defense forced two late punts and gave the offense chances to steal the game, but the Hoosiers could not finish either drive. That outcome fits the underlying numbers: SP+ ranks Indiana fifth overall, 12th on offense and second on defense.
Michigan’s profile is far more lopsided. The Wolverines are 23rd overall in SP+ because their defense also ranks second, while the offense sits 75th. They snapped a two-game losing streak with a 21-18 win over Penn State, forcing two second-half turnovers and running more effectively after intermission. Freshman Tommy Carr supplied the spark, completing 5 of 7 passes and rushing four times for 36 yards, including the decisive 12-yard touchdown. Multiple outlets report that Carr will make his first college start Saturday, although coach Kyle Whittingham had not publicly confirmed the move by Wednesday morning.
The quarterback change is the week’s defining availability development. Carr’s mobility can simplify Michigan’s plan, but asking a true freshman to make his first start against an elite defense creates obvious risk. Bryce Underwood threw two first-half interceptions against Penn State and has six picks against five touchdown passes this season; Indiana will try to force Carr into the same long-yardage decisions.
The matchup compresses around field position. Michigan needs Savion Hiter, Bryson Kuzdzal and the offensive line to generate a credible run game so Carr does not have to carry third down. Indiana must protect Hoover against a defense capable of winning without blitzing and find Marsh before Michigan’s coverage closes. The total of 41.5 correctly anticipates limited possessions and scarce explosives. Michigan’s upset path is to turn the game into a sequence of punts, takeaways and short fields. Indiana’s cleaner path is patience: avoid giving the Wolverines defensive points, lean on its own top-two defense and let Hoover’s experience become decisive late.
What decides it: Turnover margin. Michigan needs its defense to create points or short fields; Indiana wins the more conventional offensive game.
No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas
Saturday, October 24 — 6:30 p.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas
Wednesday line: Texas -3.5; total: 52.5 at BetMGM
The rankings and the point spread tell different stories. Ole Miss is 5-1 and coming off its most complete performance, a 31-3 dismantling of then-No. 13 Missouri. Trinidad Chambliss threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, while the Rebels held a high-powered opponent scoreless over its final 10 possessions. Kewan Lacy rushed for 122 yards and Makhi Frazier added 101, giving first-year coach Pete Golding the balance needed to keep Texas from treating every snap as a passing down.
Texas has dropped consecutive 27-24 games to Oklahoma and Florida and is 1-2 in the SEC. Arch Manning completed 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards against Florida, but the larger problem is an offense still searching for rhythm. The Longhorns have not scored a third-quarter touchdown in five games, and Steve Sarkisian said Monday that Manning remains the starter even as backup KJ Lacey Jr. continues to receive first-team work. SP+ remains bullish on Texas—eighth overall and fifth on defense—but that projection has not translated into consistent, four-quarter offense.
Both teams carry important injury questions. Golding said Lacy has been fighting through weekly issues; he left portions of the Missouri game before returning, and the coach clarified that the latest problem was not the shoulder previously being managed. Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons is expected to miss two or three games with a high-ankle sprain. Running backs Hollywood Smothers and Derrek Cooper also entered the week uncertain.
This is the slate’s sharpest strength-on-strength confrontation. SP+ rates Ole Miss third on offense but only 41st on defense; Texas is fifth defensively but 19th on offense. Without Simmons, the Longhorns must create pressure while keeping Chambliss contained. Ole Miss can make that harder by staying ahead of schedule with Lacy and Frazier. On the other side, Texas should test the Rebels’ tackling with a steadier run game and quick throws rather than asking Manning to rescue repeated third-and-long situations.
The home-favorite price says Texas still owns the higher ceiling. Ole Miss arrives with the better current form. If the Rebels protect the ball and prevent explosive play-action shots, pressure will migrate quickly toward the Texas sideline and crowd.
What decides it: Early-down efficiency. The offense that consistently creates second-and-manageable will keep its quarterback away from the opponent’s best pressure looks.
No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah
Saturday, October 24 — 9:15 p.m. CT — ESPN/ESPN app
Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
Wednesday line: Utah -6.5; total: 56.5 at BetMGM
The weekend closes with a Big 12 game carrying conference-title implications. Houston moved to 6-1 by surviving Oklahoma State 35-32, and Conner Weigman earned Big 12 offensive player of the week after throwing for a career-high 343 yards and five touchdowns. He leads Power Four quarterbacks with 20 touchdown passes, while Patrick Overmyer, Amare Thomas and Koby Young give Houston three targets with at least five scoring catches.
Utah is 6-0 after escaping Colorado 27-24 and owns the nation’s longest active winning streak at 12 games. Devon Dampier has completed 68.6 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns, and Wayshawn Parker leads a ground game averaging 220 yards. The Utes are scoring 40.2 points and gaining 486.5 yards per game, yet their greatest advantage may be defensive balance: 14.8 points, 88.7 rushing yards and an FBS-best Big 12 passer-efficiency figure of 101.35 allowed per game. Saturday is expected to be Rice-Eccles Stadium’s 100th consecutive sellout.
Houston can answer in the trenches. The Cougars average 220 rushing yards, allow 82.6 and have surrendered only one sack all season behind center Anthony Boswell and guard Shadre Hurst. That makes the central matchup unusually even: two productive rushing attacks facing two top-12 run defenses. The difference may come when the quarterbacks are forced outside structure. Dampier’s dual-threat ability can stress Houston’s linebackers; Weigman has been the more prolific downfield passer.
The Cougars receive a meaningful boost with cornerback Jalen Mayo expected back after missing the Oklahoma State game. Coach Willie Fritz said linebacker Jaden Yates remains another week away, while nose guard De’Marion Thomas’ status was unresolved Monday. Mayo’s return matters after Houston conceded 365 passing yards last week.
Utah’s home field, deeper defensive consistency and unbeaten record justify the spread, but Houston has the offensive line and quarterback to keep the game attached. The Cougars must avoid negative plays and finish drives; the Utes must prevent Weigman from turning isolated coverage against Thomas or Overmyer into touchdowns. The first defense forced to commit an extra body to the run will expose the throws that decide the night.
What decides it: Which front wins without safety help. That team can stay sound against the run without surrendering explosive passes.
Three games, three distinct pressure points: a freshman quarterback facing Indiana’s elite defense, a Texas team trying to stop a two-game slide and an unbeaten Utah squad defending home turf against the Big 12’s hottest passer. Ole Miss–Texas has the greatest urgency, but Houston–Utah may carry the clearest conference-championship consequences.
