Football Games To Watch This Weekend [Opinion]

The weekend is here…and that means FOOTBALL! Here are the games that I think will be the ones to watch:

COLLEGE:

#9 SOUTH CAROLINA (6-1) AT #3 FLORIDA (6-0) 1:30 p.m. on CBS

Florida hosts the Gamecocks in the first of a five-game home stand that could position the Gators for their first trip to the SEC title game since 2008. With #9 South Carolina coming to town, Florida got some good news this week as it appears that five starters—including three offensive linemen—who missed all or part of last week’s game at Vanderbilt should be back this week. Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel rushed for a school-record 177 yards and five touchdowns. He’ll need another solid game against a Gamecocks defense that ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense. South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore (35 yards rushing) and quarterback Connor Shaw (19/34 for 177 yards, two interceptions, four sacks) both had games they’d rather forget last week at LSU and will look to recover in another tough road environment. The Gamecocks are seeking their first-ever three-game winning streak against Florida.

NFL

BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-1) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (5-1) 11a.m. on CBS

For me this is the game of the week. Injuries to linebacker Ray Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb will hurt Baltimore on the defensive side of the ball. The Ravens have just the 26th-ranked defense in total yards, but they are stingy, allowing just 19.7 points per game. The Texans will test Baltimore with running back Arian Foster, whose 561 yards rushing rank second in the league. Houston is without injured linebacker Brian Cushing. They missed him while giving up six touchdown passes against Green Bay last week. They’ll face a Ravens offense rolling up an average of 385 yards per game behind quarterback Joe Flacco.