The first College Football Playoff rankings of the year were released on Tuesday ahead of what could be the most competitive weekend of the college football season to date.

In other words, expect those rankings to change.

Several teams are on upset-alert already with key in-conference matchups against teams that are looking to either steal the spotlight or derail a season.

After two weeks of so-so matchups (some of which turned out to be pretty exciting games), this weekend starts a flurry of weeks where teams try to cut each other down and earn a coveted spot in the Top 4.

Here’s a look at what to watch in Week 10:

Game of the week:
No. 2 LSU at No. 4 Alabama, 8 p.m. ET
This is the seventh time since 2005 that both teams enter the game ranked in the top 10. Alabama can’t afford a loss. Even though it’s No. 4 in the current rankings, a second loss would be enough to knock it from playoff contention. Similarly, LSU is undefeated, but still has games against Bama and Ole Miss before it can claim the SEC West crown and guarantee itself a spot in the Top 4.

No game this weekend will have a bigger effect on the College Football Playoff rankings than this one.

"The good news is we've played these games before and we certainly understand them," LSU coach Les Miles said this week. "A big game is only so big, right? You're playing for all the things you wanted to play for at the beginning of the year. You're playing for the lead in the West. And you've put yourself, with your achievements, this team, in position to do so. They should look forward to it. They should relish it.

"It's why you come to LSU, to be a part of this game."

This game also will have implications on the Heisman race. LSU running back Leonard Fournette is the frontrunner for the bronze statue, but has faced only one quality defense this season, Fournette hasn’t rushed for fewer than 150 yards in any contest this year, but Alabama is allowing less than 80 yards rushing per game.

On the other side, Derrick Henry has 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. In his past two games against Texas A&M and Tennessee, Henry has rushed for 339 yards and four touchdowns.

There is no doubt this is the game of the week and one that shouldn't be missed.

Game to Watch:
No. 16 Florida State at No. 1 Clemson, 3:30 p.m. ET
Clemson has a lot riding on this game against the Seminoles this weekend. Not only are the Tigers trying to hold on to the No. 1 spot, they’re also trying to lock up the ACC Atlantic Division title and a spot in the ACC title game.

Florida State knows this position all too well. In 2013, the last time the Tigers started the season undefeated, the Seminoles rolled into Death Valley and walked out with a 51-14 win. It marked the most points any opponent had scored in Clemson’s stadium. The Seminoles went on to win the national title that year.

Now it’s Clemson’s turn.

For the sixth time in a row, this game will determine the winner of the division. If Clemson wins, the Tigers will have a two game lead on all its division opponents. If Florida State wins, both the Seminoles and Tigers have one loss and FSU holds the tiebreaker. Not to mention it would likely punt the Tigers out of the top 4 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

Clemson hasn’t beaten the Seminoles since 2011, but Clemson hasn’t been this good in the last three seasons either. Much of that is because of the emergence of quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is a Heisman hopeful completing 70 percent of his passes for 1,936 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has 386 rushing yards and four scores.

Florida State will have quarterback Everett Golson and star running back Dalvin Cook back this week after both missed last week’s game against Syracuse because of injury.

Also check out…
No. 8 TCU at No. 14 Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m. ET
For all intents and purposes, the Big 12 schedule for both of these teams begins this weekend.

Both TCU and Oklahoma State are undefeated in conference play, but neither team has played the upper echelon of the conference and the whittling down to the best of the best begins with this contest.

Both of these offenses have put up ridiculous numbers this season. Oklahoma State has scored 128 points in its last two contests while TCU is averaging 48.9 points per game.

However, defense has been a totally different story. Neither team plays a lot of defense — the story of the Big 12 as a whole — but TCU’s appears to be getting better after sustaining several key injuries and having to use 17 first-time starters to help get the team through the first half of the season. After limiting West Virginia to 10 points last weekend, the Horned Frogs’ defense might be peaking at the right time, though it still has to contend with a Cowboys’ offense that scored 70 points against Texas Tech last weekend.

Still don’t expect too much defense in this one. Oklahoma State has won two of the last three meetings between these teams, but the Horned Frogs 42-9 win against the Oklahoma State a year ago started the Cowboys on a five-game losing streak.

Channel surf through…

Navy at Memphis, 7 p.m. ET: One Group of 5 undefeated has already gone down this week, could the Tigers be next? Memphis was the highest ranked of all the Group of 5 teams and could move into the top 10 if they win and some key teams lose. But Navy is not an easy foe and Memphis will have to play perhaps its best game of the season to get past the Midshipmen and remain undefeated.

Duke at North Carolina, noon ET: Duke is coming off a controversial loss to Miami, but it still has a chance to claim its spot atop the ACC Coastal Division. North Carolina is undefeated in conference play, but a loss against the Blue Devils would level the playing field. A win, and the Tar Heels pretty much have their ticket to the ACC title game punched.

No. 5 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, noon ET: Notre Dame is within a sniff of the College Football Playoff Top 4, but getting by Pitt won’t be an easy feat especially after an emotional win against Temple last week. The Panthers are coming off a tough loss to North Carolina, but could still pull off the upset, especially at home.

No. 12 Utah at Washington, 7:30 p.m. ET: For the second time this season, Utah is the underdog against an unranked conference opponent and so far the Utes are 0-1 in those games. Washington has been tough defensively this season, especially against the run, which is Utah's bread and butter offense. This could easily be a trap game for the Utes, which are narrowly holding on to their Pac-12 South lead.

Want to hear all of Dr. Saturday's thoughts on Week 9? Check out the Dr. Saturday Podcast:

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A report says that the family of LSU star running back Leonard Fournette may have committed NCAA violations.

According to USA Today, Fournette’s parents and “a family associate” set up an online business before Fournette made his debut at LSU. The plan was to sell t-shirts and hats with the phrase “BUGA Nation,” which stands for “Being United Generates Attitude.” Fournette helped coin the phrase while he was still in high school.

The website launched Aug. 27, 2014 – the week Fournette made his collegiate debut with the Tigers – but was shut down “within 24 hours,” a few days before LSU played Wisconsin.

From USA Today:

The website launched the week of LSU's 2014 season opener, but the business went no further — sales of T-shirts and hats were stopped within 24 hours after the NCAA learned of its existence, according to (Leonard’s mother) Lory Fournette.

“There’s certain rules that just can’t be broken,” she told USA TODAY Sports.

NCAA rules prohibit athletes or their family members from profiting off the athlete’s name, image or likeness. The Fournettes insisted their son’s name or image not be used on the website, and indeed the apparel that appears on a development version of the website only includes the “BUGA Nation” logo and LSU colors.

Both the NCAA and SEC told USA Today that neither had any correspondence with the Fournettes. Additionally, LSU told the paper that it has “no evidence of written communication with the NCAA” about the website.

However, The Advocate reported Thursday night that the LSU compliance office “consulted with the Fournette family about the website” before the family decided to shut it down.

A person who managed the website told USA Today that only a few items were purchased, but the orders were not filled.

The report says Paul Price, who Fournette’s mother said was one of the family’s “managers,” made payments of “about $10,000” to build the website and generate merchandise. Price initiated agreements with several businesses, which agreed to significant discounts (more than $20,000) because of the expectation of popularity with the gear associated with Fournette. However, after the site was shut down, one business owner said he has not been paid back. 

For more LSU news, visit TigerBait.com.

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Northwestern will finally break ground on its new athletics facility on the shores of Lake Michigan.

After several generous donations from trustees and alums, the school announced Friday that the groundbreaking ceremony will take place next Friday Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. on campus. Construction is set to begin immediately thereafter.

The “Lakefront Athletics and Recreation Complex” will include an “indoor multipurpose facility” for football practice and practices and competitions for Olympic sports teams. The indoor facility will be named Ryan Fieldhouse “in honor of the generosity of alumni Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan.” Additionally, the indoor playing surface “will be named Wilson Field in honor of a $15 million gift from alumni Stephen R. and Susan K. Wilson.”

The facility also includes the Walter Athletics Center, which will be home to an academic support services center, a nutrition center, a sports performance center and offices for coaches and administrators. The Walker Athletics Center will also be the headquarters for Northwestern football.

“This is a landmark day for our entire campus community," said Jim Phillips, vice president for athletics and recreation. "Ryan Fieldhouse and the Walter Athletics Center will provide the finest support, training and developmental facilities for Northwestern student-athletes in an incomparable location. This transformational facility will seamlessly integrate athletics into the heart of campus, offer new recreational opportunities for Northwestern students, faculty and staff and enhance the use of the lakefront by the entire Evanston community. We are tremendously excited to begin construction and realize this vision."

The project also includes the expansion of the school’s swimming facilities, not to mention the addition of an outdoor football practice field and improved soccer, lacrosse and field hockey fields.

Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald previously called the new facility a “game-changer” for the football program. The school’s football facilities haven’t been updated since a renovation to Ryan Field and the addition of an indoor practice facility about a mile off-campus in 1997. With the new facility, the program will be stay on campus for practice. 

For more Northwestern news, visit WildcatReport.com.

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Hey, a 7-3 Week 9 made us 44-40-6. Can we make it two weeks in a row?

Temple (-13.5) at SMU, 8 p.m. ET FRIDAY: This game may be close for a while. SMU's record (1-7) doesn't show it, but the Mustangs have improved significantly under Whataburger-loving coach Chad Morris. Temple is still in the mix for a New Year's Six bowl spot because of a game against Memphis later in the month. But for the dream to continue, the Owls have to win and win big.

Kentucky at Georgia (-14.5), Noon ET: Is this the game that decides the future of all or part of Georgia's coaching staff? There's been no decision as to who will start at QB for Georgia, but it'll likely not be Faton Bauta, who played quarterback vs. Florida. Kentucky did not look good at all vs. Tennessee at home, and if the Wildcats keep it close it may be more due to Georgia's incompetence than anything else.

Notre Dame (-8.5) at Pitt, Noon ET: Pitt lost a golden chance at an ACC title game with the loss to North Carolina last Thursday. Can the Panthers upset Notre Dame? Maybe. To do it, Pitt has to stop the Deshone Kizer-Will Fuller connection. And while Temple slowed the pair down last weekend, Fuller and Kizer hooked up for the game-winning score. This game won't be a blowout, but Pitt won't give Notre Dame nearly the scare Temple did.

Stanford at Colorado (+16.5), 1 p.m. ET: The Buffaloes are due to give someone a scare at home, right? Stanford escaped against Washington State and has no business losing on Saturday. But there's something that tells us Colorado hangs around for the duration.

Wisconsin at Maryland (+11), 3:30 p.m. ET: Here's another home dog that could turn into a straight up win. Wisconsin does have Corey Clement back and the Badgers easily dispatched of Rutgers in Week 9. And given Maryland's struggles this season it's a pick that's not easily explainable. The Terrapins were down 31-0 to Iowa before making the game 31-15. We're still rolling with it though.

TCU (-5.5) at Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m. ET: Prove it, Oklahoma State. TCU has played a couple of close games this season but stomped West Virginia in Week 9. Meanwhile, the Cowboys pulled away late against Texas Tech, one of those teams that TCU closely beat. Tech isn't much of a barometer of the two teams, and we're taking the best player on the field in Trevone Boykin.

Michigan State (-6) at Nebraska, 7 p.m. ET: You're probably wondering why this line is so small. We are too and we feel like suckers for taking it. Before Nebraska's 10-point loss to Purdue on Saturday (a game that wasn't even that close), the combined margin of the Cornhuskers' previous five defeats was 13 points. 13! Nebraska needs to win out for a bowl. We don't think that's happening.

Auburn at Texas A&M (-7.5), 7:30 p.m. ET: This line is so small because of Texas A&M's struggles against South Carolina. Yeah, Kyler Murray looked great making his first start of the season, but the Aggies beat a bad SC team by seven. The Auburn game is more about the A&M run defense than it is about Murray. Can John Chavis' defense hold up better against the Tigers than it did against Alabama?

Utah (+2) at Washington, 7:30 p.m. ET: Remember the last time Utah was a road underdog? Yeah, it didn't turn out too well. Washington isn't USC and if the Utes have any hope of sneaking into the College Football Playoff, they can't afford another loss. Either way, this game is going to be close. And Travis Wilson better not throw four interceptions again.

LSU (+7) at Alabama, 8 p.m. ET: This game is what, a two or three-point game at a neutral site? Less? We're thinking line here is shifted towards Alabama outside of home-field because of a perceived advantage at quarterback. Brandon Harris has played well at LSU, but he's been overshadowed by Leonard Fournette. Meanwhile, Jacob Coker's emergence has gotten a lot of attention at Alabama. But why are we taking the Tigers? LSU's playmakers on the outside can crack Alabama's secondary if the Tide stuffs Fournette.

THE RUSTY LOCKS OF THE WEEK

Nick Bromberg (4-5) Arkansas at Ole Miss (-10), 3:30 p.m. ET: It's still a bit crazy to think that if Ole Miss wins out, the Rebels are the SEC West champions. And how fun of a disaster scenario for the SEC's CFP hopes would that be? Arkansas can't rely on Brandon Allen to pick apart Ole Miss' defense and I trust the Rebels to be able to stop the run. Ole Miss wins this game by two touchdowns or more.

Sam Cooper (3-6) Penn State (+2) at Northwestern, Noon ET: Penn State is known more for its defense, but PSU has really started to hit its stride on offense over the past few weeks. Christian Hackenberg isn’t turning the ball over at all this year, and though Northwestern has a pretty solid defense, I don’t think PSU will have to score all that much to beat the offensively-challenged Wildcats.

Graham Watson(1-7-1) Arizona State at Washington State (-2.5): The Cougars were a missed field goal away from upsetting Stanford last week, but the way they played throughout the game spoke volumes about the way this team has matured this season. Arizona State is one of the nation’s worst passing defenses going against Wazzu QB Luke Falk and one of the best passing offenses. Like those odds. The Cougars rebound this week.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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The contract extension Georgia coach Mark Richt agreed to in the spring doesn't have his signature on it.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Richt didn't sign the extension the school offered him and is forfeiting his scheduled-to-be-higher annual salary as a result. However, the school will honor the contract even if Richt hasn't signed it, meaning the buyout under his new deal is bigger than in his old deal.

Nevertheless, UGA has vowed to honor the terms of the proposed agreement retroactively. That’s particularly beneficial to Richt in the event that he gets fired this year. It means he will be paid $2.5 million more than he would under his existing contract, for a total payout of $4.1 million. According to the current contract on file with the athletic association, he would be owed $1.6 million, or $800,000 per year remaining in the term.

“To me a handshake is an agreement and the board approved it. Everybody approved it,” Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity said Friday. “Just because somebody hasn’t signed it doesn’t mean we’re not going to honor it, if it ever reached that point.”

Per USA Today, McGarity "favored a coaching change" after 2014 though it didn't happen because of the wishes of the school's president. And instead of being replaced as Georgia's coach after 14 seasons, Richt was given a contract extension and a raise.

Following an ugly loss to Florida in Week 9 that dropped Georgia out of the SEC East title race, the coaching staff of the 5-3 Bulldogs has been subject to a lot of scrutiny. Richt even made a tweet Thursday afternoon that said defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was the team's defensive coordinator and preparing for Saturday's game against Kentucky. Given Georgia's remaining schedule, the Bulldogs should finish the season 9-3.

Will Richt sign the new deal? His agent told the AJC the coach would "very soon." McGarity said the reason the coach hasn't signed the contract is because of changes in language in the new deal, not because of any monetary differences between the two parties.

The issue is on language that has changed from his original contract to this new contract, which adds new language that deals basically with conduct,” McGarity said. “It has nothing to do with buyouts. Even if the contract doesn’t get signed, we’d honor that. It has absolutely nothing to do with money or term or annual salary or compensation. It all has to deal with the terminology that has changed from his original contract.”

If Georgia loses a game over its remaining four, will the increased buyout be a factor in any decisions regarding the coaching staff? We'll find out over the next month.

For more Georgia news, visit UGASports.com.

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Two members of the Nebraska football team have left the program.

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska confirmed that running back Jordan Stevenson and offensive tackle Matt Finnin are both no longer part of the program.

Stevenson, a freshman running back, joined the Huskers program over the summer after being denied admission at Wisconsin. A four-star recruit, Stevenson chose to attend Nebraska despite late pushes for his services from Alabama and Miami.

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The Huskers originally planned to redshirt Stevenson this season, but he was used as a kick returner in three of the team’s last four games and never saw a carry on offense. He did not make the trip to Purdue last weekend due to an illness, Huskers coach Mike Riley said.  

Riley told reporters Thursday that he does not regret burning Stevenson’s redshirt.

“I think our intentions and his desires (to play) were good,” Riley said.

Elsewhere, Finnin, a senior, hasn’t seen much playing time this season as a backup lineman. He played in 12 games total coming into this season for the Huskers, but hasn’t cracked the rotation this year.

He transferred to Nebraska prior to the 2013 season after beginning his career at College of DuPage in Illinois.

The 3-6 Huskers face No. 6 Michigan State at home on Saturday. 

For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.

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With 128 FBS teams and over 85 players on every college football roster, it’s easy for some talented prospects to slip through the cracks nationally. There’s no doubt about the talent or the amount of spotlight on LSU’s Leonard Fournette, TCU’s Trevone Boykin, Baylor’s Corey Coleman or Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, but there other plenty of under-the-radar performers this season.  

With that in mind, Athlon Sports set out to look at 15 players having an underrated season or the best players no one is talking about prior to Week 10.  

Steven Daniels, LB, Boston College

The struggles of Boston College’s offense are no secret. However, even with an offense managing only 18.3 points per game, the Eagles are still holding opponents to 13.3 points a contest and 3.7 yards per play. Daniels is one of the leaders for Boston College’s defense, recording 67 tackles (14 for a loss), six sacks, one interception and two pass breakups. He’s a lock for first-team All-ACC honors this December.

Related: Predictions for Every Game in Week 10

Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State

Most college football fans would be able to guess LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook as the No. 1 and No. 2 leading rushers in the nation. However, No. 3 (Ervin) is a bit of a surprise. Ervin is having a career year for the Spartans, averaging 144.9 yards per game in 2015. Additionally, the senior has rushed for 12 scores through eight contests and caught 30 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Ervin rushed for 300 yards in a win over Fresno State and 263 in a 31-21 victory over New Mexico.

Dan Feeney, OL, Indiana

Indiana’s offensive line is quietly one of the better groups in the Big Ten. Feeney and fellow senior Jason Spriggs are the anchors up front for coach Kevin Wilson, as this duo helps the Hoosiers average 180.6 rushing yards per game and allowed only 10 sacks through eight matchups. Feeney has started all eight games for Indiana this season and has 32 career starts.

Related: Post-Week 9 Bowl Projections

Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech

Most of the attention on Big 12 receivers usually revolves around the prolific Corey Coleman at Baylor or TCU’s Josh Doctson. While Doctson and Coleman are putting together first-team All-America seasons, Grant is quietly amassing some big totals for coach Kliff Kingsbury. The senior leads all Big 12 players with an average of 189.6 all-purpose yards per game and has 69 catches for 952 yards and five scores this season. With remaining games against West Virginia, Kansas State and Texas, Grant will have plenty of opportunities to add to those totals in November.

Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss

Tackle Robert Nkemdiche headlines the Ole Miss’ defensive front, and there’s no shortage of talent in the trenches in the SEC. However, it’s time to pay attention to what Haynes is doing in Oxford. The sophomore leads the team with 11 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks, while also recording 29 tackles and two forced fumbles. In SEC games, Haynes has recorded five sacks, which is tied with LSU’s Lewis Neal and Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett for the top spot in the conference.

Related: 10 Replacements for Al Golden at Miami

Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming

Hill is a key cog in second-year coach Craig Bohl’s rebuilding effort at Wyoming. The sophomore leads all running backs in the Mountain West with 1,262 yards through nine games, averages a healthy 6.2 yards per carry and ranks sixth nationally with an average of 140.2 yards per game. Hill’s 387 all-purpose yards against Fresno State was the most in the nation by any player in a single game last season. 

Desmond King, CB, Iowa

King was picked as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, but the junior still isn’t getting enough attention for his performance. King has played in all eight games for the Hawkeyes, recording 36 tackles and seven pass breakups. Additionally, King has recorded seven interceptions, which is tied for the most in the nation. Having a lockdown corner like King is a big reason why Iowa has allowed only three passing scores in Big Ten games this season. 

Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple

Matakevich is the heart and soul of an underrated Temple defense, and a player that deserves consideration for postseason All-America honors. The senior leads the Owls’ defense with 78 tackles (eight for a loss) and has also recorded four sacks, five interceptions and four pass breakups. Matakevich recorded at least 100 tackles in each of his first three seasons and is on pace to hit that mark once again in 2015.

Nick Mullens, QB, Southern Miss

Todd Monken inherited a major rebuilding project at Southern Miss. However, the third-year coach has the Golden Eagles at 6-3 and bowl eligible, largely due to an offense ranked second in Conference USA with an average of 35.7 points per game. Mullens has made steady improvement as a player over the last three seasons and is in the midst of a career year. The junior has 2,890 passing yards and 25 scores in 2015 and eclipsed over 300 passing yards in two games (Nebraska and Mississippi State) against Power 5 teams this season. Mullens also boasts a healthy 64.1 completion percentage.

Gionni Paul, LB, Utah

Paul is quietly putting together a strong resume for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. The senior leads the Utah defense with 75 tackles (10 for a loss) and has also recorded one sack, two picks and two forced fumbles in eight games in 2015. Paul is a sideline-to-sideline presence for the Utes and helps to anchor the Pac-12’s best run defense (113.1 yards per game).

Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville

Linemen in a 3-4 scheme will never record monster stats, as their job is usually to plug the gap and allow the linebackers to make plays. But in Rankins’ case, he’s been an active presence for Louisville’s defense around the line of scrimmage, recording 37 stops (7.5 for a loss), four sacks and returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown. He’s also a big reason why Louisville is limiting opponents to an average of 3.1 yards per carry this year. 

Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama

Reed is another 3-4 lineman that deserves more attention. The 6-foot-4 lineman has the necessary beef to stuff the run at 313 pounds but also has the right amount of quickness to be a factor in wreaking havoc around the line of scrimmage. Reed has 39 stops (3.5 for a loss), one sack, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries this season. He’s an underrated part of Alabama’s elite defense.

Larry Rose III, New Mexico State

The Sun Belt quietly has a nice collection of running backs, which includes UL Lafayette’s Elijah McGuire, Georgia Southern’s Matt Breida and Appalachian State’s Marcus Cox. Rose III is another rising star at running back, as the sophomore ranks second in the conference with 1,083 yards and 10 rushing scores through eight games. He also has two 200-yard games this season and recorded 1,102 yards as a true freshman in 2014.

Mike Warren, RB, Iowa State

Warren was picked as a breakout candidate for the Cyclones this season and has delivered in a big way for coach Paul Rhoads. Despite recording only nine carries in the first two games of 2015, the redshirt freshman is second in the Big 12 with 954 rushing yards. Warren has eclipsed at least 126 yards in five out of his last seven games. 

Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern

Northwestern’s defense has emerged as one of the Big Ten’s best in 2015. The Wildcats are holding opponents to 17.6 points a game and 4.5 yards per play, while only giving up one play of 40 yards or more. Walker’s breakout season is one of the driving forces behind this group’s improvement, recording 67 tackles (first on the team), one sack and two fumble recoveries. The sophomore’s 10.5 tackles for a loss are tied for fifth among Big Ten defenders.

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Watch for more rankings, previews and predictions from the good folks at Athlon here on Dr. Saturday. And don't forget to follow @YahooDrSaturday and @AthlonSports for all your college football information.

Idaho wide receiver Dezmon Epps won't face assault charges after accusations that he slapped his girlfriend in October.

“We cannot prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Whitman County prosecutor Merritt Decker told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, “So we declined to file charges at this time.”

Epps has been indefinitely suspended after the allegations surfaced. He was alleged to have struck his girlfriend in the face in an altercation on October 25. He was suspended the next day by coach Paul Petrino.

The Daily News had not received word if Idaho would reinstate Epps for the team's game Saturday at South Alabama. Idaho has three wins in 2015 and with two more wins could match the number of wins the team had from 2011-2014.

Epps has 61 catches for 762 yards and two touchdowns this season despite missing the team's game against USC after he was caught stealing items from the school bookstore. The bookstore theft was not his first offense at Idaho. He missed the 2014 season after he pled guilty to DUI. He had 79 catches for 980 yards in 2013.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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Mississippi State freshman defensive end Keith Joseph Jr. was killed in a car crash Friday night along with his father Keith Joseph Sr.

According to the school, the two were on the way to see a Pascagoula High School football game. Joseph Jr. played at Pascagoula. Mississippi State played at Missouri on Thursday night.

“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Keith Jr. and his father,” Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said in a statement. “Keith had such a promising future as a Bulldog following in the legacy started by Keith Sr., who played for our program 25 years ago. Keith was a great student, a hard worker and a great teammate to all of us. With heavy hearts, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Joseph family, our entire Mississippi State community and all of the lives these Bulldogs touched.”

Joseph Sr. played at Mississippi State from 1989-1992. He was a linebacker and recorded 14 sacks in his career.

“Words can’t express the sorrow we feel by having lost not one, but two members of the Bulldog family, father and son,” MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “I was a classmate of Keith Sr., and took pride in having Keith Jr. follow in his dad’s footsteps at MSU. They will both be missed greatly. It’s such a tragic reminder that life is a precious and every day is a gift from God.”

Joseph Jr. was redshirting this season. He was a three-star recruit in the class of 2015 and the No. 6 player in the state of Mississippi according to Rivals.

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Notre Dame beat Pittsburgh 42-30, but the Irish lost running back C.J. Prosise in the process.

Prosise left the game late in the first quarter with an injury that coach Brian Kelly said was to his "shoulder, neck, upper body." Prosise's head and shoulder slammed into the ground after a tackle.

Irish Illustrated reported that Prosise suffered a concussion and a possible shoulder injury. Kelly said after the game that Prosise would be evaulated on a day-to-day basis and that the running back had gone through concussion protocol.

Before leaving the game, Prosise had 28 yards on five carries and two catches for 29 yards. The senior entered Saturday’s game with 947 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games. Josh Adams was Notre Dame's leading rusher Saturday. He had 20 carries for 147 yards.

For more Notre Dame news, visit BlueAndGold.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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The ACC Coastal Division is North Carolina's to lose.

The Tar Heels, 8-1, blitzed Duke in the first half on Saturday on the way to a 66-31 win. Marquise Williams torched the Duke secondary for 494 yards and bookended the first half with touchdown passes.

North Carolina scored on its first offensive play of the game when Williams found Ryan Switzer for an 89-yard touchdown on a flea flicker. The score gave the Tar Heels a 7-0 lead. Then, with one second to go in the first half, Williams hit Bug Howard for a 49-yard touchdown.

Somehow, Duke hadn't put its safeties back to prevent North Carolina from completing a big pass play. Howard was one-on-one in pass coverage and the great throw from Williams meant UNC went into the halftime break leading 38-10.

Williams had 404 passing yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He also had a rushing touchdown in the 38-point barrage.

Duke, fresh off its awkward loss to Miami after ACC officials messed up multiple times on the Hurricanes' game-winning kickoff return, hadn't allowed more than 272 passing yards to a team all season. The Blue Devils allowed Williams and backup Mitch Trubisky to throw for 537.

North Carolina was not ranked in Tuesday's College Football Playoff rankings despite being 7-1. The reason was a weak schedule; North Carolina's best win this season had been Pitt, a team that dropped out of the top 25 after losing to UNC. And the Tar Heels' loss, a 17-13 decision to South Carolina in Week 1, isn't considered to be a very good one, either.

The Tar Heels now have a two-game lead (thanks to the Pitt win) over everyone else in the ACC Coastal and will be ranked in the CFP poll this Tuesday. It's great news for the ACC, and especially the winner of Saturday afternoon's game between Clemson and Florida State.

If North Carolina wins out – possible with games remaining against Miami, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State – the Tar Heels could be an 11-1 opponent for the winner of the Atlantic Division.

And barring a catastrophe, the winner of the Atlantic should also be 11-1, if not 12-0. A North Carolina team on an 11-game win streak would be a huge opportunity for the Atlantic champion to show why the ACC is deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff. But if Carolina stumbles over the next three games, it's one fewer chance for a boost for either FSU or Clemson. And it could be costly if top teams from the other Power 5 conferences, especially the Big 12 continue to win.

But we won't end this on that note. North Carolina didn't look Saturday like it was in danger of stumbling anytime soon. With one more win, it'll be UNC's winningest season since 1997, an 11-1 campaign. And as we said just a couple paragraphs ago, it's a record that's certainly in play in 2015.

For more Duke news, visit DevilsIllustrated.com.

For more North Carolina news, visit TarHeelIllustrated.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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Oklahoma State will be without one of its best defensive players for the rest of the season.

Prior to Saturday afternoon’s showdown against TCU, it was revealed that senior defensive end Jimmy Bean suffered a torn ACL, ending his career.

Bean was injured in last weekend’s win at Texas Tech, but the program did not reveal his status throughout the week. The Texas Tech game was Bean’s 34th consecutive start. In eight games this season, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Bean totaled 25 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. 

Bean also had a combined 76 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and eight sacks in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

With Bean sidelined, the Cowboys’ defense has an even bigger challenge against Trevone Boykin the high-powered TCU offense.

For more Oklahoma State news, visit OStateIllustrated.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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No. 10 Florida is the SEC champion, but capturing that title did not come easy.

The Gators struggled to a 9-7 win against Vanderbilt. The game-winning 43-yard field goal came with 2:22 remaining by Austin Hardin, a kicker who came into the contest converting just 42.9 percent of his attempts this season.

Florida looked out of sorts offensively from the opening kick. It drove to Vanderbilt’s 5-yard line on the opening drive and then turned the ball over on downs. On their next drive, the Gators scored a touchdown but missed the extra point. The rest of the half was ugly as the Gators committed three turnovers on their next five possessions.

Vanderbilt ultimately turned one of those mistakes into a touchdown to give it a 7-6 lead at halftime.

The third quarter was worse. Florida had minus-18 yards in the period, but Vanderbilt was equally as inept offensively as both defenses dueled for field position.

The Gators seemed to have a little life at the start of the fourth quarter, but a fumble in the red zone negated a strong drive. It wasn’t until Hardin’s kick late in the game that the Gators took the lead for good.

Vanderbilt had about a minute remaining to notch a game-tying score. The Commodores were aided by defensive holding and targeting penalties, but were unable to complete a pass to move the ball into field-goal range.

Florida still has one conference game against South Carolina remaining and will likely have to wait a couple weeks before learning its SEC title game opponent. LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss are all in the hunt for the West Division title.

For more Florida news, visit InsideTheGators.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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Saturday wasn't a (really) bad day for Central Florida.

The Knights lost to Tulsa to go to 0-10 on the season, but it at least it wasn't a blowout. The final score of the game was 45-30. And Tre'Quan Smith made this catch early in the game.

It's certainly a Catch of the Week nominee.

Smith finished with seven catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. The freshman has 41 catches for 572 yards and two touchdowns on the season. His performance is certainly a bright spot for a team with fans already looking toward the future.

UCF pulled within four thanks to a 17-point third quarter, but was outscored 21-10 in the fourth quarter by the Golden Hurricanes. The Knights have games against ECU and South Florida remaining the rest of the season. Can UCF avoid a winless season?

For more UCF news, visit UCFSports.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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TCU fell behind big to Oklahoma State in the first half and lost star wide receiver Josh Doctson in the process.

Doctson injured his left wrist on a catch late in the first half. As Doctson was being tackled, he used his left hand to brace his fall to the turf. But as he went down, an Oklahoma State defender fell onto the wrist, causing it to bend awkwardly.

Doctson left the game and received X-rays at halftime. According to the Fox broadcast, TCU head coach Gary Patterson said the senior is "doubtful" to return to Saturday's game. 

Before leaving the game, Doctson hauled in six passes for 64 yards as the Horned Frogs fell behind 28-9 after two quarters.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Doctson led the country with 1,250 receiving yards. He also ranked second nationally with 14 touchdown catches and fourth with 71 receptions.

If Doctson’s injury is serious, it will be a significant blow to the high-powered TCU offense in the second half against the Cowboys and for the remainder of the season. With both teams entering the game undefeated, the winner will drastically improve its chances to win the Big 12 and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

For more TCU news, visit PurpleMenace.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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North Dakota State's Zach Vraa saw UCF's Tre'Quan Smith and decided to mimic him.

OK, so Vraa probably didn't see Smith's catch. But it looks pretty similar to the catch that Smith made against Tulsa. But unlike Smith, Vraa scored a touchdown. Here is the 41-yard catch.

It was so good that the defender on the play apparently had no idea Vraa had caught the ball. Yes, he's face-guarding Vraa, but it doesn't even look like he has any idea Vraa was making his way toward the end zone.

North Dakota State, 6-2 and the defending FCS champions, are having no trouble with Western Illinois. The Bison were up 45-0 before Western Illinois scored.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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When Jimbo Fisher met Dabo Swinney at midfield following No. 1 Clemson’s 23-13 win, Florida State’s coach had one message for the Tigers:

“Now, go win the whole thing.”

For the first time since 2011, Florida State was unseated as the champion of the AAC Atlantic Division, and Clemson will represent the division in the ACC title game. Clemson also will continue to be the nation’s No. 1 team after a hard-fought game that saw the Tigers score the game-winning touchdown and get a game-sealing fumble recovery in the final 2:34 of the contest.

“Give credit to Florida State, they’ve been a great champion in this league, they’ve represented this league, but tonight, it was our time and we’re division champs!” Swinney said during his on-field interview. “I’m really proud of our team. It was a hard-fought game. This is what championship football’s all about, baby. You’ve got to win in the fourth quarter and our guys just made the plays when they had to make them.”

Florida State jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first minute of the game after running back Dalvin Cook broke free for a 75-yard score. The two teams traded field goals and Florida State went into the half up 10-6.

Offensive consistency was tough for both teams. While Cook looked good early, the Clemson defense settled down and limited his yardage in the second half. Cook still finished with 21 carries for 194 yards and a score, but 115 of those yards came on his first two carries of the game.

Florida State quarterback Sean Maguire, who was starting his second consecutive game in place of injured starter Everett Golson, struggled to find rhythm and so did his receivers. Travis Rudolph, who was great a week ago, has six catches for 87 yards but also had the game-sealing fumble with 2:15 remaining.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson had little trouble moving the Tigers up and down the field, but struggled in the red zone, which led to three field goals. However, he did help orchestrate the game-winning 60-yard drive that culminated in a 25-yard pass to Wayne Gallman.

The win marked only the second time since Florida State joined the ACC that Clemson has won the Atlantic Division. The Tigers last won the division in 2011.

Clemson will face North Carolina, which defeated Duke on Saturday, in the ACC championship game in Charlotte on Dec. 5.

For more Clemson news, visit TigerIllustrated.com.

For more Florida State news, visit Warchant.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

If you had any doubt about the legitimacy of this undefeated Oklahoma State team, the Cowboys answered emphatically on Saturday.

Behind a potent Mason Rudolph-to-James Washington passing combination and a great effort on defense, the 14th-ranked Cowboys trampled No. 8 TCU 49-29, knocking the Horned Frogs from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Oklahoma State jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter and forced Trevone Boykin, TCU’s Heisman candidate quarterback, into some uncharacteristic mistakes. Boykin threw four interceptions on the afternoon, three of which directly led to Oklahoma State touchdowns.

TCU’s secondary had no answer for the speedy Washington early on. Rudolph (352 yards, 5 TDs) hit him on touchdown passes of 48 and 50 yards in the first quarter, but TCU was able to keep pace in the first quarter, scoring on a short run from Boykin and a Jaden Oberkrom field goal.

Things changed in the second quarter. Rudolph threw his third touchdown of the half on a 12-yard connection with Jeff Carr, and the OSU defense forced TCU to turn it over on downs on the Horned Frogs’ ensuing possession.

From then on out, it was all Oklahoma State. Three plays after regaining possession, Rudolph tossed another deep ball, this time connecting with Marcell Ateman for an 82-yard score, allowing the Cowboys to go into halftime with a 28-9 lead.

The second half was more of the same.

Boykin was intercepted by linebacker Chad Whitener on his first attempt of the third quarter. Whitener's return to the TCU 1-yard line allowed J.W. Walsh to score on the next play to increase the lead to 35-9. Boykin responded with a touchdown run on TCU’s next drive, but when the Horned Frogs needed a stop on defense, Rudolph found Washington (five catches, 184 yards) behind the secondary yet again, this time for a 75-yard touchdown, his third of the game.

The Cowboys defense took care of things the rest of the way with Whitener leading the charge. The former walk-on stuffed Boykin (445 passing yards, 73 rushing yards) on a fourth-and-goal play and put the capper on the win with a 42-yard pick-six in the final minute, allowing the Cowboys to cruise to a 49-29 win – their most important triumph of the year by far.

The win improves OSU’s record to 9-0 and 6-0 in Big 12 play to join Baylor (8-0, 5-0) atop the conference standings. On top of that, it gives the Cowboys a huge resume boost in the College Football Playoff picture.

With its No. 14 ranking, the CFP committee clearly did not hold the Cowboys in high regard compared to TCU and Baylor. That will certainly change when next week’s rankings come out. However, there’s still a long way to go for the Cowboys with games against the unbeaten Bears and No. 15 Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1) still on the schedule.

The loss is a heartbreaker for TCU (8-1, 5-1) and its quest for a spot in the playoff. The Horned Frogs, who lost star wideout Josh Doctson to a wrist injury in the loss, will certainly get back on track against lowly Kansas next week before closing its schedule against the Sooners on Nov. 21 and in-state rival Baylor on Nov. 27. 

For more Oklahoma State news, visit OStateIllustrated.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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Ole Miss has lost control of the SEC West in an incredibly improbable way.

Brandon Allen's two-point conversion gave Arkansas a 53-52 win over Ole Miss on Saturday. The conversion came after a facemask on a sack negated the first two-point conversion attempt, and a few plays after Hunter Henry's wild lateral on a fourth-and-25 play resulted in a first down conversion by running back Alex Collins to keep the game alive.

A penalty, sack and incompletion led to the long fourth down. Allen completed a pass to Henry on the right sideline and as Henry was tackled, he chucked the ball toward the original line of scrimmage and Collins picked it up.

Collins got the first down, though not before he fumbled at the end of the play. After a review, Arkansas retained possession of the ball.

The touchdown to set up the two-point conversion came when Allen hit Drew Morgan. Then, after he was taken down by the facemask on the first two-point try, Allen squeaked into the end zone on the second.

The pass to Morgan was Allen's sixth touchdown pass of the game, a career high. Allen, whose previous big passing games have corresponded with Arkansas losses, finished the contest 33-of-45 passing for 442 yards.

Arkansas finished the game with more than 600 yards of total offense while Ole Miss had 590.

Entering the game, the Rebels controlled their own destiny in the SEC West. Going undefeated the rest of the way would have meant a berth in the SEC championship game against Florida, the only team to beat Ole Miss in the SEC in 2015. That scenario is now gone.

With two conference losses, the Rebels are behind both Alabama and LSU no matter what happens in Tuscaloosa. If LSU wins, Ole Miss is two games back of the division lead. If Alabama wins, the Rebels are a game back of the Tide with a game to play against the Tigers.

And the loss not only crushes Ole Miss' conference hopes, it makes the CFP committee's job of deciphering the West much easier. A two-loss Ole Miss winning the West with two potential one-loss teams would have put the burner on the committee had it decided LSU or Alabama was worthy of a top-four spot.

The win is Arkansas' third straight, and the second consecutive SEC win that's gone to overtime. After being 2-4 following a loss to Alabama, the Hogs are now 5-4 and a win away from bowl eligibility. With games remaining against LSU, Mississippi State and Missouri, the Razorbacks have a real chance of getting to 6-6 or better and making a second straight bowl game.

For more Arkansas news, visit HawgSports.com.

For more Ole Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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