Miami-Notre Dame tops wall-to-wall slate of must-watch games as the playoff race begins in earnest

The College Football Playoff race officially begins this week with a slate of highly anticipated matchups. Miami Hurricanes, currently ranked No. 1 in both The Associated Press Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings, face off against fourth-ranked Notre Dame. A victory could see Miami maintain their top spot through the regular season as they prepare to face unranked opponents Duke, Virginia Tech, and Boston College.

In the Big 12, seventh-ranked BYU takes on third-ranked Utah in a crucial matchup for the latter's playoff bid, as Utah has struggled defensively in recent games. Meanwhile, Texas hosts Missouri, a potential playoff showdown given Missouri's strong home record.

For the Pac-12, No. 5 UCLA visits Minnesota, who is coming off wins against Michigan and Iowa. The Golden Gophers' offense is modest, but their defense has beaten both teams mentioned. Alabama, ranked fifth by the CFP, faces LSU in a game where the Crimson Tide must prove their mettle, with LSU's strong defensive unit ranking second in the nation in sacks.

Kentucky looks to advance its College Football Playoff chances against Tennessee, who have never lost to Kentucky in five meetings under Josh Heupel. Ohio State, still seeking to defend their title, hosts Oregon in a game with significant playoff implications for both teams. Meanwhile, Georgia aims to bolster its playoff resume against Mississippi, while Iowa looks to advance its Big Ten title hopes against Northwestern.