College Basketball Saturday: 10 Games To Watch Without Oregon State On

#20 Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida Gators (8:00 AM PT, ESPNU)

The Seminoles got by Indiana thanks to freshman sensation Scottie Barnes’ late heroics and although, it’s still early, Leonard Hamilton’s group looks like legitimate ACC contenders. However, Florida comes into this one at 3-0, winning by an average margin of 24.3 points per game.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9:00 AM PT, CBS)

Kentucky comes into this clash on a three-game losing skid, as John Calipari has struggled to figure out his young and talented group. Notre Dame has been tested (as always) in battles against Michigan State and Ohio State already. Someone will get it right on Saturday in Lexington.

#12 Tennessee Volunteers vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (9:30 AM PT, SECN)

Renaissance man Rick Barnes and his program’s Twitter scheduling got his squad a victory over Colorado, after Tennessee needed some extra time to get their season rolling. Cincinnati is maybe a bit underrated, with a win over a good Furman side and a hard-fought loss to rival Xavier.

TCU Horned Frogs vs. Texas A&M Aggies (11:00 AM PT, ESPN+)

Coming off two heartbreaking defeats, TCU is one of those teams that’s really hard to gauge in the Big 12 picture at the moment. Their in-state foe in Texas A&M could be regarded in similar terms. The Aggies are 3-0, yet Buzz Williams crew hasn’t proved much. A very intriguing duel.

Wichita State Shockers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (12:00 PM PT, ESPN+)

Charles Koch Arena, aka the home of the Shockers, became a fortress under former head coach Gregg Marshall and interim program director Isaac Brown will hope Wichita State keeps the same narrative up during his tenure. Oklahoma State needs a road test like this for their growth.

Auburn Tigers vs. Memphis Tigers* (2:30 PM PT, ESPNU)

This one could be something out a reality show. In Atlanta, the always energetic Bruce Pearl brings a 2-2 Auburn squad to meet 4-2 Memphis, who are led by NBA legend Penny Hardaway. These are two teams who like to play free and dig in defensively. A forty minute battle awaits.

BYU Cougars vs. Utah Utes (3:00 PM PT)

Talk about an absolute wild rivalry. We’ve seen the on-field antics in football, but let’s not forget back in 2015 when these two met on the hardwood, that BYU guard Nick Emery punched Utah’s Brandon Taylor. I’ve never seen these two schools play one another calmly in any sport.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (4:00 PM PT, ESPN+)

Sporting a combined 7-2 record, these two programs from the Pelican State boast some rosters who are off to really exciting starts. Louisiana currently has four players averaging double-figures in scoring, while Tech boasts one of the Sun Belt’s best in veteran guard Kalob Ledoux.

Missouri Tigers vs. #6 Illinois Fighting Illini (5:00 PM PT, ESPNU)

Missouri star guard Mark Smith will be at the center of this one, as the senior started his career at Illinois before transferring to play for the Tigers. Cuonzo Martin has his team at 4-0 with wins over Oregon, at Wichita State and against Liberty. Illinois will be their biggest challenge yet.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Clemson Tigers* (5:00 PM PT, ACCNX)

Wait one minute. The basketball version of college football’s modern rivalry, how exciting will it be to see a different kind of battle between these two often overlooked programs. Alabama brings perimeter shooting. Clemson boasts swarming defense. Something will have to give.