Dawgs look to get back in the hunt

From a top-10 Southeast Conference matchup to a prime-time Group of 5 showdown to more Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal chaos, there’s something for everyone this weekend.

Here are the most intriguing questions for Week 10:

Can Georgia get back into the playoff race?

The No. 8 Bulldogs’ bye week came at an opportune time, as Georgia was able to rest up, figure out its problems on offense and prepare for Saturday’s matchup with No. 6 Florida.

Despite their shocking loss to South Carolina a few weeks ago, the Dawgs are still in contention for an SEC title and possible playoff berth. But they’ll need to win out to accomplish those lofty goals, and given the tough slate ahead, it seems unlikely to happen. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Georgia just a 6.0% chance of winning out and 18.4% chance of winning the conference. The Dawgs are more likely headed for a 9-3 season than a trip to the national championship game.

Georgia has the blue-chip talent necessary to make a run at an SEC title, but Kirby Smart’s questionable in-game coaching decisions and a reluctance to be more aggressive on offense and unshackle quarterback Jake Fromm might hold the Dawgs back.

Florida, led by its own strong defense and a more talented offense, will be Georgia’s biggest test to date.

Who’s set up better for success in the future: SMU or Memphis?

No. 15 SMU(8-0) and No. 24 Memphis (7-1) meet in prime-time Saturday night, and the winner will be in the driver’s seat in the American Athletic Conference West as it looks to win its first conference title and secure a Cotton Bowl bid. It’s a clash of two programs on the rise, and impossible to overstate how meaningful it will be.

The Mustangs hadn’t been nationally ranked since 1986, the year before receiving the NCAA death penalty, and have been to just one bowl game in the past six seasons. Suddenly, under Coach of the Year candidate Sonny Dykes, SMU is 8-0 and has a chance to win 10 or more games for the first time since 1984.

The Tigers, meanwhile, have been to five straight bowl games after reaching just five total in their first 53 years. Justin Fuente built Memphis back into a competitive program before leaving for Virginia Tech at the end of the 2015 season, and Mike Norvell has picked up where he left off, guiding the Tigers to a 33-15 record.

Saturday’s game not only has major implications for the AAC, but the Group of 5 at large. Both of these programs are set up to become perennial contenders on par with UCF and Boise State, especially if they can recruit well in the talent-rich areas they reside.

Is USC really a Pac-12 contender?

For all the questions surrounding coach Clay Helton’s job security, the Trojans hold the top spot in the Pac-12 South and can earn their second victory over a top-10 conference opponent Saturday when they host No. 7 Oregon.

Because of their win over Utah earlier this season, the Trojans own a valuable tiebreaker with the Utes, who are poised to finish the season with just one loss. If USC can win out, the South title goes to the Trojans, despite their inferior overall record.

USC did well to rally past Colorado last Friday, but the Trojans struggled against a Buffaloes team that’s just 3-5 this season. USC’s defense has been hampered by injuries and routinely gashed, allowing nearly 7 yards per play against Colorado. Howwill it fare against Oregon star quarterback Justin Herbert and Co.?

The bigger question is how USC’s offense handles a resurgent Oregon defense. The Ducks are allowing just 14.8 points per game, but rising star Kedon Slovis and the Trojans’ talented receiving corps will test them.

The buzz is building for Oregon to get back into the playoff discussion if it can finish the season 12-1 and win the Pac-12. First, the Ducks will have to prove they can get past a talented USC team.

Will North Carolina vs. Virginia decide the ACC Coastal?

While it’s unlikely we get the incredible seven-way tie it deserves, the ACC Coastal is still among the most confusing divisions in the country.

Virginia sits on top, for now, at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Right behind the Cavaliers is North Carolina, which has taken nearly every game down to the wire but has just a 4-4 overall record and 3-2 league mark to show for it.

The game opened as a pick ’emin most sportsbooks, which shows how unpredictable the division has been. North Carolina, which has emerged as a slight home favorite, gets a chance to make up for its close losses by taking control of the Coastal with three games to go.