College football’s top 5 matchups of Week 10

5. No. 25 Kansas State vs. No. 7 Texas – Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Five teams currently sit atop the Big 12 standings at 4-1 with a lot to be decided over the season’s final month. That will begin with a big game in Austin this weekend between Kansas State and Texas. While this rivalry dates all the way back to 1913, the Longhorns and Wildcats have met just 23 times, with Texas holding a narrow 13-10 advantage thanks to victories over Kansas State in each of the last six seasons.

However, despite what will be a hostile environment, this could be the Wildcats’ year to break the streak. Kansas State is 6-2 with its only losses coming to a talented Missouri squad and an Oklahoma State team that also is tied for first in the Big 12. As of late, K-State has looked dominant, beating TCU 41-3 a couple of weeks ago, and Houston 41-0 in its last game. The defense has come on and been a nice complement to a potent offense led by quarterback Will Howard, and a top-five rushing attack in the nation led by DJ Giddens and Treshaun Ward. Facing Texas’ defense on the road will be tough, but this Wildcats team has experience in big games.

On the other side, Texas lacks the same experience, particularly at the quarterback position as Maalik Murphy has taken over for the injured Quinn Ewers. Murphy didn’t light the world on fire in his first start against BYU last weekend, but he did steer the Longhorns to a 35-6 victory for the team’s seventh win of the year whose only loss came in the final seconds of the Red River Rivalry to Oklahoma. Even with Murphy at the helm, Texas still features a top-25 total offense led by playmakers like Jonathon Brooks and Xavier Worthy. The Longhorns will need those guys to step up in a potential shootout on Saturday to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.