It feels hard to believe that we’re already in the final month of the college football season. Week Ten has arrived, and with it, the race for the college football playoff and conference championships has heated up. We have a plethora of fantastic contests to choose from this week. Let’s dive into some of the best matchups in Division I football outside of the P4 for Week Ten!
UTSA at Florida Atlantic
How to Watch: Thursday, November 5th – 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN
Why You Should Watch: If you enjoy offensive shootouts, there is probably not a better game to tune into this week. FAU put up an incredible fight last week against UNT on the road before ultimately coming up short. I expect this Owls offense to produce similarly impressive numbers this week against UTSA at home. This is a big test for the Roadrunners as they look to preserve a perfect conference record. If UTSA wins here and North Texas takes care of business against Rice, it sets up a massive showdown atop the American. You can bet FAU will be looking to play spoiler. Expect plenty of points tonight.
Mercer at UT-Chattanooga
PREVIEW: It's a ranked matchup in Finley Stadium this weekend for Homecoming 2026😎
— Chattanooga Mocs (@GoMocs) November 4, 2026
Story: https://t.co/4yCCSwvtsN pic.twitter.com/oiPsbwD8dV
How to Watch: Saturday, November 7th – 12:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+
Why You Should Watch: Four teams sit atop the Southern Conference with one loss. Tennessee Tech is the highest ranked at #9, while ETSU comes in at #19. Those two squads met last week, with Tennessee Tech coming out on top, only adding to the importance of this week’s matchup between #14 Mercer and #25 Chattanooga. Both teams are hoping to keep up in the race for the top spot in the conference. Mercer’s lone conference defeat came earlier in the season to Furman, while Chattanooga’s defeat came courtesy of Western Carolina. Of note, Chattanooga did lose to Tennessee Tech early in the season; however, that game was designated as a non-conference contest. In addition to the conference implications, this contest likely also carries significant weight for the FCS playoff, making it a must-watch contest.
Louisiana Tech at Troy
How to Watch: Saturday, November 7th – 3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+
Why You Should Watch: Troy has been one of the most inconsistent teams in the Sun Belt this year, as shown by the win over consensus conference champ pick James Madison coming on the heels of a defeat to bottom-of-the-barrel Louisiana Monroe. Still, the Trojans represent the toughest remaining Sun Belt West team on the schedule for Louisiana Tech. With a win here, the Bulldogs all but clinch a divisional title and an appearance in the Sun Belt title game. It depends on what version of Troy we get, but either way this should be a fun matchup with big implications.
Stephen F. Austin at Lamar
¡Qué bien se siente estar 9-0! 🪓#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/BwnaX1THfe
— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) November 2, 2026
How to Watch: Saturday, November 7th – 3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+
Why You Should Watch: This top-fifteen matchup essentially serves as the Southland title game as Lamar looks to ruin the perfect season the Lumberjacks currently have going. This is a fantastic regional matchup with national implications, and easily the stiffest road test SFA has faced since beating ACU in Abilene earlier this year. I’m expecting an incredible matchup in Southeast Texas between two top-tier FCS squads.
Abilene Christian at Tarleton State
How to Watch: Saturday, November 7th – 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+
Why You Should Watch: Speaking of Abilene Christian, the Wildcats have overcome the tough start to the year by going undefeated in conference to this point and climbing back into the rankings at #23. The Wildcats represent the last significant test for #1 Tarleton State left on the schedule. If the Texans can get past ACU and move to 10-0 on the year, Tarleton State all but guarantees home-field advantage through the playoffs up to the championship game. Meanwhile, given ACU’s poor start to the season, I think the Wildcats actually need to win this one if they hope to make the FCS playoffs. The stakes, the proximity of the two teams, and the history between these two squads combine to make one heck of a game. Don’t skip this matchup.
What under-the-radar games are you most excited about for Week Ten? We’d love to hear from you.
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