Opportunity arises this Saturday for two unexpected college football teams that are on the upswing.

Ranked 25th, Vanderbilt finds itself in an Associated Press regular-season poll for the first time since 2008, following a decade marked by consecutive losing seasons. They are set to host 5th-ranked Texas, just three weeks after they made headlines by pulling off an upset against then-top-ranked Alabama.

Meanwhile, 24th-ranked Navy is enjoying an unbeaten season thus far, breaking a streak of four losing campaigns. They have been in the rankings for two weeks and will face their traditional rival, 12th-ranked Notre Dame, this time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Vanderbilt (5-2) previously entered the Alabama game with a disheartening 0-60 record against top-five teams. Now they have a chance for a second top-five victory within a month, along with the heightened excitement surrounding the program, posing challenges in maintaining focus amidst the distractions.

“When outside noise was negative, we stayed disciplined to ignore it,” said fourth-year head coach Clark Lea. “Now that we have attention and people are celebrating us — which we appreciate — we are determined not to let it distract us.”

Navy faced a significant defeat last year, losing 42-3 to Notre Dame in their opening game under head coach Brian Newberry. Notre Dame’s coach, Marcus Freeman, acknowledged the impressive transformation of Navy’s program.

“I’m excited about it. It’s a great challenge to play against an undefeated team; it’s much easier to motivate your players than when facing a struggling opponent,” he noted.

The predictions for the Saturday games, with all matchups taking place on the same day unless stated otherwise and using lines from BetMGM Sportsbook, are as follows:

**No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin (plus 6 1/2)**
Wisconsin has dominated their last three opponents, outscoring them 117-16. But, some question if this dominance is a mirage, given that those teams were Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern. The Nittany Lions are coming off a week off since their narrow overtime victory against Southern California.
**Prediction: Penn State 21-17.**

**Nebraska at No. 4 Ohio State (minus 25 1/2)**
Will Howard is heating up for the Buckeyes, who will have a reunion for their 2014 national championship team at the Horseshoe. They hold a seven-game winning streak over Nebraska, with an average score of 48-18. The Cornhuskers recently suffered a heavy blow, losing 56-7 at Indiana.
**Prediction: Ohio State 45-14.**

**No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt (plus 18 1/2)**
Following their unexpected defeat to Georgia, the Longhorns are eager to bounce back, with Coach Steve Sarkisian standing by quarterback Quinn Ewers. Vanderbilt’s recent upset is likely to keep Texas motivated to perform well.
**Prediction: Texas 31-14.**

**Florida State at No. 6 Miami (minus 21)**
The unbeaten Hurricanes are coming off three tightly contested matches. On the other hand, FSU’s offense has struggled, failing to break 16 points in their last six games. Meanwhile, Cam Ward of Miami is performing at a high level, potentially securing a Heisman spot.
**Prediction: Miami 39-14.**

**No. 8 LSU (plus 2 1/2) at No. 14 Texas A&M**
The Aggies have won the last seven meetings at home. Their defensive front is poised to challenge LSU, following closely contested games against South Carolina and Mississippi. A&M has had its high points, notably a decisive win over a previously top-10 Missouri.
**Prediction: LSU 32-27.**

**No. 11 BYU at UCF (minus 1 1/2)**
UCF has struggled recently but shows signs of improvement with quarterback Jacurri Brown at the helm. The effectiveness of Brown in limiting mistakes against BYU’s defense, which has recorded 12 interceptions, will be crucial.
**Prediction: UCF 31-28.**

**No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy (plus 12 1/2)**
Notre Dame’s main concern will be limiting big plays from Navy, who has incorporated new elements into their triple-option offense, including several long runs. Newberry seeks his first victory over a ranked foe, and Navy is on the brink of its first 7-0 start since 1978.
**Prediction: Navy 28-24.**

**Washington at No. 13 Indiana (minus 6 1/2)**
Tayven Jackson is expected to start for Indiana, replacing Kurtis Rourke, who’s nursing an injured thumb. Washington will encounter travel challenges again after their prior loss at Iowa, facing an early kickoff.
**Prediction: Indiana 41-24.**

**Kansas at No. 16 Kansas State (minus 10)**
Kansas State returns home after two road victories and is in rhythm, having won three straight since their setback at BYU. The Jayhawks have a dismal record, losing 15 consecutive times in their rivalry matchup.
**Prediction: Kansas State 38-16.**

**Oklahoma at No. 18 Mississippi (minus 20 1/2)**
Mississippi has had two weeks to recover from a tough overtime setback. Meanwhile, the Sooners have made changes on their coaching staff, as Brent Venables recently fired his offensive coordinator after a disappointing performance.
**Prediction: Mississippi 27-3.**

**No. 17 Boise State (minus 3 1/2) at UNLV**
This Friday night game between two hopeful contenders for the Group of Five playoff spot could be pivotal, especially with Boise State’s leading rusher Ashton Jeanty coming off a break. UNLV, however, excels at run defense.
**Prediction: Boise State 33-28.**

**Syracuse at No. 19 Pittsburgh (minus 5 1/2)**
Pittsburgh’s Desmond Reid is setting records this season as their first player to achieve multiple 100-yard rushing and receiving games. Syracuse’s Kyle McCord is known for his performance under pressure.
**Prediction: Pittsburgh 37-27.**

**No. 20 Illinois (plus 21 1/2) at No. 1 Oregon**
Illinois recently held Michigan to a low point total, but Oregon’s offense is formidable. The Ducks recorded a dominant victory against Purdue, showing a strong and versatile game.
**Prediction: Oregon 42-24.**

**No. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama (minus 14)**
Alabama is working diligently to regain their stride after a bumpy season, while Missouri’s quarterback Brady Cook made a remarkable return to lead the team past Auburn after hospitalization.
**Prediction: Alabama 28-10.**

**No. 22 SMU (minus 11 1/2) at Duke**
This matchup features plenty of coaching ties, including SMU’s Rhett Lashlee, who previously worked with Duke’s Manny Diaz at Miami. Both schools are seeking a crucial victory for their seasons.
**Prediction: SMU 36-16.**

**Scores from this week**: Last week, the predictions went straight-up with a record of 14-3 and against the spread at 9-8. This season’s overall record stands at straight-up 127-33 with 84-75 against the spread.