A Grip on Sports: Though there are few killer college football matchups this week, a couple upsets could end a lot of CFP speculation

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Here we are, at the ides of November, and the college football playoff chase still has a list of candidates as deep as ancient Rome’s Senate. But after this seemingly innocuous weekend, there could be a bunch of bloody messes to clean up.

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• Et tu Wisconsin? Or Virginia? Maybe even Kansas. Could someone throw a knife into the College Football Playoff committee’s well-oiled machine? An upset or two this week might just throw open the playoff door to a couple interlopers.

One of them could be Washington State. Or New Mexico could leave the Cougars grasping at straws – quarterback Devon Dampier is a threat to run or pass – and gasping for air in the altitude of Albuquerque (6:30 p.m., FS1).

Yes, WSU wants chaos this weekend. But not chaos that touches them. Or a couple teams in the also-ran conferences of the Power Four, the ACC and Big 12. Chalk there – and through the conference title games – helps the Cougs.

Chaos, yes. Utter chaos, no. Got it?

Let’s look at what we all should be watching this weekend. As far as outstanding matchups go, there are really only a couple. The best? No. 6 Tennessee at 11th-ranked Georgia (4:30, ABC). The best result here for WSU? The Vols win going away. But how many folks think that will happen?

About the same time, 13th-ranked Boise State will face a stiff challenge, on the road at San Jose State (4, CBS Sports Network). It may seem like the Broncos will roll, but SJSU has been able to elevate its game against porous secondaries, and Boise is not at 100% there.

Earlier in the day, No. 8 Notre Dame hosts Virginia (12:30, ABC). The Irish (8-1) have been rolling since their home hiccup against mediocre (at best) Northern Illinois but the Cavaliers are playing their best football of the season. A Notre Dame loss this week opens doors for the Cougars more than any other result.

As for the fun factor, No. 1 Oregon’s trip to Wisconsin (4:30, NBC) could get everyone jumping around, especially if it is close entering the fourth quarter.

• College football is not alone this week. Heck, even with two decent games tonight – top of my list? UCLA at Washington (6, Fox) just because it’s sort-of a Pac-12 matchup – it’s not alone.

College basketball is also over the weekend’s schedule, starting with fourth-ranked Gonzaga hosting UMass-Lowell tonight (6 p.m., KHQ). The one stat that makes this one interesting? The River Hawks have 10 seniors or fifth-year players. Experience counts for a lot in the early season.

Washington State also plays tonight, with David Riley’s team making its first road trip. It’s a doozy, facing Iowa in Moline, Illinois on the Big Ten Network (5:30).

Keep the Big Ten’s network on your remote because Sunday morning at 10 Saint Mary’s will face Nebraska. That should be fun.

• Of course, Sunday is for the NFL, though the Seahawks’ foibles are taking a bit out of my interest. They are in Santa Clara this week, facing the healthier 49ers (1 p.m., Fox) in a game that could eliminate – OK, maybe not, but at least diminish greatly – their hopes of winning the NFC West.

• Speaking of Seattle sports teams, there will be a broadcast change for the Mariners come the ides of March. Dave Sims is moving on. Headed back home, to New York, where the 71-year-old Sims will lead a “youth movement” on Yankee radio broadcasts. (Sims replaces 86-year-old John Sterling, who stepped away early last season only to return for New York’s World Series run.)

Good for Sims. It’s a dream come true for the veteran broadcaster. It seems everyone connected with the Mariners media machine will miss Sims, who by all accounts is a likable guy. That’s fine, they knew him better than any of us.

And they probably didn’t have to listen to many of his games on radio.

It was darn-near impossible to follow a game when he was on the old-school medium. A TV-centric veteran, Sims barely changed his delivery for radio, which demands more description – and fewer catchphrases.

Add in the obviously strained interaction with TV analyst Mike Blowers – the former M’s third baseman was a different, more gregarious, dude when teamed with Aaron Goldsmith – and Sims’ recent years in Seattle seemed one long audition for another, closer-to-home, position. He got it. Good for him.

And, ultimately, good for Mariner fans.

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WSU: Cooper Mathers was never supposed to be a key part of Washington State’s offense. He walked on in Pullman hoping to get time at linebacker. Here he is, four years later, a red-zone mainstay of the 8-1 Cougars. Greg Woods spoke with him recently and details his journey that has resulted in a school-record six touchdown catches for a tight end. … Jon Wilner goes into detail today on the best – maybe only – way the Cougs earn a playoff berth. … As a favor to my friends who are once again all excited about Cougar basketball, I ran down a couple preview stories of tonight’s game. All of them are from heaven, er, Hawkeye country. Expect a bunch of points in this Iowa-tinged, neutral-site matchup. … We also have football stories, including this from New Mexico. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, you need picks for this week’s games? We can pass along those of Wilner (in the Mercury News) and John Canzano (on his website). Wilner does not pick the Cougar game. Canzano does, sees a WSU win but by less than the 11-point spread. … Wilner takes a look at the TV ratings as well. … Ethan Garbers returns to Montlake with UCLA tonight, appropriately hoping to ruin the Huskies’ celebration of their seniors. … The other game tonight? Arizona tries to snap a five-game losing streak when the Wildcats host Houston. … Oregon’s Dan Lanning seems to be a master of motivational speeches. There is a method to his madness. … Will the Ducks need one of them this week? … Oregon State needs a win against Air Force, no matter how the Beavers get it. … The same can be said for Colorado. … And Utah. The Utes’ issues have all eyes on veteran coach Kyle Whittingham’s future. … USC’s new starting quarterback is doing something no one else has ever done. Now, can Jayden Maiava defeat Nebraska? … UCLA’s follow-whatever-USC-wants athletic director just received an extension. … In the Mountain West, tonight’s Bronze Boot battle between Wyoming and Colorado State is must-see. And will be even after CSU joins the Pac-12. An agreement has been reached for the series to continue. … The matchup between Hawaii and Utah State may just be tight. … San Diego State needs a couple more wins to close out the season. … The San Jose State volleyball mess became messier yesterday with another lawsuit filed. There seems to be a lot of internal issues within the team. … In basketball news, if you were wondering, Arizona State’s men might just be as good as they looked against Gonzaga. The Sun Devils ran away from Grand Canyon, an NCAA tournament participant last season, Thursday night. … Oregon State actually broke its blocked-shots record.

Gonzaga: You can’t say I didn’t warn you. California brought a veteran-filled roster – think the GU women of last season – into McCarthey and left with an 86-65 victory. The Bears handed the depleted Bulldogs their first home loss since 2022. Greg Lee was there and has this game story. … Colin Mulvany was as well and has the photo gallery. … As for tonight’s game for the fourth-ranked men, Jim Meehan has a preview and the key matchup. … There is also this preview from CBS Sports. … Elsewhere in the WCC, Saint Mary’s women won last night, though it took them two overtimes to do it.

EWU: Saturday is Senior Day for the 3-7 Eagles, which means it will be the last time Efton Chism III plays on the red turf. But certainly not the final time the receiver plays football – and I’m not referring to the last game of the season at Northern Arizona. Chism has a professional future. Don’t believe me? Dan Thompson asked some of the former Eagles who played in the NFL and elsewhere their opinion and they see his future that way as well. … Idaho State feels it has momentum headed into the game. … The Eagle women fell at UW last night. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, it is Senior Day at Montana on Saturday. … Montana State has its biggest test of the season – thus far – when it faces UC Davis. … Northern Colorado has an elder statesman on its defense.

Idaho: Transfer portal losses hit the Vandal secondary before the season began. The two starting cornerbacks took off for FBS schools. No matter. UI has found guys to man the positions and man them well. Peter Harriman explains what happened and who stepped up in this story.

Whitworth: This is it. The weekend the Northwest Conference football title, and the accompanying NCAA Division III playoff berth, is decided. It will happen in Spokane, with the undefeated Pirates (9-0) hosting perennial power Linfield (8-1), with each 6-0 in conference play. The decisive factor? Greg Lee focuses on Whitworth running back Luis Salgado, who owns the school and conference record for single-game rushing yards. His 365 against Pacific last month may be an outlier in some regard but illustrates just how important he is to the Pirates and their hopes of a second consecutive NWC title. … The men’s basketball team hosted Benedictine last night and rolled to a 90-59 win.

Preps: The small school volleyball titles were decided last night in Yakima, with Wilbur-Creston-Keller halting Oakesdale’s string of consecutive 1B titles at three. … Madison McCord covered the 3A District 6A title match, as Ridgeline defeated Mt. Spokane in four sets. … In the 4A ranks, fifth-seed Mead won the district title and a state berth. That’s part of the volleyball roundup. … Dave Nichols has a preview of this weekend’s State first-round football games.

Seahawks: So, what is up with the offensive line? … Devon Witherspoon might just be used to rush the passer more. … Seattle may need a quarterback next season but the chances of a decent draft pick don’t look promising. Maybe the Hawks will collapse down the stretch.

Kraken: A third-consecutive win, this one 3-1 over visiting Chicago, came at an unknown cost. Seattle captain Jordan Eberle was injured in the second period and did not return.

Mariners: We linked the Sims’ news above. And here too. … The promos and giveaways have been scheduled.

Sounders: Jordan Morris is the franchise’s face. But not the MVP. Not this season.

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• There are times in the morning when I have to don a hat I haven’t worn since the dawn of the 21st Century. It’s my well-worn editor visor. There were a couple factual mistakes in stories today that I had to correct, one of which took some time to ferret out. Until later …