Today's Action: Friday, October 9 — Friday Night College Football Takes Over: FSU-Louisville, Iowa-Washington & BYU

Baseball takes Friday off. The Division Series are wrapping up and the LCS doesn't start until the weekend, so college football gets the whole night. Three Power 4 games run from the 6 PM CT kickoff in Louisville to a late one in Provo that ends well after midnight on the East Coast, and every one of them matters to a team's season. Clear the couch. It's going to be a long night.

Today's Top Matchups

NCAAF | Florida State at Louisville — 7:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM CT, ESPN

Florida State (3-2, 1-1 ACC) arrives looking a lot more like itself after a 38-7 beating of Virginia. Ashton Daniels and Ousmane Kromah have the ground game humming, ranking 12th nationally in EPA per rush, and the Noles have scored on every red-zone trip this season. Louisville (2-3, 1-2) has lost two straight by three points apiece, most recently 31-28 at NC State, and the defense ranks 125th in FBS at 423 yards allowed per game. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has been banged up but is listed as probable, and he's been careful with the ball: 1,394 yards and only one interception.

The Edge: Most people are sleeping on Florida State here. The Cardinals are at home and protect the football better, but their front has struggled to keep pass rushers out of the backfield, and their run defense has to deal with an offense that does exactly what Louisville can't stop. The one thing holding the Noles back is a 10-game road losing streak. If that streak ends anywhere, it's against this defense. Florida State is the better setup, provided it doesn't hand the game away with turnovers.

NCAAF | No. 20 Iowa at Washington — 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT, FOX

Both teams need this one, for different reasons. Iowa (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) was rolling until Ohio State came to Kinnick and won 31-14, and starting quarterback Hank Brown left that game after a hard hit in the third quarter. Iowa still lists him as the starter, but there's real doubt he plays, and Jeremy Hecklinski could be under center in Seattle. Washington (3-2, 0-2) has dropped consecutive conference games by a combined seven points, 27-24 to Minnesota and 25-21 at USC, and Demond Williams Jr. threw for a season-low 198 yards in that USC loss. A win sends Iowa into its bye at 5-1. A loss puts the Huskies at 0-3 in league play before Halloween.

The Edge: Washington is better positioned, by a little. Husky Stadium on a cold Friday night (48 degrees at kickoff) is a tough place for a backup quarterback to make his first big road start, and Washington's two losses came in one-score games it could have won. Iowa's identity travels well: defense, field position, and a run game that grinds out yards. If Brown plays, flip a coin. If he doesn't, the numbers favor the home team.

NCAAF | Iowa State at No. 8 BYU — 10:15 PM ET / 9:15 PM CT, ESPN

BYU is 4-0 and ranked eighth, and LaVell Edwards Stadium at night is one of the hardest places to play in the Big 12. Iowa State (3-2) comes in with the conference's most physical offensive identity, averaging 197.4 rushing yards per game at 5.2 yards per carry. The Cyclones want to shorten the game, keep BYU's offense on the sideline, and make it a fourth-quarter fight. The Cougars want to get ahead early and make Iowa State throw.

The Edge: BYU has the edge. Unbeaten, at home, late at night in front of a crowd that's been waiting all week for this. But the scoreboard might not look like a top-10 team hosting a two-loss opponent. Iowa State's run game is designed to drain the clock, and the smart money looks toward a closer, slower game than the rankings suggest. BYU wins the game. Iowa State wins the tempo battle for at least a half.

Also on the board: Wyoming at San Jose State (9:00 PM ET, CBS Sports Network) and Washington State at Utah State (9:00 PM ET, The CW) fill out the Mountain West window. On the ice, the NHL's opening week has Rangers at Capitals and Kraken at Red Wings (both 7:00 PM ET) and Ducks at Jets (8:00 PM ET). Baseball fans should save their energy: the NLCS starts Sunday and the ALCS on Monday.

The FadeThePublic Gear Call

Friday night's best football will be won on the ground. Florida State's run game is going after the worst defense on the card, Iowa State's whole plan in Provo is to keep the ball moving on the ground, and Iowa is going to lean on its backs if a backup starts at quarterback. That's why the Run The Damn Ball Football Rope Hat is the call tonight. Wear it to the tailgate, the bar, or the couch for a triple-header, and let everyone know what you think wins in October.

Three Power 4 games, one 7 PM to past-midnight window, and no baseball to split the remote: Friday night is all football, so plan accordingly.