the yahngorithm

Watch guide

A quadbox plan for the day — the 4 best games to have on at every point, ranked by projected competitiveness, pace, ranked-team stakes, and rivalries. Once games kick off it re-ranks on the live score (ESPN): a one-score game late jumps the board, a blowout drops to the bench.

Week 1· 2026›
↩ this week (3)
Saturday, Aug 29 (8)Thursday, Sep 3 (11)Friday, Sep 4 (8)Saturday, Sep 5 (68)Sunday, Sep 6 (3)Monday, Sep 7 (1)

8 games · 3 viewing windows

5:30 PM CT3 of 4 slots — that's everything live
145
San José StateMountain West27
Eastern MichiganMid-American21
EMU -1.5O/U 55 · 23.5 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 5:30 PM CT · ESPN+
toss-up (1.5-pt line)
SJSU travel
210
North Carolina A&TCoastal AthleticFCS10
Georgia StateSun Belt59
GAST -28.5O/U 58.5 · 23.4 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · ESPN+
likely blowout (28.5-pt line)
38
Indiana StateMVFCFCS19
PurdueBig Ten44
PUR -35O/U 55.5 · 22.3 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · BTN
likely blowout (35-pt line)
7:00 PM CT
out: NCAT, INSTin: TOL, UTEP, LIU
145
San José StateMountain West27
Eastern MichiganMid-American21
EMU -1.5O/U 55 · 23.5 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 5:30 PM CT · ESPN+
toss-up (1.5-pt line)
SJSU travel
231
ToledoMid-American20
Michigan StateBig Ten30
MSU -10O/U 48.5 · 24 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · FS1
nothing standing out — a default watch
330
UTEPMountain West0
10OklahomaSEC51
OU -41O/U 51 · 25.6 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · SECN+
#10 OUlookahead/letdown spot — upset watchlikely blowout (41-pt line)
OU lookahead
413
Long Island UniversityNECFCS6
KansasBig 1251
KU -43.5O/U 56.5 · 22.7 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · ESPNU
lookahead/letdown spot — upset watchlikely blowout (43.5-pt line)
KU lookahead
next best (2)
10
North Carolina A&TCoastal AthleticFCS10
Georgia StateSun Belt59
GAST -28.5O/U 58.5 · 23.4 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · ESPN+
likely blowout (28.5-pt line)
8
Indiana StateMVFCFCS19
PurdueBig Ten44
PUR -35O/U 55.5 · 22.3 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · BTN
likely blowout (35-pt line)
8:00 PM CTnow
out: LIUin: MIA
145
San José StateMountain West27
Eastern MichiganMid-American21
EMU -1.5O/U 55 · 23.5 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 5:30 PM CT · ESPN+
toss-up (1.5-pt line)
SJSU travel
233
7MiamiACC45
StanfordACC6
STAN +24.5O/U 46.5 · 22.9 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 8:00 PM CT · ESPN
#7 MIAlikely blowout (24.5-pt line)
MIA travel
331
ToledoMid-American20
Michigan StateBig Ten30
MSU -10O/U 48.5 · 24 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · FS1
nothing standing out — a default watch
430
UTEPMountain West0
10OklahomaSEC51
OU -41O/U 51 · 25.6 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · SECN+
#10 OUlookahead/letdown spot — upset watchlikely blowout (41-pt line)
OU lookahead
next best (4)
30
Fresno StatePac-120
14USCBig Ten39
USC -22.5O/U 51.5 · 22.8 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 8:00 PM CT · FOX
#14 USC
13
Long Island UniversityNECFCS6
KansasBig 1251
KU -43.5O/U 56.5 · 22.7 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 7:00 PM CT · ESPNU
lookahead/letdown spot — upset watchlikely blowout (43.5-pt line)
KU lookahead
10
North Carolina A&TCoastal AthleticFCS10
Georgia StateSun Belt59
GAST -28.5O/U 58.5 · 23.4 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · ESPN+
likely blowout (28.5-pt line)
8
Indiana StateMVFCFCS19
PurdueBig Ten44
PUR -35O/U 55.5 · 22.3 poss
Fri, Sep 4, 6:00 PM CT · BTN
likely blowout (35-pt line)

Windows use an estimated ~3h40m per game and a 45-min kickoff-clustering window, and change only when the top 4 actually change. Live scores come from ESPN on each refresh — a finished game frees its slot, an in-progress one holds it even if it runs long. Once a later window starts, the finished ones collapse into “earlier windows today.”