This week is one for the fringe teams. With many conference leaders around the country faced with theoretically more comfortable games, attention turns to upstarts and old powers — with sides searching for points. Take Penn State and Indiana, for example. The Nittany Lions are well in the Big Ten title race but will need to knock off a conference powerhouse to stay in the picture. Conversely, for Indiana, it’s a chance to turn an otherwise middling season around, and set itself up for a strong finish.

And there are four other games with similar stakes and alike situations this week. Here’s a look at all of them.

Friday, October 14

Penn State at Indiana, 6:30 p.m. (BTN)

While Penn State and Indiana are both very much in the mix for at large bids, a win here could be vital for their Big Ten chances. Indiana has struggled out of the gate in Big Ten play, amassing a 1-1-3 record. Penn State has fared better — picking up two wins — but will be disappointed for settling for a point at Northwestern. The Hoosiers have history on their side heading into Friday’s contest; they’ve won this fixture 10 times in a row. They’ll need to make it 11 to stay in the Big Ten race.

Saturday, October 15

SMU at Charlotte, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)

Charlotte has struggled of late, going winless in their last three games after starting 7-0. But it certainly has the quality to compete against an in form SMU side. The Mustangs are enjoying a good run of late, with star midfielder Ahlander Knut leading the way. These two teams have never played before, and with Charlotte needing a win, it could be an exciting first fixture between two good sides.

Kentucky at West Virginia, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

Here’s a game that most neutrals would have singled out when the Sun Belt conference was re-formed back in April. Kentucky is in the midst of one of its best seasons in program history and hasn’t lost in 10 games so far. West Virginia’s season has started to pick up after a torrid run. The Mountaineers have won back-to-back games, and will likely have a big crowd in Morgantown Saturday night. With one of the best team’s in the nation visiting, they’ll need it.

Virginia at Clemson, 5:30 p.m. (ACC Network+)

What to make of Virginia? The Cavaliers seemed to have picked up a signature win when they beat Pitt back on September 30. But a loss against Denver and hard-fought tie with Duke seems to have stifled any potential momentum. The attacking quality is certainly there — and they have been good defensively at times — but a sustained run hasn’t quite materialized. And Clemson isn’t necessarily the easiest foe to suddenly find form against. The Tigers’ season has soured after a strong start, with a home loss to UNCG Tuesday night only exacerbating concerns. But they can still be a tough team to beat. At the very least, it should be an exciting one.

Sunday, October 16

New Hampshire at Yale, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

New Hampshire is in the depths of an America East conference race and currently sits tied atop the standings with a resurgent Vermont side. Yale, meanwhile, is very much in the mix for the Ivy League title. While either of these teams could earn an automatic bid, they both remain on the periphery for an at-large nod. So, a win here could be massive for NCAA Tournament hopes. There’s no real history in the fixture here. These teams have only met twice — with the last fixture finishing 1-1 after an exhausting overtime. Still, both sides will be desperate to add a nonconference win to their tournament resume.

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