Week three of women’s college soccer brought some major movement atop the rankings. Two formidable North Carolina teams lost their first game, while a Texas power dropped back-to-back contests. Colorado, meanwhile, continued to score goals and salvaged a precious road tie that is sure to bolster its NCAA Tournament hopes.

There were further storylines, too. Cal(w) and South Carolina stayed undefeated and a trio of Ivy League teams continued their early-season form.

This week, then, will hopefully offer a little more clarity as to where things stand. There’s a massive derby, some road challenges for undefeated squads, and a chance for a struggling west coast side to turn its season around. Here are five games to watch this week.

Thursday, September 8

TCU at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. (SEC Network+)

It’s been a strange season for TCU. The Horned Frogs have been masterful in stretches, with Messiah bright leading one of the best attacks in the country. But when their attack splutters — and Bright doesn’t quite have her usual impact — they’re a vulnerable team. And last week they were outclassed in losses to USC and Duke. Head coach Eric Bell will look for a big performance out of his team in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M poses a different kind of challenge. The Aggies have picked up some good results, salvaging ties against Ohio State and Clemson, while also beating Illinois on the road. They’ve done so on the back of a solid defensive unit — a backline that has only conceded once across six contests. This has been a close matchups in the past few years, with the last three games all decided by one goal. Another cagey contest seems likely.

Colorado at Michigan, 7 p.m. (BTN+)

Colorado heads into Thursday night boasting the nation’s best attack, leading Division I teams in both goals and assists. It is led by the prolific Shyra James, who has bagged eight goals in six games. The Buffs have already survived one test, salvaging a 2-2 tie at BYU — despite being outshot 31-6. Michigan, meanwhile, appears to be in something of a precarious spot. Preseason expectations were high, but losses to Butler and Iowa State blemished an otherwise impressive start. Sami Woods has been a bright spot up front, scoring six goals. In the first ever meeting between the two sides, anything can happen.

UNC(w) at Duke, 8 p.m. (ACC Network)

Thursday night’s contest seems poised to be one of the season’s best. It’s been an admittedly difficult week for both sides, as they both fell to UCLA to mark their first losses of the year. Duke responded emphatically, dispatching a tricky TCU team on the road. It was a big result for the Blue Devils, not least because star striker Michelle Cooper bagged a brace before assisting the third goal. She couldn’t have picked a better moment to be rounding into form. How UNC rebounds will be interesting to see. The Tar Heels hasn’t been pushed until Sunday’s 2-1 loss, with head coach Anson Dorrance having the freedom to tinker with lineups as his side rolled through opponents. He’ll likely have to settle on something a little more solid tonight. Koskinen Stadium will be bouncing and the Blue Devils will look to edge UNC for the second straight year.

South Carolina at Virginia Tech, 8 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)

Undefeated South Carolina faces a tricky road test at a sneakily good Virginia Tech side. The Hokies have quietly pieced together a solid start to the season, posting a 5-0-1 record. They’ve scored 11 goals in their last three games, while only letting one in. That goalscoring prowess will be stretched against a South Carolina side that boasts one of the best defenses in the country, led by star goalkeeper Heather Hinz. South Carolina can score in its own right, especially with the powerful Cat Berry playing through the middle. While the Gamecocks appear to be the favorites, Virginia Tech won’t make this an easy 90 minutes.

Sunday, September 11

California at Santa Clara, 4 p.m. (Pac 12 Network +)

This game looks far more interesting than it might have a few weeks ago. Santa Clara has endured a rough start to the season, posting a 1-4 record while struggling to find any rhythm to its attack. Cal hasn’t exactly been prolific, but heads into the weekend on a four game undefeated streak, boosted a defensive unit that has only allowed 16 shots all season. Both teams have Thursday contests before this early Sunday afternoon clash, so tired legs and tactical tweaks could complicate things. Still, this feels like a must win for a Santa Clara side struggling for form. And for Cal, it could be another opportunity to gain momentum ahead of conference play.

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