Another week, another slate of excellent NCAA volleyball to watch.

Thursday, September 10th

#3 Kentucky vs. #7 Pittsburgh

The last time these two teams played each other was in the national quarterfinals, when Pitt beat Kentucky in a clean sweep. Kentucky, now the higher ranked of the two, is unlikely to have forgotten about that, and will surely be keen on toppling Pitt. Brooklyn DeLeye, who had 22 kills in that tournament match, hasn’t lost a beat, and she has help from Purdue transfer Eva Hudson. Now that Kentucky seems to have settled out some of its setting issues by inserting freshman Kassie O’Brien into the lineup, they’re going to be a tough team to beat.

But Dan Fisher’s team is not to be underestimated. Olivia Babcock is, after all, Olivia Babcock, and she’ll undoubtedly have her team relying on her to score. Babcock and middle blocker Bre Kelley make one of the toughest blocking pairs in the country, and they’ll be keyed in on Hudson and DeLeye. This is a match that could easily go to five sets, so clear your calendar and have snacks ready.

When and where: 6:30pm EST on ESPN

#2 Texas vs. #4 Louisville

This is a match of two undefeated teams, but Louisville hasn’t really faced much of a challenge yet. The Cardinals have dropped only one set so far on the season, which could speak to their strength as a team but is more likely the result of their matches all having been against unranked teams. Texas, meanwhile, swept #12 Creighton and #8 Wisconsin, and most recently gritted out a five-set win against #6 Stanford. As a result, this will be the first real test for Dan Meske’s squad.

Both teams are blocking powerhouses, with Louisville having Cara Cresse and Hannah Sherman leading the charge. Cresse has also been outstanding offensively, averaging 2.6 kills per set so far this season due to her slide attacks. The outside duo of Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen has been getting better and better, with Petersen most recently dropping 20 kills and hitting over .300 against Illinois.

Texas, meanwhile, is coming off of their most challenging match yet—one that demonstrated they are capable of breaking down in the face of tough service pressure. Louisville will doubtlessly look to exploit that, but now that the weakness has been exposed, Texas is surely working on it ahead of Wednesday’s match. We can expect big swings from Torrey Stafford and Cari Spears, whose range of shots and physicality may prove difficult for Louisville to stop.

When and where: 9:00pm EST on ESPN

Friday, September 12th

#4 Louisville vs. #18 Creighton

This is a match that could be much closer than their rankings would suggest. While Creighton hasn’t had the best start to the season, they have the pieces to be competitive. Star hitter Ava Martin has been up and down in some of the Bluejays’ recent matches, so whether or not she can catch fire offensively will be important for Creighton’s success. If not, fellow pin hitters Destiny Ndam-Simpson and Jaya Johnson will need to step up, and both of them have been streaky themselves.

Louisville, meanwhile, will be coming off of their Texas match. Depending on how that goes, they will either be feeling good or hungry for blood coming into this match. Last year when these teams faced off, it went to five sets and Creighton nearly pulled off the reverse sweep, so even though these teams look a lot different this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was another competitive match.

When and where: 9pm EST on FS1

Saturday, September 13th

#3 Kentucky vs. #10 SMU

Fun fact: On the exact same date last year, these two teams faced off for the first time ever, with Kentucky winning in straight sets.

This time around, I’d be surprised if it were that straightforward of a win. While Kentucky is obviously strong, SMU has a reputation for taking down top-ranked teams, and they certainly have the players to help them continue that trend. Malaya Jones has been outstanding, averaging just over 4 points per set and hitting efficiency of .328. Outside hitter Jadyn Livings has also been exceptional, and currently has only one match where she’s hit below .300. Setter Averi Carlson is, in my opinion, one of the best in the country, and has been running the offense for her new team extremely well. If anyone can give Kentucky trouble, my money is on SMU. Whether or not the Ponies can successfully take down the Cats is another question.

When and where: 11:00am on SEC Network+

Sunday, September 14th

#2 Texas vs. #9 Arizona State

Cap off your weekend with a top-10 southwest showdown. These teams have only faced off three times in history, the last of which was a Texas sweep in 2014. If this match is going to look any different, it’s going to be up to Arizona State to make it so.

Opposite Noemie Glover hasn’t played in the last few matches, so whether or not she’ll be available for this match is still to be seen. If she is on the court and the Sun Devils can get production out of her and at least one other hitter, they could make things difficult for Texas. But if Glover isn’t available or she is the sole productive offensive option for the team, Texas’ block and defense will undoubtedly figure out how to slow her down, which will make things tricky for ASU.

When and where: 3:00pm on ESPN2