A short list of games got me a 15-8 record and moved my record to 98-23 overall on the season. Some surprises this past week for sure! This is why we all love college football. Rankings I use are based on the AP Poll, as always.
#1 Florida State at North Carolina State
Surviving an emotional 23-17 overtime bout against Clemson without suspended Heisman Trophy winning QB Jameis Winston could prove to be beneficial for the Noles in the long run. Here they get Jameis back in a return to the scene of where they lost their last ACC game, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. Jameis sat that one out as he got redshirted in his very first collegiate season. The QB for FSU in that one was E.J. Manuel, who is now starting in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills. Even though the Wolfpack look a lot better than they did a year ago, keep in mind that their 4-0 start has come against the likes of Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, South Florida and Presbyterian. The Noles will prove to be a whole different animal. I think NC State could play well for a while, but they'll come back down to earth. FSU by a couple scores.
My Call: Florida State 34, NC State 20
Arkansas vs. #6 Texas A&M (at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas)
Like NC State above, the Razorbacks also look much improved from a year ago. They've clobbered Nicholls State, Texas Tech and Northern Illinois and hung in with Auburn for two and a half quarters before succumbing in a 45-21 loss. We get to see how far they've come from the second half of the Auburn game as they take on the high scoring Aggies. If the Hogs have any chance of winning, they will need to have a masterful day running the ball. They'll have some success for sure, but not enough to take out A&M. Kenny Hill and Co. will prove to be a little much.
My Call: Texas A&M 48, Arkansas 31
#7 Baylor at Iowa State
Gotta think knowing what happened this past Saturday, Baylor didn't mind having the week off. They get back to work against a Cyclones team that won The Battle of Iowa and gave Kansas State all they wanted before losing 32-28. Iowa State is kind of like a worse version of K-State. Neither team has the most talent in the country, but both will give their best efforts. Difference is the Wildcats are a bit more talented and also possess the better coach. I'd expect the Cyclones to give it their all, but to lose. Just too much firepower on that Baylor sideline for ISU to keep up.
My Call: Baylor 41, Iowa State 20
#8 Notre Dame vs. Syracuse (at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Problems for the Orange are their defense isn't quite strong enough and their QB is a little too one dimensional for them to pull off an upset. Plus you can see the confidence Notre Dame seems to play with when they have Everett Golson under center. It won't always be pretty for the Irish, but they'll come through by forcing a couple Cuse turnovers and getting a couple explosive offensive plays.
My Call: Notre Dame 30, Syracuse 17
Wyoming at #9 Michigan State
Sparty sat around for a week angry about their second half collapse against Oregon and took it out on an in-state school and overmatched Eastern Michigan team. They essentially get to do the same this week against Wyoming. Granted I do think Wyoming will keep it closer than the 73-14 score Eastern Michigan got blown out by, but the Cowboys don't have enough horses to keep up in this one. Connor Cook and Co. will put up more nice numbers.
My Call: Michigan State 55, Wyoming 17
Memphis at #10 Ole Miss
Ole Miss has Alabama coming into Oxford the game after this one. Can Memphis catch the Rebels napping and looking ahead? Perhaps, but only to a certain extent. They could have some confidence they can hang in this one after playing UCLA close in Pasadena, but that Rebel defense will come up big when it needs to and the offense will create plenty of breathing room after a few tense moments in the first half. No real problem for Ole Miss.
My Call: Ole Miss 34, Memphis 13
#11 UCLA at #15 Arizona State
Prime time Thursday night game brings us a real treat as UCLA takes on ASU in Tempe. The Devils will be without QB Taylor Kelly in this one and while I do believe Bruins QB Brett Hundley will play, it doesn't sound like he will be at full strength for this one. Without Kelly, I'd expect ASU to try leaning more on running back D.J. Foster. And with that, I'd expect the Bruins to do their best to neutralize Foster while forcing Mike Bercovici to make plays to win the game. The UCLA offensive line has had issues keeping Hundley from getting hit hard. With all this in mind, I'm predicting a very close game. I'm going to take UCLA since the ASU defense can be scored upon and also because I don't have enough faith in Bercovici.
My Call: UCLA 27, Arizona State 24
Tennessee at #12 Georgia
Remember the game in Norman where Tennessee hung in for most of the first half before youth and depth issues took over and the Sooners blew them out? That's about what I'd expect in this one as well. Maybe in a couple years when Coach Butch Jones is able to get more of his own guys in and build up more depth, the Vols will be able to win a marquee road game like this. Right now though, they'll just have to use it as a learning experience.
My Call: Georgia 41, Tennessee 20
Missouri at #13 South Carolina
Wow is all I can say in regards to both of these teams this past week. Way more for Missouri after they lost at home to an Indiana team that got beat by Bowling Green the week before, but for a while, it looked like South Carolina may have been on their way to joining them in a major upset they'd have been on the wrong side of until putting a game Vanderbilt team away in the fourth quarter. Here we have the battle of two teams that call the city of Columbia (granted in different states) home. These two teams staged an overtime classic in Missouri a year ago, which was a 27-24 OT win for the Gamecocks. My guess is both teams will come out and play better in this one than they did a week ago. I'll take South Carolina in a shootout. Dylan Thompson outguns Matty Mauk.
My Call: South Carolina 35, Missouri 28
#16 Stanford at Washington
It'll be the Pac 12 opener for Washington while Stanford will look to even up its conference record after a tough loss at home to USC. The Huskies have at times, looked surprisingly very average against teams like Hawaii, Eastern Washington and Georgia Southern even with their 4-0 mark. I bet they come out with their best performance of the season against a real team, but that their best just won't be enough. The Cardinal gave one way against USC, they make up for it here in a game that's also decided in the final quarter.
My Call: Stanford 30, Washington 27
New Mexico State at #17 LSU
A furious late 4th quarter rally wasn't enough for LSU in a 34-29 loss to Mississippi State where they got dominated for the first 50 minutes or so. They won't lose two in a row at home, especially not to an awful New Mexico State team. Les Miles can use this game to determine whether he wants to stick with Anthony Jennings or turn to true freshman Brandon Harris to take over under center.
My Call: LSU 48, New Mexico State 10
Oregon State at #18 USC
Beating Stanford and then following it up with a loss at Boston College? Who are these USC Trojans? We should have a better idea of that answer with this game at home against the Beavers. Sean Mannion will try and sling Oregon State to a win in this one, but he'll come up a bit short. USC should come out more focused in this one being at home and having a couple of weeks to take out their anger over the BC game. It won't be easy, but they'll take it.
My Call: USC 38, Oregon State 27
South Florida at #19 Wisconsin
That week off sure did the Badgers a lot of good. After the emotional letdown of the LSU game and a struggle with Western Illinois, Wisky took it right to Bowling Green in a 68-17 route. I'd expect basically the same to happen here against South Florida. This USF team may well get turned around under the direction of coach Willie Taggart, but it'll take some time. Melvin Gordon could have himself another huge game.
My Call: Wisconsin 52, South Florida 14
Illinois at #21 Nebraska
What a night for Husker running back Ameer Abdullah against Miami. He rushed for 229 yards and a couple scores in a 41-31 Nebraska victory. He'll look to keep it going against Illinois in the conference opener for both of these teams. Sure wish Auburn would have recruited him as a running back since Auburn was his favorite team growing up. They offered him as a defensive back; big mistake! This game should feature plenty of scoring. Big Red will put up quite a few more points on the board than the Illini do.
My Call: Nebraska 45, Illinois 20
Cincinnati at #22 Ohio State
Interesting game in a battle for Ohio as I expect a shootout. Cincinnati is gonna have to play A LOT better here than they did against Miami (Ohio) if they want to beat even a vulnerable looking Buckeye team. My guess is they will and that Bearcats QB Gunner Kiel will put up some gaudy stats, but bad news for him is he doesn't play defense and the Cincinnati defense doesn't look like it can stop anybody. I'll take Ohio State to come out and play better in this one against a 'Power 5' conference team than they did in the loss to Virginia Tech a couple weeks back.
My Call: Ohio State 42, Cincinnati 28
Texas Tech at #24 Oklahoma State
So far so good for Okie State junior QB Daxx Garman as he came on in relief for the injured J.W. Walsh to win the Missouri State and UT-San Antonio games. Now he gets his first conference test against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Red Raiders are just glad they won't have to see that Arkansas rushing attack which ran for 438 yards against their defense. Tech saw their defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt resign. Some sources said Wallerstedt was under the influence of an unknown substance on the Texas Tech campus which led to this, others think he would have been fired. Either way, I doubt it'll be too much of a negative for the Red Raiders. I think this game against Oklahoma State will be though. They may show a little better here than they did against Arkansas, but I'd absolutely take the Cowboys at home against their defense.
My Call: Oklahoma State 48, Texas Tech 24
UTEP at #25 Kansas State
Huge chance to pick up what would have been a great win went by the wayside for Kansas State as they proved to be their own worst enemy in a heartbreaking 20-14 loss to the Auburn Tigers. Three missed field goals and a touchdown catch that slipped through the fingers of WR Tyler Lockett and turned into an interception spoiled what was a career night for WR Curry Sexton and a very inspired effort from their defense which was outstanding against a high powered Auburn rushing attack. For what it's worth though, they did gain a huge amount of respect from this Auburn fan. These Wildcats were tough as nails! They will have to put the last game behind them though and get ready for UTEP. They should do just that. QB Jake Waters and the K-State ground game should find the yards a lot easier to come by than they came against Auburn's fast, athletic defense and Tyler Lockett should also bounce back with a solid effort of his own. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out of the gates a little slow since an emotional letdown would be understandable after a tough loss, but they'll put it together before long and win with ease.
My Call: Kansas State 38, UTEP 14
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