WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Should be an outstanding week, but here are the 4 things to look for, 1)Florida State, can they bounce back from an emotional home loss and, despite all of their injuries, beat a solid Clemson team in Death Valley, a place where they haven't won since 2001? 2)Defense, the team that wins the #7 Oklahoma State @ #8 Texas A&M matchup will be the team that can muster the most defensive stops. Also, in Tuscaloosa, can the Hogs solve the Tide's #1 ranked defense? 3)SEC Dominance has once again been displayed through 3 weeks of the season, but West Virginia has a chance to change everything this weekend. I do not think they will win, but with a crazy crowd in Morgantown, with Gameday there and a solid offense, the Mountaineers just might give LSU a run for their money and shake things up going into conference play. 4)Pac-12, they just announced that they are sticking with 12 teams, and they have a chance to flex their muscles late night on national TV this week. They need to make a statement that says to their fans, "look, we have enough good teams here to have a nationally competitive conference for the foreseeable future".
PREDICTIONS
#25 Georgia Tech 31, North Carolina 28- The Heels should be able to handle the Tech run game better than Kansas did (604 yards!), but their first true test of the season in Atlanta should be tough for the interim head coach. The Jackets win a close one and continue their solid play.
#24 Illinois 34, Western Michigan 20- This would be a game that the typical Illini might lose, but Im going to give Zook the benefit of the doubt that he has turned a corner in Champaign and the Illini are actually a good team.
#23 USC 30, Arizona State 28- This should be a heck of a game late night in the desert, and could very well decide the Pac-12 South early in the year. I think Barkley and the solid Monte Kiffin-led D handle Osweiler and the Devils, but don't be shocked if ASU beats the Trojans in their first road game.
San Diego State 31, #22 Michigan 28- I believe that the Aztecs will come into the Big House and get the win over the Wolverines. Look, Michigan is an average team benefitting greatly from a miracle win over Notre Dame. SDSU will stick it to their old coach.
#21 Clemson- See #11 Florida State
#20 TCU 56, Portland State 10- No problem for the Frogs in Fort Worth.
#19 Texas is off this week (Next game is 10/1 @ Iowa State)
#18 USF 41, UTEP 16- UTEP may hang around for awhile, but USFs undefeated season should continue in Tampa this weekend.
#17 Baylor 52, Rice 14- Robert Griffin has been stellar thus far and I don't see a whole lot changing against the Owls, as he continues his Heisman campaign.
#16 West Virginia- see #2 LSU
#15 Florida 30, Kentucky 21- Don't sleep on this one, as a young Florida team coming off a big, emotional win at home traveling to Lexington to play a feisty Wildcat team. I would not put it past Kentucky to beat Florida in a "hangover" game for the Gators, but still, the Gators talent should prevail.
#14 Arkansas- see #3 Alabama
#13 Virginia Tech 28, Marshall 20- Virginia Tech is an enigma wrapped in a riddle right now. They come out and kill a team, then score only 17 against ECU, only 26 against Arkansas State. This is a pick for the sake of picks because I have no idea where V Tech is right now.
Vanderbilt 28, #12 South Carolina 27- That's right, I'm calling it! Much improved Vandy travels to Columbia and shocks the nation and the Gamecocks. Marcus Lattimore can only carry the team for so long before they falter.
#11 Florida State 27, #21 Clemson 21- It should be a heck of a game in Death Valley, but Florida State's defense is just that much better than Clemson's. If EJ Manuel winds up not playing, however, make the final score: Clemson 24, Florida State 16.
#10 Oregon 52, Arizona 17- Arizona is having a rough go of it early in the year, and don't look for their skid to end against the high-flying Ducks. Arizona is ravaged by injuries and that does not bode well.
#9 Nebraska 42, Wyoming 16- Interesting road game for the Huskers, but it should not be a problem, as I believe they will win easily in Laramie.
GAME OF THE WEEK: #7 Oklahoma State 38, #8 Texas A&M 34- Ok, look, I want A&M to win, I'm going to be there screaming my head off for them, but I know that if I pick them, they will lose. I'm not being a hater, just saying. This should be an incredible game. The atmosphere at Kyle should be as good as we have seen in the past 15 years. The defenses need to step up and I truly believe that the team that turns the ball over more will lose this game. Book it. Also, the nation's best kept secret, Cyrus Gray, goes for 150 and a couple scores.
#6 Wisconsin 63, South Dakota State 3- No contest.
#5 Stanford is off this week (Next game is 10/1 vs UCLA)
#4 Boise State 51, Tulsa 20- Boise is a real good team at this point in the year, and I do not see any real threat until they play TCU in November, and that game is at home so there is hardly a threat there.
#3 Alabama 27, #14 Arkansas 17- Arkansas is a good team and a solid offense, but a first year starter on the road in a hostile environment does not typically bode well. Alabama's D should be able to contain Wilson and the Hogs, and get a big early conference win at home.
#2 LSU 28, #16 West Virginia 17- Gameday will be in Morgantown for this one, and it should be an adequate game. I just do not see how a WVU team lacking a whole lot of explosive offensive players can score a lot against maybe the best defense in America. LSU will dominate the game, even though the score may show it was closer than it actually was.
#1 Oklahoma 34, Missouri 16- A trap game for OU after an emotional road win, but they should get a win where they are invincible at home.
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