After a pretty thrilling Saturday, this week's slate of games is, at best, above average. Nothing truly, truly stands out to me this week as must-see games aside from the matchup profiled in the photo above. Nonetheless, these are the types of weeks where we see games that don't look exciting become exciting, or when upsets occur rampantly. Are my predictions going to indicate that? Maybe they will, maybe they won't. We'll have to see. We start early this week so that's why the predictions are going up so early, and also because I want to be productive and actually go through with things. Let's get it started.
Tuesday
Ball State Cardinals vs. #25 Toledo Rockets (8:00 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Pick: Toledo
Wednesday
Bowling Green Falcons vs. Ohio Bobcats (8:00 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Pick: Ohio
Thursday
Louisiana-Monroe War Hawks vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves (7:00 PM ET, ESPNU, WatchESPN)
Pick: Louisiana-Monroe
#10 Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (7:30 PM ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)
Said before the season started that this would probably be the toughest road test for Florida State. Well, Va Tech has severely disappointed this year and Florida State, I think, still matches up with some of the best teams in the country really well. I think FSU romps Va Tech and gets out of the hostile environment that Lane Stadium is relatively unscathed.
Pick: Florida State
Friday
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Connecticut Huskies (8:00 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Pick: Pittsburgh
Saturday
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. #8 South Carolina Gamecocks (12:00 PM ET, CBS)
Pick: South Carolina
#9 Louisville Cardinals vs. Syracuse Orange (12:00 PM ET, ABC)
Pick: Louisville
Iowa State Cyclones vs. #17 Texas Longhorns (12:00 PM ET, Longhorn Network)
All 20 people that will watch this on the Longhorn Network might wind up being disappointed afterwards. I'm not impressed at all with this Texas team after thinking they were much better than they really were. I think Iowa State pulls off a huge upset this week and the Cyclones beat Texas to force Mack Brown into worrying about something other than people taunting Texas with "horns down."
Pick: Iowa State
Kansas Jayhawks vs. #22 Texas Tech Red Raiders (12:00 PM ET)
Pick: Texas Tech
Army Knights vs. #23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12:00 PM ET, ESPNU, WatchESPN)
Pick: Rutgers
#24 Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan Wolverines (12:00 PM ET, ESPN, ESPN3D, WatchESPN)
Denard or not, I think Michigan wins this contest. They're a much better team than some are giving them credit for, even with their lack of a ranking in the Top 25. Northwestern's wheels are starting to fall off.
Pick: Michigan
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Indiana Hoosiers (12:00 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Really not seeing the whole hype thing with the Hoosiers possibly going to the Rose Bowl. I think Wisconsin snuffs out any chance that they get to the Big Ten Championship in this one, and I foresee a big game from Montee Ball. Sorry, IU. Basketball season is coming around though.
Pick: Wisconsin
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Temple Owls (12:00 PM ET, Big East Network)
Pick: Temple
Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. Virginia Cavaliers (12:00 PM ET, ABC)
Pick: Miami
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (12:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network)
Pick: Iowa
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns vs. #6 Florida Gators (12:21 PM ET, SEC Network, ESPN3, Gameplan)
Pick: Florida
Missouri Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers (12:21 PM ET, SEC Network, ESPN3, Gameplan)
Tennessee's defense is bad. Very, very bad. But Missouri's offense is also looking pretty awful. I'll be in Knoxville to take this one in and honestly? I don't know if Missouri will pull out a victory in Neyland. Think Tyler Bray will have some success against the Missouri secondary and James Franklin, still hurt, will not look all that great even though Tennessee's defense is disturbingly bad.
Pick: Tennessee
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (12:30 PM ET, ACC Network)
Pick: North Carolina
Florida Atlantic Owls vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1:00 PM ET, ESPN3, Gameplan)
Pick: Western Kentucky
Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Miami (OH) (1:00 PM ET, ESPN3, Gameplan)
Pick: Kent State
Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles (1:00 PM ET)
Pick: Central Michigan
Colorado Buffaloes vs. Arizona Wildcats (1:30 PM ET, FX)
Pick: Arizona
Massachusetts Minutemen vs. Akron Zips (2:00 PM ET)
For as bad as UMass has been... Akron has been pretty horrible. So that's why I think UMass picks up their first win of the season and as a member of the FBS.
Pick: Massachusetts
#11 Oregon State Beavers vs. #14 Stanford Cardinal (3:00 PM ET, FOX)
I'm not really sold on this Oregon State team. I think they benefit from a very easy schedule and nothing so far has really blown me away. I don't really think their record is indicative of who they are, neither their ranking. Think that's mainly due to other teams behind them falling. Naturally, I see Stanford pulling off this upset and Stepfan Taylor having a pretty big game. Won't be a blowout, but this is going to be a comfortable win for the Cardinal.
Pick: Stanford
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. #19 USC Trojans (3:00 PM ET, Pac-12 Network)
Pick: USC
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack (3:00 PM ET)
Pick: North Carolina State
#15 Texas A&M Aggies vs. #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (3:30 PM ET, CBS)
Texas A&M's offense has surprised a ton of people this year, and for good reason. Johnny Manziel wasn't really supposed to do anything as a freshman, and instead he's done just about everything that you could ask and Kevin Smulin's system is, so far, ridiculous. They pose a substantial threat to Alabama, I think, and the Tide had best not get too complacent. I think that all things considered though, Alabama will pull away late in this contest and the Aggies will look good, but not great, and not be able to steal one in Tuscaloosa.
Pick: Alabama
Baylor Bears vs. #12 Oklahoma Sooners (3:30 PM ET)
Pick: Oklahoma
Maryland Terrapins vs. #13 Clemson Tigers (3:30 PM ET, ESPNU, WatchESPN)
Pick: Clemson
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3:30 PM ET, ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Pick: Nebraska
Air Force Falcons vs. San Diego State Aztecs (3:30 PM ET, NBC Sports Network)
Pick: San Diego State
San Jose State Spartans vs. New Mexico State Aggies (3:30 PM ET, Gameplan)
Pick: San Jose State
Wyoming Cowboys vs. New Mexico Lobos (3:30 PM ET)
Pick: New Mexico
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3:30 PM ET, ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Remember the time West Virginia was ranked? That was fun. I do think though that they get a much-needed victory against the Okie State Cowboys this week though, simply because Geno & Co. can't possibly be shutdown again... right?
Pick: West Virginia
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (3:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network)
Pick: Minnesota
Western Michigan Broncos vs. Buffalo Bulls (3:30 PM ET)
Pick: Western Michigan
Navy Midshipmen vs. Troy Trojans (3:30 PM ET, ESPN3)
Pick: Navy
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. UAB Blazers (4:30 PM ET)
Pick: Marshall
Tulsa Golden Hurricanes vs. Houston Cougars (5:00 PM ET, CBS Sports Network)
Pick: Tulsa
South Alabama Jaguars vs. North Texas Mean Green (5:00 PM ET)
Pick: South Alabama
McNeese State Cowboys vs. UTSA Roadrunners (5:00 PM ET)
Pick: UTSA
#2 Kansas State Wildcats vs. TCU Horned Frogs (7:00 PM ET, FOX)
I will say this: even though TCU has been somewhat inconsistent this year, if there's any team that can knock off Kansas State it's the Horned Frogs. K-State, frankly, has a cakewalk the rest of the way with Baylor and Texas still left on the schedule. This is probably Kansas State's last big test left and honestly? I can see them struggling. I'll pick them to win, but very cautiously.
Pick: Kansas State
#5 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers (7:00 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
-15 on the Dawgs is easy, easy money.
Pick: Georgia
#21 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. #7 LSU Tigers (7:00 PM ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)
LSU won't be on upset alert against the Bulldogs who have dropped two straight. Frankly, I see a pasting incoming.
Pick: LSU
#20 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Texas State Bobcats (7:00 PM ET, Longhorn Network)
Pick: Louisiana Tech
UNLV Rebels vs. Colorado State Rams (7:00 PM ET)
Pick: Colorado State
Boise State Broncos vs. Hawaii Warriors (7:00 PM ET, NBC Sports Network)
It's a good thing that SDSU beat Boise last week. This Boise team is the weakest of the last few seasons.
Pick: Boise State
Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Ole Miss Rebels (7:00 PM ET, ESPNU, WatchESPN)
Pick: Vanderbilt
Tulane Green Wave vs. Memphis Tigers (7:00 PM ET)
Pick: Tulane
Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Southern Methodist Mustangs (7:00 PM ET)
Good grief, has Southern Miss fallen off. SMU continues to dig their grave here, and it's already huge.
Pick: SMU
UCF Golden Knights vs. UTEP Miners
Pick: UCF
#4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Boston College Eagles (8:00 PM ET, ABC)
Can't see the Irish struggling against an inferior opponent once again. Even if they do, it's a definite strength to continue to win close, I think.
Pick: Notre Dame
Idaho Vandals vs. BYU Cougars (10:15 PM ET, ESPNU, WatchESPN)
Pick: BYU
#3 Oregon Ducks vs. California Golden Bears (10:15 PM ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)
Not as crazy on the Ducks like everyone always seems to be but they'll whoop Cal here. Kenjon Barner will probably play a half and continue to look like a strong Heisman contender.
Pick: Oregon
#18 UCLA Bruins vs. Washington State Cougars (10:30 PM ET, ESPN2, WatchESPN)
Pick: UCLA
Utah Utes vs. Washington Huskies (10:30 PM ET, Pac-12 Network)
Pick: Washington
Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (10:35 PM ET, NBC Sports Network)
Pick: Fresno State
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