College Football Week 5 Picks

A decent 3-2 performance last week and now its time to make this weeks picks.

LSU vs Georgia

Zach Mettenberger and the Tigers travel to Athens to take on the Bulldogs in a top 10 SEC matchup on Saturday. Mettenberger returns to Georgia for the first time since being kicked off the Bulldogs 2009 squad and looks to catapult his new team up the BCS ladder, while ending his former team's national championship hopes. Mettenberger has been much improved this year through the air, throwing for ten touchdowns and only one interception so far through four games. RB Jeremy Hill has also picked up where he left off last season accounting for 350 rushing yards and six touchdowns in only three games. Both Mettenberger and Hill as well as WR Odell Beckham Jr will look to attack a Georgia defense that has been porous so far this season giving up an average of 30 points per game, albeit two of those games were against top 10 competition.

After a struggling a bit against North Texas at home, the Bulldogs look to win their second straight game at home against a top 10 team this season. After a sub par start to the season, QB Aaron Murray has been lighting up opponents of late, throwing for 716 yards and seven touchdowns and only one interception over the last two games.  RB Todd Gurley has been a beast this season averaging almost six yards a carry and leading a rushing attack that gains almost 215 yards a game. The Bulldogs will need both Murray and Gurley to play well against the tough Tiger defense if they expect to win on Saturday.

Prediction: LSU will come out hot, driving the ball on the Georgia defense throughout the first quarter and giving themselves a 10-0 lead near the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs will return the favor by riding Todd Gurley on a 10 play drive resulting in a touchdown with about 10 minutes left in the first half. The Bulldogs defense will come up with a turnover, leading to another Gurley touchdown near the end of the half.  The Bulldogs will score first in the second half with a field goal going up 17-10. The Tigers will have a tough time moving the ball as the Bulldogs put 8 in the box to stop Hill and will force Mettenberger the beat them through the air. After both teams exchange punts, the Tigers finally get on the board with a field goal near the end of the third quarter and pull within four points. Murray, who has ability has been questioned in the big game, will march his team down the field and cap it off with a touchdown pass to Justin Scott-Wesley putting the Bulldogs up 24-13 with a little over seven minutes to go. The Tigers needing two scores have to rely on Mettenberger to get them back in the game and quick. The Bulldog defense opens up a little bit with the lead allowing Mettenberger to hit some quick passes and surprising the Bulldogs with a couple of draws to Hill. The Tigers get a touchdown with three minutes left and go for two to get within a field goal but fail. The Tigers go for an onside kick but it is recovered by the Bulldogs who proceed to run out the clock and get another huge top 10 victory.

+Georgia Bulldogs 24 - +LSU Football 19



Wisconsin vs Ohio St

The Badgers travel to the Horseshoe to take on the Ohio St Buckeyes in a game that many are predicting an upset. The Badgers whacked Purdue 41-10 last week and look to take their ground and pound offense that amassed 388 rushing yards last week with them into Columbus. The two headed monster of Melvin Gordon and James White have a total of 1066 yards and 10 touchdowns through four games this year. The Badgers will heavily rely on both RB's this weekend while Joel Stave looks to keep the Buckeye defense honest to prevent them from stacking the box. The Badgers defense will also look to stop Braxton Miller who will be coming returning after being out the last two games with injury. The Badgers have posted an impressive defense so far this year holding opponents to 10 points per game. The Badgers will need to get pressure on Miller early so he can't get comfortable in his first game back.

The Buckeyes will look to beat the Badgers for the third year in a row on Saturday. Like the Badgers, the Buckeyes rush offense has been dominant so far this year averaging 311 yards per game on the ground. The Buckeyes are also averaging 52.5 points per game and will try to continue their offensive success against a tough, gritty Badger defense. QB Braxton Miller returns for the game, but expect QB Trevor Guiton to get some snaps as well during the game. Guiton filled in very nicely for Miller throwing for 664 yards, 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions the last three games.  RB Jordan Hall will also look to continue his hot start 6.2 yards per carry and eight touchdowns through four games. The Buckeye defense has also had its moments this year but will need to play up to their ability against the rushing attack of Wisconsin.

Prediction: This will be a physical smash mouth football game to start. Both teams will have some nerves to begin the game and after a few punts, Wisconsin will jump on the board first with a rushing touchdown from Melvin Gordon. Ohio St will try to answer but with no avail leading to its third punt on three possessions. Joel Stave leads a long and methodical drive capped off by a nice play action roll out to put the Badgers up 14-0 near the end of the first quarter. After three series of ineptitude from Miller, the Buckeyes put Guiton in there to see what he can do. Guiton moves the ball on his first possession, but it ends with another punt. The Buckeyes come up big and force a three and out on the next possession. Guiton finally leads his team to paydirt with a touchdown scamper. Ohio St adds a field goal to end the half but still trails 14-10 at the half. The Buckeyes come out with authority to begin the second half, gaining huge chunks of yards on their first possession of the half. RB Jordan Hall gets his ninth touchdown of the year to put the Buckeyes up 17-14. On the ensuing possession, James White busts a 75 yard touchdown run to put the Badgers back up 21-17. Guiton continues to play smart and not force any balls into tight windows knowing that a mistake would be critical. Another field goal from the Buckeyes puts the score at 21-20 with seven minutes remaining in the third. Neither team scores for the rest of the quarter. The Badgers put up a field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go back up 24-20. The Buckeyes answer with a quick touchdown drive following a late hit penalty to put themselves up 27-24. After being forced to punt, the Wisconsin defense will try to make a play by blitzing Guiton and leaving man coverage on the outside. This will prove costly as Gution hits Devin Smith for a 40 yard touchdown to put the Buckeyes up 34-24 with four minutes left in the game. The Badgers are now forced to abandon the run game to try and make up the 10 point deficit but it is too late. An interception by Stave at midfield put this one on ice.

+Ohio State Buckeyes 34 - +Wisconsin Badgers 24



Arizona vs Washington

The Wildcats are flying high under second year Head Coach Rich Rodriguez and will look to get their first win against a ranked opponent on the road Saturday when they take on the Washington Huskies in Seattle. Arizona is coming off a 38-10 drubbing of UTSA and will roll into Seattle with the fourth best rushing offense in the nation that also averages almost 44 points per game. RB's Ka'Deem Carey and Daniel Jenkins have combined for 538 yards and five touchdowns while QB B.J. Denker has rushed for 224 yards and five touchdowns as well. The Wildcats will look to pound the ball on offense and have Denker be a game manager when they throw the ball. The Wildcats defense has also been extremely surprising. The Wildcats gave up at least 35 points in eight of their games last year and although it has been against sub standard competition, the Wildcats are only giving up less than nine points per game. The defense will need to continue the early season stinginess to have a shot in Seattle.

The Huskies were picked by many in the preseason as a possible dark horse in the Pac-12 championship picture and so far they have lived up to the hype. The Huskies are 3-0 and have been impressive on both sides of the ball. QB Keith Price leads a well balanced offense that ranks 8th in rushing and 17th in passing. Price has thrown for almost 880 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. RB Bishop Sankey has bulldozed his way to almost 450 yards and four touchdowns in the early going and will look to mirror his 2011 performance in which he amassed 120 total yards from scrimmage. The Huskies defense, like the Wildcats, has been much improved so far this year.  The Huskies have already recorded 11 sacks and three interceptions through three games this season. They will need to stack the box and stop the Wildcat rushing attack if they expect to stay in the game.

Prediction: This will be the highest scoring contest of the weekend. Both teams will have trouble stopping each other to start the game and four drives will result in four scores with Washington up 14-10 after the first quarter. The second quarter will have as much fireworks as the first with the Huskies scoring on a 60+ yard pass by Keith Price to go up 21-10 only to have Arizona get a short field after a long kick off return, leading to a rushing touchdown from Denker. After a pair of field goals, the Huskies will lead 24-17 at the half. The scoring will take a halt at the beginning of the third with each team coming out with different adjustments to stop the other. Half way through the quarter, Arizona will tie the game up at 24 on a touchdown by Ka'Deem Carey. On the ensuing Washington possession, Price will make his only mistake of the game and throw and interception in his own territory. Four plays later the Wildcats will take their first lead of the game on another rushing touchdown from Carey. With the score 31-24, the Huskies continue their balanced approach and drive down the field leading to a Bishop Sankey rushing touchdown right as the quarter ends. On the ensuing kickoff, the Huskies surprise everyone with an onside kick and recover. Price throws for another touchdown a few plays later making the score 38-31 Huskies with a little over 10 minutes to play. After forcing the Wildcats to punt, the Huskies start working the clock and pounding the Wildcats with the run. A nice play action pass leads to another Price passing touchdown with 5:30 remaining. The Wildcats are forced to go through the air and although they score a touchdown to get within seven, it takes more than four minutes to get the score. Trailing 45-38, the Wildcats kick the onside kick but fail to recover, bringing an end to one exciting game.

+Washington Huskies Athletics 45 - +Arizona Wildcats 38



Ole Miss vs Alabama

The Ole Miss Rebels are 3-0 for the first time since 1989 and will take their unbeaten record to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Rebels are coming off a bye week after destroying the Texas Longhorns in Austin and will try to continue to surprise by attempting to knock off the national title favorite. Dual threat QB Bo Wallace leads the Rebel's up tempo attack with almost 800 all purpose yards and seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. RB Jeff Scott will try to continue his fast start to the season but will be tested by the Crimson Tide. The Rebels also have two playmaking wide receivers in Laquon Treadwell and Donte Moncrief who will test the Alabama corners early and often. The Rebels defense is also much improved over last season. The defensive unit is bigger and has more depth and talent than it did a year ago but will be facing their biggest task yet going up against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. The Rebels will try to spread the Tide out and outscore them in a shootout.

The Crimson Tide are coming off another good, but not overly impressive win against Colorado St. Alabama is still looking for everything to come together as the offense struggled while the defense was great against Colorado St  while the exact opposite was true against Texas A&M two weeks ago.  QB AJ McCarron looks to bolster his heisman candidacy with another big game performance against a team like Ole Miss. RB T.J. Yeldon will look to play a huge role after a sub par performance against Colorado St due to suspension. The Crimson Tide's championship teams have been known for their defense so it will be interesting to see if the defense can match up against the Rebels offensive attack or will it get shredded again like it did against Texas A&M

Prediction: Ole Miss will come out and immediately try to catch Alabama out of position with their up tempo offense but to no avail. Alabama drives down the field and gets a touchdown from Yeldon to put them up 7-0. After getting a couple of first downs, the Rebels are forced to punt again. On the ensuing drive, Yeldon breaks loose for a 50 yard touchdown to put the tide up 14-0 with less than three minutes to go in the first quarter. After a long return by Scott on the kickoff, the Rebels have to settle for a field goal and at the end of the first quarter the score is 14-3. Another long drive leads to a field goal for the Crimson Tide putting them up 14 points mid way through the third. Wallace tries to press and move his team down the field but is intercepted and returned to the Ole Miss 20 yard. On the next play from scrimmage, McCarron throws a touchdown to Christion Jones to put the tide up 24-3. Both teams exchange punts and Ole Miss gets another field goal to end the half at 24-6. Alabama comes out rolling to start the second half with another touchdown from McCarron, this time to Deandrew White to put the tide up 31-6. Ole Miss doesn't abandon the run just yet, which pays dividends as Scott breaks one to the house from 65 yards. After stopping the Crimson Tide the Rebels get another field goal with three minutes to go in the third quarter with the score now 31-16. The Tide tries to put the game away before the third quarter is over with another T.J. Yeldon touchdown run from 45 yards out to put the Tide up 38-16. The Rebels score on their next offensive possession and go for two and convert. After an interception by McCarron, the Rebels get another touchdown from Scott to pull within seven with seven minutes to go. The Crimson Tide go back to the ground game and eat up clock after converting two first downs, forcing the Rebels to start using their timeouts. The Tide all but seal the game with another field goal with two minutes left in the game. Wallace tries to get a quick score by forcing a throw down field but is picked off and securing the win for Alabama

+Alabama Crimson Tide 41 - +Ole Miss Rebels 31

Upset Special


Oklahoma vs Notre Dame

Oklahoma looks to avenge last year's beat down loss to Notre Dame in South Bend this weekend. The Sooners are coming off a 51-20 drubbing of Tulsa in which Blake Bell got his first start of the season. Bell threw for 451 yards and four touchdowns and showed he could do more than just the "Belldozer" package. The Sooners also have an impressive two headed attack at the running back position in Damien Williams and Brennan Clay who have averaged 271 yards per game so far. The defense has been the most impressive aspect of Oklahoma's team this year allowing only 9 points per game. The Sooner's defense can and will keep them in many of their games if it continues to dominate the way it has so far.

Notre Dame squeaked by again for the second week in a row, beating a tough Michigan St team 17-13 in South Bend last Saturday. QB Tommy Rees continues to get the job done and puts his team in position to win each game. Rees, while not perfect, threw for 142 yards and a touchdown against a very tough Michigan St defense. RB Cam McDaniel will look to get back on track after rushing for 40 yards against the Spartans. He will have another tough task in front of him with Oklahoma's front seven. Notre Dame brings their own tough, physical defense into this game. While not flashy, the Irish defense has been getting the stops it needs in critical parts of the game and will need to continue that trend against a balanced Oklahoma offense.

Prediction: This will be a low scoring affair that will be won in the trenches. Oklahoma will score first on a Bell touchdown run to go up 7-0. The Irish will return the favor with a field goal but those will be the only scores of the first quarter. Mid way through the second the Irish will get another field goal to pull within one but Oklahoma will respond with a field goal of their own right before half to go up 10-6 at halftime. Both teams will trade punts until mid way through the third the Irish finally get a touchdown to go up 13-10. The score will stay 13-10 after three quarters with the Sooners tacking on a field on the first play of the fourth quarter. Both teams will exchange punts again and the Irish will get the ball back at their own 28 with a little over five minutes left in the game. The Irish catch the Sooners off guard with a screen that gains 20 yards and gets the Irish in prime position for a field goal. After another first down the Irish are content to run the ball and force Oklahoma to use their timeouts with only 1:30 left in the game. The Irish make the field goal and go up 16-13 with 1:15 left in the game. Blake Bell gets the ball at his own 25 yard line and starts with a first down the first play. The Sooners get to the line and quickly snap again and get another 9 yards and get out of bounds with 45 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Bell hits Jalen Saunders for a 15 yard gain and spikes the ball with 31 seconds left at the Notre Dame 40. After another incomplete pass, Bell throws an out route for a gain of 8 but not enough for the first down. Oklahoma attempts the 47 yard field goal but misses wide right and Notre Dame escapes for the third week in a row.

+Notre Dame Athletics 16 - +Oklahoma Sooners Blog 13

Last week: 3-2
Season:    11-9

College Football Week 4 Picks

Now that's more like it. An incredible comeback by UCLA along with an officiating mistake allowed us to go 4-1 last week. We look to continue the success with this weeks picks.


Arizona St vs Stanford

Arizona State opens Pac 12 play with a trip to Palo Alto to take on the Stanford Cardinal. The Sun Devils are coming off a controversial win over Wisconsin and look to continue their early season success. The Sun Devils' up tempo offense led by QB Taylor Kelly has been very proficient to start the year. Currently, the Sun Devils are averaging 43.5 points per game and 496 yards per game. RB Marion Grice has helped balance the offensive attack and has already accounted for five rushing touchdowns in two games. He will need to play well if the Sun Devils are going to challenge the Cardinal on Saturday.

Stanford is coming off a not so impressive win over Army last week. It took until the fourth quarter for the Cardinal to pull away from the Black Knights, so expect the Cardinal to try and come out and impose their will early against the Sun Devils. Stanford's pro style offense led by QB Kevin Hogan and RB Tyler Gaffney, while not flashy, is very difficult to stop with the physicality of the offensive line. The key for Stanford in this game is to run the ball and keep the Arizona State offense on the sidelines. As they say, sometimes your best defense is keeping the opposing offense on the sidelines.

Prediction: While Arizona State's offense will put some points on the board early, Stanford will slowly and methodically drive the ball down field throughout the first half, wearing down the Arizona State defense. Arizona State's defense is improved from last year, however, it doesn't have the necessary depth to handle multiple 12 play, 7 minute drives. In the end Stanford's run game will take its toll on the Sun Devil defense and the Cardinal will pull away at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

 +Stanford University 31 - +Arizona State University 17


Michigan St vs Notre Dame

The Spartans take on the Irish in what should be a physical, smash mouth kind of game. The Spartans are flying under the radar a bit after the loss of RB Le'veon Bell to the NFL and some low scoring games in their first two outings. Michigan State will rely on its running game and defense against the Irish on Saturday. RB's Jeremy Langford and Nick Hill have rushed for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns through the first three games of the year but will have their hands full with Louis Nix and the Irish front seven.

The Irish got back on track last week beating Purdue 31-24 after losing to Arch Rival Michigan the week before. QB Tommy Rees threw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns against the Boilermakers in a game that the Irish trailed going into the fourth quarter. Rees will need to mirror those results against a defense that is only allowing 12 points per game. The Irish will also need to run the ball better than they have the past two weeks in order to keep the Spartan defense honest and respect the play action.

Prediction: This will be a low scoring game that will come down to who will have the ball last. The Spartans run game will be held in check throughout the game and QB Connor Cook will need to throw the ball to try and free up the run game. The Irish will come up with a defensive stop and Rees will drive his team down the field for a late field goal to take the lead. On the ensuing possession, Cook will have to take chances down field and will throw the game ending interception securing the Irish victory.

+University of Notre Dame 17 - +Michigan State University 14


Utah vs BYU

Outside of Fresno vs Boise, this will be the most exciting offensive game of the weekend. Both teams bring in high powered spread offensive attacks that can put up points in a hurry. Utah will look to get back on track after losing late last week to Oregon St in overtime 51-48. QB Travis Wilson has been sensational to start the year, accounting for 1089 yards and 12 touchdowns through the air and on the ground. RB James Poole and WR Drez Anderson have also been huge for this Utes offensive attack that averages 49 points per game. They will need every bit of their play making ability against the tough front seven of the Cougars.

After a week to prepare for this game, BYU will look to get beat the Utes for the first time since 2009. QB Taysom and RB Jamaal Williams lead the Cougars ground and pound offensive attack. The pair have combined for 607 rushing yards and four touchdowns through two games. The Cougars passing attack will need to improve, however, as Hill has only completed 33.3% of his passes this season. The Utes will stack the box early if the passing attack hasn't improved over the bye week to stop the run.

Prediction: This should be a back and forth game from start to finish. BYU will get the first score of the game with a Jamaal Williams touchdown run. The Utes offense will struggle at the start and will have to adjust to Bronco Mendenhall's scheme that he put together during the bye week. After falling behind 10-0, the Utes offense strikes with a Drez Anderson touchdown reception. After a three and out, the Utes strike again before half with a Travis Wilson touchdown run. Both teams will exchange field goals in the third quarter and the Utes will take the lead into the fourth quarter 17-13. After another Utes field goal, the Cougars down seven, will string together a 10+ play drive resulting in a Taysom Hill touchdown run tying the game up with a little over five minutes remaining in the game. The Utes will get the ball back and after a few plays from Travis Wilson legs, set themselves up in field goal position with less than two minutes left. Rather than playing it safe and relying on their kicker, the Utes take a shot deep and convert resulting in a 30 yard touchdown to Sean Fitzgerald. With little time and no timeouts, the Cougars have to put the ball in Hill's arm rather than his feet and on the second play of the final drive, he throws an interception completing a wild game.

+University of Utah 27 - +BYU 20



Arkansas vs Rutgers

The Razorbacks look to continue their success under first year Head Coach Bret Bielema in their first true road test against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Bielema has brought his power running attack with him to Fayetteville as the Razorbacks are averaging 294 yards rushing a game. The defense has also been tough, only allowing 12.7 points per game albeit against low level competition. Expect a heavy dose of Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams in this game.

The Scarlet Knights will look to beat the Razorbacks for the second year in a row on Saturday. QB Gary Nova will look to manage the game while not forcing any throws into tight windows. Nova has thrown for 542 yards and six touchdowns and two interceptions. The Knights will also look to RB Paul James to continue his early season outburst and keep the Razorback offense on the sidelines. James has accumulated 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns in only three games this year. The Knights will need a balanced attack if they plan on beating the Razorbacks on Saturday.

Prediction: This will be a competitive game throughout the first half with both teams having success on offense. The Razorbacks, however, will take control of the game midway through the third quarter after forcing a turnover and scoring a few plays later. With Rutgers down 13 headed into the fourth quarter, the Knights will become one dimensional and try and beat the Razorbacks through the air which will play right into the Razorbacks hands. After forcing a punt, the Razorbacks will seal the game with a long touchdown run on a tired Scarlet Knight defense.

+Arkansas Razorbacks 34 - +Rutgers University, Newark 17



Upset Special

Tennessee vs Florida

Both teams look to get back on track after less than stellar performances their last time out. Tennessee looks to rebound after a 59-14 trouncing at Oregon. The Vols rushing attack has carried them this year averaging 244 yards a game. RB's Rajion Neal and Marlin Lane have racked up 455 yards and seven touchdowns in three games this year. The Vols will look to continue to lean on their running attack against the Gators on Saturday allowing QB Justin Worley to manage the game and not make any mistakes.

The Gators are coming off their own stinker, losing to Miami two weeks ago 21-16 in a game where their offense was abysmal at times. QB Jeff Driskel will need to improve his decision making as his two costly interceptions and clock management killed the Gators chances at beating the Hurricanes. RB Mack Brown is the Gators play maker on offense and will need to step up against a team that struggled to stop the run, albeit against a more mobile quarterback.

Prediction: Tennessee will get punched in the mouth early in this game with Mack Brown giving the Gators the early lead. The Vols will return the favor with their own rushing attack and even the game near the end of the first quarter. The Vols will take the lead before halftime after packing the box to stop the Gators running game and forcing Driskel to beat them through the air forcing a punt. Worley will come out of halftime and throw a play action bomb down the sideline putting the Vols up 21-10, causing Gator fans to worry. After getting a field goal before the fourth quarter, the Gators will look to pack the box in an attempt to stop the Vols offensive attack and get the ball back to tie it up. This will prove to be costly as the Vols surprise the Gators with a screen that takes them into the red zone. A few plays later the Vols punch it into the endzone and increasing their lead to 28-13 with roughly seven minutes to go in the game. On the ensuing possession, Driskel will force a throw into a tight window and all but seal the fate of the game, much to the dismay of Gator fans.

+Tennessee Volunteers 31 - +Florida Gators 13

Last week: 4-1
Season:     8-7

College Football Week 3 Picks

Yikes! Looking to get back on track after a disappointing 1-4 record last week. Lets get to it.

Alabama vs Texas A&M

Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide look to avenge last season's loss to the Aggies in what has been the most anticipated game for the past year. The Tide are coming off a bye week and have had plenty of time to draw up a game plan on how to stop Johnny Manziel and the Aggy offense. Arguably no QB has been better in big games than AJ McCarron and he will need to be sharp in this game if the tide expect to hang around in the hostile environment of Kyle Field.The defense will also need to play much better than it did in last year's match up as well.

The Aggies look to build upon the momentum they gained throughout last year and finish near the top of the SEC. The Aggies are coming off a 65-28 thrashing of Sam Houston St at home. Through the first two games of the year, the Aggies offense has been clicking on all cylinders averaging 58.5 point per game albeit against inferior competition. The defense has been a concern for the Aggies, however, as it has allowed Rice to hang around until the fourth quarter and Sam Houston until mid way through the third. If the defense plays like it has the first two games then it could be a long night for the Aggies.

Prediction: While the Aggies offense has been clicking on all cylinders, nobody is better at preparing for a team during a bye week than Nick Saban. The Tide will impose their will on the A&M front seven and hold Ben Molina in check causing Manziel to be a one man show. With a much lighter receiving corps than last year, that is not a recipe for success against Alabama.

Alabama 28 - Texas A&M 17
+Alabama Crimson Tide +Texas A&M University 


UCLA vs Nebraska

Brett Hundley and the Bruins travel to Lincoln to take on the Cornhuskers in a much anticipated match up. The Bruins have had a tough week after the loss of teammate Nick Pasquale and will look to honor him with a win on Saturday. The Bruins are coming off a bye week after beating Nevada the week before 58-20. The Bruins feature a nice mix between Hundley's running and throwing ability to go along with RB Jordon James. Expect the Bruins to be physical and try to run the football against the Cornhuskers on a Saturday.

The Cornhuskers got back on track after a scary week 1 performance against Wyoming by defeating Southern Miss 56-13. The defense looked sharped causing four takeaways while Taylor Martinez threw three touchdowns and protected the ball well. Martinez, who has had trouble at times taking care of the football, will need to not turn the ball over against the Bruins if the Huskers are going to stay close in this one.

Prediction:  While the Huskers looked better last week, the Bruins are the superior team. The Bruins will be dedicating this game to Nick Pasquale and expect them to come out hot early and look to force Nebraska to beat them through the air. This is not Nebraska's strong suit and it will cause Martinez to make a few costly mistakes.

UCLA 31 - Nebraska 20
+UCLA Bruins +Nebraska Huskers 


Iowa vs Iowa St

The battle for the Cy-Hawk trophy will continue on Saturday between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa St Cyclones. Neither teams seasons got off to good starts with Iowa losing to Northern Illinois and Iowa St losing to Northern Iowa. Iowa beat Missouri St last week 28-14 to try and gain some momentum heading into their annual rivalry with Iowa St. The Hawkeyes have ran the ball successfully in both games and will look to continue that success on Saturday. The Hawkeyes problem has been putting points on the board. This will need to improve if they expect to compete in the Big 10 this year.

The Cyclones are coming off a bye week and are hoping the extra preparation will serve them well against the Hawkeyes. The Cyclones moved the ball well against the Panthers gaining a total of 410 yards of offense. Like the Hawkeyes, the Cyclones problem was putting up points. With an inexperienced defense, the Cyclones will need to put up points this year to compete after the losses of AJ Klein and Jake Knott on the defensive side of the ball.

Prediction: This will be a hard fought, grind it out kind of game. Iowa St will have trouble stopping the Hawkeyes running attack in the second half and won't be able to make up the deficit as Sam Richardson will throw a costly interception to end any chance at a comeback.

Iowa 21 - Iowa St 13
+Iowa Hawkeyes +Iowa State Athletics 

Oregon St vs Utah

Oregon St travels to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Utes in a game that should be very entertaining. After losing their season opener to Eastern Washington of the FCS Division, Oregon St rebounded beating Hawaii 33-14 last week.  Oregon St has thrown the ball with precision this year averaging 436 yards a game allowing them to average 39.5 points per game. A concern, however, is the fact that the Beavers have had trouble running the ball. The Beavers will need to run the ball to keep Utah's spread offensive attack on the sidelines.

Utah begins a brutal four game stretch on Saturday against the Beavers at home. After beating in state rival Utah St in the opener, Utah beat Weber St 70-7 last week. The Utes have used a balanced attack on offense with the ability to run and throw on any down. The Utes rank 30th in pass offense and 32nd in run offense. The Utes defense will need to be on their A game against Sean Mannion or else they could find themselves in a big deficit early.

Prediction: While all eyes are on the Alabama Texas A&M game, this will be the most exciting game of the weekend. This is sure to be a high scoring back and forth affair with the game being decided late in the fourth quarter. Oregon St's trouble running the ball will bite them in this game as it will allow Utah to drive down the field and score the game winning touchdown with only a few seconds left.

Utah 34 - Oregon St 31 
+University of Utah Football +Oregon State University


Upset Special

Wisconsin vs Arizona St

The Badgers travel to Tempe to take on the Sun Devils in what will be a rocking atmosphere. The Badgers have rolled over their first two opponents, both of whom are FCS teams, 45-0 and 48-0. The Badgers get their first real test under first year coach Gary Andersen. The Badgers have always been known for their running game and this year is no exception with the Badgers averaging 390 yards a game. The running game should be Wisconsin's best defense against Arizona State's high tempo spread offense.

Arizona St will look to keep their offensive momentum rolling against the Badgers after beating Sacramento St 55-0 last week. The Sun Devils will rely on the arm of Taylor Kelly against the Badgers on Saturday. The Sun Devils will need to run the ball between the tackles in the red zone to keep the Badgers honest on defense.

Prediction: The Badgers will jump out to an early lead and dominate time of possession in the first half. The Sun Devils will make some offensive adjustments to help keep their defense off the field and start wearing the Badgers defense down while also making up the early deficit. This game will come down to the last possession. The Sun Devils defense will come up strong and force a punt with a few minutes left in the game, putting everything on the arm of Taylor Kelly. Kelly will drive the Sun Devils down the field leading to a last second field goal and the upset victory for the Sun Devils.

Arizona St 34 - Wisconsin 31
+Arizona State University +Wisconsin Badgers 


Last week: 1-4
Season: 4-6

College Football Week 2 Picks

After a 3-2 start to the college football season, it's time to jump back into the saddle and make this weeks picks.

Cincinnati vs Illinois

The Bearcats travel to Champaign Illinois this week to face off with the Fighting Illini in a match up of spread offensive attacks led by senior quarterbacks.

The Bearcats defeated Purdue 42-7 in the first game of the Tommy Tubberville era and look to continue their balanced offensive attack against the Illini. QB Munchie Legaux looks to build upon his season opening performance in which he accounted for 200 yards and two touchdowns while also attempting to eliminate costly turnovers after throwing two interceptions against the Boilermakers. The Bearcats will undoubtedly look to run the ball in order to control the time of possession and keep the Illini offense off the field. Against the Boilermakers, the Bearcats ran 47 times for 221 yards and four touchdowns. They will have their work cut out for them as the Illini only gave up 66 rushing yards on 26 attempts against Southern Illinois.

The Illini struggled at home against Southern Illinois of the FCS Division last week, but held on to win 42-34. QB Nathan Scheelhaase threw for a career high 416 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. The Illini had a hard time running against a below average team amassing only 49 yards on 30 carries. The defense also had troubles of its own allowing Salukis QB Kory Faulkner to throw for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns and allowing 407 yards of total offense. The defense will have to play much better and amass some takeaways against a turnover prone QB if they are going to have a chance on Saturday.

Prediction: This will be one of the highest scoring and most entertaining games of the weekend. While Scheelhaase will keep the Illini in it for much of the game, the Illini's one dimensional offense will put increased pressure on him to be perfect which will lead to a few mistakes. The Bearcats balanced attack will control the clock and tire the Illini defense down, leading to gaping holes and large chunks of yardage in the fourth quarter.

Cincinnatti 38 - Illinois 28


Florida vs Miami 

The Gators and Hurricanes renew their rivalry this Saturday at Sun Life Stadium in a game that many are eyeing a possible upset.

The Gators are coming off a dominating 24-6 performance against the Toledo Rockets in which the Gators held the Rockets to 205 yards of offense and 20 minutes total time of possession. QB Jeff Driskel managed the game well throwing for 153 yards and a touchdown while only having five incompletions for the game. RB Mack Brown ran 25 times for 112 yards and two touchdowns and will need to be just as good against Miami on Saturday for the Gators to win. The defense only allowed two field goals on 11 total possessions but will be going up against a much better offense in Miami.

The Hurricanes will look for their offense to continue putting points on the board Saturday against the Gators after scoring 34 points and gaining over 500 yards of total offense. QB Stephen Morris, like Driskel, is a game manager but can be relied upon to win a game if needed with his arm. Morris went 15 of 27 for 160 yards and a touchdown against the Owls. RB Duke Johnson also was impressive, accounting for 186 yards and a touchdown. The Canes will need their offense to click on all cylinders against the Gators defense if they are going to win.

Prediction: It won't be a pretty game to say the least. Both teams offenses will struggle throughout the game which will make this a field position contest. Florida's defense will step up in the fourth quarter and cause a costly turnover, which Duke Johnson will capitalize on in the ensuing drive to put the game away for good.

Florida 21 - Miami 14


Georgia vs South Carolina

Aaron Murray and the Bulldogs look to get back on track after losing a thriller last week at Clemson as Georgia takes on SEC rival South Carolina. This is a critical game for Georgia as a loss would end any chance the Bulldogs would have at a national championship. The Bulldogs will need Murray to step up if they expect to beat Jadeveon Clowney and the Gamecocks. Murray has struggled against top flight competition going 1-9 against top 15 teams and is 0-3 against the Gamecocks over the last three years. Georgia moved the ball well against Clemson, especially on the ground with Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. The defense, however, was gashed all night against the Tigers impressive offensive attack both through the air and on the ground. The Gamecocks' offense is not as impressive as the Tigers', but the Bulldogs will need to be better up front and in the secondary in order to stay in the game. If the defense can make some stops and if Murray can prevent turning the ball over against the impressive pass rush of South Carolina, the Bulldogs will be in it throughout the game.

The Gamecocks were impressive in their first game of the 2013 campaign, holding North Carolina's explosive up tempo offense to 10 points and 293 yards. The Gamecocks defense will look to wreak more havoc against another impressive offensive opponent in Georgia, whose power running game contrasts with North Carolina's up tempo finesse offense. Jadeveon Clowney will look to make some highlight reel plays after a so so performance last week. On the offensive side of the ball, the Gamecocks will look to pound the Bulldogs with their own impressive power running game led by RB's Mike Davis, Brandon Wilds and QB Connor Shaw. The Gamecocks ran 38 times last week for 228 yards and a touchdown. Shaw also held his own through the air throwing for 149 yards and a touchdown. Shaw will need to keep the Bulldogs defense honest with the play action and be able to hit his receivers down the field to help prevent the Bulldogs from stacking the box.  

Prediction: This will be a low scoring slobber knocker through the first three quarters. While the Bulldogs defense will be better this week and Todd Gurley will keep the Bulldogs in it, Aaron Murray's struggles against top 10 teams will continue as he will have problems with South Carolina's pass. Connor Shaw will deliver the crushing blow late in the fourth quarter and Georgia's disappointing start to the 2013 campaign will continue.

South Carolina 24 - Georgia 14


Texas vs BYU

David Ash and the Longhorns take their up tempo offense to Provo Utah to take on Bronco Mendenhall and the BYU Cougars. The Longhorns are coming off a 56-7 beat down of New Mexico St in which Texas set a school record for most yards in a game with 715. QB David Ash shook off two early interceptions and ended up accounting for 434 yards and five touchdowns. RB/WR Daje Johnson was electric all game long and was the spark that lit the fuse to the Texas offense. RB Malcolm Brown and WR Mike Davis made big plays as well. The biggest question heading into the game was how would the Texas defense look after one of the worst defensive performances in team history last year? They looked fast, tackled much better, got to the quarterback at ease and caused  three turnovers. The defense stood firm during the offense's struggles during the first half. The defense will need to play just as good, if not better, against a much more physical and bigger offensive team in BYU.

Kyle Van Noy and the BYU defense will look to slow down the Texas offense in front of its home crowd on Saturday. The Cougars dropped their season opener on the road to Virginia 19-16 in which the defense played well. BYU is known for its tough defenses and this year will is no exception with the talent the Cougars have on that side of the ball. QB Taysom Hill struggled mightily against the Cavaliers completing only 13 passes on 40 attempts for 175 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Taysom will need to complete a higher percentage against the Longhorns or this game will end early. The Cougars will look to slow the game down with their power running attack led by RB Jamaal Williams, who ran for 144 yards on 33 carries last week. The Cougars will need to run the ball to keep the Longhorns explosive offense on the sideline and keep it a low scoring affair.

Prediction: The Longhorns will come out firing early and often. The speed of Daje Johnson, Mike Davis and Jonathan Gray along with the improved offensive line play, will allow Texas to jump out to an early lead forcing the Cougars to rely on Taysom Hill to beat the Longhorns through the air. While Hill's numbers will be better in this game compared to last week's, he will struggle against the improved pass rush and cornerback play of the Longhorns. This game will be decided mid way through the third quarter at the latest.

Texas 38 - BYU 14



Upset Special


Notre Dame vs Michigan

With this possibly being the last game between Notre Dame and Michigan at Ann Arbor for quite some time, expect both teams to come out fired up.

Notre Dame will be coming off an impressive offensive performance against Temple that saw the Irish account for 543 total yards in a 28-6 victory. QB Tommy Rees threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in his first start since taking over for suspended QB Everett Golson. The defense left a little to be desired after losing Manti Teo to the NFL but the Irish were able to stop Temple when they needed to. From start to finish, the Irish controlled the action and will look to get off to a fast start against Michigan.

Michigan is looking to rebound after losing to the Irish last year in a game many expected the Wolverines to win. Last week, the Wolverines annihilated Central Michigan 59-9. Michigan was very balanced against the Chippewas throwing for 221 yards and rushing for 242 yards. Devin Garner had a couple of interceptions, but as a whole played nicely and will look for revenge against the Irish this weekend. The Michigan defense also played well causing two turnovers last Saturday.

Prediction: Both teams will come out sputtering in the beginning with early game jitters. While Rees will move the ball down field for his team, he will make a couple of mistakes forcing it into tight windows. Garner will also make a few mistakes as well, but his ability to run and create plays will help him in this game. Notre Dame will struggle later in the game stopping the spread option run of the Wolverines and Rees won't be able to bring Irish back this time.

Michigan 27 - Notre Dame 21



Last Week 3-2
Season 3-2