2014 College Football Week 13 Pick Em

Arizona St vs Arizona


Prediction:


+Arizona State Sun Devils 35 - +Arizona Wildcats 28



Georgia Tech vs Georgia


Prediction:


+Georgia Bulldogs 28 - +Georgia Tech Athletics 27



Minnesota vs Wisconsin



Prediction:

+Wisconsin Badgers 27 - +Minnesota Gophers 21


Auburn vs Alabama


Prediction:


+Alabama Crimson Tide 37 - +Auburn Athletics 21



Upset Special


Mississippi St vs Mississippi


Prediction:


+Ole Miss Rebels 27 - +Mississippi State University 24

2014 College Football Week 13 Picks

#25 Minnesota vs #23 Nebraska


+Minnesota Gophers 28 - +Nebraska Huskers 21


#15 Arizona vs #17 Utah


+Arizona Wildcats 31 - +University of Utah 21


#19 USC vs #9 UCLA


+UCLA Bruins 35 - +USC Trojans 31


#20 Missouri vs Tennessee


+Mizzou Athletics 27 - +tennessee volunteers 21


Upset Special:


#8 Ole Miss vs Arkansas


+Arkansas Razorbacks 24 - +Ole Miss Rebels 21

2014 College Football Week 12 Pick Em

Mississippi St vs Alabama

Mississippi 24 - Alabama 21



Auburn vs Georgia


Auburn 42 - Georgia 31


Nebraska vs Wisconsin


Wisconsin 31 - Nebraska 24


Texas vs Oklahoma St


Texas 20 - Oklahoma St 17


Upset Special


Utah vs Stanford


Stanford 27 - Utah 24

2014 College Football Week 11 Pick Em

Another 2-3 week last week. Now for this week's picks.



#12 Baylor vs #15 Oklahoma

Prediction: All signs point to Oklahoma pulling off the upset. However, the Sooners home field advantage isn't what it used to be and with the inconsistency of Trevor Knight at the quarterback position, the Bears will do just enough to squeak out a victory and stay atop of the Big 12 standings.

+Baylor Athletics 45 - +Oklahoma Sooners 42


#10 Notre Dame vs #9 Arizona St


Prediction: This will be a nail biter until the very end with one team's shot at the College Football playoff ending on Saturday afternoon. While Arizona St will have momentum early, Notre Dame will be too much in the end and will find a way to win another close one behind Everett Golson's arm.


+Notre Dame Athletics 31 - +Arizona State Sun Devils 28


#7 Kansas St vs #6 TCU

Prediction: Both teams will have success against each other early before stalling on the offensive end for a quarter. While the Wildcats are one of the most discipline team's in the country, they won't be able to keep up with the speed on the outside that the Horned Frogs have. This will be a really close game and special teams could very well win this game and given the Wildcats kicking situation, you have to like the Horned Frogs chances.

+TCU Athletics 34 - +Kansas State University 28



#14 Ohio St vs #8 Michigan St


Prediction: Ohio St has had trouble winning in East Lansing in recent time and that trend will continue Saturday night. The Spartans will finally get a signature win on their schedule to help bolster their chances to make the playoff. 

+Michigan State Athletics 31 - +Ohio State Buckeyes 21


Upset Special:

#5 Alabama vs #16 LSU

Prediction: This will be a grind it out kind of game with both sides rushing over 40 times in this game. The raucous night time atmosphere at Tiger Stadium will make things difficult for the Crimson Tide all night and will lead to a miscommunication on offense in the fourth quarter leading to a punt. The Tigers will drive the ball down field, taking off as much time off the clock as possible. After getting themselves in field goal range, the Tigers go up by three points with 1:30 left to go in the game. A brief drive by Sims ends in an interception at midfield and the Tigers avoid losing to the Crimson Tide for the fourth time in a row.

+LSU Football 17 - +Alabama Crimson Tide 14




Last Week:     2-3
2014 Season: 31-18

2014 College Football Week 10 Pick Em

Looking to get back on track this week after a 2-3 performance last week. Unfortunately, this weeks picks will be abbreviated as I am attending a wedding today.



#3 Auburn vs #4 Ole Miss


Prediction:

+Auburn Athletics 24 - +Ole Miss Sports 17


#7 TCU vs #24 West Virginia


Prediction:

+TCU Athletics 49 - +West Virginia University 45



#12 Arizona vs #22 UCLA


Prediction:

+Arizona Wildcats 42 - +UCLA Bruins 28



#17 Utah vs #14 Arizona St


Prediction:


+University of Utah 35 - +Arizona State Sun Devils 32




Upset Special:


Pitt vs #24 Duke


Prediction:

+Pitt Panthers SportsRoadhouse 28 - +Duke Athletics 24 




Last Week:    2-3
2014 Season: 29-15

2014 College Football Week 9 Pick Em

On Vacation. Picks Below



Maryland vs Wisconsin


Prediction: +Wisconsin Badgers 31 - +Maryland Terrapins 21


Oregon St vs Stanford


Prediction: +Oregon State University 28 - +Stanford Athletics 24


#3 Ole Miss vs #24 LSU


Prediction: +Ole Miss - The University of Mississippi 20 - +LSU Football 17


#20 USC vs #19 Utah


Prediction: +University of Utah 35 - +USC Trojans 32


Upset Special:


#14 Arizona St vs Washington


Prediction: +Washington Huskies Athletics 34 - +Arizona State University 31



Last Week:    4-1
2014 Season: 27-12

2014 College Football Week 8 Pick Em

Retaking the GMAT this upcoming Tuesday so this will be an abbreviated post.



#14 Kansas St vs #11 Oklahoma


Kansas St will keep this one close, but Oklahoma will get a score late to seal the victory


+The University of Oklahoma 27 - +Kansas State University 21



#21 Texas A&M vs #7 Alabama


The Aggies will have the lead for a majority of this contest until, but ultimately the Crimson Tide rushing attack will get going and will wear the Aggies down down the stretch.



+Alabama Crimson Tide 31 - +Texas A&M University 28



#15 Oklahoma St vs #12 TCU


TCU's defense will step up big in this game and hold a struggling OSU offense to under 21.


+TCU Athletics 35 - +Oklahoma State Athletics 14


#5 Notre Dame vs #2 Florida St


Golson will try and lead a late 4th quarter rally, but the Irish good fortune will finally run out.



+Florida State Seminoles 31 - +Notre Dame Athletics 27



Upset Special:


West Virginia vs #4 Baylor


Neither team will have much success stopping the opposing offenses, but the Mountaineers mount a game winning touchdown drive leading to the fans storming the field and possibly some couch burning


+West Virginia University 48 - +Baylor Athletics 45




Last Week: 4-1

2014 Season 23-11

2014 College Football Week 7 Pick Em

Wow did Ole Miss prove me wrong. Congrats to the Rebels on their impressive upset over the Crimson Tide. Another 3-2 week last week and now without further ado, this weeks picks.


#2 Auburn vs #3 Mississippi St

The game of the week takes place in Starkville Mississippi when Nick Marshall and the Tigers take on Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs.

The Tigers are coming off a 41-7 thrashing of LSU in Baton Rouge and will try and replicate that performance against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Marshall accounted for over 320 yards and four touchdowns against LSU and now has accumulated 12 total touchdowns to only one turnover. Marshall has done a great job getting the ball out to his trio of receivers who each have the ability to take it to the house if they make a defender miss.

Not only has Marshall done a great job through the air, he has also done a great job leading the Tigers spread zone read rushing attack.  Both Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne are averaging more than 5 yards per carry leading the Tigers to the 15th best rushing attack in the country. The Tigers will need to run effectively on Saturday to keep the Bulldogs offense on the sideline and limit their opportunities.

If Marshall can protect the ball and get the Tigers offense moving early with the run and get the ball out to his wide receivers in 1 on 1 coverage, the Tigers will be in good position to win in Starkville.


Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs look to continue their impressive run when they take on the Auburn Tigers. Prescott is coming an amazing performance that saw him total over 330 yards and five touchdowns while only throwing six incompletions. Prescott has been on fire all year both through the air and on the ground and is currently the leader for the Heisman in many people's eyes. If the Bulldogs expect to beat the Tigers on Saturday, Prescott will need to put on another performance like last week.

Running back Josh Robinson will look to attack a very stout rush defense and improve on his 7.5 yards per carry average. Much like Marshall and the Tigers, Prescott and the Bulldogs run a spread zone read attack, which has made it difficult for opposing defenses to stop as Mississippi St ranks 14th in rushing yards per game.

Like Auburn, if Mississippi St can get its offense moving early and keep the Tigers offense off the field, the Bulldogs will be in a good position to win this game because neither defense is going to make very many stops in this one.

Prediction: All signs point to Mississippi St winning this game. It's a home game and they have the leader in the Heisman race and an above average defense they will surely win right? Wrong. This game will come down to special teams and a last minute field goal. The Bulldogs have already missed three extra points and have only made two field goals on the year, while the Tigers have made seven including 3 from 40+. This will be the difference in the game.

+Auburn Athletics 45 - +Mississippi State University 42



#12 Oregon vs #18 UCLA


Marcus Mariotta and the Ducks look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

Mariotta is coming off a subpar performance in which he threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but only had one rushing yard on nine carries and was sacked five times in a 31-24 loss to Arizona. While the Ducks were missing a few guys up front, they didn't play very well up front and couldn't protect Mariotta at all. They will need to play much better on Saturday if they want to beat UCLA.

Much of the Oregon offense the past few years has been based on the run game, but this year they have relied more on Mariotta's arm as they aren't as explosive in the running game as year's past. Running backs Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner will look to get going early as the Bruins give up 158 rushing yards per game on average. For Mariotta's sake, it would be much needed relief if Freeman and Tyner could get the ground game going as Mariotta has taken a plethora of shots of the last two games. Both Tyner and Freeman average over four and a half yards per carry and will look to find some holes up the middle as that's where the Bruins have been vulnerable in the run game.

The question mark for the Ducks is how will their offensive line play? If they can protect Mariotta and open some holes for Freeman and Tyner, they will win this game. If they have trouble stopping the UCLA blitz packages, than they will lose.


The Bruins are also looking to get back on track after losing to Utah last week and are having their own offensive line issues.

Quarterback Brett Hundley is coming off his own so so performance against the Utes in which he threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked 10 times against the Utes. He will need to do a much better job of getting the ball out fast and preventing negative plays if the Bruins expect to win on Saturday.

While the Bruins have had some struggles in the run game, one guy who hasn't is running back Paul Perkins.  Perkins is averaging over five and a half yards per carry and has reached 100 yards four times this season so far. He will look to have a big performance against the Ducks on Saturday against a team that has struggled in the past to stop the run, but has done a better job so far this year.

As stated earlier, the Bruins offensive line has been absolutely terrible in pass protection. It's amazing that Brett Hundley is still standing after how many times he has been hit this year. For the Bruins to win, they will need to keep Hundley upright and keep the pocket clean for him. If the offensive line can do that, UCLA will win this game.

Prediction: Both offenses will move the ball early but will have drives stall because of sacks. This is going to be a game that is won via halftime adjustments after a close first half. Ultimately, the Ducks will start getting after Hundley with some blitz packages and improve upon their season total of 16 sacks. Despite Hundley's efforts, the offensive line will squander any chance at a comeback. The Ducks get a late fourth quarter score that puts this one out of reach.

+University of Oregon 28 - +UCLA Bruins 17


#9 TCU vs #5 Baylor


Trevone Boykin and the Horned Frogs look to upset another top 5 opponent when they travel to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.

Boykin is coming off a spectacular game against Oklahoma in which he accounted for 400 yards and two touchdowns in the upset victory. He will need to play to that level if the Horned Frogs expect to go into Waco and knock off the Bears on Saturday. The last team to beat the Bears in Waco was in fact TCU and Gary Patterson will look to mimic the game plan put in front of him by the Texas Longhorns to try and slow down the Baylor offense.

Boykin and running back B.J. Catalon will look to get the running game going early and often in an effort to keep the Baylor offense on the sidelines. Catalon had an impressive game himself last week totaling over 80 yards and two touchdowns against the tough front seven of the Sooners. If Catalon can find some holes against a banged up Bears defense early on in this game, it will bode extremely well for the Horned Frogs and their attempt to pull of another upset.

The most interesting matchup in this game will be the Horned Frog defense against the Baylor offense. The Bears offense was slowed down for the first time in quite some time last week when they took on Texas Longhorns who threw numerous different coverage schemes at the Bears and forced them to run the ball. Coach Patterson is known for his defensive prowess and will no doubt replicate some of what the Longhorns did last week to slow down Petty and the Bears.

If Boykin can continue to play the way that he has and if the Horned Frog defense can get some pressure on Petty, than the Horned Frogs will have a great chance to pull off the upset in Waco.


Bryce Petty will look to get the Bears offensive attack back on track when they host the TCU Horned Frogs.

Petty is coming off one of his worst starts at quarterback in which he completed only 7 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Petty will need to play much better if the Bears expect to beat the Horned Frogs on Saturday. Petty will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including KD Cannon Jay Lee and Antwan Goodley.

While Baylor has one of the best quarterbacks in the country, it also has a very impressive running game that averages over 247 rushing yards per game. Many would argue that the Baylor rushing attack sets up its impressive passing attack. Running back Shock Linwood has been impressive so far this season already racking up 90 carries for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnny Jefferson has also filled in nicely as Linwood's backup averaging over five yards per carry. If Linwood and Jefferson can get going against a very physical Horned Frog defense, it will make it easier for Petty to get spread the ball around the his weapons on the outside and get the offense clicking early.

A word you never hear come out of Waco is actually happening this year and that is defense. Baylor ranks fourth in total defense, averaging only 267 yards against a game to go along with 12 points per game. This game will be quite the challenge for the Bears not only because this will be the best offense that they have faced, but also because the Bears have some guys banged up from last week that won't be playing at 100%. If the Bears can keep the Horned Frog offense in front of them and force a turnover or two from Boykin, than they will have a great chance to get a statement win and put themselves in contention for one of the four playoff spots.

Prediction: Both teams will look to attack the opposing defenses early, but will have trouble in the beginning. After a feeling out process, the Bears will get on the board through the running game. After successful drives by each offense, the Bears will get another score right before the half to go in front by 10. A critical turnover deep in the Horned Frog territory sets the Bears up for another touchdown drive. Boykin leads the Horned Frogs to two consecutive scoring drives to get within seven, but they fail to recover the onside kick and the Bears run out the clock to win a tight one.

+Baylor Athletics 38 - +TCU Athletics 31



#3 Ole Miss vs #14 Texas A&M


Bo Wallace and the Rebels look to knock off another top 25 team when they travel to College Station to take on the Aggies. Wallace and the Rebels are coming off the biggest win in school history after beating Alabama and will look to continue the momentum this week.

Wallace had one of the best games of his career last week, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns, but most importantly, zero turnovers. If Wallace can play with that kind of efficiency Saturday night at Kyle Field, the Rebels will have a very good chance at pulling off another impressive win.

While the Rebels are not great at running the football, they are efficient and seem to pick up first downs when they really need them via the ground game.  Running back Jaylon Walton is averaging over six yards per carry and will look to expose an Aggie defense that gives up 177 rushing yards per game on average.

The biggest matchup in this game will be the Ole Miss defense against the Aggie offense. If the Rebels can put on the kind of performance they did against against Alabama, they will be in good position to knock off the Aggies. It will also be interesting to see how the Rebels handle themselves one week removed after the biggest win in school history.


The Aggies look to right the ship after getting blown out by the Bulldogs in Starkville last week.

Quarterback Kenny Hill was average at best, throwing for 365 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions and two of those touchdowns came in garbage time at the end of the game. Hill will need to make better reads and take care of the football against a stout Ole Miss defense if the Aggies expect to win Saturday night.

One way to make Hill's reads easier is to set up the run game early. Running backs Trey Williams, Brandon Williams and Tra Carson are all averaging almost six yards per carry and they will need to keep the Rebel defense early to open up the throwing lanes on the outside. That will be easier said than done, however, as the Rebels only give up 125 rushing yards per game.

No matter how you slice it, Hill will have to take better care of the football if the Aggies expect to win this game. He will also need to keep drives alive early and often to try and wear out the Ole Miss defense to try and get some deep strikes later in the game. If the Aggies can get some long drives early, and turn them into touchdowns, than they will have a great chance to establish the run later in the game against the Rebel defense and win this game.

Prediction: This will be a tough, gritty kind of game with points being at a premium. Many expect the Aggies to win because of home field advantage and because it is tough to gauge how the Rebels will react after such an incredible win last week. Ultimately, this game will be decided by a turnover by Hill in Aggies territory that will lead to the Rebels pushing to the lead and pulling ahead for good.

+Ole Miss Sports 27 - +Texas A&M University 21


Upset Special:



USC vs #10 Arizona


The Trojans look to regroup after a stunning collapse to Arizona St last week that ended on a completed hail mary.

If the Trojans are going to regroup, it will start with quarterback Cody Kessler. Kessler was kind of pedestrian last week, throwing for 273 yards, but didn't throw for any scores. Kessler will need to do a better job of getting the ball in the end zone against a Wildcat team that can put some points on the board.

Luckily for Kessler, he has a very good running game behind him that can some up the play action in this game. Running back Javorius Allen rushed for 143 yards and two scores last week and has now rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game this season. He will need to continue to find running lanes and attack an Arizona defense that ranks 50th against the run, but more importantly to keep the Wildcat offense on the sidelines.

If the Trojans can run the ball effectively and put the ball in the end zone while at the same time partially slow down the Wildcat offense, than they will have a very good opportunity to pull off the road upset.


The Wildcats are buzzing after knocking off Oregon in Eugene and will look to continue their surprising season when they host the Trojans Saturday night.

Quarterback Anu Soloman has been fantastic in his first year at the helm for the Wildcats, completing 64% of his passes for over 1700 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will look to take advantage of a Trojan  secondary that has been exposed at times and can be beat as we saw last week against Arizona St.

Solomon also has a very good rushing attack behind him with running backs Nick Wilson and Terris Jones- Grigsby, together accounting for 841 yards and nine touchdowns. If Wilson and Grigsby can get some success early and get the Trojan defense on its heels, than it could be a very long night for the Trojans as they don't have the offense that can keep up with the Wildcat offense.

The key for the Wildcats will be can they stop the Trojan rushing attack. If they can force the Trojans to be one dimensional, it will play to their advantage because you don't want to get involved in a shootout with the Wildcats. If they have trouble stopping the Trojan rushing attack, than the Wildcats will be in trouble in this game.

Prediction: Both defenses will have trouble stopping each other throughout this game. This will be a high scoring, close game in its entirety that will be decided midway through the fourth quarter.  While Solomon and the Wildcats have been great up to this point, this will be the first game with a target on their back as a top team in the country. They have also been very fortunate in games against UTSA and California, but unfortunately for the Wildcats, that fortune will turn tonight with Allen rushing for over 200 yards to help the Trojans pull of the upset win.


+USC Trojans 34 - +Arizona Wildcats 31







Last Week: 3-2

2014 Season: 19-10

2014 College Football Week 6 Pick Em

A decent 3-2 performance last week. Lets get right to this weeks picks in what should be an exciting weekend.



#19 Nebraska vs #10 Michigan St


Ameer Abdullah and the Cornhuskers will look to upset the Spartans and put themselves in better consideration for the Playoff when they visit East Lansing Saturday night.

Abdullah has been absolutely insane so far this year rushing for over 200 yards in three of the first five games while accounting for 10 total touchdowns. Abdullah will look to replicate his performance  from last year against the Spartans in which he ran for 122 yards in a 13 point loss. Abdullah will no doubt get the ball early and often in an effort to soften up a tough Spartan front seven in hopes of allowing quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. to beat the secondary over the top.

Armstrong Jr has been equally as good on the ground as Abdullah averaging over eight yards per carry. Armstrong Jr has also done a good job protecting the football throwing for 10 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions. Armstrong will need to make some plays with his feet on Saturday, but most importantly will need to take care of the ball if the Cornhuskers expect to go into East Lansing and beat the Spartans.

The big question will be how will the Cornhusker defense fare against the Spartan rushing attack. The Cornhuskers are one of the best in the country at stopping the run, but will face their toughest test yet  on Saturday in a hostile environment.

If the Cornhuskers can get Abdullah going early and stop the Spartan rushing attack, than they will be very much in contention to pull off the upset on Saturday.


Michigan St will look to keep its title hopes alive when it welcomes Nebraska to East Lansing Saturday night.

The Spartans are coming off an easy win over Wyoming and will look to carry the offensive momentum from that game into this contest. The Spartans have been rolling on offense all year with a very balanced offensive attack that has racked up on average 263 passing yards per game and 252 rushing yards per game.

Running Back Jeremy Langford is the workhorse for this offense and will no doubt get the call early and often for the Spartans in this one. So far this season Langford is averaging over five yards per carry and has gotten the ability to rest in two of those contest that saw the Spartans demolish two overly matched teams. Langford's legs should be rested and will need to be rested if he and the Spartans expect to run against the Nebraska front seven who are finally starting to resemble the black shirts of old.

Quarterback Connor Cook is building upon his impressive 2013 season and is doing a very good job managing the offense so far this season. Cook is completing almost 70% of his passes while throwing for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. Cook will need to play with that kind of efficiency as the Cornhuskers will more than likely stack the box to stop Langford and force Cook to beat them through the air.

If Cook can beat the man coverage he is likely to see on the outside throughout the game, it will allow Langford some rushing room and put the Spartans in great position to defend their home turf and continue to be put in the Playoff discussion.

Prediction: Both teams will try and establish the run, but will have a hard time doing it. The Spartans will open their running game up by allowing Cook to challenge the Nebraska corners. Nebraska will get back in the game, but will face a fourth quarter deficit and will have to rely on Armstrong Jr's arm to dig them out of it. After getting within three points, a critical turnover by Armstrong will set the Spartans up with a short field and will punch in the game deciding touchdown.

+Michigan State Athletics 31 - +Nebraska Huskers 21



#4 Oklahoma vs #25 TCU


Oklahoma will look to make its case that it is the best team in the country when it takes on the Horned Frogs Saturday.

The Sooners have had a week to prepare for the Horned Frogs after beating West Virginia the week before 45-33 in what was an exciting game. The Sooners have an explosive up tempo offense that can attack quickly through the air or powerfully and methodically on the ground. The Sooners will need to keep that balance if they want to beat the Horned Frogs on the road.

Quarterback Trevor Knight has shown that last season wasn't a fluke. Knight isn't asked to beat the defense himself but instead manage the offense and put his team in position to rely on the run game. Knight will need to play better than he did against West Virginia against a much tougher defense in the Horned Frogs.

Luckily for Knight, he has a incredible rushing attack that can help take the pressure off of him. Running Backs Keith Ford and Samaje Perine have ran all over their opponents averaging six yards a carry combined while accumulating 10 touchdowns so far this season. The Sooners were without Ford against West Virginia after he hurt his foot against Tennessee and if Ford can't go in this one, Perine will need to carry the load if the Sooners expect to win on Saturday.

If the Sooners can get the running game going early and force a few turnovers on defense, than this game could get ugly in a hurry.


TCU is back in the top 25 for the first time in a while and will look to prove that they belong on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are coming off a crushing win over SMU, but then again who hasn't done that this year.

Quarterback Trevone Boykin has been much improved this season and is one of the reasons the Horned Frogs are back in the top 25. Boykin has been impressive both with his arm and his feet and will need to make plays with both against Oklahoma if the Horned Frogs expect to pull the upset. Boykin is completing 64% passes while throwing eight touchdowns and only one interception. He is also averaging over six yards per carry and will look to replicate both of these statistics on Saturday.

Boykin will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including Deante' Gray, David Porter, Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. All four of these receivers have caught at least 9 passes on the year and have accounted for eight receiving touchdowns. These receivers will look to take a page out of the West Virginia playbook from two weeks ago in which the Sooners struggled throughout the first half defending the pass. The Horned Frogs will need to keep that game plan together for the entirety of the game unlike West Virginia who scored only 10 points in the second half.

If TCU can protect Boykin and force the Sooners into some third down and long situations, than the Horned Frogs will have a chance to pull off the upset on Saturday.

Prediction: This will be a close game for the entirety of the ball game. Both teams will have success early at the quarterback position, which will put pressure on each defense to come after the quarterback with blitzes. The Oklahoma rushing attack will prove to be too strong in the end with or without Ford and the Sooners will escape out of Fort Worth by the skin of their teeth.


+The University of Oklahoma 31 - +TCU Athletics 28



#3 Alabama vs #11 Ole Miss


The Crimson Tide will look to replicate last year's beat down against Ole Miss when they travel to Oxford to take on the Rebels.

Alabama has had a week to prepare for the Rebels after demolishing the Florida Gators and will look to wreak havoc on the paltry Ole Miss offense. Quarterback Blake Sims has been everything the Tide has expected and more so far this season, throwing for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns. Sims has thrived under the Lane Kiffin offense and will look to continue that momentum against the Rebels on Saturday.


Sims also has the luxury of a physical running game with running back Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon carrying the load for the Crimson Tide offense. Together Henry and Yeldon have averaged over 20 carries per game this season and if the Crimson Tide expects to win in Oxford, that trend will need to continue. If the running back duo can average four to five yards a carry against the Ole Miss defense, than the Tide will be rolling on Saturday.

If that wasn't impressive enough, the Crimson Tide also have the best receiver in the country in Amari Cooper. Cooper has already caught 43 passes for 655 yards and five touchdowns. Sims will look to Cooper early and often as the Rebel defense will have to pick its poison between the Crimson Tide rushing attack or trying to shut down the passing attack of Sims and Cooper.

The Crimson Tide will also bring in the fifth best defense in the country. The defense has only given up an average of 250 yards per game while only allowing 14 points per game. This will be the biggest mismatch in terms of unit vs unit as the Ole Miss offense has been downright awful at times this season.

If Alabama can run the ball and force some mistakes from Rebel Quarterback Bo Wallace, then this game will be over by halftime.


Ole Miss will look to pull off one of the biggest upsets ever when the Rebels host the Crimson Tide.

The Rebels are coming off a less than stellar win over Memphis at home in which the Rebels only scored 24 points. If the Rebels expect to compete in this game, the offense will need to operate with much better efficiency than it has so far this season.

Quarterback Bo Wallace has had his moments at the start of this season. Wallace has been incredibly accurate completing 71% of his passes for over 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. The problem is that Wallace has also thrown six interceptions and has been sacked seven times. Wallace will need to find the happy medium of trying to make a play while at the same time protecting the ball against the Crimson Tide defense.

The biggest problem for the Rebels has been their inability to consistently establish the run. Running backs Jaylen Walton and I'Tavius Mathers have struggled to find the hole as neither of them have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game this season. It won't get any easier for Walten or Mathers as Alabama is one of the best defenses in the country against the run.

The biggest bright spot for the Rebels has been their defense. The defense this year has been much improved and has playmakers all across the field. If the Rebels can get some pressure on Sims and force a turnover or two in that raucous environment, it could shake the Tide's signal caller and give the Rebels a chance to pull off the upset.

Prediction: Alabama will have to implode for the Rebels to win this game. The Crimson Tide are simply better at every facet of the game than the Rebels are. The Crimson Tide defense will pressure Wallace all game long and Sims will hit Cooper deep twice in the first half and this game will be over by halftime.

+Alabama Crimson Tide 45 - +Ole Miss - The University of Mississippi 10



#14 Stanford vs #9 Notre Dame


Kevin Hogan and the Cardinal travel to South Bend and will look to beat the Irish in South Bend for the first time since 2010.

The Cardinal are coming off a sloppy win over Washington in Seattle last week that saw the Cardinal rack up eight penalties for 85 yards and three turnovers. The Cardinal will need to play much better on Saturday if they expect to go to South Bend and knock off the streaking Irish.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan was very efficient in his last start, completing 65% of his passes, however he only accumulated 178 yards total. While Hogan isn't asked to throw for 300+ yards, he will need to move the ball downfield in order to keep the Irish defense honest and out of the box. If Hogan can move the ball down the field and keep the Irish offense off the field, the Cardinal will be in a good position to win.

The Cardinal still haven't gotten the running game going yet which is quite surprising give that this has been one of the best rushing teams over the last few years. Running backs Barry Sanders, Remound Wright and Kelsey Young have yet to rush for over 100 yards in a game.  The rushing attack looked better against the Huskies but still wasn't the kind of rushing attack that we are used to from a Stanford squad.

If the Cardinal can run the ball effectively and put some pressure on Golson early and often than the Cardinal will have a great opportunity to win.


Everett Golson and the Fighting Irish will look to get themselves back in the National Championship picture and a win over the Cardinal wouldn't hurt.

Golson has looked very good so far this season after not playing last season due to suspension. Golson is looking like a legitimate NFL caliber quarterback after working with quarterback guru George Whitfield over the summer. Goslon has thrown for at least 250 yards in each game and two touchdowns as well.

Golson is essentially the Irish offense. Everything goes through him as he is tied for the team lead in rushing attempts with 39. The Irish have four different rushers that have carried the ball at least 33 times including Golson. The Irish will need to establish the run at some point, which could prove to be difficult as the Cardinal have been very good against the run. Golson will need continue his hot ways both through the air and on the ground if the Irish are going to beat the Cardinal on Saturday.

The Notre Dame defense has been very good at times this season and will look to get the offense a short field to work with at some point in this game. Given the Cardinal's struggles running the football, it is safe to assume the Irish will bring pressure throughout this game to try and get Hogan off of his rhythm.

Prediction: This is going to be a tough, grind it out kind of game. Each team will have troubles early and will need to adjust in order to move the ball down field. Ultimately Golson's ability to make plays with both his legs and his feet will be the difference in this game, which will come down to the wire.

+Notre Dame Athletics 24 - +Stanford University 20


Upset Special


#6 Texas A&M vs #12 Mississippi St

The Aggies will look to continue the climb up the SEC West standings when they travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi St Bulldogs.

The Aggies are coming off a come from behind win against Arkansas at Jerry World and now will have to make the difficult trek to one of the most underrated atmosphere's in all of college football.

Quarterback Kenny Hill has been better than most people would have imagined taking over for Johnny Manziel at the helm of the Aggy offense. Hill has thrown for over 300 yards three times this season while also throwing for four touchdowns three different times this season. Hill will look to continue that success against a much improved Bulldog defense. 

Hill will look to get the ball out quick to his playmakers including Malcome Kennedy, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals Jones. The Aggies have so many weapons both at receiver and at running back that it makes defending their offense quite the challenge.

The Aggies also sport a very good rushing attack with running backs Tra Carson, Trey Williams and Brandon Williams sharing the workload. All three guys average six yards a carry and will look to find some holes against one of the best rush defenses in the country.

If Kenny Hill can work the ball down field and keep help open some running lanes for his running backs, than the Aggies will be in very good position to stay atop the SEC West.

Dak Prescott will look to lead the Bulldogs to another upset victory when they welcome the Aggies to Starkville on Saturday. 

Prescott is coming off an incredible performance against the LSU Tigers in which he accounted for 373 yards and three touchdowns in Baton Rouge to upset the Tigers. Prescott has been great all season, totaling 14 touchdowns to two turnovers. If the Bulldogs expect to pull off the upset, Prescott will need to continue to play the way he has all season long.

You can expect a heavy dose of both Prescott and Josh Robinson carrying the ball for the Bulldogs as Mississippi St ranks 15th in the country in rushing adds per game. This will be the biggest weapon for the Bulldogs as they can use their success in the running game to keep the Aggy offense off the field and while the Aggies have improved their rush defense from last year, they are still vulnerable against the run.

While the Mississippi St defense has been one of the best against the run, they have been gashed through the air ranking 121st in the country against the pass. That is not a place you want to be when going up against one of the best passing offenses in the country. It is safe to say that this will be a shootout.

Prediction: Both defenses will have trouble stopping the opposing offenses early. With the Bulldogs struggles against the pass, the offense will use its rushing attack to keep the Aggy offense on the sideline. This strategy will slowly wear down the Aggy defense which will open up rushing lanes for Prescott and Robinson early in the fourth quarter. Down 14 Hill will lead a touchdown drive to get his team back within a score, but the onside kick is recovered by Mississippi St and the Bulldogs will pull of their second upset in as many weeks.

+Mississippi State University 38 - +Texas A&M University 31

Last Week:     3-2
2014 Season: 16-9

2014 College Football Week 5 Pick Em

Pretty good performance last week in a bunch  of good games. This week the games aren't as exciting but we will look to replicate last week's performance. Below are this week's picks.


Texas Tech vs #24 Oklahoma St

The Red Raiders will look to get back on track after they were destroyed at home by the Arkansas Razorbacks two weeks ago when they take on the Oklahoma St Cowboys in Stillwater. The Red Raiders will no doubt look to stop the run better after giving up 438 rushing yards and seven touchdowns to the Razorbacks. With a new defensive coordinator running the show, it will be interesting to see the adjustments to the run that the Red Raiders installed during the bye week to stop a strong Cowboy rushing attack.

Quarterback Davis Webb leads the up tempo Raider attack into Stillwater that will look to get on the board early and often.  Mayfield has already thrown for just under 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns through three games and will need to be on point tonight if the Red Raiders expect to go into Stillwater and get the win.  Webb will look to spread the ball around to receivers Jakeem Grant, Bradley Marquez and Reginald Davis who have each showed some early playmaking ability this season.

The Red Raiders will also bring in a better rushing attack than they have had in the past with DeAndre Washington leading the charge and Justin Stockton sure to see some time as well. The Red Raiders obviously won't be looking to control the clock or pound the ball down the opponents throat in the running game, but instead use it every now and again to keep the defense guessing and play on their heels. 

If Texas Tech is going to win this game, its defense will need to show up and prove it can stop the run. So far this season, the defense has been unimpressive to say the least, ranking 112th in points per game against and 120th out of 124 teams in total rushing yards allowed. If the Red Raiders can force a couple of stops and get their offense rolling early, than they will have a great chance to win this game.


Oklahoma St will look to win its third game in a row when it hosts Texas Tech tonight. After narrowly losing the opener to Florida St, the Cowboys have blown out their previous two opponents. While both of these teams(Missouri St, UTSA) were significantly outmatched, the Cowboys were able to continue to stay balanced on offense and work through the injury of starting quarterback J.W. Walsh during the Missouri St game.

Quarterback Daxx Garman has shown so far why so many wanted him to be named the season openers starter. Garmann has a QB rating of 164.6 over the last two games and has yet to turn the ball over. The Cowboy offense looks to be operating more smoothly with him under the helm than Walsh. So far six different receivers have at least five catches on the year to go along with six different receivers averaging 15 yards or more per reception. Garman will need to prove that he is the real deal on Thursday when he takes on the Red Raiders who will be looking to prove themselves after being embarrassed by Arkansas. 

Along with Garman, the Cowboys sport an under the radar, but powerful running game that can punish opponents at times. Three different running backs have more than 20 carries on the year and you can expect that the Cowboys will look to run the ball early and often against a Red Raider defense that is one of the worst at stopping the run.

If Oklahoma St can run the ball effectively against Texas Tech and keep drives alive while keeping the Red Raider offense on the sidelines, than the Cowboys will be in great shape to win.

Prediction: Both teams will come out trying to establish their up tempo identity. The Cowboys will look to take advantage of the Tech rushing defense early and often while the Red Raiders will stack the box early and force Garman to beat them through the air. 

Both teams will have drives stall in the early stages of the game. Oklahoma St will take a three point lead just before halftime. After a Tech score the Cowboys will drive down the field on a long, methodical drive leading to a touchdown. After stopping the Tech offense, the Cowboys once again will go down the field and get another touchdown putting them up 10 points with about eight minutes to go. 

After another defensive stop, the Cowboys run the clock down before kicking a field goal. Down 13 with less than two minutes to play, Webb leads a touchdown drive, but the Raiders rally falls short after failing to recover the onside kick.

+Oklahoma State Athletics 30 - +Texas Tech University 24




#11 UCLA vs #15 Arizona St


UCLA will look to avenge last year's loss to Arizona St when it travels to Tempe to take on the Sun Devils.  UCLA might be without starting quarterback Bretty Hundley for this game, who hurt his non throwing arm while trying to break his fall during a tackle against Texas two weeks ago. Whether the Bruins have Hundley or not, they will have their work cut out for them in this game.

The Bruins have had trouble protecting the quarterback so far this year, allowing 12 sacks through the first three games. The Bruins will need to do a better job against a Sun Devil defense that will bring the pressure early and often if they expect to win tonight. 

UCLA will look to slow down the aggressive Sun Devil defense by trying to establish the run early and often. The Bruins have had some success on the ground this year as evidenced by running back Paul Perkins' 4.8 yards per carry average, but have been inconsistent in their execution. 

If the Bruins can establish the run early and protect their quarterback from a defense that will send a lot of pressure throughout the game, then they will be in a good position to win later tonight.

Like the Bruins, the Sun Devils come into this game undefeated and with a quarterback injury of their own. However, for the Sun Devils, starting quarterback Taylor Kelly will not play in this game because of a foot injury. Mike Bercovici will step in Kelly's place for the second game in a row looking to give the Sun Devils the upper hand in the race for the Pac 12 South Division championship.  

Bercovici hasn't shown much so far this season as he has only attempted 17 passes coming into tonights game so it will be interesting to see how he deals with an impressive Bruin defense in such a critical game.  If Bercovici can complete some easy early throws to start the game, it can really give him some confidence as the game moves forward.

Luckily for Bercovici, he will have a strong running game behind him, which will try and take some of the pressure off of him. It is safe to assume that running back D.J. Foster will touch the ball at least 25 to 30 times in this game. If Foster can get some early momentum against a tough Bruin front seven, it will open up the Bruin defense for Bercovici to take a couple of shots down the field.

If Arizona St can run effectively early and pressure the Bruin quarterback throughout the game, the Sun Devils will be a prime position to pull of the upset.

Prediction: ASU will try to establish the run to take some pressure off of Bercovici, but the Bruins will stack the box and force the Sun Devils to air it out. Hundley will play in this game, but after some early pressure, the hits will add up and he will be replaced by Jerry Neuheisel to prevent further injury. 

Both the Bruins and the Sun Devils will rely heavily on their running games with each team taking the occasional shot down the field. This game will be decided in the fourth quarter after a forced turnover by Eric Kendricks will give the Bruins a short field. 

A goal line touchdown from star linebacker Myles Jack will put the Bruins up seven with only a few minutes to go. The Sun Devils will be forced to put the ball in the air, but without Kelly will lead to another interception, which will seal the game.

+UCLA Bruins 24 - +Arizona State Sun Devils 17




Duke vs Miami


The Duke Blue Devils will look to improve to 5-0 when they take on the Miami Hurricanes Saturday night. It is hard to believe that the Blue Devils are in the position that they are today after so many years of infamy. 

Duke rolls into this game with one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the country, averaging 230 yards passing and 261 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Anthony Boone has thrived under head coach David Cutcliffe, completing 62% of his passes for seven touchdowns and only one interception. Boone has also used his legs a lot so far this season rushing 19 times for three scores and an average of just under five yards a carry. 

Boone also has a very good rushing attack behind him with five different rushers carrying the ball at least 20 times this season. These five backs have rushed for a combined 941 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season. If the Blue Devils expect to win on Saturday, they will need to establish the run early against a Hurricane defense that has struggled at times this year stopping the run. If Boone can take care of the football and keep the Hurricane rushing attack on the sidelines, than the Blue Devils will have a very good chance to improve to 5-0.

The Hurricanes will look to rebound after a tough loss in Lincoln last week. The Hurricanes just couldn't come up with a defensive stop when they needed it and will look to prove they can stop the run when they take on the Duke Blue Devils.

Freshman Quarterback Brad Kaaya has played well at times, but has also struggled a little with his consistency, which should be expected from a true freshman quarterback. Kaaya has thrown for just under 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns, but has also thrown seven interceptions so far this season. He will need to do a better job at protecting the ball if the Hurricanes expect to beat the Blue Devils on Saturday.

Kaaya has what many quarterbacks wish they had behind them: a running back that can carry the load. Running back Duke Johnson has done just that rushing 61 times for 370 yards and three touchdowns. Expect a heavy dose of Johnson in this one as Duke has had trouble stopping the run themselves and the Blue Devils haven't seen a running back like Johnson this year. If Johnson can find some holes early and keep the Blue Devil defense on its heels, the Hurricanes will have a great chance at getting back on the winning track.

Prediction: Both teams will start the ground attack early with each team having success. After a few stops, Duke will take a four point lead at the half. Miami will come out and take the lead right back with a touchdown from Kaaya. After exchanging scores, the Blue Devils will take the lead with just over five minutes to go. A turnover by Kaaya puts the Blue Devils in great position with the short field. A late touchdown puts this one on ice and the Blue Devils start 5-0. 


+Duke Athletics 31 - +Miami Hurricanes 20


Minnesota vs Michigan


The Golden Gophers roll into the Big House and will look to add to the Wolverines misery with a win on Saturday. To say that Brady Hoke's seat is hot is an understatement and a loss to Minnesota on Saturday could very well end up with a pink slip on Monday.

Minnesota will look to run the ball throughout the entirety of this game. Starting Quarterback Mitch Leidner has only thrown 54 times all season and quite frankly hasn't been very effective. The Gophers will rely heavily on the rushing attack of running backs David Cobb and Chris Streveler

Cobb and Streveler have amassed a combined 756 yards for an average clip of 6.5 yards per carry and five touchdowns. They will have their work cut out for them as the Wolverines rank 9th in rushing yards against. If the Gophers establish the line of scrimmage and if Leidner can make a play of two through the air then the Gophers just might have a shot at winning this game.


The Wolverines will look to get some sort of offensive consistency going against the Golden Gophers on Saturday. The Wolverines are 94th in the country in points per game, but if you take away the two gimme games they have had this season, they have averaged five points per game. Quaterback Devin Gardner has taken much of the blame, some has been fair while some hasn't.

Gardner has completed 64% of his passes but hasn't thrown the deep ball very well this year and has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns as well. Gardner has also been sacked nine times this season and if the Wolverines expect to win on Saturday he will not only need to create some plays through the air, but also avoid getting his team in 2nd and 3rd and long after taking a sack.

Running back Derrick Green has shown some flashes that he should have his number called more as Green is averaging over 6 yards per carry. Green will need to soften up a tough front seven to help Gardner out and if he can't get anything going against the Gophers, than it will be a long night for the Wolverines.

Prediction: This will be a sloppy, run reliant game with each team struggling to get anything going through the air. Not much offense will occur through the first half and this will be a 7-7 tie at the half. A bad turnover by Gardner deep in the Wolverines own territory will give the Gophers a short touchdown drive. Some more three and out's from each team before the Wolverines get back on the board with a field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter. A long drive by the Gophers ends will no points, giving the Wolverines one last chance to drive down the field for the winning score. Gardner is sacked and stripped and the Gophers recover to seal this one up with a chorus of boos coming from the crowd.

+Minnesota Gophers 14 - +University of Michigan 10



Upset Special:



#16 Stanford vs Washington

After a week off, the Cardinal will look to get its first win in conference play this year when it travels to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies. The Cardinal are coming off an easy 35-0 win over Army and have had an extra week to prepare for the high flying Chris Peterson offense.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan has been sensational so far this season completing 73% of his passes for 705 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception. He will need to make some plays throughout this game if the Cardinal are going to keep up with the Husky scoring machine. Expect Hogan to try and get the ball into the hands of wide receiver Ty Montgomery early and often as Montgomery has been by far and away the best threat on the offensive side of the ball for the Cardinal this season.

The Cardinal haven't established the run as effectively as in past years and it won't get any easier as the Huskies only give up 113 yards per game on the ground. The Cardinal will need at least try and establish the run to keep the Husky offense off the field and to try and take the crowd out of the game with long, slow methodical drives.

If the Cardinal can run the ball effectively and slow down the Husky offense, then they will be in this game until the end.

The Huskies are looking to start 5-0 under first year head coach Chris Peterson and knock off their first ranked opponent since they beat Peterson's old team Boise St in the opener last season. 

After struggling the first week of the season without starting quarterback Cyler Miles, the Huskies offense has been on a tear and will look to continue that momentum against a tough Cardinal defense.

Quarterback Cyler Miles has done well so far this season both through the air and on the ground: accumulating 639 total yards to go along with eight touchdowns. Myles will look to receivers Jayon Mickens and DiAndre Campbell to make plays in space to loosen up the Cardinal defense and prevent them from stacking the box to stop the Huskies powerful rushing attack.

Running backs Lavon Coleman and Dwayne Washington lead a backfield that has just pounded opposing defenses so far this season. The Huskies are averaging 240 rushing yards per game and will look to continue that success against the Cardinal defense on Saturday.

If the Huskies can continue rushing the ball like they have this season and can force the Cardinal to be one dimensional, than they will have a very good shot at pulling off the upset.

Prediction: This will be an exciting back and forth game from start to finish. Washington will look to run right at the Cardinal defense and take an occasional shot downfield while the Cardinal will also look to establish the run but given their lack of success on the ground so far this season, will have no problem letting Hogan let it loose. Each team will have success throughout the first half leading to a high scoring first half with the game tied up at 24 at the half. The Huskies will strike first in the second half with a touchdown run by Miles. The Huskies force a stop and drive the length of the field for another touchdown to put the pressure on Hogan and the Cardinal offense. Hogan leads a touchdown drive of his own and after a defensive stop has the chance the tie the game up with four minutes to play. Hogan will try and get the ball into Montgomery's hands but will be intercepted by the Husky defense for the only turnover of the game by the Cardinal. After a first down, the Huskies run the clock out and pull off the upset in front of a rocking crowd.

+Washington Huskies Athletics 38 - +Stanford University 31

Last Week:     4-1
2014 Season: 13-7

2014 College Football Week 4 Pick Em

After two weeks of abbreviated picks, I now finally have the time to get back into the swing of things. An ok performance last week but now it is time to dive into this weeks games.



#22 Clemson vs #1 Florida St

Clemson will look to avenge last year's blowout loss to the Seminoles when they travel to Tallahassee to take on the defending national champions on Saturday. The Tigers will look to replace the loss of some of their stars from last season including receiver Sammy Watkins and quarterback Tajh Boyd with the infusion of new talent.

The Tigers have had a week to prepare for the Seminoles and will look to attack a very impressive defensive unit. Offensively so far this season the Tigers have held up pretty well, despite the losses and are averaging over 335 yards passing a game and just under 180 rushing yards per game as well. The Tigers will need to be very balanced on offense if they expect to go into Tallahassee and beat the Seminoles

Quarterback Cole Stoudt will look to match the efficiency he has put forward in the first two weeks and get the ball out to receivers Artavis Scott and Mike Williams in open space. If Stoudt can make good decision and manage the offense, while the running back by committee can keep the chains moving to keep the Seminole offense on the sideline, then the Tigers could have a shot given that the Seminoles haven't looked all that impressive so far this season and also the fact that Jameis Winston will be suspended for the first half.

The biggest question will be how will the Tiger defense defend the Seminole offense. In week one against the Bulldogs, the Tigers couldn't stop the run and got absolutely shredded. They played the pass pretty well, but just couldn't come up with an answer to Todd Gurley. This week, the Tigers won't be going up against nearly the type of running back Gurley is, however, if they have trouble stopping the run early, then this game will get out of hand earlier than the Georgia game did. If the Tiger defense can come up with some stops on defense and keep the game close or even lead after the first half, then Clemson will be in good position to win on Saturday.

Florida St will look to keep their playoff chances alive when they take on the Tigers on Saturday. The Seminoles will look to get their offense rolling and try and force the Tigers into some early turnovers in an attempt to prevent having to rely on a second half comeback from Jameis Winston, who will be suspended for the first half for acting like an idiot.

Quarterback Sean Maguire will get his first start at the helm and will likely be asked to just keep his team in the game. Florida St will no doubt look to get the run game going early and often to not only take the pressure off of Maguire to start, but also because that is a weakness that was exploited in the Clemson defense. No doubt Maguire will have to make some plays on his own to prevent the Tigers from putting eight in the box and will look to get the ball out wide to Rashad Greene and Nick O'Leary. The Seminoles are still looking for someone to step up at receiver now that Kelvin Benjamin is in the NFL and this would be a great stage for one to show up and provide the playmaking ability that has been lacking so far this season out of the Seminole offense.

The Seminoles will look to create some havoc on the Tiger offense in an effort to shut the door on any possible upset as early as possible. While the Seminoles got somewhat torched by the Oklahoma St offense in the opening game of the year, the Seminoles are giving up less than 350 yards per game and have had a week to prepare for the Tiger offense. If the Seminoles can get some pressure on Stoudt and shut down a relatively inexperienced offense, than the Seminoles will be in good position to win, even without Winston for the first half.

Prediction: This game won't be as ugly as it was last season. This will be a tight game early with Florida St relying heavily on the run to try and take advantage of the porous run defense that Clemson showed in week 1, while the Tigers will look to take the crowd out of it early by throwing it down the field with Stoudt. Clemson will have a slight lead going into half when Jameis Winston will get inserted into the game in the second half. The Seminole offense will start getting better traction with Winston at the helm and will take the lead back going into the fourth quarter. After a defensive stop, Winston will lead the Seminoles down the field again and put the game on ice. A late score by the Tigers will be too little too late.

Update: Jameis Winston has been suspended for the entire game, but Maguire will lead FSU to a last minute victory.

+Florida State Seminoles 31 - +Clemson Tigers 27




Florida vs #3 Alabama

The Florida Gators will look to get a signature win when they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide. If Florida can pull of the upset, this would be its first win against a ranked opponent since November 24 2012. To say it will be a challenge is an understatement.

Quarterback Jeff Driskel has shown major improvement from last season, completing over 63% of his passes and most importantly has only turned the ball over one time this season. Driskel will need to be on point with his decision making on Saturday if the Gators are going to have any shot at beating the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. Luckily for Driskel, he has one of the nations best rushing attacks behind him with running backs Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor. Both running backs are averaging over six yards per carry and will need to carry the load against the nations best rushing defense in Alabama.

Florida's defense has also been impressive so far this season, ranking third against the run and 20th against the pass. The Gators defensive will need to stop the run early and often and force Blake Sims to beat them through the air. If the Gators can force Sims into a couple of mistakes and put together a couple of scoring drives, then they will have a great chance at beating the Crimson Tide.

Alabama is coming into this game as under the radar as a #3 in the country can. After an impressive, battle tested win over West Virginia, the Crimson Tide are coming off two easy wins and will look to build on those successes against the Gators.

Quarterback Blake Sims has done everything that the Crimson Tide ask of its quarterback, which is to keep drives alive and take care of the football. Sims has done a great job of both of those and will look to continue to do that against a very good defense.  Like Driskel, Sims has a very good running game that he can rely on with running backs T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake as well as Sims himself have helped the Crimson Tide average over 270 yards per game. Look for the Crimson Tide to continue relying on its running game, but expect Lane Kiffin to open to playbook a little and to take advantage with Sims on some 1 on 1 match ups on the outside.

Alabama's defense has been clinical up to this point of the season. The Crimson Tide are giving up less than 267 yards per game and are allowing only 11.7 points per game. If the Crimson Tide can stop the Florida rushing attack and force Driskel to beat them through the air, Alabama will be in an great position to win. If Alabama has trouble stopping the Florida rushing attack, then this game could get very interesting down the stretch.

Prediction: Both teams will try to establish the run game early and often. Each team will force the opposing offense to beat them through the air. This will be a closer game than the final score will show as this will be a tough, gritty kind of game for three quarters. In the end Alabama's defense will be too much for Florida's offense to overcome and will seal the deal with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

+Alabama Crimson Tide 30 - +Florida Gators 14


#4 Oklahoma vs West Virginia


Trevor Knight and the Sooners will look to get another impressive win after blowing out Tennessee last week. Oklahoma has one of the top five defenses in the country to go along with a very balanced up tempo offense that has imposed its will on opponents so far this season and will look to do so against the Mountaineers on Saturday.

Trevor Knight has played well in his first full year as a starter, completing just under 60% of his passes and has done a good job managing the Sooner offense. Knight has the ability to rely on a very good running game behind him, which will be a bit depleted on Saturday with the loss of Keith Ford to injury. If Knight can continue to manage the offense and make the plays when he asked, then OU will cruise to victory.

The most impressive area of the Sooners team is the defense. The front seven is absolutely loaded with talent and it will be interesting to see how the unit holds up against a high flying offense like the Mountaineers. The Sooners already have amassed nine sacks, to go along with six interceptions, two fumbles and two defensive touchdowns. If the Sooners can continue to play at a high level like they have done all season and pressure and force Trickett into some mistakes, then OU could make an impressive statement on Saturday to the college football committee.


The Mountaineers will look to prove their close game against Alabama wasn't a fluke when they take on Oklahoma in Morgantown on Saturday. West Virginia is coming off a 40-37 win against Maryland in which the Mountaineers blew a 22 point lead and had to rely on a game winning field goal at the buzzer to win. The Mountaineers will need to play much better defensively if they expect to beat the Sooners on Saturday

Quarterback Clint Trickett has been spectacular this season, completing 75% of his passes and has thrown for seven touchdowns and only one interception. Trickett will need to continue that efficiency against one of the nations best defense if the Mountaineers are going to win. Trickett has done a good job of spreading the ball around to receivers including Kevin White, Mario Alford and Wendell Smallwood. If Trickett can continue to play as well as he has so far this season and keep the up tempo Mountaineer offense rolling, then West Virginia will have a great shot at pulling off the upset.

West Virginia has been getting torched on defense this year, allowing an average of almost 400 yards of total offense a game. The Mountaineers have struggled to force takeaways and will need to get a takeaway or two on Saturday in order to beat the Sooners. Oklahoma brings in a very balanced offensive attack and the Mountaineers will need to stop the run early and often and force Terrence Knight to beat them if they expect to stay in the game. If the Mountaineers can force a turnover or two and limit Oklahoma's big play ability, then the Mountaineers will have a great shot at pulling off the upset.

Prediction: This will be the most exciting game of the weekend. Each team will come out and put up some early point with their up tempo offenses. The atmosphere of Morgantown will cause some early jitters for Knight who will settle down after a couple drives. West Virginia will lead through most of this game but after a defensive stop by the OU defense, Knight will lead a touchdown drive with only a few minutes left. A valiant comeback attempt by Trickett will fall short and the OU defense will prove to be the defense, stopping the West Virginia offense three times in a row to close out the game.

+The University of Oklahoma 31 - +West Virginia University 27


Virginia vs #21 BYU

The Cavaliers are coming off an impressive upset win over Louisville last week and will look to ride that momentum into Provo on Saturday when they take on the Cougars. The Cavaliers also played very well earlier in the season against UCLA and will come into the Cougar matchup battle tested.

The Cavaliers have had a quarterback by committee with Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns each having received snaps and lead the offense down the field in the first three games. Lambert has been the more efficient passer but looked very uncomfortable in the first game against UCLA. Johns has led the team in the UCLA matchup, but hasn't done too much since that game. Whoever is under the helm for the Cavaliers on Saturday will need to control the offense and most importantly rely on the run game and take care of the football against a very tough BYU defense.

The Cavalier defense has been incredibly impressive so far to start the year and will look to mirror those performances against the Cougars. Against UCLA, the Cavaliers held preseason Heisman contender Brett Hundley without a touchdown and made him uncomfortable throughout the game. Last week, the Cavs held a Louisville offense that averaged over 48 points per game to 21 points. The Cavaliers will need to replicate the game plan they had against UCLA against Brett Hundley because they will be dealing with another dual threat quarterback in Taysom Hill. If the Cavs can stop the run and limit Hill's scrambling or big play ability, then they will be in position to win on Saturday.

Taysom Hill will look to keep the Cougars playoff hopes rolling when he and the Cougars welcome the Cavaliers into Provo. The Cougars are coming off a less than impressive win over Houston in which Houston was able to contain Hill through the air and cause a couple of turnovers. Hill will need to use both his legs and arm against the Cavaliers as we have already seen the Cavs wreak havoc against a dual threat quarterback in Nick Hundley. Luckily for Hill, he will have smash mouth running back Jamal Williams in the backfield to help loosen up the Cavalier defense and open up some lanes for Hill to not only throw over the top of the defense, but also get himself out into space and run.

The Cougars defense has also been very formidable this year as they have only given up an average of 14 points per game to go along with a very physical front seven that has already amassed eight sax this season. If the Cougars can get some pressure on the Cavalier quarterback and force the Cavs to become one dimensional, than BYU will keep its hopes alive to be a spoiler in the playoff.

Prediction: This is going to be a very physical, intense battle in which each team will struggle to score points early. After forcing a couple of turnovers, BYU will finally start to impose their will on a tired Cavalier defense with Hill and Williams gashing them up the gut. A late comeback attempt by the Cavaliers will fall short and the Cougars will improve to 4-0

+BYU 27 - Virginia 14



Upset Special

#5 Auburn vs #20 Kansas St


Auburn and Kansas St enter this ball game each having come off a bye week, looking to get a signature non conference win before conference play gears up.

Auburn comes into this game clicking on all cylinders on offense, averaging 330 yards rushing and 52 points per game while also allowing only 109 rushing yards per game. The Tigers will need to run the ball effectively and stop the Kansas St rushing attack if they expect to beat the Wildcats in Manhattan.

Quarterback Nick Marshall has played well up to this point both on the ground and through the air, but most importantly has taken care of the football. Running backs Curtis Artis-Payne and Corey Grant have gashed opposing defenses, averaging over seven and a half yards per game between the two. The Tigers are still looking for someone to step up at wide receiver but with the rushing attack that the Tigers feature, as long as they can get any sort of contribution, they will put themselves in great shape to win any game.

This will be the toughest test of the season as of yet for the Auburn defense, which has been very opportunistic through the first two games of the year. The Tigers already have four interceptions on the year, as well as a defensive touchdown, and if they can get the Wildcats to turn the ball over, then this game could get ugly in a hurry.

If Auburn can run the ball as effectively as they have to start the year and force the Wildcats into some turnovers, this game will be over in the third quarter. If the Tigers have trouble stopping the Wildcat rushing attack, then this game will be interesting down the stretch.

The Wildcats will look to get back on track after a come from behind victory against Iowa St two weeks ago.  The Wildcats will need to play much better defensively in this game as they did against Iowa St if they expect to have any shot to win this game.

Quarterback Jake Waters has led a well balanced offensive attack that has averages around 238 yards rushing and passing so far through two games this season. Waters has been very impressive on the ground, averaging more than five yards a carry to go along with running back Charles Jones six yards per carry average. Waters has also done a good job through the air completing over 61% of his passes and spreading the ball across multiple receivers. He will need to not only make plays with his feet, but also take care of the football if the Wildcats want to win this game.

Waters will have an elite wide receiver at his disposal in Tyler Lockett. Lockett is averaging over 20 yards per catch this season and tallied 11 touchdowns last season. Lockett is also a dangerous return man and has been used in the past as a rushing threat on the outside. If Lockett can use his speed to stretch the defense vertically and get himself open for Waters, then the Wildcats will have a very good chance at pulling off the upset.

The biggest question mark is how will the Bill Snyder defense attack the Auburn offense. Both teams have had two weeks to prepare and attack each other's weaknesses on the opposite side of the ball. A lot of the Auburn offense has to deal with misdirection and motion and if the Kansas St defenders get taken out of position, then this game will be over in a hurry because the Wildcats don't have the speed to keep up with the Tigers. If Snyder can get his team to maintain gap responsibility, then this will be a very tight game late in the fourth.

Prediction: Both teams will come out and try to establish the run early and often. Auburn will have a couple of long play short drives that will lead to touchdowns while Kansas St will have a couple of long, methodical drives that will lead to some points. The first half will end with the Tigers up going into the half. Both teams will make their halftime adjustments with Kansas St looking to attack the Tigers through the air while maintaining gap responsibility and not following the motion/misdirection play. The third quarter will be a defensive stand by both teams with neither scoring due to the adjustments. After a Kansas St field goal, Auburn will drive down the field and score a touchdown to go up four with under five minutes to play. Needing a touchdown to win, the Wildcats will get a couple of big plays from Lockett, as well as from Waters' feet that culminates in a touchdown with under a minute to go. Marshall tries to get his team in field goal position but there is not enough time and the Wildcats pull of the upset

+Kansas State University 31 - +Auburn University 28



Last Week:    4-1
2014 Season: 9-6