Week Four Top 25 Preview... and Picks!

We will hear a great deal this weekend about the "so-and-so ranked offense battling against the nation's such-and-such defense." Ignore the data.

Every college football team in the nation has played only twice, or three games at most. Do we care that Kansas is third in total yards on offense or that Ryan Mallet (QB, Arkansas) is the country's top passer? No.

This week, we focus on road favorites playing decent opponents. Secondly, are there teams that might be a bit overrated?—good teams that have played well, yet could find themselves looking too far ahead.

Keeping giddy 20-somethings focused on the task at hand may be the least-discussed aspect of coaching.

Finally . . . does the home team have a prayer, really? Theories are fun, but I'd rather not pick a bust. As always, the following is for entertainment purposes only.

Game: No. 4 Mississippi (-4) @ South Carolina (6:45 p.m., Thursday)

Comment: Ole Miss smoked Memphis and SE Louisiana (Directional Louisiana School No. 2), but I think they will have a much tougher time on Thursday night. Two weeks ago, South Carolina blew a surprising comeback bid against Georgia when QB Stephen Garcia tried to force a pass into the end zone as time elapsed.

Most, myself included, had not given SC much of a chance in that game. Last week, the Gamecocks pulled away from creampuff Florida Atlantic (Directional Florida School No. 1) with three TDs in the second half.

Mississippi start this week with the highest ranking in school history. (The Rebels reached the same rank in 1970.) Dating back to last season, Ole Miss carries an eight game winning streak.

The Rebels think highly of themselves, maybe a bit too highly. I can imagine a few players glancing at the schedule, noting only two games against ranked teams (both at home), and starting to think of the possibilities . . .

I don't relish the thought of backing South Carolina. The Gamecocks' all-time record of 1-31 against top-five teams and Spurrier's 1-7 mark at SC versus the Top 10 do not inspire confidence.

However, playing to a national prime-time audience in a sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium should help. I'll take my chances with the home team.

Game: No. 7 LSU (-13) @ Mississippi State (11:00 a.m., Saturday)

Comment: Readers of The College Football Report know I have been underwhelmed by this Louisiana State team. Even so, the Tigers might be an exceptional team and could beat Mississippi State easily. But I doubt it.

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