College Football Predictions For Week Three Of The Top 25 and More

Well I did a little better this past week pushing my average back up a bit. My misses were the two FCS upsets of the supposed big boys (Va. Tech and Minnesota) and Kansas popping out a victory when week one seemed to indicate that the Jayhawks were going to be spanked by the Yellow Jackets and everyone else.  Kansas showed some pride and gave their new coach his first win, so I guess the jury is still out on how they will be this year.  So far this season both the Big East and the ACC have failed to impress when anyone when their teams have had the chance.  NC State won the contest last night so it seems right now the ACC is trumping the Big East in the battle for the fourth or fifth best conference.  That is not to say that there has not been odorous play by teams in all the other conferences as well but these two conferences have yet to have anything sweet happen for them.

The routs by TCU and Houston happened as predicted but they were not really that difficult to call.  Both teams are seeking gaudy numbers and “style” points to improve their positions for post season invites.

     Note to self: The current vernacular has style points as the same as running up the score.

The only game between two ranked opponents this week is Iowa vs. Arizona so that has to be the game of the week.  Iowa is not known for doing well when it travels west but I do think the Hawkeyes will wins this game if Stanzi just avoids any turnovers.  Iowa is the better team; it is only a question of do they remember that on the field?

I really do not see any upsets just jumping out at me this week.  There are four with potential but I think the favorites can hold serve in each.  Georgia at home and already with a conference loss will be ready but Arkansas has an experience QB, which usually is the deciding factor early in the season.  If Georgia can find a running game then maybe they win but I think the Razorbacks eek out this one.  Regarding the LSU game, LSU is LSU’s worst enemy here.  The tigers have the better team but it really seems hard for them to play like a team so if Miss State sticks together they will keep this game in doubt for far longer than it should be.  ACC pride on the line maybe makes it closer but Clemson’s better passer won’t overcome Newton crushing DBs when he cannot find a receiver.  Lastly the Irish need a win but so does MSU, for no other reason than it is in East Lansing I think the Spartans win.

 Weekly Highlights:

Game of the Week:

No. 9 Iowa at No. 24 Arizona

 Potential Routs:

Portland State at No. 5 Oregon

Potential Upsets:

No. 12 Arkansas at Georgia

Mississippi State at No. 15 LSU

Clemson at No. 16 Auburn

Notre Dame at Michigan State

 Results:

Week 1 31-5    [86.1%]

Week 2 28-3    [90.3%]

Week 3 XX-X [??]

Season  59-8    [88.1%]

 Saturday 18 September

Ohio at No. 2 Ohio State

- OSU will thump the bobcats

No. 12 Arkansas at Georgia

- Mallet should lead the Razorbacks to a win if he increases the ball security.

Massachusetts at No. 20 Michigan

- Let down week or more gaudy numbers.  My guess is that Robinson and the first string will play till half time and then the rest of the team will get reps.  Michigan wins but UMass scores some points in the second half.

Maryland at No. 21 West Virginia

- Nothing about play to this point has inspired one to jump on the WVA bandwagon but Maryland has not settled on a QB yet and it is in Morgantown so the Terps probably will lose their first game of the year.  However it will be closer than most think.

Kent State at No. 22 Penn State

- Penn State improves it tackling and works on its running game downing Kent State

Northern Illinois at Illinois

- The Illini almost look past Northern Illinois making the game closer that it should be.

Ball State at Purdue

- Without its best runner or receiver Purdue will still win

No. 1 Alabama at Duke

- How ugly this gets is the only question.  Good possibility of two runners for the tide breaking 100 years rushing in this game.

Air Force at No. 7 Oklahoma

- The Sooners practice run defense and beat Air Force

No. 8 Nebraska at Washington

- Pundits are saying that this may be when Jake Locker breaks out but Washington just does not have the supporting cast for him to test the Huskers for 60 minutes.

No. 10 Florida at Tennessee

- Any other Volunteer team would make the gators pay for their sloppy play but not this year.  Meyer will try to quiet people talking about the arrests and play to this point by running up the score against a fellow SEC team.

Arizona State at No. 11 Wisconsin

- Only if the John Clay gets a case of the fumbles will the badgers be in trouble.

No. 18 USC at Minnesota

- For some unknown reason there has been talk of this being close or an upset but that is not going to happen it is more likely USC scores 49+ on the gophers

Baylor at No. 4 TCU

- Baylor Defense slows TCU somewhat but TCU stops Baylor so while the scores are lower TCU still wins.

Indiana at Western Kentucky

- WKU keeps its losing streak alive

Louisville at No. 25 Oregon State

- The Beavers win this one and move up a little in the polls in preparation for their loss next week.

Portland State at No. 5 Oregon

- Does anyone doubt this game’s outcome?

Furman at No. 13 South Carolina

- The Gamecocks rest before hitting the meat of the SEC schedule with a win.

Mississippi State at No. 15 LSU

- LSU has found ways in recent years to keep games closer than they should.  If LSU does not play like a team instead of a group of guys as seems to be the case Mississippi State could trip them up.

Clemson at No. 16 Auburn

- QB Newton should have his break out game this week.  Clemson’s receivers will not catch enough passes to stop Auburn’s run/pass mix.

Northwestern at Rice

- Northwestern win.  Rice fans are great but they will not see a victory.

No. 3 Boise State at Wyoming

- Boise goes for style points

No. 6 Texas at Texas Tech

- Texas is not what it was for the last decade this year but there is no Crabtree to pull out a victory for Tech either.

No. 14 Utah at New Mexico

- Utah margin of victory is the only question

Notre Dame at Michigan State

- Either Team could win this one MSU has not really impressed anyone so far and Notre Dame really hasn’t either.  Will the wish to rid oneself of the taste from last week carry ND or will revenge from last year be the motivator for MSU?  I Think MSU holds on at home by less than a touchdown to win.

No. 9 Iowa at No. 24 Arizona

- Iowa claims they have focus, if that is true they win.

No. 23 Houston at UCLA

- If the QB is back from getting his bell rung its over UCLA has not shown any desire to wins games this year.

Wake Forest at No. 19 Stanford

- Andrew Luck has another good day as Stanford beats WF