2011 College Football Week 3 Picks and Predictions: Oklahoma over Florida State

Each Monday, WhatIfSports.com's NCAA college football simulation engine will provide you with game predictions for every D-1 FBS game that upcoming week. The college football simulation engine generates detailed information for each game, including each team's chances of winning (Win%) and the average points scored for both teams. Make sure to share the college football information you gained here with your friends by either checking out our NCAA football widgets on the WhatIf To Go page or clicking on the social networking share bar at the top and bottom of this article.

Check out our 2011 College Football Season-to-Date page to follow our accuracy and for Upsets of the Week available on Wednesdays.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of college football simulations are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth charts and statistically based player rankings. Roster modifications are made in cases of injury or suspension and those players are removed from their team's game simulation for that week.

Week 3

No matter your collegiate allegiance, Saturday night's Notre Dame versus Michigan matchup was injected with so much adrenaline that the lights came on in the Big House and this game may go down as one of the most entertaining games in the sport's history.

The two storied programs have experienced greater success and happier days as they redefine their offensive and defensive philosophies under new head coaches, but for one night, the Wolverines and Fighting Irish returned to the forefront of college football.

That momentum carries us into a big Week 3 and our WhatIfSports.com games of the week.

Game of the Week: Oklahoma at FSU

The Oklahoma Sooners received a Week 2 bye (pet peeve for this writer—you've played one game!). The top team in the country must have really needed the rest following a 47-14 beat down of Tulsa the previous week. Landry Jones was sharp, but Dominique Whaley hogged the Sunday headlines with 131 rushing yards and four touchdowns against the Hurricanes.

ACC favorite, fifth-ranked Florida State, has played teams out of the Sun Belt and Big South to warm up for their showdown with the Sooners. They outscored Louisiana-Monroe and Charleston Southern 96-10.

The two teams have met six times over the years with OU leading 5-1. Last year, the Sooners pounded the Seminoles 47-17 in Norman. Jones finished that game with 380 yards and four touchdowns, outplaying now Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Christian Ponder.

FSU plays host this week, with junior quarterback EJ Manuel behind center. He's already racked up 581 yards and six touchdown passes.

The WhatIfSports.com simulation engine "played" the Sooners and Seminoles 101 times with Oklahoma winning 55.4 percent of the time by an average score of 33-31.

OSU at Miami (FL)

The NCAA's iron fist of "justice" as an underlying storyline may supersede the on-the-field action between the Buckeyes and Hurricanes on Saturday. Because the two programs don't appear to be BCS National Championship contenders this season, the likelihood of scandal-centric coverage is almost a certainty.

As it always does, the WhatIfSports.com simulation engine has accounted for OSU and "U" suspensions and depth chart changes. The simulation also takes into account the return of quarterback Jacory Harris and linebacker Sean Spence to the Hurricanes.

The Bucks and 'Canes 2010 contest can't really be used for context, as the majority of the Ohio State offense that rolled up Miami 36-24 is either suspended or in the NFL. Terrelle Pryor accounted for 346 total yards and two touchdowns in last year's game.

A depleted Hurricanes roster fought Maryland in soggy conditions in Week 1. The Terps offense took advantage of the green defensive unit Al Golden was forced to start. Maryland finished with 499 yards of total offense, while their defense forced four Miami turnovers. The Hurricanes' play was just as sloppy as the conditions.

The WhatIfSports.com college football simulation engine "played" the Bucks and Hurricanes 101 times and has OSU winning 71.3 percent of the time by an average score of 25-21.

College Football Week 3
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
South Alabama Jaguars	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ North Carolina State Wolfpack	95.0	53
Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Wake Forest Demon Deacons	95.0	46
Arkansas State Red Wolves	7.9	17	Boxscore
@ Virginia Tech Hokies	92.1	36
Kansas Jayhawks	16.8	18	Boxscore
@ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	83.2	32
Virginia Cavaliers	29.2	18	Boxscore
@ North Carolina Tar Heels	70.8	27
Duke Blue Devils	32.7	22	Boxscore
@ Boston College Eagles	67.3	28
Auburn Tigers	45.5	24	Boxscore
@ Clemson Tigers	54.5	25
Oklahoma Sooners	55.4	33	Boxscore
@ Florida State Seminoles	44.6	31
West Virginia Mountaineers	62.9	28	Boxscore
@ Maryland Terrapins	37.1	24
Ohio State Buckeyes	71.3	25	Boxscore
@ Miami (FL) Hurricanes	28.7	21
Florida A&M Rattlers	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ South Florida Bulls	95.0	50
Akron Zips	5.5	13	Boxscore
@ Cincinnati Bearcats	95.5	40
Iowa State Cyclones	35.6	19	Boxscore
@ Connecticut Huskies	64.4	27
Eastern Michigan Eagles	5.0	12	Boxscore
@ Michigan Wolverines	95.0	45
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Purdue Boilermakers	95.0	45
South Carolina State Bulldogs	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Indiana Hoosiers	95.0	43
Washington Huskies	29.7	17	Boxscore
@ Nebraska Cornhuskers	70.3	24
Pittsburgh Panthers	61.4	28	Boxscore
@ Iowa Hawkeyes	38.6	24
Miami (OH) RedHawks	64.4	25	Boxscore
@ Minnesota Golden Gophers	35.6	20
Arizona State Sun Devils	75.2	29	Boxscore
@ Illinois Fighting Illini	24.8	19
Marshall Thundering Herd	32.7	18	Boxscore
@ Ohio Bobcats	67.3	25
Central Michigan Chippewas	43.1	27	Boxscore
@ Western Michigan Broncos	56.9	28
Wyoming Cowboys	43.6	18	Boxscore
@ Bowling Green Falcons	56.4	20
Penn State Nittany Lions	68.3	29	Boxscore
@ Temple Owls	31.7	22
Buffalo Bulls	78.2	23	Boxscore
@ Ball State Cardinals	21.8	15
Wisconsin Badgers	82.2	37	Boxscore
@ Northern Illinois Huskies	17.8	23
Boise State Broncos	91.1	42	Boxscore
@ Toledo Rockets	8.9	24
Missouri State Bears	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Oregon Ducks	95.0	73
Presbyterian Blue Hose	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ California Golden Bears	95.0	46
Colorado State Rams	15.8	20	Boxscore
@ Colorado Buffaloes	84.2	32
Syracuse Orange	30.7	23	Boxscore
@ USC Trojans	69.3	31
Texas Longhorns	73.3	27	Boxscore
@ UCLA Bruins	26.7	18
Stanford Cardinal	85.1	36	Boxscore
@ Arizona Wildcats	14.9	22
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Georgia Bulldogs	95.0	57
North Texas Mean Green	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Alabama Crimson Tide	95.0	45
Troy Trojans	12.9	21	Boxscore
@ Arkansas Razorbacks	87.1	36
Navy Midshipmen	13.9	19	Boxscore
@ South Carolina Gamecocks	86.1	33
Tennessee Volunteers	38.1	20	Boxscore
@ Florida Gators	61.9	25
Louisville Cardinals	44.1	20	Boxscore
@ Kentucky Wildcats	55.9	22
LSU Tigers	69.3	29	Boxscore
@ Mississippi State Bulldogs	30.7	24
Mississippi Rebels	68.8	28	Boxscore
@ Vanderbilt Commodores	31.2	22
North Dakota Fighting Sioux	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Fresno State Bulldogs	95.0	51
Houston Cougars	62.4	36	Boxscore
@ Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	37.6	31
UTEP Miners	82.2	26	Boxscore
@ New Mexico State Aggies	17.8	16
Nevada Wolf Pack	93.1	35	Boxscore
@ San Jose State Spartans	6.9	19
Michigan State Spartans	60.4	31	Boxscore
@ Notre Dame Fighting Irish	39.6	28
Utah Utes	81.2	32	Boxscore
@ Brigham Young Cougars	18.8	23
Northwestern Wildcats	82.2	29	Boxscore
@ Army Black Knights	17.8	17
Western Illinois Leathernecks	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Missouri Tigers	95.0	54
Idaho Vandals	5.0	14	Boxscore
@ Texas A&M Aggies	95.0	41
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Baylor Bears	95.0	57
Kent State Golden Flashes	18.8	16	Boxscore
@ Kansas State Wildcats	81.2	27
Southeastern Louisiana Lions	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Southern Miss Golden Eagles	95.0	52
Northwestern State Demons	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Southern Methodist Mustangs	95.0	55
Austin Peay Governors	21.8	11	Boxscore
@ Memphis Tigers	78.2	25
Tulane Green Wave	40.6	25	Boxscore
@ UAB Blazers	59.4	26
Oklahoma State Cowboys	90.1	45	Boxscore
@ Tulsa Golden Hurricane	9.9	29
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks	13.9	17	Boxscore
@ TCU Horned Frogs	86.1	38
Washington State Cougars	24.8	23	Boxscore
@ San Diego State Aztecs	75.2	35
Texas Tech Red Raiders	95.0	35	Boxscore
@ New Mexico Lobos	5.0	11
Hawaii Warriors	95.0	40	Boxscore
@ UNLV Rebels	5.0	17
Indiana State Sycamores	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers	95.0	37
Nicholls Colonels	5.9	10	Boxscore
@ Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns	94.1	33
UCF Knights	71.3	35	Boxscore
@ FIU Golden Panthers	28.7	25