Upset Alert: three top 25 teams that will fall

Week 4 of the college football season is less than 48 hours away. Cincinnati will host N.C. State Thursday night.

On Saturday, 19 games feature top 25 teams in action. So far, we haven’t seen any monumental upsets. All of the top 10 teams have avoided the upset bug in the first three weeks. The only top 25 team to lose is Oregon, and that was to No. 4 LSU.  

This week there is three top 25 teams that could be bit by the upset bug.

Here are three teams on upset alert.

3. No. 11 Florida State @ No. 21 Clemson

This really isn’t that big of an upset. Clemson is ranked, undefeated and coming off a victory over defending National Champion Auburn.

Florida State is coming off a loss in a high-impact game to Oklahoma. Florida State loss its starting quarterback and wide receiver in that game. Starting quarterback EJ Manuel might not play this week because of his injured left shoulder.

Clemson is a dark horse to win the ACC and is seeking its fist 4-0 start since 2007.

The trip to Death Valley will be brutal for Florida State. Clemson will be riding the emotion of its  win last week and should feast in a home game against the Seminoles.

2. No. 23 USC @ Arizona State

USC has not looked all that impressive in victories over Minnesota, Utah or Syracuse.

Saturday night will be the first conference game for Arizona State. The Sun Devils look to be the favorite to win the South Division and play in the inaugural Pac-12 Championship.

Arizona State will be seething, following a 17-14 loss at Illinois last week.  Arizona State’s quarterback Brock Osweiler must play better for his team to win. He threw for 256 yards last week, but also had two interceptions against Illinois.

The Sun Devils are looking for their first victory over USC in eleven years, but coach Dennis Erickson doesn’t feel any extra pressure. “As far as pressure, they're all pressure,” Erickson said. “Playing USC is playing USC. Our players are very aware where that school is located.”

The 7:15 p.m. kickoff time will mean the heat shouldn’t be too much of a factor. The Sun Devils defense will look to swarm all day and they will pull off the upset at home.

1. San Diego State @ No. 22 Michigan

There may not be a more shocking undefeated team after three weeks than the San Diego State Aztecs. The Aztecs have not been 3-0 since 1981. They will be playing with a lot of emotion in Ann Arbor against the Wolverines and their former coach Brady Hoke.

Hoke didn’t even give his former players the courtesy of letting them know in person that he was leaving, instead he sent his former team a text to let them know of his job change.

San Diego State is not coming to Ann Arbor to play anybody’s doormat. The Aztecs average 220.7 rush yards per game behind Ronnie Hillman, and he is second in the nation with 497 rushing yards.

Michigan’s defense is better than last year, but still gives up 342.7 yards per game this season.

Denard Robinson should run wild on the San Diego State defense, but Aztecs quarterback Ryan Lindley is no slouch, either. Lindley has thrown seven touchdown passes to just one interception.

If Lindley can play well and the Aztecs run the ball consistently, they will be able to control the clock and keep Denard Robinson off the field.

Do that, and San Diego State will shock the world and upset Michigan.