Week 10 Predictions

     Good morning readers! I hope you're all ready for a jam packed Saturday of football! I'm very excited for Nebraska's game against Michigan State tonight. Night games are always fun, and I know Memorial Stadium will be rocking tonight as we try to upset Sparty! I'm very excited to meet some of the recruits that will be attending today, especially my friend Dicaprio Bootle. I know Dicaprio and some of the other recruits have been looking forward to this game for a long time, so I'm pumped to chat with them all today before the game. We've got a lot of big games to pick this week, so let's get started!

1. Duke at North Carolina
     This is a big game over in the ACC Coastal Division. The Tar Heels are undefeated in conference play, and Duke is coming off of that crazy, last second loss to Miami. The winner of this puts themselves into the drivers seat for the Coastal Division and will likely face Clemson in the ACC Championship. Pitt is still in the mix, but these are the top two teams in the Division. Duke has become a very balanced team on offense while holding teams to 16 points per game with a top ten defense. The Heels aren't far behind them, they're giving up only 17 points per game. North Carolina has looked good this year, and I think that this will be a close game. Duke will have a lot of fire in them after last week, and dual-threat QB Thomas Sirk will cause all sorts of headaches in this one. Close games are almost always decided by turnovers, so look for the defenses to step up and change this game. I think the Blue Devils are still the best team in the Coastal Division, and they'll get back on track today. Duke wins it 30-24.

2. 5 Notre Dame at Pitt
     Pitt has only two losses on the season, and they have been in close games all year. Notre Dame is coming off of a hard fought win in Philadelphia last week. Pat Narduzzi has brought Pitt to an entirely new level from last season, and they have been a headache for any offensive coordinator taking them on. Notre Dame had a scare last week as they let Temple hang around, and were nearly upset by the Owls. Pitt can do just that if you let them hang around. They're not a flashy team on offense, and they win their games by grinding it out and keeping it close. I think that Notre Dame has learned their lesson from last week and will try to jump out to an early lead. If they can score quickly, they can win this game. I don't think that they can win two close games in a row, so I have the Irish taking care of Pitt 42-24 in this one.

3. 16 Florida State at 1 Clemson
     The Atlantic Division of the ACC has a big game as well. The Seminoles come into Death Valley in attempt to knock off the top ranked Tigers. The big story of this game is FSU Running Back Dalvin Cook against that tough Clemson Defense that is ranked 10th against the run. Both teams have played some close games all year, and I think that this will be another one. I was skeptical about Clemson earlier this year, but I think that their defense has proven to be the real deal. FSU's backup QB Sean Maguire played well last week in their big bounce back win against Syracuse, but this Orange team is a little tougher this week. He has taken care of Clemson before, but I think that Clemson at home in Death Valley is too strong. The Seminoles need to rely on their ground game to win this one. Tigers win in a close one 34-30.

4. 9 Iowa at Indiana
     I'm still not 100% bought into Iowa. I know that upsets my good friend Ean, but I can't quite put them in my top 10 just yet. If they can get a solid win on the road against a dangerous Indiana team, my opinion may change.  The Hoosiers have proven that they are capable of staying with top teams, they just need to complete the upset. They hung with both Ohio State and Michigan State, so I don't see any problem with them staying with Iowa. Stud RB Jordan Howard is healthy again after a rough month of October, and will provide another necessary weapon against Iowa's stout defense. Indiana loves to spread teams out, and Iowa likes to stuff opposing offenses into the ground. It will be interesting to see which team can get their feet running against the other one first. I would love to see Indiana pull the upset, but I'd also love to see my Huskers be the one to ruin Iowa's season. Plus, Iowa always pulls out a win in their games. The Hawkeyes will pull this one out and keep their undefeated season going with a 31-21 win.

5. 8 TCU at 14 Oklahoma State
     Two of the three undefeated teams in the Big XII have a showdown in Stillwater today. Both teams have had big blowouts and a couple of close games this season. The Big XII is known for their offense, and this game won't be any different. Trevone Boykin is by far one of the most dynamic players in College Football, and is a nightmare for every defensive coordinator he faces. Last week during the West Virginia game, WVU Head Coach Dana Holgorsen was seen giving Boykin a high-five after he broke multiple ankles on just a simple scramble. That just shows you how unreal his level of play can be. TCU would not be undefeated without him, and they will remain undefeated with him today. The Cowboys have played well all season, but they do not have to offensive fire power to keep up with the Superfrogs. TCU wins this shootout 59-45.

6. Navy at 13 Memphis
     I was skeptical about Memphis at the beginning of the year and I actually picked Navy to make a splash and win the American Conference. These next three weeks will prove how good Memphis actually is as they have Navy, and then two away games at Houston and Temple. The West Division of the American Conference is up for grabs between Navy, Memphis and Houston. I did pick Navy at the beginning of the year, and their only loss this year is against a very good Notre Dame team. However, Memphis has won me over and I think that they are honestly one of the best teams in the nation. I truly believe that they can hang with almost anyone, and that they will win this game. Navy will stay competitive for a while, but Memphis pulls away at the end and wins 45-27.

7. 2 LSU at 4 Alabama
     I get extremely tired of Bama always finding their way into the top of the rankings, but nonetheless, this is always one of the best games to watch in College Football. Every year this showdown is one for the ages, and often produces the SEC West Division Champion. This year puts arguably the two best Running Backs in the nation against each other. Derrick Henry and Leonard Fournette have run over, around and through all opposing defenses so far this season. However, I think that this game will be decided by the Quarterback play. Jake Coker has separated himself as QB1 for the tide, and has been playing very well the past few games. LSU's Brandon Harris holds a surprising 9:0 TD to INT ratio. The Tigers don't air it out much (and don't need to with Leonard Fournette in the backfield) but Harris has proven that it's not an issue if necessary. Both teams will need to pass in this game because everyone knows what to expect with the run games. Each defense will be looking to stop the run, so play action will be a big factor. In my opinion, I think that Harris is the better QB in this match up. He's facing one of the best defenses in the nation, but he has managed his games well so far this season, and I think that he will shine tonight on the road. The Tigers will need him to step up as Fournette will be the focus of Bama's defense. I have the Tigers in a close one 24-20, but I'm never one to say no to Bama shaking up the top 4.

8. 7 Michigan State at Nebraska
     My Huskers have a big showdown with Sparty tonight in Lincoln. Many people have already counted us out, but my optimism will never cease! This game has had an upset feeling to it all week, and I don't see any reason why it's not possible. The Spartans have played in close games all year, and have had to rely on last minute stops to hold onto a few victories. The Sea of Red is always a tough place to play, and I promise you that the stadium will be rocking tonight! The Blackshirts have struggled this year, but are itching to give Connor Cook a true Husker beat down. Cook can easily tear apart the struggling pass defense of the Huskers, but I think the Huskers' front four will get a lot of pressure tonight. Watch for Freedom to be a big factor in causing havoc for that O-line. On offense, Nebraska's starting QB Tommy Armstrong returns after missing last week with a foot injury. The team has had a good week of practice and are ready to play today. One of my friends, Redshirt Freshman Mikale Wilbon told me he will get some carries today, so watch out for #21! The Huskers are consistently inconsistent, so you never know what team you will get. I think that the team is really hungry for a statement win to prove that Nebraska is still the place to be in College Football. I will never pick against my Huskers, and I love upsets. I think that the Huskers come out with a chip on their shoulder and finish this season out right! Huskers upset Sparty with a 35-31 victory!

     I hope you all enjoyed my picks and please remember to sign up with your email to receive updates about my posts! Have a great Saturday and GO BIG RED!

#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando