Another weekend of College Football is upon us! We have another great slate of games this weekend, and the most exciting part is that Conference play opens up this week for most teams, specifically in the BIG 10 which is going to 9 conference games per year now. Here are my big game picks for the weekend, enjoy!
#12 Georgia at #23 Ole Miss
This is an interesting match-up for two teams that are looking to keep pace in their respective divisions. The Rebels are off to a puzzling 1-2 start on their season after a couple of close losses to Florida State and Alabama. If they want any hope of winning the SEC West Division (with some help) this is a must win game to avoid dropping to 1-3 and 0-2 in conference. Even with the game at home, a win against the Bulldogs will not come easy. Georgia is averaging 185 yards on the ground per game, which helps them chew up a lot of clock. However, they're only scoring 29 points per game, and that's been against some decent, but not great competition. The Rebels on the other hand, are averaging 38 points per game, but have had trouble finishing out in the 4th quarter. We'll see who out-duels the other at QB, Chad Kelly or Jacob Eason? My bet is on Chad Kelly in this one, I don't think Eason has enough composure to finish out the fourth in Oxford! Rebels win a tough one 34-27.
#11 Wisconsin at #8 Michigan State
This will be a fantastic game to watch, and in my opinion, should be where Gameday went this week. Two heavyweight BIG 10 Powers look to gain a step up on the rest of their division. At the beginning of the season, I picked Michigan State to win the East, but I didn't think they'd beat the Irish (quite soundly I might add) and I did not even consider Wisconsin a major threat in the West because of how brutal their schedule was. Well, both teams have surprised me this season, especially the Badgers. They have a tough slate of games ahead of them though. Tyler O'Connor has fairly good numbers with over 400 yards and only 2 picks for the Spartans. However, this game will depend on the defense. These are two of the toughest defenses not only in the BIG 10, but in the nation. This will be a true, grind-it-out grudge match with the ground game. Sparty is ranked 8th in rush defense, while the Badgers are ranked 13th. So controlling the clock and keeping 3rd down manageable will be very important in this match-up. Nothing better than BIG 10 football! I'm going to give the edge to the Spartans in this one, because they're at home and they're more consistent in my opinion. But don't count the Badgers out of the race in the West, they have a very tough schedule, but very good potential to make a run! Sparty beats Bucky 27-17.
#19 Florida at #14 Tennessee
Another chapter in this great rivalry is about to take place down in Knoxville. The Gators are looking for 12 straight against the Vols, which is hardly a rivalry when you have a skid like that. All they hype surrounding Tennessee really points to this game. If the Vols want to win the East and be seriously considered after their slow start, this is a must win game for Butch Jones and crew. Joshua Dobbs will have a tough time against a very fast, very versatile Gator defense, but I still expect them to put up points. On the other side, Florida loses QB Luke Del Rio for a few weeks to injury, so the Gators offense could struggle early on. You can never really predict what will happen in a rivalry game, but I think the Vols will turn it around and take one from the Gators. Look for Florida to keep it close early, but I think Dobbs will finish it out in the fourth. Tennessee 31, Florida 20.
Georgia Southern at Western Michigan
This is probably a game that isn't very high on many people's list, but I think it will be a good game to watch. These are two of the more underrated teams in the country, and they're both looking to stay undefeated. Georgia Southern is the top rushing team in the nation, but I think the balance of Western Michigan will prove stronger. Plus the Broncos are only giving up an average of 77.3 yards per game on the ground. That's a big reason why Western Michigan has two wins over BIG 10 opponents this season already. Broncos win a thriller 34-30.
Penn State at #4 Michigan
Another good match-up in the BIG 10 takes place up in Ann Arbor. Most people aren't going to give the Nittany Lions much of a chance, but when you have on of the best RBs in the conference in Saquon Barkley, you're never out of a game. The Wolverines' toughest game so far this year was last week against Colorado, which isn't the most impressive non-conference opponent. I'm anxious to see how both of these teams open up conference play. If Penn State is going to have a shot of winning at the Big House, they need to run, and run well. If they can win the Time of Possession battle, Penn State could come away with the upset. They will need a couple key stops on defense, but keeping Barkley going and keeping the ball AWAY from Michigan's offense is very important. I think the Nittany Lions will make it tough early on, but fall too far behind to keep thier rushing attack up. This will also be a true test for Michigan's defense, who have played well against mediocre opponents so far. Michigan 44, Penn State 21.
#7 Stanford at UCLA
Christian McCaffrey looks to add another big game to his Heisman campaign as they travel down to L.A. to take on the Bruins. UCLA hasn't quite started the season as they planned, especially with Josh Rosen throwing 4 interceptions in 3 games. Neither team has scored a lot this season, both only averaging around 27 points per game, so defense will be the focus. We all know that McCaffrey will be all over the field and UCLA's main focus should be stopping him, but watch out for The Trees' speedy and talented wideout, Michael Rector. He's always a deep threat on the outside, and Head Coach David Shaw loves to use him in misdirection jet sweeps when teams focus in on McCaffrey. Stanford has a huge match-up with Washington next week in the North division, so that could be on their minds, but that's really the Bruins only chance. Offensively, they move the ball, but cannot score. Plus thier pass protection is a big reason why Rosen has struggled, they give up a lot of pressure. Stanford's defense is always tough, and I think the Bruins will struggle (like thier Rival Trojans did) to move the ball. Stanford stays focused and unbeaten 33-17.
#17 Arkansas vs. #10 Texas A&M
The Razorbacks stroll into this Prime Time game with an unbeaten record and a chance to compete for the SEC East division on thier mind. They're not rushing as well as they have used to, but defense has been the name of the game. Just a couple weeks ago they knocked off the Horned Frogs in Ft. Worth. That game became a shoot out towards the end, but the Hogs are giving up only 98 yards on the ground per game. For A&M, their offense has been improving, and Trevor Knight has looked pretty solid with 830 yards passing 5 TDs and 2 picks so far this year. The Aggies defense will have to really step up if they want to take down the Hogs though. These two teams have been known for thier defenses, with good reason, but I think a shootout takes place down in Arlington. Lots of pass rush to pressure the QBs, but I think Arkansas comes away with the W. Austin Allen is more accurate than Trevor Knight, and turnovers cost the Aggies. Razorbacks win it 40-33. Maybe a third straight overtime game??
#20 Nebraska at Northwestern
This is one of the most underrated Rivalries in the BIG 10 conference. Year in and year out, these two games produce some of the best games to watch. Northwestern has not played well this year, and I expected them to make a run at a conference title. Starting 1-2 has definitely pissed with Wildcats off, and there's no better team for them to seek vengeance on than our Huskers. Northwestern's defense has proven to be as tough as last year, only giving up an average of 14 points per game. Sadly for the purple faithful, they only average 17 points per game on offense and have not been able to move the ball well against mediocre opponents. Justin Jackson and Solomon Vault are two very deadly weapons for the Wildcats, but Sophomore QB Clayton Thorson has struggled to get them the ball. He's only completing 49% of his passes so far this year, which will be helpful for Nebraska's secondary. The Blackshirts have stepped up and played well so far this season, but heading into conference play, they'll need to rise to another level. Freedom and Ross will be needed to provide pressure against a young and struggling offensive line. If we can keep pressure on Thorson, our secondary will be able to get a couple of takeaways and keep the ball away from Jackson and Vault. On offense, Nebraska needs to keep a balanced attack. Northwestern's defense is very well coached, and they have tremendous speed. Tommy's run threat will be key in keeping the middle of the field open. Look for the Huskers to throw it deep with a healthy receiving corps as well. I consider this a rivalry game, and I will never say Northwestern is a guaranteed win. Nebraska will have to come out sharp, if they want the victory. I see a tough match-up tonight, but the Huskers will take over the fourth quarter and finish the game out. Nebraska wins it 38-20.
I hope you all enjoyed my picks for this week, and have a fantastic, football filled Saturday! I'm excited to see all the alternate uniforms from various teams today, especially Nebraska's Icy White & Chrome uniforms. They will look fantastic for about the 5 minutes from the tunnel to kickoff, but then the turf of Northwestern will destroy them! I'm ready for a great game nonetheless! GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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