Howdy football fans and welcome to Week 9 of the College Football Season. There are a great slate of games lined up this week and lots of playoff implications and conference title game births on the line. Last week's predictions went fairly well for me, and on the few that I missed, I definitely wasn't upset with the upsets! Read on to see my predictions for this week and be sure to look for a very special post coming this weekend, it's one you'll all want to read. Thank you for all the support and enjoy!
Week 8 Prediction Results: 13-3
Overall Prediction Results: 50-45
#20 Wisconsin at Northwestern
The Badgers travel to Chicago to take on the sneaky Wildcats of Northwestern. With 2 more ranked opponents ahead on the schedule, Northwestern starts a tough slate as they fight for a birth in the BIG 10 Championship game. The Badgers look to continue bouncing back from the Michigan loss a couple weeks ago and ground and pound with Johnathan Taylor. The Wildcats are extremely one dimensional on offense, giving Wisconsin an easy game plan... BLITZ! Northwestern has thrown the ball 145 times in the past 3 weeks, which is an average of 48.3 passes per game. If Wisconsin brings pressure, an immobile Clayton Thorson will not be very effective. They will get some numbers, and Thorson knows how to be smart with the football, but I think the Badgers have this one. The Wildcats gave up 231 rushing yards alone to Nebraska as a team, and Johnathan Taylor is used to that kind of work load. Look for quite a few misdirection hand offs and run plays to power through in this one. Badgers 30, Northwestern 17.
#9 Florida vs. #7 Georgia (The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party)
With a top 10 match-up, conference division title rights in play, a possible birth in the CFB Playoffs and having both teams come off of a BYE, I think we're in for a good game here. The Gators are looking to prove why Dan Mullen was the right hire while Kirby Smart and the Dawgs are looking to avenge their loss to the LSU Tigers. Jake Fromm and Feleipe Franks have surprisingly similar numbers so far this season, with both QBs over 1,400 yards passing. Statistically, these teams match-up really well, both give up just over 16 points per game on average while scoring in the mid to upper 30s. This will be a tight, gritty, defensive contest, and I honestly think this is a coin flip. I picked Georgia to go to the Playoffs this year, but I'm not quite sure they're the team any more. Everyone in the East is basically fighting for the right to lose to Bama, but I like Florida in this game. They have forced 18 turnovers so far this season and their defense flies to the ball. Georgia will definitely come out with some edge, but I say the Gators chomp them for revenge from the 42-7 beat down from last year. Florida 33, Georgia 23.
#18 Iowa at #17 Penn State
This is a very interesting match-up in the BIG 10 as the Hawkeyes travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. The Nittany Lions have fallen apart over the last few weeks, losing their last two home games (the first home losses of Trace McSorley's career). Iowa has the 3rd ranked total defense in the nation, giving up just 14.1 points per game and 258 yards on average. Offensively, Nate Stanley has thrown for nearly 1,600 yards with 16 TD, 6 picks and a 61% completion rating. The Hawkeyes use their Tight Ends very effectively in their offense, as T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant lead the team in catches. Penn State gives up over 225 passing yards per game, and I honestly think Nate Stanley will take advantage of that. I'm not sure quite why I'm turning my back on Trace McSorley, but I think Iowa pulls a fast one in Happy Valley today. Penn State's linebackers and secondary players will really struggle keeping up with Fant and Hockenson. Hawkeyes 37, Nittany Lions 24.
#15 Washington at Cal
This was a game I had circled on the calendar before the year even started, Washington on the road at Cal. The Golden Bears have not lived up to the hype I gave them to start the season, but they are still a dangerous team under any circumstances. Quarterback issues have plagued this team, but RB Patrick Laird is still the primary focus of the offense. He's accounted for more than 700 total yards of offense for the Golden Bears this season along with 8 total TDs. Washington's stout defense will cause some issues for him, as they only give up 15.6 points and 308 yards per game. Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin have picked up the pace over recent weeks, but this one could still be tight. I like the Huskies to hold off the Bears though, they'll pull away late with some hard running by Gaskin and Ahmed. Washington beats Cal 34-20.
#14 Washington State vs #24 Stanford
Staying with the Pacific Northwest, the Pac-12's best chance at making the CFB Playoffs takes to the road to travel down to the Farm. Wazzu square's off against Stanford as 2 of the conference's top 3 passing attacks square off against each other. The Cougars average 400 yards per game, and the Cardinal average 263. Wazzu will look to take advantage of a Stanford defense that gives up an average of more than 250 passing yards per game. Cougar Quarterback Gardner Minshew and his Mustache has had a phenomenal season thus far, throwing for nearly 2,800 yards with 23 TDs and just 6 picks. The Cardinal have struggled on offense this year, especially without the run game of Bryce Love. The Cougars defense will be looking to keep pressure on K.J. Costello, just as they did with Justin Herbert last week. Wazzu lived in the Ducks' backfield last week as they came away with 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and held Oregon to just 58 total rushing yards. I like Wazzu in this one, I'm just not sure Stanford has the right mindset to keep up with the rising Coogs. Always a threat with the Trees on the Farm, but Wazzu wins 40-28.
#6 Texas at Oklahoma State
The Longhorns have won 6 straight since their opening week loss to Maryland, and look to remain in the driver seat of the Big XII as they travel to Stillwater. The Pokes have lost their last two games, but are coming off a BYE week to prepare for Texas. Taylor Cornelius has thrown for over 2,000 yards with 16 TDs and 8 picks so far this season, helping to lead Oklahoma State to be the 3rd ranked total offense in the conference. They average just under 40 points per game and nearly 500 yards on offense. Texas' defense will definitely have their hands full, but they've got the talent to do it. Only one Freshman starts on defense while the rest are Juniors and Seniors. A very experienced secondary will make the air attack difficult to execute for the pokes. Watch for Safety P.J. Locke III to make a big impact in this one, he's one of the best under-the-radar defenders in the nation in my opinion. Offensively, Texas needs to protect Sam Ehlinger and run the ball with Keaontay Ingram. Ingram is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and the Pokes defense gave up 291 yards on the ground to K-State a couple weeks ago. Texas should be fine in this game and ready for a big showdown with West Virginia in Austin next week. Longhorns win it 37-17, Hook 'em!
Hawai'i at Fresno State
An underrated rivalry out in the Pacific region takes place as the Rainbow Warriors travel to Fresno State to take on the Bulldogs. Hawai'i has dominated the air attack, averaging 307 yards per game passing. However, their defense has been less than stellar, giving up just under 33 points per game. Fresno State has dominated nearly every aspect of their season, averaging 38 points per game while giving up just 12.6. A close loss on the road at Minnesota early in the year is their only blemish, but this team is quite dangerous. Senior QB Marcus McMaryion has thrown for 1,858 yards and is completing 70.8% of his passes. His efficiency is what's truly driving this Bulldog squad, and I don't think Hawai'i can keep up. This is a rivalry game though, and stuff always gets crazy in a rivalry game. I like Fresno to pull away in this one though, Bulldogs win 40-21.
Bethune Cookman at Nebraska
There is not a lot of information on Bethune Cookman, but we all know they're just here to get Nebraska another win. They have a talented dual-threat QB in Akevious Williams, so the Blackshirts will have to watch out for him. For the Huskers in this game, it's all about development. This is a great opportunity for the defense to mix in some new schemes and really show what they want to be moving forward. Offensively, I expect Adrian to have another big game and the ground attack to be rolling once again. Nebraska should be able to handle this team and with the confidence from last week's win, I doubt they'll want to keep this one close. I'll have a deeper analysis, but I see this game as a good opportunity for Nebraska to really start fixing issues such as penalties and special teams coverage/blocking. I'm really looking for the defense to step up in this game. Nebraska wins 45-17.
Now for some quick hit predictions on other interesting games this weekend:
Texas Tech at Iowa State- The Red Raiders bring their high-octane offense into Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa to take on the Cyclones. Iowa State knocked off West Virginia just a couple weeks ago with suffocating defense, so we'll see if they can do it again. Brock Purdy has been phenomenal since taking over at QB for the last two games, completing 75% of his passes. The Red Raiders have a solid QB of their own in Alan Bowman, who has over 2,000 yards this year, so I'm expecting a shootout. Texas Tech has been tough to slow down, but Iowa State at home is never something you want to bet against. Cyclones win 37-31.
Purdue at Michigan State- The perfect step back game for the Boilermakers line up as they travel to East Lansing to take on Sparty. Michigan State is definitely not pleased after the loss to Michigan last week, and are always a dangerous team under Dantonio. However, I'm riding high with the Boilermakers right now and David Blough is playing incredible right now. Sparty gives up 275 yards through the air on average, and I think they give up the win to Purdue today. Boilermakers win a big on the road 27-22. Boiler Up!
#21 South Florida at Houston- The Bulls of USF are still undefeated, but they've been squeaking by wins all season long. A road game at Houston is the perfect way to lose that 0 in their loss column. The Cougars are favored by 8 points, and should be able to produce quite a few points against the Bulls defense. This one could get ugly to be honest, Houston 39, USF 24.
Arizona State at USC- A sneaky game in the Pac-12 could cause a huge impact in the South division race. USC is right in the mix, but the Sun Devils have talent all over the field and are more than just upset-minded. USC is good at home, but ASU has been so close in so many games, and I think they change that today. Senior QB Manny Wilkins and Arizona State take a big upset on the road with a 28-26 victory.
#12 Kentucky at Missouri- The Wildcats are underdogs as they travel to take on the Tigers of Missouri. Drew Lock has been torching defenses and padding stat sheets all season long, but Kentucky has a defense that not many people want to mess with. Josh Allen will look to keep up the pressure on Drew Lock, and I'm still rolling with the boi Benny Snell. Wildcats with a solid win on the road 33-21.
#16 Texas A&M at Mississippi State- The Aggies roll into Starkville with a very quiet 5-2 record with their only losses to the top two teams in the nation. Mississippi State always has upset potential, but the Aggies defense will be able to slow down the one-dimensional ground attack of the Bulldogs. If you make Nick Fitzgerald throw the ball, you usually win the game as the defense. Aggies win 35-20.
#22 NC State at Syracuse- The Wolfpack were bitten, chewed up and spit out quite quickly by the Clemson Tigers last week, so we'll see how they bounce back today. Syracuse is not a team to overlook, especially at home. Two Senior QBs will square off in this game, so experience plays a big factor. I don't think NC State is as good as advertised though, so I'm taking the Orange. Syracuse 32, NC State 23.
Thank you for reading all my Gameday predictions and be sure to watch for my special post later this weekend. Also, there will be no CFB KnowItAll radio show on Monday 10/29, thank you for your understanding. Happy Gameday and GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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