This week might be the biggest week of the season with the slate of games. There is a lot to go over, so let’s go ahead and jump into previews. If you are looking for a specific game, they are listed in order of starting time. The betting lines are accurate as of the time I am writing this.

Oklahoma vs Texas

Betting Line: Texas +10.5

Over/Under: 75.5

Oklahoma went down 7-0 to Kansas last week but ripped off 42 straight points and won 45-20. Jalen Hurts had a relatively pedestrian performance by his standards, but he accounted for four total touchdowns and 284 all purpose yards. Hurts will need to be able to challenge Texas through the air this game. Oklahoma’s receiving corps could be one of the best in the country and if Hurts can be accurate downfield, then CeeDee Lamb and rest of Oklahoma’s receivers should have a field day. Kennedy Brooks looks to be back at running back which will help the run game. Oklahoma’s ground game can be deadly with Hurts and the running back trio of Brooks, Trey Sermon, and Rhamondre Stevenson. If the offensive line plays how they typically do, they could punish Texas with the run game. On defense, the Sooners need to account for Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger had a great game in the Red River Shootout last season and will do more of the same if he is not pressured. I also worry about how Oklahoma will cover Texas’s taller receivers. Texas repeatedly beat the Sooners by running slants with Collin Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey last season and Oklahoma had no answer. Humphrey is gone, but Johnson is back and Texas has 6’4” Brennan Eagles and 6’6” Malcolm Epps ready to do the same thing. Tre Brown and Parnell Motley are solid cornerbacks but they need to not get overpowered by receivers who are taller and bigger than they are.

Texas had a rough start against West Virginia last week but rallied to win 42-31. Texas saw a lot of success on the ground with quarterback Sam Ehlinger and Roschon Johnson. Starting running back Keaontay Ingram had a rough start to the game and left with a shoulder injury, but is likely to play tomorrow. Johnson and Ingram will need to provide a threat running the ball, as to make sure Ehlinger does not have to do everything for the offense. Ehlinger obviously needs to have a good day. He struggled a bit with accuracy and threw a pretty bad interception against West Virginia, but he is the type of player to step up in big games like this. Collin Johnson might not be at full health but he is expected to play. Johnson dominated Oklahoma’s cornerbacks last season and should do the same on Saturday if he is close to full health. Devin Duvernay has emerged as a very good receiver for the Longhorns in Johnson’s absence and needs to have a good day as well. On defense, Texas will likely use Jeffrey McCullogh as a spy against Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. McCullogh will need to make sure Hurts does not get too comfortable in the pocket and be sure that Hurts does not beat Texas’s defense with his legs. Texas had four interceptions against West Virginia last week, but will be facing a much better quarterback and receiving corps this week. It is also not looking like safety Caden Sterns will play this week, which will make things a bit tougher in the secondary. D’Shawn Jamison had a very good day at cornerback against West Virginia and will need to continue that. The same goes for Anthony Cook and Kobe Boyce who have also seen time as starters at cornerback. Texas can not get burned by Oklahoma’s receivers and expect to win this game.

This game is definitely going to be intense as this is the biggest game of the season for both teams. As in all rivalry games, their past games this season matter less than just how they matchup.

Prediction:

As much as it pains me to say it, I think Texas keeps it close but Oklahoma wins 41-38.

Washington State at Arizona State

Betting Line: Arizona State -1

Over/Under: 59.5

Washington State is coming off of a bye week that I think was much needed. The Cougars are coming off of two straight losses, one where they blew a 49-17 lead against UCLA and lost 67-63, and their most recent game was a 38-13 loss to Utah. After their loss to Utah, head coach Mike Leach said he believed his players were fat, dumb, happy, and entitled. Hopefully this week off has been a time for the Cougars to regroup. Anthony Gordon had a rough day against Utah but still has racked up yards like anyone would expect a Washington State quarterback to do. Gordon will need to step up this game and limit dumb throws. While Easop Winston looks like the top receiver for Washington State, Brandon Arconado and Dezmon Patmon are also solid options. Washington State will need to execute their typical offensive game plan of stretching the field and forcing Arizona State’s defenders into one on one matchups in open space, then they will be hard to stop. Defensively, the Cougars have been a bit disappointing this season. They will need to be prepared for Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin. Benjamin’s numbers have slipped a bit from last season, but he is still a very good player. If the Cougars can attack the run game and put pressure on Arizona State’s true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels, they will be set up well.

Arizona State is coming off of a bye week, but their last game was nice 24-17 win over Cal. The Sun Devils did very well defensively, especially against the run as they allowed just 2.8 yards per attempt. The defense will face a very tough task this week as Washington State’s air raid offense can be tough to prepare for. Arizona State has a strong secondary led by safeties Aashari Crosswell and Merlin Robertson. Cornerbacks Chase Lucas and Kobe Williams will likely play, but will are both recovering from injury. They will need to able to act and think quick and be able to make plays in space. On offense, I think the Sun Devils could gash Washington State’s defense if their offensive line holds up and Eno Benjamin does well. With Benjamin and dual threat quarterback Jayden Daniels, Arizona State could be very effective on the ground. Cohl Cabral and the offensive line will be key in both run blocking and also giving Daniels time to throw.

Prediction:

Washington State rebounds from their losses and takes advantage of a banged up Arizona State secondary in a 34-31 win.

Michigan State at Wisconsin

Betting Line: Wisconsin-10.5

Over/Under: 40.5

Michigan State had a rough go of it last week as they lost 34-10 to Ohio State. The Spartans struggled to generate any kind of big plays, and could not extend drives as they were 4/13 on third down conversions. What is unfortunate for Michigan State is that they are playing against a very good Wisconsin defense. Brian Lewerke has done well at quarterback and he needs to create some plays this game whether through the air or on the ground. Lewerke will also look to get the ball to Darrell Stewart Jr. often. Stewart has 624 receiving yards through six games and is the biggest threat on the offense. The offensive line also needs to give Lewerke time to throw and receivers time to get open. On defense, Michigan State will have to account for the best running back in the country in Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor and also a very good offensive line. What is good is that Michigan State is very good at creating big plays defensively as five players have at least five tackles for loss. Kenny Willekes, Mike Panasiuk, and Raequan Williams make up a very good defensive line. Willekes is likely the best player on the unit, but the extra attention paid to him has given Panasiuk and Williams an opportunity to shine that they have taken advantage of. Joe Bachie is also an excellent middle linebacker who has 58 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss already this season. The front seven needs to contain Taylor, but the secondary also needs to be ready for play action.

Wisconsin had a nice 48-0 win over Kent State in their last game. The Badgers might not have played a very good team, but their defensive performance was quite impressive. They allowed just 124 total yards on 2.7 yards per play. For this game, Wisconsin will need to do well in coverage against Michigan State receiver Darrell Stewart Jr. who has 40% of Michigan State’s total receiving yards. If cornerbacks Faion Hicks and Deron Harrell can do well in coverage against Stewart, Wisconsin will be set up quite well on defense. On offense, the matchup between Wisconsin’s offensive line and Michigan State’s defensive front will be a knockdown drag-out fight. Wisconsin needs to come out on top in that battle for things to go well. If Taylor remains effective, things will go very well for the Badgers. Wisconsin also is in prime position to punish Michigan State on play action, and they really should try to take advantage of that opportunity.

Prediction:

Wisconsin slowly beats down Michigan State on both sides of the ball and wins 24-13.

Penn State at Iowa

Betting Line: Iowa +3

Over/Under: 42

Penn State kept their undefeated season going last week with a 35-7 win over Purdue. The Nittany Lions continued to have a punishing defense as they allowed less than two yards per play, and had 10 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Penn State does very well against the run as they have a very good defensive line. Defensive ends Shaka Toney and Yetur Gross-Matos had three and two sacks respectively and are major disruptors against opposing offensive lines. Linebackers Micah Parsons, Cam Brown, and Jan Johnson also make up a very good unit. Iowa struggled in pass protection last week in their game against Michigan and I believe Penn State has a better defensive front than Michigan, meaning they should be getting into the backfield often. On offense, the Nittany Lions need their new found run game to stay strong. Noah Cain ran for 105 yards against Purdue but will be facing a tougher challenge this week. The run game needs to take off so Iowa can not just focus on stopping the pass. Penn State will also need to account for Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa. Epenesa is a tremendous athlete and could very well be a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft this spring. Penn State needs to make sure Epenesa does not wreak havoc on their offensive line. Offensive tackle Rasheed Walker will be matched up with Epenesa often and needs to contain him.

Iowa lost a pretty ugly game against Michigan last week. The Hawkeyes struggled to get anything going on offense and will not have it any easier in their matchup with Penn State. Iowa’s offensive line was dominated by Michigan, allowing eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The offensive line will need to hold up better than in both run and pass blocking of Iowa wants to get anywhere offensively. If offensive tackle Alaric Jackson plays, it will be a big help. Jackson is listed as questionable. Nate Stanley did well this season before the Michigan game, and he will need to find his form again. On defense, the Hawkeyes need to be sound in coverage. I think Penn State’s ground game is not one to be fully trusted, and Iowa should try to make Penn State beat them in the run game. This means that cornerbacks Michael Ojemudia and DJ Johnson need to have tight coverage and AJ Epenesa needs to do his thing at defensive end. A reliance on defending the pass will isolate the defensive line a bit more, but I think they are strong enough to handle the task.

Penn State has won this matchup five times in a row, but the last couple of games have been hotly contested. This game is also going to be a night game at Kinnick Stadium, a situation where crazy things tend to happen.

Prediction:

Iowa channels some Kinnick magic and pulls the upset 22-20.

Nebraska at Minnesota

Betting Line: Minnesota-7.5

Over/Under: 50

Nebraska did get the win over Northwestern last week but it was an ugly one as they won 13-10. The Cornhuskers have struggled to get anything going on offense. They did find a reliable source of yardage in Wan’Dale Robinson. Robinson has been used as a gadget player by Nebraska both running the ball and lining up at receiver. Robinson led the team in rushing and receiving yards against Northwestern, and needs to do well again this week. JD Spielman is a solid receiver, but left the Northwestern game with injury and will probably play on Saturday, but will not be fully healthy. Spielman or someone else will need to step up as a pass catching threat. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is nursing a knee injury but will still play. This means his mobility will be a bit limited and he needs to be protected well by the offensive line. On defense, Nebraska will need to stay balanced against a Minnesota offense that has won games both through the air and on the ground. Nebraska will need to do well in coverage against Minnesota’s receiver duo of Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson. Lamar Jackson and DiCaprio Bootle (I promise this is someone’s real name) have their work cut out for them at cornerback.

Minnesota had a very nice win over Illinois in their last outing, which moved the Golden Gophers up to 5-0 on the season. This last game was won behind a tremendous rushing attack. The Golden Gophers ran for 332 yards, 211 of which were from Rodney Smith. Minnesota will be going against a pretty strong Nebraska defense so this performance might not be as replicable, but they can come close. If Minnesota can force Nebraska’s defense to play balanced, it will help them out tremendously. Tanner Morgan has improved quite a bit at quarterback, but this will be his biggest test this season. All he needs to do is get the ball to Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson. On defense, the Golden Gophers need to spy on Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez. It is likely that Kiondre Thomas will be that guy, and he will need to contain him well. If Minnesota can get a good pass rush, it will be a big help as well. Overall, Minnesota has yet to play a team as talented as Nebraska and letting Nebraska stay in the game like they have with previous opponents could come back and bite the Golden Gophers.

Prediction:

Minnesota keeps the undefeated streak alive with a 27-21.

USC at Notre Dame

Betting Line: Notre Dame -10.5

Over/Under: 59.5

USC had last week off, which might have been beneficial as a regrouping opportunity after their second loss in three games. USC will get Kedon Slovis back at quarterback for this game, which will be beneficial. Slovis has had some rough moments, but I think he is an upgrade over Matt Fink who had the job when Slovis was out. If Slovis can get the ball off quick to any of USC’s stable of receivers, he will have filled his role well. What concerns me is USC’s offensive line holding up. The offensive line might not be as bad as last season’s, but it is still not too great. If USC’s offensive line can step up, they will be able to exploit a shaky Notre Dame run defense. I think this is the easiest way USC can pull the upset. This would also require Vavae Malepeai to step up at running back if he does play as he is nursing a knee injury. If not, the task will be more difficult but still possible. On defense, I think USC should try to force Notre Dame to beat them with deep passes. Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book is very accurate, but can start to throw ducks when he has to make a deep pass. If USC can press Notre Dame’s receivers and play tight coverage on the line, it will make things a lot more challenge for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame took out their frustrations from the loss to Georgia in a 52-0 win over Bowling Green last week. On offense, Ian Book has continued to do well at quarterback. His deep ball is not quite as effective, but he is accurate and has some emerging receiver talent around him. While he is not fully healthy, Chase Claypool is a very good possession receiver and does very well at catching contested passes. The same thing goes for tight end Cole Kmet. Notre Dame’s offense also gets a boost with Jafar Armstrong’s return at running back. If Notre Dame’s receivers can make catches in tight windows and the run game can be effective, Notre Dame will be on the fast track to winning. Defensively, I think the Fighting Irish need to attack a true freshman quarterback in USC’s Kedon Slovis. Notre Dame has two solid pass rushers in defensive ends Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem that can exploit a weak USC offensive line. I do not like USC’s chances in the game if Slovis has to win it for them.

Prediction:

Notre Dame wins this game where they match up well 28-17.

Florida at LSU

Betting Line: LSU -13.5

Over/Under: 55.5

Florida really proved their worth to the college football world last week when they beat Auburn 24-13. Florida did very well in pass coverage as they allowed just 5.4 yards per pass attempt and picked off three passes. The difficulty level will be increased this week as they go against one of the best passing attacks in the country (it is still super weird saying that about LSU). CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson have been a very strong duo at cornerback and they will need to step it up this game. If they lose this matchup, it will be very hard to keep it close. Florida also did have a good pass rush against Auburn, and doing the same against LSU can be pretty beneficial. Offensively, Florida needs to do well establishing the run. This will require the offensive line to play well, which they have not against some of the better teams in their schedule. The offensive line also needs to protect Kyle Trask, who will have limited mobility as he is playing through a knee injury. Florida’s receivers will need to create some separation quickly as well. LSU’s secondary has underperformed a bit this season, but there is some serious talent on the unit. Florida generated some big plays against Auburn, and I think this will be a key to the game. The Gators are playing in a tough environment and it will make things difficult for them if the crowd at Tiger Stadium gets as loud as they often do.

LSU is coming off of an impressive win over Utah State last week. The Tigers again had an impressive day through the air as Joe Burrow threw for 344 yards and five touchdowns. The biggest matchup of this game with Florida will be LSU’s receivers against Florida’s secondary. If LSU’s receivers win that battle, it is going to be very hard for them to lose. This will require Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase to play well, but also for Burrow to be accurate as well. The Tigers been very effective through the air this season, but this will definitely be their biggest test so far. On defense, LSU should try to bring pressure in the pass rush. I think Florida’s offensive line is a bit faulty and they will probably look to establish the run early. LSU’s pas rush has not been great this season, but I think they are good enough to do some damage against Florida. I also think they can afford to put energy into the pass rush as I have a lot of faith in Kristian Fulton and Derek Stingley’s ability to handle coverage against Florida’s receivers. Grant Delpit and JaCoby Stevens will also do more than suffice.

Prediction:

Florida keeps it close before eventually getting overwhelmed as LSU wins 31-21.

To be notified when I post, follow my Instagram @impassionedaportsnerd. I am so 23-16-2 picking against the spread this season.

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