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Non conference games are mostly finished. Bring on conference play. This week we have several interesting games throughout the day. Now is when we start finding out who teams are.
Northwestern at 11 Penn State 3:30 ESPN PSU -25
Penn State will begin selling beer at the stadium!! That may have been the biggest storyline for this game except now there's rumors that Freshman QB Drew Allar will start and Clifford won't play. Clifford takes a beating. Maybe PSU sees an opportunity to let him get healed up for Michigan.
Northwestern isn't very good. They don't have much talent, but they are well coached. Last week PSU was reminded vs Central Mich that a well coached team can be dangerous. They tend not to beat themselves.
Penn State has a bye next week and then they go to Michigan for what will likely be a matchup of 2 teams in the top 10. Hopefully last week's tougher than expected game vs Central Michigan will keep PSU from looking ahead and playing flat.
In terms of the game, it's a bad matchup for Northwestern. NW throws the ball a lot and PSU has one of the best secondaries in the nation. PSU leads the nation with Pass breakups by a crazy margin. I believe i heard the stat that Penn State has 41 PBU and the 2nd team has like 20. Just shows how much tight man coverage PSU is playing. Not good for NW.
This may end up being a bad weather game. Hard to know how that will effect each team. With PSU having much more team speed, it would likely favor NW somewhat.
15 Washington at UCLA Friday 10:30 ESPN UCLA -2.5
UCLA is unbeaten and unranked because their 4 wins are against crappy teams. Wash has risen fast up the rankings after beating up on Michigan State and following it up by pounding Stanford. The only problem is they might both suck. MSU followed up their loss to Wash by getting blown out by Minnesota. Wash QB Michael Pennix is playing great.
4 Michigan at Iowa 12:00 FOX Mich -10.5
This game is all about Michigan run game vs Iowa run defense. Iowa is only allowing 2 yards per carry and has not given up a rushing TD yet this year. Iowa has only given up 23 points total in 4 games. Michigan is a big step up in talent. Michigan had their first real game last week vs Maryland and it was a struggle. This is Michigan's first road game this year. Iowa needs to slow things down and frustrate Michigan. I'm not sure that will be enough because Iowa's offense struggles to score. The only shot i see for Iowa is if they can force Michigan's inexperienced QB into multiple turnovers in his first road game.
7 Kentucky at 14 Ole Miss ESPN Miss -7
Kentucky had a solid win vs Florida a few weeks ago but Ole Miss has played nobody. Kiffin is known for passing but this year Ole Miss is all about running. Have they been holding back against tomato cans?
18 Oklahoma at TCU 12:00 ABC Okla -5.5
Last week, Oklahoma got beat by the ghost of Nebraska QBs past as Adrian Martinez led K State to the upset. They better get back on track quickly. TCU's offense has been good vs lesser competition. Oklahoma's defense had some holes.
Purdue at 21 Minnesota 12:00 ESPN2 Minn -11.5
this looked like Purdue's year to win the west but they've been inconsistent. Their 2 losses are to Penn State and Syracuse. Syracuse is actually good this year. Minnesota has been blowing teams out including Michigan State last week. Mich State has major issues though so it's hard to say how imprssive that win was. Purdue has been in tough games. Minnesota hasn't yet. That could be the difference here.
2 Alabama at 20 Arkansas 3:30 CBS Bama -17
Ark has lost 15 straight to Bama. They were ranked 10 until they lost to Texas A&M whenh the potential game winning FG bounced off the top of the upright. Ark should have won that game but didn't have enouh to put TAM away. Ark nearly pulled off the upset vs Bama last year but that was with WR Treylon Burks going off for 179 yards and 2 TD. Ark doesn't appear to have a weapon like that this year. They do have a LB named Bumper Pool though. I'm not sure that's enough. I don't think KJ Jefferson is a good enough passer to beat Bama.
9 Oklahoma State at 16 Baylor 3:30 FOX Baylor -2.5
Rematch of last year's Big 12 title game. This is Okla State's first tough game. Baylor has been in some battles with BYU and Iowa State. That should be advantage Baylor. Ok State QB Spencer Sanders threw 7 INT vs baylor in the 2 games last year but only has 1 INT so far this season.
22 Wake Forest at 23 Florida State 3:30 ABC FSU -6.5
It appears that the talla hassee area didn't get much damage from the hurricane but you have to wonder if their heads are in the game or if they are worried about friends and family that weren't so lucky. Wake is coming off a 2 OT loss to Clemson. How will they bounce back from that/
10 NC State at 5 Clemson 7:30 ABC Clem -7
Wolfpack are undefeated but not yet tested. NC state pulled the upset last year when Clemson was down. Clemson is still loaded with talent but not quite clicking. Clemson QB DJ U-Something already has more TD passes this year than he did all last season. Maybe he is finally emerging as the 5 start talent he was when he arrived.
Northwestern at 11 Penn State 3:30 ESPN PSU -25
Penn State will begin selling beer at the stadium!! That may have been the biggest storyline for this game except now there's rumors that Freshman QB Drew Allar will start and Clifford won't play. Clifford takes a beating. Maybe PSU sees an opportunity to let him get healed up for Michigan.
Northwestern isn't very good. They don't have much talent, but they are well coached. Last week PSU was reminded vs Central Mich that a well coached team can be dangerous. They tend not to beat themselves.
Penn State has a bye next week and then they go to Michigan for what will likely be a matchup of 2 teams in the top 10. Hopefully last week's tougher than expected game vs Central Michigan will keep PSU from looking ahead and playing flat.
In terms of the game, it's a bad matchup for Northwestern. NW throws the ball a lot and PSU has one of the best secondaries in the nation. PSU leads the nation with Pass breakups by a crazy margin. I believe i heard the stat that Penn State has 41 PBU and the 2nd team has like 20. Just shows how much tight man coverage PSU is playing. Not good for NW.
This may end up being a bad weather game. Hard to know how that will effect each team. With PSU having much more team speed, it would likely favor NW somewhat.
15 Washington at UCLA Friday 10:30 ESPN UCLA -2.5
UCLA is unbeaten and unranked because their 4 wins are against crappy teams. Wash has risen fast up the rankings after beating up on Michigan State and following it up by pounding Stanford. The only problem is they might both suck. MSU followed up their loss to Wash by getting blown out by Minnesota. Wash QB Michael Pennix is playing great.
4 Michigan at Iowa 12:00 FOX Mich -10.5
This game is all about Michigan run game vs Iowa run defense. Iowa is only allowing 2 yards per carry and has not given up a rushing TD yet this year. Iowa has only given up 23 points total in 4 games. Michigan is a big step up in talent. Michigan had their first real game last week vs Maryland and it was a struggle. This is Michigan's first road game this year. Iowa needs to slow things down and frustrate Michigan. I'm not sure that will be enough because Iowa's offense struggles to score. The only shot i see for Iowa is if they can force Michigan's inexperienced QB into multiple turnovers in his first road game.
7 Kentucky at 14 Ole Miss ESPN Miss -7
Kentucky had a solid win vs Florida a few weeks ago but Ole Miss has played nobody. Kiffin is known for passing but this year Ole Miss is all about running. Have they been holding back against tomato cans?
18 Oklahoma at TCU 12:00 ABC Okla -5.5
Last week, Oklahoma got beat by the ghost of Nebraska QBs past as Adrian Martinez led K State to the upset. They better get back on track quickly. TCU's offense has been good vs lesser competition. Oklahoma's defense had some holes.
Purdue at 21 Minnesota 12:00 ESPN2 Minn -11.5
this looked like Purdue's year to win the west but they've been inconsistent. Their 2 losses are to Penn State and Syracuse. Syracuse is actually good this year. Minnesota has been blowing teams out including Michigan State last week. Mich State has major issues though so it's hard to say how imprssive that win was. Purdue has been in tough games. Minnesota hasn't yet. That could be the difference here.
2 Alabama at 20 Arkansas 3:30 CBS Bama -17
Ark has lost 15 straight to Bama. They were ranked 10 until they lost to Texas A&M whenh the potential game winning FG bounced off the top of the upright. Ark should have won that game but didn't have enouh to put TAM away. Ark nearly pulled off the upset vs Bama last year but that was with WR Treylon Burks going off for 179 yards and 2 TD. Ark doesn't appear to have a weapon like that this year. They do have a LB named Bumper Pool though. I'm not sure that's enough. I don't think KJ Jefferson is a good enough passer to beat Bama.
9 Oklahoma State at 16 Baylor 3:30 FOX Baylor -2.5
Rematch of last year's Big 12 title game. This is Okla State's first tough game. Baylor has been in some battles with BYU and Iowa State. That should be advantage Baylor. Ok State QB Spencer Sanders threw 7 INT vs baylor in the 2 games last year but only has 1 INT so far this season.
22 Wake Forest at 23 Florida State 3:30 ABC FSU -6.5
It appears that the talla hassee area didn't get much damage from the hurricane but you have to wonder if their heads are in the game or if they are worried about friends and family that weren't so lucky. Wake is coming off a 2 OT loss to Clemson. How will they bounce back from that/
10 NC State at 5 Clemson 7:30 ABC Clem -7
Wolfpack are undefeated but not yet tested. NC state pulled the upset last year when Clemson was down. Clemson is still loaded with talent but not quite clicking. Clemson QB DJ U-Something already has more TD passes this year than he did all last season. Maybe he is finally emerging as the 5 start talent he was when he arrived.
grrr
