This Weekend in College Football: Week 4

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

  • Boise State @ Utah Sate (CBS): Not entirely sure why this game is on CBs, but I’ll take it. That said, Utah State hasn’t done much to impress this season, which makes Boise the favorite.
  • Texas Tech @ Texas (ABC): It’s kinda funny to me that this series has already been designated as at least one rivalry that will be preserved once the Longhorns leave for the SEC, but I suppose there’s just something to the Battle for the Chancellor’s Spurs that just wasn’t there for Texas-Texas A&M. Go figure. Anyway, I like the ‘Horns here.
  • Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (@Chicago, IL; FOX): Of these two Midwestern teams, I have no idea which is the favorite. The game is at Soldier Field, which figures to be a pro-Irish crowd. I’ll take them but I really have no feel for this one.
  • Louisiana State @ Mississippi State (ESPN): Anxiety Bowl time! Is LSU now just kinda mediocre without a generational quarterback talent? Can the Mike Leach Air Raid work in the SEC? I don’t figure this to be a very watchable game, but there is some pressure on for these two schools. Still hard for for me to pick against LSU though.
  • Missouri @ Boston College (ESPN2): Both of these teams are undefeated because… it’s week 4. At any rate, I figure BC will emerge unscathed.
  • Southern Methodist @ Texas Christian (FS1): The Battle for the Iron Skillet! Unfortunately, not much of a rivalry these days. TCU all the way.
  • Bowling Green @ Minnesota (ESPNU): Minnesota has this one easily.
  • Georgia @ Vanderbilt (SEC): UGA.
  • Villanova @ Pennsylvania State (BTN)
  • Ohio @ Northwestern (BTN): Ohio has gone downhill with a quickness after Frank Solich retired, y’all.
  • Miami @ Army (CBSS): This is the Miami in Ohio, so the Black Knights of the Hudson should be fine.
  • Richmond @ Virginia Tech (ACCN)
  • New Hampshire @ Pittsburgh (ACCNX)
  • Florida International @ Central Michigan (ESPN+)

12:30: Central Connecticut @ Miami (ACC/RSN)

1:00: Massachusetts @ Coastal Carolina (ESPN+)

2:00:

  • Toledo @ Ball State (ESPN+)
  • San Jose State @ Western Michigan (ESPN+)
  • Texas State @ Eastern Michigan (ESPN+)

2:30:

  • Washington State @ Utah (Pac12): Anxiety Bowl, part 2. Of course, the Wazzu coach has proven to be quite the blowhard, so I’m going with the Utes.
  • Maine @ Northern Illinois (espn3.com)

3:30:

  • Iowa State @ Baylor (FOX): Iowa State got a “get-right” game last weekend against UNLV. I figure they’ll take that momentum into Waco.
  • Rutgers @ Michigan (ABC): So Rutgers is slightly more competent than a few years ago when Michigan put those legendary pastings on them, so I figure they may keep it within, say, 4 touchdowns this time?
  • Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (@Arlington, TX; CBS): I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE RESULT ON THIS ONE IS GONNA BE BUT THERE’S GONNA BE SOME WHOMPIN’. THOSE BIG OL’ NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BOYS ARE GONNA GET THEIR WHOMP ON FOR SURE IN JERRY JONES WORLD. TAMU IS PROBABLY MORE TALENTED, BUT WILL THAT TALENT STAND UP TO SOME WHOMPIN’? I SAY NAY.
  • Clemson @ North Carolina State (ESPN): This is either going to go two ways. Either NCSU will bury Clemson once and for all, showing that this indeed a down year for the Tigers. Or, Clemson will remember that they’re Clemson and win by a few touchdowns. While I suspect the likeliest outcome is the one in-between, I still find it hard to bet against Clemson.
  • Louisville @ Florida State (ESPN2): I have to pick Louisville here I guess? Oof.
  • Colorado State @ Iowa (FS1): Hold on to your hats, folks, this looks like a Good Iowa year.
  • Texas-San Antonio @ Memphis (ESPNU): Y’all, this might be the game of the day. UTSA is good. I’m telling you right now. You might not have ever heard of them, but just trust me on this one. Screw it, I’m even going to pick them.
  • Illinois @ Purdue (BTN): Purdue, probably?
  • Kent State @ Maryland (BTN): Maryland?
  • Wyoming @ Connecticut (CBSS): Wyoming all the way here.
  • Towson @ San Diego State (Stadium)

4:00:

  • Georgia State @ Auburn (SEC): Tigers.
  • Kansas @ Duke (ACCN): Y’all, Duke is a two touchdown favorite in this game. This about that one for a second. I was tempted to go with the basketball joke here, but I’m still just somehow astounded by how bad KU football has to be for Duke, especially this Duke team, to be a multi-score favorite.

5:00: Arkansas State @ Tulsa (ESPN+)

6:00:

  • California-Los Angeles @ Stanford (Pac12): This is an unexpectedly big deal Pac-12 matchup, though UCLA did have that let down against Fresno last week. I still like the Bruins though.
  • Buffalo @ Old Dominion (ESPN+)
  • Charleston Southern @ East Carolina (ESPN+)

7:00:

  • Tennessee @ Florida (ESPN): LIGHTNING ROUNG! Gators.
  • Kentucky @ South Carolina (ESPN2): Wildcats.
  • Nebraska @ Michigan State (FS1): Sparty.
  • Navy @ Houston (ESPNU): Cougars.
  • North Texas @ Louisiana Tech (Stadium)
  • Kansas State @ Oklahoma State (ESPN+)

7:30:

  • West Virginia @ Oklahoma (BTN): Sooners.
  • Southern Mississippi @ Alabama (SEC): Tide.
  • Akron @ Ohio State (BTN): Buckeyes.
  • North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech (@Atlanta, GA; ACCN): Every game in a college football season feels so magnified because there’s only 12 of them. And here we are with the Jackets. What is more representative? Their awful, bad loss to Northern Illinois? Or the moral victory of having a chance to beat Clemson late in the 4th quarter? The thing is, this being college football, both of those things are entirely within the realm of possibility. Either way, I hope we put on a good show in Mercedes-Benz.

8:00:

  • Florida Atlantic @ Air Force (FS2): Falcons.
  • Indiana @ Western Kentucky (CBSS): Hooisers.
  • Troy @ Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN+)
  • Alabama-Birmingham @ Tulane (ESPN+)

9:00: New Mexico @ Texas-El Paso (ESPN+)

9:30: California @ Washington (Pac12): Y’all, I don’t know what the under is in this game, but take it. Good lord, Cal could well win this 5-3 or something.

10:15: South Florida @ Brigham Young (ESPN2): BYU is pretty good this year, y’all.

10:30:

  • Arizona @ Oregon (ESPN): The Ducks remain the last, best hope for the Pac-12 with UCLA losing to Fresno, and I don’t think they’ll be much troubled by Arizona.
  • Colorado @ Arizona State (ESPNU): I don’t know much about the Sun Devils, but I’m even less confident in the Buffs.
  • Oregon State @ Southern California (FS1): USC should win this, so I’ll pick them, but the down side for them is that it could well be an interesting game.