As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Vanderbilt @ Texas (ABC): Vandy finds itself back in the spotlight for a second week in a row, but this time most of the chatter is about their opponent. Will Arch go? Will his top target come back? If Arch is cleared out of concussion protocol, which Arch will show up? I’ll dodge these questions and pick the Dores anyway.
• Army @ Air Force (CBS): This a battle of the two academies that don’t have it this year. I’ll have to go with the Falcons.
• Pennsylvania State @ Ohio State (FOX): We apologize that we penciled this game in as a Game of the Year back in August. Obviously, my pick all the way would’ve been the Buckeyes, so… I guess not much has changed?
• Rutgers @ Illinois (NBC): Illini 100%
• Miami @ Southern Methodist (ESPN): SMU had been undefeated in regular season ACC play, but then the Ponies lost to Wake Forest last weekend and thus sapped any intrigue from this contest. Canes all the way.
• Navy @ North Texas (ESPN2): As implied above, Navy is the spicy academy this year. They’ll have a chance to prove it and noise in the playoff(!) picture with a win here. I don’t think UNT will be able to keep up with the option, but bigger challenges await.
• Central Florida @ Baylor (ESPNU): It’s been a weird season for both of these teams, but Baylor’s coach is on a rapidly warming seat. I’ll take them.
• West Virginia @ Houston (FS1): Cougs.
• Duke @ Clemson (ACCN): Does Clemson have any pride left? Because that’s what it’s about at this point. I think they’re better on paper than Duke so I have to take them, but I don’t feel good about it at all.
• Alabama-Birmingham @ Connecticut (CBSS): UAB fired Trent Dilfer, and because it’s the 2025 college football season, they went and beat a pretty good Memphis team. A Memphis team that is, way, way better than UConn. So first time in 2 years, Go Blazers.
• Buffalo @ Bowling Green (ESPN+)

Continue reading →

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• California-Los Angeles @ Indiana (FOX): I am so party to lean on this device, so I will try not to when I can. But: LIGHTNING ROUND! Hoosier!
• Mississippi @ Oklahoma (ABC): Sooners!
• Syracuse @ Georgia Tech (ESPN): Okay, a proper home game. This one is homecoming, even. The keys here, again, are taking care of business. We are a team that “gets away with it” from my perspective. I dearly want to be wrong about this.
• South Florida @ Memphis (ESPN2): Bulls.
• Southern Methodist @ Wake Forest (The CW): Ponies.
• Northwestern @ Nebraska (FS1): Huskers?
• Kansas State @ Kansas (“Sunflower Showdown”; TNT): K-State?
• Rutgers @ Purdue (BTN): Boilers.
• Appalachian State @ Old Dominion (ESPNU): ODU!
• Virginia @ North Carolina (“The South’s Oldest Rivalry”; ACCN): UVA!
• Ohio @ Eastern Michigan (CBSS): Ohio.
• Bowling Green @ Kent State (ESPN+)

12:45: Auburn @ Arkansas (SECN): Hogs.

3:00:

• Utah State @ New Mexico (MWN)
• Connecticut @ Rice (ESPN+)

3:30:

• Minnesota @ Iowa (CBS): Iowa?
• Alabama @ South Carolina (ABC): Tide.
• Brigham Young @ Iowa State (FOX): BYU.
• Missouri @ Vanderbilt (ESPN): Vandy?
• San Diego State @ Fresno State (FS1): Fresno.
• Toledo @ Washington State (The CW): Wazzu!
• Illinois @ Washington (BTN): Illini?
• North Carolina State @ Pittsburgh (ACCN): Pitt?
• Florida Atlantic @ Navy (CBSS): Navy.
• Temple @ Tulsa (ESPN+)
• Ball State @ Northern Illinois (ESPN+)
• Massachusetts @ Central Michigan (ESPN+)
• Louisiana-Monroe @ Southern Mississippi (ESPN+)
• Western Michigan @ Miami (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Baylor @ Cincinnati (ESPN2): Bears?
• Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech (ESPNU): Red Raiders!

4:15: Texas @ Mississippi State (SECN): Horns.

6:00: Texas Christian @ West Virginia (ESPN+)

7:00:

• Stanford @ Miami (ESPN): Canes.
• Wisconsin @ Oregon (FS1): Ducks!
• Louisiana @ Troy (ESPN+)
• Georgia Southern @ Arkansas State (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Michigan @ Michigan State (NBC): Wolverines?
• Texas A&M @ Louisiana State (ABC): Aggies?
• Boston College @ Louisville (ACCN): Cardinals!
• Colorado State @ Wyoming (“Border War”; CBSS): Pokes!

7:45: Tennessee @ Kentucky (SECN): Vawls.

8:00:

• Houston @ Arizona State (ESPN2): Sun Devils?
• North Dakota State @ South Dakota State (ESPNU)
• Los Angeles Dodgers @ Toronto Blue Jays (World Series Game 2; FOX)

10:15: Colorado @ Utah (“Rumble in the Rockies”; ESPN): Utes!

 

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Louisiana State @ Vanderbilt (ABC): The conventional wisdom on this one is that between LSU’s offensive struggles and Vandy actually being kinda good, and at home, the Dores are favored. I see no reason to disagree.
• Washington @ Michigan (FOX): I’m not sure either of these teams are especially good, so I’ll go with “body clocks” and pick Michigan.
• Georgia Tech @ Duke (ESPN): And here we are again. While Wallace Wade Stadium should have some enthusiasm, this isn’t exactly Tiger Stadium at night. While we thankfully solidly beat VPI last week, this team still needs to demonstrate they can be front-runners. Or, if the underdog mentality helps at all, the Blue Devils are technically favored.
• Baylor @ Texas Christian (“The Revivalry”; ESPN2): I don’t know a lot about either of these teams, so I’ll go with TCU.
• Arizona @ Houston (FS1): Zona is so inconsistent, so I’ll take the Cougars.
• Army @ Tulane (ESPNU): I think this could be a fun match up, and while I think Tulane wins on talent Army should be able to hang.
• Connecticut @ Boston College (ACCN): BC, by a lot.
• Central Michigan @ Bowling Green (CBSS): Does Eddie George have it rolling at Bowling Green? Seems that way.
• Eastern Michigan @ Miami (ESPN+)

12:45: Oklahoma @ South Carolina (SECN): Sooner, by a lot.

1:00: West Virginia @ Central Florida (TNT): UCF, by a lot.

2:30: Buffalo @ Massachusetts (ESPN+)

3:00:

• Purdue @ Northwestern (BTN): Well, while this is still a battle of bad Big Ten teams, I think it’s safe to say neither is as bad as expected. I think I slightly like the Boilers here?
• Troy @ Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN+)

3:30:

• Mississippi @ Georgia (ABC): I’m sort of convinced Lane Kiffin is the James Franklin of the SEC. This does mean I’m picking Georgia here. Look, I’m not happy about this either.
• Ohio State @ Wisconsin (CBS): Buckeyes, by a lot.
• Texas A&M @ Arkansas (ESPN): Ol’ Bobby Petrino definitely had some tricks up his sleeve last week, but I don’t think any amount of tricks means they’ll be able to hang with the Aggies.
• Nevada-Las Vegas @ Boise State (FS1): Pay attention, because two of the biggest games of the afternoon are right here. In this one, we’ll find out the Mountain West frontrunner. I like Boise, but not nearly by as much as our friends in the desert.
• Old Dominion @ James Madison (“Royal Rivalry”; ESPNU): This one will determine the favorite in the Sun Belt East, which is actually kind of a big deal. I like JMU here, but this should be a good one either way.
• Southern Methodist @ Clemson (ACCN): I still don’t trust Clemson, but this isn’t last year’s SMU team.
• Wyoming @ Air Force (CBSS): I’ll admit I don’t have much of a read on this one outside of Colorado and Wyoming sharing a border. Let’s go with Air Force?
• Michigan State @ Indiana (Peacock)
• Coastal Carolina @ Appalachian State (ESPN+)
• Akron @ Ball State (ESPN+)
• Northern Illinois @ Ohio (ESPN+)
• Temple @ Charlotte (ESPN+)
• Texas State @ Marshall (ESPN+)
• Texas-San Antonio @ North Texas (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Texas Tech @ Arizona State (FOX): Unfortunately, I don’t see how this is anything other than another Texas Tech romp. Turns out they’re good.
• Memphis @ Alabama-Birmingham (“Battle for the Bones”; ESPN2): Memphis, by a lot. (One of the best rivalry trophies in the sport though!)

4:15: Mississippi State @ Florida (SECN): Napier may be done either way, but I still have a hard time seeing how Florida loses this one. Which, I suppose, is the problem.

6:30:

• Washington State @ Virginia (The CW): I think Wazzu is better than their record would indicate. (Ask the folks in Oxford, MS.) That said, I have to acknowledge that Virginia is better than I thought they’d be and I’m leaving slightly that way.
• Oregon @ Rutgers (BTN): Oregon, by a lot.

7:00:

• Texas @ Kentucky (ESPN): Texas, by a lot.
• Maryland @ California-Los Angeles (FS1): Exhibit A for two teams trending in opposite directions. It’s very much not September in College Park, and the “under new management” Bruins are suddenly competent. So yeah, UCLA all the way here.
• Pennsylvania State @ Iowa (Peacock)
• Hawaii @ Colorado State (Spectrum)

7:30:

• Tennessee @ Alabama (“Third Saturday in October”; ABC): This is very much a “styles make fights” game and I don’t think this is a particularly good match up for the Tide.
• Southern California @ Notre Dame (NBC): This is being billed as a chance for USC to get back in the “nationally relevant” conversation, which is why I like Notre Dame here.
• Florida Atlantic @ South Florida (ESPNU): USF, by a lot.
• Pittsburgh @ Syracuse (ACCN): “We’re not rivals, but we play a lot” sums up the vibes of this one. I think the Orange are slightly better, but the Panthers have themselves a new quarterback. What rules here? I’ll lean slightly Pitt but this should be wide open.

7:45: Missouri @ Auburn (SECN): Mizzou, by a lot.

8:00:

• Utah @ Brigham Young (“Holy War”; FOX): This will be one of the grittiest games of the day. Ultimately I think the Stormin’ Mormons have more grit.
• Cincinnati @ Oklahoma State (ESPN2): Cincy, by a lot.

9:45: Nevada @ New Mexico (FS1): This one should be close, in sense that neither of these teams are particularly good. I slightly lean Lobos here.

10:00: Lafayette @ Oregon State (The CW)

10:30: Florida State @ Stanford (ESPN): I would say “Florida State, by a lot” but… what’s going on in Tallahassee? I don’t think FSU will lose this, not at all, but if they do this is a Penn State level disaster for Mike Norvell and company.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Alabama @ Missouri (ABC): Hey y’all, it’s 10:30 local time here and I just watched the most stressful 15 innings of baseball ever that didn’t involve my team. So you know what means: LIGHTNING ROUND! Bama!
• Ohio State @ Illinois (FOX): Buckeyes!!
• Pittsburgh @ Florida State (ESPN): I won’t discount the return of the Pitt superweapon, but: FSU.
• Louisiana @ James Madison (ESPN2): JMU.
• Stanford @ Southern Methodist (The CW): SMU.
• Central Florida @ Cincinnati (FS1): Cincy?
• Houston @ Oklahoma State (TNT): Houston.
• California-Los Angeles @ Michigan State (BTN): Sparty.
• Toledo @ Bowling Green (ESPNU): Toledo.
• Charlotte @ Army (CBSS): Army.
• Miami @ Akron (ESPN+)

12:45: Washington State @ Mississippi (SECN): Miss.

1:00: Northern Illinois @ Eastern Michigan (ESPN+)

2:30: Massachusetts @ Kent State (ESPN+)

3:30:

• Oklahoma vs. Texas (“Red River Shootout” @ Dallas, TX; ABC): Texas? This is truly a random number generator rivalry.
• Indiana @ Oregon (CBS): Ducks.
• Texas Christian @ Kansas State (FOX): TCU?
• Iowa State @ Colorado (ESPN): Clones.
• Wake Forest @ Oregon State (The CW): Wake!
• Northwestern @ Pennsylvania State (FS1): Penn St.
• Nebraska @ Maryland (BTN): Terps?
• Air Force @ Nevada-Las Vegas (CBSS): UNLV?
• Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech (“Techmo Bowl”; ACCN): Okay so once again let’s talk about expectations. VPI got the fired coach dead cat bounce last week, so this is not a team to take lightly. Brent Key’s record with unranked ACC oppenents is well known. I hope that we can figure this out.
• North Carolina State @ Notre Dame (Peacock)
• Appalachian State  @ Georgia State (ESPN+)
• Old Dominion @ Marshall (ESPN+)
• Ball State @ Western Michigan (ESPN+)

4:00: Navy @ Temple (ESPN2): Navy!

4:15: Arkansas @ Tennessee (SECN): Bawls!

6:00: Alabama-Birmingham @ Florida Atlantic (ESPN+)

7:00:

• Florida @ Texas A&M (ESPN): Aggies!
• Iowa @ Wisconsin (FS1): Hawkeyes?
• San Jose State @ Wyoming (CBSS): Spartans?
• Louisiana-Monroe @ Coastal Carolina (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Georgia @ Auburn (“The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry”; ABC): Ugh, UGA?
• Kansas @ Texas Tech (FOX): Red Raiders!
• Michigan @ Southern California (NBC): USC?
• Purdue @ Minnesota (BTN): Gophers.
• Rice @ Texas-San Antonio (ESPNU): Rice?
• Clemson @ Boston College (ACCN): Tigers.

7:45: South Carolina @ Louisiana State (SECN): LSU.

8:00:

• Brigham Young @ Arizona (ESPN2): Stormin’ Mormons.
• Troy @ Texas State (ESPN+)

9:45: New Mexico @ Boise State (FS1): Boise?

10:15: Arizona State @ Utah (ESPN): Utah.

10:30: San Diego State @ Nevada (CBSS): Aztecs.

11:59: Utah State @ Hawaii (Spectrum)

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Kentucky @ Georgia (ABC): Well, the Dogs got got by Bama yet again, but fortunately for them (and, by extension, unfortunately for anyone who isn’t them) Kentucky is pretty greatly diminished and won’t pose much of a challenge for them.
• Air Force @ Navy (CBS): Take the under, and Navy, here.
• Wisconsin @ Michigan (FOX): Speaking of greatly diminished, Wisconsin is just… kind of bad? Michigan still can’t throw the ball, but they’ll probably look pretty good here.
• Clemson @ North Carolina (ESPN): This game was circled on a lot of calendars at the beginning of the year, but… eesh. Carolina is so bad I won’t be surprised if this is a total Clemson rout, even with how bad they’ve been this season. UNC just straight up appears to have no idea what they’re doing.
• Iowa State @ Cincinnati (ESPN2): The Big 12, moreso than any other conference (and certainly any of the other Power Four) seems to just be Parity Central. That makes predicting what will happen in any given week very difficult, but also does make for fairly fun games to watch. Which is to say, don’t be surprised if this is the most watchable game in the early window. I slightly like the Cyclones here, but, well, see above.
• Illinois @ Purdue (BTN): Purdue isn’t as bad as I thought they’d be, but that doesn’t exactly mean they’re good. I still like Illinois here.
• Army @ Alabama-Birmingham (EPSNU): Army, by hopefully a lot.
• Boston College @ Pittsburgh (ACCN): I don’t think either of these teams are good, but Pitt is struggling on offense and has a bit of a quarterback crisis. I like BC here.
• Ohio @ Ball State (CBSS): I, in possibly the only thing I have in common with Timothee Chalemet, stan Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro on this site.
• Kansas State @ Baylor (ESPN+)

1:00:

• Wake Forest @ Virginia Tech (The CW): Wake has some legitimate beef with the refs in last week’s game, that missed a blatant offside on us. I think they’ll be able to recover and take down VPI.
• Texas-San Antonio @ Temple (ESPN+)

2:00:

• Campbell @ North Carolina State (ACCNX)
• Chicago Cubs @ Milwaukee Brewers (National League Division Series; TBS)

2:30: Western Michigan @ Massachusetts (ESPN+)

3:00: Oklahoma State @ Arizona (TNT): Okay, that stuff I wrote about the Big 12 earlier? Yeah, Oklahoma State is the exception to the rule. Zona by a lot.

3:30:

• Vanderbilt @ Alabama (ABC): We all know that Vandy beat Alabama last year, but that was in Nashville. I think Bama is better this year, and I think an easy Bama win is more likely than Vandy doing it again.
• Boise State @ Notre Dame (NBC): There’s been various points in time in the past twenty years where this would’ve been a really fun game. This isn’t one of them.
• Pennsylvania State @ California-Los Angeles (CBS): Luckily for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, UCLA isn’t even remotely close to being a top 10 team.
• Texas @ Florida (ESPN): Is this going to be it for Billy Napier at Florida? And frankly, who can be good at Florida anymore if he can’t?
• Virginia @ Louisville (ESPN2): This may be the best game of the window, which I don’t think I would’ve ever remotely called at the start of the season. But both teams are reasonably good, but I’m giving L’ville a slight edge here since I think Virginia will have a bit of a letdown after last week’s all-time upset over Florida State.
• Washington @ Maryland (BTN): We all know and love September Maryland, but as usual things get real quickly. I don’t think Washington is very good, and the Terps ought to be able to get to 5-0. If not, watch out.
• Louisiana-Monroe @ Northwestern (BTN): Northwestern is bad, but not this bad.
• Syracuse @ Southern Methodist (ACCN): I don’t believe in Syracuse, Ponies all the way.
• Florida International @ Connecticut (CBSS): FIU, I guess?
• Miami @ Northern Illinois (ESPN+)
• Central Michigan @ Akron (ESPN+)
• James Madison @ Georgia State (ESPN+)
• Oregon State @ Appalachian State (ESPN+)
• Eastern Michigan @ Buffalo (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Michigan State @ Nebraska (FS1): Michigan State’s last game was the “body clock” late night start at USC that they lost, but not by much. Nebraska just couldn’t get it done against Michigan. What does that mean here? I have no clue, so I’ll slightly prefer the Huskers.
• Texas State @ Arkansas State (ESPNU): Arkansas State has yet to defeat a FBS team. I doubt that changes here.
• Kent State @ Oklahoma (SECN): Kent State has yet to defeat a FBS team. I doubt that changes here.
• New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays (American League Division Series; FOX)

6:00: Coastal Carolina @ Old Dominion (ESPN+)

6:30: Los Angeles Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies (National League Division Series; TBS)

7:00:

• Texas Tech @ Houston (ESPN): Both of these teams are 4-0, but… I think this is going to be a pretty easy win for the Red Raiders.
• Nevada-Las Vegas @ Wyoming (CBSS): I definitely like UNLV here.
• South Alabama @ Troy (ESPN+)
• Florida Atlantic @ Rice (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Miami @ Florida State (ABC): Well, this is the game of the day, more or less by default. Loss to Virginia aside, FSU has obviously made a lot of strides since last season. Miami hasn’t gotten in a situation so far that Mario Chirstobal could do his thing, and generally speaking, it’s not the big games they’ve had issues anyway. The game being in Tallahassee should help the Noles, but I still like the Canes here in what figures to be a pretty close contest.
• Minnesota @ Ohio State (NBC): This has all the makings of a game that’s something like “20-14 Ohio State at the half” that turns into a final score of 37-14.
• Colorado @ Texas Christian (FOX): Colorado is probably better than we expected after the loss of their two best skill position players, but they’re still a team with some fundamental issues. I like TCU a lot here.
• Kansas @ Central Florida (ESPN2): There’s going to be a lot of points and either team could win this one. Yep, it’s a Big 12 game. I’ll take UCF, sure, why not.

7:45: Mississippi State @ Texas A&M (SECN): Miss State is way better than anyone expected, and they almost got Tennessee last week. But that was in Starkville. I don’t think they’ll enjoy things very much in College Station.

8:00: Tulsa @ Memphis (ESPNU): Memphis might really good. Tulsa is not.

8:30: Detroit Tigers @ Seattle Mariners (American League Division Series; FS1)

10:30:

• Duke @ California (ESPN): ACC After Dark! I still don’t really believe in Duke, and combine that with ~body clocks~ means that I’ve got the Golden Bears all the way.
• Nevada @ Fresno State (CBSS): It would be so cool have a good, late Mountain West game… but it’s not going to happen with this one.