As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh (ABC): It’s the biggest game in a minute for Pitt, a team looking to top the ACC and shore-up their play-off bona fides. That said, while I can see the superweapon firing once again or just Pitt dragging the Irish down to their level, there’s stakes for them as well. Another loss takes Notre Dame out of the playoff, whereas right now with 2-losses they’re probably in. I expect them to see it through.
• Michigan @ Northwestern (@Chicago, IL; FOX): Northwestern, like conference-mate Purdue, isn’t as bad as we all thought they’d be, but there’s no way they win this game, right?
• South Carolina @ Texas A&M (ESPN): The Gamecocks have been a little snakebit this year, and this game doesn’t figure to change that.
• South Florida @ Navy (ESPN2): The Midshipmen had a great start to the season, but when the competition got real, the good vibes ended: they’ve lost two straight and this figures to make it three.
• Arizona @ Cincinnati (FS1): Zona has the profile of the teams that Cincy has beat this year (read: as in, the opposite of the teams they’ve lost to, Nebraska and Utah), so I like them here.
• Wisconsin @ Indiana (BTN): The Hoosiers don’t figure to need any late-game heroics in this one.
• Kansas State @ Oklahoma State (ESPNU): It’s not that Oklahoma State is 1-8, it’s how they’re 1-8. Their sole victory is over a middling FCS team. Against FBS competition, their closest margin was the 19-12 loss to Tulsa. The next closest is their most recent, a 17 point loss to Kansas. Everything else is a blowout. That doesn’t figure to change here.
• Air Force @ Connecticut (CBSS): Don’t look, but the Huskies are 7-3, beat Duke last week, and figure to be 9-3 by the end of the season. This team isn’t bad, that’s for sure.
• Eastern Michigan @ Ball State (ESPN+)
• Texas-San Antonio @ Charlotte (ESPN+)

1:30: Tennessee Tech @ Kentucky (SECN+)

2:00:

• Marshall @ Georgia State (ESPN+)
• North Texas @ Alabama-Birmingham (ESPN+)

3:00:

• Colorado State @ New Mexico (MWN)
• Texas-El Paso @ Missouri State (ESPN+)

3:30:

• Oklahoma @ Alabama (ABC): In the first of two playoff elimination games in the SEC, we’ve got the Sooners making their second ever visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Honestly, by all rights Bama should lose this game. The Tide are bizarrely inconsistent and it figures if anyone really can stuff their offense, it’ll be Brent Venables and company. I like OU straight up.
• Pennsylvania State @ Michigan State (CBS): The Land Grant Trophy (aka, the greatest ugly trophy in sports) is back up for grabs after taking a break last year. This feels like a bit of a last chance for Penn State to get one, with the Spartans having their own struggles and turmoil. I like the Nittany Lions here.
• Central Florida @ Texas Tech (FOX): The Texas Tech steamroller figures to continue unabated.
• North Carolina State @ Miami (ESPN): NC State also took a week off after beating us, and now there’s two forces at play. First, for the Canes, to stay even remotely relevant they need to take care of business against the rest of their schedule. Then there’s the forces that propel Dave Doren to 8-4 each season, which would require them to win all of their remaining games. Which force will prevail? I like Miami but let’s face it, anything can happen in this one.
• Virginia @ Duke (ESPN2): I hate to admit it, but the whole “4-loss Duke makes the playoff” thing is unfortunately feasible. This is also after I finally allowed that they might be good, which they took and then promptly lost to UConn. They’re probably going to win here, as UVA is heading in the wrong direction and their starting quarterback is out.
• Maryland @ Illinois (FS1): Maryland is, as the kids would say, “cooked”.
• Iowa @ Southern California (BTN): So USC has just sort of hung around. They beat Michigan  but lost to the only other decent teams they’ve played, but they’re a 7-2 Power 2 team, so they’re going to start getting some chatter. That seems like the exact situation the Hawkeyes are built to completely shut down.
• Georgia Tech @ Boston College (ACCN): So… here we go again. Road game, one of the most hapless teams on our schedule, and still everything to play for. Out of the bye week, what I need to see is better, more consistent execution on offense, and just any sort of ability for our defense to get off the field. NC State had 10 drives two weeks ago, and scored on all but three of them (a punt and fumble in the second quarter, and then a punt with game out of reach at the end). Once again, just take care of business, and then get back to Atlanta. That’s all I ask.
• San Jose State @ Nevada (CBSS): The Wolf Pack are one of the worst teams in FBS, SJSU will be fine here.
• Middle Tennessee State @ Western Kentucky (ESPN+)
• Appalachian State @ James Madison (ESPN+)
• South Alabama @ Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN+)
• Texas State @ Southern Mississippi (ESPN+)

4:00:

• Memphis @ East Carolina (ESPNU): ECU is feisty, and as the Tigers already demonstrated, they can get got (see: the UAB game). It seems a given the American will get the seat at the table for the G5 in the playoff, but that means contenders like Memphis need to take care of business down the stretch and be in the mix at the end.
• Florida Atlantic @ Tulane (ESPN+)

4:15: New Mexico State @ Tennessee (SECN): The Vols will be fine here.

4:30: North Carolina @ Wake Forest (The CW): Don’t look, but the fightin’ Bill Belichicks have won two straight. I think Wake is good enough to still take care of business, but this is no longer an automatic W.

5:00: Liberty @ Florida International (ESPN+)

6:00: Coastal Carolina @ Georgia Southern (ESPN+)

7:00:

• Florida @ Mississippi (ESPN): Ole Miss has been rolling outside of that one blip in Athens, GA. It seems like they’ve got things under control and cruising to a playoff spot. But that said, the Gators are just a bit too talented, and if for some reason history repeats itself in terms of the “bad November loss just when it seems like Lane is going to finally get out of Oxford”, this is certainly a candidate. Oh, and they lost to Florida last year in a similar spot.
• Utah @ Baylor (ESPN2): I don’t think Utah will get tripped up here, but Baylor and Dave Aranda are in a bit of a bad spot and they need a win, bad.
• Purdue @ Washington (FS1): Purdue: better than expected, but… and yeah I know Washington messed around and lost to Wisconsin last week. It be a shock if the Boilermakers win, but it may be a slight surprise.
• Utah State @ Nevada-Las Vegas (CBSS): I like UNLV slightly here, but this is going to be a tough out.
• Delaware @ Sam Houston State (ESPN+)

7:30:

• Texas @ Georgia (ABC): Here’s the other SEC Elimination Game, and this time I like the home team. Texas has more than a puncher’s chance, of course, especially if Arch really is getting better. Georgia can definitely be got by creative offensive playcalling (see: the first halves of their last two games against Alabama).
• California-Los Angeles @ Ohio State (NBC): There’s not much of a reason to think this one will be interesting.
• Virginia Tech @ Florida State (ACCN): If FSU can’t win this one, then I just don’t know anymore.

7:45: Mississippi State @ Missouri (SECN): Mizzou started out 5-0, and now has lost 3 of their last 4 as they got into the part of the schedule that featured opponents with pulses. What makes this tough is that while the Bulldogs aren’t very good, they’re also better than their record. I think Mizzou guts this one out, but anything could happen.

8:00: Kennesaw State @ Jacksonville State (ESPNU): This is a Conference USA banger. Both teams are 5-0 in the league, but with one crucial difference: Kennesaw has been pouding folks. They have a +71 point differential in conference play. They could definitely lose this game, but I like the Owls.

10:00: Louisiana Tech @ Washington State (The CW): I just feel so bad for Wazzu and Oregon State. The Cougs should win this one at least.

10:15: Texas Christian @ Brigham Young (ESPN): TCU isn’t bad, I just like BYU here.

10:30:

• Wyoming @ Fresno State (FS1): Who even knows about the Mountain West anymore, y’all. Well, other than that Hawaii is that good, I guess. I guess it’ll be Fresno here?
• Boise State @ San Diego State (CBSS): SDSU, a team pretty much cruising through conference play, went on vacation last week, apparently, as they got absolutely smoked 38-6 by Hawaii. Boise, of course, lost 30-7 to Fresno a couple weeks ago. So coming into this game… flip a coin. I’ll guess Aztecs.
• California-Davis @ Montana State (ESPN2)

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)