I forgot to post my week one picks, and just decided to start with week two! There are a lot of interesting games this weekend, and several top teams have tough games ahead of them. I cannot wait for Thursday through Saturday to get here, and have listed my predictions for this weekend below!
12 Texas A&M (1-0) vs 1 Clemson (1-0)- Clemson 34-27
I expect this to be a very close game between two teams similar in talent. Clemson has a great offense led by Trevor Lawrence and Etienne along with big time receivers. The question mark is their defense that is relatively young and untested. A&M has a solid group of playmakers at receiver, and their quarterback Kellen Mond has continued to grow. Their defense is young as well, but could be one of the most underrated units in football. I think this will be a fun game to watch with both offenses going back in forth, but I’m picking Clemson. I just feel they are more consistent on offense, and beating Clemson in Death Valley is very hard to do.
New Mexico State (0-1) vs 2 Alabama (1-0)- Alabama 59-3
This will be another tune up game for Alabama against the terrible New Mexico State. They have the advantage in every area, and I expect Tua Tagovailoa to put up monster numbers, and be pulled from the game once they get a sizeable lead. New Mexico State won’t have a answer for the rushing or passing attack, and will simply be dominated Saturday. Alabama’s defense held a far superior Duke team to only 3 points so I don’t expect much more from the Aggies.
Murray State (1-0) vs 3 Georgia (1-0)- Georgia 45-10
Georgia had their ups and downs in their season opener against Vanderbilt. They started fast, but trailed off as the game progressed which may be the sign of some rustiness coming into the season. This will be a tune up game for them against a far less talented Murray State team. I expect Jake Fromm to be in top form as he won’t have to deal with as solid of a defense as last week. DeAndre Swift is likely to easily eclipse a hundred yards again, and the Georgia defense will have their way against Murray State.
South Dakota (0-1) vs 4 Oklahoma (1-0)- Oklahoma 56-14
Jalen Hurts was the star of college football last week as the Alabama transfer put up six total touchdowns against Houston. I expect him to have another monster game against the a hapless South Dakota squad. Oklahoma’s defense was actually able to force some turnovers last week, and could be a sign they are on the way up. They’ll dominate against South Dakota who is nowhere close to as skilled as Houston on offense. Oklahoma will win this game easily the question will be by how much.
Cincinnati (1-0) vs 5 Ohio State (1-0)- Ohio State 42-28
Cincinnati has some real talent defensively, and will likely be Justin Fields first real college test. Fields looked fantastic in his starter debut for Ohio State showing skills throwing and running the football. The Bearcats are good enough to hang with Ohio State early, but do not have the offensive skillset to last throughout the game. I expect Ohio State to eventually gash Cincinnati behind the legs of J.K. Dobbins late in the game. Ohio State’s defense is far from perfect, but they are good enough to give the Buckeye’s offense some breathing room to pull out a victory.
6 LSU (1-0) vs 9 Texas (1-0)- LSU 34-24
Joe Burrow was unstoppable in week one for LSU looking like a superstar. He has a bigger role this year with LSU still trying to find their run game. The Tigers have a athletic defense that flies to the football. If Joe Burrow continues to play at a high level LSU could be title contenders. Texas has a balanced offense with star quarterback Sam Ehlinger who can throw or run in order to make plays. They have a solid running back in Keontay Ingram, and big time receivers in Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay. Texas is very young defensively, and will be at a real disadvantage compared to LSU in that area. I expect Texas to play well early on, but LSU is the better team all the way around and should win this game. I expect Austin to be rocking for this early season clash between two great teams, but unless Burrow struggles I have LSU winning this game.
Army (1-0) vs 7 Michigan (1-0)- Michigan 45-24
Army runs a triple option offense, and always have a solid running game every year. They struggled in week one and have lost the majority of their key offensive play makers from last season. Their defesne is good, but won’t be good enough to slow down the Wolverines. Michigan struggled as well in week one, but have a more balanced team than army. I expect Shea Patterson to give Army fits through the air, and expect their defense to slow down the running game as well. Army will be competitive early, but Michigan is too talented to lose at home to their inferior opposition.
Tulane (1-0) vs 10 Auburn (1-0)- Auburn 42-10
Auburn is coming off a last minute thriller victory against Oregon. Freshman Bo Nix struggled, but made plays in the end when it really mattered. I expect him to put on a better showing against a lackluster Tulane team. JaTarvious Winthrow will have a huge day on the ground against a far inferior defense in Tulane compared to Oregon. Auburn’s defense showed they are legit, and have the ability to force turnovers. I expect more of this to occur when they face off against Tulane.
UT Martin (1-0) vs 11 Florida (1-0)- Florida 38-10
Florida won a sloppy opener against Miami, and were lucky the Canes made mistakes down the stretch. I expect Felipe Franks to bounce back, and have a big day through the air against a less talented UT Martin. Florida’s defense should have a field day against UT Martin, and I expect them to force turnovers to help their offense out. This is good timing for Florida so they can put that lackluster performance against Miami behind them. They like several SEC teams have a tune up game Saturday, and expect this one to be lopsided from the start.
Northern Illinois (1-0) vs 13 Utah (1-0)- Utah 35-10
Utah dominated against BYU last week, and showed just how talented their defense really is. I expect more of the same as they travel back home, and take on a less talented Northern Illinois squad. I expect Utah to force turnovers on defense, and rely on the legs of Zack Moss to carry the offense. Their offensive line has to do a better job in protecting QB Tyler Huntley. This shouldn’t be a problem against Northern Illinois that doesn’t have the defensive skill of their previous opponent BYU.
California (1-0) vs 14 Washington (1-0)- Washington 38-28
Washington looked great with transfer quarterback Jacob Eason who showed his star potential last week. Washington finally has a QB who can throw the deep ball, and get the best out of Chris Peterson’s offense. Their defense is less talented than previous seasons, but their offense looks legit with Eason under center. California is led by Chase Garbers who had his ups and downs against UC Davis. Cal is a young team looking to find their way in the Pac 12. Only time will tell if Garbers has what it takes to lead this team. Cal will have to establish the run game in order to take pressure off their young QB. I expect Washington to win this game with their talent alone.
Buffalo (1-0) vs 15 Penn State (1-0)- Penn State 56-17
Penn State was dominant in their opener, and they have yet another more than likely easy win on the docket. Their quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Will Levis both played well, and are expected to get split reps in this game. Penn State has a scary rushing attack, and has become known for producing top end RB’s. Devyn Ford could be the next big force for the Nittany Lions. I expect their defense to dominate the overmatched Buffalo, and this one will get ugly right after kickoff.
Nevada (1-0) vs 16 Oregon (1-0)- Oregon 34-17
Oregon is coming off a gut wrenching loss against Auburn in a game they were firmly in control of. Their team is going to be motivated to get their first win against a scrappy Nevada squad. I don’t think Nevada has the tools to stop quarterback Justin Herbert, and are unlikely to stop the speedy CJ Verdell. Nevada is coming off an upset over Purdue, and enter this game with a ton of confidence. Carson Strong showed some big game mentality against Purdue, but he will face a much better defense in Oregon. I expect the Ducks to win this game, and bounce back in front of their home fans.
Central Michigan (1-0) vs 17 Wisconsin (1-0)- Wisconsin 35-13
The Badgers made easy work of South Florida in their opener behind the legs of Heisman candidate Jonathan Taylor. Taylor is one of the best backs in the country, and is likely to run all over Central Michigan. Wisconsin defense was suffocating against a better South Florida team, and for this reason I expect the same against a less talented Central Michigan unit. Jack Coan was solid in his debut, but is likely to give way to Taylor who will undoubtedly lead the Badgers to another win Saturday.
18 UCF (1-0) vs Florida Atlantic (0-1)- UCF 42-28
UCF is super talented offensively, and are now led by run first QB in Brandon Wimbush. Adrian Killins Jr. is a super athlete with the ability to break a run at any moment. Their defense is questionable, but they looked good in the first game of the year. That however came against a very bad Florida A&M team. Florida Atlantic has a solid coach in Lane Kiffin who will have his team ready for the test in UCF. I expect FAU to compete in this game, but quarterback Chris Robison has to play better in order to upset the Golden Knights. I expect this to be a offensive minded game with UCF just coming out on top.
Western Michigan (1-0) vs 19 Michigan State (1-0)- Michigan State 34-14
The Spartans did not play well in week one, and barely skated by Tulsa. Quarterback Brian Lewerke played bad, and if the defense didn’t step up they could have fallen short. I expect Brian to play better in this game, and knock some of that early season rust off. They have to run the ball more effectively especially when they play stiffer competition. I expect Michigan State to beat Western Michigan with their superior defense. WMU has a solid quarterback in Jon Wassinik, but he won’t be able to carry them to an upset victory in Lansing.
Rutgers (1-0) vs 20 Iowa (1-0)- Iowa 31-14
Rutgers has a solid running back in Isaih Pacheco, but their quarterback McLane Carter is way to turnover happy. Iowa capitalizes off of turnovers, and I just don’t see Carter being able to protect the football. I expect Iowa to lean on their run game, and start slow as usual before eventually pulling away. Iowa is experienced, and have a quarterback in Nathan Stanley who has been the leader of this team for years. The Hawkeyes have a chance to compete in the Big 10, and are unlikely to squander that by losing to a mediocre Rutgers team.
21 Syracuse (1-0) vs Maryland (1-0)- Maryland 31-28
Syracuse looked bad in their first game of the season outside of their defense. Defensively they can compete with just about anyone, but their offense is a work in progress. Tommy Devito has been underwhelming so far in his college career, and turns the ball over too much. The Orange are going to have to rely on the run game if they want to beat Maryland on the road. I actually like Maryland in a upset at home this Saturday. They have a seasoned veteran transfer in Josh Jackson with big game experience. He played really well in week one, and is likely to use that for momentum against Syracuse. Maryland has a multiple back system, and I believe their defense will force turnovers against Devito. I think this is a good matchup for Maryland especially in front of their home fans.
Northern Colorado (0-1) vs 22 Washington State (1-0)- Washington State 63-10
Mike Leach is quarterback guru, and may have found his next prodigy in Anthony Gordon. Gordon lit up New Mexico State through the air, and looked like a seasoned vet in the Shotgun. Max Borghi is an undersized back, but makes up for it with his great speed. I expect Washington State to run up the score against a very bad Northern Colorado football team. Their offense and defense are going to have their way, and cruise to another double digit victory.
23 Stanford (1-0) vs USC (1-0)- Stanford 21-17
Stanford may enter this game with their backup quarterback as K.J. Costello is questionable. Davis Mills is the backup, and he did not play well when replacing Costello. This will be even tougher for him going on the road for a rivalry game in Southern California. However, USC finds themselves in the same situation as they lost starter J.T. Daniels for the season with a torn ACL. Their new signal caller is true freshman Keldon Stovis who was up and down in his debut. I think Stanford regardless of whether Costello plays or not will lean on Cameron Scarlett out of the backfield. USC struggled mightily against Fresno State on the ground, and expect David Shaw to get his team to expose this weakness. Stanford is stout defensively and are likely to make life difficult on the true freshman. I have Stanford winning a very close, and potentially ugly rivalry game in Los Angeles.
Marshall (1-0) vs 24 Boise State (1-0)- Boise State 35-28
Boise State mounted a furious comeback on the road to shock Florida State in week one. Freshman Hank Bachmeier played well down the stretch, and Robert Mahone has serious talent at the running back spot. Their defense struggled early, but finally woke up in the second half. I expect them to get off to a better start at home against Marshall. Marshall has a high powered offense, and Isaiah Green has shown a knack for making big throws. He will face much tougher opposition in the Broncos this week, and I expect Marshall to be competitive. However, I believe Boise State will win a closely contested game that may come down to a final possession.
25 Nebraska (1-0) vs Colorado (1-0)- Colorado 35-31
Nebraska had a ton of hype this offseason, but looked rough in their first game. They barely beat a weak South Alabama team at home. Quarterback Adrian Martinez did not play well, and their defense looked to be a step behind. A win is a win, but this did not boost the confidence of their fans. It shows that Scott Frost still has some work to do. Colorado has a good coach in Mel Tucker who is trying to change the culture of the Buffaloes. They have a solid quarterback in Steven Montez with some real college football experience. Alex Fontenot impressed on the ground in game one as well. Their defense is well below average, and their offense is likely to carry them throughout the season. I actually like Colorado in an upset over Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are a young team, and have not figured out how to win on the road yet. Colorado has a good enough offense to survive in a shootout, and I expect them to pull off the upset in a offensive minded game.
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