College football continues to roll on, and there are several top 25 matchups this week. The conference play continues to heat up as we inch closer to the pivotal college football playoff rankings. The top ten teams will look to move forward, and the ones on the outside to jump back in the mix. These are my predictions for this weeks college football slate of games.

3 Georgia (4-0) vs Tennessee (1-3)- Georgia 42-17
The Bulldogs are talented offensively behind Jake Fromm and DeAndre Swift. Their defense has been a nice surprise, and dominated against a good Notre Dame offense. Kirby Smart’s team will take on the struggling Volunteers who can’t seem to make plays on offense or get stops on defense. Tennessee is a mess with a terrible defense, and an offense that can’t find an answer at quarterback. It remains to be seen if Brian Maurer or Jarrett Guarantano will get the start, but running back Ty Chandler will have to carry a heavy load for them to compete. I expect the Bulldogs to win in an easy fashion, and will extend their undefeated streak.

25 Michigan State (4-1) vs 4 Ohio State (5-0)- Ohio State 34-14
Michigan State has a solid defense that is capable of corralling the majority of the offenses in the NCAA. However, they are coming off a poor performance against a average Indiana office. The Spartans offense has been disappointing, as QB Brian Lewerke has left points on the table. Elijah Collins is a gifted back who can break away from the pack, and star receiver Darrell Stewart Jr. has to make big plays for his offense. Ohio State has been downright dominate in every game this year. QB Justin Fields has been unstoppable throwing and running the football with ease. J.K. Dobbins and Master Teague are running for big gains behind a stout offensive line. Their receiving core is led by K.J. Hill, but isn’t as deep compared to previous years. Their defense has been a nice surprise, and dominated Adrian Martinez last week. I think Michigan State will compete early, but their defense isn’t deep enough to hold off the Buckeyes offensive attacks. I don’t trust the Spartans offense to keep up if this turns into a shootout.

Utah State (3-1) vs 5 LSU (4-0)- LSU 56-28
The Aggies can move the ball offensively behind their running attack with Jaylen Warren, Gerold Bright, and QB Jordan Love. Love is still developing as a passer, but is more likely to lean on his legs in this game. Utah State’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, and will have a super tough test Saturday. LSU’s offense is legit, and Joe Burrow is playing like a bona fide Heisman candidate. He has carved up opposing defenses, and his receiving core is deep with standouts like Ja’Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Justin Jefferson. They have found a run game behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire as well. Their defense has talent, but they have been giving up big plays in the pass and running game. LSU’s offense is too good for Utah State, and their defense will force turnovers in what will likely be a blow out.

6 Oklahoma (4-0) vs Kansas (2-3)- Oklahoma 48-21
Oklahoma’s offense behind the mind of Lincoln Riley continues to shine. Jalen Hurts is a Heisman favorite continuing his brilliance against Texas Tech. He has suddenly become a dominant passer, and still is dangerous with his legs. Their offense is full of weapons like Trey Sermon, Kennedy Brooks, Ceedee Lamb, and Charleston Rambo. Their defense is improved, and shut out a passing heavy Red Raider team. Les Miles has improved Kansas, but they could be in over their heads against OU. Carter Stanley has improved every week as a passer, and running back Pooka Williams is a talented back. Their best weapon is big play receiver Andrew Parchment. Their defense has been respectable, but has not faced an offense like this. Kansas is getting better, but the Sooners are just too good to lose to the Jayhawks. I expect Oklahoma to win big and will likely blow out Kansas early on.

7 Auburn (5-0) vs 10 Florida (5-0)- Auburn 27-23
Bo Nix had his best game as a quarterback against Mississippi State. He showed his potential as a passer, and made smart decisions in a blow out win. Their running game is still strong behind JaTarvious Whitlow, and this offensive line is underrated. Seth Williams is their top receiver, and will be tested against the Gators. Auburn has been solid against the pass, but has been exposed at times against the run. Florida continues to roll behind the arm of backup QB Kyle Trask. He dominated against Towson, and made smart decisions taking chances down the field. His competition will certainly step up come Saturday. Damion Pierce and Lamical Perine are a nice duo in the backfield that need to take pressure off of Trask. Florida’s defense is one of the best in the country, and has only surrendered 24 points the entire year. Jonathan Greenard leads a dangerous pass rush, and Shawn Davis leads the secondary. This is a tough game to call, but I am going to lean towards Auburn. I feel their running game is more consistent, and their defense is good enough to keep them in the game.

Kent State (2-2) vs 8 Wisconsin (4-0)- Wisconsin 52-10
Dustin Crum is a respectable quarterback, but will have a tough test in Wisconsin. Woody Barrett and Joachim Bangda have to contribute on the ground for Kent State to win. Their defense has played bad, and were exposed against Auburn two weeks ago. Wisconsin finally looked human in their tough win over Northwestern. Jack Coan did not play well, but has shown an ability to rise to the occasion in big game. Jonathan Taylor had another great game, and this offense simply doesn’t click without him. Their receiving core has to improve against better teams. Their defense has been stingy, and Jack Sanborn is the leader of the unit. I see the Badgers blowing out Kent State with ease from start to finish. The Golden Flashes just don’t have the personnel to compete with Wisconsin.

Bowling Green (1-3) vs 9 Notre Dame (3-1)- Notre Dame 48-13
Bowling Green cannot score on offense and can’t stop anybody on defense. Their team is simply bad, and will not have much of a chance against Notre Dame. Darius Wade turns the ball over too much, and Davon Jones will have to improve on the ground in order to compete. Ian Book put up a valiant effort against Georgia, but was largely ineffective against Virginia. Tony Jones Jr. had a great game however, and leads the Fighting Irish’s rushing attack. Chase Claypool is a big play receiver, and don’t sleep on the developing Cole Kmet. Their defense is legit, and Julian Okwara will likely be playing on Sunday’s in the future. Notre Dame will win easily in this game as Bowling Green is simply a terrible team. I expect Ian Book to dominate, and their defense will force a ton of turnovers.

11 Texas (3-1) vs West Virginia (3-1)- Texas 34-30
Texas has a legit offense with Sam Ehlinger who’s developed into a consistent passer along with his rushing ability. Keontay Ingram continues to improve, and Roschon Johnson has some talent as well. Their receiving core is deep with the veteran Devin Duvernay, and speedy receivers like Jake Smith and Brennan Eagles. It remains to be seen if top receiver Collin Johnson will be back. Their defense is banged up, and haven’t exactly played well this year. Their secondary is in shambles as Caden Sterns and Jalen Green will miss multiple weeks. West Virginia has bounced back after a tough loss against Missouri with two straight wins. Austin Kendall continues to show his potential improving his decision making. Kennedy McKoy and Leddie Brown have to take pressure off of Kendall on the ground. Sam James is a impressive Freshman with eye turning speed down the field. The biggest mark is their defense that has been up and down this year. This will certainly be a big step up in competition compared to their previous opponents. I see this being a shootout between to offensive reliant teams. At this point, I trust Ehlinger more than Kendall even if he’s on the road. The Longhorns should escape with a close win behind their big play oriented offense.

Purdue (1-3) vs 12 Penn State (4-0)- Penn State 42-28
Purdue’s offense has struggled behind backup QB Jack Plummer who continues to turn the ball over. They have a solid running game behind King Doerue, and seem real outside threats in Rondale Moore and David Bell. Their defense has struggled most of this year, and will now face a humming Penn State offense. Sean Clifford made my upset look foolish by picking apart Maryland. He showed why so many people believe in his skillset nearly throwing for 400 yards. Their passing attack is underrated, and they can run the ball behind Devyn Ford and Journey Brown. K.J. Hamler is the leader of the receiving core and seems to improve each week. James Franklin’s defense has been dominant this season, and continue to force turnovers to help the offense. Purdue has some skill, but Penn State is too talented to be upset at home. I just feel their defense will show up, and the offense should move the ball with ease.

California (4-1) vs 13 Oregon (3-1)- Oregon 26-19
Cal is coming off their first loss of the year against an underrated Arizona State team. Chase Garbers dropped significantly compared to last week, and continues to be inconsistent. They will have to lean on Christopher Brown Jr. in the running game, and Trevon Clark must spread the defense on the outside. Cal’s defense is legit, and Cameron Goode is an athletic pass rusher that must be stopped. Oregon is coming off a bye week, and will look to avoid rust at home. Justin Herbert is a future top pick in the draft, and has shown how gifted of a passer he is. CJ Verdell runs with power for a smaller back, and has a quick step in the backfield. Oregon’s deep receiving core is finally healthy, and will have to step up against a good defense. Oregon’s defense has been surprisingly productive after being expected to struggle. They will need to put pressure in the backfield to slow the Cal rushing attack. The Pac-12 is tough to call, but I expect Oregon to take this game at home. They are tough in Eugene, and just have a better overall team than Cal.

14 Iowa (4-0) vs 19 Michigan (3-1)- Iowa 24-21
Iowa is a experienced team, and have a proven leader at QB in Nathan Stanley. He never seems to get rattled, and rarely turns the football over. Their rushing attack goes three deep with Toren Young, Tyler Goodson, and Mekhi Sargent. They have some outside threats in Tyrone Tracy Jr., Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and Brandon Smith as well. Their defense plays physical football, and A.J. Epenesa is their top pass rusher. They have yet to face top competition, and will have their biggest test Saturday. Shea Patterson cleaned up his game against a bad Rutgers team. They have some talent in the backfield in Christian Turner and Zach Charbonnet. Their receivers Ronnie Bell and Donovan Peoples-Jones have to get open to help their QB out through the air. Their defense has been disappointing this year, and hasn’t been able to figure out how to stop the run. This is a make or break game for Michigan if they want to compete for a championship. I actually like Iowa on the road in the hostile big house. Their QB is not going to be fazed by the moment, and their deep rushing attack will give the Wolverines issues. Their defense will have to be disciplined against a Michigan roster with some high level talent. However, I believe Iowa has the tools to find a way to win a big game on the road.

15 Washington (4-1) vs Stanford (2-3)- Washington 27-17
The Huskies love their new QB in Jacob Eason who has been sensational outside of one bad game against Cal. He has given Chris Peterson a deep passing attack he loves to implore on offense. Don’t forget about their standout rushing attack behind Salvon Ahmed who can blaze down the field. Aaron Fuller is their best receiver, and gives them that deep threat to work with Eason. The Huskies defense has been forcing takeaways, and Cameron Williams leads the team in interceptions. Stanford has had a rough start to the season. K.J. Costello has been a major disappointment to this point, and needs a big game against Washington. Cameron Scarlett has been there only consistent force on offense on the ground. Their receiving core is very thin, and the defense has had issues with the passing attack. Stanford is always a upset threat, but I like Washington in this matchup. The Huskies are too consistent offensively, and I just don’t believe Stanford’s offense is in the right mindset to move the ball.

16 Boise State (4-0) vs UNLV (1-3)- Boise State 56-21
The Broncos offense continues to be a force behind the mind of Brian Harsain. Hank Bachmeier has been impressive as a Freshman continuing to dominate down the field. Robert Mahone has lived in the endzone with an ability to run in between the tackles. CT Thomas is a standout receiver who has a knack for getting behind the defense. The Broncos defense has continued to get better each week, and did a solid job against an underrated Air Force team last week. UNLV is a bad football team who turns the ball over a lot. Their defense can’t stop anyone, and QB Kenyon Oblad has been terrible. Their running game is bad, and will be overmatched against Boise State. I expect the Broncos to win easily dominating from start to finish.

18 UCF (4-1) vs Cincinnati (3-1)- UCF 38-31
Dillon Gabriel has so many great qualities, but the Freshman has been up and down. He can look great, and then at times can’t find a way to take care of the ball. Their run game is dangerous behind Adrian Killins Jr. and Bentavious Thompson. Gabriel Davis continues to put up huge receiving numbers, and is becoming one of the better wide outs in the country. Their defense was exposed against Pitt, and will have to improve against a tough Cincy offense. Outside of a bad loss against Ohio State, the Bearcats have played really well. Desmond Ridder has been smart with the football, and can make plays with his legs as well. Alec Pierce has become their best receiver, and Tavion Thomas is their big play running back. Their defense is underrated, and plays with a lot of speed and passion. This is a tough game to call, but I am going to lean with UCF on the road. I feel their offense is more explosive, and the Bearcats will give up a lot of yards on the ground. Gabriel has to improve his decision making or else they will find themselves with another loss.

21 Oklahoma State (4-1) vs Texas Tech (2-2)- Oklahoma State 45-31
The Cowboys offense continues to shine behind the legs of Chuba Hubbard. Spencer Saunders has to improve in terms of decision making in order to keep the machine rolling. However, he is a crazy athlete who can breakaway when given space just like Hubbard. Tylan Wallace is likely to dominant against a bad Texas Tech secondary, and don’t forget about Dillon Stoner after a quiet game. Their defense improved against Kansas State, and will face a backup QB in Lubbock. The Red Raiders season has taken a hit with the loss of Alan Bowman. Jett Duffey will be the starter, and hasn’t shown an ability to lead this team. SaRodorick Thompson will have to take pressure off of Duffey making plays with his legs. Texas Tech’s defense has to improve after a terrible performance against Oklahoma. I like Oklahoma State, their offense is so dangerous, and the Red Raiders offense has looked pedestrian this year without Kliff Kingsbury calling the shots.

Tulsa (2-2) vs 24 SMU (5-0)- SMU 45-35
Shane Buechele has been a comeback player this year playing at a high level after transferring to SMU. He has put up big numbers, and has taken this offense to another level. Xavier Jones continues to exploit defenses with his speed making big plays behind a underrated offensive line. James Proche is Buechele’s go to man on the outside, and can run any type of route. Their defense isn’t great, but has benefited from a high scoring offense. Tulsa’s offense has been hit or miss to this point behind QB Zach Smith. The former Baylor Bear has had some good moments, and at the very least has protected the ball. This offense is built with the run behind Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor II. Keylon Stokes and Keenen Johnson should have a big day against a bad secondary. However, their defense was torched against Oklahoma State who has a similar style to SMU. Tulsa should be competitive, but the Mustangs offense has been too good to pick against. They showed they are for real after beating TCU, and are making a run for an American conference title.

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