Memphis Welcomes Unbeaten Middies To Liberty Bowl

It isn't often that the American Athletic Conference gets publicity this late into the season, but Saturday's showdown between No. 25 Navy and Memphis isn't your average Group of Five contest.

Navy comes in on a high after knocking off Air Force 48-45, getting a touchdown pass with 15 seconds left to stay unbeaten. QB Zach Abey, the nation's second leading rusher at 174 yards per game, found Tyler Carmona from 16 yards out to clinch the contest.

Navy QB Zach Abey is one of the nation's most dangerous runners (Navy Times)

Memphis, meanwhile, has its own smile after putting up 70 points on an overmatched UConn squad. Tigers quarterback Riley Ferguson threw seven touchdown passes in the game, and helped Memphis set a school record for total offense with 711 yards.

Navy has won the last two meetings, scoring 87 points in those contests. Memphis coach Mike Norvell knows that his defense will have to play better than its ranking of 123rd if it is to have a chance for victory.

“Navy has some great playmakers. It’s a very impressive offensive unit,” Norvell said. “You have to defend the entire field against Navy. It all starts with trying to stop the dive. Then you have to deal with the quarterback keep and the slotback pitch while being accountable to all the play-action.”

Not to be outdone, Navy coach Ken Niumatololo rubbed his eyes in disbelief after seeing Memphis put up the 70 on UConn. He knows first hand about Ferguson, who threw for 333 yards in last year's game.

“Riley Ferguson is a tremendous talent. We’ve seen him in-person,” Niumatalolo said. "He has a cannon for an arm and can really whip the football around.”

The stakes are high, especially for Navy (5-0, 3-0). A victory would put the Middies at 4-0 in league play and all but eliminate Memphis (4-1, 1-1) from contention in the West Division. Houston is the only other unbeaten on that side, and won't play Navy until Nov. 24th. A Memphis victory could throw the division into turmoil, and Navy knows that it needs to be ready to defend a passing offense that can exploit all areas of the field.

“Obviously, Memphis has a really good offense. They do whatever they need to do,” Niumatalolo said. “They are really, really good at throwing the football, and also run the ball real well. It’s going to be a tough challenge. Maybe we can petition to have 13 players out there on defense.”

Navy has rushed for 400 yards in three straight games, and knows that the best way to keep Memphis from scoring is to control the clock. No team has rushed for 400 yards in four straight games since 2000, so Memphis definitely has a challenge ahead.

"Obviously, Navy, their offensive presentation is something that you don't see very often," Norvell said. "We spend a lot of time in the offseason looking at it, trying to evaluate what best fits our personnel, what's the best way to be able to contain what they do. It's always going to be a challenge.

"The thing that makes it so difficult with them, you're so concerned with what you're doing in your presentation, but also to simulate the look that they have is as hard as anything. When you look at your scout teams and your practice squads, that's definitely very difficult to do, especially how fast and efficient they are. And they've got great playmakers. A quarterback, a receiver, a slot back, a fullback, all guys that can really make you pay. This is a team that is definitely difficult to prepare for. Our guys are excited about doing our best in getting prepared for them."

Navy leads the nation in rushing at 414.2 yards per game, and is 12th in total offense at over 500 yards per contest. Abey isn't the only dangerous runner for the Middies, as Chris High and Malcolm Perry have over 700 yards and four touchdowns between them. Memphis ranks 94th defensively against the run, so will need to do something to counteract the Middies powerful ground attack.

Memphis needs a strong showing from Riley Ferguson (Charlotte Observer)

Memphis prefers to take the air route, ranking 15th in passing and 11th in total offense. Anthony Miller and  Phil Mayhue have combined for 299 career catches, and Miller has 35 grabs and seven touchdowns this season.

Both teams have big play offenses -- ranking in the top 20 in explosive plays of 20-plus and 30-plus yards -- so the scoreboard operator could be very busy.

Both coaches believe their teams are in the proper frame of mind heading into the game, which kicks off at 3:45 p.m. Saturday in Memphis.

“There is definitely no time to celebrate. Memphis was the preseason favorite for a reason and is definitely living up to that billing,” Niumatalolo said. “Both teams recognize this is a critical game for the conference, especially the West side. We have to go through Memphis. It’s always tough to play on the road and this will be a real battle.”

Norvell agrees, saying, "I think there's an excitement for the opportunity. They've competed for the divisional championship, and then the conference championship last year. We know this is one of the best teams in our league. They've proven it, they're top 25, they're undefeated.

"They're doing an exceptional job again this year. So to say  that for our team to look at it as anything more than just another opportunity, it's a great opportunity because it's against a great football team."

Navy is attempting to go 6-0 for the first time since 1979.

No.10 Auburn Roars Into Bayou Country To Take On Rejuvenated LSU

There is still a lot of football left to be played this season, but this week certainly feels like a "prove it" week in the SEC, certainly as far as Auburn and LSU are concerned.

Auburn has won five in a row, against somewhat suspect competition, after losing its opener to Clemson, and has ascended to 10th in the national rankings. LSU won a huge game last weekend against Florida, erasing the sting of a home loss to Troy two weekends ago but still with some struggles.

Both teams are still in the hunt in the SEC West, but the loser this weekend could face a real uphill battle.

Auburn (5-1, 3-0) is one of a number of SEC teams living on defense, allowing more than 14 points just once this season, giving up 23 to Ole Miss, though two scores came in the fourth quarter well after the outcome was decided. Auburn ranks sixth in the country in scoring defense and among the top 25 against both the pass and the run.

Auburn's Kerryon Johnson leads the nation with 12 touchdowns (SEC Country)

LSU (4-2, 1-1) righted the ship -- at least temporarily -- with a gritty 17-16 victory at Florida last Saturday,  and should be getting back some key players for this game, including defensive end Frank Herron. Fellow end Rashard Lawrence has not been 100 percent, nor have running backs Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn knows that LSU will be brimming with confidence, so his team will need to stay on task if it wants to continue on its quest for an SEC West title.

"Our message has been each week to get better, and the last three weeks I feel like we’ve done that," Malzahn said. "We are going to have to continue to do that on the road at LSU.”

Malzahn wants to keep LSU off balance, and unlike Florida has the parts to do it.

Jarrett Stidham has steadily improved at quarterback, ranking among the nation's top 10 in passing efficiency and completing over 71 percent of his passes. Stidham has gone three straight games without an interception, and continued strong play from him will keep the Tigers offense humming.

“He’s getting better," Malzahn said. "You can tell he’s getting more comfortable and more confidence and he’s playing at a high level and we’ve just got to keep building upon that.”

Kerryon Johnson isn't typically talked about as one of the best running backs in the SEC, but with a nation's best 12 touchdowns and a nearly six yards per carry average, maybe he should be. Johnson hasn't been healthy for much of the season, but Malzahn has seen signs that he's almost all the way back.

“If you look at the last three weeks, you could tell he hasn’t been 100 percent," the coach said. "At Missouri, he had a couple chances to hit some seams and turn on the gas. He didn’t want to re-pull his hamstring, so he geared it down. Against Mississippi State, you saw him break and he geared it down. Last week when he broke, he was able to turn it loose. You can see that he is getting healthier. Last week he wasn’t quite 100 percent, but he was close. Our goal this week is to have him 100 percent. We will be very smart with him in practice. He is playing at a very high level and when he is on the field, he can do a lot of different things.”

LSU didn't dazzle offensively against the Gators, but showed signs of improvement by converting nearly 50 percent on third down, not turning the ball over and rushing for over 200 yards with banged up running backs, against one of the best front sevens in the conference.

The Tigers found a way to get it done, and there is an overwhelming belief that all of the turmoil surrounding the program may have just brought the team closer together.

"It was every ounce of energy, every person in the building gave it," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. "And that's what it takes. And our mindset was of that. And we finally galvanized as a team. I don't think before we were playing as a team. I think we galvanized as a staff. I think that was important.

"We had better practices. And, again, it came down to one point. Let's face it. The kicker missed an extra point. You know what I'm saying? That's what happened. We're in the SEC. It's very physical. When we were up 17-3, I wish we could have kept that lead and kept sustaining. But we let them get back in with some drives, stopped ourselves with some drives. But I believe that every game is going to have to be: We win as a football team, not one unit or the other."

Guice has not rushed for over 100 yards since early September but showed moments last week where he had that familiar explosion through the hole. He and Williams will need to play well if LSU is to dictate to Auburn, because LSU ranks below 40th nationally in most important offensive categories.

Defense has long been LSU's calling card, and this year is no different. The Tigers are seventh nationally in sacks, an area where Auburn has been weak, ranking 122nd in protecting the quarterback.

LSU's Arden Key will be a focal point for the Tigers D (Associated Press)

That means Herron and Lawrence and Arden Key, who has yet to really get it going this season, could be ready to wreak havoc.

Auburn begins a tricky part of its schedule, with this being the first of three straight road games. The Tigers won't play at home again until Nov. 11, when Georgia comes to town.

"The meat of our schedule is coming up," Malzahn said.

He hopes that his team will continue to worry about its own business, and pay no attention to what's going on outside of the program.

“Whether it is four weeks ago or whether it is today, our team stays pretty insulated," Malzahn said. "We don’t worry about anyone else’s expectations or what they think outside. It is just about us getting better. We are playing better. I told our team we have not arrived and that I will let them know when we arrive." 

It is a rare 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Tiger Stadium and will change the routine for LSU, which is more accustomed to nighttime kickoffs. A night game in Baton Rouge is unlike anything else in the country, but Orgeron is imploring fans to bring that after dark mindset to the afternoon.

"We're going to need them," Orgeron said. "And there's a lot of things that we don't like that we have to do in life. So hopefully they can get up a little earlier, put a little something in their coffee, to make them come up and let's go."

Orgeron noticed growth from his team in the days leading up to the Florida contest. In previous games, there was finger pointing and hanging teammates out to dry, including members of the coaching staff.

With the season threatening to spiral out of control, LSU banded together.

"It's a testament that we believed in each other last week," Oregeron explained. "Nobody blinked. I think the staff came together more last week than any week. The team came together. The leadership evolved. Through adversity, we became stronger. We felt that going into the game. Our guys say: We are not getting on this plane unless we win the game. That was new. That was a great mindset. The meetings, the intensity, the detail all week, when your back's against the wall, the way our guys responded.

"I need to lead this team better. And although we had success, we have to deal with this thing, and we have to put it to bed coming on 5:00, because we've got a very tough opponent coming. So we have another challenge ahead."

The visitor in this series has lost 15 of the last 17 contests, with LSU winning the last two in Baton Rouge by double digits.

Confidence Heading Different Directions As Red River Shootout Approaches

This will be the scene in Austin Saturday afternoon as Texas and Oklahoma play the Red River Showdown (Dallas Morning News)

There isn't much on paper that says Texas should be able to hang with Oklahoma in this Saturday's Red River Showdown, but, as a wise man once said, games aren't played on paper.

The Longhorns would seem to have the mental edge, coming in off of a confidence-building overtime victory against Kansas State while the Sooners felt the sting of losing at home to Iowa State -- a team which had beaten Oklahoma only five times previously.

Even if Texas is sitting on cloud nine, the Longhorns players know one thing.

"[Oklahoma] is going to come out with a chip on their shoulder," leading receiver Collin Johnson said.

After a shocking home opening loss to Maryland, Texas has improved -- by leaps and bounds in some areas, incrementally in others. Bottom line, the Longhorns right now look more like the team that lost a three-point game to USC than like the team that appeared clueless against the Terrapins.

The Longhorns scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of last year's game, but it wasn't enough as Oklahoma won 45-40.

Given the history of the rivalry, 12th-ranked Oklahoma knows that it cannot merely assume that it will win just because it is perceived to be the better team.

"They're a good football team," Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said of Texas.

Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1) enters the game with the nation's top offense, averaging 587 yards per game, and is sixth in scoring (44.6). It all begins with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who leads the nation in passing and has yet to throw an interception through five contests.

A Texas native, Mayfield knows how important this game is to fans of both schools, and to the teams as well. He threw for 390 yards and three scores a year ago in this contest. He knows what needs to be done to get his team focused.

"Unfortunately, it's not something to be proud of, but I have two years of experience being a leader in this time period," Mayfield said. "I've been in this situation before, but that means I know what to do and how to handle it. It's the most disappointing thing, you know this team didn't need that loss (against Iowa State) to put our backs against the wall and go to work. ...

"Like we've handled it the past two years, it's back to business."

Texas (3-2, 2-0) has improved in large part because a young team has matured, has stopped making silly mistakes, and has gained confidence.

The Longhorns know that if you can stop Mayfield, your chances of winning increase.

Texas coach Tom Herman believes that one key to keeping the Heisman candidate relatively in check is to limit the amount of time he spends outside of the pocket. Like Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Mayfield is an assassin when he rolls out or when pressure forces him to move.

"We're going to do our best to contain and not him get outside of the pocket and keep plays alive," Herman said. "

The teams have alternated victories the past five meetings, with the last three contests all decided by one score. Oklahoma has won six of the last 10 games.

The best advice either coach can give to his team is to play all out, and to expect the unexpected.

"Not a whole lot has changed," said Herman, who was a Texas graduate assistant in 1999 and 2000. "I know it's one of, if not the greatest, rivalries in college football. It would be silly to not recognize the place this rivalry has in college football lore. We recognize that this is a historic game every year, and it's a very heated rivalry."

Texas will likely send Sam Ehlinger out at quarterback, and though he is a true freshman, he is one of the maturing players that appears to be hitting stride.

Ehlinger threw for 380 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Kansas State, and carried the ball 20 times for 107 yards. That dual threat option is what Herman wants his team to have, so he is encouraged by what Ehlinger showed last week.

Johnson had seven catches for 92 yards last week, and presents a big target -- 6-6, 220 -- in the passing game.

Oklahoma has not lost consecutive regular season games since falling to Notre Dame and Texas in 1999, on the way to a 7-5 campaign. Riley believes that his bunch will be ready for Texas, whether or not the Longhorns are ranked, and that they learned a lesson last week.

"Our expectations can't be relative to the team we are playing," Riley said. "That translates into not letting up against lesser teams."

"I am very confident in how this group will respond,"  Riley said.

The Red River Showdown kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Texas leads the all-time series 61-45-5, and its last two victories over the Sooners were as an unranked team.

Monday Musings -- Oct. 9

Washington coach Chris Petersen wishes his team's games would start earlier (Sporting News)

There is no doubt about it -- Chris Petersen is one of the best college football coaches in all of the land.

He took Boise State to untold heights, winning a couple of BCS bowl games, and has revitalized a Washington program that was spinning its wheels for many of the last 10 years.

Petersen is no-nonsense, preferring to work instead of making small talk or impassioned pleas in the media.

But he had finally had enough of his Huskies being ignored, and couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"I just want to say something to our fans: we apologize for these late games," he said at a recent weekly press conference. "And I'd also like to reiterate it has nothing to do with us or the administration. We want to play at 1 p.m. It hurts us tremendously in terms of national exposure. No one wants to watch our game on the East Coast that late, and we all know it. We haven't had a kickoff before 5 p.m. this season."

It makes sense, to hear him say it.

But it isn't correct.

Think about this -- the only real national program in the Pac-12 is USC. The Trojans move the meter, have history galore, and fans know the brand. That's not the case for Washington, which is why playing games at 1 p.m. -- 4 p.m. Eastern -- would actually be a bad idea.

You see, that window is typically when Alabama and Ohio State and Michigan and Clemson and a host of other national programs are playing. Washington would get lost in the shuffle, and would probably have fewer eyes watching than it does now.

In television, execs talk about potential viewing opportunities, about potential eyes on a program.

What Petersen doesn't get is that Washington, and the rest of the Pac-12 for that matter, can run games basically unopposed, which would mean more potential viewers, not fewer. Less competition means more of an ability to plant your flag, grow your brand, and that's what the Pac -12 is doing.

ESPN -- specifically GameDay staple Kirk Herbstreit -- added to the debate that basically said Petersen should be thanking the network for even televising Huskies games, a completely wrongheaded answer. But not unexpected from the network, which believes it  can do no wrong and that people value its opinion -- even though subscribers are leaving in droves.

Petersen was merely stating something that bothered him. He didn't call out a specific network or entity and say they were the problem. But it must have hit really close to home for ESPN to act like a petulant eight-year old in its response.

While I disagree with Petersen's premise, he is to be applauded for bringing attention to something that seems to bother more than a few Pac-12 coaches. Stanford's David Shaw has mentioned it before, yet it's hard to remember ESPN going out of its way to post catty little graphics on air about Stanford, or have the announcers talk about it in editorial fashion.

Not sure why the Worldwide Leader decided to pick this fight, but it's just another reason why fans are leaving the network like rats deserting a sinking ship.

Petersen took the high road and didn't fire back at ESPN, preferring to "move on to a new topic." It's a fight he wouldn't be able to win, so he's staying out of it.

He comes out looking like the better party in this whole dust-up, and that's just one more reason to admire the guy.

Wolverines Woes
Full disclosure -- I believed the hype about Jim Harbaugh, and thought that he was just the guy to fix Michigan's woes.

I mean, look at the resume -- dyed in the wool Wolverine, big time player, wildly successful at every coaching stop he's made -- including making Stanford relevant, which is no small task. Yes, it would be just a matter of time until he brought in his culture, his players and started racking up the victories.

Um, it hasn't happened yet, and now there is a question about whether it ever will.

Harbaugh is 24-7 in his first 313 games in Ann Arbor -- the same record held by Brady Hoke through that span. While it isn't horrible, it hasn't been good enough to even contend for the East Division crown in the Big Ten, and after a 14-10 loss to Michigan State on Saturday night, there are questions just how the rest of this season will go.

There are big time concerns around the offense, which will now be without Wilton Speight for the rest of the season. That means the offense is in the hands of John O'Korn, who has been a turnover machine, throwing four interceptions in four games. Michigan lacks dynamic playmakers, and the stubbornness of sticking with the physical, pro style offense could be the Wolverines undoing. While Ohio State and Penn State dazzle each week with playmakers and points, Michigan does it with will and determination. Harbaugh would have been perfect in the Woody Hayes era, but right now Michigan doesn't scare anyone offensively.

Now, to be fair, it hasn't been Harbaugh's fault that the quarterback situation has been a mess. He had Jake Ruddock in for a year after he finished at Iowa, and then went with Speight last season, which was fine. He didn't really scare anyone, but wasn't bad.

Michigan needs more than "not bad," though, if it's going to get back to the upper echelon of college football.

The defense is scary good, which means that Michigan should win every game in which it has a talent advantage. But the Wolverines still must face Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State, teams with as much talent and coaching prowess as they have. So far, Harbaugh hasn't shown the ability to adapt, or to beat UM's biggest rivals.

The loss to Sparty dropped Harbaugh's mark to 1-4 against Michigan State and Ohio State in his tenure, and natives are beginning to get a little nervous. The quirky personality, the rah-rah platitudes, the khakis, the sticking it to the Buckeyes whenever possible -- that's all well and good, but it loses its charm if you can't win the big games.

And right now, Michigan is just another program in the Big Ten.

That's something I never thought I'd be saying.

Falling By The Wayside
More teams have been pushed to the sideline after suffering a second loss, and that means they begin experimenting for next season, using younger players more, maybe work on a golf game. Because they aren't going to the College Football Playoff, and if you aren't going there, you really aren't going anywhere.

Louisville, it's been fun -- we really enjoy watching Lamar Jackson and his sometimes inhuman escapability. But that defense? Yeah, might wanna work on it, because it's keeping you from getting where you want to be.

Wake Forest, your ascent to almost relevance has been fun to follow, and your defense is enjoyable to watch. Let us know when you get an offense to match, and we might just pay attention to you again. Or maybe not.

Duke, for all of the offensive genius head coach David Cutcliffe supposedly brings to the table, it's amazing that you average just 4.85 yards per play, near the bottom of the barrel nationally. The defense, like Wake Forest, is cool to watch, and Mike Ramsay is a beast up front. But that defense is going to sue for non-support, and you'll be watching from the sidelines of some minor bowl game.

Kansas State, it was fun while it lasted, but your offense is too one-dimensional to really be a factor in any national race. Bill Snyder is still the coolest old guy around, and we would love to sit down and join him for a beer. But watching your team play? Sorry, we'll pass. It's just too boring.

West Virginia, it's cute how your fans are up in arms about a couple of officials calls going against you -- even though they were the correct ones -- especially the juggling non-interception on the sideline. But digress. Having to rely on a defense that ranks 106th in the country is just too much for any team to overcome, and you found that out against TCU.

Maryland, we're sorry about your quarterback woes because you looked like you were emerging as a team to watch. There isn't much there defensively, but if DJ Durkin keeps recruiting the way he has, you should be good enough to compete in a couple of years.

Oregon, we are pretty confident that Willie Taggart will end up being a good hire, and will have you back in the fast lane pretty soon. It just isn't going to be this year, especially not with the injury issues that have cropped up.

Florida, really? You couldn't muster up enough offense to knock off an LSU team that was circling the drain? It's interesting that, for all of the quarterback acumen Jim McElwain has, you guys haven't had a real live quarterback in his tenure (well, unless you count the first six games with Will Grier). That will need to change if you want to get past Georgia, a team that's stockpiling quarterbacks like they're going out of style.

Studs And Duds -- Oct. 8

Iowa State's Joel Lanning did a little bit of everything in an upset win over Oklahoma (NewsOK)

We once again have scoured the ends of the college football universe to present the three best, most impactful players/teams, along with three players/teams that didn't do quite as well.

STUDS
Joel Lanning, Iowa State -- Mr Do It All really lived up to his name in Iowa State's stunning 38-31 win third-ranked Oklahoma, playing linebacker and quarterback and being the glue that held things together against a team the Cyclones hadn't beaten since 1990. Lanning went two-of-three passing, for 25 yards, ran the ball nine times for 35 yards and tallied eight tackles, including one sack and one tackle for loss, playing 78 total snaps. According to the Des Moines Register, Lanning is the first ISU player since 1971 to get significant action on both sides of the ball in the same game.
"It was fun," Lanning said. "I can't say enough about my teammates and what they did to help me out."
Lanning started his career in Ames as a quarterback, before moving over to defense.

Khalil Tate, Arizona -- Few would expect a backup quarterback thrown into the game due to injury to fare well, let alone set an FBS record in his first action. But that's exactly what the sophomore did for the Arizona Wildcats, rushing for a QB FBS record 327 yards, and four touchdowns, in the Wildcats 45-42 road upset of Colorado. Tate had touchdown runs of 58, 28, 47 and 75 yards, and threw a 13-yard scoring strike as part of his 142 passing yards. The previous best for QB rushing yards in a game was held by Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch, who tallied 321 yards in 2013. Tate averaged 23.4 yards per carry on the way to putting up the second most yards in school history -- only Ka'Deem Carey's 366 in 2012 (against Colorado, incidentally) is better. 

Kenny Hill, TCU -- The star-crossed quarterback continued his redemption tour, scoring on a run, a reception and a pass in the Horned Frogs 31-24 victory over West Virginia. Hill, who started his career with a bang at Texas A&M before flaming out and transferring to Fort Worth. Hill's threw a 45-yard touchdown pass and caught a 48-yard scoring toss from receiver KaVontae Turpin, but his final touchdown was the most dramatic. Hill made a defender miss in the backfield, then lunged forward, carrying two more into the end zone to notch the game-winning score with just under three minutes remaining.

DUDS
Tulsa -- A lot was expect of the Golden Hurricane this season, but after a 62-28 blowout loss at Tulane, Tulsa sits at 1-5, with all kinds of questions. It wasn't just that Tulsa lost to the Green Wave, it was the way it happened. Tulsa allowed 653 yards of offense, over 50 percent third down conversions while failing to convert a single time in six tries, turning the ball over twice and being on the wrong end of a 44-16 time of possession disadvantage. Tulane had scoring plays of 23, 62, 59, 43 and 34 yards, and scored on all seven of its first half possessions.

Arkansas -- Bret Bielema may finally be experiencing the "karma" his wife so fondly tweets about every time something bad happens at Wisconsin. The Razorbacks offense was stagnant, at one juncture gaining just 48 yards on 18 plays -- among them an interception return of Austin Allen by South Carolina and a fumble return by Allen that also resulted in a Gamecocks score. South Carolina had three defensive touchdowns in the 48-22 rout, the first time in school history that has happened in 125 years of football. Arkansas came into the game averaging 408 yards, but managed just 330 against a defense ranked 12th in the SEC.

Nebraska defense -- Mike Riley must know that this version of the Huskers defense is far from the Blackshirts of yesteryear. Wisconsin left black and blue marks on the Nebraska stop unit, rushing for 353 yards and averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Wisconsin carried a 37-23 time of possession advantage into an easier than it sounded 38-17 victory in Lincoln. The rushing total was Wisconsin's highest in a road game since 2012, when it ran for 564 yards against Indiana. Nebraska has been a tonic for the Badgers ground game, allowing over 200 rushing yards to both Melvin Gordon and Montee Ball in the Big Ten championship game in 2012. The Huskers also gave up a then-record 408 yards to Gordon in 2014. The real demoralizing thing was that Wisconsin was more physical than Nebraska. For years the Huskers made a habit of wearing people down, on both sides of the ball. But Wisconsin put together a 93-yard scoring drive, running the ball on eight of the 10 plays. 

Sunday Morning Tally -- Oct. 8

TOP GAMES
(23) West Virginia at (8) TCU (-13)
Pick -- TCU 41-32; Score -- TCU 31-24 (SU/ATS W)

Michigan State at (7) Michigan (-10.5)
Pick -- Michigan 23-19; Score -- Michigan State 14-10 (SU L/ATS W)

OTHER GAMES
Tulsa at Tulane (-5)
Pick -- Tulane 45-38; Score -- Tulane 62-28 (SU/ATS W)

Illinois at Iowa (-17)
Pick -- Iowa 34-16; Score -- Iowa 45-16 (SU/ATS W)

(4) Penn State at Northwestern (+14)
Pick -- Penn State 34-24; Score -- Penn State 31-7 (SU W/ATS L)

Wake Forest at (2) Clemson (-21.5)
Pick -- Clemson 36-23; Score -- Clemson 28-14 (SU/ATS W)

Ole Miss at (21) Auburn (-22.5)
Pick -- Auburn 42-17; Score -- Auburn 44-23 (SU W/ATS L)

(5) Georgia at Vanderbilt (+17.5)
Pick -- Georgia 36-17; Score -- Georgia 45-14 (SU/ATS W)

Duke at Virginia (-2
Pick -- Duke 32-28; Score -- Virginia 28-21 (SU/ATS L)

Minnesota at Purdue (-3.5)
Pick -- Minnesota 26-23; Score -- Purdue 31-17 (SU/ATS L)

LSU at (21) Florida (-2)
Pick -- LSU 27-21; Score -- LSU 17-16 (SU/ATS W)

(13) Miami, Fla. at Florida State (+3)
Pick -- Miami 28-20; Score -- Miami 24-20 (SU/ATS W)

Arkansas at South Carolina (+2.5)
Pick -- Arkansas 38-28; Score -- South Carolina 48-22 (SU/ATS L)

SMU at Houston (-6.5)
Pick -- Houston 34-31; Score -- Houston 35-22 (SU W/ATS L)

Maryland at (11) Ohio State (-30)
Pick-- Ohio State 44-24; Score -- Ohio State 62-14 (SU W/ATS L)

Kansas State at Texas (-4.5)
Pick -- Kansas State 27-20; Score -- Texas 40-34 2 OT (SU/ATS L)

(1) Alabama at Texas A&M (+26.5)
Pick -- Alabama 41-17; Score -- Alabama 27-19 (SU/ATS W)

(9) Wisconsin at Nebraska (+11)
Pick -- Wisconsin 35-21; Score -- Wisconsin 38-17 (SU/ATS W)

(11) Washington State at Oregon (+3)
Pick -- Washington State 37-23; Score -- Washington State 33-10 (SU/ATS W)

Stanford at Utah (+4)
Pick -- Utah 26-24; Score -- Stanford 23-20 (SU L/ATS W)

2017 RECORD
SU -- Week 15-5, Overall 88-25; ATS -- Week 12-8, 73-60-1

By The Numbers -- Oct. 7

TOP GAMES

(23) West Virginia at (8) TCU
TRENDS
WVU is 3-1 ATS in L4 vs. Horned Frogs; Mountaineers just 1-5 ATS in L6 contests and 4-10 ATS L14 road games; WVU just 1-4 ATS L5 as a road underdog; TCU is 3-7 ATS in L10 vs. Big 12 foes; TCU is 1-9 ATS L10 home games, but 19-6 SU L23 in Fort Worth; Frogs 7-2 SU in L9 week 6 contests; TCU 1-7 L8 as home fave
ANALYSIS
Both teams were off last week, which means in theory both should be sharp and ready to go. TCU has the hallmark win of its season over Oklahoma State, while WVU fell to its best competition, Virginia Tech. That was the season-opener, however, and the Mountaineers have improved. Will Grier has been one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the nation, going deep early and often, and he's helped by running back Justin Crawford, he of the 7.4 yards per carry average. The Mountaineers aren't any great shakes on defense, but aren't afraid to take some chances. TCU isn't quite as explosive offensively, but quarterback Kenny Hill has been steady and patient, which has resulted in the Horned Frogs averaging nearly 48 points per game. Five TCU players have at least nine catches and over 100 yards, so Hill spreads the ball around nicely. TCU is a top 30 unit nationally in total defense, and has enough weapons on that side of the ball to make a stop or two against WVU. That's going to be the difference in the game.  
Line -- TCU -13; PICK -- TCU 41-32

Michigan State at (7) Michigan
TRENDS
Sparty is 7-2 SU and 9-0 ATS in L9 vs. Wolverines; team with the most rushing yards has won 42 of the past 47 in the series; MSU is 27-10 ATS in L37 vs. B1G competition and 22-8-1 ATS in L31 road games vs. teams with winning marks; Michigan has a 10-game home winning streak; Michigan is 6-0 ATS in L6 games in week 6
ANALYSIS
Fans of old-school, physical football will love this game, as both teams hang their hat on defese. The Wolverines are first nationally in total defense and Sparty is fifth, and neither does anything really exotic. Michigan will bring the blitz and harass the quarterback from a lot of different spots, but believes its 11 can beat your 11. Sparty has good numbers, but we aren't sure if the competition they have faced is exactly top notch, at least offensively. While defense takes center stage, the game will likely come down to which quarterback plays better. Michigan has John O'Korn, who has been more consistent than starter Wilton Speight, who is out with an injury. O'Korn has a big arm and can do downfield, and isn't as prone to the interception as Speight. MSU's Brian Lewerke is a solid passer, but adds a dual threat as an outstanding runner. He will need to make some plays with his legs if the Spartans are to keep drives alive. There is also a goofy play or turnover that changes momentum in this one, so don't be surprised when that happens. MSU is not afraid of "big brother," winning three of the last four meetings in Ann Arbor.
Line -- Michigan -10.5; Pick -- Michigan 23-19

OTHER GAMES
Tulsa at Tulane -- Tulsa 11-1 ATS L12 vs. Tulane; Hurricane 12-4 ATS away since 2015; Tulane 4-1 ATS L5 contests; Tulane 1-5 ATS L6 meetings with Tulsa
Line -- Tulane -5; Pick -- Tulane 45-38

Illinois at Iowa -- Road team has covered L3 in the series; Illini 8-17 ATS L25 as visitor since 2012; Iowa just 11-22 ATS as home favorite since 2012, but has covered 6 of L8 in that role; Iowa 2-3-1 L6 games; Iowa 4-2 ATS L6 vs. Illini
Line -- Iowa -17; Pick -- Iowa 34-16

(4) Penn State at Northwestern -- Nittany Lions 12-1-1 ATS L14 contests; PSU 3-5 as road favorite dating back to last season; Northwestern 5-1 SU L6 home games; Pat Fitzgerald 3-0 ATS vs. James Franklin, dating back to 2012 game vs. Vanderbilt; Wildcats 14-7 ATS L21 as an underdog
Line -- Penn State -14; Pick -- Penn State 34-24

Wake Forest at (2) Clemson -- Deacons have lost eight in a row to Clemson but are 3-0 ATS L3 in the series; Wake is 6-1-1 ATS in L8 games vs. ACC; Wake 9-2 ATS L11 away; Clemson 6-1 ATS in L7 games; Tigers are 14-0 SU in L14 October contests; Clemson 5-6-1 ATS L12 as home favorite
Line -- Clemson - 21.5; Pick -- Clemson 36-23

Ole Miss at (21) Auburn -- Ole Miss 0-6 ATS L6 and 1-11 L12 since middle of 2016; Rebels 1-6 ATS L7 road games; Auburn 2-8 ATS L10 contests; Auburn 6-3-1 ATS L10 in series; Tigers 7-14-2 ATS L23 games at home
Line -- Auburn -22.5; Pick -- Auburn 42-17

(5) Georgia at Vanderbilt -- Georgia 10-1 SU in L11 vs. Vandy, and 5-1 ATS L6 games; Bulldogs are 5-1 SU in L6 road games; Commodores 5-1 ATS L6 vs. Georgia and 7-3 ATS L10; Vandy 1-10 SU L11 vs. Georgia at home
Line -- Georgia -17.5; Pick -- Georgia 36-17

Duke at Virginia -- Duke 4-1 ATS in L5 games; Duke 7-2-1 ATS L10 in the series; Devils 12-5 ATS L17 on the road; Virginia 6-2 SU L8 when facing Duke at home; Virginia 2-6 ATS vs. spread in L8 games
Line -- Virginia -2; Pick -- Duke 32-28

Minnesota at Purdue -- Gophers have won 4 of L5 vs. Boilermakers; Minnesota 7-1-2 ATS L10 road games; Gophers 5-11-2 ATS L18 vs. Purdue; Boilers 3-8-1 ATS L11 at home; Purdue 4-1 ATS L5 games; Boilers 5-4-1 ATS L10 in series
Line -- Purdue -3.5; Pick -- Minnesota 26-23

LSU at (21) Florida -- Tigers 3-1 SU and ATS in L4 vs. Gators; LSU has won its last 10 October games; LSU 2-5 ATS in L7 road games vs winning competition, but 4-1 ATS L5 road games; Gators have non won B2B vs LSU since 2009; Florida 5-2 ATS in L7 home games in October and 5-1 ATS in conference home games over the past two seasons; Florida 8-12-1 ATS L21 games on the board
Line -- Florida -2; Pick -- LSU 27-21

(13) Miami, Fla. at Florida State -- Miami 0-7 SU in L7 vs FSU and 1-3 ATS in L4 in the series; Miami 1-6 SU in L7 week 6 games; Seminoles 7-0 SU in L7 at home after losing most recent home game; FSU 3-8 ATS L11 at home vs. teams with winning records.
Line -- Miami -3; Pick -- Miami 28-20

Arkansas at South Carolina -- Arkansas 6-1 ATS as visiting underdog; Hawgs 0-4 ATS this season and 1-5 ATS L6 games on the road; Arkansas 9-4 ATS L13 vs. South Carolina; Gamecocks 2-5 ATS L7 at home; Gamecock 2-4 ATS L6 at home vs. Arkansas
Line -- Arkansas -2.5; Pick -- Arkansas 38-28

SMU at Houston -- SMU 5-0 ATS L5 contests and 5-1 ATS as road underdog; Ponies on a 12-4 spread run; SMU 6-1 ATS L7 on the road; Houston 5-0 SU L5 home meetings vs. SMU; Cougars 0-5-1 L6 as home favorite; Houston 3-9 ATS L12 games
Line -- Houston -6.5; Pick -- Houston 34-31

Maryland at (11) Ohio State -- Terps 4-2 ATS L6 contests; Maryland 2-6 ATS L8 on the road; OSU 23-2 SU L25 home games, but zero covers L4 home games; road team has covered three straight in the series; OSU 1-6 ATS L7 home contests
Line -- Ohio State -30; Pick-- Ohio State 44-24

Kansas State at Texas -- Kansas State 11-2 ATS L13 vs. Longhorns; KSU 33-17 as road dog since 2009; Longhorns have three straight covers since opening loss; Texas 9-4 ATS L13 games at home
Line -- Texas -4.5; Pick -- Kansas State 27-20

(1) Alabama at Texas A&M -- Bama has won four in a row vs. Aggies; Alabama is 8-0 ATS L8 on road vs. teams with winning records, and 7-1-1 ATS since 1995 as 20-plus point road fave; Aggies 0-5 ATS in L6 week 6 contests; A&M 1-10 ATS in L11 SEC games, but 9-2 SU in L11 at home; A&M 2-6 ATS L8 as an underdog
Line -- Alabama -26.5; Pick -- Alabama 41-17

(9) Wisconsin at Nebraska -- Badgers have won the last four meetings; Wisconsin is 7-0 ATS in L7 road tilts and 7-1 SU in L8 B1G games; Nebraska is 9-1 SU in L10 home games; Huskers 1-4 ATS in L5 after losing previous game in a series; Nebraska 0-3 ATS at home this season
Line -- Wisconsin -11; Pick -- Wisconsin 35-21

(11) Washington State at Oregon -- Cougars 5-0 ATS L5 vs. Duks and 4-2 L6 at Oregon; Wazzu 15-6-1 ATS L22 on the road Ducks 5-11 vs. spread in Eugene since 2015; Oregon 5-13-1 ATS L19 contests
Line -- Washington State -3; Pick -- Washington State 37-23

Stanford at Utah -- Stanford 9-2 SU in L11 contests; Cardinal have failed to cover L3 road contests; Stanford 8-4 L12 road games; Utah 5-0 SU L5 games; Utes on 8-2 ATS run since middle of 2016 season and 5-2 ATS L7 at home
Line -- Stanford -4; Pick -- Utah 26-24

2017 RECORD
SU -- 73-20 (3-1 Wednesday/Thursday/Friday); ATS -- 61-52-1 (3-1 Wednesday/Thursday/Friday)

Defense Rules In Showdown of Spartans and Wolverines

Chase Winovich (15) and Mike McCray lead a Michigan defense that is one of the best in the country (Michigan Daily)

Ever since Michigan running back Mike Hart uttered the famous phrase about Michigan State being the Wolverines "little brother," things have ratcheted up a notch or two.

The Spartans have won seven of the last nine meetings, including the improbable 27-23 victory in Ann Arbor in 2015, on a botched punt snap that was returned for a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Michigan hasn't lost a game at home to teams not named Ohio State since that contest, and is 15-2 at home in Harbaugh's tenure.

Some Michigan fans will say the Spartans are actually the biggest rival -- though that's borne out of not being able to beat the Buckeyes, the true top rival, in forever -- and Spartans coach Mark Dantonio says it should be treated differently from other games.

“You play in a rivalry game, it's not just another football game. It means more,” Dantonio said. “It means more for your fans. It means more to the players on your team from instate or from that particular rivalry position, however -- whatever rivalry game it is. It just means more.

"(Hart's comment) really hasn't changed it for me. It's really sort of still the same as far as how I've always approached it ever since I was an assistant here. I guess that's a rallying cry for some, but I am who I am and I just react the way I react sometimes. We get ready to play; they have got a good football team. I have a great amount of respect for what they have accomplished down there. Always have had that. My goal when I came here was to make that a rivalry. I think it's a rivalry. We'll leave it at that."

Both squads are fixtures near the top of the national defensive rankings, Michigan ranking first in total defense and Michigan State fifth. The Wolverines are one of just four teams in America allowing opponents less than four yards per play (3.52), and they've been especially stingy against the run, allowing 69.3 yards and just one touchdown.

"We've got to get our tailbacks going, our running game going a little bit better," Dantonio said. "But the running game on is predicated on so many other things on other levels. ... The main focus is we have to find different ways to do things. We did that against Iowa and it worked out."

Running the ball against Michigan is easier said than done, especially since the Wolverines have been able to get opponents behind the chains for most the season. Michigan is third in the nation in opponents third down conversions, allowing just over 19 percent.

"We're playing at a very high level, our linebackers and our defensive line are playing extremely well as is our secondary," UM coach Jim Harbaugh said. "We look at it as an all-11, a team defense approach. That's the style of the defense that (coordinator) Don Brown has implemented."

It may or may not be a good sign that quarterback Brian Lewerke is Michigan State's leading rusher, with 248 yards. On one hand, he has versatility and can make some plays on RPO, but it also means that the Spartans power run game isn't clicking the way it should be. Running back L.J. Scott was a darkhorse for conference honors in the preseason, but has averaged just 3.7 yards per carry with just one touchdown.

Lewerke found a new best friend last week in receiver Felton Davis III, who grabbed nine passes for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Michigan State's win over Iowa last weekend, but the air attack is still largely a work in progress. Michigan is fifth in the country in sacks (18), so Lewerke will have to be at his best to avoid negative plays.

Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke (Detroit Free Press)

"I think he's always been a good quarterback, he's definitely getting better and better. Ascending as he goes," Harbaugh said. "You can see it game by game. Very talented thrower, very good arm talent. He's athletic and is able to and has the instincts of a runner and is able to pick up yards as a ball carrier. He has an ability to make the big play and seems to be in command when he's on the field. All really good things."

Michigan is powered by defensive end Chase Winovich, who has 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Active linebacker Devin Bush adds 4.5 sacks as well as an ability to drop into coverage, and captain Mike McCray has 26 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and provides immeasurable leadership to a young but talented unit.

The Spartans will be facing John O'Korn at quarterback, and he pushes the ball down the field better than incumbent Wilton Speight, who is out with an injury. O'Korn played well in relief against Purdue, and has a robust 11.4 yards per attempt while completing over 70 percent of his passes. He may be asked to throw a bit more as Michigan State is stout against the run, ranking 16th nationally with 96 yards allowed per game. 

"John's done a fantastic job ever since he got here in every role that he's been in," Harbaugh said. "He's acquitted himself well, including coming off the bench and leading our team to victory against Purdue. I think that speaks volumes."

Ty Isaac has been the Wolverines lead back, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and 89 yards per game. Grant Perry has paced an unspectacular receiving corps, catching 13 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. 

Michigan State is led by end Joe Bachie, who has 34 tackles and four tackles for loss. Linebacker Chris Frey is one of the most active members of the Spartans D, amassing 20 stops and 2.5 sacks. The Spartans allow just 18 points per game and are keeping opposing passers to a paltry 48.2 completion percentage, so Michigan will have its work cut out.

"If you're going to play well defensively in any game, you have to tackle well," Dantonio said. "You have to play the ball well in the deep part of the field and match them up and protect the quarterback. That's our mindset as we go into any football game, but I thought we played extremely well up front and we won at the line of scrimmage (against Iowa), which you have to be able to do."

The teams will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night, which will add a little bit of juice to the proceedings -- though that likely won't be needed, as both teams have plenty on the line.

“I understand that there’s night games and I’ve said this before: I think as a player there’s an exciting part of that, especially the way the pants, the silks, there’s a shine there kind of like…yeah, night games are cool," Harbaugh said. "Yeah, there’s a part of me that’s excited about that. I think there’s a part that excited the players as well, playing under the lights.”

After winning just four games last year, Michigan State is trying to get back to the top of the Big Ten, which is where it was in 2015. Beating Michigan in Ann Arbor will go a long way toward reaching that goal, and the fact that it's a rivalry contest would make it even sweeter. Some coaches will downplay that aspect, but not Dantonio.

"I think that's all coach talk, personally," he said. "I think coaches know what games are important. They understand. They can stand up here and say, `well, this is just another football game,' but it's not.

We play in a Championship Game; it's not just another football game. You play in a rivalry game; it's not just another football game. It means more. It means more for your fans, it means more to the players on your team from instate or from that particular rivalry position, whatever rivalry game it is. It just means more. And I think it's great for college football. I think it's what makes college football in a lot of ways. I think people anticipate these games, look towards the schedule and probably look at the season, and as they are getting their season tickets and say, `Oh, we have that particular game,' whatever it is, wherever you're at, at home this particular time.

"So I think that's pretty traditional across this country, and that's how we've approached it here. Doesn't mean that anybody else has to approach anything in this type of way but that's how we've approached it here."

Mountaineers Bring High Octane Offense To TCU

TCU's defense has been the best in the Big 12 in 2017, but it will be tested by West Virginia this Saturday (USA Today)

TCU has shone brightly on the national stage already this season, so having ESPN GameDay on hand for a showdown with No. 23 West Virginia shouldn't faze the Horned Frogs one bit.

Gary Patterson's bunch, ranked eighth in the nation, has already taken down Oklahoma State in Stillwater a couple of weeks back, firmly entrenching TCU as a legitimate contender for the Big 12 crown. West Virginia comes to town sporting the highest scoring offense in the conference -- 48.8 points per game, second highest nationally -- while TCU has allows just 18.5 points per game, second best in the league.

"It's just another Big 12 ballgame -- you better pull up your pants and get ready to go," Patterson said of the contest, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m Saturday at Amon Carter Stadium. TCU is 50-14 at home the last 10 years, but five of those losses came in last year's forgettable 6-7 campaign.

TCU was blown out last year by the Mountaineers 34-10, but acted in kind the last time the teams played in Fort Worth, winning 40-10 in 2015. The three previous contests had two one point decisions and an overtime game won by three points. So these things can get tense.

The Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0) know they are the underdogs, and have nothing but praise for the Horned Frogs.

"I really think they're deserving of their Top-10 ranking, no question," Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said."When you go into Arkansas and win the way they did, and go into Stillwater and win the way they did, yeah, that's a good football team. It's hard to go anywhere on the road and win in the Big 12."

Both teams have exceeded preseason expectations, and each keeps opponents on watch with balanced offenses. TCU averages 232.3 yards per game rushing, West Virginia 231 -- the top two figures in the conference. The Mountaineers throw the ball a bit better, and more often, and junior quarterback Will Grier leads the nation in passing yards on downfield throws (over 20 yards), with 649. So TCU's pass defense will be tested.
 
"You've got to find a way to slow them down," Patterson said. "You don't necessarily ever stop them.

"You can't allow the big play and you have to stop the run -- Grier runs around really well also, that that also dictates coverage and everything else that you do."

Grier has thrown 13 touchdowns to just three interceptions, and has what may be the best trio of receivers in the Big 12. Gary Jennings (29 catches, 438 yards), David Sills V (26-396-7 TD) and Marcus Simms (23.4 yards per catch on nine grabs) are a secondary's nightmare, which means TCU may need to get pressure up front to throw WVU off of its game. The problem with that is that Grier can scramble and throw on the run, and the offensive line has allowed just five sacks this season.

Travin Howard is the top defender for TCU, making 26 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Safety Nick Orr can create havoc in the secondary, amassing 22 stops and two tackles for loss.

TCU is excellent against the run (94.8 yards), but West Virginia will test with running back Justin Crawford, who averages 7.4 yards per pop and has six touchdowns.

Will Grier has brought stability to WVU's passing attack (Charlotte Observer)

Holgorsen knows what to expect defensively from TCU, so it's merely a matter of executing against it.

"They've been doing the same thing defensively for 20 years and it doesn't look any different now than it has back when they were really good a decade ago," he said. "That's (Patterson's) stamp on the program and his stamp on college football. They have a lot of guys on his staff that speak the same language that he does, so I have a ton of respect with what they're doing.

"They're deep; their front is always good. They rarely have to out-number you in the box, which is a different type situation than what we're usually used to. They just do a really good job of just coaching their guys up with technique and them playing with high motors and doing a great job of getting off blocks. They're as sure of tacklers as we're going to see out there. And their coverages, they read routes better than anybody. They're going to know exactly what positions they're going to have to be in and they're rarely out of position."

TCU (4-0, 1-0) is no slouch offensively, especially since quarterback Kenny Hill has found his groove in his final season of college football.

The former Texas A&M star is completing nearly 73 percent of his passes, and has nine TDs to just three interceptions. He isn't afraid to push the ball down the field, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, and has the talented KaVontae Turpin as his favorite weapon. Turpin -- also a dangerous kick returner -- has 14 catches and averages nearly 10 yards per grab, and is money on third down. Jalen Reagor is a big play threat, averaging 16.8 yards per catch.

West Virginia employs a 3-3-5 scheme, with the defensive backs asked to do a lot of heavy lifting. That's why four of the top five tacklers reside in the secondary, including spur Kyzir White, who has 19 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Middle linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton has been solid, with 36 tackles and six tackles for loss.

The game could come to down West Virginia's ability to stop the run, something it hasn't been very good at in 2017.

The Mountaineers allow 226 yards per game on the ground, a figure that ranks 115th nationally. That has to make Darius Anderson's eyes light up, as he may see more daylight in this game than any this season. Anderson averages over 105 yards per game rushing and has six trips to the end zone. Holgorsen knows the importance of slowing him down, and that his team will need to have better run fits on Saturday if it wants to win.

"It ain't scheme because we've been pretty good against the run these past two years," Holgorsen said. "We've got to do a better job up front of holding gaps. So you didn't see me sweat about it. We need guys to step up and be real dudes."

TCU's win over Oklahoma State brought prominence and spotlight, but Patterson realizes that he can't allow the team to believe that victory was the high point of the season. There is a lot of football yet to be played, and its his job to keep his players on task.

"You can't get too high for one ballgame and then win one, lose five," Patterson said.

The similarities with the programs are many -- they were the last two to join the Big 12, they both have transfer quarterbacks making good on senior seasons, and they both have offenses that can put a ton of points on the scoreboard.

Holgorsen sees a few others, as well.

"I just think if you look at the similarities in the two programs, it builds a lot of interest in this game," he said. "Winning as many games as both West Virginia did and TCU did in their respective conferences prior to the Big 12, both won a ton of games in Group of Five conferences and were always in the BCS discussion and all that good stuff. It's just neat playing this game based on the fact of what the past was and then going into the Big 12 at the same time.

"You've seen both programs go through the process of building their teams pretty similar, I think, as far as some early struggles with some big wins to building some depth to the point where I think both teams are pretty good football teams at this point."

Ranked Wolfpack Have Tough Task Vs No. 17 Cardinals

 It's not often that fans can say "ranked" and "North Carolina State" in the same sentence.

 The 24th-ranked Wolfpack have crept into the AP Top 25 for the first time since the final poll of the 2010 season, which is great. Except that there might not be time to savor it -- or be in the rankings too long -- because they have a Thursday night showdown against No. 17 Louisville at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Ryan Finley's steady play has helped NC State win four straight (News & Observer)

NC State (4-1, 2-0) came into the year as a chic pick to make some noise on the national scene, then promptly went out and lost its opener to an offensively challenged South Carolina squad. Typical Wolfpack.

To its credit, NC State has won four in a row, including a victory over Florida State, and appears to have righted the ship. Atypical Wolfpack.

“I just think it’s a different team,” N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. “It’s an experienced football team.”

 Stopping Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson will be paramount if any victory celebration is to take place.

 “This will be a tremendous opportunity and challenge for our guys,” Doeren said. “We have to do a good job of containing him. He runs through contact. … He has great weapons around him.”

 Ryan Finley has played smart football, throwing nine touchdowns to zero interceptions for the Wolfpack. His 71.9 completion percentage is ninth best nationally, and he hasn't thrown an interception in 192 passes this year. Going back to last season, Finley hasn't thrown to the wrong team in 275 attempts, his last coming in the second half against Miami last November.

“He’s playing smart,” Doeren said. “He has got lucky, too. He has had a couple (potential interceptions) dropped.”

 When Finley absolutely, positively has to have a completion, he looks to Jaylen Samuels, whose 43 catches is third nationally. Samuels is also a weapon in the ground game, scoring five times on rushing plays, and eight times altogether this season. Samuels is the lead dog, but Kelvin Harmon and Stephen Louis both have over 20 receptions, and the return of Jacobi Meyers last week added even more firepower to the Wolfpack attack.

 Louisville (4-1, 1-1) has only a loss to Clemson as a blemish, and since being held to 21 points against the Tigers has exploded for 97 points in its last two contests. The Cardinals enter the game fourth in the nation in total offense, averaging 573.4 yards per game, and their 7.59 yards per play figure is fifth best.

 That means NC State will need to play better defensively than it did last week, when it allowed 25 points and 444 yards to Syracuse.

 Louisville has won three straight in the series, and three in a row, including last year's 54-13 rout that was over before it ever started. The previous two games were by two scores or fewer.

 “We’ve had some great battles with them,” Cardinal coach Bobby Petrino said. “Last year we got ahead of them early and that helped us.”

Lamar Jackson has improved his passing in 2017 (Courier-Journal)

 As good as Jackson is running the football -- 87.4 yards per game -- he's become more polished as a passer. the senior has thrown for 642 yards and 13 touchdowns, and Louisville's 365.2 yards per game through the air ranks sixth nationally. With NC State being absolutely abysmal against the pass -- 284.8 yards per game, 117th in the country -- there could be a lot of footballs flying through the nighttime air in Raleigh.

 Traveon Samuel has been Jackson's big play weapons, averaging 18.7 yards per grab, and Dez Fitzpatrick has been a touchdown machine, scoring six times on 16 catches.

 Louisville could have its hands full with the Wolfpack pass rush, led by Bradley Chubb, who tops the country in tackles for loss (11) and is fourth in sacks (5.5). He's a one-man wrecking crew with enough versatility to drop into coverage and to play against the run.

 Finley could have his work cut out this week as Louisville will likely regain the services of All-America corner Jaire Alexander. The electric junior has missed much of the first half of the season with a leg injury, but returned to practice this week. Finley will also need to be wary of end John Greenard, who has five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.

 Nyheim Hines has been the top running threat for NC State, averaging 82.2 yards per game and scoring three times.

 NC State is just 1-10 against ranked teams under Doeren, and it's last victory in Raleigh in a game featuring two ranked teams came in 1992, against Wake Forest. Petrino is 14-0 against North Carolina schools in his time at Louisville.

 If there is one chink in the Cardinals armor, it's turnovers. Louisville has already lost seven fumbles, and is minus-.40 in turnover margin. NC State is 15th in the nation in turnover margin, so getting the football from the explosive Cardinals would give it a leg up.

 The winner of this contest will keep division leader in sight, and its especially important for the Wolfpack, which has a winnable game with Pittsburgh next week before taking on Clemson the first weekend in November.

 Petrino knows that his team won't be able to just waltz into Raleigh and expect a victory, even with history on its side.

 “It’s competitive,” Petrino said of the Atlantic Division. “It doesn’t really surprise me because N.C. State is really good. We know how important this one is."

Monday Musings -- Oct. 2

 One was a coach few wanted, while the other seemed to be a very popular choice with the locals.

 Both are now suddenly feeling heat, because, in the case of one, the program has failed to reached expected heights and, in the case of the other, there have been two bad losses already this season, including one at home to a Sun Belt Conference team.

 Butch Jones and Ed Orgeron may not be linked by geography or coaching style or demeanor, but they are linked by the disdain their fanbases have for them at the moment.

Butch Jones (Rocky Top Talk)

 Jones, hired just after the end of the 2012 season to replace the failed Derek Dooley, was never really embraced by Rocky Top, as he wasn't seen as a big enough name. Now, forgive Tennessee fans for having delusions of grandeur -- the Vols ain't Alabama or USC or Ohio State or Texas, and can't just have anyone they want.

 They should, however, be able to do better than someone who came from a non-Power 5 school, as Jones did from Cincinnati. They got "no" responses from Mike Gundy, Larry Fedora, Charlie Strong and Jon Gruden, and reportedly looked into Butch Davis, Jim Mora, Kirby Smart, Bobby Petrino -- and the guy they fired because they felt he didn't win enough, Phil Fulmer. He only took Tennessee to a national title, and was consistently among the best in the SEC. But fans are a fickle bunch, and they must have grown tired of double digit wins.

 Tennessee got Jones, despite protestations from Peyton Manning, who attempted to lure him to Colorado despite being a Tennessee alum. Jones went 9-4 the last two seasons, calling them two of the "best seasons" in school annals -- never mind the aforementioned national championship and double digit winning campaigns. But in four seasons under Jones, Tennessee has never won the SEC East, and it won't again this year.

 Jones became upset with the media earlier last week, apparently believing the media should be a cheerleader for his program. And then his team goes out and lays a colossal egg, getting shut out by Georgia 41-0, the team's first shutout at home since 1994 and worst shutout loss since 1905.

 Jones' teams often looked unorganized, unprepared, and the coaching staff does not seem to know how to utilize its talent.

 There are huge questions at quarterback, and recruiting has slipped to the point that there are no real emerging stars at receiver. Running back John Kelly is a good one, but he can't do it by himself, even though he tries.

 The defense looked like it quit against Georgia, and if that's true then it could just be a matter of time for Jones.

 "We will dissect everything. Everything will be looked at, from A to Z. we have to work to get better.

 "Everyone should hurt. If it doesn't hurt, then that shows you are not heavily invested. if that's not motivation, then I don't know what is. There is a tradition of excellence here that we demand."

Ed Orgeron (The Advocate)

Orgeron was widely hailed as a stable, if not flashy, choice for the LSU gig after Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman turned it down. Unlike Tennessee, LSU can -- and should -- shoot for the moon, so settling for Orgeron -- wildly likable and entertaining, but ultimately an average coach -- was a bit of a letdown.

 But at least he was one of them, a Louisiana native, so the Geaux Tigers crowd gave him a chance. He went 6-2 after taking over for Les Miles last season, but the two were against Florida and Alabama, LSU's biggest rivals. There was talk that the offense was getting an overhaul this season, and dynamic coordinator Matt Canada arrived from Pittsburgh, the only team in America to score at least 40 points in every game in 2016. Coupled with holdover defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the Tigers were going to be something.

 They were, albeit against lesser competition, and then they weren't, absorbing a 37-7 body blow from Mississippi State before being knocked out at home by Troy, an upper level Group of Five team that is nowhere near as talented as the Tigers yet outplayed, outcoached and outhustled them on every level, leaving with a 24-21 victory. LSU is 67th in total offense and 83rd in scoring offense, and the defense is also an issue, allowing 87 points in the last three games. Very un-LSU.

 When interviewed for the job, Orgeron brought with him a binder, showing what he would do in every conceivable situation. So it was funny that he and his team looked so lost from the outset against Troy -- to the point that he didn't even know what play was being run. Third team back Nick Brossette got the opening carry, gained five yards and then fumbled.

 "I was not aware we were going to do that," Orgeron said. "I wish I could have that first play back. I wanted Darrel Williams to get the ball. Our third string back got the ball. I should have done a better job of game-planning. I think, that's not the way we ought to start the game."

 Orgeron presented himself as a CEO, who would know every aspect of the program yet would give his coaches freedom to do their jobs. So when he doesn't know what's going on, especially in this day and age of scripted offenses, that's a real red flag.

 LSU fans appear to be stuck with him, as the powers that be put in a $12 million buyout were he to somehow be fired this season. If the unthinkable happened and LSU let him go, it would be paying him, Miles and whomever it hired as the new coach.

"It's not about Troy, it's about us," Orgeron said. "Its a disappointing performance. We were outcoached and outplayed. It seems like we got outphysicaled by Troy tonight, which is not Tiger football."

 Truth be told, LSU hasn't played Tiger football for some time, and may not as long as Oregeron is around. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so it might get worse before it gets better.

 This should be a lesson to fans, to be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it.
  
Barrett Becomes Top Buckeye -- So Why Do So Many Want Him Replaced?

 In all of my years covering the Ohio State football beat, one record I was sure was safe -- Art Schlichter's passing mark of 7,547 yards. The Buckeyes would never find someone to start for four years, or throw the ball enough to really challenge the mark.

 So imagine my surprise when J.T. Barrett broke it on Saturday in the Buckeyes 56-0 romp over Rutgers. He already held most of the school records, including most wins as a starter and most touchdowns responsible for, so checking all of the boxes with the yardage figure seemed only right.

 Amazing that a guy who many in Buckeye Nation believe can't play -- or, more succinctly, can't throw -- could achieve so much.

 Barrett has more wins than anyone in school annals, yet fans say he hasn't won a championship of any kind, and that he wilts in big games. Never mind that in 11 games against ranked teams, Barrett has gone 8-3, and the Buckeyes have averaged 33 points in those games. His 2014 campaign was the best in OSU history, with over 2,800 yards, 34 touchdown passes (and another 10 running) and the highest passer rating in school history (169.8).

JT Barrett (The Lantern)

Detractors point to his lackluster showing in last year's national semifinal against Clemson (a 31-0 loss) and this year's home loss to Oklahoma (31-16) as evidence Barrett can't get it done when the stakes are high. Never mind that in the Clemson loss, the Buckeyes line couldn't block anyone, and that OSU's defense was woefully prepared to stop Baker Mayfield and company this season. Sure, Barrett bares some of the blame, but it's a team effort -- the receivers have been underwhelming, the offensive line play has been spotty, and the coaching dynamic, with new coordinator Kevin Wilson, has been spotty.

 Barrett has improved the last few weeks after the offense was tweaked to feature more quick decisions and quick throws, and utilize more bubble and tunnel screens -- though detractors will say that the improvement came against Army, UNLV and Rutgers, not exactly a Murderers Row of defenses. And there is some legitimacy to that.

 But there are a couple of things to remember here -- first, OSU is not a passing team. Sure, it needs to be able to pass enough to keep defenses from stacking the box against its power running spread, but if the Buckeyes are throwing the ball more than 25 times a game consistently, it's probably not a good sign. OSU should lean on running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber, and rely on Barrett's savvy to handle the RPO Urban Meyer's offense demands.

 Which brings us to point two -- Barrett is a perfect fit for this offense. He will never be mistaken for a gunslinger, but Meyer has never had a truly prolific passer. He's always favored quarterbacks as part of the run game, with shorter passes to the perimeter that could utilize playmakers in space. He did it with Percy Harvin at Florida and with Curtis Samuel last year at OSU.

 Fans who clamor for Dwayne Haskins or Joe Burrow see the precise passing, but what they don't realize is that neither is ready to really take over an offense that is pretty complex, even though its based on simple concepts. Meyer has often cited Barrett's toughness and leadership as two reasons he loves him, and those aren't going to change anytime soon.

 You know what is changing? OSU's offense, and with it Barrett's efficiency.

 In the last three games, Barrett has moved from the 40s in ESPN's QBR metric to 17th, tops in the B1G and one of just two league quarterbacks in the top 20. Barrett has even hit a few deep balls, which was the biggest complaint from OSU fans -- who fail to realize that the Buckeyes aren't the 1970s Oakland Raiders, taking shots downfield every other throw.

 If the receivers continue to progress -- Parris Campbell is the closest thing Ohio State has to a Harvin or Samuel, and Bin Victor showed some fight and determination in going up for a 50-50 ball against Rutgers -- Barrett should continue to improve. Many say this kind of offense won't work against better defenses, and they may be right. But it has worked in the past, including in the 2014 national championship campaign, so I am giving Meyer the benefit of the doubt.

 Of course, fans won't be happy until or unless the Buckeyes knock off Penn State on Oct. 28th. I am sure that if OSU wins, but Barrett plays average or worse, fans will find a way to be upset.

 After all, going back as far as Woody Hayes, many OSU fans are more concerned with HOW the Buckeyes win rather than THAT they win.

 Barrett is a winner, and while he will never be mistaken for Schlichter in a passing sense, he does have him beaten in most important measurables.

 Should the Buckeyes run the table and win the B1G title game, it will be in the discussion for the College Football Playoff, at which point Barrett will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong.

Thanks For Playing

 While their coaches will say there is still plenty to play for, a handful of teams saw their seasons, for all intents and purposes, end on Saturday. No longer part of the chase for the College Football Playoff, these teams are more than welcome to pick up their lovely parting gifts on the way out:

Iowa -- The Hawkeyes were never serious players, though their defense is good enough to cause problems for teams that don't come to play. The offense is archaic, and there is little semblance of a passing game. But Kirk Ferentz will still get his millions -- it must be nice to not have expectations, Iowa.

Northwestern -- The Wildcats were seen by many (including the person typing these words) as a darkhorse pick to win the Big Ten West division. Um, about that ... who knew the ground game would be so poor, that the defense would regress back to 2014 and 2015 levels, and that, for one of the few times in Pat Fitzgerald's tenure, the team wouldn't play hard all the time.

Ole Miss -- You weren't really allowed to play, anyway, so we aren't going to waste a lot of space.

Vanderbilt -- Solid defense, anemic offense, and no one to open holes for Ralph Webb at running back, which is a shame because he's been one of the more unheralded backs in the land for a couple of seasons now. There just isn't enough offense in Music City for the Commodores to truly compete, though Kyle Shurmur may have a football job beyond college.

LSU -- See above. The less (Miles) said about the Tigers, the better. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so at least the Bayou Bengals aren't harboring any false hopes about being any good.

Indiana -- If it was basketball, we could talk. As it is, the Hoosiers were pretty much fools gold this year

South Carolina -- The effort is there, the talent is not, at least not yet. The Gamecocks had Texas A&M on the ropes but couldn't finish the job, so now it can build for the future.

Colorado -- While last year's resurgence wasn't a complete fluke, the Buffs are still a year or so away from being a consistent contender in the Pac-12. There just isn't enough firepower in the passing game, and too many issues in the secondary.

Cal -- Another team taking positive steps forward, it's just too young to really be a factor this year. Justin Wilcox will get it going because he's an excellent coach, but the early season optimism probably was a bit much for a team that came into the year as one of the least experienced in America.

 The number of unbeatens has fallen to 17, while the winless has dwindled to seven -- though one, UTEP, saw its head coach, Sean Kugler, step down after an 0-5 start.

Studs and Duds -- Oct. 1

Stanford RB Bryce Love has already gone over 1,000 yards for the season (Sports Illustrated)

 Every Sunday during the college football season we select the best and worst performances of the weekend -- it's a piece we call Studs and Duds. There were a number of candidates to choose from this week, but we believe we've hit on the three best (and worst).

STUDS
Bryce Love -- Everyone talked about Christian McCaffrey as a "once in a lifetime back" while he was at Stanford. Well, the Cardinal have found a second as Love is over 1,000 yards rushing in just five games -- and it's just the first day of October. Love is the first back in the Pac-12 (then 10) to eclipse 1,000 yards since Marcus Allen did in 1981 -- the year he won the Heisman Trophy. Love's WORST day this season was his 160 yard showing against USC, where he still averaged 9.4 yards per carry. His ability to burst through the hole rivals that of Penn State's Saquon Barkley, and he's faster in the open field than his Penn State counterpart. He's also shown the ability to carry the workload, taking 55 carries in the last two games. Quite an accomplishment for a guy who stands just a shade above 5-10 and weighs less than 200 pounds. Stanford may be out of the national title hunt, but if Love keeps putting up these sick numbers, he will be right in the thick of the Heisman race.

Luke Falk -- USC gunslinger Sam Darnold garnered most of the headlines heading into Friday night's showdown with unbeaten Washington State, but by the end of the night it was Falk getting the rave reviews. The senior, who came to Pullman as a walk-on, ended the night with 340 yards and two touchdowns, including converting crucial third and fourth downs on the go-ahead fourth quarter drive that culminated in a 23-yard TD pass in the face of an oncoming rush. Falk hit on 10-of-12 passes for 90 yards and a score in the fourth quarter. Falk has been sort of quiet, residing as he does in a conference with Darnold and UCLA's Josh Rosen and Washington's Jake Browning. But Falk isn't just a system quarterback, he has an NFL future. He throws a solid intermediate ball and is precise on timing passees to the sideline. He has enough arm strength to go deep when needed, but his biggest asset is his ability to stay in the pocket and fire off a rocket even under pressure. He certainly looks like the best quarterback in the Pac-12 right now, and if the Cougars go on to a league title, he will be a major reason.

Scott Frost -- People probably thought Scott Frost was crazy to leave Oregon to tackle the rebuilding project that was Central Florida. The Golden Knights were tarnished, finishing 0-12 in 2015 and looking like they were years away from contending. Frost managed a 6-7 record with average talent, and this year has put UCF squarely in the hunt for the Group of Five New Year's Six bid after destroying Memphis 40-13 on Saturday. UCF is seventh in the nation on offense, averaging nearly 540 yards per game and 7.13 yards per play. Quarterback McKenzie Milton has been a dual threat weapon, completing almost 65 percent of his passes, averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt and throwing eight TDs to just two interceptions. He's also averaged over nine yards per carry and is becoming a larger part of the Knights ground attack. UCF is also stout defensively, ranking 22nd nationally. UCF has a big win over a Power 5 school in Maryland, and if it wins the American Athletic Conference crown it will definitely be in the mix for national headlines.


DUDS
LSU -- The Tigers probably thought visiting Troy would be merely a speed bump before SEC play really got underway. It was LSU that ended up covered in tire tracks, losing 24-21 to the Trojans, and putting the spotlight on Tigers coach Ed Oregeron. This was the year it was supposed to be different, where the offense was supposed to enter the modern age. He brought in Matt Canada from Pittsburgh to ramp things up, but LSU is 67th in total offense, at just over 400 yards per game, though are fairly efficient, averaging 6.4 yards per play. So where is the issue? The Tigers are 93rd in third down conversions, hitting just 35.7 percent. They give the ball up too easily, and the passing game is 77th in the country, completing just 60 percent despite averaging 9.0 YPA. So it's downfield or nothing. And the vaunted defense has allowed 29 ppg in its last three contests, so that group isn't getting the job done, either. It won't get any easier as Florida and Auburn, two monster defenses, are up next on the Tigers slate. LSu paid Troy $985K for the visit to Baton Rouge, and obviously got little return on the payout.

Butch Jones -- The beleaguered Tennessee coach ranted against the media earlier in the days leading up to the Vols game against Georgia, wondering why they weren't more "positive" toward his team. As a rallying cry, Jones led his team to a horrific 41-0 loss to the visiting Bulldogs, the worst home loss for the Vols since 1905 and the first time shut out at home since a 31-0 loss to Florida in 1994. Tennessee managed just 142 yards of offense, converted one third down in 12 tries and averaged just 2.67 yards per play. If the Vols were playing to support their embattled coach, their efforts failed. And now Jones, who entered the season with lukewarm support from the fanbase, will have two weeks to weather the storm as the Vols are off before facing South Carolina Oct. 14th. While it may be too early to say Jones is fighting for his job, it might not be. More efforts like this and the decision will be an easy one.

North Carolina -- Oh, how the Tar Heels have fallen. No doubt the fans in Chapel Hill are waiting for Roy Williams and his crew to tip off, because this season has gone down the drain less than halfway in. UNC not only lost 33-7 to Georgia Tech, it was demoralized by Tech repeatedly shoving the ball down its throat. Tech ran for 403 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and held the ball for nearly 39 minutes. We all know that time of possession can sometimes be a meaningless stat, but Georgia Tech and its triple option scheme NEEDS to possess the ball to be successful. It did, and it was. UNC was also meager on offense, converting just 2 of 12 third downs and averaging just 4.4 yards per pass attempt. 

Sunday Morning Tally -- Oct. 1

TOP GAMES
(2) Clemson at (12) Virginia Tech (+7)
Pick -- Clemson 28-18; Score -- Clemson 31-17 (SU/ATS W)

(24) Mississippi State at (13) Auburn (-7.5)   
Pick -- Auburn 35-24; Score -- Auburn 49-10 (SU/ATS W)

OTHER GAMES
Vanderbilt at (21) Florida (-8.5)
Pick --Vanderbilt 24-21; Score -- Florida 38-24 (SU/ATS L)

Houston at Temple (+13)
Pick -- Houston 27-21; Score -- Houston 20-13 (SU/ATS W)

Maryland at Minnesota (-12.5)
Pick -- Minnesota 34-17; Score -- Maryland 31-24 (SU/ATS L)

Northwestern at (10) Wisconsin (-15.5)
Pick -- Wisconsin 40-27; Score -- Wisconsin 33-24 (SU/ATS W)

Indiana at (4) Penn State (-19)
Pick -- Penn State 45-29; Score -- Penn State 45-14 (SU W/ATS L)

(7) Georgia at Tennessee (+8)
Pick -- Georgia 33-23; Score -- Georgia 41-0 (SU/ATS W)

Arizona State at Stanford (-17)
Pick -- Stanford 48-20; Score -- Stanford 34-24 (SU W/ATS L)

Eastern Michigan at Kentucky (-14.5)
Pick -- Kentucky 35-26; Score -- Kentucky 24-20 (SU/ATS W)

Iowa at Michigan State (-4)
Pick -- Iowa 24-21; Score -- Michigan State 17-10 (SU/ATS L)

Miami (Ohio) at (22) Notre Dame (-21)
Pick -- Notre Dame 34-24; Score -- Notre Dame 52-17 (SU W/ATS L)

Troy at (25) LSU (-20.5)
Pick -- LSU 36-23; Score -- Troy 24-21 (SU L/ATS W)

Memphis at UCF (-4)
Pick -- UCF 35-34; Score -- UCF 40-13 (SU W/ATS L)

(11) Ohio State at Rutgers (+30)
Pick -- Ohio State 49-10; Score -- Ohio State 56-0 (SU/ATS W)

South Carolina at Texas A&M (-8)
Pick -- Texas A&M 34-21; Score -- Texas A&M 24-17 (SU W/ATS L)

(16) Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (+10.5)
Pick -- Oklahoma State 50-34; Score -- Oklahoma State 41-34 (SU W/ATS L)

Ole Miss at (1) Alabama (-28)
Pick -- Alabama 48-14; Score -- Alabama 66-3 (SU/ATS W)

Northern Illinois at (19) San Diego State (-10)
Pick -- San Diego State 35-23; Score -- San Diego State 34-28 (SU W/ATS L)

Cal at Oregon (-15.5)
Pick -- Oregon 45-27; Score -- Oregon 45-24 (SU/ATS W)

Colorado at UCLA (-7.5)
Pick-- Colorado 30-28; Score -- UCLA 27-23 (SU L/ATS W)

2017 RECORD
SU -- Week, 16-5; Overall, 70-19; ATS -- Week, 11-10; Overall, 58-51-1