By The Numbers -- Sept. 30

TOP GAMES
(2) Clemson at (12) Virginia Tech
TRENDS
Clemson has covered its last four vs teams with winning record, and are 5-1 ATS in L6 contests and 3-4 ATS L7 vs ACC; Tigers just 5-9 ATS since 2014 as a road favorite; Hokies have covered 7 of L8 and are 5-1 ATS L6 at Lane Stadium; Home team is 5-2 ATS L7 and underdog is 5-1 ATS in L6 meetings
ANALYSIS
This will be the first real trip into the spotlight for the Hokies, while for Clemson it's just another game. The defending national champs have been under the microscope all season, and thus far have passed every exam. Lane Stadium should be off the hook, especially with a nighttime start, and this is Clemson's first visit there since October of 2011, when they won 23-3. It's a rematch of last year's ACC title game, won 42-35 by Clemson as Tech ended up 23 yards from a tying touchdown and possible overtime, though both teams have different quarterbacks. Kelly Bryant (67.9%, 2 TDs, 268 rushing, 7 TDs) has been solid for Clemson and Josh Jackson (65.7%, 11 TDs) has been surprisingly good for Tech. Tech has a great weapon in receiver Cam Phillips, while Clemson's defense is ranked third in the country in total defense and points allowed, and it already has 17 sacks. Bud Foster's D is its typical stingy unit, not allowing a rushing touchdown this season, which means Clemson may need to lean on the pass for the first time this year. Clemson's experience in big games and overall talent edge gives it the edge, but everything will be earned.
Line -- Clemson -7; Pick -- Clemson 28-18

(24) Mississippi State at (13) Auburn
TRENDS
Bulldogs are 4-12 SU last 16 meetings, but are 7-3 ATS as a road dog; MSU is 15-10-1 ATS in conference play since 2014, and 7-6 ATS off a SU loss; Tigers are just 6-12 ATS as a home favorite since 2014 and 2-3 ATS L5 game with a spread of 6-8 points; Auburn 5-0 SU L5 home contests
ANALYSIS
The grind continues for the Bulldogs, who will be facing a third straight ranked SEC foe when they travel to Auburn. The Tigers routed an overmatched Missouri squad in its most complete game of the season, while MSU was demolished by Georgia in Athens. The Tigers defense has been championship level, sitting fourth nationally in yards allowed (236.3) and has been getting it done up front. That's where the Bulldogs lost the battle last week, getting beaten in the trenches. If they can't win that battle tonight, then it will be another long evening. Auburn will have both of its talented runners available for just the second time this season, as Kamryn Pettway is expected back from an ankle injury. Kerryon Johnson scored five TDs against Mizzou, and QB Jarrett Stidham played his smoothest game of the season, going 13-of-17 for 218 yards and a score. So MSU will have its hands full on defense. Nick Fitzgerald is one of the most dynamic runners in the country at quarterback, and will try to rebound from a 14-of-29, two interception performance against Georgia. Auburn has won six of the last nine meetings, including last year's 38-14 drubbing in Starkville.
Line -- Auburn -7.5; Pick -- Auburn 35-24

OTHER GAMES
Vanderbilt at (21) Florida -- Vandy has covered last two times vs. Gators, and is 7-4 L11 as an underdog; Florida just 7-12-1 ATS L20 on the board; the road team has covered 8 of the last 9 in this series, and during that span Vandy is 4-0 ATS in games played at The Swamp
Line -- Florida -8.5; Pick --Vanderbilt 24-21

Houston at Temple -- Houston 9-5 ATS L14 on the road; Cougars 19-6 SU in last 25 contests and have covered three straight in this series; Temple has started the season 0-4 ATS but is 6-2 ATS L8 at home; Owls 8-3 as home dog since 2013; 
Line -- Houston -13; Pick -- Houston 27-21

Maryland at Minnesota -- Terps 4-9 ATS L13 vs. spread; Maryland is 12-8 ATS off a SU loss since 2014; PJ Fleck-coached teams are on a 29-15 spread run since late 2014, and Gophers are 2-1 ATS this season; Minnesota just 2-8 L10 when favored by double digits
Line -- Minnesota -12.5; Pick -- Minnesota 34-17

Northwestern at (10) Wisconsin -- Wildcats have won and covered two of last three in the series, and are 9-3 ATS as a visiting dog since 2014; NU has covered 10 of L15 as an underdog of 14 or more; Wisconsin 14-4 ATS L18 vs. the spread; Badgers have been favored in 30 of L31 meetings, but are just 18-13 SU in those games
Line -- Wisconsin -15.5; Pick -- Wisconsin 40-27

Indiana at (4) Penn State -- Hoosiers 6-3 L9 as a double digit underdog; Indiana has gone 59-83-5 ATS as a road dog over the last 37 seasons; Hoosiers 5-2 ATS L7 road games; Penn State riding a 12-2 ATS streak, including 5-2 L7 laying double digits; PSU has won 19 of the 20 meetings;
Line -- Penn State -19; Pick -- Penn State 45-29

(7) Georgia at Tennessee -- Underdog has covered five straight in the series; UGA is 5-0 SU in its L5 games; Dawgs 6-4 ATS as road favorite since 2014; Tennessee just 3-8-2 L13 lined games, but 5-0 SU in L5 home contests; Vols 2-1 ATS as home dog since 2014; UT 9-12-1 ATS off SU win since 2014
Line -- Georgia -8; Pick -- Georgia 33-23

Arizona State at Stanford -- Sun Devils a sorry 1-6 ATS L7 away from home; Stanford just 2-5 ATS as a home favorite last year, but was 9-4 ATS in that same situation the previous two seasons; Stanford 16-7 ATS L23 conference games; home team is 4-1-1 L6 in the series
Line -- Stanford -17; Pick -- Stanford 48-20

Eastern Michigan at Kentucky -- EMU is 8-1 ATS L9 on the road, including 5-0 ATS L5 away from home; Eagles 0-9 SU vs SEC but 10-5 ATS vs. non-MAC since 2014; Kentucky has failed to cover last seven non-SEC games, and just 1-6 ATS laying double digits; Wildcats 6-3 SU L9 at home but just 6-9 ATS vs. non-conference since 2014.
Line -- Kentucky -14.5; Pick -- Kentucky 35-26

Iowa at Michigan State -- Hawkeyes 9-2-1 ATS L12 as a visitor, 8-2 ATS L10 on road in B1G; Iowa 19-9-1 ATS since 1980 in this series, and 11-3 ATS L14 in East Lansing; Sparty 6-2 ATS L8 as league host, but just 3-8 ATS coming off a SU home loss the previous week; MSU 5-1 ATS L6 at home
Line -- Michigan State -4; Pick -- Iowa 24-21

Miami (Ohio) at (22) Notre Dame -- RedHawks 5-1 ATS as away dog L6; Miami 12-5 ATS as road underdog since 2014 and 9-6 ATS vs. non-MAC since 2014; Notre Dame just 2-6 L8 as home favorite; Irish 18-7 SU L25 at home; ND 6-3 ATS vs. non-Power5 foes
Line - Notre Dame -21; Pick -- Notre Dame 34-24

Troy at (25) LSU -- Trojans 7-3-1 L11 lined non-Sun Belt contests and 6-2-1 ATS as underdog since 2015; Troy 5-2 SU L7 road games; LSU has failed to cover in L3 at home; LSU has won 49 straight games against non-conference opponents and is 9-2 SU L11 at home
Line -- LSU -20.5; Pick -- LSU 36-23

Memphis at UCF -- Tigers 2-6 L8 on the road and 1-11 SU in L12 road openers; Memphis 5-1 SU in L6 games and 3-1-1 ATS as away underdog; UCF 10-5 ATS for Scott Frost, 5-2 ATS as host; UCF has won nine straight against Tigers; Knights 9-5 ATS as home favorite since 2014
Line -- UCF -4; Pick -- UCF 35-34

(11) Ohio State at Rutgers -- Buckeyes have won and covered last three meetings, with smallest margin being 39; OSU 7-10 ATS L17 vs. line; Buckeyes have been road favorites of 28 or more just seven times, and are 4-3 ATS; This is the ninth time Rutgers is a home dog of 28 or more in the L38Y, and are just 2-7 ATS in that situation; Knights 8-13 ATS coming off SU loss since 2014
Line -- Ohio State -30; Pick -- Ohio State 49-10

South Carolina at Texas A&M -- Gamecocks have covered last three road contests; SC 6-7 ATS as road dog since 2014 and 5-6 ATS as SEC road dog in that span; A&M 6-13-1 ATS L20 as home favorite; Aggies 2-11 ATS L13 games; A&M 1-5-1 as SEC home favorite since 2014
Line -- Texas A&M -8; Pick -- Texas A&M 34-21

(16) Oklahoma State at Texas Tech -- Road team has covered four straight in the series; Okie State 6-6-1 ATS L13 on the road in Big 12, but 6-1 ATS L7 road contests and 4-0 ATS L4 in Lubbock; Tech a robust 6-2-1 ATS L9 at home, but just 4-4 ATS as a home dog since 2014; Tech is 16-10-1 ATS in Big 12 contests since 2014
Line -- Oklahoma State - 10.5; Pick -- Oklahoma State 50-34

Ole Miss at (1) Alabama -- Rebels have covered last three, winning two outright, but are just 1-9 ATS vs spread since last season; Ole Miss 5-1 ATS L6 on the road against Tide; Bama 4-1 ATS L5 as home favorite; Bama just 1-2 ATS as DD favorite over Rebels since 2012; Bama 8-12-1 ATS as favorite of 28 or more since 2012
Line -- Alabama -28; Pick -- Alabama 48-14

Northern Illinois at (19) San Diego State -- Huskies 3-0 ATS this season, have covered five straight lined games and 7-0-1 ATS L8 vs spread, 6-1 ATS as visiting dog since 2015; Aztecs 4-0 SU but have failed to cover this year in last three home games as a favorite, and are 1-6 ATS L7 hosting non-MWC; Aztecs 11-1 SU last dozen at home
Line -- San Diego State -10; Pick -- San Diego State 35-23

Cal at Oregon -- Bears 3-0 ATS as dog under Wilcox this season, 4-9 ATS previous two seasons in that situation; Cal just 5-11 ATS L16 Pac-12 contests, and 10-26 ATS L36 following a SU loss; Oregon 5-1 ATS L6 meetings, and no SU losses to Cal since 2008; Oregon just 4-9 ATS as home favorite since 2015 but have covered last four at home in this series.
Line -- Oregon -15.5; Pick -- Oregon 45-27

Colorado at UCLA -- Underdog has covered the number in the last four meetings; Buffs 4-0 ATS as visiting dog last season, 7-2 ATS in that role since 2015; Buffs are 8-3 ATS L11 conference games; UCLA 6-12 ATS as Rose Bowl favorite since 2014 and just 3-10 ATS L13 at home; road team is 4-1 ATS L5 meetings
Line -- UCLA -7.5; Pick-- Colorado 30-28

2017 RECORD
SU -- 54-14 (3-2 Thursday/Friday); ATS -- 47-41-1 (2-3 Thursday/Friday)

Duke Mentally Prepared For No. 14 Hurricanes

You never know what you're going to get when Duke faces Miami on the gridiron.

 You could get a shootout, like 2012's 52-45 Hurricanes victory, or you could get a big 48-30 Duke win over a ranked Miami squad, which happened in 2013.

Duke QB Daniel Jones is a versatile dual threat (News & Observer)

 Or you could get a mind-blowing ending, such as the one in 2015 when Duke had the game won, but Miami somehow pulled off an eight-lateral kickoff return for touchdown to pull a 30-27 stunner.

 The ACC said the game shouldn't have counted as a couple of Miami players were down before releasing the football, and the entire officiating crew was suspended in the aftermath.

 The teams face off in Durham Friday night, and both are in the unusual position of being undefeated.

 Miami has won its first two games -- two were cancelled or postponed due to Hurricane Irma -- and Duke has rolled off four straight victories on the strength of a stifling defense.

 The Blue Devils beat North Carolina 27-17 last weekend, giving head coach David Cutcliffe his 100th victory.

 "101 is going to be a lot harder to get than No. 1," Cutcliffe quipped.

  Duke is 11th in the country in total defense, and second against the run, allowing just 65 yards per game and 2.3 yards per carry. The Blue Devils have fed off of turnovers, taking the ball away nine times, and love getting after the quarterback. Duke has 15 sacks in four games, fourth best in the country.

 Senior defensive end Mike Ramsay has 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss, and corner Bryon Fields has two interceptions, both of which he has returned for touchdowns. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris leads the team with 8.5 tackles per game.

 Duke hasn't been explosive on offense, but has over 900 yards rushing and passing, so teams can't just load up to stop one or the other.

 It all starts with quarterback Daniel Jones, who is completing 62 percent of his passes and just two interceptions. He's not afraid to tuck it and run, either, scoring three times on the ground.

 "He's got the size (6-5, 215), he's got the arm strength, he's got the mentality, he's got the toughness," Cutcliffe said. "And this guy can run. Whether it's touch or velocity or timing, he's got that kind of accuracy. It's almost scary."

 Senior running back Shaun Wilson is averaging nearly six yards per carry and has five touchdowns, and he's been splitting time with explosive freshman Brittain Brown, who averages 6.3 yards per carry and has scored twice. Junior T.J. Rahming is Jones' favorite target, grabbing 24 passes and leading a deep corps of wideouts.

Miami QB Malik Rosier has been steady at the controls (Miami Herald)

 Miami, ranked 14th in the nation, comes in off a 52-30 victory over Toledo, a game in which the Hurricanes offense may have finally found itself.

 Quarterback Malik Rosier threw for 333 yards against the Rockets, all but 50 coming in the second half.

 "He was rushing himself too much in the first half," Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said. "He was throwing it sooner than he had to. I thought his decision-making was excellent, but sometimes his feet were too fast and his brain was going a little too fast."

 Rosier got his first collegiate start in that wild 2015 game in place of Brad Kaaya, who was out with a concussion. He threw for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his first substantial game action.

 Duke's run defense will be tested by Miami running back Mark Walton, who had 204 yards on just 13 carries against Toledo and has 352 yards in two contests. He has the speed to get to the outside and the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the hole. He doesn't get talked about as much as some of the other top-flight backs in the country, but he doesn't need to take a back seat to anyone.

 "He's a very good, instinctive runner," Richt said. "The thing that he can do, when you set a play to go a certain way and they're defending it, he just has a great instinct to hit the brakes and find the best place to go. It's something you can't coach or teach."

 Miami could be without top receiving target Ahmmon Richards, who has missed time with a hamstring injury. The Hurricanes have been a big-play passing attack, with four receivers averaging 15 yards or more per catch. Senior Braxton Berrios leads the way with eight grabs for 140 yards and two scores.

 The Hurricanes are fifth in the country in total offense, and second in yards per play at 8.95. So it will be an interesting matchup of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

 Miami's defense isn't up to `The U' standard, allowing 389 yards per game and over five yards per play. The Canes have been especially forgiving against the pass, ranking 114th in the country and allowing three touchdowns in two games. Miami has been showing its athleticism and speed, posting 16 tackles for loss in two games.

 Miami has won 12 of the 14 games in the series, and is currently riding a three-game winning streak.

 While Duke knows that it rightfully should have won the last time these two met in Durham, there won't be any lingering thoughts about the one that was taken away.

 "I think our mind's in the right place," Cutcliffe said. "We've got to make sure our bodies are.

 "Miami well may be the most talented team we play this season. This is about focus and team. You win games like this as a team."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-colum-blogs/barry-jackson/article175360656.html#storylink

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Division Leaders Square Off In Big-Time ACC Battle

 For Virginia Tech, it’s a chance for redemption. For Clemson, it’s just another game as a target.

 The ACC foes square off Saturday night at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg in the marquee game of the weekend. The Hokies are ranked 13^th in the nation while Clemson comes in as the nation’s No. 2 squad.

 

Virginia Tech QB Josh Jackson has shown steady leadership (The Virginian-Pilot)

  The teams played a memorable ACC Championship game last year, Clemson hanging on for a 42-35 win after Virginia Tech came back from 35-14 down in the second half. Fans may be pointing to that game as a rallying cry, but Hokies coach Justin Fuente isn’t.

 “We haven’t talked about and won’t talk about it,” Fuente said. “I think everybody handles those things differently. That was last year. My message was that that was last year’s team – last year’s Virginia Tech team versus last year’s Clemson team. This is a completely different situation. We’ve got guys that played in that game and are no longer here, and so do they. So we won’t use it as a reference point.

“We battled, our guys believed, they fought, and I tell you what, I knew we were gonna win, and I was wrong. We didn’t. It hurts, you know?”

 Both teams boast strong defenses, Clemson allowing just 9.3 points per game, third best in the nation and Virginia Tech giving up just 10.3 per game, sixth best. Virginia Tech gets it done mostly with its back seven, while Clemson swarms the backfield with the best front four in America.

 It should be a fascinating battle, and the team that best weathers the storm and makes the adjustments wins.

 Clemson already has some impressive pelts on its wall, beating ranked foes Auburn and Louisville, which gives Tigers coach Dabo Swinney optimism.

 “We’re battle tested,” Swinney said. “We’ve played two top-15 teams, one of them at their place. And then we played a tough Boston College team – physical. So we’ve had our noses bloodied. We’ve had to respond to some adversity. It hasn’t all been just rosy.

“Had some emotional moments. Had big plays go against them. We’ve had some physical matchups. We played against an unbelievable quarterback in Lamar (Jackson). We played against great defenses.”

 Tech is led by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who has 4.5 tackles for loss and is the spiritual leader on Bud Foster’s unit. End Andrew Motuapuaka has been a pest, posting 2.5 sacks and emerging as one of the better pass rushers in the ACC.

 Offensively, redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Jackson has been up to the challenge, completing 65.2 percent of his passes and posting a nifty 11-1 TD-INT ratio. He’s also not afraid to push the ball downfield, averaging a healthy 9.8 yards per attempt. His favorite target is senior receiver Cam Phillips, who already has 34 catches, fourth best nationally, and averages 15.4 yards per catch. Phillips has found the end zone five times, and will need to a priority for the Clemson defense. Tech has done a good job protecting Jackson, allowing just four sacks this season.

 Clemson was flash last season behind the masterful play of quarterback Deshaun Watson, but this year the Tigers have become more of a grind it out offense. Kelly Bryant has been up and down as a passer, boasting an impressive 67.9 completion percentage, but much of that has been safe passes to the running back or underneath throws to crossing receives. Bryant has just two touchdown passes, but he’s proven dangerous as a runner, scoring seven touchdowns on 66 carries.

  

Clemson DE Austin Bryant has been a sack machine (The Post and Courier)

 The Tigers use a committee approach in the backfield, but freshman Travis Etienne has been explosive, averaging nearly 13 yards per carry and scoring four touchdowns, and Tavien Feaster has been more of the power option. Deon Cain and Hunter Renfrow are experienced receivers and will be part of the game plan.

  

 Defense is where Clemson makes its bones, however. End Austin Bryant has five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss, and inside man Christian Wilkins can wreak havoc in the backfield (2.5 TFL) and drop into coverage. There aren’t many as versatile as he is, and Fuente knows that he will have to get creative on offense, especially since Clemson has already posted 17 sacks.

  

 “It’s not a read and react situation,” Fuente said. “It’s a pin your ears back and try to create havoc.”

 Phillips is looking forward to the spotlight and knows this will be a big chance for Tech to prove itself against one of the big boys.

  

 “A lot of people don’t get these chances, and I will say we worked to get here, it wasn’t just handed to us,” Phillips said. “Some people didn’t think we would be 4-0, whatever that may be, but we’re here now, and we get a big game into our house this weekend.”

  

 Swinney knows that Lane Stadium will be charged up from the outset, and he will have to make sure his team doesn’t get overwhelmed by the spectacle of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and the raucous Hokies crowd.

 Playing at Louisville early took some of the nerves away, so Swinney sees this as more of a chance to build.

 “Any time you can draw from experience, it can kind of give you an understanding of what to expect,” Swinney said. “When you take a team on the road to Louisville early in the season, with a bunch of new guys that haven’t played on the road, that’s really good experience.

“So now those young guys have been in that and they can hopefully draw a little bit from it.”

 Clemson has won the last four meetings, including 23-3 in their last trip to Blacksburg, in 2011.

  

 Fuente knows that this is a golden opportunity for his team, but he also knows that there is zero margin for error if the Hokies want to show the nation they have truly arrived.

  

 “You’re not going to get away with much of anything,” Fuente said. “You make a mistake, they’re going to make you pay. You can’t take one step in the wrong direction or hesitate for half a step when you’re playing the type of talent that we’re going to go up to. It’s like defusing a bomb. Like one small snip of the wire that’s incorrect, and boom. You blow your hands off. That’s how talented and how good they are.”

Pac-12 Unbeatens Get Weekend Started Early

Linebacker Isaac Dotson leads a Washington State defense that has people talking (NY Daily News)

 When asked about an exciting way to spend a Friday evening, hanging out in Pullman, Wash., isn't usually the first response.

 Don't misunderstand -- WSU's campus is one of the more scenic in the United States, and College Hill is beautiful, a cornucopia of area history and quaint bungalows and red brick streets, and is worth being seen.

 But the fact remains, it isn't on most people's "to do" list when it comes to entertainment -- specifically college football entertainment.

 Well, that should change Friday night as No. 5 USC, with a 13-game winning streak, comes in to take on 16th-ranked Washington State in a matchup of unbeaten Pac-12 foes.

 The Trojans (4-0, 1-0) trailed for a good portion last week before rallying to beat Cal 30-20, while WSU easily dispatched Nevada 45-7.

 Many people expected USC to be in this position, fewer would have guessed that the Cougars would be unbeaten -- and stout on defense, to boot.

 WSU's stop unit has improved steadily the last few seasons and has gotten off to an excellent start in 2017, ranking 12th in the country in total defense, allowing just over 262 yards per game and a stingy 4.3 yards per play. There could be a little bit of concern for the group, however, as talented linebacker Peyton Pelluer will be out with a broken foot, but it hasn't diminished the confidence.

 "Nothing changes for us," linebacker Isaac Dotson said. "We just play our defense."

 Washington State (4-0, 1-0) has been murder on opposing quarterbacks, knocking Oregon State's Jake Luton out of the game and prompting both Boise State and Nevada to switch quarterbacks during the game. Wazzu is fourth in the nation in sacks with 15, but USC is not Oregon State or Nevada, and brings in the biggest and most talented offensive line the Cougars have faced all season.

 The Trojans also have a guy named Sam Darnold, one of the most talented quarterbacks in the college game and someone who has been praised by WSU coach Mike Leach. Darnold can extend plays with his feet, and has uncanny vision and laser-sharp delivery.

 "I think he's mature, really just kind of mentally together for a guy that's his age," Leach said. "He's big and the ball comes off his hand good."

 If WSU players are afraid of the challenge, it isn't showing.

 "He's a solid quarterback," said Dotson, who leads the squad with 26 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. "A good player. He's our next opponent. He's one guy on that team. We are not preparing for one guy."

QB Sam Darnold will lead USC into battle against Washington State (NY Daily News)

 Darnold is completing over 67 percent of his passes this season and has nine scoring tosses. However, he has had a penchant for throwing interceptions, tossing at least one in every game this season, and putting together three games with multiple picks. He will need to be more patient with his throws this week as Washington State has corners that can play on island, taking away the deep threat.

 Hindering Darnold's cause are injuries to leading receivers Deontay Burnett and Stephen Mitchell, as well as top rusher Ronald Jones. The status of all three is unknown heading into Friday's 10:30 pm EST kick, and all are valuable members of a Trojans team that needs to get things going faster than they have so far this season. USC has averaged just 12 first half points while WSU has doubled that, averaging 24 points in the opening 30 minutes.

 "They're a fast start team," USC coach Clay Helton said.

 The Cougars go as quarterback Luke Falk goes, and so far he has been going just fine.

 The senior leads the nation in completion percentage (76.9), with 14 touchdowns to just one interception, and loves to spread the wealth. Washington State has three players with at least 24 grabs, led by running back James Williams' 37 catches and three touchdowns. Wideout Tavares Martin Jr averages 15 yards per catch, and has taken up residence in the end zone with six scoring grabs. Isaiah Johnson-Mack is no slouch at another receiver spot, catching 24 passes with two touchdowns.

 USC hasn't been great defensively, allowing 5.2 yards per play and 370 yards per contest, and giving up six touchdown passes in four games. If Washington State can keep up its pace converting third downs -- third nationally at almost 57 percent -- it will be a long night for the visitors.

 Helton knows his defense needs to focus on taking Falk off of his rhythm.

 "The whole thing runs through the quarterback," Helton said.

 Last time here, in 2014, USC steamrolled the Cougars 44-11, a game in which Falk got his first real playing time after starter Connor Halliday was injured. USC has won nine of the last 10 meetings, and Washington State is just 3-31 vs. ranked opponents.

 While the Air Raid is what brings eyes to the television, Washington State's defense is what has everyone buzzing.

 With a sellout crowd of over 33,000 promised for Martin Stadium, and with Hollywood's team in town, where else would you want to be besides Pullman?

Monday Musings -- Sept 25

Roquan Smith is one piece of a Georgia defense that could have the Bulldogs challenging for SEC supremacy (The Clarion Ledger)

 The SEC has long been ruled by Alabama, and after the Tide spanked what was supposed to be an up-and-coming Vanderbilt team 59-0, allowing just 89 yards to the Commodores, it looks like yet another year of non-stop Crimson Tide talk, of anointing Nick Saban's bunch as the cream of the crop.

 As a noted philosopher once said, "Not so fast my friend."

 There is a team in the SEC East that is emerging -- whether or not it is good enough to knock off the Tide remains to be seen, but this team appears to have a clear path to Atlanta and the SEC title game, barring any major injury to a star player.

 This team is the Georgia Bulldogs.

 I'll give you a minute to get up off the floor because I know you've been laughing hysterically. Georgia? Did I really say Georgia? The team that last won the SEC in 2005? The team that has been the most talented in the division yet hasn't even won it since 2012?

 Yeah, that Georgia.

 The Bulldogs are 4-0 after obliterating a solid but probably overrated Mississippi State team in Athens on Saturday night. Sure, Nick Fitzgerald is worth the price of admission, and Aeris Willliams should get more love when talking about top SEC running backs, but Georgia was dominant, allowing just 280 yards to a team that had piled up at least 450 yards in each of its first three contests.

 Georgia's defense is ranked in the top 20 nationally, but is ninth in yards per play (4.01). There aren't a whole lot of explosive plays against the Bulldogs, one of just six teams in the country yet to allow a gain of at least 40 yards. Georgia has allowed just four plays of 30-plus yards, and looks like a group that has the ability to stick around for the duration of the season.

 Linebacker Roquan Smith has been excellent, averaging nearly seven tackles per game, and safety J.R. Reed is close behind with 25 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Lorenzo Carter leads the team with three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, and eight players average at least three tackles per contest. So it's a real group effort, and there don't appear to be any real major weaknesses.

 Georgia allows just over three yards per carry, and against the pass teams are having to check down due to great coverage from the secondary. The Bulldogs 4.9 yards per attempt is fourth best in the country, and there don't appear to be any truly formidable offensive challenges until November, when Georgia heads to Auburn.

 Now, about that Alabama thing -- the Tide ran the ball down Vandy's throat, amassing nearly 500 rushing yards. They won't be able to do that against Georgia, at least not the way Georgia is playing defense at the moment. That means Bama may need to rely on the pass, which is a shaky proposition given that Jalen Hurts appears to have progressed only minimally throwing the ball downfield.

 The offense isn't dynamic, but there is enough passing ability from Jake Fromm to offset any team that might be able to shut down Georgia's rushing attack.The Bulldogs have allowed just three sacks in four games, though it should be noted they have only attempted 76 passes. There isn't a lot of yardage, but is a lot of efficiency -- averaging 6.01 YPP and scoring on all 13 trips to the red zone (10 TDs, three field goals).

 There is a lot of football to be played, and in the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that someone went just about all in on Georgia this season, ranking them on the fringes of the CFP at No. 6 in the preseason.

 Is there a chance Georgia stumbles on the way to the SEC crowning? Given its history, certainly. But this team seems to have a different demeanor, and should be able to handle the pressure that will grow will each passing week.

 If you dislike Alabama -- and I know there are tons of you that do -- then you might do well to adopt Georgia as a team, because the Bulldogs have at least a fighting chance to knock off the Tide.

 Harbaugh Hopping Mad

 Jim Harbaugh doesn't typically address the media when Michigan has an off week, but he made an exception this week because there were a couple of things he wanted to get off his chest following the Wolverines 28-10 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette on Saturday.

 First was a hit on quarterback Wilton Speight, a hit that forced him from the game. Harbaugh said he looked at tape and the hit was "egregious," and in the head, yet nothing in the way of targeting was called. He also didn't like the small locker rooms and the fact that Purdue "looked the same as when I was here in 1986."

 He also stated that his players had to sit on the team bus to get cool because there was no air conditioning in the visitors locker room.

 “It’s become apparent after going around to all the visiting schools in the last couple years that it’s a conscious effort of gamesmanship," Harbaugh said, with a straight face. "It is unsportsmanlike when you have locker rooms that are too small."

 Just like it's gamesmanship to not release a roster and a two-deep, right Jim? Harbaugh invented the word gamesmanship, so it's funny to hear him complain when another team may (or may not) be doing it.

 Harbaugh did raise a good point, however, when it came to the antiquated medical area in Ross-Ade Stadium. Speight had to travel to an off-campus medical facility for examination, which is completely unacceptable.

"There has to be a minimum standard of care for the players," Harbaugh said. "We put a lot of emphasis into the health and safety of the players, but it doesn't even seem sanitary."

 He talked about an exam table that looked like it was "from the 20s," and basically ripped Purdue for not having up to date examination areas.

 Rival Urban Meyer became an ally on this issue after he was asked about Harbaugh's comments in the postgame after his Buckeyes beat UNLV.

 “I've shared it with our athletic director, and the commissioner should handle that,” Meyer said. “In my strong opinion [treating your opponents poorly] should not be allowed.”

Thanks For Playing

 This is the spot where we say goodbye to teams that are no longer part of the chase for the College Football Playoff. It can be a Power 5 team that suffers a demoralizing injury to a star or loses a second game, or a Group of Five team that loses, period.

 So, thanks for playing Florida State -- not that we really thought you would rally from losing Deondre Francois, but the loss to NC State reaffirmed that this just isn't going to be your year. And with games remaining against Miami, Louisville, Clemson and Duke -- yes, Duke -- the Noles could be looking at a .500 season.

 Thanks for playing, Purdue -- though you were always on the periphery anyway, losing to Michigan at least ended a season of hope before it really got going. Fear not, Boiler Nation -- Jeff Brohm was an excellent hire, and you could be contending for the B1G West division title as soon as next year.

 Thanks for playing, Boise State -- who are we kidding? The Broncos never had a shot due to a down conference and being in the weaker side of the Mountain West. For a team to be considered CFP worthy from this league, it will need to go unbeaten. You listening, San Diego State?

 Thanks for playing, UCLA -- another team that really was never in it, but people thought had a shot due to the talents of QB Josh Rosen. The Bruins aren't nearly consistent enough on defense, and the offense doesn't run the football well enough to really make inroads against good teams. The Jim Mora watch will begin very soon in LA ...

 Thanks for playing, Arkansas -- much like your actual games, you have proven you can't finish. The Hogs had Texas A&M beaten a couple of times yet somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Bret Bielema could begin feeling some warmth on his seat, though will probably get another year because Arkansas fans don't really have expectations.

 There are now 24 unbeaten teams, but that number will dwindle because next week has four games featuring unbeatens going against each other. So an even 20, at best. This is getting interesting.

 On the flip side, just eight winless squads remain, and none HAVE to win because they don't face another winless team. Keep doing what you do, oh winless squads. There is pride in achievement. 

Studs And Duds -- Sept. 24

Penn State RB Saquon Barkley came up big at crunch time (The Big Lead)

Every Sunday we take a look back at the good and bad of the college football weekend, and we have found this week's winners -- and non-winners.

STUDS
Stanford QB KJ Costello -- The Cardinal may not be serious contenders in the Pac-12 -- or may be, it's hard to tell with this group -- but they may have found a quarterback. With starter Keller Chryst ailing and backup Ryan Burns not really moving the team, Costello came into the game and was wildly effective, going 13-of-19 for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He presented enough of a passing threat for Bryce Love to rush for 263 yards, and for UCLA to be completely outclassed defensively. Costello had a nine-yard scoring run in the first half, and showed that he is more than capable of running the offense long-term if he has to.

Penn State RB Saquon Barkley -- The mark of a great player is stepping up when his team needs him the most. Barkley did that, rushing for 211 yards and a third quarter touchdown in the Nittany Lions 21-19 squeaker over Iowa. He also had a possible Heisman signature moment in the fourth quarter, and wasn't afraid to do the heavy second half lifting for Penn State. Barkley carried four times for 56 yards on its go-ahead drive and caught two passes on the game-winning drive, helping Penn State escape with its season intact. Nittany Lions fans, enjoy him while you can, because Barkley has roughly 10 games left in his college career.

TCU -- Almost no one was talking about the Horned Frogs heading into their showdown with Oklahoma State, and that's just how coach Gary Patterson likes it. Relishing the underdog role, TCU was the more physical team, rushing for 238 yards and converting 11-of-19 third downs to upset the Cowboys 44-31 in Stillwater. It was an old-fashioned butt-kicking as TCU forced four turnovers, frazzled the normally efficient Cowboys into eight penalties and made quarterback Mason Rudolph look human. Yeah, Rudolph finished with 398 yards through the air, but other than an on-the-money 86 yard TD strike to James Washington, Rudolph appeared bothered and off his game. Travin Howard had eight tackles and Nick Orr chipped in six more and an interception as TCU became the chief competition for Oklahoma in the Big 12 race.

DUDS
Vanderbilt -- This was the year. It was going to be 1969 all over again for the Commodores, who entered their game with Alabama unbeaten, with a snarling defense and feeling pretty good about themselves. There was a lot of talk about the Tide heading into the game, but Vandy was silenced as Alabama unleashed a righteous anger (can you tell I've been watching Pulp Fiction a lot lately?), winning 59-0 and erasing all doubts about the door being cracked open in the SEC. Vanderbilt ran just 40 plays, netting 78 yards, and going just 1-of-11 on third down. The vaunted Commodores D allowed Alabama to pile up 677 yards, including 496 on the ground, in a game that was basically over when Alabama took a 21-0 first quarter lead.

Purdue offense -- The Boilermakers were one of the feel-good stories of the season, taking Louisville to the wire in the opener and giving people reason to believe that maybe, just maybe, the B1G West Division had another contender for Wisconsin to deal with. Um, no. Purdue managed just 189 yards and failed to convert on 12 third down chances, falling 28-10 at home to Michigan. It was there for the taking as Purdue led 10-7 at halftime, but the Boilermakers managed just 15 second half yards, fumbled once and punted five times. Only one second half series wasn't a three-and-out.

Oregon -- Everyone was touting the Ducks, saying "they're back, they're back," and looking ahead to tasty Pac-12 showdowns against some of the best teams in the league. Well, maybe the Ducks were looking ahead because they lost to one of the poorer teams in the conference, Arizona State. The Sun Devils rolled up nearly 500 yards of offense and kept the vaunted Ducks attack to 401 yards, its lowest total of the season. Oregon did itself no favors by committing 14 penalties, and converted just 1-of-11 third downs. With Cal, Washington State, Stanford  and UCLA up next, it appears safe to say that Oregon still has work to do to be a legitimate Pac-12 threat.

Sunday Morning Tally

TOP GAMES
(16) TCU at (6) Oklahoma State (-13.5)
Pick -- Oklahoma State 44-27; Score -- TCU 44-31 (SU/ATS L)

(17) Mississippi State at (11) Georgia (-4.5)
Pick -- Georgia 27-20; Score -- Georgia 31-3 (SU/ATS W)

(4) Penn State at Iowa (+12.5)
Pick -- Penn State 30-24; Score -- Penn State 21-19 (SU/ATS W)

OTHER GAMES
UNLV at (10) Ohio State (-40.5)
Pick -- Ohio State 52-7; Score -- Ohio State 54-21 (SU W/ATS L)

Texas Tech at Houston (-6)
Pick -- Texas Tech 38-34; Score -- Texas Tech 27-24 (SU/ATS W)

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (-2.5)
Pick -- Texas A&M 32-24; Score -- Texas A&M 50-43 (OT) (SU/ATS W)

NC State at (12) Florida State (-11.5)
Pick -- NC State 31-28; Score -- NC State 27-21 (SU/ATS W)

Ohio at Eastern Michigan (-2)
Pick -- Ohio 27-23; Score -- Ohio 27-20 (2 OT) (SU/ATS W)

UCF at Maryland (-4.5)
Pick -- Maryland 38-32; Score -- UCF 38-10 (SU/ATS L)

(1) Alabama at Vanderbilt (+19)
Pick -- Alabama 23-18; Score -- Alabama 59-0 (SU W/ATS L)

Duke at North Carolina (+2)
Pick -- Duke 34-22; Score -- Duke 27-17 (SU/ATS W)

(5) USC at California (+17)
Pick -- USC 44-30; Score -- USC 30-20 (SU/ATS W)

Toledo at (14) Miami (Fla.) (-13.5)
Pick -- Miami 36-28; Score -- Miami 52-30 (SU W/ATS L)

(8) Michigan at Purdue (+10.5)
Pick -- Michigan 24-16; Score -- Michigan 28-10 (SU W/ATS L)

(22) San Diego State at Air Force (+3)
Pick -- San Diego State 31-24; Score -- San Diego State 28-24 (SU/ATS W)

Syracuse at (25) LSU (-21)
Pick -- LSU 35-13; Score -- LSU 35-26 (SU W/ATS L)

(20) Florida at Kentucky (+2)
Pick -- Kentucky 24-21; Score -- Florida 28-27 (SU L/ATS W)

Notre Dame at Michigan State (+3)
Pick -- Michigan State 24-23; Score -- Notre Dame 38-18 (SU/ATS L)

(7) Washington at Colorado (+11.5)
Pick -- Washington 40-25; Score -- Washington 37-10 (SU/ATS W)

UCLA at Stanford (-7)
Pick -- Stanford 31-27; Score -- Stanford 58-34 (SU W/ATS L)

2017 RECORD
SU -- Week 16-4, Overall 51-12; ATS -- Week 11-9, Overall 45-38-1

By The Numbers -- Sept. 23

TOP GAMES
(16) TCU at (6) Oklahoma State
TRENDS
TCU is 11-3 ATS as a visiting dog since 2011, and 9-4 ATS as any kind of underdog since 2014; TCU has been on a bit of a skid in league play, going just 2-7 ATS in L9 Big 12 games; OSU just 8-8 L16 as chalk in Stillwater, but has been good in this series, covering four of the last five; the home team in the series is 4-1 ATS L5 contests; Cowboys 18-5 SU at home since 2014, but 0-4-1 L5 Big 12 openers.
ANALYSIS
Now we see what Oklahoma State is made of. Sure, the Cowboys have looked great in demolishing their first three foes, but none would really be considered very good. Meanwhile, TCU has played (and thrashed) a decent Arkansas test, so a case could be made that the Horned Frogs are more battle tested. TCU is 16th nationally in total defense, so is easily the best stop unit OSU has faced. One weakness, however, has been against the pass, where they allow a 6.9 yards per attempt. That will make Okie State QB Mason Rudolph's eyes light up, because he's currently averaging 12.1 ypa, with 11 TDs and just one interception. Rudolph has been exceptional against pressure, posting a 144.4 rating against Pittsburgh, and the Cowboys receiving weapons could be too plentiful for TCU to handle. If TCU can sustain some drives and not turn the football over, it has a shot. But it could be tough to run the ball against a Cowboys D that allows just 3.2 yards per carry this season. We believe in the Cowboys hype, and see this one turning into a second-half runaway.
Line -- OkState -13.5; Pick -- Oklahoma State 44-27

(17) Mississippi State at (11) Georgia
TRENDS
The home team is 3-0 in the series since 2006, and the last time MSU won in Athens was in 1956; Mississippi State a perfect 3-0 ATS this season, and is 9-3 ATS L12 as a road underdog; MSU is 12-10-1 ATS coming off a SU win but just 3-2 ATS the week after facing LSU; Georgia is just 1-5 as home chalk under Kirby Smart but has gone 10-3 vs SEC West since 2013; UGA just 9-16 ATS coming off a SU victory and 6-11 ATS as a home favorite since 2014
ANALYSIS
Thinking the Bulldogs win this one ... OK, OK, OK. Mississippi State enters the game sky-high after a 37-7 beatdown of LSU that really wasn't that close, but this is another step up as Georgia has a real live offense. We still don't know if MSU has really faced any competition, but we do know that QB Nick Fitzgerald is worth the price of admission. One of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the nation, Fitzgerald isn't afraid to put a team on his back. Georgia wasn't sharp against Samford last week, but RB Nick Chubb had a big game (two TDs) and will need to carry the load as running mate Sony Michel is likely out for this one. QB Jake Fromm was steady and tossed three TDs in his first home start. He should be more comfortable, and Georgia's defense might just have a chance to crank things up. While Mississippi State has been impressive, we believe more in the host Bulldogs here.
Line -- Georgia -4.5; Pick -- Georgia 27-20

(4) Penn State at Iowa
TRENDS
Nittany Lions have been red-hot vs. number, possessing a 12-1 spread mark in L13 and covering five in a row away from Happy Valley; Penn State has won three straight in the series, the last two by 20+; Iowa just 6-7 as a dog since 2014, but 2-1 at home in that role; Hawkeyes have been a DD home dog just 16 times since 1981 and are 11-5 ATS in that span.
ANALYSIS
Penn State sure looks the part of national title contender, demoralizing its first three foes 141-14 and holding a +7 turnover margin. They have turned those turnovers into 49 points, so we'll see if they can be as successful against an Iowa team that has put the ball on the ground five times in three games. This one will be a showdown of running backs, Saquon Barkley for Penn State and Akrum Wadley for Iowa. Barkley has been a monster (8.1 ypc, 3 scores), while Wadley has merely been consistent (4.3 ypc, 1 TD). Penn State have averaged nearly 8.3 yards per play and Iowa has allowed nearly 5.4 yards per play to opponents. So the edge certainly appears to be with the visitors. Don't be surprised if Iowa tries to take the air out of the football, not putting QB Nathan Stanley in a position where he has to make plays. Iowa does have a penchant for making things interesting at home, at night, beating second-ranked Michigan last year in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa just doesn't seem to have the horses to keep up with Penn State's offense, but does have the defense, led by LB Josey Jewell, to keep it competitive. Iowa is 11th nationally in opponents third down percentage (23.7), so winning that number makes it a very interesting contest.
Line -- Iowa +12.5; Pick -- Penn State 30-24

OTHER GAMES
UNLV at (10) Ohio State -- Rebs have dropped 17 straight games vs. ranked foes; UNLV has played in the Eastern time zone 10 times, and is 0-10 in those contests; UNLV just 14-18-1 ATS vs. non-conference opposition since 2010, but is 13-6 ATS as a road dog since 2013; OSU has been a favorite of 40 or more points eight times in the last 38 seasons, going 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS; Buckeyes 13-7 ATS vs. non-league foes; OSU 5-10-1 as home fave since 2015
Line -- OSU -40.5; Pick -- Ohio State 52-7

Texas Tech at Houston -- Tech 6-2 ATS as a visiting dog the last two seasons, and has won six of the seven games in the series; Red Raiders a nifty 8-4 ATS as road dog since 2014; Houston is just 5-14-1 as home chalk since 2014; Cougars excellent coming off SU win, going 15-11-2 ATS
Line -- Houston -6; Pick -- Texas Tech 38-34

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas) -- A&M is 5-0 SU vs. Hogs since 2012, winning by average of 19 points; Ags just 2-9-1 ATS in L11 games; A&M 4-5-1 ATS in neutral site games under Sumlin; Arkansas has lost three straight in Arlington; Razorbacks 3-2-1 at neutral site under Bielema
Line -- Arkansas -2.5; Pick -- Texas A&M 32-24

NC State at (12) Florida State -- Wolfpack 3-1-1 ATS L5 in this series and 4-1 ATS in past five road contests; NCState 6-2 ATS in last eight trips to Tallahassee; FSU just 8-11 as home chalk since 2014, but on a hot streak at 4-1 ATS in L5 home tilts; Noles 5-15-1 ATS in the past 21 meetings
Line -- Florida State -11.5; Pick -- NC State 31-28

Ohio at Eastern Michigan -- Bobcats 8-3 ATS L11 as a dog and 6-1 ATS L7 as a visitor; EMU 11-2 ATS L13 since early 2016, and beat OU in Athens for first time since 1994
Line -- EMichigan -2; Pick -- Ohio 27-23

UCF at Maryland -- UCF is 25-24 ATS away from home in last 49 trips and 4-2 ATS as a visitor since Scott Frost took over last season; Knights 5-16 SU in road openers since 1996; UCF 3-23 in regular season road games vs current Power 5 schools since 2001; Maryland 22-37 ATS as favorite since 2004; Terps 10-9 ATS vs. non-B1G since 2013 and 6-6 ATS as a home favorite since 2014, and 2-2-1 ATS as home fave of 6 or fewer since 2014
Line -- Maryland -4.5; Pick -- Maryland 38-32

(1) Alabama at Vanderbilt -- Bama 8-1 ATS L9 as an SEC visitor; Alabama hasn't lost in Nashville since 1969 and is 7-4 ATS as a visiting favorite since 2014; Vandy is 3-0 for the first time since 2011, and owns a 9-3 spread record in 12 games a home underdog since 2014; Vandy hasn't beaten the Tide since 1984
Line -- Vanderbilt +19; Pick -- Alabama 23-18

Duke at North Carolina -- Duke 3-0 ATS this season, including two wins on the road; UNC has lost first two at home this season, but have optimism as the home team is 6-2 ATS past eight meetings, and the underdog is 4-1 ATS the last five; UNC just 7-13-1 as a home dog since 2012
Line -- NCarolina +2; Pick -- Duke 34-22

(5) USC at California -- Trojans have covered just three of last 10 road contests, and are 7-15 ATS over their past 22 road games vs. teams with winning home records; Cal just 1-4 ATS L5 Pac-12 tilts and 1-5 ATS L6 vs. winning foes; Cal 0-6 ATS L6 at home vs USC; Road team is 15-6 L21 in the series.
Line -- Cal +17; Pick -- USC 44-30

Toledo at (14) Miami (Fla.) -- Rockets just 1-2 ATS this season and 3-8-1 ATS last 12 lined games; Toledo 14-8 ATS as a dog since 2012 and 8-2 L10 ATS as visitor in non-MAC games; Miami 16-9-1 ATS since start of 2015, and Richt covered five straight to close 2016 before a non-cover in this year's opener.
Line -- Miami -13.5; Pick -- Miami 36-28

(8) Michigan at Purdue -- First meeting since 2012, but Wolverines are 22-5 SU vs Purdue since 1980; Michigan is just 2-7 as DD fave in conference road games since 2007; Purdue is 3-30 SU in conference play dating back to 2013; Purdue has been a DD home dog nine times since October of 2013, and are 0-9 ATS and 1-8 SU
Line -- Purdue +10.5; Pick -- Michigan 24-16

(22) San Diego State at Air Force -- Aztecs 7-3 ATS L10 as Mountain West road favorites and 15-6 L21 ATS in Mountain West games; SDSU has won six straight meetings; Air Force 5-0 ATS as home dogs since 2014; Falcons just 3-8 ATS off of a straight up loss
Line -- Air Force +3; Pick -- San Diego State 31-24

Syracuse at (25) LSU -- Cuse 5-8 ATS against FBS foes since last season, and 2-5 as a DD underdog; LSU 12-6-1 as home fave since 2014 and 7-4 ATS coming off of a SU loss
Line -- LSU -21; Pick -- LSU 35-13

(20) Florida at Kentucky -- Florida has won 30 -- yes, that's right -- 30 straight in this series, the longest active winning streak in an FBS rivalry; Kentucky has won 10 of its last 13 regular season games, but are an abysmal 2-10-2 ATS L14 as home underdogs in the past five seasons
Line -- Kentucky +2; Pick -- Kentucky 24-21

Notre Dame at Michigan State -- Irish just 5-13-1 ATS in this series since 1994, and only 2-7-1 ATS as a road favorite since 1980; Sparty has won 11 of the 18 meetings since 1997 after losing 17 of 19 from 1976-94 and is 6-3-1 ATS L10 vs Irish
Line -- Michigan State +3; Pick -- Michigan State 24-23

(7) Washington at Colorado -- Huskies are 7-0 ATS last seven in this series, and the favorite has covered five straight; Washington 6-9 vs. number L14; Colorado 6-3 as a home dog since 2014 and 11-5 ATS L16 as a Pac-12 host;
Line -- Colorado +11.5; Pick -- Washington 40-25

UCLA at Stanford -- Bruins just 2-7 L9 road contests and 2-8 ATS in last 10 trips to The Farm; Stanford has failed to cover four straight at home and are 0-5 ATS L5 vs. teams with winning overall records; Stanford has not lost three games in a row in seven seasons under David Shaw
Line -- Stanford -7; Pick -- Stanford 31-27 

2017 RECORD
SU -- 35-8; ATS -- 34-29-1

Iowa Looking For Redemption, Upset Against Penn State

 Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has been in the game long enough to know that sometimes you just can't get anything positive out of a loss.

 Some coaches will spin it and say this unit was solid, that the offense was just a couple of plays away -- but not Ferentz. He knows that last year's 41-14 annihilation at the hands of Penn State was one for the trash heap as the Nittany Lions outgained the Hawkeyes by 365 yards, amassing 599 yards of offense and averaging nearly seven yards per carry.

Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is an explosive weapon (Getty Images)

"The only thing we might have been all right with was the coin toss, and I'd have to look it up -- we probably lost that, too," Ferentz said. "There wasn't much out of that tape that we can take, and that's one of the tricks right now. We're looking at it, but there's just not a lot there. All I know for sure is that we're playing a team that's really good and we're going to have to play better than we did last year."

 Penn State (3-0) is ranked fourth in the country on the heels of three impressive non-league victories, while Iowa has had to work a bit harder for its success -- including an overtime 44-41 road victory against in-state foe Iowa State.

 Iowa is just 4-8 against ranked teams since 2012, but did upset second-ranked Michigan at home last season.

 So the Nittany Lions know they aren't going to just waltz in and take over the Hawkeyes territory without a fight.

 "We have tremendous respect for their program," PSU coach James Franklin said. "When you look at coach Ferentz, their record against top 10 opponents at home, especially playing at night, you know this is going to be a challenge.

 "You look at what they've been able to do, not only against Penn State in our last 10 games, but against ranked opponents. You're talking about a blue collar team that takes pride in their fundamentals, their techniques, being sound and playing hard. Really, in some ways, similar to our tradition and history."

 Penn State has won the last three in the series, and holds a 14-12 edge. But the Hawkeyes have won eight of the last 12, and PSU has taken just one game in Iowa City since 2000.

 Franklin, in his fourth year on the Penn State sidelines, said that traveling to Kinnick Stadium will be a first for many players on his team, and for him, as well.

 "I've never been there," he said. "I want to educate myself on what to expect. That place is going to be rocking Saturday night. Their sidelines are very tight. Their fans are going to be right up against you. We want to get our players prepared for that. We've got to get ready for the noise."

 It all starts for Penn State with junior running back Saquon Barkley, an explosive, track-fast runner with the ability to cut on a dime. He rushed for 1,496 yards and 18 scores a year ago, and has over 300 yards and three scores this season, averaging a hefty 8.1 yards per carry.

 Barkley was limited to just 47 rushing yards last week against Georgia State, so Penn State got him the ball in the passing game. Barkley had four catches for 142 yards and a touchdown, so it's easy to see why the Hawkeyes want to focus their attention on stopping him.

 "Everybody has to be on the same page," Ferentz said. "All that being said, when you play a guy like (Barkley), he's going to make some plays on his own because he's not your average back. So if it happens, it happens. You've got to keep playing. What we can't do is give him yards that are uncontested. If we do that, I can tell you what the result is going to be. It's easy to predict."

 While Barkley is the engine, Penn State has a lot of other moving parts that are dangerous, including quarterback Trace McSorley. A dual threat, McSorley went 18-of-23 with five touchdowns through the air, and averages nearly six yards per carry on the ground. McSorley is completing 67 percent of his passes and isn't afraid to go deep, averaging 9.9 yards per attempt.

 McSorley has myriad weapons, including All-America candidate tight end Mike Gesicki (four TDs) and receivers DaeSean Hamilton (18.1 ypc) and DeAndre Thompkins (6 catches, 66 yards).

 "We realize we have to play our best and at our highest level possible if we're going to be competitive in this game," Ferentz said. "That's where we're focused right now."

Linebacker Josey Jewell is the heart of Iowa's defense

 Iowa (3-0) has a bit of its own juice in the form of running back Akrum Wadley, who has 258 yards and a score in three contests. Understudy James Butler won't be available for this game, so Ferentz will spell Wadley, who left last week's game early, with freshmen Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin.

 Nathan Stanley hasn't been spectacular at quarterback (61.4 percent, 10 touchdowns), but hasn't made mistakes, either. Stanley has just one interception, but will face his toughest challenge to date against a Nittany Lions defense that has already picked off nine passes. PSU has scored 49 points off of turnovers, so Iowa will need to be sound at hanging on to the football and grinding out possessions.

 Iowa loves to run the inside zone with Wadley, and have for years been one of the best at running the stretch play. An experienced offensive line is the key, so Penn State will need to have linebackers Manny Bowen and Jason Cabinda played disciplined, sound football, and not go for Iowa's heavy play-action.

 The Hawkeyes hang their hat on defense, ranking in the top 25 nationally against the run and allowing just two touchdowns. If they are to stop Barkley, it will be because linebacker Josey Jewell, who has 28 tackles and a pair of sacks in three games, was his usual self.

 Franklin knows that his team will have to account for Jewell on every play.

 "Josey Jewell is their bellcow and the leader of their defense," Franklin said. "A very instinctive player, a very physical player, a very productive player. I don't think there's any doubt about it, he makes their defense go from a leadership and playmaking perspective."

 Penn State is just 8-5 on the road against unranked Big Ten foes since 2012, and Ferentz likes the fact that Hawkeyes fans will have the entire day to get ready for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

 "You can't help but be excited," he said. "There's something about night games. I don't know if it takes you back to when you were in high school playing, but I think it's a lot of fun for everybody to be involved in."

 While some might say that all of the pressure is on Penn State, Franklin disagrees. He believes in putting it out there, warts and all, and gravitating toward people who aren't afraid to be themselves -- much as his Nittany Lions aren't afraid to be what they are.

 "One of the things I love about being a head football coach is all of the different personalities that I get to deal with every single day," Franklin said. "One of the things I've always been attracted to is people that own who they are. They're either really cool or really weird, and I love those people. I love the people on the extremes that kind of own who they are and are very comfortable in their own skin. I think that's what we have to do on offense, on defense and on special teams."

Mississippi State Out To Prove To Georgia It Is For Real

 Two sets of Bulldogs, on different sides of the conference, looking to prove they have the bite to stick around all season.

 That is what is in store when 17th-ranked Mississippi State heads to Athens to take on No. 11 Georgia this Saturday. Mississippi State (3-0) is coming off of a 37-7 domination of LSU, while Georgia ran all over FCS foe Samford, 42-14, getting 131 yards and two touchdowns from running back Nick Chubb.

 The teams have played just four times in the 2000s, with Georgia winning three. That includes a 24-10 victory at home in 2011, but both teams are living in the now, not in the past.

 "As far as where we are, I think playing a team like this this week will tell us a lot," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. "It's hard to say. I'm not going to sit here and say we've arrived, because I don't think that's the case. I think we've improved. I think we have to continue to improve to beat the teams we have on our schedule."

Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald has made Mississippi State's offense lethal (Clarion Ledger)

 Going on the road is never easy, especially in SEC play. But Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen believes his charges are ready -- or hopes so, anyway. 

 "We’ve got this tough challenge right now, going on the road playing in a tough environment against an excellent football team," Mullen said "It’s a different environment. Last week, we had our home SEC opener with a different level of play and a different style of game from our first two games. This week coming back, it’s our first SEC road game, which adds different challenges to the picture. The environment, the crowd noise – all those things are a little bit different. 

 "We don’t play Georgia very often. It’s only the third time since I’ve been head coach here that we’re going to be playing Georgia. We won’t be playing them again for another seven years after this. There’s some uniqueness in it." 

 A pair of young quarterbacks will be in the crosshairs, Nick Fitzgerald for Mississippi State and, most likely, Jake Fromm for Georgia (3-0).

 Fitzgerald burst onto the scene as a sophomore last season, rushing for nearly 1400 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns -- and reminding fans in Starkville more than just a little bit of predecessor Dak Prescott. Fitzgerald was inconsistent throwing the football, completing just 54 percent of his passes. He's been a bit more precise this season, hitting nearly 61 percent, with eight touchdowns and just one interception.

 “Decision making comes down to the processing of information, how fast you can process it and how comfortable you are on the field," Mullen said. "You’re really starting to see him process it and take what the defense gives him. A lot of times with young quarterbacks, what will happen is we’ll practice something and they’ll expect a look. When it doesn’t happen that exact same way, it’s almost like they wish it to happen that way, and they’re going to throw it. As they mature, when things don’t turn out exactly the way we practiced, are you still making good decisions? You see it, and you just take what the defense gives you. He’s maturing that way.”

 While more disciplined with his arm, it is Fitzgerald's legs that will get the job done more often than not. He already has 240 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, and he's found a backfield companion in junior tailback Aeris Williams, who has 336 yards and a score.

 Smart knows the challenge his defense -- which is allowing just 4.1 yards per play, one of the best figures in the country -- faces with Fitzgerald.

 "He's unbelievably competitive, physical, big," Smart said. "A guy with good size, dimensions, has the ability to throw the ball, but can run. Nick played in a little bit of a different offense at high school. He's developed as a quarterback. To see him this year compared to all the games we watched last year in the off-season, he's one of the most vastly improved players because he's not one-dimensional any more. He was really a runner last year. That's not the case. I saw that same growth with Dak Prescott during his time at Mississippi State."

 Georgia faced Brandon Wimbush of Notre Dame, who is also a dual threat quarterback, but that's where the similarities end.

"I think Wimbush and Nick are very different type guys," Smart said. "Nick is a unique quarterback with his length, ability to see over. He's a lot faster than you think, deceptively. He doesn't look as if, when you talk to people that played him, he's running real fast, but he is. I think that's different. Wimbush had a little bit more quick twitch. This kid is long and fast. When you get loose on him, you see him running away from SEC defenses. You didn't see that with Wimbush. They didn't play SEC defenses. This guy has gone up against the kind of defenses we've had repeatedly. He's faced that a bunch. He's a good player. We're excited for the opportunity to compete against him."

 Fromm tossed three touchdown passes against Samford in his first home start and showed more poise than he did against Notre Dame, when he appeared rattled at times.

 Incumbent starter Jacob Eason returned to practice on Wednesday and could be ready to go, so Mississippi State might not know until game time which quarterback it will face. Realistically, Fromm seems like the safer bet as he has gained momentum by the week, but Smart wasn't tipping his hand.

 Georgia's defense is no slouch, allowing just 4.01 yards per play and has given up just four touchdowns in three contests. Linebacker Roquan Smith leads the way with 19 stops, while linebacker Lorenzo Carter has tallied three sacks in the last two games. 

 While people talk about Mississippi State's offense, the defense is a big reason the Bulldogs are unbeaten and trending up.

Stopping Georgia RB Nick Chubb will be a primary concern for Mississippi State (USAToday)

 MSU allows just 2.57 yards per carry and has given up just two touchdowns on the ground. Chubb is big-time, though Georgia could without Sony Michel, who sat out the Samford game with an ankle injury suffered against Notre Dame. Mississippi State is also grudging on third down, allowing just 21.4 percent conversions, and hopes to get Georgia off the field so that it cannot crank up its ground attack.

 Todd Grantham, who comes over from Louisville and was Georgia's defensive coordinator from 2010-13, runs that side of the ball for the Mississippi State, and has always been known for having active stop units.

 This one is no different, as safety Mark McLaurin (19 tackles) and star J.T. Gray (15) like to press up to the line of scrimmage to keep opponents from finding cutback lanes. The emergence of sophomore nose man Jeffery Simmons (17 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2 blocked kicks) allows the back seven to play a bit more freely, as the front can get to the quarterback with four guys.

 "I think Todd does a tremendous job," Smart said. "He's very smart, very knowledgeable, knows how to attack protections. He's a guy that's constantly working on getting better. He's got these guys believing and playing really hard, really physical. Got some good players. Got some big guys up front. They're playing hard. He's got some fast guys. They just seem like they have a lot of guys they play."

 Mississippi State is one of the younger teams in the SEC, so to be on the verge of really contending in the conference this soon is nothing short of amazing.

 Mullen has recruited well during his eight full seasons in Starkville, but it's not just about talent.

 “We constantly talk about building the depth of guys being ready for when their opportunity comes," Mullen said. "We’ve tried to grow and build that depth. Guys are taking advantage of their opportunities. We’re a young team. There’s a lot of young players on this team. There’s not a senior on the defensive line, and yet you’re going to add some guys next year.”

 Mississippi State has a tall task ahead, as it hasn't won in Athens since 1956. Now is a chance to prove they aren't just bark, but also bite.

Confident TCU Prepared To Give Cowboys A Battle

James Washington is one of many offensive weapons for Oklahoma State (NewsOK)

 A story came out earlier in the week about Oklahoma State's schedule being a potential pitfall toward gaining a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The No. 6 Cowboys have looked nearly invincible through three games, but only a road win at Pittsburgh can be called impressive. It's the only victory over a Power 5 team for Mike Gundy's squad, but things definitely begin to ramp up as TCU comes to Stillwater for a Big 12 showdown of unbeatens this Saturday.

 TCU (3-0) has looked impressive, beating up on Arkansas in Fayetteville and blasting rival SMU by three touchdowns last weekend -- a win that Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson was not terribly impressed with.

 He knows what's ahead for his squad, which has lost four of the last five games in this series, including the last three in Stillwater.

 "You always want to play against really good people," Patterson said. "To find out what you're like and what your level is -- what you can play at. Oklahoma State definitely puts us into that category, and we're going to have to play at a very high level if we want an opportunity to win.

 "You're going to have to score some points on Oklahoma State to be able to win the ballgame. We know that."

 The Cowboys have been an offensive machine, averaging 54 points per game, fourth best in the nation, and 607 yards of total offense, third best nationally.

 Quarterback Mason Rudolph has established himself as a legitimate Heisman candidate after completing over 72 percent of his passes and averaging 378 yards per game through the air. He has also been very disciplined with the football, tossing 11 touchdowns to just one interception.

 "The kid is a workaholic," Gundy said of Rudolph.

 Rudolph, who had the numbers to leave school a year early, decided to stick around Stillwater for another season because he knew what the Cowboys had coming back. Running back Justice Hill has speed and elusiveness, and averages 83.3 yards per contest with three touchdowns. Top wideout James Washington has been unstoppable, averaging 28 yards per grab on 13 catches, and finding the end zone three times. Marcell Ateman, Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner all have at least 11 grabs, so TCU will definitely have to pick its poison if it is to come away with the upset.

 "I'm excited about my team," Patterson said. "We got ourselves to 3-0, got ourselves in a position where we feel like we have a very mature football team. We're excited for the challenge."

 TCU has some weapons of its own, namely quarterback Kenny Hill. After bursting onto the scene as a freshman at Texas A&M in 2014, Hill's star dimmed in College Station, so he transferred to Lubbock. He was up and down last season, completing just over 61 percent of his passes and throwing nearly as many interceptions (13) as touchdowns (17).

TCU QB Kenny Hill has matured into a leader (Chat Sports)

 Hill has learned to value the football much better in this, his senior season. The mobile signal-caller has completed 75 percent of his passes with eight scoring tosses and just two picks. Patterson said his decision making has improved by leaps and bounds, which is a big reason the 16th-ranked Horned Frogs have been able to average 43 points per game.

 Darius Anderson has been a nice complement in the backfield, averaging 87.3 yards per game with three scores. Desmon White has two receiving touchdowns while KaVontae Turpin has added 12 catches for 118 yards and a score.

 Patterson lauded the Cowboys defense -- which many believe is its weak link -- noting that it has six takeaways in three games. Linebacker Justin Phillips has two interceptions and leads the team in solo tackles with 10, and is also the heart and soul of a stop unit that is craving respect.

 The Cowboys defense isn't flashy, but thus far it has been able to get the job done.

“They’ve been committed to each other since the bowl game in January,” Gundy said. “They understand the importance of preparation and focus.”

 TCU leads the nation in third down conversions at over 65 percent, and hanging on to the football means that the Cowboys offense won't be able to score.

 Patterson believes that his team won't be fazed by the hostile atmosphere of Boone Pickens Stadium, and in fact thinks that being battle-tested will help calm any nerves. The visitor has won just twice in the last 12 games in this series.

 “If there’s any advantage to me going into the ballgame, we’ve played two teams that have had a high level of something,” Patterson said. “I think that’s the only advantage that we have going into Oklahoma State — going in that we’ve had to be in two battles."

 Oklahoma State has won 10 games in three of the last four seasons but has yet to finish ahead of arch-nemesis Oklahoma. Gundy felt special about this team from the beginning of fall camp, and believes the maturity, leadership and talent is there to make a run at not only the Sooners, but loftier goals.

“I think I’d go back to what I said in August,” Gundy said. “We’ve got an experienced team, a quarterback who buys into the system. The defensive guys are working hard and buying into the system. I felt good about them coming into the year, but it doesn’t mean it’ll work out that way. But so far, I’ve been pleased."

Monday Musings

Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield has helped raise the profile of the Big 12 (Tulsa World)

 The Big 12 came into 2017 looking for respect, especially after it was shut out of the 2016 college football playoff.

 It took steps to remedy that, adding a championship game between the first and second place teams at the end of the regular season, as well as bulking up the non-conference portion of the schedules.

 But the most important thing it has done is win.

 Through the first three weekends of the season, the Big 12 has four unbeaten teams, and has registered marquee wins over Ohio State, Arkansas and Pittsburgh, all on the road, and Texas' showing against USC, taking the heavily favored Trojans to double overtime before losing 27-24, was encouraging, and a sign that the conference won't be the laughingstock that it's been the past few seasons -- especially at the top.

 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State look like real contenders for the College Football Playoff, which means their Nov. 4 Bedlam meeting could be really, really fun -- and important.

 TCU appears to have gotten over the horrible defensive tendencies that plagued it last year, and Kenny Hill has been excellent through three contests. Throw a surprising Texas Tech into the mix -- yeah, yeah, the Fighting Kingburys have beaten Eastern Washington and Arizona State, but it's a start -- and you have the makings of a competitive race.

 One big reason for the Big 12's early positive returns has been quarterback play.

 Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph are 1-2 in ESPN's QBR metric, the tool that best measures effectiveness and situations throughout a game. Mayfield is at 94.4 while Rudolph is on his heels at 92.7. The real surprise is at No. 3, where Texas Tech's Nik Shimonek comes in at 91.1, with nine TDs and zero interceptions through two contests. None of the three are afraid to take shots down the field, all averaging better than 11.5 yards per attempt.

 TCU's Hill is eighth in QBR, and West Virginia's Will Grier 13th, so the league is definitely getting solid play from the most important position on the field.

 I know Mayfield and Rudolph can play, and it's expected that their teams will be around for the duration of the season. Waiting is the preferred to take on Hill, who has teased with his talent before, only to come crashing back down to earth. Shimonek is a senior who has waited his turn, so he keep up his pace.

 Texas could have a quandary when injured Shane Buechele returns, though if it were up to a certain someone there would be no decision necessary -- freshman Sam Ehlinger would be the starter. The kid showed a ton of moxie in the loss to USC, not allowing the moment to overwhelm him. He has a good arm, he leads his receivers and he isn't afraid to tuck it an run. He doesn't always make the best decisions, but that can be worked on. Tom Herman seems to have found himself a potentially special talent, which means the Longhorns appear to be trending up -- just two weeks after America declared them dead after an opening loss to Maryland.

 While the SEC will continue to get the headlines, the Big 12 is lurking, waiting for fans to take notice.

 If the road wins haven't done it, then maybe the Sooners or Cowboys making the CFP will.

SEC Surprises
 Just about everyone expected Alabama to be unbeaten at this juncture, but three SEC teams have gotten off to surprisingly good starts, and all three could hang around for the balance of the season.

 Georgia and Florida were expected to rule the SEC East, and while the Bulldogs are unbeaten, Florida is just 1-1, and that's thanks largely to an improbable last second victory over Tennessee, who handles end of game situations about as poorly as any team in the country.

 Kentucky has started 3-0, relying on an active defense to prop up a pretty anemic offense. The Wildcats have held foes to 30 percent on third down conversions and are among the top 20 in turnover margin. Running back Bennie Snell hasn't quite gotten things going yet, averaging less than four yards a pop. But he does have three touchdowns and one of the highest usage rates in America, averaging nearly 24 carries per game.

 Vanderbilt also sits at 3-0, opening some eyes with a defeat of previously unbeaten Kansas State. Like Kentucky, the Commodores aren't lighting things up offensively. But lordy, that defense -- it's allowing less than 200 yards per game and just 13 points in three contests. Yes, we know that KSU is the only legit foe Vandy has faced, and it gets Bama next weekend. But linebacker Emmanuel Smith has been a real force, averaging nearly 10 tackles a game and 2.5 tackles for loss. He's good sideline to sideline and straight ahead, so offensive coordinators will need to know where he is at all times. He's that disruptive.

 In the West, Mississippi State is battling through being one of the youngest teams in the league, making a definitive statement in a 37-7 pasting of LSU on Saturday night. Nick Fitzgerald is a joy to watch, and he could own all of the school's quarterback records before he's finished. The offensive output hasn't been surprising, but the defense, currently ranked fourth in the nation, is allowing just 3.34 yards per play. The Bulldogs go to Georgia and Auburn the next two games, so we will see if they are for real.

Bears Growling
 An early candidate for coach of the year is Cal's Justin Wilcox, who has the Bears off to just their second 3-0 start since 2011. Sonny Dykes was pretty much a failure in Berkeley, known mostly for having terrible defenses. Wilcox, coordinator of Wisconsin's 2016 stifling stop unit, has the Bears believing after knocking off North Carolina and Ole Miss -- sure, not higher-rung FBS teams, but teams they would have lost to last season.

 The D isn't anything great statistically, but Cal has been opportunistic (top 20 in turnover margin) and stiffened up in the red zone, allowing just five TDs in 11 trips to the red zone by opponents. The talent isn't there yet on defense, and the offense is young. But Wilcox has his team playing well and believing in itself -- though that may change the next three weeks as Cal takes on USC, Oregon and Washington.

  Vols Fall?
 Tennessee found yet another way to fail against Florida, and Butch Jones may be feeling the heat because of it. Already under fire for an allegedly "horrible" culture within the program, Jones has now lost seven one possession games at Tennessee since 2014, and there seems to be growing doubt about his ability to get the program to the top of the SEC East.

 This latest loss to the Gators was even more confounding and demoralizing than the 2015 setback, when Florida scored on a 59-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Callaway with under 90 seconds remaining.

 This time it was merely a poor coverage on a last second heave by Feleipe Franks that fell into the waiting arms of Tyrie Cleveland, giving the Gators an improbable 26-20 victory when it appeared to everyone that they were playing for overtime.

 Jones has taken the Vols to consecutive 9-4 seasons, but losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt and Arkansas, teams less talented than Tennessee, continue to slow the progress, and continues to keep the fan base restless.

 Tennessee can get well next week with a breather against UMass, but then it hosts Georgia. Should the Bulldogs win that one, then things will once again ratchet up for Jones. 

 Tennessee can be a great program -- the facilities are great, the money is there, the commitment to win is evident. It just doesn't appear that it can be great under Jones.

Poll Blindness
 I won't have any rankings until the end of next week, as it's pointless to do them now. Teams are still forming, you don't really know what is or isn't a good win, and too many voters just look at last week's list and jostle teams accordingly.

 Two things to know about my rankings -- first, there will only be 12 teams, as that is the number that is included in the New Years Six bowl games. I call it the Dandy Dozen, and it is pretty damn dandy.

 Second, I approach each week as its own entity, which means I don't keep a team at No. 1 just because it wins. Whatever team looks has the best resume at the end of that week, that's who will be atop my rankings. Which means that Alabama can win and still not be No. 1. I know, that sets the college football world on its ear, but it's really the only right way to do rankings. So, word of advice to everyone doing a top however many teams -- rank 'em and let everyone know, and then don't look at them next week when you're doing it again. Each week should be independent of the week before.

Thanks For Playing
 We said last time that we would introduce you to our little game of Thanks For Playing, in which we eliminate teams from the CFP race. You won't see any non-Power 5 teams here, as those typically aren't even in the mix until later in the season.


 A few teams have already been kicked to the curb, but the most notable eliminations this week are Texas, which is a shame because the Longhorns are going to be good sooner rather than later; Nebraska, which was probably never really a contender but is in a Power 5 league; and Stanford, which has a surprising number of defensive issues for a David Shaw-coached team

 Thirty six teams remain unbeaten, and next week features 10 games between teams with perfect records. So this stuff will begin to shake itself out.