2023 CFB Regular Season thread (AKA: The last year of normal college football)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 4- Top 10 Games

So the season of fall begins today. Considering that the highest low temperature my town will get is 52, I'm inclined to agree. Another big sign that fall is upon us? The football season is starting to REALLY pick up. You'll see what I mean as I present...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 4)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Arkansas @ LSU [7:00, ESPN] (There were a LOT of choices for the #10 spot this week, but the "Battle For the Golden Boot" stands out above them all. For LSU, it's about taking out the rival Razorbacks [again] and continuing their push for an SEC title. As for Arkansas, they may have lost last week, but it was a close game against BYU. Let's see if they'll fare better against the Tigers than Mississippi State did.)

9. BYU @ Kansas [3:30, ESPN] (The "new-look" Big 12 got going last week with that TCU/Houston game. Now we have BYU going to Lawrence, Kansas for a conference game. Welcome to the new world of football. And... this actually looks really good! You have a QB duel of Kedon Slovis vs. Jalon Daniels, and a pair of defenses ready to assert themselves.)

8. Rutgers @ Michigan [12:00, Big 10 Network] (So Rutgers has started a season 3-0 again. Good for them. But once again, we need to see if the Scarlet Knights can make ANY sort of move in the crowded Big 10. And going to Ann Arbor may be a death sen- Wait. Michigan hasn't been tested so far in 2023, correct? Let's see the Wolverines shine against a REAL team.)

7. UCLA @ Utah [3:30, FOX] (The PAC-12 season gets underway this week! And the early part of it will be separating the pretenders from the contenders. One game where that could happen is this game in Salt Lake City; is UCLA and their new QB Dante Moore for real? As for Utah, this may be the game where they get QB Cameron Rising back. If that happens, what will the Bruins defense do?)

6. Oregon State @ Washington State [7:00, FOX] (Well, it's nice to see FOX making room in their prime-time schedule for this PAC-12 game. Anyway, let's see if Cameron Ward and Washington State is a real threat in the conference... and if Oregon State can handle the zoo that'll be Pullman at nighttime.)

5. Iowa @ Penn State [7:30, CBS] (Here's a fun fact: Did you know that Iowa scored 41 points last week? Yeah, it's true! Now if they can only do that against a Penn State seeking a CFP berth. THEN everybody will be impressed. But here's the thing: It may be quite rainy in Happy Valley when this game takes place. Drew Allar and Penn State may need to adjust their plans... maybe even prepare for a low-scoring game. Then again, a low-scoring game is right up Iowa's alley.)

4. Colorado @ Oregon [3:30, ABC] (Let me just throw out some of the things to pay attention to here: Sheduer Sanders vs. Bo Nix. Deion Sanders vs. "The Zoo" inside Autzen Stadium. And of course, another test for the rebuilding Colorado program as they start PAC-12 play.)

3. Florida State @ Clemson [12:00, ABC] (Why did I put this game above 4 "ranked vs. ranked" matchups? Simple. This is a HUGE legitimacy test for BOTH schools. Florida State has all the hype, but they haven't beaten Clemson since 2014. And they struggled QUITE a bit against Boston College; can Jordan Travis shake off the left shoulder injury he got last week and win in "Death Valley"? As for Clemson, they're at risk of losing more than their streak against FSU. Their aura of a national title contender, their dominance of the ACC... it could all die this Saturday. They must play this game like it's their last stand.)

2. Ole Miss @ Alabama [3:30, CBS] (So now that I hyped FSU/Clemson to the moon, what do I think of the Ole Miss/Alabama game this Saturday? Well... just know that Alabama MAY be in the same desperate state as Clemson if they lose here. But I don't know if Ole Miss has what it takes to stop a Crimson Tide team that'll be fired up after falling out of the Top 10 for the first time in 13 years. Lane Kiffin, QB Jaxson Dart, and the Rebels defense has to be ready for a war here.)

1. Ohio State @ Notre Dame [7:30, NBC] (Well! Turns out that NBC has taken my advice and move this monster game to primetime! The Irish will break out the green jerseys for this one; will it help them break their stigma of not showing up for big games? Oh, and Ohio State's QB Kyle McCord is taking on Sam Hartman here. Will Kyle wither, or become the next great Ohio State QB?)

Best "mid-major" game: Georgia State @ Coastal Carolina (So Georgia State is 3-0 too? Cool. But it's time for them to start Sun Belt play against Coastal, and see if the Panthers are for real as well.)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Oklahoma @ Cincinnati (It's Cincinnati's big debut playing in the Big 12! ...But Oklahoma has looked like a monster so far this year, and Cincy HAS to be down in the dumps after losing to rival Miami-Ohio. This MIGHT get really ugly.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Texas @ Baylor, Auburn @ Texas A&M, Memphis vs. Missouri, and UCF @ Kansas State.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 4 Predictions

You know, I was ready to boast to the heavens about my picks last week. That's because in Top 25 games, I went 20-0!
...But then I remembered that I missed both of my "other big games" picks, and that was my humble check. So now I humbly give out my picks for Week 4 of the season:

Top 25:
UAB 14 @ (1)Georgia 50
Rutgers 20 @ (2)Michigan 37
(3)Texas 37 @ Baylor 22
(4)Florida State 27 @ Clemson 30
(5)USC 41 @ Arizona State 34
(6)Ohio State 30 @ (9)Notre Dame 28
(24)Iowa 17 @ (7)Penn State 24
California 14 @ (8)Washington 35
(19)Colorado 27 @ (10)Oregon 42
(22)UCLA 24 @ (11)Utah 31
Arkansas 22 @ (12)LSU 37
(15)Ole Miss 23 @ (13)Alabama 35
(14)Oregon State 38 @ (21)Washington State 31
(16)Oklahoma 53 @ Cincinnati 17
(17)North Carolina 40 @ Pittsburgh 30
(18)Duke 47 @ UConn 13
(20)Miami 39 @ Temple 14
UTSA 15 @ (23)Tennessee 27
Charlotte 10 @ (25)Florida 38

Other big games:
Auburn 21 @ Texas A&M 28
UCF 24 @ Kansas State 28
BYU 37 @ Kansas 31
Missouri 37 vs. Memphis 17

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "Secret Celebrity Renovation".

 

[belcherboy]

bama this year may be saban,s worst team.for the first time he does,nt have a decent qb and the defense does,nt have a standout player,as a result this will be an awful season at bama.

I have a tough time picking against Bama now. It's like when Mike Tyson lost a few, I thought to myself "He may just wake up and be the Mike Tyson of old" in every fight. The one thing I think may happen is Saban may give up on this year and just retire at the end. I'm not saying he isn't going to try, but I think his fire may be out and he may just cruise through the rest of this year and call it quits in December. We'll see.

 

[belcherboy]

Week 4 Predictions

You know, I was ready to boast to the heavens about my picks last week. That's because in Top 25 games, I went 20-0!
...But then I remembered that I missed both of my "other big games" picks, and that was my humble check. So now I humbly give out my picks for Week 4 of the season:

Top 25:
UAB 14 @ (1)Georgia 50
Rutgers 20 @ (2)Michigan 37
(3)Texas 37 @ Baylor 22
(4)Florida State 27 @ Clemson 30
(5)USC 41 @ Arizona State 34
(6)Ohio State 30 @ (9)Notre Dame 28
(24)Iowa 17 @ (7)Penn State 24
California 14 @ (8)Washington 35
(19)Colorado 27 @ (10)Oregon 42
(22)UCLA 24 @ (11)Utah 31
Arkansas 22 @ (12)LSU 37
(15)Ole Miss 23 @ (13)Alabama 35
(14)Oregon State 38 @ (21)Washington State 31
(16)Oklahoma 53 @ Cincinnati 17
(17)North Carolina 40 @ Pittsburgh 30
(18)Duke 47 @ UConn 13
(20)Miami 39 @ Temple 14
UTSA 15 @ (23)Tennessee 27
Charlotte 10 @ (25)Florida 38

Other big games:
Auburn 21 @ Texas A&M 28
UCF 24 @ Kansas State 28
BYU 37 @ Kansas 31
Missouri 37 vs. Memphis 17

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "Secret Celebrity Renovation".

I think we will see more blowouts in games that should be close this weekend. I unfortunately see Ohio State, Penn State, and USC rolling by their competition by 2-3 TD's each. I think Oregon may do the same thing, although Colorado has surprised me this year.

Hopefully (and very likely) I'm wrong. I'd love to see a few upsets...starting with ND!

 

[fightinfunbags]

Week 4- Top 10 Games

So the season of fall begins today. Considering that the highest low temperature my town will get is 52, I'm inclined to agree. Another big sign that fall is upon us? The football season is starting to REALLY pick up. You'll see what I mean as I present...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 4)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Arkansas @ LSU [7:00, ESPN] (There were a LOT of choices for the #10 spot this week, but the "Battle For the Golden Boot" stands out above them all. For LSU, it's about taking out the rival Razorbacks [again] and continuing their push for an SEC title. As for Arkansas, they may have lost last week, but it was a close game against BYU. Let's see if they'll fare better against the Tigers than Mississippi State did.)

9. BYU @ Kansas [3:30, ESPN] (The "new-look" Big 12 got going last week with that TCU/Houston game. Now we have BYU going to Lawrence, Kansas for a conference game. Welcome to the new world of football. And... this actually looks really good! You have a QB duel of Kedon Slovis vs. Jalon Daniels, and a pair of defenses ready to assert themselves.)

8. Rutgers @ Michigan [12:00, Big 10 Network] (So Rutgers has started a season 3-0 again. Good for them. But once again, we need to see if the Scarlet Knights can make ANY sort of move in the crowded Big 10. And going to Ann Arbor may be a death sen- Wait. Michigan hasn't been tested so far in 2023, correct? Let's see the Wolverines shine against a REAL team.)

7. UCLA @ Utah [3:30, FOX] (The PAC-12 season gets underway this week! And the early part of it will be separating the pretenders from the contenders. One game where that could happen is this game in Salt Lake City; is UCLA and their new QB Dante Moore for real? As for Utah, this may be the game where they get QB Cameron Rising back. If that happens, what will the Bruins defense do?)

6. Oregon State @ Washington State [7:00, FOX] (Well, it's nice to see FOX making room in their prime-time schedule for this PAC-12 game. Anyway, let's see if Cameron Ward and Washington State is a real threat in the conference... and if Oregon State can handle the zoo that'll be Pullman at nighttime.)

5. Iowa @ Penn State [7:30, CBS] (Here's a fun fact: Did you know that Iowa scored 41 points last week? Yeah, it's true! Now if they can only do that against a Penn State seeking a CFP berth. THEN everybody will be impressed. But here's the thing: It may be quite rainy in Happy Valley when this game takes place. Drew Allar and Penn State may need to adjust their plans... maybe even prepare for a low-scoring game. Then again, a low-scoring game is right up Iowa's alley.)

4. Colorado @ Oregon [3:30, ABC] (Let me just throw out some of the things to pay attention to here: Sheduer Sanders vs. Bo Nix. Deion Sanders vs. "The Zoo" inside Autzen Stadium. And of course, another test for the rebuilding Colorado program as they start PAC-12 play.)

3. Florida State @ Clemson [12:00, ABC] (Why did I put this game above 4 "ranked vs. ranked" matchups? Simple. This is a HUGE legitimacy test for BOTH schools. Florida State has all the hype, but they haven't beaten Clemson since 2014. And they struggled QUITE a bit against Boston College; can Jordan Travis shake off the left shoulder injury he got last week and win in "Death Valley"? As for Clemson, they're at risk of losing more than their streak against FSU. Their aura of a national title contender, their dominance of the ACC... it could all die this Saturday. They must play this game like it's their last stand.)

2. Ole Miss @ Alabama [3:30, CBS] (So now that I hyped FSU/Clemson to the moon, what do I think of the Ole Miss/Alabama game this Saturday? Well... just know that Alabama MAY be in the same desperate state as Clemson if they lose here. But I don't know if Ole Miss has what it takes to stop a Crimson Tide team that'll be fired up after falling out of the Top 10 for the first time in 13 years. Lane Kiffin, QB Jaxson Dart, and the Rebels defense has to be ready for a war here.)

1. Ohio State @ Notre Dame [7:30, NBC] (Well! Turns out that NBC has taken my advice and move this monster game to primetime! The Irish will break out the green jerseys for this one; will it help them break their stigma of not showing up for big games? Oh, and Ohio State's QB Kyle McCord is taking on Sam Hartman here. Will Kyle wither, or become the next great Ohio State QB?)

Best "mid-major" game: Georgia State @ Coastal Carolina (So Georgia State is 3-0 too? Cool. But it's time for them to start Sun Belt play against Coastal, and see if the Panthers are for real as well.)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Oklahoma @ Cincinnati (It's Cincinnati's big debut playing in the Big 12! ...But Oklahoma has looked like a monster so far this year, and Cincy HAS to be down in the dumps after losing to rival Miami-Ohio. This MIGHT get really ugly.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Texas @ Baylor, Auburn @ Texas A&M, Memphis vs. Missouri, and UCF @ Kansas State.

My prediction segment is next!

This is a great slate of games this week.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 4 "bananas" games
Before we go any further, we need to highlight two games from yesterday that were totally bananas.

'Upset' Day fires back at Holtz after Buckeyes win
Here is one of them.

Clemson vs. Florida State: Tiger Coaching Staff Loses One to the Seminoles

Clemson fought valiantly but the coaching staff put the players in bad situations all day, handing FSU a 31-24 win.

www.shakinthesouthland.com

And here is the other one.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 4- Good and Bad

And now somebody in the "CFB forums" is remarking that college football should have a "promotion/regulation" system. I need to see what that is about... AFTER I give out my Good and Bad from this week:

It was a good week for:​

Sober Colorado fans (Listen! Just hear me out! ...Colorado has been on a whirlwind of hype throughout the season, right? Well, Oregon just gave the Buffaloes a HUGE dose of reality as they spanked them in Eugene. Now with the hype train over, Deion can now get to work and PROPERLY rebuild the Buffs program.)
Alabama's defense (Well. Looks like the talk about Alabama's dynasty being over was just that: Talk. Because the Tide defense is still as powerful as ever, holding the Rebels to only 10 points in Alabama's win.)
Washington State (The Cougars held off a late comeback from Oregon State to win their conference opener. And how about Cameron Ward throwing for 404 yards and 4 TD's? Maybe it's time we give this guy some Heisman love.)
LSU (See? I KNEW that the "Battle For the Golden Boot" would be great. And the Tigers won that thriller 34-31.)
Kansas (The Jayhawks won their duel with BYU, and they now have their 2nd-straight 4-0 start.)
Northwestern (Yes, Northwestern is on the "good" side of the board. That's because they rallied from a 21-point deficit to stun Minnesota in OT.)

It was a bad week for:​

Iowa (Iowa came into "Happy Valley" with confidence. They left as a 34-0 loser while getting only 76 yards of offense. Back to playing the "waiting game" for Brian Ferentz.)
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman (I just noticed this morning that Notre Dame had only 10 players for certain plays against the Buckeyes in the 4th quarter. His excuse? "I planned it; I didn't want Ohio State to get set again". Good luck with that line of excuse, sir.)
Clemson's kicker (I don't like throwing shade at kickers. But you can't deny that when that guy missed that 29-yard field goal for Clemson, it changed the course of the game. What could have been a redemption win for Clemson turned into a OT win for Florida State because of that miss!)
Auburn (Not only did their arch-rivals NOT lose against Ole Miss, but Auburn's quarterbacks were retched against Texas A&M.)
Indiana (Yes, Indiana won against Akron. But they needed 4 overtimes to do it?! That's not really a good look for them.)

And finally, remember that teams like Liberty, Fresno State, Georgia State, and Missouri are also 4-0 right now.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 5- Top 10 Games

So my mother is having surgery tomorrow to get a cataract in her right eye taken care of. And I have to be there, so I'm moving this segment to Wednesday; best not to worry about Duke football and my mom on the same day.
You know what that means! It's time for...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 5)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Louisville @ NC State [7:00 Friday, ESPN] (Once again, the battle for the #10 spot was fierce. But this game in Raleigh gets the nod, as both Louisville and NC State have something to prove in this ACC game. For the Wolfpack, it's about starting ACC play off on the right foot... and making sure their offense is ready to go. As for Louisville, they want to get to 5-0 on the season and win in a hostile environment like Raleigh.)

9. Florida @ Kentucky [12:00, ESPN] (Just like the above game, both Florida and Kentucky will have something to prove here. Kentucky wants to shock the Gators again and get to 5-0 on the year, while Florida is looking to take out Denis Leary and the Wildcats to continue their climb towards Georgia and the SEC East. Oh, and the Vegas sharks has this game almost at a "pick-em". Guess their expecting a fight just like we are.)

8. Washington @ Arizona [10:00, PAC-12 Network] (The last time Washington went on the road, they crushed Michigan State like a bug. Now in their first road conference game, the Huskies are hoping to do the same to Arizona. Thing is, Arizona's defense hasn't been too bad so far this season; can it slow down Michael Penix Jr. and his awesome passing attack?)

7. Michigan @ Nebraska [3:30, FOX] (Okay, so Jim Harbaugh was able to come back for Michigan last week in their win over Rutgers. Now Michigan will have their first road game of the season, as they visit a Nebraska team that has managed to get back-to-back wins. The X-factor here is the Husker defense; it has allowed only 46.3 YPG on the ground so far. If it slows down the Wolverines' balanced attack, they'll have a chance.)

6. Georgia @ Auburn [3:30, CBS] (Well, here's another installment of the "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" for ya. This is Georgia's first major road test of the year, so we'll see how Carson Beck likes playing in front of a hostile crowd. But the X-factor in this game are Auburn's quarterbacks; remember last week when 3 QB's combined for only 56 yards passing against Texas A&M last week? If Auburn wants to pull the upset, they ABSOLUTELY NEED to fix that.)

5. USC @ Colorado [12:00, FOX] (Rise and shine, west-coast people! It'll be a early wake-up call for both USC and Colorado in this PAC-12 battle. And for the first [and maybe only] time, it's Caleb Williams vs. Shedeur Sanders! But watch Colorado's defense here; how will it respond after getting humiliated against Oregon last week? And how will Deion respond to adversity for the first time in Boulder? Will the hype-train start back up, or will the Trojans destroy it for good?)

4. Utah @ Oregon State [9:00 Friday, FOX Sports 1] (The sleeper game of the week. Last week, Utah was able to grind out a win over UCLA while Oregon State lost a heartbreaker to Washington State. Now these two meet in Corvallis, where we'll see if the Beavers can rebound or if the Utes defense will carry the day once again.)

3. LSU @ Ole Miss [6:00, ESPN] (Last week it was a fistfight for the Golden Boot against Arkansas. Now this week, LSU is going to Oxford for "The Battle of Magnolia Lane" against rival Ole Miss. I honestly don't know what's gonna happen here, but just know that the Rebels offense is looking to prove a point after Alabama shut them down last week.)

2. Kansas @ Texas [3:30, ABC] (Ooooo! Here is a BIG showdown in the Big 12 conference. It's Quinn Ewers vs. Jalon Daniels in a battle of unbeatens! Honestly, I juggled this game with the game in Durham for the #1 spot. But ultimately, I need to see if Kansas can handle this monster challenge against a balanced squad like Texas.)

1. Notre Dame @ Duke [7:30, ABC] (So why did I pick Notre Dame/Duke for the #1 spot on this list? College Gameday will be in Durham for this contest, so they must know something I don't. Anyway, it's gut-check time for both programs. Can Notre Dame shake off last week's heartbreak and get back in the hunt? And Duke already has one monster win this year [against Clemson]; can you imagine what can happen if they manage to get another one?)

Best "mid-major" game: South Alabama @ James Madison (Come on, Jaguars! You shock Oklahoma State one week, then lose at home to Central Michigan the next week? Let's see the good side of you come out against the undefeated Dukes.)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Penn State @ Northwestern (Northwestern looked good in their comeback win over Minnesota last week, but against Penn State they could be in for a BIG dose of reality.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Texas A&M vs. Arkansas, Clemson @ Syracuse, Iowa State @ Oklahoma, South Carolina @ Tennessee, and West Virginia @ TCU.

My prediction segment will be tomorrow!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 5 Predictions

Sorry for being late. It was just that there was a backlog of cataract patients at the hospital, and things got delayed and... well, I won't bore you guys anymore. Let's just get to my picks for the week:

Top 25:
(1)Georgia 35 @ Auburn 20
(2)Michigan 30 @ Nebraska 17
(24)Kansas 30 @ (3)Texas 45
(6)Penn State 44 @ Northwestern 14
(7)Washington 37 @ Arizona 23
(8)USC 50 @ Colorado 39
(9)Oregon 44 @ Stanford 12
(10)Utah 23 @ (19)Oregon State 24
(11)Notre Dame 29 @ (17)Duke 27
(12)Alabama 43 @ Mississippi State 18
(13)LSU 41 @ (20)Ole Miss 33
Iowa State 17 @ (14)Oklahoma 31
South Carolina 37 @ (21)Tennessee 32
(22)Florida 28 @ Kentucky 21
(23)Missouri 39 @ Vanderbilt 19
Nevada 15 @ (25)Fresno State 35

Other big games:
Louisville 24 @ NC State 27
Clemson 34 @ Syracuse 20
West Virginia 22 @ TCU 34
Texas A&M 26 vs. Arkansas 28

My time's up. You've been great. I'll check back again soon...

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

As for Louisville, they want to get to 5-0 on the season and win in a hostile environment like Raleigh.)

Louisville is the ultimate ACC dark horse to keep an eye on.
I liked them to win the ACC at the sportsbook over the summer and like them even more now to sneak past the big 4 of Clem/FSU/UNC/Miami.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

LSU vs. Ole Miss

Over in the SEC, things are getting good. We saw Tennessee rebound against South Carolina, Texas A&M winning against Arkansas, and Missouri and Kentucky staying unbeaten.

'L + ratio' -- Ole Miss Rebels stick it to LSU Tigers after upset win
Sadly, it can't all be good news; just ask Jayden Daniels and LSU.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 5- Good and Bad

Why are the time limits in "We Love Katamari" so unforgiving... Huh? Sorry, I was just musing to myself. Anyway, here is the good and the bad from Week 5.

It was a good week for:​

Georgia tight-end Brock Bowers (Georgia really WAS tested yesterday against Auburn! But the Bulldogs have to be grateful for Bowers; he had 157 yards receiving and got the game-winning TD reception to save Georgia's bacon.)
Oregon State (The Beavers defense did wonders in their Friday night win over Utah, keeping their grand plans for 2023 alive.)
Fans of offense (USC/Colorado was an offensive slugfest, with USC holding off a late Buffalo rally for a 48-41 win. Michael Penix Jr. is still kicking butt at Washington, and how about the LSU/Ole Miss game?)
Ray Davis (This guy became a superstar yesterday, as he TORCHED the Florida defense for 280 yards and 4 TD's. With that, Kentucky has now won 3 straight over Florida, and QB Devin Leary didn't really have to do much!)
Buffalo (The Bulls are off the schneid, as they won in Akron to get their first win of the year.)
West Virginia (Hey! West Virginia just won at TCU for their 4th straight win. Maybe Neil Brown WILL survive in Morgantown after all!)

It was a bad week for:​

Lee Corso (His Indiana Hoosiers lost to Maryland, his least favorite team [Purdue] won against Illinois, and Ken Jeong totally schooled him on the dance floor yesterday. And Sam Hartman's magic was the only reason his headgear pick [Notre Dame over Duke] came through.)
Central Florida (I would be a fool to forget about UCF's collapse against Baylor. They had a 28-point lead! ...But then they blew it as Baylor won a thriller in Orlando.)
Boise State (It was a hard-fought game, but Boise State ended up a 35-32 loser in Memphis. Hey, Boise! You're now 2-3; are you SURE you can win back the Mountain West this year?)
Kansas (I'm disappointed at you, Kansas. I moved your game against Texas to the #2 spot on my list, and you get stunked in Austin? Why would yo- What? QB Jalon Daniels was out with an injury? ...Well, that explains it.)

And one more thing: Air Force, Marshall, and Fresno State are still unbeaten!

 

[redskinsfan1963]

I have a tough time picking against Bama now. It's like when Mike Tyson lost a few, I thought to myself "He may just wake up and be the Mike Tyson of old" in every fight. The one thing I think may happen is Saban may give up on this year and just retire at the end. I'm not saying he isn't going to try, but I think his fire may be out and he may just cruise through the rest of this year and call it quits in December. We'll see.

actually played decent two straight weeks.it shocked me

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 6- Top "mid-major" games

Okay. Since some college football is being played tonight, it's time for me to start the most humane thing I can do: Giving smaller football schools a share of the spotlight. Yep, with conference play now in full swing most people are now ignoring the "Group of Five" schools.
Not me, though. It's time for...

The Top "Mid-major" games of the week!​

(All times are Eastern)
5. Western Kentucky @ Louisiana Tech [8:00 tomorrow, ESPNU] (This is just two teams in Conference USA duking it out, both looking to stay unbeaten in the league. And we have Hank Bachmeier vs. Austin Reed in the QB department. Yet the Hilltoppers are lacking in two departments: The running game and the defense; fixing either one of them can help them win here.)

4. Texas State @ Louisiana [3:30, ESPNU] (Saturday will give us a good doubleheader in the Sun Belt. First up will be the Cajuns hosting the surprising Bobcats of Texas State [who is 4-1 right now]. Vegas has the Cajuns as a slight favorite, and they'll be proven right if they can slow down TJ Finley and the Texas State offense.)

3. Arkansas State @ Troy [4:00, ESPN+] (Also in the Sun Belt on Saturday will be this bout. Arkansas State is surprising a few people with a 3-2 start, but can Jaylen Raynor and crew shock the Trojans of Troy? I mean, Troy handed Georgia State their first loss of the season last week, so you know they'll be ready.)

2. Bowling Green @ Miami-Ohio [3:30, ESPN+] (Miami-Ohio has been flying high so far in 2023, but wait a moment! Bowling Green will be coming to town, and you know how nuts these in-state rivalries can be. And Bowling Green just shocked Georgia Tech in Atlanta last week; can they pull off another road stunner?)

And the #1 game on this list... made it to the "big-boy" Top 10. Which means you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 6- Top 10 Games

In celebration of the Hollywood writers' strike being over, I won't waste my time with an intro. Nope, let's go straight into...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2023 (Week 6)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Arizona @ USC [10:30, ESPN] (I initially was gonna put Virginia Tech @ Florida State on this list, mainly because it's a battle between 2 teams unbeaten in the ACC. But I REALLY don't like the Hokies' chances to win in Tallahassee. So instead, I'm going with USC's latest challenge in hosting Arizona. And you can thank USC's porous defense for that; they almost allowed Colorado to pull off a comeback against them last week. So unless it gets fixed, the Wildcats could pull off a BIG upset.)

9. Fresno State @ Wyoming [8:00, FOX] (Here is the big "Group of Five" game of the week. And look at that! FOX is giving this game the light of day? Awesome! Now the whole nation can see Wyoming destroy the joyride of undefeated Fresno State. Am I jumping the gun? Maybe. But Wyoming DID beat Texas Tech on CBS in Week 1. If their defense shuts down Mikey Keene and crew, the Cowboys can do it again.)

8. Michigan @ Minnesota [7:30, NBC] (So far, Michigan has been cruising through this season. Partly because of a good offense, but mostly because of a defense that hasn't given up double-digit points in any of it's first 5 games. But now they go to Minnesota to defend the "Little Brown Jug". And you KNOW how crazy rivalry games can get; what if the Gophers running game gets going?)

7. LSU @ Missouri [12:00, ESPN] (So the LSU national title push is over, all thanks to Ole Miss. Now LSU is 3-2 and fielding questions about their wayward defense, all while traveling to Missouri to face a team that is 5-0 and has a QB that hasn't thrown an INT yet this year. This is "manhood" time for this LSU team, and a BIG legitimacy test for Missouri as they'll try to stop Jayden Daniels.)

6. Washington State @ UCLA [3:00, PAC-12 Network] (The sleeper game of the week. Both Wazzu and UCLA has had a week to prep for this battle, so what will the Bruins offense unleash on the Cougars? And Wazzu isn't fazed on being an underdog in the Rose Bowl; they'll have QB Cameron Ward and their offense ready to go.)

5. Notre Dame @ Louisville [7:30, ABC] (Well, congratulations Louisville! You got your national ranking! Now let's see you KEEP it, as you host a Notre Dame team that has been through 2 nail-biters in a row. So the Irish won't be intimated. And that means the Cardinals offense has to step up [and Jack Plummer needs to cut back on his mistakes].)

4. Alabama @ Texas A&M [3:30, CBS] (It looks like Alabama is back on solid ground, and they're looking to keep it that way as they go to College Station and try to shut down the Aggies. But this won't be a walkover; this is the BIG final exam for Bobby Petrino and the A&M offense. If their new starting QB Max Johnson and crew breaks through Alabama's rugged D-line, who knows what could happen?)

3. Maryland @ Ohio State [12:00, FOX] (Ohio State went through a rough defensive battle with Notre Dame, and survived. Now after a week of recovery time, we'll see if the Buckeyes can handle a shootout-type game against Maryland. As for the Terps, this is Taulia Tagovailoa's last chance to upend the powerhouse known as Ohio State. But if the Terps defense doesn't hold up, that dream will not happen. Good luck, Taulia!)

2. Kentucky @ Georgia [7:00, ESPN] (Whoa. One big performance against Florida, and now people think that Kentucky can shock the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens? Is Ray Davis REALLY that good? Georgia should give us the answer, as the fans are waiting for a dominant performance from this team. But watch out for Kentucky's defense; it silently has been doing well. Hmmm...)

1. Oklahoma vs. Texas [from Dallas] {12:00, ABC} (It's the "Red River Rivalry". It has 2 unbeaten teams. And it has a whole bunch of Big 12/SEC narritive to it. You don't need ME to set up this beauty; just go out there and enjoy it again.)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Virginia Tech @ Florida State (I kinda gave it away at the start of this post, didn't I? Well... yeah, I like the fact that Virginia Tech won their ACC opener. But I think Florida State won't give them any mercy in this game.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Oregon State @ California, Syracuse @ North Carolina, Rutgers @ Wisconsin, and Wake Forest @ Clemson.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 6 Predictions

Here is a look at my record over the last 2 weeks.
Week 4: 20-3
Week 5: 14-6

So will I have a few boo-boo's like last week, or a proud mark like 2 weeks ago? Let's find out; here are my picks for Week 6!

Top 25:
(20)Kentucky 21 @ (1)Georgia 35
(2)Michigan 31 @ Minnesota 14
(12)Oklahoma 41 vs. (3)Texas 38
Maryland 30 @ (4)Ohio State 44
Virginia Tech 13 @ (5)Florida State 37
Arizona 24 @ (6)USC 45
(10)Notre Dame 30 @ (25)Louisville 20
(11)Alabama 35 @ Texas A&M 34
(13)Washington State 27 @ UCLA 30
Syracuse 28 @ (14)North Carolina 38
(15)Oregon State 23 @ California 24
Arkansas 20 @ (16)Ole Miss 28
Georgia Tech 17 @ (17)Miami 24
(23)LSU 39 @ (21)Missouri 28
(24)Fresno State 22 @ Wyoming 24

Other big games:
Rutgers 17 @ Wisconsin 28
UCF 27 @ Kansas 35
Texas State 35 @ Louisiana 28

Will Washington State and Oregon State crumble? Should I have went with my gut and picked Texas A&M? Best we just sit down and find out this Saturday...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oklahoma vs. Texas

Oklahoma 34-30 Texas (Oct 7, 2023) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns NCAAF game, final score 34-30, from October 7, 2023 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Here we go. It's yet another all-time classic in this rivalry.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Arizona vs. USC

Arizona 41-43 USC (Oct 7, 2023) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Arizona Wildcats vs. USC Trojans NCAAF game, final score 41-43, from October 7, 2023 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Now HERE is a surprisingly great game! Guess I was right to put this game in my Top 10.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 6- Good and Bad

Ah! So fall temperatures are back in my neck of the woods. To celebrate, let's take a look at the Good and the Bad from Week 6 (and there is a LOT on both sides):

It was a Good Week for:​

Louisville (Huh. I guess they DID deserve their national ranking, as they outshot Notre Dame in the 2nd half of their game.)
UCLA's defense (My upset pick in Pasadena came through, all thanks to a UCLA defense that held Wazzu to only 17 points.)
LSU's defense (Well, at least LSU's defense did SOMEWHAT better this week, as they held off Missouri long enough to get that "Pick-6" that sealed the win in Columbia.)
The state of Ohio (So Ohio State came through in the 4th quarter to chase away Maryland's upset bid. Ugh. At least they're not the only team in the Buckeye State that's doing well; Ohio, Toledo, and Miami-Ohio are all 5-1 right now.)
DJ Uiagalelei (He threw for 5 TD's and no picks to help Oregon State win a 52-40 war over the Cal Bears.)
Devin Grant (Don't know this guy? Well, he's a guy in the Buffalo secondary that got 2 "Pick-6's" for touchdowns to help his team beat Central Michigan.)

It was a Bad Week for:​

Kentucky (Kentucky fans were all hopped up after last week. Well, Georgia just shoved them away and said "Sit down!" while torching the Wildcats for 51 points.)
Fresno State (A late rally fell short for Fresno State, as they lost the 2nd-longest winning streak in the nation last night against Wyoming. ...Hey! Another upset pick came through for me!)
Marshall (The best "under-the-radar" game of the week goes to the Marshall/NC State game! Sadly for Marshall, they would lose 48-41 and are also no longer unbeaten.)
The Rice Owls (Hooray! UConn just got their 1st win of the year! Sadly for Rice, it came at their expense.)

And finally, here is a picture-perfect case of how NOT to finish a football game.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 7- Group of Five special

Another early start for me, because tonight we have a pretty meaningful game going on. So with apologies to the staff of "Today", here are some "mid-major" games to look at. It's...

The Top 5 "Group of Five" games of the week!​

(All times are Eastern)
5. Georgia Southern @ James Madison [12:00, ESPN2] (This game in the Sun Belt should be a dandy! Both GSU and JMU has had a bye week to prep. We have Dukes QB Jordon McCloud taking on Eagles QB Davis Brin in a showdown. And what about JMU's proud run defense? If the Eagles break it, an upset can occur here.)

4. Fresno State @ Utah State [8:00 Friday, CBS Sports Network] (Fresno State lost their national ranking last week thanks to Wyoming. But no worries! Fresno just has to spank Utah State to get back on track, right? Uh... that might not be as easy as they think. I mean, Utah State has won 2 straight thanks to their offense getting better. So let's see IF Fresno State makes the recovery.)

3. Tulane @ Memphis [7:00 Friday, ESPN] (Tulane has been flying under the radar since their loss to Ole Miss in Week 2. Now let's see if they're ready to reenter the national stage, as they travel to Memphis. Both they and Memphis have had a bye week to prep for this, and let's see what Tulane's coaching staff will do about stopping the Tigers passing attack.)

2. Liberty @ Jacksonville State [7:30 tonight, ESPNU] (Now HERE is the reason why I'm working right now. Because we got two teams with a combined 11-1 record, who are unbeaten in Conference USA and wants to keep it going. And what about Jacksonville State? Their first year in the FBS, and now they believe they can shut down the Flames. But one thing to note; Liberty's offense is SUPER powerful, so the Gamecocks will have to bring it on defense.)

And the #1 game on the list... made it to the "big-boy" Top 10. That means it'll have to wait until Thursday.