Last week's record: 8-2
Overall: 29-7
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings
No. 5 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh (Line: Notre Dame -8.5)
DeShone Kizer, CJ Prosise and Will Fuller have led the Irish to strong wins since falling short at Clemson. Notre Dame since has defeated Navy, USC and Temple, the latter a comeback bid on the road against a gritty Owl team. Now, ND travels to the western side of Pennsylvania against another gritty opponent, the Pitt Panthers. Pitt's two losses are to teams with a combined 15-1 record (Iowa and UNC). The talent on the Irish sideline will be too much for Pitt to handle, although Pat Narduzzi's squad keeps it close. Notre Dame 31, Pitt 20
Duke at North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -7.5)
Duke is coming off a wild, stunning, inexplicable loss to Miami that's received enough attention already. Now, the Blue Devils must go into the house of their hated rival. The Victory Bell - and much more - is on the line in this one. The Tar Heels has been rolling since their opening weekend loss. Marquise Williams is proving to be a strong leader for Larry Fedora's offense. The Tar Heels have their sights on their first ACC Coastal Division title, but must go through Duke to get it. North Carolina 45, Duke 42
No. 11 Stanford at Colorado (Line: Stanford -16)
A tricky trip to the Rocky Mountains for Stanford here. Colorado is much better than its 4-5 record. The Buffaloes nearly knocked off UCLA last week and are playing inspired football. Stanford was sluggish int he first half at Washington State last week, but used a second half surge to upend the Cougs. Kevin Hogan needs Christian McCaffrey to be more involved this week. The early start (10 AM PST) could also affect the Cardinal, as it did in their only loss earlier this year at Northwestern. Stanford 35, Colorado 17
Vanderbilt at No. 10 Florida (Line: Florida -21)
Florida needs a win to clinch its first berth in the SEC Championship since 2009 - you know, the Tim Tebow years. The Gators' only blemish to date is a tough seven-point loss on the road at current No. 2 LSU. Treon Harris hasn't been spectacular, but with the Gators defense playing the way it is, he just has to be effective enough to put the offense in the end zone once or twice. That shouldn't be a problem in The Swamp against Vandy. Florida 32, Vanderbilt 9
No. 16 Florida State at No. 1 Clemson (Line: Clemson -11)
This one should be fun to watch. Clemson, ranked No. 1 for the first time since following the 1981 season, is playing its first game in Death Valley as the No. 1 team in the land. Deshaun Watson has the offense humming. The Tigers have scored 58 and 56 points in their last two games and gained over 500 yards in four straight games. Here comes big, bad FSU. The Noles and their talented defense have knocked off the Tigers three straight years and are the only thing standing in the way of a special season in Upstate South Carolina. Will Everett Golson or Sean Maguire start at QB? How will Dalvin Cook do against Clemson's vaunted defense? Surprise, surprise: Rain, and lots of it, is in the forecast. Clemson 30, Florida State 24
No. 9 Iowa at Indiana (Line: Iowa -7)
There are 10 unbeatens remaining in college football and Iowa has a legitimate shot at showing up to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship with a zero in the loss column. The Hawkeyes just keep doing their thing under Kirk Ferentz. They win with an ugly offense and a stout defense. Indiana, however, can play spoiler. They nearly upset Ohio State in Bloomington and trailed Michigan State by just two in the fourth quarter before the Spartans went on a 24-0 run to close the game. That was Indiana's last game and the Hoosiers had a bye week to prepare for Iowa. The upset alert siren is sounding loud. Indiana 41, Iowa 37
Arkansas at No. 18 Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -10.5)
LSU might be undefeated, but Ole Miss controls its destiny in the SEC West. The Rebels need to get by Arkansas, then have a bye week to prepare for LSU to visit Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Chad Kelly hasn't been as in control for the Rebs as he was to start the year. However, Ole Miss' defense has turned it around since giving up 37 points to Memphis. Arkansas will ground and pound it to try to play keep-away. Running back Alex Collins had five touchdowns a week ago against UT-Martin and quarterback Brandon Allen is slowly showing he has grasped Bret Bielema's offense. The Hogs will challenge Ole Miss, but that won't be enough to walk away with a win. Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 20
No. 8 TCU at No. 14 Oklahoma State (Line: TCU -5)
Defense optional anyone? These two offense can light up the scoreboard and the operator at Boone Pickens Stadium will have to try to keep up. This is the first of six huge games in the wild month for the Big 12. Trevone Boykin is on a mission to get to New York for the Heisman ceremony - and hopes to come back to Fort Worth with the trophy. Boykin and the Frogs looked rusty in a 23-17 season-opening win at Minnesota. Since then, TCU has averaged 52.5 points a game. Oklahoma State? Well, the Cowboys have scored 58 and 70 in their two games since a midseason bye week. Don't blink in this one. TCU 59, Oklahoma State 49
No. 7 Michigan State at Nebraska (Line: Michigan State -6)
Is the Nebraska football program headed for some dark years? The Huskers could be on their way to a three-win season. Ouch. Michigan State is out to prove its undefeated record should be taken seriously. Quarterback Connor Cook is 31-3 as a starter for the Spartans, so walking into historic Memorial Stadium in Lincoln shouldn't faze him. Many wonder if first-year Nebraska head coach Mike Riley made a mistake changing scenery from Oregon State. After Saturday night, he might here it louder from the sea of red than he has all season. Michigan State 41, Nebraska 21
Auburn at No. 19 Texas A&M (Line: Texas A&M -7)
It's hard to figure out either of these teams, really. The Tigers were preseason darlings to win the SEC with a Heisman candidate at quarterback. That QB has been benched and Auburn is 4-4 with its only SEC win a three-point victory over Kentucky. The Aggies once again started 5-0, but lost by a combined 38 points to Alabama and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks. They defeated South Carolina last week, but only by seven. A win by A&M could send it toward a four-game winning streak to set up a clash with LSU. An Auburn loss could mean the Tigers are hanging by a thread for bowl eligibility. Texas A&M 34, Auburn 27
No. 12 Utah at Washington (Line: Washington -1)
For the second time this season, Utah hits the road as an underdog against an unranked opponent. In the previous outing, the Utes lost to USC. Utah running back Devontae Booker should eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in this game (needs 34 to do so), which would be his second straight season going over that mark. Washington is fresh off a beatdown of Arizona, 49-3. The Huskies are playing with confidence after losing two straight to Oregon and Stanford. In fact, UW's only conference wins are against Pac-12 South foes (USC and Arizona). Vegas gets it right again. Washington 34, Utah 31
Minnesota at No. 3 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -24)
Perhaps the only storyline in this one will be the play of Cardale Jones. The former third-stringer turned starter for the National Champion turned benched QB is now back in charge of the Buckeyes offense, thanks to an alcohol-related citation for JT Barrett. Ohio State seemed to have figured it out on offense with Barrett behind center. Can Jones keep the train rolling? Meanwhile, Minnesota started the year as a dark horse Big Ten candidate, but has since fallen back to mediocrity and lost head coach Jerry Kill due to health concerns. A heartbreaker last week against Michigan plus the road trip will be too much for the Gophers to handle. Ohio State 38, Minnesota 10
No. 2 LSU at No. 4 Alabama (Line: Alabama -6.5)
It seems like every year this game gets billed as the "Game of the Century." Partly due to the two teams are just that good, and party due to the media love affair with the SEC. Les Miles always has his team up for this game. Leonard Fournette has a chance to prove he's NFL ready now against Bama's defense. On the other side, Derrick Henry is a bruiser that can likewise put on a show against a salty defense of the Tigers. This one could come down to quarterback play between Bama's Jake Coker and LSU's Brandon Harris. Let's be honest, though. This will be 3-3.5 hours of bone-crunching, trash-talking goodness. LSU 24, Alabama 20
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings
No. 5 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh (Line: Notre Dame -8.5)
DeShone Kizer, CJ Prosise and Will Fuller have led the Irish to strong wins since falling short at Clemson. Notre Dame since has defeated Navy, USC and Temple, the latter a comeback bid on the road against a gritty Owl team. Now, ND travels to the western side of Pennsylvania against another gritty opponent, the Pitt Panthers. Pitt's two losses are to teams with a combined 15-1 record (Iowa and UNC). The talent on the Irish sideline will be too much for Pitt to handle, although Pat Narduzzi's squad keeps it close. Notre Dame 31, Pitt 20
Duke at North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -7.5)
Duke is coming off a wild, stunning, inexplicable loss to Miami that's received enough attention already. Now, the Blue Devils must go into the house of their hated rival. The Victory Bell - and much more - is on the line in this one. The Tar Heels has been rolling since their opening weekend loss. Marquise Williams is proving to be a strong leader for Larry Fedora's offense. The Tar Heels have their sights on their first ACC Coastal Division title, but must go through Duke to get it. North Carolina 45, Duke 42
No. 11 Stanford at Colorado (Line: Stanford -16)
A tricky trip to the Rocky Mountains for Stanford here. Colorado is much better than its 4-5 record. The Buffaloes nearly knocked off UCLA last week and are playing inspired football. Stanford was sluggish int he first half at Washington State last week, but used a second half surge to upend the Cougs. Kevin Hogan needs Christian McCaffrey to be more involved this week. The early start (10 AM PST) could also affect the Cardinal, as it did in their only loss earlier this year at Northwestern. Stanford 35, Colorado 17
Vanderbilt at No. 10 Florida (Line: Florida -21)
Florida needs a win to clinch its first berth in the SEC Championship since 2009 - you know, the Tim Tebow years. The Gators' only blemish to date is a tough seven-point loss on the road at current No. 2 LSU. Treon Harris hasn't been spectacular, but with the Gators defense playing the way it is, he just has to be effective enough to put the offense in the end zone once or twice. That shouldn't be a problem in The Swamp against Vandy. Florida 32, Vanderbilt 9
No. 16 Florida State at No. 1 Clemson (Line: Clemson -11)
This one should be fun to watch. Clemson, ranked No. 1 for the first time since following the 1981 season, is playing its first game in Death Valley as the No. 1 team in the land. Deshaun Watson has the offense humming. The Tigers have scored 58 and 56 points in their last two games and gained over 500 yards in four straight games. Here comes big, bad FSU. The Noles and their talented defense have knocked off the Tigers three straight years and are the only thing standing in the way of a special season in Upstate South Carolina. Will Everett Golson or Sean Maguire start at QB? How will Dalvin Cook do against Clemson's vaunted defense? Surprise, surprise: Rain, and lots of it, is in the forecast. Clemson 30, Florida State 24
No. 9 Iowa at Indiana (Line: Iowa -7)
There are 10 unbeatens remaining in college football and Iowa has a legitimate shot at showing up to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship with a zero in the loss column. The Hawkeyes just keep doing their thing under Kirk Ferentz. They win with an ugly offense and a stout defense. Indiana, however, can play spoiler. They nearly upset Ohio State in Bloomington and trailed Michigan State by just two in the fourth quarter before the Spartans went on a 24-0 run to close the game. That was Indiana's last game and the Hoosiers had a bye week to prepare for Iowa. The upset alert siren is sounding loud. Indiana 41, Iowa 37
Arkansas at No. 18 Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -10.5)
LSU might be undefeated, but Ole Miss controls its destiny in the SEC West. The Rebels need to get by Arkansas, then have a bye week to prepare for LSU to visit Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Chad Kelly hasn't been as in control for the Rebs as he was to start the year. However, Ole Miss' defense has turned it around since giving up 37 points to Memphis. Arkansas will ground and pound it to try to play keep-away. Running back Alex Collins had five touchdowns a week ago against UT-Martin and quarterback Brandon Allen is slowly showing he has grasped Bret Bielema's offense. The Hogs will challenge Ole Miss, but that won't be enough to walk away with a win. Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 20
No. 8 TCU at No. 14 Oklahoma State (Line: TCU -5)
Defense optional anyone? These two offense can light up the scoreboard and the operator at Boone Pickens Stadium will have to try to keep up. This is the first of six huge games in the wild month for the Big 12. Trevone Boykin is on a mission to get to New York for the Heisman ceremony - and hopes to come back to Fort Worth with the trophy. Boykin and the Frogs looked rusty in a 23-17 season-opening win at Minnesota. Since then, TCU has averaged 52.5 points a game. Oklahoma State? Well, the Cowboys have scored 58 and 70 in their two games since a midseason bye week. Don't blink in this one. TCU 59, Oklahoma State 49
No. 7 Michigan State at Nebraska (Line: Michigan State -6)
Is the Nebraska football program headed for some dark years? The Huskers could be on their way to a three-win season. Ouch. Michigan State is out to prove its undefeated record should be taken seriously. Quarterback Connor Cook is 31-3 as a starter for the Spartans, so walking into historic Memorial Stadium in Lincoln shouldn't faze him. Many wonder if first-year Nebraska head coach Mike Riley made a mistake changing scenery from Oregon State. After Saturday night, he might here it louder from the sea of red than he has all season. Michigan State 41, Nebraska 21
Auburn at No. 19 Texas A&M (Line: Texas A&M -7)
It's hard to figure out either of these teams, really. The Tigers were preseason darlings to win the SEC with a Heisman candidate at quarterback. That QB has been benched and Auburn is 4-4 with its only SEC win a three-point victory over Kentucky. The Aggies once again started 5-0, but lost by a combined 38 points to Alabama and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks. They defeated South Carolina last week, but only by seven. A win by A&M could send it toward a four-game winning streak to set up a clash with LSU. An Auburn loss could mean the Tigers are hanging by a thread for bowl eligibility. Texas A&M 34, Auburn 27
No. 12 Utah at Washington (Line: Washington -1)
For the second time this season, Utah hits the road as an underdog against an unranked opponent. In the previous outing, the Utes lost to USC. Utah running back Devontae Booker should eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in this game (needs 34 to do so), which would be his second straight season going over that mark. Washington is fresh off a beatdown of Arizona, 49-3. The Huskies are playing with confidence after losing two straight to Oregon and Stanford. In fact, UW's only conference wins are against Pac-12 South foes (USC and Arizona). Vegas gets it right again. Washington 34, Utah 31
Minnesota at No. 3 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -24)
Perhaps the only storyline in this one will be the play of Cardale Jones. The former third-stringer turned starter for the National Champion turned benched QB is now back in charge of the Buckeyes offense, thanks to an alcohol-related citation for JT Barrett. Ohio State seemed to have figured it out on offense with Barrett behind center. Can Jones keep the train rolling? Meanwhile, Minnesota started the year as a dark horse Big Ten candidate, but has since fallen back to mediocrity and lost head coach Jerry Kill due to health concerns. A heartbreaker last week against Michigan plus the road trip will be too much for the Gophers to handle. Ohio State 38, Minnesota 10
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| When it comes to LSU-Alabama, expect pain. (Photo courtesy US Presswire) |
It seems like every year this game gets billed as the "Game of the Century." Partly due to the two teams are just that good, and party due to the media love affair with the SEC. Les Miles always has his team up for this game. Leonard Fournette has a chance to prove he's NFL ready now against Bama's defense. On the other side, Derrick Henry is a bruiser that can likewise put on a show against a salty defense of the Tigers. This one could come down to quarterback play between Bama's Jake Coker and LSU's Brandon Harris. Let's be honest, though. This will be 3-3.5 hours of bone-crunching, trash-talking goodness. LSU 24, Alabama 20
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