PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 9

BENched had a great week of picks, going 15-2 with the lone losses being a Penn State upset of Ohio State and an Auburn thrashing of Arkansas. The fun is only beginning, though, because we enter the time of year when one upset sets off a snowball effect. Every top rated team playing in Week 9 is on the road. Certainly someone is going to fall. But who?

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 15-2
Game of the Week Pick: 2-2

Overall: 72-30 (.706 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

No. 25 Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh (Line: Virginia Tech -3.5)
The Hokies are in control of the ACC Coastal, but just when things seem clear, Coastal Chaos happens. Pitt had a week off to prepare for Virginia Tech. The way this VT team is playing, it probably wasn't enough. Hokies 31-24

Saturday

No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State (Line: Michigan -24.5)
Wow, what a difference a year makes in the Mitten State. In 2015, Sparty turned in the play of the year with a touchdown on messed up/blocked punt to beat Big Blue in the Big House. MSU went to the College Football Playoff later that season. Now? The Spartans are 2-5 and Michigan is No. 2 in the land. Fightin' Harbaughs 41-13

No. 10 West Virginia at Oklahoma State (Line: West Virginia -3.5)
Dana Holgorsen has us on edge every week. "Well that's good, but can they win on the road in Lubbock?" "Nice win, but can they get past TCU?" This time, it's to the house that Boone built. And yes, another win. 'Neers 36-27

No. 14 Florida vs. Georgia - "No Longer the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party Because That's Not PC" at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. (Line: Florida -7.5)
For the first time since the late 1980s, neither Steve Spurrier nor Mark Richt are coaching in this game. Wow. The Gators have won two in a row after losing three straight. Uga will be one tired dawg after this one. Gators 27-10

Miami at Notre Dame (Line: Miami -2)
Remember when this was the "Catholics vs. Convicts?" Now it's just the mediocre vs. the mediocre-er. Sheesh, what a waste of a good game that no one will watch. Canes 24-21

Texas Tech at TCU (Line: TCU -9)
All you need to know about this one is Texas Tech had 854 yards of offense, 59 points, an all-around record-setting performance by its QB ... and LOST. TCU is not likely to give up that many yards or points, so expect another L for Kliff's boys. Frogs 38-34

No. 8 Baylor at Texas (Line: Baylor -3.5)
Here's the first chance BENched sees an unbeaten falling. Baylor has literally played nobody. The Bears have been underwhelming under interim coach Jim Grobe. Meanwhile, Texas has been underwhelming for over half a decade. Bears 40-30

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Washington at No. 17 Utah (Line: Washington -10)

Utah's Joe Williams has been unstoppable since
coming out of retirement.
(Photo courtesy AP)

The Pac-12 finally produces something that is worth watching AND puts it on TV when no one east of the Mississippi is sleeping! Jake Browning is in the Heisman hunt and has the Huskies eyeing a Pac-12 title and Playoff berth. Utah may have other plans. The Utes are physical, moreso than U-Dub has seen this season. Washington's six FBS opponents to date are a combined 16-28. Utah is 7-1, playing at home with College GameDay line from Salt Lake City. Utah also has a formerly retired running back - Joe Williams - who has rushed for 179 and 332 yards with five total TDs in the two games back since he unretired. This has all the ingredients for a disaster national showing for the Huskies. Utes 34-31

No. 7 Nebraska at No. 11 Wisconsin (Line: Wisconsin -8)
Here is the Huskers make or break two-game stretch. The people of the corn must go to Madison and Columbus on back-to-back weekends. Escape and say hello to the CFB Playoff Top 4. Fall in both (bigtime) are say goodbye to the Top 20. Wisconsin is battled tested and has a pair of seven-point losses to Michigan (on the road) and Ohio State (in overtime). Nebraska has been tested by 2-5 Oregon and 3-4 Indiana. Yeah... Badgers 34-17

No. 13 Boise State at Wyoming (Line: Boise State -13.5)
Much has been made about Boise's late-season road trips to altitude troubling places like Laramie (and later Colorado Springs). But Vegas doesn't see the Broncos having much trouble with the CowPokes and neither does BENched. Broncos 28-14

No. 15 Auburn at Ole Miss (Line: Auburn -4.5)
These two teams have traded spots from preseason picks. Auburn enters on a four-game winning streak and appears to be full-steam ahead. Ole Miss has only beaten SEC East foe Georgia for its lone Power 5 win. Even in Oxford, you have to like the Tigers. Once again, Chad Kelly will prove to not be the best QB in the game. War Eagles 42-24

No. 3 Clemson at No. 12 Florida State (Line: Clemson -4.5)
This was billed as the ACC's game of the year and in some places, the national game of the year. Clemson did its part and showed up unbeaten at 7-0. FSU fought and clawed its way to a 5-2 record, which includes a dismantling at the hands of Louisville and a heartbreaker at home against UNC. The Noles have righted the ship somewhat against arch-rival Miami and upstart Wake Forest. But Saturday night, it comes full circle for Deshaun Watson. You see, Watson surged into the national spotlight when he entered the game part-way through at FSU in 2014. As a true freshman, he nearly led Clemson to a win at No. 1 FSU. This time, he gets it done and gets Dabo Swinney's first win at Doak Campbell Stadium as a head coach. Tigers 35-24

-BtW