PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 8

Past the midway point in the college football season, we are finding out where teams stand. Still some matchups to determine much of the landscape, so buckle up. This is the time of year when things get fun! Time to make some Clemson bye week picks, which means a few more games than normal.

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 5-4
Game of the Week Pick: 1-2

Overall: 57-28 (.671 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

Miami at Virginia Tech (Line: Virginia Tech -6)
A week ago, this looked like it could have been an epic ACC Coastal showdown. Now it's essentially an elimination game from the division race. The Hokies should get a boost from the return to a Thursday night game at Lane Stadium. Hokies 24-17

BYU at No. 14 Boise State (Line: Boise State -7)
The nightcap of the Thursday double-header is a classic Mountain Time rivalry. BYU and Boise have been battling to be the non-Power 5 leader for years. The two running backs in this game are studs. I'd take Boise State QB Brett Rypien over BYU's Taysom Hill right now. Slight edge to Boise on The Blue. Broncos 34-24

Friday

Oregon at Cal (Line: Cal -3)
The what-could-have-been game. These two teams have combined for five wins, with the Ducks falling from the sky and the Bears just meh. Oregon has no defense and is a loss away from Phil Knight picking up the phone to bring Chip Kelly back. *Ring ring*. Bears 47-30

Saturday

NC State at No. 7 Louisville (Line: Louisville -19.5)
BENched is still unsure how Kyle Bambard missed that kick. Huge chance for NC State to bounce back this week. Lamar Jackson needs to get back on track after a so-so performance last week against Duke. Cards 41-28

No. 10 Wisconsin at Iowa (Line: Wisconsin -3.5)
The Badgers have a pair of seven-point losses to the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the land. Lucky for UW, those two teams are in the B1G East. Now they travel west to take on an underwhelming Iowa squad. Badgers 31-14

Texas at Kansas State (Line: Kansas State -2.5)
K-State owns Texas. For whatever reason, the purple 'Cats just know how to get it done against the Longhorns. So why go against that? Plus, a buddy of mine can't stand it when I don't pick Kansas State. This one's for you. Snydercats 27-24

Syracuse at Boston College (Line: Boston College -4.5)
Yes, you read that line right. The team that hasn't won an ACC game in its last 11 tries is the a 4.5-point favorite over a team that just beat Virginia Tech by 14. Something's up... Orange 35-17

No. 22 North Carolina at Virginia (Line: North Carolina -8.5)
Which Tar Heel team shows up this week - the one that got blown out at home by the Hokies or the one that did work at Miami? Either way, the winner of this game controls the Coastal Division. Yes, really, Virginia could be in control after Saturday. Heels 44-27

Colorado at Stanford (Line: Stanford -2.5)
Two Pac-12 teams with two losses apiece headed in different directions. With a win, the Buffs become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. "The Rise" is real. Buffs 33-21

TCU at No. 12 West Virginia (Line: West Virginia -6)
We will likely keep asking if West Virginia is for real until the Mountaineers go the entire season unbeaten. The Horned Frogs head to the hills for an intriguing Big 12 battle. Dana Holgorsen is probably gonna shotgun another Red Bull on TV with his team winning big again. 'Neers 48-38

GAME OF THE WEEK

Trevor Knight was all smiles the last time he
played Alabama. That was with Oklahoma.
Did he bring some magic with him to Texas A&M?
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama (Line: Alabama -18)
An 18-point spread for the game of the week? Better question, is Alabama really that good? Scary good, in fast. A lot has been made of Trevor Knight, the former Sooner who beat Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl, getting another crack at the Tide. This Tide, though, is a different kind of elephant. Defensive end Myles Garrett will pressure freshman QB Jalen Hurts more than he's seen in his young career. But Alabama is too much for the Aggies in the end. Tide 35-24

No. 19 Utah at UCLA (UCLA -7)
Make or break kind of game for Jim Mora at UCLA. A loss to Utah could lead to a bowl-less season. Meanwhile, Utah will do its best to not peak ahead to next week's major throwdown with No. 5 Washington. Trap game in the Rose Bowl? Utes 24-21

No. 17 Arkansas at No. 21 Auburn (Line: Auburn -9.5)
Austin Allen is one tough son-of-a-gun. His grit has been tested the past two weeks against Alabama and Ole Miss. Auburn had the week off to decide if it wants to use the QB carousel it began the season with or go with Sean White like it has in three straight wins. The winner on the Plains remains close behind the top tier of Bama/A&M. Hogs 30-24

No. 16 Oklahoma at Texas Tech (Line: Oklahoma -14)
It won't be a warm welcome back to Lubbock for Baker Mayfield. Tortillas, batteries and who knows what else will be thrown his way. Those Raider fans are harsh. Too bad their defense is softer than a rabbit's ears. Ponies and Wagons 62-20

No. 2 Ohio State at Penn State (Line: Ohio State -19.5)
The whiteout in Happy Valley is one of the best atmospheres in the game. But it won't be enough to slow down the ultra-talented Buckeyes. Urban Meyer has a one-track mind: He wants Saban. Buckeyes 45-13

No. 23 Ole Miss at No. 25 LSU (Line: LSU -5.5)
Ole Miss fell to 3-3 and is still ranked. It's absurd and both the AP voters and coaches who put together their polls should forfeit their votes just for that. The Fighting Orgeron's are playing well, almost like a team that has a ton of talent and a solid game plan. Hmm, no wonder Les Miles isn't coaching in Baton Rouge anymore. Bayou Bengals 31-27

Washington State at Arizona State (Line: Washington State -7.5)
Luke Falk is proving to be a great fit for Mike Leach's offense. The Cougs could be a legitimate threat to Washington in the Apple Cup at the end of the season. The Sun Devils are coming off a beat down at Colorado. Tough to follow that up with the Air Raid from the Paluse. Wazzu 38-28

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 7

A light week of picks, but a strong slate of games. Nos. 1 and 2 have to go on the road in Top 10 battles. Surely there will be an upset somewhere along the way. On Rocky Top? At Camp Randall? See what BENched thinks with the picks below!

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 7-5
Game of the Week Pick: 1-1

Overall: 52-24 (.684 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Friday

Mississippi State at BYU (Line: BYU -7)
This late night Friday game won't be watched by many in the southeast and that's probably a good thing. The Cowbells didn't clanga-clanga much last week in a home blowout to Auburn. No cowbell this time either. Cougs 31-20

Saturday

NC State at No. 3 Clemson (Line: Clemson -17.5)
Deshaun Watson reportedly "has fun" against the Wolfpack. He's put up massive numbers in two seasons against NC State. The Pack finally plays someone that doesn't have multiple first names. Seriously. Tigers 55-23

Kansas State at No. 19 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -14)
BENched is unsure if Ole Bill Snyder is still living or if the powers that be at Kansas State have cloned him. Either way, the Snydercats are the cream of the Big 12 defensive crop. Which ain't saying much in this league. OU exorcised its Longhorn demon last week. Can it do the same against a team that has won its past two in Norman? Ponies and Wagons 31-28

No. 20 West Virginia at Texas Tech (Line: West Virginia -1)
Welcome to the Central Time Zone, Mountaineers. WVU is playing its first game in Big 12 country this season, and first true road game. This is generally where the 'Neers have struggled. Does Kliff Kingsbury even know what a defense is? I mean, golly, the Red Raiders gave up 44 points to the Snydercats. Masked Riders 49-45 

No. 10 Nebraska at Indiana (Line: Nebraska -3)
This line should scare the corn out of the Huskers. Indiana was within seven of Ohio State on the road last week and upset Michigan State the week before the in Bloomington. Nebraska hits the stretch of its schedule where we find out who this team really is. Huskers 27-24

North Carolina at No. 16 Miami (Line: Miami -7)
Devastating losses for both of these teams makes this game mean more. UNC was walloped by the Hokies in Hurricane Matthew, 34-3, while the Canes fell to the rival Noles on a blocked extra point, 20-19. Loser here is basically eliminated in the Coastal Division. Canes 44-38

No. 1 Alabama at No. 9 Tennessee (Line: Alabama -12)
Tennessee volunteered to cough up seven turnovers last week at Texas A&M in an overtime loss. Alabama continues to dominate everyone in its path. That path heads north to Rocky Top. Alabama's good for one loss a year, right? Is this it? Nahhhh. Tide 45-27

No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 22 Arkansas (Line: Ole Miss -7.5)
This game is great for the fact that you will get to relive Arkansas' miracle win at Ole Miss several times throughout the broadcast. I think the over/under for showing that replay is set for 7.5. I'll take the over. As for the game, Ole Miss wants revenge. Arkansas just wants to be relevant. Bret Bielema will be on the hot seat after this one. Rebs 37-27

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Ohio State at No. 8 Wisconsin (Line: Ohio State -10.5)

No Lambeau Leaps this week, but will the Badgers be celebrating
a landmark victory over Ohio State?
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

Wisconsin went to the Big House two weeks ago and left as the only team to hold Michigan under 45 points. The Wolverines won that day 14-7. Clearly the Badgers have a tough defense. And they've had a week off to prepare for this one. Ohio State almost got caught looking ahead to this matchup last week, pulling away from Indiana late. The Mad House will be jumping around and the belief here is this line could get destroyed. How good is Ohio State? Probably good enough for a Playoff run. But will there be a bump in the road in Madison? Such a tough call. Why not, let's go for the upset. Badgers 27-21

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 4

First Thursday picks of the year, courtesy of a Clemson road game at rival Georgia Tech. BENched had an abysmal week last week. Time to get back to the winning ways.

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 7-6

Overall: 26-12 (.684 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

No. 5 Clemson at Georgia Tech (Line: Clemson -9.5)
Jackets and Paul Johnson's option offense are one of just two ACC teams to have a winning record against Dabo Swinney. Clemson is looking to get on a roll, but it won't be easy in ATL. The Tigers have won 40 straight against unranked opponents, but haven't won at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2003. Tigers 34-24

Friday

USC at No. 24 Utah (Line: Utah -3)
USC has problems. One of them is trying to win in Rice-Eccles Stadium against an underrated Utah team. Don't we say that about the Utes every year? Utes 37-17

Saturday

No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -5.5)
Sparty proved its worth with a strong road win at Notre Dame. The Badgers already have an SEC skin on the wall. Power versus power in a Big Ten clash. Sparty 24-20

No. 13 Florida State at South Florida (Line: Florida State -5.5)
Lamar Jackson just scored on Florida State again. How will the Noles rebound against a fiery South Florida squad? They better be awake for this nooner, or look out. Noles 41-34

No. 12 Georgia at No. 23 Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -7)
Uga has been on life support the past two weeks, escaping Nicholls by two points at home and needing a last-minute TD to knock off Mizzou. The Rebs' two losses are to FSU and Bama when they had 21+ point leads in each. Now, they're in a spot where 1-3 is a real possibility. Rebs 30-17

Pittsburgh at North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -7)
Underrated matchup of the week. This early-season ACC Coastal battle will go a long with for the division race. The Carolina offense is on a roll, but the Panthers have proven they can score too. Heels 47-38

BYU vs. West Virginia - at FedEx Field in Landover, Mary. (Line: West Virginia -7)
Future Big 12 conference game? Maybe. But what a difference in the fan bases! The Mountaineers look to remain unbeaten and are playing closer to home. The Cougs are struggling on offense, averaging 17 points per game. Not gonna fly in the Big 12. 'Eers 45-17

Penn State at No. 4 Michigan (Line: Michigan -19)
Harbaugh's boys got a scare from Colorado. Penn State ain't no Colorado. The Nittany Lions are too worried about restoring JoePa's statue - which is ridiculous. Wolverines 42-10

No. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee (Line: Tennessee - 6.5)
Gone are the days when this was must-watch football. Florida has won 11 in a row against the Vols. Good news for Tennessee is this isn't Florida Tech or something. Vols 20-13

No. 18 LSU at Auburn (Line: LSU -3.5)
Another week for Auburn, another "hot seat" game. As in, both coaches are on the hot seat with the temperature getting warmer for the loser. Gus Malzahn is 0-1 so far this season. He's also 0-1 against opponents also named Tigers. Mostly because the offensive genius has an offense that isn't very, umm, offensive. Gold Tigers 23-17

Oklahoma State at No. 16 Baylor (Line: Baylor -7.5)
Baylor finally plays someone actually IN the Big 12, not someone lobbying to get in (SMU, Rice, etc.). Jim Grobe will probably just stand there and look like he's talking on the headset. Bears 45-35

No. 7 Stanford at UCLA (Line: Stanford -3)
The Rosen One or the #WildCaff? Oh please, why is this even a question. Trees 31-17

No. 17 Arkansas vs. No. 10 Texas A&M - at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Line: Texas A&M -5.5)
Game of the day finally arrives. Kevin Sumlin and A&M have no problem winning in September. It's the rest of the season when the Aggies fall apart. It's been said before, but "this year looks different." We'll see. For now, can't pick against 'em in September. Ags 33-30

Trevor Knight (8) leads undefeated Texas A&M into the Southwest Classic with Arkansas.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 3

New format, same idea. No need to delve into too many details on every team. Hey, I never claimed to be an expert. 

Big week on tap as the top three teams in the rankings are all on the road at a ranked opponent. Will we find out a lot on this "Shakeup Saturday?"

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 10-3

Overall: 19-6 (.760 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Saturday

No. 25 Miami at Appalachian State (Line: Miami -3.5)
What a fun atmosphere it will be in Boone, N.C. I'm reluctant to do this, but give me Miami. Canes 26-20

No. 2 Florida State at No. 10 Louisville (Line: Florida State - 1)
FSU's defense took a hit and will miss Derwin James. That Lamar Jackson kid is something special. Call me a Bird-liever. Cards 31-27

Louisville QB Lamar Jackson is a can't miss act right now.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

South Carolina State at No. 5 Clemson (No Line)
Deshaun Watson and Clemson's offense has to get on a roll soon, right? RIGHT?! Tigers 56-10

No. 22 Oregon at Nebraska (Line: Nebraska -3.5)
Interesting B1G-Pac-12 battle in Lincoln. Oregon looks fast (again) and Nebraska looks improved. The difference in this one? Rolls Royce Freeman. Ducks 41-28

Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma State -4.5)
OSU got #MACtioned last week. How will they respond? Meanwhile, one of the best stories in the land is the return of James Conner. Pitt looked solid last week against Penn State. Can they take their show on the road? Panthers 34-27

No. 1 Alabama at No. 19 Ole Miss (Line: Alabama -11)
Surely, Bama won't lose for a third time to the Rebs. Jalen Hurts brings a new dynamic to Lane Kiffin's offense. Chad Kelly won't be the best QB on the field. Tide 49-24

No. 17 Texas A&M at Auburn (Line: Auburn -3.5)
The only answer we'll get out of this one is which coach has the seat warmer turned up another notch afterward. Tigers 33-24

Mississippi State at No. 20 LSU (Line: LSU -14)
Looks like LSU has something that resembles a quarterback in the Etling kid. Mississippi State won't have enough cowbell for Leonard Fournette. Tigers 23-7

No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame (Line: Notre Dame -7.5)
Sparty has played one game and per usual, looked simplistic in it. DeShone Kizer is the real deal for Notre Dame. Irish 37-20

No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Oklahoma (Line: Ohio State -1)
Should be a Top 4 match-up and could be a high-scoring affair on the plains. This is the first test of the season for JT Barrett and company. Typically, Big Game Bob shows up in September against the big boys. Sooners 38-35

USC at No. 7 Stanford (Line: Stanford -9)
David Shaw is perhaps the most underrated coach in America. Oh, and Stanford has that McCaffrey guy. Trees 44-17

UCLA at BYU (Line: UCLA -3)
BYU suffered a tough loss to Utah last week, so their psyche will be tested. Josh Rosen probably should just keep his mouth shut and play football. He's pretty good when he does. Bruins 28-24

No. 11 Texas at Cal (Line: Texas -7)
"Texas is back, folks!" All due respect to Joe Tessitore, I would've only believed it if he said, "Texas is back, y'all!" But Texas does look like it is back. Or at least on the way back. Shane Buechele is purdy darn good. Let's just see him perform on the road. Horns 45-31

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 1

Welcome back, College Football. It's so good to see you again!

Cal knocked off Hawai'i 51-31 in Australia to get the season started a week ago. There were more teams in action last night as Tennessee thwarted an Appalachian State upset with a come-from-behind overtime win, South Carolina stunned Vanderbilt, and Minnesota topped Oregon State in a Big Ten/Pac-12 battle, among other games Thursday.

For those new to the blog, every Friday will be my #PTF, or Prediction Time Friday. On occasion, I'll make picks a day early with some intriguing Thursday night games (i.e. - Sept. 22 when Clemson visits Georgia Tech), but the opening weekend to 2016 is all about Friday through Monday.

I had a decent record picking games in 2015, but I'm looking to build on that this season. With very little to go off of, and plenty of exciting matchups, it will be tough to get off to a good start. But I'll give it my best! Here's the run down on what's being hailed as the best opening weekend in college football ever.

2015 BENched PTF Record (includes bowl picks): 87-38 (.696 win %)

*Rankings below are the AP Top 25

Friday

Kansas State at No. 8 Stanford (Line: Stanford -14.5)
Bill Snyder's Wildcats head to NoCal to open the season. The trip sounds great minus the whole having to deal with Christian McCaffrey thing. Although the Cardinal will be breaking in a new quarterback, the all-purpose king of college football McCaffrey will lead Stanford to a big win.
Stanford 41, Kansas State 13

Colorado State vs. Colorado (Line: Colorado -8.5) - at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.
Rocky Mountain Showdown
Nothing like an in-state rivalry to get the season started. The upstart Buffaloes may be a surprise team in college football this year. The two have alternated wins for five years, with Colorado winning a 27-24 overtime thriller in 2015. CSU may be in the running for a Big 12 expansion spot, but don't think they are quite ready for Power 5 football.
Colorado 27, Colorado State 14

Saturday

Georgia Tech vs. Boston College (Line: Georgia Tech -3) - at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland
Set your alarm clocks and grab a pint of Guinness! It'll be top o' the morning stateside when the Yellow Jackets and Eagles kickoff from Ireland (7:30 am EDT). This is one of the only conference tilts on the schedule in Week 1. Georgia Tech is looking to rebound from a dismal 3-9 season and should do so as it returns dynamic quarterback Justin Thomas. BC is simply searching for an ACC win after going 0-8 in 2015. We know BC's defense will be stout, but can Kentucky transfer Patrick Towles provide a spark to the Eagles' offense?
Georgia Tech 30, Boston College 17

No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Houston (Line: Oklahoma -11.5) - at NRG Stadium in Houston
Coming off a New Year's Six bowl victory in the Peach Bowl against Florida State to cap a 13-win season, the Houston Cougars are looking to solidify themselves among college football's top programs in 2016. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. returns as one of the premier playmakers to lead UH's offense. On the flip side, the Sooners return a loaded backfield with Baker Mayfield, Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon. There might not be a better offensive backfield trio in the country. Oklahoma got a taste of the CFB Playoff last season and is hungry to get back.
Oklahoma 44, Houston 34

No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin (Line: LSU -11) - at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc.
Will Leonard Fournette do the Lambeau Leap? Not if Les Miles has anything to do with it. The Hat laid down the law on the touchdown celebration, which is sad really. LSU is going to score a lot of touchdowns.
LSU 35, Wisconsin 17

No. 16 UCLA at Texas A&M (Line: Texas A&M -3)
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen made waves earlier this week when asked about the crowd noise at Kyle Field. Rosen was asked about playing in front of 100,000 people and he simply said after 50,000 the noise is all the same. Don't expect the farmers to greet the "Rosen One" with their usual "Howdy!" This game was already interesting as UCLA is a Pac-12 South favorite and the Aggies will get their first glimpse of OU transfer Trevor Knight behind center. It will be hot, humid and extremely loud in College Station.
Texas A&M 31, UCLA 27

Mitch Trubisky leads North Carolina into the Bulldogs' backyard
for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Georgia.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

No. 18 Georgia vs. No 22 North Carolina (Line: Georgia -2.5) - at Georgia Dome in Atlanta
Heralded junior QB Mitch Trubisky gets his first start in a Tar Heel uniform. All he did in a secondary role last season was complete 40-of-47 passes (85.1%) for 555 yards and six touchdowns with no picks. All the playmakers are back for the Heels, but it won't be the offense that is the problem. Remember the last time out for the UNC defense - Baylor rushed for 645 yards in the bowl game. Nick Chubb should be licking his chops. The Georgia Dome will be rocking as the Bulldogs make the hour trip from Athens, along with their faithful who filled up Sanford Stadium to the tune of 93,000 for the Red and Black Spring Game. New top Dawg Kirby Smart named Greyson Lambert his starting signal-caller. Buckle up for this one. It has potential to be the best game of the weekend.
Georgia 38, North Carolina 37

No. 20 USC vs. No. 1 Alabama (Line: Alabama -11.5) - at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
The history of - and between - these two schools should not be overlooked. USC thumped Alabama 42-21 in Tuscaloosa in 1970. Then-head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant had not recruited black athletes, whereas the Trojans were integrated and running back Sam Cunningham tore up the Tide defense. Bryant changed his ways the next season. A brief history lesson there, but Saturday night in Arlington won't be very historical. Nick Saban and the reigning champion Crimson Tide start an entirely new offensive backfield, but may have the best defense in football once again. This will be the fifth season Saban begins the year with a first-year starting quarterback. The previous four resulted in a combined 52-4 record with three national titles. I can't see this one being close.
Alabama 42, USC 14

No. 2 Clemson at Auburn (Line: Clemson -7.5)
Probably the nation's most talked about team this offseason was the Clemson Tigers. Offensively, it's been discussed ad nauseam that the ACC Tigers return virtually everyone including Heisman front-runner Deshaun Watson. There are some question marks on defense, but most think this team will develop quickly and make another run at the Playoff. Auburn, however, is soul searching after back-to-back sub-par seasons by SEC standards. Gus Malzahn enters on the hot seat. A big home loss to open the season could turn up the flames quickly.
Clemson 44, Auburn 24

BYU vs. Arizona (Line: BYU -1) - at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Heartbreak hit Tucson this summer when Arizona lost a senior offensive lineman who was found dead one morning. Certainly his teammates will be playing with heavy hearts, and BENched would like to send its condolences to the Wildcat Family. On the field, we know Rich Rod's offense will be fast and BYU will see what it can get out of Taysom Hill. The oft-injured, sixth-year quarterback has been brilliant in his career when he's remained healthy. Should be a nice night-cap to the full day of games, if you can stay up late for it.
BYU 34, Arizona 31

Sunday

No. 10 Notre Dame at Texas (Line: Notre Dame -3.5)
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly seemingly will implement a two-quarterback system with DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire splitting duties. The Irish hope someone steps up to provide some consistency. At Texas, Charlie Strong joins Malzahn as a coach on the hot seat to start the year. Another sub-.500 record and Strong will be searching for a new job. Will his job security lie in the hands of a true freshman quarterback in Shane Buechele? More than likely, yes. He's sort of Colt McCoy 2.0. But how much of Colt and not Case McCoy he is remains to be seen. Don't be surprised if the Horns pull off the upset.
Notre Dame 27, Texas 21

Monday

No. 11 Ole Miss vs. No. 4 Florida State (Line: Florida State -4.5) - at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Labor Day Night closes out the weekend with a bang. Ole Miss is in all kinds of hot water with the NCAA, something Florida State knows a little bit about. Chad Kelly proclaimed himself as the best quarterback in college football at SEC Media Days. The Rebels will need someone to step up on offense because his trusty go-to receiver Laquon Treadwell is in the NFL and Ole Miss lost the majority of its offensive line. Kelly could be running for his life against a talented FSU front. The Noles have a redshirt freshman quarterback - not unlike 2013 - as Deandre Francois has been named the starter. Luckily for Francois, he has one of the nation's best backs to hand the ball of to in Dalvin Cook. Could be wrong here, but the belief is the Rebels' time has passed.
Florida State 28, Ole Miss 24

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 13

We've arrived at Rivalry Week. After going 22-8 the past two weeks, I'm feeling some confidence as we enter the home stretch before bowl season. This week should be fun. Tons of great games, ranked matchups, and sure-to-be upsets with rivalries taking the stage. The slate is filled with both in-state and cross-border rivalry games (rivalry nicknames in italics below), so many more to choose from than normal. I'll give it my best!

Last week's record: 12-3

Overall: 57-22 (.722 win %)
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings

Friday
No. 15 Navy at Houston (Line: Navy -4)
No rivalry to speak of here, but an important game nonetheless. The first of several winner-take-all battles this weekend takes place in Houston. Navy, whose only loss is to Notre Dame, will earn its first trip to the AAC Championship Game with a win. Houston suffered a major setback with its loss at UConn last week, but can also clinch the AAC West title with a win. Keenan Reynolds has perfected the art of the triple-option offense and has the Midshipmen eyeing a unprecedented New Year's Six Bowl appearance. Navy 38, Houston 27

No. 4 Iowa at Nebraska (Line: Iowa -2)
Battle for the Heroes Trophy (Series: Nebraska leads 29-13-3)
Nebraska has won three of the four matchups since the Huskers joined the Big Ten, including an overtime thriller at Iowa a year ago. Iowa hopes to keep its perfect season alive and remain in contention for a Playoff berth. A loss in Lincoln would be tough to overcome (or would it Michigan State?). The Huskers could be the only team to knock off both the Hawkeyes and Spartans. Meh, maybe not. Iowa 35, Nebraska 20

No. 20 Washington State at Washington (Line: Washington -7)
The Apple Cup (Series: Washington leads 69-32-6)
This one has surprise written all over it, as the Cougars are 8-3 and poised for a 10-win season if they can beat Washington and win a bowl game. The game, however, is in Seattle and the Huskies are looking to becoming bowl eligible. WSU QB Luke Falk is questionable after suffering a concussion a week ago. Still, Mike Leach's teams love to sling it and UW has been flaky this season (flaky enough to give head coach Chris Petersen a two-year extension Thursday). Washington State 38, Washington 34

Oregon State at No. 17 Oregon (Line: Oregon -36)
The Civil War (Series: Oregon leads 62-46-10)
The Ducks have looked much improved since the return of Vernon Adams Jr., winning five in a row to climb back into the rankings. Oregon knocked off Stanford two weeks ago and blew out USC last week. The line on this one is all you need to know. Oregon 62, Oregon State 17

No. 7 Baylor at No. 19 TCU (Line: TCU -1.5)
The Revivalry (Series: Baylor leads 52-51-7)
This one was circled on Big 12 calendars throughout Texas. And then Seth Russell went down. So did Trevone Boykin. And Josh Doctson. And both teams have lost (TCU twice). Baylor needs this more than the Frogs to keep its conference hopes alive. The Bears have won each of the past two meetings by three points, including last year's 61-58 barn-burner. Both teams have gone to their third-string quarterbacks, but Chris Johnson looks more like Cardale Jones. We'll see how good Boykin is in his return. Baylor 41, TCU 27

Saturday
No. 1 Clemson at South Carolina (Line: Clemson -17)
The Palmetto Bowl (Series: Clemson leads 66-42-4)
On paper, this shouldn't be close. Clemson is one of the most balanced, dominant teams in the game. Meanwhile, South Carolina's only win since Steve Spurrier left is over Vanderbilt. However, the Gamecocks' four losses sans Spurrier have all been by 10 points or less. They're a feisty bunch, but facing a Heisman hopeful QB and a team determined to not let anyone get in its way is a monumental task. It's a rivalry game. It's at South Carolina. This will be Shawn Elliott's last game as SC's head coach. Throw out the record books. Yada yada. Closer than the experts think. Clemson 40, South Carolina 24

Georgia at Georgia Tech (Line: Georgia -4)
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate (Series; Georgia leads 64-40-5)
Another in-state rivalry game that on paper looks like a mismatch. But Georgia Tech's triple option offense evens the scales a bit. Mark Richt could very well be coaching for his job in this one. After the season the Dawgs have had, losing a second straight game to the Yellow Jackets might be the end of a pretty good run at UGA for Richt. Georgia 34, Georgia Tech 28

Louisville at Kentucky (Line: Louisville -4.5)
The Governor's Cup (Series: Kentucky leads 14-13)
These two Bluegrass State schools are more known for their battle on the hardwood, but the fierce rivalry extends to the gridiron. Louisville is currently riding a four-game winning streak in the series. The Cats won four in a row prior to that, and the Cards won four in a row before that. Which Louisville team will show up Saturday? And can Kentucky get to bowl eligibility under Mark Stoops? Louisville 24, Kentucky 14

No. 8 Ohio State at No. 10 Michigan (Line: Ohio State -1)
The Game (Series: Michigan leads 58-46-6)
Ohio State had its 23-game winning streak snapped last week - and then all hell broke loose in the Buckeyes locker room. Now, they head to the Big House. Yikes. Michigan has won four in a row to keep its Big Ten East Division hopes alive. The Wolverines are perhaps the most complete team Ohio State will face this season. And we saw what Michigan State did to them last week. I'll take the coach who's smashing Buckeye nuts on Bo Schembechler's grave. Michigan 20, Ohio State 17

Virginia Tech at Virginia (Line: Virginia Tech -3.5)
The Commonwealth Cup (Series: VT leads 54-37-5)
Virginia Tech has won 11 in a row in this series and looks to send Frank Beamer out with one more win over the Cavaliers. Beamer is 19-9 against UVA. The Hokies are favored, but Virginia played its best game a week ago in a win over Duke. Sometimes you just have to go with history and history tells us this game belongs to Beamer. Virginia Tech 21, Virginia 10

Penn State at No. 5 Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -11)
Battle for the Land Grant Trophy (Series: Tied 14-14-1)
My how the Big Ten world turned with one kick. Ohio State was the defending champs and headed toward another College Football Playoff. Then, Sparty happened. Michigan State has defeated Michigan and Ohio State on the road and led for exactly 0:00 of game time. Don't expect the Spartans to get tripped up. MSU is on its way to Indianapolis and Mark Dantonio can proclaim he has the best program in the Big Ten. Michigan State 31, Penn State 13

No. 14 North Carolina at NC State (Line: North Carolina -5.5)
Carolina-State Game (Series: North Carolina leads 65-33-6)
North Carolina isn't getting a lot of respect for myriad reasons. But the Heels have looked as good as anyone in the country and Gene Chizik has done a 180 with the defense. Look out. NC State is much better than its 7-4 record. Remember, too, the Wolfpack dropkicked UNC last year, 35-7. This one's in Raleigh and the Pack can spoil a great season for the baby blues. NC State 38, North Carolina 35

No. 2 Alabama at Auburn (Line: Alabama -14.5)
The Iron Bowl (Series: Alabama leads 43-35-1)
Two years ago was the "Kick 6." Auburn went on to play for a national title and it appeared the tide (pun intended) had turned in the SEC West. Then, Alabama dropped 55 points on the Tigers last year and now Auburn limps in with a 6-5 record. Derrick Henry is a beast and Alabama's defense has been great against some mediocre offenses. But the Tide, in my eyes, aren't as other-worldly as everyone proclaims. Alabama 33, Auburn 26

No. 22 UCLA at USC (Line: USC -3)
The Crosstown Rivalry (Series: USC leads 44-31-7)
Figure these two teams out. UCLA starts the year 4-0 and looks like it could be a factor. Then, the Bruins went 4-3 with losses to Arizona State at home and at Stanford and Washington State. USC, on the other hand, lost early to Stanford, then Washington, then Notre Dame before reeling off four straight wins including a stunner against Utah. The Trojans, though, were blown out by Oregon last week, so who knows with these two teams. It's at USC, but the Bruins have won three in a row and none have been close. UCLA 41, USC 28

No. 18 Ole Miss at No. 21 Mississippi State (Line: Ole Miss -1)
The Egg Bowl (Series: Ole Miss leads 62-43-6)
Aside from running into a brick wall against Alabama, Mississippi State has been on a roll on offense and Dak Prescott is at the center of it all. He's playing his final game in Starkville and is looking to atone for the upset that took place a season ago. Chad Kelly and Ole Miss picked up momentum with their win over LSU last week. The cowbells will be ringing loud in what could be another classic Egg Bowl. Mississippi State 43, Ole Miss 42

No. 13 Florida State at No. 12 Florida (Line: Florida State -2.5)
The Florida Cup (Florida leads 34-23-2)
FSU has won four of the last five in this series and goes up against an offensively-challenged Gator team in The Swamp. In two of its past three games, Florida needed a last-minute field goal to beat Vanderbilt, 9-7, and was taken to overtime by Florida Atlantic before prevailing 20-14. Dalvin Cook can up his Heisman candidacy with a solid game against the Gators' vaunted defense. Jim McElwain tried to light a fire under his team by calling them out for a lack of emotion. There will be plenty of that flowing in this one. Florida State 24, Florida 13

Texas A&M at LSU (Line: LSU -5.5)
(Series: LSU leads 30-20-3)
Could this be Les Miles' last game at Tiger Stadium? Who would've thought that before this season? Well, Miles has a way of getting the best out of his players when their backs are against the wall and questions are abound. Add in that the Aggies only wins since Oct. 17 are against South Carolina, Western Carolina and Vanderbilt, and it's easy to see Texas A&M is a fraud despite its 8-3 record. Leonard Fournette should have a big game. LSU 38, Texas A&M 20

No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 9 Stanford (Line: Stanford -4)
The Legends Trophy (Series: Notre Dame leads 19-10)
The game everyone has waited for to finally see whether Notre Dame is worth a darn or not. We know they barely lost to Clemson, but that's been about all the Irish can proclaim to this point. Stanford has been led by Heisman contender Christian McCaffrey, who looks the part of the best all-around football player. A win here and next week in the Pac-12 title game over UCLA or USC at the very least puts the Cardinal back in the conversation for a Playoff. They just need chaos to ensue ahead of them. Stanford 35, Notre Dame 28

When it comes to OU-OSU, expect, well, bedlam.
(Photo courtesy tvnooz.com)

No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 11 Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma -7)
Bedlam (Series: Oklahoma leads 84-18-7)
Four of the past five Bedlam games have produced some of the wackiest results. I guess that's why they call it Bedlam. The Sooners jumped into the Playoff Top 4 in this week's rankings and can solidify their spot with a third straight win over a ranked opponent (second on the road). OSU was exposed by Baylor last week and simply does not have a running game. The weather is expected to be cold and wet, possibly freezing rain/sleet/who knows what else. That bodes well for the Crimson and Cream machine of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon. Oklahoma 27, Oklahoma State 21

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 12

I got back on the plus side with a double-digit win week. Four of the Top 10 teams fell last week, so upsets we aplenty. This week will provide a few more Top 10 teams falling with two Top 10 battles. Along the way, there very well could be more upsets and shakeups in the polls. As is customary, I'll pick each of the Top 10 teams' games along with the other top games of the weekend. On to the picks!

Last week's record: 10-5

Overall: 45-19 (.703 win %)
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings

No. 21 Memphis at Temple (Line: Memphis -1.5)
Despite two straight losses, the Memphis Tigers remain in the Playoff Committee Top 25. Temple, which lost to South Florida can take a step closer to locking up a spot in the AAC title game. The Owls' loss is puzzling, given how well they played against Notre Dame. Now, they return home to host Paxton Lynch and a pretty good Tigers team. Could be another down-to-the-wire game for the AAC. Temple 34, Memphis 31

Florida Atlantic at No. 8 Florida (Line: Florida -31)
The first of many SEC cupcake games in November. FAU is bad and the Gators will use this week to prepare for a date with hated-rival Florida State. Florida 44, Florida Atlantic 6

No. 12 Michigan at Penn State (Line: Michigan -3.5)
White-out games at Penn State are a spectacle in the sport. But Michigan lucked out, as this game will be at noon and not at night. Happy Valley will still be hoppin'. It's a trap game for the Wolverines in the sense that they could have an opportunity to knock off Ohio State for a division title next week. To get there, though, they have to get past the Nittany Lions. Christian Hackenberg has never transformed into the QB we thought he'd be. PSU will rely on its defense to keep it within striking distance. Michigan 27, Penn State 17

No. 17 North Carolina at Virginia Tech (Line: North Carolina -5.5)
Hokie fans get to say goodbye to Frank Beamer. When Enter Sandman plays and Virginia Tech makes its way through the tunnel, Lane Stadium will jolt into a frenzy like never before. The emotions in this one, though, will only carry VT so far. North Carolina is playing at a different level and Marquise Williams isn't showing signs of slowing down. The Heels clinch a spot in the ACC title game with a win. North Carolina 45, Virginia Tech 21

Purdue at No. 5 Iowa (Line: Iowa -23)
Iowa is better than people are giving it credit for, but Purdue is no measuring stick. The Hawkeyes shouldn't have any trouble in this one. If they do, it's only because they get caught looking ahead to a showdown at Nebraska next week. Iowa 28, Purdue 10

No. 9 Michigan State at No. 3 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -13.5)
This one has been circled on the calendar for a long time. It's finally here, but it's lost some luster due to the Spartans loss and an injury to quarterback Connor Cook. Even if Cook plays, it's going to be up to the defense to slow down Ohio State. Something tells me Urban Meyer has been holding back and is ready to unleash what we saw in the Buckeyes' final games a season ago. It also sets up a huge clash next week in the Big House. Ohio State 40, Michigan State 17

Things could get chippy between the Buckeyes and Spartans.

No. 15 LSU at No. 22 Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -6.5)
What happened to Leonard Fournette? Well, it's not all on him. He has been the victim of terrible offensive line play the past two games and it's a reason LSU has fallen from No. 2 to No. 15. This week doesn't get any easier with a trip to Ole Miss. In the last two weeks, the Rebels have lost in heart-breaking fashion and been idle, yet somehow fell out of the rankings, then climbed back to No. 22. I guess whatever's best for Alabama, right? Another topic, another day. For now, Les Miles has his back against the proverbial wall. How will he and his bunch respond? Ole Miss 27, LSU 21

No. 20 Northwestern at No. 25 Wisconsin (Line: Wisconsin -10)
Northwestern hasn't fallen off the map after the first half of the season, so there's some progress for Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats. A trip to Camp Randall Stadium to take on a Badger team whose only losses are to No. 2 Alabama and No. 5 Iowa is a tough task. The Wildcats have won their last three games by a combined 11 points after being destroyed by Michigan and Iowa by a combined 78-10. Bowl positioning is at stake and Wisconsin is looking for another 10-win season. Wisconsin 34, Northwestern 24

UCLA at No. 13 Utah (Line: Utah -1.5)
Utah received bad news this week when it was announced that running back Devontae Booker will undergo knee surgery and miss the rest of the season. The Utes still have plenty of weapons and haven't lost at home this season. UCLA, on the other hand, can swipe control of the Pac-12 South and have won 11 of 12 on the road. Because of Utah's loss at Arizona last week, the Bruins - and technically USC - can win the division by winning out. It all rests in freshman sensation Josh Rosen's hands, er, on his right arm. UCLA 35, Utah 23

No. 24 USC at No. 23 Oregon (Line: Oregon -4)
The Ducks shocked Stanford last week and are now a Cardinal loss to Cal away from causing Pac-12 North chaos. Of course, that requires Oregon getting past USC in what was billed in the preseason as a Pac-12 title game preview. Most likely not anymore, but still a good one nonetheless. The Trojans had a couple extra days to prepare coming off their Thursday night win at Colorado, but another long trip to a raucous environment gives Oregon the edge. The two quarterbacks, Cody Kessler for USC and Vernon Adams for Oregon, will be intriguing to watch. Oregon 41, USC 31

Wake Forest at No. 1 Clemson (Line: Clemson -29)
Clemson's defense has taken a beating the past few weeks, perhaps a sign of the lack of depth the Tigers have. Offensively, not many teams are better. Clemson, led by Deshaun Watson, has posted over 500 yards in six straight games and won all six by double-digits since back-to-back wins by three and two over Louisville and Notre Dame, respectively. With Wake Forest coming to Tiger Town for Senior Day, it's a chance for Dabo Swinney's club to work out the kinks before the showdown with Palmetto State rival South Carolina. Although, every time this season I've thought Clemson would win big, it was closer than expected. Clemson 45, Wake Forest 17

Charleston Southern at No. 2 Alabama (Line: Alabama -20.5)
Why? Seriously, why is this game being played in the second to last week of the regular season? Alabama 52, Charleston Southern 14

No. 10 Baylor at No. 6 Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma State -1)
Baylor's quarterback situation is one to watch. With Seth Russell out, all the focus is on freshman Jarrett Stidham. It's been reported that Stidham is still banged up from taking a beating by the Sooners last week. That means Shock Linwood is likely to play a bigger role. Baylor's mettle will be tested because the Bears' hopes and dreams of a perfect season were dashed. Can they do the same to the Cowboys, who remain as the Big 12's lone unbeaten? JW Walsh and Mason Rudolph have responded to Mike Gundy's two-quarterback system brilliantly. The Pokes could use a big win to set up an epic Bedlam game next week. Oklahoma State 49, Baylor 35

No. 18 TCU at No. 7 Oklahoma (Line: None due to injuries)
OU celebrated beating Baylor as if it had won much more than just another game. I don't think that's a problem, but there's still two big ones to play. Baker Mayfield has been nothing short of spectacular. With TCU falling off a cliff, and the Horned Frogs' two stars injured - QB Trevone Boykin and WR Josh Doctson - this is right there for the taking for OU. Oklahoma 51, TCU 27

Boston College vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (Line: Notre Dame -15.5)
The coolness factor of this one being played at Boston's iconic Fenway Park is reason enough to check out some of this game. That and the rivalry between the only two Catholic schools in major college football. Notre Dame can't get caught looking toward the season finale at Stanford. Boston College lacks an offensive identity. The Eagles will do their best to protect their backyard, even as the "visiting" team. But the Irish are just too talented. Notre Dame 34, Boston College 20

-BtW

The Morning After...

Deshaun Watson accounted for over 400 yards of offense
to lead Clemson to a 23-13 win over Florida State.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

1) Wow. What a time to be a Tiger. I couldn't help but think that yesterday's game between Clemson and Florida State was exactly why college football was created. Two championship-caliber teams going toe-to-toe and putting everything on the line for four quarters in an insane environment. In the end, the better team won. But man that was some fun football to watch. Extremely pumped for my brother, Jordan, a Clemson student, who got to be there to witness it in person.

2) Remarkably impressed with Brent Venables and Clemson's defense it's not even funny. After giving up 111 yards and at touchdown on two carries in three plays to FSU running back Dalvin Cook, the Tigers went into shutdown mode. The rest of the game, Cook had 19 carries for 83 yards, and the Noles were limited to two field goals. When it matted most, Clemson was relentlessness. Defensive leaders Shaq Lawson, BJ Goodson and Ben Boulware led the charge. They stopped Dalvin Cook twice on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 late in the game to preserve a lead. Then, Boulware never quit on a long pass play, raced down field, stripped the ball and Goodson recovered. I. Love. This. Defense.

3) Deshaun Watson had trouble, once again, getting started in the first half. He missed three wide open third down throws and made a mental error at the end of the half spiking the ball on third down. But once again, he found rhythm with offense in the second half. A corral of leaders from head coach to offensive coordinator to offensive linemen went to him at halftime and told him he had to get dialed in. Watson finished magnificently with nearly 300 yards passing and over 100 yards rushing He led an offense that finished with two 100-yard rushers, a 100-yard receiver, and over 500 yards for fifth straight game.

4) Amazing crowd. If you haven't been to a game at Death Valley to experience all that is Clemson football, you need to do it. At halftime, I knew we were going to win that game. We were leading in every statistical category except the scoreboard. We finished that way, too. It was a credit to the team for bringing their guts, as Dabo says, and the crowd for bringing the energy and the noise.

5) Don't look now but the Oklahoma Sooners might be the team to beat in the Big 12 - well, more on that later. OU is destroying the opposition. With a 52-16 win over Iowa State Saturday, the Sooners have now won four straight since that mind-boggling loss to Texas. In those four games, the offense has produced 55, 63, 62, and 52 points for a combined 232-50 margin of victory. The big three-game finale versus the Big 12's best remains with two of the three on road. It starts Saturday at Baylor with College GameDay in town. The Bears have won two straight by an average of 45-13. Think Bob Stoops wants this one bad?

6) Entering the week, there were 11 unbeaten teams. Just like that, only six remain. Toledo, TCU, Memphis, Michigan State and LSU fell from the ranks. It just goes to show no matter what the talk-show hosts and analysts say, the games are played on Saturday (or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thurs ... OK, it's great to have college football nearly every day of the week!). Six teams have survived this far. How many more can survive until Dec. 6?

7) Another week, another spectacular finish, this one not immediately ending a game, but close enough. On 4th and 25 in overtime, Arkansas had one last gasp at Ole Miss. A long pass across the field resulted in the receiving player being hit almost immediately after making the catch. Instead of going down, he launched the ball backwards over his head toward the middle of the field where it was tipped, bounced, and picked up by Hog running back Alex Collins. Collins then raced to his left and down the sidelines, picking up the first down. Two plays later, Arkansas found the end zone to make it a 52-51 ballgame. The magic didn't stop there. The Hogs went for two and the win, but quarterback Brandon Allen was sacked ... Hold on, a face mask penalty gave them another chance. This time, Allen took the snap and leapt into the end zone for the two points and the 53-52 win on the road. Don't stop, college football. Please don't stop. Arkansas is at LSU next week...

8) ...And speaking of the Tigers, they ran into a hornet's nest in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Few games receive the build-up as Alabama-LSU, but this one was a one-sided affair. The Tide rolled the Tigers in a 14-point win that didn't seem that close. Leonard Fournette, LSU's foregone Heisman winner, was held to 31 yards on 19 carries. Derrick Henry, Alabama's big bruiser, topped 200 yards on the ground with three TDs. The Bama win combined with Ole Miss' loss gives the Tide complete control of the SEC West. Win out and they're back in Atlanta. Alabama has a road trip to Mississippi State next week, who is quietly 7-2 and on a four-game winning streak. Watch out for those cow bells.

9) In the only battle Saturday between unbeaten teams, Oklahoma State used deep ball to blow away TCU, 49-29, in Stillwater. The national narrative starting November was that the Cowboys were set up with the other three Big 12 contenders - TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma - having to travel to Boone Pickens Stadium. But, there was caution that OSU wasn't on the same level as those teams. Theory proven wrong. The Big 12 will go through Oklahoma, whether it's the Sooners or Cowboys. Bedlam on Nov. 28 could be, well, bedlam (seriously, these things write themselves!).

10) The team you should respect, but probably don't? That'd be North Carolina. We wrote off the Tar Heels when they fell to South Carolina in Week 1. We continue to write off that loss, as we completed Week 10 and South Carolina has just three wins. However, North Carolina is 8-1 and coming off a 66-31 win over rival Duke. UNC leads the ACC Coastal and looks to be on the road to Charlotte to face Clemson in the ACC title game. Quarterback Marquise Williams is setting all kinds of records for the Heels. That loss to the Gamecocks is now an outlier for the Tar Heels season, but unlike Alabama, the Playoff Committee will continue to use it to anchor down UNC. Unrightfully so, in this man's opinion. North Carolina is playing like a top-15 team.

11) We're going a little longer with the blog, but that's just because college football is the gift that keeps on giving. Time for some quick hitters: Notre Dame keeps on winning, which is a great thing if you're a Clemson fan. The Irish overmatched Pitt and have two lay-ups before a clash in Palo Alto with Stanford to end the season ... Florida survived Vanderbilt by the skin of their Gator teeth, 9-7, and clinched the SEC East. The Gators earned their first trip to Atlanta since 2009 ... Stanford avoided a sleepy misstep and took down Colorado 42-10. The bounce-back effort following the narrow escape against Washington State last week helps solidify the Cardinal as the team to beat in the Pac-12 ... Ohio State still looks out of sync with Cardale Jones at the helm. The Buckeyes remained undefeated, but are clearly a better team with JT Barrett behind center. We'll see what Urban Meyer does this week with Barrett coming off an alcohol-related suspension. Ezekiel Elliott is a tremendous running back and he's sure to get more of the work load if playmaker Braxton Miller is out longterm with an injury ... Good for Nebraska fans, finally getting to celebrate a last-second victory instead of suffering from last-second agony. Mike Riley needed that win more than anybody. I still don't see the Huskers getting to a bowl game - need to win their remaining two games at Rutgers and against undefeated Iowa.

12) Changing three losses from 2014 into wins in 2015 (Georgia '14/Notre Dame '15,  Georgia Tech, Florida State)? Check. Atlantic Division Champions? Check. What a time to be a Tiger, indeed. No letdowns. Beat Syracuse.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 10

Welcome to the beginning of the best month in college football. All the hoopla, all the showdowns, all the guts, glory, and everything else. November will certainly be remembered in 2015. The College Football Playoff Committee released its first rankings Tuesday. Of course there was controversy abound. The teams, however, will settle it on the field as we move closer and closer to the second College Football Playoff. Lots to decipher between now and then. Let's get to it, shall we?

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

When it comes to LSU-Alabama, expect pain.
(Photo courtesy US Presswire)

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

The Morning After...

This "Morning After" is in remembrance of the four lives lost and the countless lives affected at the horrible Homecoming tragedy in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Today might seem like just another day to you, but it is so important to live each day like it's your last. Peace and comfort to the Oklahoma State community and to all dealing with this in their own personal way.

1) What a complete, dominant performance by the Clemson Tigers. From start to finish, they left no doubt who was the better team in Sun Life Stadium. When you hand a storied program like Miami its worst loss in school history, that's an accomplishment you hang your hat on. Those wins don't come around often.

2) This game was determined on the first two drives. Clemson went eight plays and 82 yards, punctuated by a perfect play call on a tight end screen for the opening touchdown. Miami, looking to answer, drove deep into Tiger territory before Jadar Johnson picked off Brad Kaaya near the goal line. Clemson promptly scored on its next three drives and knocked Kaaya out of the game with a concussion. But those two initial drives set the tone for the day.

3) Clemson earned its first defensive shutout of the season and its third in its last 16 games. Miami was averaging nearly 34 points per game and 444 yards of offense. The Tigers held the Hurricanes to 146 total yards. The Tigers have now won 10 games in a row dating to last season. The last time Clemson had 10 wins in a row was the 1983-84 seasons. Clemson has won 35 straight games against unranked opponents in the AP poll, second only to Alabama which has a streak of 58 straight such wins. Lastly, a week after throwing for over 400 yards, Clemson's offense gained over 400 rushing. It's the first time in school history the Tigers have a game of both yardage gains in the same season.

4) Air raid? What air raid? Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon sliced and diced Texas Tech's defense to the tune of 355 yards and six touchdowns between the two of them. Oklahoma ran past the Red Raiders, 63-27, in a game many expected to be decided through the air. The only air needed was in the oxygen tanks on the sidelines for Perine, Mixon, and the Texas Tech defense still chasing them from behind. Next week is a visit to winless Kansas. Last season, Perine set the single-game rushing record with 427 yards on the ground against the Jayhawks. Could he or Mixon do it again?

5) What a day in college football. The match-ups weren't overly inviting, but the drama was full overload. No. 3 Utah was spanked by USC to fall from the ranks of the unbeatens. The Pac-12 is now without an undefeated team and rests its hopes in Stanford to run the table to make the Playoff. Arkansas-Auburn and Duke-Virginia Tech each provided us four-overtime games, which Arkansas and Duke won, respectively. Aforementioned Miami produced its ugliest loss and the "Fire Al Golden" crowd has turned from angry mob to mutiny, although by the third quarter you could hardly tell with all the empty seats. That in and of itself is message enough to the Hurricanes higher-ups that they've seen enough of the Golden - not-so-Golden? - years. HA! ...

Announced attendance: 45,211. Nope.

— Aaron Brenner (@Aaron_Brenner) October 24, 2015

5B) Then, there was the second consecutive week of a wild special teams play resulting in bedlam. After Michigan botched its punt and Michigan State pulled off the unthinkable ending in the Big House, which drew comparisons to the infamous "Kick 6" play between Auburn and Alabama in 2013, Georgia Tech decided to one-up Sparty and produce "Kick 6 - The Sequel." The events that had to unfold for the play to happen, though, are what make it unique - and even crazier. 

Florida State, driving with a 16-13 lead, had third and goal from the 10 yard line. Everett Golson unfurled a pretty much perfect pass into the end zone, but the ball was tipped and intercepted. It was Golson's first interception of the season and the Noles' first offensive turnover of the season. Had it been caught by an FSU player, the game would have been virtually over with just over eight minutes to go. Had it been an incomplete pass, FSU likely would have lined up for a field goal with the nation's most reliable kicker and made it a six-point game - not out of reach, but not leading to the most unlikely of endings.

Instead, the interception led to both teams trading punts before Georgia Tech kicked the game-tying field goal with 54 seconds to go. FSU had plenty of time to set up Roberto Aguayo for a 56-yard attempt, well within his range. Aguayo's kick was blocked and presumably the game was headed to overtime. Lance Austin picked up the ball against the will of his head coach, raced across the field to find nothing but blockers, green grass, and a swarm of white-clad students ahead of him. An improbable walk-off ending on the heels of the previous week's same result. Gotta love college football.

Georgia Tech swarmed the field after knocking off Florida State.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

*Turns phone off.*

— FSU Football (@FSU_Football) October 25, 2015

6) There's the Ohio State team that was unanimously picked No. 1 this preseason. After a slow start, JT Barrett led the Buckeye offense and accounted for five touchdowns in routing Rutgers, 49-7. This is the team that can run the table, at least in the Big Ten to reach the College Football Playoff.

7) Why, hello there, Washington State. After a season-opening loss to FCS Portland State, which many pegged as the beginning of the end of the Mike Leach era in Pullman, Wash., the Cougars are in control of their destiny in the Pac-12 North. That may be short-lived, though, as the Cougs' next opponent is Top-10 Stanford. If Washington State can find a way to pull off the shocker at home, they could be the Cinderella story of the season.

8) ESPN Stats & Info tweeted out last night that only one conference will have five teams with one or fewer losses. Care to take a guess? Nope, not the SEC. Nor the Big Ten. Still can't get it? It's the ACC. While Clemson remains as the only unbeaten in the conference, there are four schools with one loss: Florida State, Duke, North Carolina and Pitt - the latter three all residing in the Coastal Division, all still yet to play each other, and all with their loss coming outside the conference. This bodes well for the Tigers, who are likely the conference's last chance at the Playoff. Clemson needs to win out, most certainly, but beating ranked Florida State and a ranked Coastal opponent in the ACC title game would look more impressive in the eyes of the Playoff Committee than say beating a three-loss Coastal winner.

9) Quick hitters: Baylor might be without star quarterback Seth Russell for a while. Russell has a broken bone in his neck and will visit a specialist this week to determine the severity. In steps freshman QB Jarrett Stidham, who in backup duty has a better completion percentage and passer rating than Russell. ... Alabama escaped with a 19-14 win over rival Tennessee. As predicted, this would be Bama's "off" week. The Tide actually take the next week off with a bye before hosting LSU Nov. 7. ... Ole Miss bounced back from its loss to Memphis to shut down Texas A&M. The Aggies couldn't do much offensively, as the Rebels remain in control of their destiny in the SEC West. ... Stanford continued to roll with a 31-14 win over Washington. The Cardinal have a primetime date with Washington State, which amazingly could determine who wins the Pac-12 North.

10) "Clemsoning" became a thing following the Tigers' loss to NC State in 2011. That was also the last time Clemson lost to an unranked opponent. Halloween in Raleigh will have Carter-Finley Stadium rocking. They've called for a "Black Out." One of the nation's best is coming. ... Drown out the noise. Focus on Clemson. Beat NC State.

-BtW

The Morning After...

1) The reason I started writing my collective thoughts the next day is because people, in general, often overreact in the immediate moments following an event. I wanted to give myself time to sit on my thoughts. Last night is the perfect example why. I sat here and watched Clemson miss big play after big play. Deshaun Watson looked terribly off, especially in the first half. Despite not putting BC away - more on that later - the Tigers came away with a 17-point victory. Watson finished with 420 yards passing, four total TDs, and Clemson racked up 532 yards on a defense that through its first six games was allowing 140. This was a much better game looking back now than in the moments after the win.

2) However, I am disappointed in Clemson's lack of killer instinct. Against Power 5 teams, Clemson has struggled to put opponents away. After going up 20-10 on Louisville and finally getting some separation, the Cards returned a kickoff to cut it right back to three points. Clemson never was able to pull away, but won by that margin. With a 21-3 fourth quarter lead against Notre Dame, the defense gave up chunk play after chunk play. The failed 2-point attempt at the end prevented the Irish from sending the game to OT. Even a 19-point win over Georgia Tech should have been much larger. Clemson led 40-10 going into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers allowed two more TDs in the final frame. And finally against BC, there were moments when it was 27-10 that I felt like this team should've stomped on their throats and raced out a 41-10 lead. But it never happened. That killer instinct needs to be found, now.

3) It was mentioned by several beats at the game that BC was the first team to get any kind of push up front on Clemson's D-line. While that doesn't sound great, it doesn't bother me either. The Eagles are big and physical up front, and always have been. Outside of the FSU game, I don't foresee another game in the trenches where Clemson will get pushed around. With that said, Clemson held BC to 159 total rushing yards.

4) That's now 34 straight wins over unranked opponents, 14 straight wins at home, and 9 straight overall for the Tigers. Keep on Clemsoning, Dabo.

5) Not much to say about a 55-0 shellacking by OU at Kansas State. Perhaps the most dominating win against  Power 5 team in the Bob Stoops era. Of course, it comes on the heels of the most embarrassing loss in his tenure. Is the Texas game a fluke and the Sooners really are a Top 10 team? Or will it be more Jekyll and Hyde by this OU team? Next week is a home game against Texas Tech, a team who struggled to put away mighty Kansas.

6) Was I the jinx? When Michigan State's pass fell incomplete on fourth down with 1:54 to go, I tweeted, "BIG win for the BIG Blue in the BIG House against a BIG Ten opponent. #everythingisBIG." Little did I know, Sparty had other plans. The epic turn of events that transpired as time expired will be thrown into the same echelon with The Iron Bowl's "Kick 6" two years ago. It's hard to put into words how to feel about it when it's something that's never happened before. I feel awful for the Michigan punter. He panicked. I probably would have tried to do the same thing in his shoes. Hindsight is, hold onto the ball and take the loss of yards and turnover. It didn't happen. And now Michigan has to turn the page, while MSU can build off one of the most improbable wins.

7) How 'bout them Tigers? No, not Clemson. Memphis! On the second play of the game, No. 13 Ole Miss took a 7-0 lead. They led 14-0 after the next series. Then, Memphis happened. Paxton Lynch and the Tigers settled in and reeled off 31 unanswered points en route to a 37-24 win, the program's biggest. They not only knocked off an SEC school, but it's one that most of the Ole Miss alumni base resides in Memphis. It was a big win, too, for the American Conference, and an even bigger blow to the SEC. The job Justin Fuente has done at Memphis is remarkable. The Tigers had seven wins in his first two seasons combined. They won 10 games last season and are 6-0 now, riding a 13-game winning streak. This could be the Group of 5 team that ends up in one of the Big 6 Bowls, but Houston could have something to say about that Nov. 14.

8) Speaking of the SEC, can we all just agree that the SEC West isn't the best and greatest division in football? After LSU and Alabama - which I will remind you lost to Ole Miss at home, who subsequently lost to Memphis - the division is at best average. Texas A&M and Ole Miss were the next best teams, but humbling losses yesterday prove neither are ready for the spotlight. Arkansas, Mississippi State and Auburn are lost causes. It doesn't get much better in the East. Florida put up a great fight at LSU, but fell short. Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee aren't deserving of Top 25 rankings. Vandy, Kentucky and South Carolina are at the bottom of the food chain, once again. It's just an average-at-best conference that ESPN would like you to believe is talented and deep.

9) Quick hits: Baylor continues to impress. The Bears look like they are on a mission and are destroying anyone and anything in their way ... Ohio State finally looked like the team many expected. However, one dominating win over a mediocre Penn State still doesn't justify a No. 1 ranking in my book ... Utah remained unbeaten with a solid win over Arizona State. The Utes trailed 18-14 going to the fourth, but outscored the Sun Devils 20-0 to close the game.

10) The showdown between FSU and Clemson Nov. 7 is nearing. Just two games stand in our way. But we don't like to look past this week. Beat Miami.

-BtW