Cappers Sports Picks

No. 18 Notre Dame will look to extend a four-game winning streak and continue its dominance in the annual Holy War rivalry game against Boston College on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.

The Fighting Irish (7-3) have rebounded well after an 0-2 start. Offensively, things have clicked with Notre Dame scoring at least 35 points in each contest of the streak, including a 35-32 win last weekend against Navy.

Boston College (3-7) has had a largely forgettable season but made a statement with a 21-20 upset win at then No. 16 NC State last Saturday.

Emmett Morehead threw a 2-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds remaining to Joseph Griffin Jr. to clinch Boston College's first win over a Top 25 team in eight years.

To get another upset, the Eagles will have to reverse their difficult history against Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish have won eight straight in the rivalry. In each of the past three meetings, they scored at least 40 points and each game was decided by at least two touchdowns. The last time Boston College beat Notre Dame came on Nov. 8, 2008, a 17-0 Eagles victory.

Indiana (3-7, 1-6) will look to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Hoosiers had the misfortune of facing Penn State and Ohio State on back-to-back weekends and got pummeled each time.

It's uncertain whether Indiana will go with Connor Bazelak, who has started most of the season, or Dexter Williams II at quarterback this week.

The Spartans have won 11 of the last 13 meetings with the Hoosiers. The winner will get the traditional trophy, the Old Brass Spittoon.

"Not every program has the opportunity to play trophy games and rivalry games," Indiana coach Tom Allen said. "It's a great opportunity for us to play for the Brass Spittoon, a trophy we've had twice since I've been here and they currently have it right now. Much, much to play for."

That matchup will feature two of the best backs in the country, as Chase Brown, the nation's leading rusher, spearheads the Fighting Illini (7-3, 4-3) offense in a showdown with Corum and Michigan.

Brown rushed for 100-plus yards in 10 straight games, but was held to 98 last week in Illinois' 31-24 loss to Purdue. It was the first time the Illini lost back-to-back games this season.

Brown went down on the sideline in the fourth quarter with a right leg injury and had to exit the game. Illinois coach Bret Bielema said Brown is working toward playing this week.

"Very positive and excited, but don't know where we'll be by Friday for the trip and Saturday for the game," Bielema said.

Bielema said that linebacker Seth Coleman has been cleared to practice. He entered the concussion protocol and was forced to miss the meeting with the Boilermakers.

Coleman has 16 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season.

The last time Michigan went 12-0, Brian Griese was starting under center, a young Tom Brady had only 15 pass attempts in his sophomore season and Charles Woodson was headlining a defense allowing 9.5 points per game.

That was back in 1997, but the third-ranked Wolverines find themselves in a position to replicate that record. First, they'll have to get past No. 21 Illinois on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) maintained its pristine record, coasting to a 34-3 victory against Nebraska last week. J.J. McCarthy completed 8 of 17 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns and Blake Corum added a score on the ground to go along with 162 rushing yards on 28 carries.

"Just feel great. Just so appreciative of everybody, really -- players, coaches, staff, all the hard work that's gone in," Wolverines coach John Harbaugh said. "The mission continues. It's a happy mission. ... Keep it rolling, keep it going, and guys are a joy to be around. Excited about the matchup that we have this week."

Desperation can be a positive.

Miami University is out of the MAC title hunt, but it’s still alive for a bowl game if it can win this and take out Ball State next week. To do that, it has to stop the Northern Illinois running game.

The Huskies' offensive line has the ability to take over at times for a ground attack that averages close to 200 yards per game. Miami University wins when it holds up against the run, it has to get the passing game going, and it takes games over when it’s able to get its own rushing attack rolling, too.

The RedHawks are 3-1 when they run for 200 yards

Hawaii was on the road in their last game and had one to forget in a 55-13 blowout loss at the hands of Fresno State. They were down 31-0 at the half, were outgained 572 yards to 362 yards, and gave up 245 rushing yards. The Rainbow Warriors did not cover the spread despite being a 27.5-point underdog and they had covered in their previous four games. Even though they only have one MWC win this season they have covered six of their last seven conference games.

Hawaii is only averaging 17.8 ppg while giving up an average of 35.8 ppg. On offense, they do not rank in the top 91 in the nation in passing or rushing yards per game. Sophomore QB Brayden Schager (1,610 yards 7 TD 7 INT) ranks 118th in the nation in QBR but has passed for over 200 yards in each of the last two games where he has three TD and only one INT. The Rainbow Warriors have four players with over 200 receiving yards led by Zion Bowens (289 3 TD) but he does not have more than 35 receiving yards in any of the last three games. Dedrick Parson and Tylan Hines have combined for over 1,000 rushing yards this season and Hines has 182 rushing yards in the last two games. Look for Hawaii to run the ball often in this game, as Utah State has one of the best pass defenses in the nation

No. 12 UCLA can run the ball, and Arizona has trouble stopping it. The teams' Saturday night matchup in Pasadena, Calif., might not get more complicated than that.

The Bruins (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) are seventh nationally and first in the conference in rushing yards per game (242.3), and they are coming off a 402-yard performance on the ground in a 50-36 road win over Arizona State, despite star running back Zach Charbonnet being unavailable due to injury.

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson contributed 120 rushing yards, Kazmeir Allen rushed for 137 and Keegan Jones added 98.

It’s a battle of Mountain West opponents from the aptly named Mountain Division when New Mexico plays the Air Force. The Lobos (2-7, 0-5) dropped their sixth straight game, a 27-10 loss to Utah State and a loss ATS as 14.5 underdogs. The Falcons (6-3, 2-3) took the Commanders’ Classic, 13-7, over Army last week, but for their second straight loss, ATS barely missed as -7 favorites.  Over three touchdowns is too much for a Falcons team that might be looking ahead. 

Louisiana Monroe is one of the worst defensive teams in the country, giving up 36.8 points per game. They gave up 30 points in their last game and will need to do a better job if they want to stay within the number.

If attaining bowl eligibility with last weekend's win over Missouri wasn't enough to keep complacency from becoming an issue with Kentucky, the Wildcats got another boost with Tuesday night's release of the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

The Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) will take a No. 24 CFP ranking into Saturday afternoon's matchup with Vanderbilt in Lexington, Ky.

It is the second consecutive season the Wildcats have earned a spot in the CFP's Top 25. They finished No. 22 in last season's final pre-bowl poll.

At his weekly media conference earlier in the day, coach Mark Stoops talked about the importance of a strong finish for his team.

"With three games left in November, we still have to be relentless in our improvement," Stoops said. "We've got to finish strong. That old saying 'remember November' is no joke. You want to remember how you finish."

The Wildcats will be going for their 40th win in the last five seasons when they open a three-game homestand against the Commodores (3-6, 0-5). Matchups against Georgia and Louisville will follow. An improbable sweep of all three would put the Wildcats in position for a second consecutive 10-win season, including a bowl game.

Ohio State looks to regain its swagger on offense when the No. 2 Buckeyes host Indiana on Saturday in Columbus.

After enduring torrential rain and a wind averaging nearly 30 mph to win 21-7 at Northwestern last week, the Buckeyes (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) want to take their frustrations out on the downtrodden Hoosiers (3-6, 1-5), who have lost six in a row.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday the running game remains a concern even though the Buckeyes produced 207 rushing yards vs. Northwestern after managing a combined 164 yards in the previous two games vs. Iowa and Penn State.

The Buckeyes were stuffed several times on short-yardage situations at Northwestern, including on third- and fourth-down needing a yard in the first quarter when Miyan Williams had the two runs for no yards.

The Fresno State Bulldogs will try to continue their dominance over the UNLV Rebels when the teams meet in a Mountain West Conference game on Friday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs have won the last four matchups against the Rebels. The average score over those four games has been 46-22. Fresno State last lost to UNLV in October 2017, losing 26-16. The Bulldogs (5-4, 4-1 in MWC) enter this season's game tied atop the West Division. The Rebels (4-5, 2-3), who have lost four in a row, are in fourth place. 

Simply put, UNLV has run out of gas.

The USC defense has excelled at generating turnovers, boasting 18 through nine games. Coupled with Williams' savvy play at quarterback -- he has thrown 28 touchdown passes against one interception -- the Trojans enjoy the nation's best turnover margin at plus-16 for the season.

Colorado (1-8, 1-5) will try to jump-start its struggling offense, which ranks worst among all Power Five conference teams and ahead of only Colorado State and Massachusetts in FBS scoring averages.

The Buffs are producing 15.6 points per game, backsliding after a promising, 34-point effort in an Oct. 29 loss to Arizona State. Colorado managed 10 points in a 39-point loss to Oregon last week.

The Buffs have never beaten USC in program history, a streak encompassing 15 games and dating back to 1927. Since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, the Trojans have won the 10 meetings by an average of 17.4 points per game -- though three of the last six were decided by four points or fewer.

Memphis will look to end a four-game losing streak when it hosts struggling Tulsa in American Athletic Conference play on Thursday.

The Tigers (4-5, 2-4 AAC) are coming off a 35-28 loss to visiting UCF in which the No. 25 Knights broke open a tie game with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to deal Memphis its longest losing streak since 2013.

Tulsa (3-6, 1-4) fell behind 17-3 midway through the second quarter and never recovered in a 27-13 loss at No. 19 Tulane. It was the Golden Hurricane's fifth defeat in their past six games.

Memphis must win two of its final three games to be bowl-eligible for the ninth straight season, while the Golden Hurricane must win their final three games to qualify for the postseason for the third straight year.

Memphis will look to end a four-game losing streak when it hosts struggling Tulsa in American Athletic Conference play on Thursday.

The Tigers (4-5, 2-4 AAC) are coming off a 35-28 loss to visiting UCF in which the No. 25 Knights broke open a tie game with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to deal Memphis its longest losing streak since 2013.

Tulsa (3-6, 1-4) fell behind 17-3 midway through the second quarter and never recovered in a 27-13 loss at No. 19 Tulane. It was the Golden Hurricane's fifth defeat in their past six games.

Memphis must win two of its final three games to be bowl-eligible for the ninth straight season, while the Golden Hurricane must win their final three games to qualify for the postseason for the third straight year.

UB comes up with takeaways in spurts – it came up with four or more in three games – and Central Michigan will be happy to oblige. The Chippewas are a horrendous -12 in turnover margin with two or more fumbles in five of the last six games. That should help provide plenty of scoring chances. 

The Eastern Michigan Eagles (5-4) travel to InfoCision Stadium as they match up against the Akron Zips (1-8) in a MACtion battle on Tuesday night. This will be the 33rd contest in history between these schools. Akron is leading the all-time series 19-14. Despite that, the Eagles are currently on a two-game winning streak. In 2019, Eastern Michigan beat Akron 42-14. 

Auburn interim coach Carnell "Cadillac" Williams will hope to salvage the Tigers' season, beginning with a game at slumping Mississippi State on Saturday night in Starkville, Miss.

Williams, who was in his fourth season of coaching the Tigers' running backs, replaced Bryan Harsin after he was dismissed on Monday after less than two seasons on the job.

"I truly believe Auburn has the potential to be a championship program once again," Harsin wrote in a statement on Tuesday. "The resources, financial support, and fan base are in place."

The Tigers (3-5, 1-4 SEC), mired in a four-game losing streak, went 9-12 under Harsin, with losses in 10 of their past 13 games dating to last season.

Mississippi State (5-3, 2-3) is coming off a 30-6 loss at then-No. 6 Alabama, the Bulldogs' second straight loss after opening the season 5-1.

The Bulldogs and Tigers play contrasting styles of offense.

Kansas State is coming off a historic victory. Now it's time to prove that it was not a fluke.

The Wildcats, ranked No. 13 in the first College Football Playoff poll, defeated then-No. 9 Oklahoma State 48-0 last Saturday, the largest shutout ever over a top-10 team by a team lower in the rankings. It was the Wildcats' first victory over the Cowboys in Chris Klieman's four years as head coach.

They'll face another squad Klieman hasn't defeated when No. 24 Texas comes to Manhattan, Kan. on Saturday for a primetime showdown.

K-State (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) played exceptionally well against the Cowboys, and two Wildcats earned Big 12 player of the week honors. Quarterback Will Howard, who played for injured starter Adrian Martinez, earned offensive player of the week after going 21-of-37 for 296 passing yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Punter Ty Zentner was selected special teams player of the week after serving as punter, placekicker, and kickoff specialist. He hit both field goals and all six extra points, plus placed two of his four punts inside the 20 without a touchback.

The defense shut out the Cowboys, who came into the game averaging 44.7 points per game, tied for third in the FBS. The last time the Cowboys were shut out was Nov. 28, 2009, when they were blanked by Oklahoma, 27-0. The Cowboys also were held to 217 yards of total offense, less than half their season average (466.9 yards per game).

Forget the mediocre 4-4 overall record and 2-3 in Sun Belt mark Louisiana-Lafayette possesses going into its home contest against Troy on Saturday.

At least, the Trojans’ coach Jon Sumrall isn’t paying any attention to it.

What the first-year coach has researched is the Ragin’ Cajuns have had their way with the Trojans the past two seasons – winning 35-21 at Troy a year ago and 53-3 in 2019, the last time Troy made a visit to Lafayette. The two teams didn’t play in 2020.

“The last couple of outcomes against them for us have not been good,” Sumrall said. “We haven’t beaten Louisiana-Lafayette in a long time around here.

“That’s a really big test for us, and we’re ready for it. I think our guys will be mentally prepared and locked in, but we’ve got a good opponent we better be prepared for or we’ll get exposed.

UCF just passed a pressure-packed test, one that coach Gus Malzahn admittedly would have preferred his team not have to take.

Now the Knights, No. 25 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, have to prove they can win on the road.

UCF (6-2, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) travels to Memphis (4-4, 2-3) on Saturday afternoon.

The Knights are coming off a 25-21 home win over conference power Cincinnati, which was 20th in the AP poll a week ago and was a CFP playoff team last season. Leading 10-6 in the third quarter, UCF twice fumbled in the red zone.

Those missed opportunities loomed large when they trailed 13-12 entering the fourth.

Led by not-so-ordinary backup quarterback Mikey Keene, UCF capped a 77-yard drive with a touchdown with 4:36 left to take an 18-13 lead, surrendered a TD and two-point conversion about 1 1/2 minutes later and trailed 21-18, then responded again with RJ Harvey's 17-yard scoring run with 48 seconds left.

Temple and South Florida are the only teams yet to win a game in American Athletic Conference play this season.

Off to 0-4 starts in league play, Temple and USF are hoping to emerge with the elusive AAC victory when the teams convene Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.

Temple (2-6, 0-4 AAC) has dropped conference games to Memphis, Central Florida, Tulsa, and Navy. The Owls absorbed a 70-13 loss to UCF on Oct. 13, took an early 10-point lead in a 27-16 loss at Tulsa, and succumbed in overtime during last week's 27-20 loss to Navy.

Amad Anderson Jr. caught a 20-yard touchdown for the Owls and finished with eight receptions for 114 yards. E.J. Warner, the son of Kurt Warner, completed 24 of 48 passes for 268 yards and was intercepted twice.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign came from the defense's showing against the Navy's triple-option. The Owls conceded 224 yards from scrimmage -- well below Navy's 370 yards per game entering last week.

Nearly four months later, they’re still coming one at a time.

When the Monarchs host Marshall at 2 p.m. Saturday, they don’t plan to look past nightfall. That’s when time and football will tell whether ODU (3-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) will have taken an important step toward bowl eligibility or whether an already uphill climb will have grown steeper.

After Saturday, the Monarchs will face James Madison, Appalachian State, and South Alabama — all teams with records above .500.

But Rahne, true to form, remains singularly focused on the Thundering Herd (4-4, 1-3) with three wins needed to make the postseason.

Ohio is facing its biggest test yet. 

The Bobcats begin Midweek MACtion this week, and it will be no easy feat. As if adjusting to playing in the middle of the week wasn’t hard enough, the Bobcats are facing the top team in the Mid-American Conference East Division: Buffalo. 

This game is especially important because it will determine if Buffalo stays atop the division, or if Ohio will take its place. It could also play a factor in who will be heading to Detroit for the MAC Championship Game.

Marshall needs takeaways to win this, and Coastal Carolina likely won’t oblige.

Coastal Carolina had a turnover problem against Buffalo earlier in the season, but that’s been about it with just three giveaways in the last four games.

Teams battling to stay in contention in the Sun Belt Conference West Division clash when the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Thursday night. The Ragin' Cajuns (4-3, 2-2) have won two in a row, including a 38-18 win over Arkansas State last Saturday. The Golden Eagles (4-3, 2-1), tied for second in the division, have won two in a row and four of five. Southern Miss is coming off a 20-14 victory at Texas State last weekend, after slipping past Arkansas State 20-19 the week before.

The Owls have been awful on offense but have played tremendous defense. This team lost 24-3 at Memphis last time out on Oct. 1, and it has been outscored 54-3 in a pair of road games while going 0-2 ATS. The offense ranks just 125th with 282.8 total yards per game.

The Knights have scored 27 or more points in 3 straight games, and 4 of 5 games overall. The defense has been tremendous, however, allowing 20 or fewer points in all 5 outings and the Under has hit in 4 in a row.

Off to its best start since 2015 -- and ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time in more than four years -- No. 23 Florida State will aim to keep its hot streak going Saturday when the Seminoles host No. 22 Wake Forest in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Seminoles (4-0, 2-0 ACC) are undefeated and ranked after thrashing Boston College 44-14 at home last Saturday. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons (3-1, 0-1 ACC) are coming off their first defeat of the season, a 51-45 overtime loss to No. 5 Clemson.

Although FSU canceled classes Tuesday through Friday in preparation for the possible effects of Hurricane Ian, the game remained on schedule for 3:30 p.m. EST at FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium.

Florida already has moved its game against Eastern Washington to Sunday, while USF moved its game against East Carolina across the state to Boca Raton. Tallahassee is farther north and west than those campuses, leading FSU athletic director Michael Alford to say Monday, "Nothing has changed right now," while the school reminded fans to check social media for updates.

Houston tries to weed out problems in meeting with Tulane

Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen is looking for an all-around improvement from his Cougars, and not all of it has to do with them splitting the first four games of the season.

After starting the campaign ranked No. 24, the season started on a high note for Houston, after beating UTSA 37-35 in three overtimes. But now, it there may be tension within the program.

The Cougars (2-2) will look to sort out some of those problems when they host American Athletic Conference foe Tulane (3-1) Friday night in the conference opener.

In his fourth year at Houston's helm, Holgorsen has become frustrated with his squad.

A feeling of excitement not felt for some time in Seattle is building for the Washington Huskies football program, which debuted in the 2022 NCAA Top 25 rankings at No. 18 this week following a 39-28 win over last week's No. 11, Michigan State.

This Saturday, the Huskies (3-0) look to keep winning with the start of their Pac-12 season, hosting Stanford at Husky Stadium in a night game.

Two years ago, Washington couldn't play for the Pac-12 championship because its roster was ravaged by COVID cases. Last season, the team finished 4-8 overall and head coach Jimmy Lake was fired in November over an incident involving a player on the team.

But this season looks different. Washington has 136 points scored in its first three games, even though the first two were at home against Kent State and FCS Portland State.

After an eye-opening performance on the road, the big question for No. 14 Penn State is how much of an emotional letdown there may be.

The Nittany Lions (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) turned in one of the most impressive performances of the young season last week with a 41-12 road win at SEC foe Auburn, but now must refocus for a game against a Group of Five opponent when Central Michigan visits University Park, Pa., for a noon kickoff on Saturday.

Of all the things that stood out for Penn State in the win at Auburn, maybe the most noticeable was the way the Nittany Lions ran the ball.

Penn State struggled with its offensive line play and running game last year, but completely controlled Auburn's defensive line, rushing for 245 yards on 6.3 per carry.

True freshman Nicholas Singleton was the biggest beneficiary of Penn State's improved line play, rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.

Freshman Kaytron Allen, sophomore Keyvone Lee and junior Devyn Ford have flanked Singleton in what is a deep group of running backs for Penn State.

"We're getting better up front and at tight end," Penn State head coach James Franklin said after the game. "We're doing some things speed-wise to help them. The ability to be more balanced and take pressure off the passing game, I think it's been really important for us. We also have some dynamic backs that help create some explosive plays."

Penn State's offense has averaged more than 40 points a game to start the season.

UTEP can’t run the ball. Worse yet, it can’t get the chains moving.

The two tie together – it can’t run, so it sets up more difficult third down chances, and the lack of a steady passing game then shows up.

Oddly enough, the best passing day so far completion-wise was against Oklahoma, but that was the only time in the four games the Miners managed to hit more than 45% of their throws.

Boise State’s defense is outstanding on third downs, and it’s been dominant against the run over the last few games. It gave up 25 yards to New Mexico, and 26 to UT Martin.

West Virginia (1-2) ignited its offense by scoring on all 10 of its possessions (nine touchdowns, one field goal) in a 65-7 romp over FCS foe Towson on Saturday.

Freshman CJ Donaldson found the end zone on three occasions during the first half, including an 82-yard scamper down the sideline. He has rushed for 274 yards and six touchdowns in three games this season.

Fellow running back Tony Mathis Jr. scored two first-half touchdowns on Saturday before finishing with 104 yards on 17 carries.

Seventh-ranked USC returns home to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday for a nonconference game against Mountain West Conference favorite Fresno State.

The Trojans (2-0) continued to dazzle offensively early into first-year head coach Lincoln Riley's tenure last week at Stanford -- at least, in the first half.

USC scored five first-half touchdowns of the Pac-12 Conference opener but managed a pair of field goals in the second half against the Cardinal. It marked the second time in as many games that the Trojans did not have to punt until the fourth quarter of a blowout win.

Quarterback Caleb Williams went 20-for-27 for 341 yards with four more touchdown passes, giving him six for the season to go with the team's five rushing touchdowns and three field goals. His performance earned Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week.

Jordan Addison has four of those touchdown receptions among his 12 catches for an average of 113.0 yards a game.

The Trojans offense cooled off, however, and Stanford pushed around the USC defense for 221 yards on a 441-yard day of total offense. Yet, the SC defense stiffened in the red zone, forcing two turnovers inside the 3-yard line.

The under is 6-1 in Tulsa's last 7 games against the Mountain West Conference and 8-2-1 in their last 11 September games. 

Don’t get caught up in the 52-3 loss to Cincinnati – that’s just the way the American Athletic Conference rolls this year.

Temple was able to get by Memphis in a key win thanks to a decent passing attack and just enough balance to get by. Oh there are issues, but the pass defense hasn’t been all that bad – at least until the last two games – there isn’t a turnover problem, and the team is rested after getting two weeks off.

Now it gets a USF team that just can’t get this thing going. The Bulls struggle to get to 300 yards offensively

The Pirates have the parts to get into fun shootouts, but they’re not consistent enough. When the O rolls, they win. When it doesn’t, they lose, and by roll that means crank up 388 yards or more. Get there, and they’re 3-0. Don’t, and they’re 0-4.

The other side of the ball hasn’t been bad. This is one of the better East Carolina defenses in a while, with the ability to get behind the line and the aggressiveness to come up with enough takeaways to matter

SMU is 47th in the nation in points allowed with an average of 22.2 per game. The Mustangs are allowing an average of 390.7 yards per game including 138.8 yards rushing and 251.8 yards per game passing. Opponents are averaging 3.8 yards per carry and 5.7 yards per play against the SMU defense. The Mustangs defense is led by linebacker Shaine Hailey, who has a team-best 37 tackles. The leader in quarterback sacks with 4.0 is defensive end Gary Wiley and the leader in interceptions with 2 is safety Isaiah Nwokobia.

UNLV is getting more out of the passing game, and it’s been more competitive over the last few games, but there isn’t enough of a rushing attack, the pass rush is mediocre, the ability to come back isn’t there.

A shootout is expected in this one but the total on this one is a little higher than I anticipated.  I think the oddsmakers have given us enough cushion to easily cash this ticket. 

So what went right in the 30-3 loss to UTEP?

Not much, but the defense was able to clamp down a bit in the second half, LB Trevor Brohard turned in a nice day, and …

That was about it. However, the Aggies got in a few games of work in the spring and have a date under its belt before dealing with San Diego State in a strange off-campus location while the new Aztec Stadium is being built.

This remains a San Diego State team that might have to find a consistently dangerous offense, it’s not going to be in familiar surroundings

It’s been a rough, rough run for the Utes – more on that in a moment – but football-wise, the team has been off for a few weeks after a desperately needed 24-13 win over Washington State.

The running game started to kick it all in against the Cougars with a season-high 219 yards. This week it has to pound and pound some more against a USC defensive front that’s been fine against the mediocre but failed against the Oregon State ground attack.

It’s a horribly inconsistent Trojan team – which you might expect considering the early season coaching change – with way too many penalties, not enough defensive plays behind the line, and too many turnovers.

The three against Washington State made it tough early, and the four against Oregon State were devastating. Utah is 2-0 when it comes up with multiple takeaways, and 0-2 when it doesn’t

The UCF offense might not be the high-powered fun show it’s supposed to be, but it still has the running game to control things against the struggling ECU defensive front.

Being back at home should matter. This is a much different team in the Bounce House, Keene and the offense should be a wee bit sharper after getting a game out of the way with Gabriel out, and the offensive balance should be there to take control of the game.

The Louisville pass defense isn’t a total disaster, but it’s the worst in the ACC.

To be fair, playing Ole Miss, UCF, and Wake Forest had something to do with that, but Florida State was able to throw for 248 yards, too.

Welcome to Virginia.

This isn’t the slow-and-stodgy Cavalier team we’re all used to. QB Brennan Armstrong and the passing game are bombing away with close to 2,000 yards in the first five games and now it’s time to crank up.

Louisville isn’t doing enough against the run, either – the overall D is the worst in the ACC – and the Cavs proved in the win over Miami that it could be a bit balanced, too.

The passing game has perked up.

It was fine over the first part of the season, and despite the losses over the last two weeks on the road, the offense cranked up close to 400 yards through the air against Central Michigan and 319 in last week’s loss to Florida Atlantic.

Former Maryland starter Max Bortenschlager has settled in, and the 1-2 receiving punch of Tyrese Chambers and Bryce Singleton are making big play after big play.

There’s the Baylor win we were all waiting for in the Dave Aranda era.

2020 was supposed to be a total rebuild, and beating Texas State, Texas Southern, and Kansas was no big deal to start 2021.

Baylor 31, Iowa State 29, and now the program is 4-0 with a chance to make an even bigger splash.

The offense might not have rolled against the Cyclones, but the D held firm and the O made the most of every opportunity.

Forget the overall stats – again, look at Baylor’s first three games – but the passing game really is efficient enough to at least keep the chains moving. 

The passing game still works.

The Red Raider offense lost QB Tyler Shough to a collarbone injury in the loss to Texas, but Henry Colombi is a veteran who can run a big and threw for 324 yards and three scores with big play after big play.

Yeah, it was a 70-35 loss and the Longhorns started to take it easy, but Texas Tech still managed over 500 yards for the second straight week.

Last week’s game was rough, but the Red Raiders have a veteran defense that’s far better than it plays, allowing fewer than 300 yards in two of the three games before the debacle in Austin.

West Virginia doesn’t have the passing game to keep up in a game like this if Colombi and company get hot early. 

The Kent State team continues to play with confidence.

After the corner turned late last year, all of a sudden, it was as if the light went on. The offense started to click, the FlashFast style made sense, and it all started to roll. Against Eastern Michigan – a 27-23 win – the offense was almost perfectly balanced with 219 passing yards and 212 on the ground, and now it gets to go against a Bowling Green defense that got destroyed by Toledo for over 300 rushing yards and 200 through the air.

Why are the Huskies 2-2? They’re getting great play from the offensive front.

They’re not allowing sacks, they’re pounding away for a ground game that hit the 160-yard mark in every game and averages 216 yards per outing.

The Eastern Michigan defensive front couldn’t hold up against Wisconsin, but it gave up over 200 yards against UMass, too. The Huskies should be able to run enough to throw the Eagles off of their game.

Utah State might have screwed up a bit too much – and it only scored three points – but the offensive punch was there.

The Aggies remained almost perfectly balanced – they’re a 200-yard rushing/200-yard passing machine – with the 443 yards put up against the Broncos just fine. They just couldn’t translate the effort into points.

The Golden Hurricane got stuffed by Ohio State, but the 308 yards against Arkansas State helped control the game in a 41-34 win. Yes, the Houston pass defense has been statically great, but it’s about to deal with Davis Brin, who’s averaging over 300 yards per game with five scoring passes in the last two games.

Houston might have a steady O over the last few games against inferior competition, but will the downfield passing game be there? The O line is having problems keeping defenses out of the backfield and the attack has yet to prove it can blow up.

The Hurricanes (2-2) open their ACC schedule Thursday night against Virginia (2-2), and will be facing the national leader in passing yards per game so far this season. The Cavaliers’ Brennan Armstrong is averaging 426 yards per game, and though it’s early, only seven quarterbacks in FBS history have ever finished a season averaging more.

Miami’s starter remains a murky proposition. D’Eriq King’s shoulder injury is improving, but the Hurricanes still are expected to start either Tyler Van Dyke or Jake Garcia

The Miners have a little bit of an offense now. There’s balance, there’s a passing game, and this isn’t the team of the last several years that struggled just to get the chains moving.

It has a mega-problem with mistakes – it’s last in the nation in turnovers, penalties and penalty yards – and it doesn’t convert on third downs. But it’s been able overcome that by running the ball well against the mediocre teams and controlling the clock.

One stat that may come as a surprise is the stark difference in turnovers between Oklahoma and West Virginia. Entering this weekend, the Sooners have an impressive turnover margin of (+5), which is tied for 7th nationally. On the other side, the Mountaineers have a TO margin of (-6), which is near the very bottom of the FBS at 127th. If OU continues to take care of the ball while also creating extra possessions for itself, and if WVU continues to plague itself with mistakes of this variety, it’s going to be an extremely long night for the ‘Eers.

The Illini enter Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Purdue (2-1) as double-digit underdogs, but Purdue was projected by most to finish near the bottom of the West Division, so the road game at Ross-Ade Stadium may be one of the most winnable games remaining this season. Especially with an Illinois offense finally getting healthy and a Purdue team that might not have one of its stars (David Bell) available on Saturday.

Bielema says he still sees progress in recent weeks. The best way to show progress is to win, and the Illini are hungry for one Saturday.

Here comes the Syracuse pass rush.

Granted, playing Ohio and Albany is no big deal, but the Orange generated four sacks and a whole lot of pressure in a 17-7 loss to Rutgers.

Willis is mobile enough and quick enough with his reads to avoid getting hit too many times, but the Liberty line allows a ton of plays in the backfield and close to three sacks per game. Again, that’s partly because Willis is moving, but the Orange still have to get to him.

Also, again, the Syracuse offensive line hasn’t been great, but the running game has been decent so far against the mediocre teams. The O has to establish the ground game right away

It’s been a rough two games so far with tight battles against Southwest Missouri State and Tulsa, but it’s been a bit of a rebuilding job with the coaching staff, and QB Spencer Sanders was out early on.

That’s why you have the soft openings – the hope is to be ready for a game like this.

The defense has been able to make up for the offensive problems with a good pass rush and enough stops to keep the team in games.

It’s been a high-wire act, but the O proved it could explode – coming up with a 21-point fourth quarter comeback to get by Tulsa 28-23 – and now the attack gets a Boise State defense that’s struggling to get off the field – at least it did against UCF

There's very little about this game that says play the Warhawks but this number is way to peculiar for me not to jump on it. 

There’s an effective enough of an offense to take advantage of every opportunity.

The Rams don’t miss when they get inside the red zone, they’re solid at coming up with third down conversions, and the line has been solid so far for the ground game and at keeping teams out of the backfield.

There hasn’t been a whole lot of luck overall, but Tim DeMorat is coming off a big 352-yard, three touchdown passing day in the loss to Monmouth, and this week the passing attack should keep pressing an FAU defense that’s not stopping anyone on third downs and doesn’t have any sort of a pass rush.

So what’s really the problem at USC?

It was able to get by San Jose State with relative ease and chalk up the Stanford game to a bad day. However, there hasn’t been anything from the defensive line so far – it’s not getting behind the line – and there are WAY too many penalties and mistakes so far.

Wazzu has a similar problem to USC’s – the talent in place isn’t producing yet.

Turnovers aren’t an issue, and the parts are there to start doing a whole lot more to keep the chains moving, and again, USC probably won’t bring the pressure.

The season did not start well for Louisville, but over its last six quarters, it has put up 54 points. The Cardinals had to replace a ton of talent at the skill positions this year, but quarterback Malik Cunningham is an experienced signal-caller and a very good athlete. Cunningham has a history of being turnover-prone but has just one interception this season in 60 pass attempts. He has six total touchdowns with four coming on the ground. Hassan Hall and Jalen Mitchell will help power the ground game.

The Oregon State Beavers scored 21 points in their opening game of the season but did not score 14 of those points until the final quarter. Quarterback Chance Nolan threw for just 157 yards, while the leading rusher through one game is Trey Lowe with only 27 yards, as Oregon State has gained only 78 yards rushing while passing for 285 yards. Trevon Bradford leads all Oregon State receivers with 75 yards.

In addition to the offense playing well, the hope is that the defense can build off of the shutout from their first game after allowing 29.6 points per game last season. The strength of the defense is in the linebacker group with Nick Jackson leading the defense with 12 tackles while Noah Taylor and Hunter Stewart combined for 12 tackles and 3.5 for loss. In addition, safety Joey Blount is going to make plenty of plays in the middle of the defense as he had eight tackles in the first game and expects to remain a key piece in the Cavaliers' defense.

The Cardinals do have to replace quite a bit of production on both sides of the ball, as top two receivers Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick both went to the NFL. Leading rusher Javian Hawkins (133 carries for 822 yards and seven touchdowns) is also gone, while Louisville also lost key linebacker Dorian Etheridge (50 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks).

The San Diego State Aztecs are a run-heavy offense and senior running back Greg Bell is back for the 2021 season The world will be on the Aztecs in this one but I think SDSU will keep this on the ground, eating up enough time to keep the Aggies within the number. There is a slight advantage to a team who has already played.  They should make just enough improvement. 

It’s not like UTEP is Alabama quite yet.

The Miners are coming off a dominant 30-3 win over New Mexico State, but they still have to prove they can crank up a consistent offense and New Mexico State is really, really bad at college football.

Bethune-Cookman hasn’t played since 2019, but it’s had time to build back the parts, the offense isn’t going to have too many problems with turnovers, and it’s a fast attack that likes to keep things moving.

These are two horrible defenses, based on what we saw in the Spring, but I always say that when it looks to good to be true it usually is.  If this game is a blowout expect there to be enough ground attack to keep this one UNDER the total. 

The Miami Redhawks did not play much during the 2020 season as three games isn’t a great sample size but this could be the season that sophomore quarterback Brett Gabbert can take that next step. During his limited 2020 action, he went 23-of-35 for 384 yards with four touchdowns and did not throw an interception. They were able to return seven of their starters from last season so that means they have a chance to evolve as an offense with some extra chemistry.

Colorado State should be able to throw a bit which will give us just enough offense to push this game over. 

The receiving corps is good, TE Trey McBride is great, and the South Dakota State secondary might have a few issues. The Jackrabbits didn’t give up multiple touchdown passes until the national championship loss to Sam Houston State, but the teams on the slate that could throw were able to do it.

Reed and Nailor make up a dynamic duo at wide receiver for Michigan State, no matter who is playing quarterback. However, Northwestern was a very good pass defense last year, allowing just 195.3 passing yards per game (19th in FBS) and just 5.2 yards per pass attempt (first in the FBS). The Wildcats also return star safety Brandon Joseph, who was tied for the lead the nation with six interceptions in 2020. The MSU wide receivers going against the NU defensive backs should be a heavyweight battle, and might be the most fun matchup to watch.

Is anyone except me going to be on the Red Flash, not like;y, but I'm not going to lay big numbers early on against teams who are treating these games like their national championship.

The offense got a big, efficient passing season two years ago, and while the main men are done, there are just enough dangerous playmakers – like WRs Brandan Lisenby and Kahtero Summers – to potentially be a problem.

Eastern Michigan has to prove it can generate a steady pass rush, and the secondary has to be able to make more plays after a rocky 2020

Wake Forest had its struggles on defense last season, allowing 435.7 yards and 32.8 points per game.  

After failing to get much offense going against Clemson in last season's opener, the Demon Deacons scored 20 or more points in their eight remaining games and went over 30 in five of those contests Such high-powered offense was due in no small part to Wake Forest’s success through the air, led by Sam Hartman’s 247.1 passing yards per game, good for a top-five finish in the conference and a top-30 mark nationally.

Northern Arizona returns much of its defensive core. The defense will be tested against the Bearkats, who return such star players as quarterback Eric Schmid. Schmid threw for 2,808 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, and added another eight scores on the ground.

The Lumberjacks had a solid pass defense in the spring, and hope their efforts can limit their opponent’s potent offense. 

The Bulls finished the season on an eight-game losing streak, although two of those losses were by fewer than three points. The Wolfpack are led by fourth-year sophomore quarterback Devin Leary, who started just three games last year due to a broken left foot suffered on Oct. 17 against Duke. Leary, who also missed 20 days of 2020 fall camp due to COVID-19, had won three straight games prior to the injury. In his four games last season, he passed for 890 yards, eight TDs, and just two interceptions

The Aggies know how to run the ball.

They don’t necessarily dominate the time of possession battle, but they’re great at keeping the chains moving with manageable third-down opportunities, and they’re able to bust off runs in chunks.

3-2 in the FCS spring session, they averaged 226 rushing yards per game and balance it all out with an efficient passing attack. The running back combination of Lan Larison and Ulonzo Gilliam will average over five yards per carry this season, the defense has a strong pass rush, and it’s an experienced enough team to not beat itself with a whole slew of mistakes.

The Citadel is going to run, run again, and then run again with an occasional downfield pass in the mix. Coastal Carolina might have had time to prepare for the option attack, but it’s a whole other problem when it’s in action.

The Bulldogs are great at grinding out drives, they’re going to dominate the time of possession battle – they’re going to have the ball for close to 35 minutes.

While San Jose State suffered only one loss, one win was all that Southern Utah managed in its condensed spring 2021 campaign, a 34-24 road victory against Cal Poly. One encouraging takeaway from the Thunderbirds' 1-5 record, however, is that no single loss was by more than eight points. In fact, four of them were decided by three points or fewer. They’ll look to extract some confidence out of having so many close endings and aim to finish games on a better note, especially with both of their road losses coming by just a single point.

The coronavirus pandemic is having an effect on this game. The game is usually played in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico but will move to Texas due to restrictions in the state. It’s the first appearance in this bowl game for both teams.  Familiar territory for the Cougars will prove to be the difference. 

The Lobos were able to run on a Wyoming defense that should’ve been able to shut down the ground game.  The Fresno State run defense has struggled. Utah State and UNLV aren’t exactly dominant on the ground, but they were able to get things going, and Hawaii ripped off 323 yards in the opener. New Mexico won’t throw on the Bulldogs, but if they can rip off yards in chunks they'll cover this double digit number. 

Florida’s mindset might be on the SEC Championship next week, there’s not enough of a ground game to worry about, and there’s just enough of a Tiger pass rush to get a little bit of pressure on Kyle Trask.

For all of the great things the Gators are doing, they’re not quite putting games away like Alabama is.

Miami might have a gaudy record and a slew of fun playmakers including an elite quarterback, but they haven’t had to deal with a whole lot of high-end offenses.

The Canes gave up 550 yards to Clemson, over 500 to Louisville, and over 400 to NC State. They won two of them, but now they have to deal with the most balanced and dangerous attack outside of Clemson’s.

The FAU passing game has hit 200 yards once – against a hapless UMass team – and the O as a whole is only averaging 329 yards and 18 points per game.

The Southern Miss defense hasn’t been a rock, but it’s been able to hold up well against mediocre offenses – it hasn’t t allowed more than 304 yards in any of the last three games.

If all goes well, UCLA will bring its starting quarterback out of a two-week quarantine to play an opponent staging its home opener in early December after having its last three games canceled.  UCLA’s two victories this season came against California and Arizona, teams that are a combined 0-6.

Boston College isn’t getting into the backfield at all.

The program that used to be known for a whole lot of sacks and a whole bunch of big plays behind the line is last in the ACC at generating tackles for loss and doesn’t have enough of a pass rush to matter.

Virginia leads the ACC in tackles for loss allowed and has one of the best pass rushes in the nation.

Ohio State still has to clear two more rounds of daily testing before they actually take the field. Until the Buckeyes release their Game Day Status Report on Saturday morning, we still don't know exactly who won't be available for Ohio State this weekend. Too much uncertainty from Ohio State to lay this big number. 

Louisiana's offense is firing. The Cajuns have mauled opposing defenses in their last four games. The Cajuns are averaging better than 44 points and 500 yards over that span.

Coastal Carolina will bounce back from a mediocre offensive performance last week against App State. Texas State has given away 17 turnovers so far – among the most in the nation.  Anticipate CC making a major offensive statement in this one. 

There aren’t enough plays in the backfield so far on a consistent basis, it got run over way too easily by UCLA, and the team overall hasn’t been nearly as sharp or as dominant as it should be.

Oregon State is dangerous. RB Jermar Jefferson has been phenomenal so far – 120 yards or more in all three games – QB Tristan Gebbia has been inconsistent, but okay, and the team is bringing just enough pop to keep up the pace with whatever Oregon does.

The Minutemen need to force a few fumbles, they have to at least move the chains a bit, and they have to hope the Flames are a bit down after the brutally-tough close loss to NC State last week to ruin the perfect season.

The running game isn’t working, the passing attack managed 107 yards against Arkansas, and nothing seems to be happening even with the offensive line not playing all that poorly.

A lot of Cal’s struggles against UCLA could be attributed to the fact that it was the Bears’ first game of the season and much of their preparation time was restricted by the absence of all their defensive linemen for COVID-19-related reasons. There is no such excuse this week, as the defensive linemen returned to practice this week

Nebraska has to deal with the dynamic sort of playmaker its offense has been looking for on a consistent basis in the Scott Frost era.

The stats don’t tell the story for the New Mexico defense. The front doesn’t generate a lick of pressure or plays in the backfield, and the reason for the great numbers against the run are because everyone spent so much time throwing the ball.

Purdue: Aidan O'Connell, quarterback: He is a pretty accurate quarterback and calm in pressure situations. Counting the Nebraska game last year where he entered in the 4th quarter because Jack Plummer broke his ankle he engineered three game-winning drives in the last five minutes in his first five games. He is generally an accurate thrower and makes good decisions most of the time.

I'll take Syracuse against a team that can't help but to turn the ball over with three giveaways in each of the last two games and five times overall. The Syracuse secondary might have lost key talents, but the defense leads the ACC in takeaways and the D overall hasn’t been gouged lately. It hasn’t been a rock, but if Louisville’s offense keeps having issues with picks, the Orange will stay alive.

Tulsa held the Oklahoma State offense to just 16 points in the opener, and it was able to hold its own in wins over high-powered UCF and SMU teams, especially against the run.

It kept the SMU passing attack from going off, but to beat Tulane it’s mostly about keeping the dangerous running game from going off.

Ball State is seeking its first winning streak over Northern Illinois since 2007-08. Prior to last year's 27-20 victory in DeKalb, the Huskies had defeated the Cardinals 10 straight times. Ball State enters this game giving up 449.5 yards and 34.5 points per game. The Cardinals have been particularly susceptible to the pass (269.0 ypg, 10th in MAC) in the early going with no interceptions through two games compared to 15 last year, which led the conference.

Kaleb Eleby has hit 71% of his passes for 546 yards and six touchdowns – three in each of the two games – with two touchdown dashes. Central Michigan hasn’t faced anyone with a decent passing game, and while the secondary has been fine, it’s about to get hit hard.

Western Michigan has the defensive front to consistently be accurate in the backfield, the offensive line is giving Eleby and company a whole lot of time to work, and the O has yet to turn the ball over.

The defense wasn’t all that bad against a good Ohio team last week. The D has been okay on third downs, the offensive line isn’t allowing a ton of plays behind the line, and freshman QB Zach Gibson is promising, hitting 18-of-30 passes in each of his first two games with a few big plays last week. The Kent State O line will give up plays in the backfield.