Do you know that feeling when you’re building momentum and you can feel you’re about to hit it big? That’s how I’m feeling heading into week four. We made some great predictions in week three, and I have some good ones for this upcoming weekend. We have a fantastic slate of games, so you know I’m going to push the limits with these predictions. As always, let’s start with a recap of week three to see how we did.
Wyoming is within 7 points at halftime vs Texas – Boom. Nailed it. Texas came out slow; they led 10-7 at halftime before pulling away in the 4th quarter.
Georgia Tech beats Ole Miss – Nope. Not even close. Ole Miss controlled this entire game and Georgia Tech never got close. I still like what Brent Key is building in Atlanta but they are still far from competing with the perennial contenders.
Joe Milton Causes Three Turnovers – Joe Milton played poorly and should have had three turnovers, but he only had one interception in the game. Tennessee got stomped by Florida.
Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen combine for 250 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns – Can I interest you in 91 yards and 2 touchdowns? The duo added another 58 yards through the air, but it didn’t come close to happening. Rainy conditions should have favored Singleton and Allen.
Two top 15 teams fall to unranked programs – Boom. Kansas State and Tennessee both fall. Georgia, Alabama and Florida State also struggled with inferior opponents.
Now let’s get to one of the best college football slates in recent memory. We have five games between ranked teams this weekend including a top 10 matchup. Make sure you have multiple TVs lined up for this weekend. This is not the weekend to go apple picking and if someone has a wedding, you should be a good friend and tell them to call it off. Let’s have ourselves a weekend.
Bo Nix throws 6 touchdowns – I’m honestly wondering if Bo Nix will throw more than 6 touchdowns. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw three touchdowns against Colorado’s defense, and he isn’t nearly as talented as Nix. Colorado’s defense has been a liability, and they are missing Travis Hunter this weekend. The Buffaloes rank 109th in passing defense, while the Ducks rank seventh in passing offense. I am not an expert by any means, but this is not a favorable matchup for Colorado. Oregon is going to have an explosive offense, and Colorado will struggle to slow them down. Troy Franklin is going to be a vital part of the attack as he leads the team with 292 receiving yards and three touchdowns. I made the prediction on The Walk-On Redshirt Podcast that Colorado will cover the spread. I still think that is true. Look for a high-scoring affair between Oregon and Colorado.
Michigan beats Rutgers by at least 35 points – Yes, I know this does not sound like a bold prediction, but hear me out. Michigan has scored 96 points this year and no more than 35 points in a game. Jim Harbaugh is back on the sidelines for the Wolverines. He knows what it is going to take for Michigan to make the College Football Playoffs. Winning is important, but so is winning convincingly. Michigan is currently favored by 24 points over Rutgers, and Harbaugh will be looking to blow that number out of the water. Look for the Michigan offense to look in sync and be the best they have all season. On a weekend when numerous other teams around the country are playing in big games, Michigan will leave no doubt about how talented their team remains.
Marvin Harrison Jr catches 4 touchdown passes – I wanted to put this as three touchdowns, but is it a bold prediction if he has already done it? Harrison already has three career games with three touchdowns. He breaks his personal record on Saturday night against Notre Dame. Ohio State’s gameplan against Notre Dame last year took a major turn early in the game. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was injured early in the first quarter, thrusting Harrison and Emeka Egbuka into the spotlight. Both wide receivers were making just their second start. Egbuka finished the game as the leading receiver with 90 yards and a touchdown. Now the duo brings more experience into this matchup with Notre Dame. Harrison got off to a slow start with just 12 yards against Indiana. He got back on track in the following two weeks, totaling 286 yards and three touchdowns. He is going to get most of the targets with a new quarterback making his first start in a hostile environment (Sorry Indiana). Kyle McCord also happened to be a high school teammate of Harrison’s, which just makes the chemistry stronger.
Ole Miss wins by double digits in Tuscaloosa – If you told me I was making this pick in August, I would have assumed Ole Miss was looking otherworldly. Instead, here we are talking about it because Alabama has struggled in the last two games. Quinshon Judkins is the key for Ole Miss to have this success. USF found success on the ground against the Alabama defense, rushing for 177 yards. USF does not have a running back of the caliber of Judkins. The season has not started well for Judkins, who is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. He has 145 yards across three games and is due for a breakout game. Judkins was one of the best running backs in the country as a freshman. For Alabama, they are going back to Jalen Milroe at quarterback after trying out Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson. The offensive line has been an issue and will continue to be one. USF was able to register five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Ole Miss has more talented players on the defensive line, forcing Milroe into uncomfortable situations and causing mistakes. Take Ole Miss on Saturday.
Penn State and Iowa combine for less than 40 points – Penn State and Iowa have historically played close games. Iowa once won a game by a score of 6-4, where the Hawkeyes took a safety on purpose. Saturday is calling for heavy rainfall in State College, which tends to mean lower-scoring games. Penn State played a game in the rain last weekend against Illinois and struggled to put the ball in the endzone. Iowa has a better defense and will be more than happy to play the field position game all evening. Penn State’s defense is no slouch either. The Nittany Lions have numerous players on their defense who are projected to be high draft picks, including Chop Robinson and Kalen King. Iowa will also be without their top tight end and top two running backs. Missing numerous playmakers just makes scoring that much more difficult. Make no mistake, Penn State will win this game. This game will just remind you of an old-school Big Ten matchup with low scoring and a lot of punts.
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