NCAA Football 2018 Week 10 picks

It's a relatively easy week to pick, with few games where I think either team has an equal shot.  This late in the season, that concerns me.

Tues Oct 30
Miami Ohio Redhawks at Buffalo Bulls:  The Bulls are red hot in the MAC, and they should burn the wings off the RedHawks.  That will leave just Ohio as a threat to their division title hopes.  BUFFALO

Thurs Nov 1
Temple Owls at #5 UCF Golden Knights:  The Knights have the longest winning streak in the nation, as they haven't lost since 2016.  That streak will continue here.  UCF

Fri Nov 2
Pittsburgh Panthers at Virginia Cavaliers:  If the Cavs take care of Pitt, then their only real competition for the division is in-state rival Virginia Tech.  Pitt can be tricky, and may give the Cavs some problems, but Virginia should pull this one out.  VIRGINIA

Colorado Buffaloes at Arizona Wildcats:  After a slow start, Arizona has picked up steam recently.  This game will test whether their rebirth is valid, or just because they faced weaker opposition.  Colorado is no longer a conference title contender, but they still have a fearsome team.  COLORADO

Sat Nov 3
Top 25
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at #9 LSU Tigers:  Alabama will get to clinch their division with this win.  The Tide is playing strongly; really, the only Power Five team to have been consistently powerful for every game this season.  Could this be the game where they show cracks?  I suppose it has to happen to everyone once, but I don't think this will be the game for the Tide.  ALABAMA

Louisville Cardinals at #2 Clemson Tigers:  The best team in the ACC against the worst team in the ACC?  No problem picking this one.  CLEMSON

#3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Northwestern Wildcats:  The Wildcats have been winning Big Ten games, but they have not been consistent enough for my tastes.  Further, I don't think they have the tools to beat the strong team the Irish has this year.  NOTRE DAME

#10 Penn State Nittany Lions at #4 Michigan Wolverines:  The Wolverines have honed their team into a serious powerhouse.  Penn State has never fully recovered from their loss to Ohio State, although holding off Iowa last week showed signs of the old Lions.  Still, they don't move as quickly as they did against the Buckeyes, and that speed will be needed against Michigan.  MICHIGAN

#6 Oklahoma Sooners at Texas Tech Red Raiders:  Texas Tech is doing okay, but they haven't really been tested.  They lost to West Virginia, and are yet to face the other tough teams in the conference.  That stretch begins now, and it won't end well for them.  Oklahoma has all of the tools, and their quick and strong offense will overwhelm the Raiders defense.  OKLAHOMA

#7 Georgia Bulldogs at #20 Kentucky Wildcats:  Georgia will also clinch their division with a win, as they have only one more SEC game after this.  Kentucky has had a brilliant season, but I don't think that season will conclude with a chance to play in the SEC Championship.  Could the Wildcats pull off the upset?  Perhaps, but given their recent close games, I doubt it.  GEORGIA

Nebraska Cornhuskers at #8 Ohio State Buckeyes:  So Nebraska has a conference win in their belt.  They should enjoy that, as it is likely their last one.  OHIO STATE

#11 West Virginia Mountaineers at #19 Texas Longhorns:  Here's a possible upset.  While the Mountaineers defense makes them a good candidate to beat Texas, the Longhorns have been an unbeaten force at home this season.  Could their crowd give them an extra boost?  Perhaps, but I still like the rare defensive force in the Big XII (who rarely faces a tough defense) to engineer the victory.  WEST VIRGINIA

Cal Golden Bears at #12 Washington State Cougars:  The Cougars continue their quest for the Pac-12 Championship, and Cal is not that difficult an obstacle.  WASHINGTON STATE

#13 Iowa Hawkeyes at Purdue Boilermakers:  This game is crucial for both teams.  The loser is definitely out of the division race.  Purdue has been impressive recently, and their offense can surprise.  Iowa has the better defense, but can they move the ball enough to overcome Purdue?  This will be a close game, but I'll give a slight edge to the better defense.  IOWA

#14 Fresno State Bulldogs at UNLV Running Rebels:  UNLV is the worst team in the Mountain West.  No contest here.  FRESNO STATE

#15 Utah State Aggies at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors:  The Warriors are a tough force at home, but the Aggies have been an offensive behemoth this season.  They should overwhelm the Warriors.  UTAH STATE

Missouri Tigers at #16 Florida Gators:  Florida has lost a bid at the division title, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous.  The Gators have progressed much better under new coach Dan Mullen, and they are showing things that many SEC teams have not seen.  The last Florida coach to do that?  Urban Meyer.  FLORIDA

#17 Syracuse Orange at Wake Forest Demon Deacons:  Wake started the season well, but they have faded in conference play.  Syracuse should continue their march in the ACC with a win here.  SYRACUSE

Navy Midshipmen at #18 Cincinnati Bearcats:  Navy needs to win out to prevent a losing record.  They won't be able to do so, because they won't even leave Cincinnati with a win.  CINCINNATI

#21 Houston Cougars at SMU Mustangs:  Houston continues their unbeaten conference record by pummeling SMU.  They won't clinch their division here, but they will make it really hard for Tulane to get it.  HOUSTON

UTSA Roadrunners at #22 UAB Blazers:  Wiley Coyote could never catch the road runner, but the Blazers should have no trouble stopping these Roadrunners.  UAB

#23 Boston College Eagles at Virginia Tech Hokies:  This is where BC's road to the ACC Championship really begins.  They beat Miami last week but lost to NC State a few weeks ago.  They now face conference contenders Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Syracuse in the next four weeks.  This is a tough stretch.  The Eagles have a good defense, which has been a problem for the Hokies.  The Hokies also have a good defense, but BC has a better offense.  BOSTON COLLEGE

BYU Cougars at #24 Boise State Broncos:  Boise State knows they are chasing Utah State, and that every win counts, even against a non-conference opponent.  It can be hard for teams to play on the blue turf at Boise, and BYU has been away from this conference too long.  The speed and strength of the Mountain West will overwhelm the more passive Cougars.  BOISE STATE

#25 Utah Utes at Arizona State Sun Devils:  The North division has the exciting teams this season, but Utah is the one bright spot in the South.  Herm Edwards has done some great things for Arizona State, but I think they are still a season away from being a division contender.  UTAH

Big Ten
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Wisconsin Badgers:  Wisconsin gets back to their winning ways by slaughtering pathetic Rutgers.  WISCONSIN

Michigan State Spartans at Maryland Terrapins:  Did I say at the beginning of this column that I didn't see many upsets?  Not many, but this is one.  Maryland's offense is rolling again, and the Spartans defense is missing the spark it has had over the past few seasons.  MARYLAND

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Illinois Fighting Illini:  I think I have to wait for the Nebraska game to see my Illini win again.  MINNESOTA

Other Games of Interest
Air Force Falcons at Army Black Knights:  Army wins the Commander-in-Chief trophy with a beatdown on the downtrodden Falcons.  ARMY

Georgia Southern Eagles at UL Monroe:  I do not think the Eagles will suffer from a post-Mountaineers letdown against struggling UL Monroe.  GEORGIA SOUTHERN

Appalachian State Mountaineers at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers:  And the Mountaineers get back to their winning ways by demolishing Coastal Carolina.  APPALACHIAN STATE

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs:  Battle of the Bulldogs goes to the home team.  MISSISSIPPI STATE

NCAA Football 2018 Week 9 results and Top 25

It was another week of upsets, although most of them affected non-ranked teams.  Some affected teams close to the Top 25, like Appalachian State's loss to Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech's upset of Virginia Tech (gee, the state of Georgia did really well this week).  South Florida lost their first game, leaving only four unbeaten teams and destroying any chance the Bulls had of reaching the rankings.

Upsets abounded in two conferences:  Big Ten and Pac-12.  Colorado gave up a large fourth quarter lead to Oregon State while Oregon never got anything going against Arizona.  As I will discuss in my Big Ten Report, that conference looked like the days of yore, when any team could beat any other team on any given Saturday.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [1]
2. Clemson Tigers (8-0) [2]
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0) [3]
4. Michigan Wolverines (7-1) [4]
5. UCF Golden Knights (7-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1) [6]
7. Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) [7]
8. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1) [8]
9. LSU Tigers (7-1) [10]
10. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-2) [12]
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-1) [14]
12. Washington State Cougars (7-1) [15]
13. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) [9]
14. Fresno State Bulldogs (7-1) [17]
15. Utah State Aggies (7-1) [18]
16. Florida Gators (6-2) [11]
17. Syracuse Orange (6-2) [23]
18. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1) [19]
19. Texas Longhorns (6-2) [13]
20. Kentucky Wildcats (7-1) [22]
21. Houston Cougars (7-1) [24]
22. UAB Blazers (7-1) [NR]
23. Boston College Eagles (6-2) [NR]
24. Boise State Broncos (5-2) [NR]
25. Utah Utes (6-2) [NR]

Dropped off: Wisconsin Badgers [#16], Washington Huskies [#20], Miami Hurricanes [#21], Oregon Ducks [#25]
On the Edge: Buffalo Bulls (7-1), Virginia Cavaliers (6-2), Army Black Knights (6-2), North Texas Mean Green (7-2), Georgia Southern Eagles (7-1), Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-3), Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-2), Temple Owls (5-3)

With four weeks still to play, there are too many scenarios to accurately predict divisional races.  I'll start that next week.

Big Ten Report
Man, it felt like the 70's and early 80's, as records didn't matter and players threw themselves at opponents.  Aside from Maryland's rout of Illinois, all of the intra-conference games were close, and many surprising.  Wisconsin and Iowa lost, propelling Northwestern to the top of the West division. Minnesota won their first conference game, and Penn State held off a late Iowa attack to remain at least mathematically eligible for the division title.

Pac-12 Report
When the dust settled on Saturday, Washington State was the only team with a single conference loss, Utah had ascended to the top of the South, and Oregon was gone from the division title race. The Pac-12 will definitely not have a playoff team, and it has now become an interesting picture for the division titles.

SEC Report
Many teams had byes, which might be a good thing.  Florida got pulverized, A&M (who many of the national analysts were saying would not lose another game) was completely dominated by Mississippi State, and Vandy shocked Arkansas.  Kentucky needed a last-second push to win their game.  Now, the West will clearly be determined by next week's Alabama-LSU bout and the East will likely be owned by the winner of next week's Georgia-Kentucky battle.

ACC Report
Two weeks ago NC State was unbeaten, now they have lost two conference games.  Two years ago Florida State won ten games, now they suffered their worst loss in school history. Duke, Miami, and Virginia Tech all fell, making Virginia and Pitt the front-runners in the Coastal division.  Boston College has proven themselves a force in the conference, and will compete with Clemson for the Atlantic title.

Big XII Report
Texas' loss leaves no team in the conference with an unblemished conference record.  Texas holds the tiebreaker against Oklahoma, and could get one over West Virginia this week.  The Mountaineers control their own destiny, as they are yet to play both of their one-conference-loss rivals.

NCAA Football 2018 Week 9 picks

We're getting more Thursday and Friday games as we approach the Thanksgiving finale weekend.

Thurs Oct 25
Baylor Bears at #14 West Virginia Mountaineers:  Baylor is having a tough time in the conference this season.  Was it just two years ago that Baylor was a playoff contender?  Wow, what a difference.  WEST VIRGINIA

Toledo Rockets at Western Michigan Broncos:  Toledo is another team who frequently challenges for their conference title, and is struggling this season.  Western Michigan did not start the season well, but they have come on in recent weeks.  WESTERN MICHIGAN

Appalachian State Mountaineers at Georgia Southern Eagles:  The Mountaineers are nationally ranked for the first time in their FBS history.  The Mountaineers have challenged (and even beaten) Power Five conference heavyweights.  This is a fierce team.  The Eagles are doing well in the conference, and co-lead the division with Appalachian State, but they don't operate on the same level.  The Mountaineers will take the division lead with this win.  APPALACHIAN STATE

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Virginia Tech Hokies:  Georgia Tech is having trouble holding onto the ball.  Virginia Tech makes the most of turnovers.  This is a game that plays into that strength.  VIRGINIA TECH

Fri Oct 26
#21 Miami Hurricanes at Boston College Eagles:  These two teams are fairly evenly matched.  Miami has the defense, while BC has the offense.  Normally I pick the defense in situations like that, but some chaos in the starting ranks of Miami, and shifting people around, makes them vulnerable in a high-energy environment like Boston.  I smell an upset here.  BOSTON COLLEGE

Indiana Hoosiers at Minnesota Golden Gophers:  Minnesota cannot seem to get their footing in Big Ten conference play.  Indiana has some strong players, and can move the ball well.  While I think Minnesota will eventually get it together, and this game might be the opportunity to do that, I think Indiana has the edge.  INDIANA

Utah Utes at UCLA Bruins:  UCLA won their second game of the season last week, but I don't think we have seen the beginning of their revitalization.  UTAH

Sat Oct 27
Top 25
#2 Clemson Tigers at Florida State Seminoles:  Clemson has both the top offense and top defense in the ACC.  That's a potent combination, more than Florida State can handle.  CLEMSON

#3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen:  Navy has had a tough time this season.  They've played some tough opponents close, and then fell badly against others.  Their ground game still works, but their runners aren't hitting the holes as quickly as they should.  Notre Dame's defense will seal those holes quickly.  NOTRE DAME

Kansas State Wildcats at #6 Oklahoma Sooners:  Kansas State has floundered in conference play, while the Sooners have bounced back well from the close loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry.  The Sooners want a chance to face Texas again in the conference championship game, and each victory is a step closer.  One step...  OKLAHOMA

#11 Florida Gators at #7 Georgia Bulldogs:  Florida was not expected to do so well this season, and they have wildly exceeded expectations.  They are no longer a surprise, though, and a forewarned Bulldogs team has the strength to stop them.  This game could be an upset, though, if Florida still has some surprises up their sleeves.  GEORGIA

#9 Iowa Hawkeyes at #12 Penn State Nittany Lions:  Penn State is favored in this game, but the Nittany Lions have not seemed to fully recover from their loss to Ohio State.  With Purdue's upset of them, will that even make them question their ability further?  Nobody seems to give Iowa credit for their achievements, and underestimated them may lead to Penn State's loss.  IOWA

#13 Texas Longhorns at Oklahoma State Cowboys:  The Cowboys have been a bit of a disappointment this season, while the Longhorns have bounced back strongly from their opening week loss.  They see a chance to win the conference for the first time in a long time, and that goal motivates them.  TEXAS

#15 Washington State Cougars at Stanford Cardinal:  This is a crucial game for the Cougars.  If they want any shot at the playoffs, they must not only win all of their remaining games, they need to impress against strong teams like Stanford.  Unfortunately, I don't think Stanford will comply.  I think the Cougars will win, but it will a late fourth quarter comeback and may reduce their stock.  WASHINGTON STATE

#16 Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern Wildcats:  The Wildcats have been a force within the conference, but their play has been too inconsistent for me to confidently believe they will win here.  They could cause an upset, as they are prone to do a couple of times a year, but I have to favor the pace and power of Wisconsin.  WISCONSIN

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at #17 Fresno State Bulldogs:  Hawaii is another team that started the year strong, but have had trouble retaining that.  Fresno State has been bullish (excuse the pun) on defense, allowing a TOTAL of 13 points in THREE Mountain West contests.  It's the type of performance rare in the offensive-happy Mountain West, but a formula that works for the Bulldogs.  FRESNO STATE

New Mexico Lobos at #18 Utah State Aggies:  We go from the best defense in the conference to the best offense in the conference, located in Utah.  The Aggies are lighting up the scoreboard and leaving trails of dust behind beleaguered defenders.  The Lobos will simply be their next victims.  UTAH STATE

#19 Cincinnati Bearcats at SMU Mustangs:  The Bearcats suffered their first defeat of the season last week, but that might actually help them.  They probably would not have gotten past UCF, and they had little hope at the playoffs, so now the pressure of perfection is off their backs and they can focus on playing outstanding football, something the Mustangs haven't really been able to do most of the season.  CINCINNATI

#20 Washington Huskies at Cal Golden Bears:  You always have to watch out playing Cal at home, but this season they haven't been too much of a threat.  Should be a pretty easy victory.  WASHINGTON

#22 Kentucky Wildcats at Missouri Tigers:  Kentucky had a bit of a struggle last week, but they should have it easier against Mizzou, who haven't won a conference game yet.  A win here will put Kentucky in a tie for the division lead with the winner of the Florida-Georgia contest, and Kentucky already beat Florida.  I know who the Wildcats are rooting for in that game!  KENTUCKY

NC State Wolf Pack at #23 Syracuse Orange:  NC State wants a nice win to wash out the stink of the debacle against Clemson, but I don't think they'll get it.  Clemson exposed the holes on the Wolf Pack team, and I'm sure Syracuse was watching.  SYRACUSE

South Florida Bulls at #24 Houston Cougars:  This game is likely to be really close!  The Bulls have a good defense, but is it strong enough to hold back the offensive onslaught of the Cougars?  I don't think so.  HOUSTON

#25 Oregon Ducks at Arizona Wildcats:  Oregon needs to have a bounce back game.  Arizona may seem ripe, but truthfully these two teams are fairly evenly matched.  Oregon may have some trouble here, but they simply have enough offensive tools to prevail in the fourth quarter.  OREGON

Big Ten
Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan State Spartans:  Purdue's upset over Ohio State extended their winning streak to four games, the second longest in the conference behind Michigan.  However, I think that streak will end.  The Spartans are not winning big, but they find ways to win.  MICHIGAN STATE

Illinois Fighting Illini at Maryland Terrapins:  Illinois has collapsed, allowing Maryland a chance to get their first winning record against conference opponents this late in the season.  MARYLAND

Other Games of Interest
North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Cavaliers:  North Carolina and Virginia have taken different tracks this season.  North Carolina is at the bottom of the Coastal division, and have won only one game this season.  Virginia is in second place in the division, having lost only one conference game.  This game will be a reflection of those two disparage experiences.  VIRGINIA

Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs:  Mississippi State has struggled in the conference after a great non-conference start.  The Aggies have done well, but when they lose, they lose big.  That doesn't seem too likely in this game.  This one should be close, and close games seem to be the Aggies' comfort zone this season.  TEXAS A&M

UAB Blazers at UTEP Miners:  UTEP has yet to win a game this season.  Playing the top team in the conference?  Not the place to get that first win.  UAB

NCAA Football Week 8 results and Top 25

Two more unbeatens lost perfection, leaving just five.  Only two of them are in Power 5 conferences, while two are in the American Athletic and the other, Notre Dame, is an independent.  This does improve Notre Dame's chances of making the College Football Playoffs, especially since they won't be facing a ranked team for the rest of the year, and their biggest challenge remaining may be Syracuse.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [1]
2. Clemson Tigers (7-0) [3]
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0) [4]
4. Michigan Wolverines (7-1) [5]
5. UCF Golden Knights (7-0) [6]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (6-1) [8]
7. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [7]
8. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1) [2]
9. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-1) [9]
10. LSU Tigers (7-1) [11]
11. Florida Gators (6-1) [10]
12. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-2) [13]
13. Texas Longhorns (6-1) [14]
14. West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1) [15]
15. Washington State Cougars (6-1) [NR]
16. Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) [19]
17. Fresno State Bulldogs (6-1) [20]
18. Utah State Aggies (6-1 [NR]
19. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1) [17]
20. Washington Huskies (6-2) [25]
21. Miami Hurricanes (5-2) [21]
22. Kentucky Wildcats (6-1) [22]
23. Syracuse Orange (5-2) [23]
24. Houston Cougars (6-1) [NR]
25. Oregon Ducks (5-2) [12]

Dropped off: Colorado Buffaloes [#16], NC State Wolf Pack [#18], Mississippi State Bulldogs [#24]
On the Edge: Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-1), South Florida Bulls (7-0), Buffalo Bulls 7-1), UAB Blazers (6-1), Texas A&M Aggies (5-2), Temple Owls (5-3)

Big Ten Report
Ohio State was blown away by Purdue and has thrown open the Conference Championship.  Michigan now leads the East and is the only realistic hope to reach the playoffs -- they must win out to do so. Michigan next hosts Penn State (after a bye) and has two easy games before traveling to Columbus to face Ohio State.  Under Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes get tougher after their first loss, so Ohio State may knock off Michigan and, for the second straight year, leave the Big Ten champion out of the playoffs (of course, an unbeaten Notre Dame will help that).

Northwestern still leads the West by half a game, but truly this division is Wisconsin's to win.  The Badgers hold the tiebreaker against Iowa, so if they win out, they win the division.  Iowa is the stronger team, though, so one slip by Wisconsin opens the door for the Hawkeyes to advance. The Badgers have the easier schedule, so they really have the advantage.

Nebraska won their first game of the season by upsetting Minnesota.  That puts the Gophers at the bottom of the West, and the only team in the division who is winless in conference play.  Rutgers now becomes the worst team in the conference, and likely to stay that way.

Pac-12 Report
Washington State's dismantling of Oregon makes them the only Pac-12 candidate to reach the playoffs, and it's a long shot.  Washington still leads the North by half a game, and these two don't meet until the last week of the season, so we may not know how the division will lay out until then. The Cougars also need to get past Stanford and Colorado before then.

Colorado's loss to Washington gives Utah the South division lead, and they seem poised to keep it.  The Utes' biggest challenge will be against the Buffaloes, and they have to travel to Colorado.  The winner of that game likely wins the division.

SEC Report
A 3-way logjam appears at the top of the East division, with Kentucky, Florida, and Georgia all with a piece of the action.  Kentucky beat Florida and Georgia is yet to play any of them.  The next two weeks sees Georgia face Florida, then Kentucky, so the division picture might come in much clearer then.

Alabama basically has a lock on the West.  They've already beaten LSU and A&M, the only other teams with any shot at the division.  Even if Bama loses the Iron Bowl, they'll have the division locked up by then.

ACC Report
Clemson demolished NC State, basically assuring them the Atlantic title (and the conference title).  They still have to face Boston College, but the crushing Tiger defense gives them a huge edge.

Big XII Report
Texas seems likely to win this conference.  Their only real challenge remaining is West Virginia.  Whether Texas can make the playoffs depends upon their performance against their conference opponents, and how those opponents show up in their remaining games.  Strength of schedule is not on Texas' side, especially the more Maryland loses to tarnish the Longhorns' sole loss of the season.

Group of Five Report
UCF wants a shot at the playoffs, but the committee is likely to take a one-loss Ohio State or Michigan team, or even a one-loss Texas team, over the Golden Knights.  Not fair, but that's the way it goes.  Temple is proving a real threat within the conference, and the showdown with South Florida remains.  Houston seems likely to win the West division, and they could make the conference title game interesting. 

UAB beat North Texas to take the Conference USA West lead, and became the favorite to win the conference.  The 6-1 Blazers are starting off hotter than they have in over a decade, and makes two teams to watch in the state of Alabama.

Western Michigan may lead the MAC West with an unbeaten conference record, but East-leading Buffalo remains the favorite in this conference.  Quite a feat for a team who looked pathetic for the first few years they played in this conference.

Utah State reached the Top 25 with an impressive victory, and lead the Mountain division.  Fresno State leads the West, and sets up an interesting contest if Utah State can run the table and meet them in the conference championship.

NCAA Football 2018 Week 8 picks

We'll see if we have another week like last week.  We rarely have two upset Saturdays in a row, so it should be a more stable week.

Thurs Oct 18
Stanford Cardinal at Arizona State Sun Devils:  Stanford may be every national analysts' favorite, but the Sun Devils just keep getting better each week.  I have to pick Herm Edwards to engineer an upset in this game.  ARIZONA STATE

Fri Oct 19
Colorado State Rams at Boise State Broncos:  Boise isn't dominating like they often do, but they are winning, and that's all that matters.  BOISE STATE

Air Force Falcons at UNLV Running Rebels:  UNLV is running for cover most weeks, as they have been struggling.  The Falcons aren't flying as high as they usually do, but they should have sharp enough claws to beat UNLV.  AIR FORCE

Sat Oct 20
Top 25
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at Tennessee Volunteers:  The Vols just won their first conference game in eleven tries.  Unfortunately they won't get their second this week.  ALABAMA

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Purdue Boilermakers:  Purdue may have burned Illinois this week, but the Buckeyes defense is a lot tougher.  Ohio State will likely spot them ten point in the first quarter, but then it'll be Ohio State all the way.  OHIO STATE

#18 NC State Wolf Pack at #3 Clemson Tigers:  Both Clemson and NC State may have needed the bye week (anyone else wonder if this game was originally designed to be the Thursday night special?) to prepare for this one, as this will likely be their greatest test.  Both come in unbeaten, both have the toughest defenses in the conference.  The main difference?  Clemson has the better offense.  However, if the Wolf Pack defense can make things hard for them, since Clemson is used to having it fairly easy (except against Syracuse), that might cause an upset.  CLEMSON

#5 Michigan Wolverines at Michigan State Spartans:  This in-state rivalry can be intense, but this year it looks like Michigan should own it.  Yes, the Spartans shocked the Nittany Lions last week, but I'm not sure they can work that miracle two weeks in a row.  Besides, the Wolverines are pumped for this, as they've been fighting for Coach Harbaugh's job all year long.  Beating State is important, and beating Ohio State is crucial.  First step should be achieved.  MICHIGAN

#6 UCF Golden Knights at East Carolina Pirates:  The Knights should get a nice large margin of victory here, as East Carolina is having a tough season.  UCF

#8 Oklahoma Sooners at TCU Horned Frogs:  The Sooners took a bye during last week's series of upsets; not that TCU would have been that much of a threat.  Won't be this week, either.  OKLAHOMA

Maryland Terrapins at #9 Iowa Hawkeyes:  Maryland can be a dangerous team (just ask Texas), but Iowa is the strongest team that nobody is noticing.  Maybe they'll look more carefully after this game.  IOWA

#24 Mississippi State Bulldogs at #11 LSU Tigers:  After what LSU did to Georgia last week, I can't imagine the Bulldogs are looking forward to this game.  The Bulldogs have a good offense, but LSU will control this game.  LSU

#12 Oregon Ducks at Washington State Cougars:  On paper, these two teams are fairly evenly matched.  However, after a dynamic start the Cougars have been faltering.  Oregon started slowly but has gained speed.  If the Cougars sorted out their woes during their bye week, this could be a close game.  I'll wait and see.  OREGON

#13 Penn State Nittany Lions at Indiana Hoosiers:  The Hoosiers love big plays, but nobody shuts down big plays better than Penn State.  Since Indiana relies on them so much, they won't have much else to throw at the Lions.  PENN STATE

#16 Colorado Buffaloes at #25 Washington Huskies:  Washington wants a win to help ease the pain of the overtime loss to Oregon.  Colorado, on the other hand, wants to reverse their only loss of the season.  One of these teams will be disappointed.  This will be a close game, and those tend to be losers for Washington.  COLORADO

#17 Cincinnati Bearcats at Temple Owls:  The Owls have silently established a strong presence in the American Athletic Conference this season.  They could engineer an upset here.  However, I think the bye week gave Cincy time to heal and they'll be strong for this game.  CINCINNATI

Illinois Fighting Illini at #19 Wisconsin Badgers:  Illinois got their heads handed to them by Purdue last week.  Look for blowout #2.  WISCONSIN

#20 Fresno State Bulldogs at New Mexico Lobos:  New Mexico can surprise, but Fresno State has been a powerhouse this season.  Despite impressive offensive showings by Utah State, Fresno State may be the best team in the Mountain West.  FRESNO STATE

Vanderbilt Commodores at #22 Kentucky Wildcats:  Vandy is looking for their first SEC win of the season.  Keep looking, guys!  KENTUCKY

North Carolina Tar Heels at #23 Syracuse Orange:  Despite two conference losses, Syracuse is still a dangerous team.  Of course, with the struggles experienced by the Tar Heels this season, they wouldn't have to be in order to win this game.  SYRACUSE

Big Ten
Northwestern Wildcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  Even the inconsistent Wildcats should have no trouble trouncing the struggling Knights.  OF course, I thought that about their game against Nebraska and they almost gave the Cornhuskers their first win of the season.  Still, I'll stick with the 'Cats.  NORTHWESTERN

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Nebraska Cornhuskers:  The Cornhuskers barely missing achieving their first win last week.  Will that inspire them, or deflate them?  Against Minnesota, I'm afraid they'll get deflated.  MINNESOTA

Other Games of Interest
Virginia Cavaliers at Duke Blue Devils:  The winner of this game represents the best challenge to Virginia Tech for the Coastal division title.  Virginia has been impressive recently, but Duke has been a player all season long.  That tenacity will be good for something.  DUKE

Utah State Aggies at Wyoming Cowboys:  Utah State is a real force of nature, sweeping over opponents.  Wyoming will be next.  UTAH STATE

Houston Cougars at Navy Midshipmen:  The American Athletic West division is so weak this season, being unbeaten on top is not a difficult task.  Thus, Houston may not be generating much attention.  Sinking the Navy squad, though, might help their Q rating.  HOUSTON

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns at Appalachian State Mountaineers:  Let's just crown the Sun Belt champion right now, shall we?  With both the best offense AND the best defense in the conference, does anyone really stand a chance?  APPALACHIAN STATE

UConn Huskies at South Florida Bulls:  Who is playing even worse than East Carolina in the American Athletic Conference?  How about UConn.  Easy win for the Bulls.  SOUTH FLORIDA

North Texas Mean Green at UAB Blazers:  This game likely decides the Conference USA West division champ.  North Texas has an explosive offense, but UAB has a tough defense.  Defense usually betters offense, so I'm picking the upset.  UAB

USC Trojans at Utah Utes:  USC found some life recently, but Utah has a chance to firmly take second place in the South division with a win.  They will find a way to win this game, if only by a hair.  UTAH

NCAA Football Week 7 results and Top 25

It was upset Saturday for much of the day, as Top 25 teams were beaten by lower-ranked or unranked teams.  It claimed three previous unbeatens (Georgia, West Virginia, and Colorado) and gave two teams their second loss.  Strangely, no teams fell from the Top 25, as the lower teams either won or didn't play.  The Top 25 internally is much different, though.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) [1]
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0) [2]
3. Clemson Tigers (6-0) [5] : They climb into the Top 4 thanks to a bye week and losses ahead of them
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0) [6] : Pitt nearly beat them, but the Irish survive "Upset Saturday"
5. Michigan Wolverines (6-1) [9]
6. UCF Golden Knights (6-0) [7] : Another near upset was averted
7. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [3]
8. Oklahoma Sooners (5-1) [11] : Another team that benefited from a bye
9. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) [15]
10. Florida Gators (6-1) [14]
11. LSU Tigers (6-1) [16] : Their manhandling of Georgia puts them on the edge of the Top Ten
12. Oregon Ducks (5-1) [13]
13. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-2) [3]
14. Texas Longhorns (6-1) [17]
15. West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1) [8]
16. Colorado Buffaloes (5-1) [10] : Their loss leaves no Pac-12 team in the Top Ten
17. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-0) [19]
18. North Carolina State Wolf Pack (5-0) [21]
19. Wisconsin Badgers (4-2) [12] : Their first conference loss sends them spiraling down, but not as bad as their first loss of the season did
20. Fresno State Bulldogs (5-1) [25]
21. Miami Hurricanes (5-2) [18]
22. Kentucky Wildcats (5-1) [22]
23. Syracuse Orange (4-2) [23]
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-2) [24]
25. Washington Huskies (5-2) [21]

On the Edge: Washington State Cougars (5-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (4-1), Texas A&M Aggies (5-2), Utah State Aggies (5-1), Houston Cougars (5-1), North Texas Mean Green (6-1), Michigan State Spartans (4-2)

Big Ten Report
Michigan State upsetting Penn State led the surprises, but the margins of other games were a surprise.  Ohio State once again was lackluster in the first half, but didn't generate as much in the second half as we are used to seeing.  Michigan manhandled Wisconsin to prove their dominance, and Purdue destroyed Illinois.  Nebraska almost won their first game of the season, forcing overtime against a still inconsistent Northwestern team.

Ohio State and Michigan are now the only teams who have not lost a conference game.  Penn State's two conference losses pretty much take them out of consideration for the title game.  Iowa looks the strongest in a four-team race in the West.

Pac-12 Report
With darlings Washington and Stanford now with two losses, and no unbeaten teams in the conference, it seems obvious that the playoffs will proceed without a Pac-12 team. UCLA gained their first win of the season by knocking off Cal, leaving the Golden Bears and Oregon State winless in the conference.  The North division is a scramble among many teams, while USC and Colorado seem the favorites to battle for the South crown.

SEC Report
Georgia's loss puts Florida in the driver's seat in the East.  After a bye this week, Florida faces Georgia in what may be their only difficult game remaining. Kentucky's shocking win over Florida gives them a tiebreaker edge if the Wildcats can somehow miraculously get past Georgia as well.  LSU's win makes them the biggest threat to Alabama in the West.

ACC Report
Wither Miami, their loss may take them out of the conference title.  Shockingly, the team who upset them, Virginia, is in the hunt.  They have to get past Duke, Pitt, and Virginia Tech in order to do it, though. The Hokies still seem the most likely to win the Coastal division, but they have four tough games to finish the season.  Duke is still a contender there, as well.

Boston College has emerged as a threat in the Atlantic. NC State has already beaten them, and could punch a ticket to the conference championship with wins against Clemson and Syracuse in their next two games.  Clemson beat Syracuse, but still has NC State, Duke, and Boston College on their schedule.  NC State might have it easier.

Big XII Report
Texas has completely evolved past their opening loss to Maryland.  The Longhorns are the only team unbeaten in conference play.  If they win their next two games, against Oklahoma State and West Virginia, you might as well crown them the champ. That Maryland loss might keep them from the playoffs, though.

NFL 2018 Week 5 results and Week 6 picks

Arizona won their first game this week, ensuring that every single team has won at least one game.  Cleveland won their second game, and played their fourth overtime game in five weeks.  The Browns have now won more games than the previous two seasons combined.  If they double their win count, they will have won as many as the previous three seasons combined.  The Jets and Lions channeled the Rams and Chiefs and had offensive explosions. 

Top Ten [Last week]
1. Los Angeles Rams (5-0) [1]
2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) [2]
3. Chicago Bears (3-1) [4]
4. New Orleans Saints (4-1) [6]
5. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) [3]
6. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1) [7]
7. New England Patriots (3-2) [10]
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) [5]
9. Tennessee Titans (3-2) [8]
10. Carolina Panthers (3-1) [12]

Kudos to the AFC North.  This is the only division that does not have a team with a losing record. It has been years since that statement could be made at this point in the season -- thanks to the Cleveland Browns' improvement in making that possible.

Thursday night game
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants:  The Super Bowl Champion Eagles are having difficulties, but they have an excellent opportunity to get on track.  How? They play the hapless Giants, whose locker room squabbles are already bubbling over.  EAGLES, 24-13

Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings:  The Cards won their first game, but I don't think they'll get their second so soon.  Despite a dearth of talented receivers, Kirk Cousins continues to excel and propel these Vikings.  The more they play, the more these players will get used to him.  This offense is certainly better than the Cardinals defense can stop.  VIKINGS, 23-16

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans:  After an 0-3 start, the Texans are righting themselves.  As expected, it is their defense that is leading the revival, and the Bills crumble against tough defenses.  TEXANS, 24-13

Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins:  Man, these two teams are pretty evenly matched.  This game really could go either way.  I have to give a slight nod to the magic Alex Smith can cause with his arm over the magic Cam Newton causes with his legs.  REDSKINS, 20-17

Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins:   After a 3-0 start, the Dolphins are struggling.  They might be hoping to find some ground this week, but the intense Bears defense will keep the Dolphins offense off-center.  BEARS, 27-17

Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets:  The Colts offense showed some life against the Patriots, but they still remain an inconsistent mystery.  Sam Darnold returned to brilliance last week.  He seems to do well against teams with a weak secondary.  Wait, that's the Colts.  JETS, 24-20

Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns:  How much do I believe in the Browns' revival?  I am considering this upset pick.  The Browns seem to thrive on close games this season, and I think this will be a close game.  BROWNS, 24-23

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals:  The Steelers poured on the offense last week, seemingly over their woes over LeVeon Bell.  However, that was against a porous Falcons defense.  Cincy won't prove as easy to overcome.  The Bengals are rolling, which they often do in the regular season.  BENGALS, 27-23

Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders:  The Raiders still seem like a ship with no tiller, having no clear direction.  Seattle's defense may not be what it was, but they won't need a strong defense to shred the listless Raiders.  SEAHAWKS, 23-16

Tampa Bay Bucs at Atlanta Falcons:  The Bucs had a week off to contemplate just how poorly they played against the Bears.  I wouldn't need that week; I've already identified the problem.  What was the main difference in that game?  The presence of Jameis Winston.  So long as he plays, the Bucs are reflective of his "shoot from the hip" style.  FALCONS, 28-20

Sunday late games
Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans:  The Ravens and Titans both have strong defenses, so this will be a low-scoring affair.  Baltimore has the offensive edge, so they'll creep out with the win on a strong fourth-quarter drive.  RAVENS, 20-16

Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys:  Do you think that decision to punt on fourth and one will stick in the head of Jason Garrett?  The Jags hope so.  If they can make the offense question some of their calls, their defense can create mayhem.  JAGS, 20-16

Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos:  The Rams offense will roll, as the Broncos don't have a strong defense.  On the other hand, the Rams defense gets the job done, which is something the Broncos offense cannot always do.  RAMS, 35-20

Sunday night game
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots:  If there was ever an environment and situation for a team to upset the unbeaten Chiefs, it would be Sunday night in New England.  The Pats have not looked as strong this year as usual, but they can be sneaky, and a hyped-up home crowd plays right into their hands.  I'll pick the Chiefs, because an upset of a 5-0 team should be an upset, but watch out for those Patriots.  CHIEFS, 30-26

Monday Night Football
San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers:  Aaron Rodgers is playing hurt, but at least he's playing.  San Fran has lost Jimmy Garopollo, and CJ Beathard isn't cutting it.  PACKERS, 20-13

NCAA Football 2018 Week 7 picks

Wow, we're already to the halfway point of the regular season.  Where does the time go?  We start Tuesday games this week, so let's get right into it...

Tues Oct 9
Appalachian State Mountaineers at Arkansas State Red Wolves:  No team has a better overall record against Sun Belt opponents over the year than Arkansas State, but the Mountaineers are a real force this season.  APPALACHIAN STATE

Thurs Oct 11
Texas Tech Red Raiders at TCU Horned Frogs:  TCU is favored, but I smell an upset brewing.  TCU has a good defense, but we know it can be shredded (Ohio State, anyone?).  Plus, TCU hasn't really gotten their footing after that Buckeye loss, losing to Texas and barely surviving against Iowa State.  I think the Red Raiders will roll into town and roll over the Frogs.  TEXAS TECH

Fri Oct 12
South Florida Bulls at Tulsa Golden Hurricane:  South Florida is one of three unbeaten teams in this conference.  At least for this week, they'll stay that way.  SOUTH FLORIDA

Air Force Falcons at San Diego State Aztecs:  Did you know the Aztec indians were early falconeers?  Interesting piece of trivia.  You don't have to have a history of working with falcons to know how these Falcons will play, as Air Force's game play isn't too sophistocated.  San Diego, on the other hand, can put together some interesting plays, which should make it hard for Air Force.  SAN DIEGO STATE

Arizona Wildcats at Utah Utes:  Utah has found their spirit, and they are playing great ball right now.  These short weeks usually benefit the home team, although Utah could probably win this if they traveled to Arizona.  UTAH

Sat Oct 13
Top 25
Missouri Tigers at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide:  The Tigers are in the midst of a skid; not the best time to visit the Tide.  ALABAMA

Minnesota Golden Gophers at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes:  The Gophers got their heads handed to them last week.  That'll happen again.  This game might be close at halftime, but the second half is Ohio State's part of the game.  OHIO STATE

Michigan State Spartans at #3 Penn State Nittany Lions:  The Spartans need a good game to erase the sting of their loss to Northwestern.  They won't get it in Happy Valley.  Penn State has a strong team on both sides of the ball.  Their defense could mess up Michigan State's offense worse than Northwestern did.  PENN STATE

#4 Georgia Bulldogs at #16 LSU Tigers:  Prior to the Tigers loss last week, I might pick the home team.  Now, the Tigers had too many holes exposed in that game for me to believe a good team like Georgia would not be able to beat them.  GEORGIA

Pittsburgh Panthers at #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish:  The Panthers just beat favored Syracuse and now they have to travel to South Bend?  Let's hope they celebrated their win over Syracuse well, as they won't be celebrating after this one.  NOTRE DAME

#7 UCF Golden Knights at Memphis Tigers:  UCF gets its first real conference challenge and they should emerge victorious.  Memphis has not been doing well in conference play, despite a fabulous non-conference performance, and this will just make things worse.  UCF

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers at Iowa State Cyclones:  While the Cyclones can surprise opponents at home, I don't think they'll be able to outplay the Mountaineers.  West Virginia has the best defense in the conference.  While that is usually not saying much in the Big XII, it means something on this team.  WEST VIRGINIA

#12 Wisconsin Badgers at #9 Michigan Wolverines:  Someone will lose their first conference game after this one ends.  Wisconsin can be very good, and Michigan has been sluggish a lot this season.  However, it is very hard to come into the Big House and win.  The Badgers could do it, but I have to give a slight edge to the home team.  MICHIGAN by one point

#10 Colorado Buffaloes at USC Trojans:  USC is starting to play a bit better.  Can they upset the Buffaloes and put themselves in the driver's seat for the division title?  Not with the Buff's defense.  The Trojans offense still needs work, something Colorado will clearly expose.  COLORADO

#20 Washington Huskies at #13 Oregon Ducks:  The Ducks got an extra week to practice, but with a rivalry this intense, I'm not sure that was needed.  The Ducks will be fired up for this game, and that's just going to spur their offense to even greater heights.  OREGON

#14 Florida Gators at Vanderbilt Commodores:  Florida gets a nice breather and a pleasant trip to Vandy.  FLORIDA

#15 Iowa Hawkeyes at Indiana Hoosiers:  Indiana played Ohio State tough last week, so they'll be stoked for this one.  Iowa will have tricks up their sleeves, though, and keep things interesting for the strained Hoosier defense.  IOWA

Baylor Bears at #17 Texas Longhorns:  So long as the Longhorns can prevent a letdown after their great victory over rival Oklahoma, they should have this game in hand.  TEXAS

#18 Miami Hurricanes at Virginia Cavaliers:  Miami barely escaped alive last week against week against their bitter rivals.  This week things will go much smoother.  MIAMI

Wyoming Cowboys at #25 Fresno State Bulldogs:  The Bulldogs get to celebrate their first week as a ranked team by demolishing the Cowboys.  FRESNO STATE

Big Ten
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Maryland Terrapins:  The Terrapins need a great victory to help bolster their conference standings.  This game will qualify.  Rutgers has been terrible, and they have the worst defense BY FAR in the conference.  Maryland will score more than 30 points and put this game away early in the second half.  MARYLAND

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Northwestern Wildcats:  The Cornhuskers are still looking for their first win of the season.  Before last week, I thought this might be it.  Now, after seeing the Wildcats right their course against Michigan State, Nebraska needs to keep looking.  NORTHWESTERN

Purdue Boilermakers at Illinois Fighting Illini:  I'm stepping out on a limb on this game.  Statistically, Purdue should win this game.  However, after such an impressive win last week, that might be just the confidence boost this young offense needs.  ILLINOIS in an close upset

Other Games of Interest
Tennessee Volunteers at Auburn Tigers:  Auburn failed to score a touchdown last week, so they're gunning for a good game.  I think they'll get it, but Tennessee can be tricky, so this game might be closer than Auburn fans would like.  AUBURN

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at North Texas Mean Green:  The best offense in Conference USA meets the best defense.  Usually those bouts favor the defense, but North Texas is so strong on offense, I think they will wear down the Eagles.  It will take a second half comeback, but the Mean Green should emulate Ohio State and charge out of the locker room in the second half.  NORTH TEXAS

Texas A&M Aggies at South Carolina Gamecocks:  Despite two losses, A&M is becoming a serious threat in the SEC.  They will test the Gamecock defense, and stretch it until it breaks.  TEXAS A&M

UNLV Running Rebels at Utah State Aggies:  These Aggies could even have an easier time than A&M.  UTAH STATE

NCAA Football 2018 Week 6 results and Top 25

Some Top 25 upsets knocked folks around.  Rivalry games made heroes of Florida State (despite a slight one-point loss) and Texas, and punched serious holes in the playoff hopes of Miami and the Big XII conference.

Three unbeatens lost this week, dropping us to 12.  Four share a conference with other unbeatens, so we are guaranteed for that number to drop.  All Power Five conferences have at least one unbeaten each, while only the American Athletic Conference in the Group of Five has unbeaten teams.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) [1]
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1) [3]
4. Georgia Bulldogs (6-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (6-0) [6]
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0) [7]
7. UCF Golden Knights (5-0) [9]
8. West Virginia Mountaineers (5-0) [10]
9. Michigan Wolverines (5-1) [14]
10. Colorado Buffaloes (5-0) [12]
11. Oklahoma Sooners (5-1) [5]
12. Wisconsin Badgers (4-1) [15]
13. Oregon Ducks (4-1) [13]
14. Florida Gators (5-1) [17]
15. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1) [19]
16. LSU Tigers (5-1) [8]
17. Texas Longhorns (5-1) [NR]
18. Miami Hurricanes (5-1) [18]
19. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-0) [23]
20. Washington Huskies (5-1) [21]
21. North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-0) [25]
22. Kentucky Wildcats (5-1) [11]
23. Syracuse Orange (4-2) [16]
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-2) [NR]
25. Fresno State Bulldogs (4-1) [NR]

Dropped off: Auburn Tigers [#20], Stanford Cardinal [#22], Oklahoma State Cowboys [#24]
On the Edge: Washington State Cougars (5-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (3-1), Texas A&M Aggies (4-2), Utah State Aggies (4-1), Memphis Tigers (4-2), North Texas Mean Green (5-1)

Big Ten Report
Northwestern showed some spunk (which they only seem to do on the road this season) and upset Michigan State.  With Maryland's loss to Michigan, it basically makes the East division a 3-way race among Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan.  Northwestern has the 2nd best conference record in the West, but their slow start makes them an underdog.  Iowa is really the only team with a chance to chase Wisconsin.

Pac-12 Report
Stanford has lost two games in a row and face an uphill battle in the North.  The Washington teams are definitely the most impressive ones there, and they both played well this week.  Cal is fading fast.  In the South, Colorado is the lone unbeaten in the conference, and definitely the strongest team so far.  Utah is improving, while the other teams leave something to be desired (or several things). If Washington wins out in impressive style they might be a dark horse for the playoffs, but I think this conference has lost a bid.

SEC Report
Kentucky's loss makes Florida the most likely team to chase Georgia for the East title.  Florida lived up to that expectation by surprising LSU this week.  If the Gators do that again, to another ranked team, they are a Top Ten team and a definite contender. With Auburn's second loss and LSU's loss to Florida, Alabama may have already (practically, if not mathematically) sewn up the West title.

ACC Report
BC's loss makes NC State the only team to challenge Clemson for the Atlantic title.  With the Hokies second loss, Miami might have the Coastal sewn up, although their near-upset to Florida State makes them unsteady.  If Clemson falls, this conference will be shut out of the playoffs.

Big XII Report
Texas' win in the Red River Showdown leaves West Virginia the lone unbeaten in the conference, and likely leaves the conference in the cold when it comes to the playoffs. Texas has definitely shaken off their loss to Maryland and could battle for the conference title.  Oklahoma is still in it, but it appears the Cowboys are not.

Group of Five and Independents
Notre Dame just keeps getting stronger, and some national analysts are starting to project the Irish in the playoffs.  They still have to face Syracuse, and given that Pitt beat the Orange this weekend, the Panthers may give them a challenge, too.

Could a Group of Five team make the playoffs?  That depends on UCF.  The Golden Knights went unbeaten last year.  If they do it again, that might earn them enough respect to get an at-large bid, but Notre Dame would have to fall in order for that to happen.

NFL 2018 Week 4 results and Week 5 picks

It appears the Bucs are better without Jameis Winston. He returns and their offense is stalled.  Of course, he was facing Khalil Mack and the new Monsters of the Midway, but it was still a pretty pathetic showing.  Speaking of pathetic showings, Buffalo demonstrated that their defeat of Minnesota was a fluke, as they stunk up the field again.  Minnesota proved that the loss was not a fluke, though, as they faltered again.  In terms of faltering, Carson Wentz seems a little weak in his return.  Maybe he should have practiced with the team more and postponed his return for a week.  After all, Nick Foles was doing fine.

Miami lost and Oakland won, so the league has just two unbeaten teams and one winless team remaining.

Top Ten [Last week]
1. Los Angeles Rams (4-0) [1]
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) [2]
3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) [3]
4. Chicago Bears (3-1) [9]
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) [5]
6. New Orleans Saints (3-1) [13]
7. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) [6]
8. Tennessee Titans (3-1) [10]
9. Washington Redskins (2-1) [8]
10. New England Patriots (2-2) [NR]

Thursday night
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots:  This rivalry has lost some of its pizzazz without Peyton Manning, but that doesn't mean Tom Brady will slack off.  PATS, 27-20

Sunday early games
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers: Here are two teams who are not playing up to their talent.  Which team will right themselves for this game?  While it will be close, I think the Steelers will prevail, especially if they play in their "jailhouse" throwback jerseys.  For some reason, they seem to play better in those uniforms.  STEELERS, 26-23

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns:  The Browns are improved this season, but the Ravens are very tough.  This one will end much like these games of "old" Browns v new Browns always do -- with a Ravens win.  RAVENS, 31-20

Denver Broncos at New York Jets:  Well, I think we can safely say that Sam Darnold isn't quite ready to lead an NFL team.  He has potential, but his struggles match those of the team.  BRONCOS, 27-23

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions:  The Lions are not quite connecting, and it is reflected in their defensive play.  Aaron Rodgers is still hampered by his ankle injury, so the Pack's offense won't be as sharp as usual, but it should still be enough to get past the underachieving Lions.  PACK, 24-20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs:  Patrick Mahomes faces his first really tough offense, but I think he'll find his way through it.  The Chiefs might actually slow down this powerful offense, but they just have too many tools to be completely stopped.  CHIEFS, 27-24

Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals:  The Dolphins were completely demolished last week.  They won't suffer the same fate this week, but the Bengals offense will stay ahead of them.  BENGALS, 27-23

New York Giants at Carolina Panthers:  The Panthers had a bye week last week, while the Giants might wish they had one.  Their offense seems out of step with each other, so they struggle moving the ball.  Their defense might make it a bit hard for Carolina to move the ball, but they will move it better than the Giants.  PANTHERS, 23-16

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills:  Wither the Bills.  TITANS, 24-13

Sunday late games
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers:  The winless, and offensively challenged, Cardinals come into San Francisco at the right time, while the 49ers are without Jimmy Garapollo.  However, Garapollo's absence did not stop the 49ers from putting 27 points up against the Chargers, so don't expect Arizona to get into the Win column yet.  49ERS, 24-16

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks:  Without their best safety, the Seahawks will have a hard time slowing the Greatest Show on Turf II.  RAMS, 34-20

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles:  So which quarterback will get back on track this week -- Kirk Cousins or Carson Wentz?  Actually, much of the Vikings woes are not Cousins' fault, so the Vikings may have a harder time getting back on track.  EAGLES, 24-23

Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers:  Jon Gruden finally won a game in his return to Oakland, but I wouldn't count on two in a row.  CHARGERS, 30-23

Sunday night
Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans:  The Texans won their first game last week, and they'd like to make it two in a row in this battle for Texas.  This will be close, but I think Dallas has a slight edge.  After all, Houston barely beat a struggling Colts team, so the Cowboys should be a stiffer challenge.  COWBOYS, 20-17

Monday Night Football
Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints:  The Redskins had an extra week to prepare for the powerful Saints, but I don't think it'll be enough. They will come up with some great plays for Alex Smith, so the offense will move, but the Saints offense moves better.  SAINTS, 31-23

NCAA Football 2018 Week 6 picks

Thurs Oct 4
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Houston Cougars:  Houston is the last American Athletic team to play a conference game.  They should start with a big win.  HOUSTON

Fri Oct 5
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Louisville Cardinals:  Neither team is playing well, so which one will prevail here?  Georgia Tech has been pathetic on the road, while Louisville has played well at home.  I think both trends will continue here.  LOUISVILLE

Utah State Aggies at BYU Cougars:  BYU has played well, but have had trouble closing games.  Utah State has been able to do that, and done it well.  UTAH STATE

Sat Oct 6
Top 25
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at Arkansas Razorbacks:  Alabama is clearly the strongest team, and I don't see that the Razorbacks have the tools to upset the Tide.  ALABAMA

Indiana Hoosiers at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes:  Indiana has a good offense, and Ohio State starts slowly, so the Hoosiers may gain a first quarter lead, but Ohio State will close this down by the end of the third quarter.  OHIO STATE

Vanderbilt Commodores at #4 Georgia Bulldogs:  Vandy can surprise opponents, but I don't think they will here.  GEORGIA

Texas Longhorns at #5 Oklahoma Sooners:  This year's version of the Red River Rivalry comes with an inconsistent Texas team and an underachieving Oklahoma team.  That makes the game ripe for an upset, but I'll give Oklahoma a slight edge.  OKLAHOMA by three points

#6 Clemson Tigers at Wake Forest Demon Deacons:  Wake Forest looked good until conference play.  They can't seem to keep up with their conference foes. Clemson wants a strong victory to compensate for the near-loss against Syracuse.  They should get it.  CLEMSON

#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Virginia Tech Hokies:  The Hokies started the season strong, and then faltered.  They recovered last week, but is it enough?  The Irish started slowly but have been getting stronger, as their massacre of Stanford demonstrates.  This might be a close game, but I think the Irish will continue to roll.  NOTRE DAME

#8 LSU Tigers at #17 Florida Gators:  Florida has been getting stronger, and they may just be strong enough to beat LSU.  If this game is within one score near the end of the game, I favor Florida.  However, if the Gators have to come back too much, LSU will pull this out and survive a Florida comeback.  LSU

SMU Mustangs at #9 UCF Golden Knights:  This one won't be close.  UCF

Kansas Jayhawks at #10 West Virginia Mountaineers:  Kansas has been playing well this season, but they haven't been able to close games.  West Virginia can.  WEST VIRGINIA

#11 Kentucky Wildcats at Texas A&M Aggies:  The Wildcats are a hot team.  A&M can play well, but they are too inconsistent to count on.  They also have turnover problems, and the Wildcats will capitalize on that.  KENTUCKY

Arizona State Sun Devils at #12 Colorado Buffaloes:  Herm Edwards is improving the Sun Devils.  They still have distance to go, but the Buffaloes have to watch for an upset here.  COLORADO

Maryland Terrapins at #14 Michigan Wolverines:  Michigan has had to come back in the fourth quarter most of the season.  Maryland might prevent that, but remember how close Texas came to coming back in their game.  I like Michigan's chances, but this game will be really close.  MICHIGAN

Nebraska Cornhuskers at #15 Wisconsin Badgers:  Wisconsin rested last week, but they didn't need to. Nebraska is the worst team in the division, and Wisconsin is the best.  WISCONSIN

#16 Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers:  Pitt is not playing well, while Syracuse is playing outstanding!  The national analysts blasted Syracuse for their four-point loss to Clemson, and took away their Top 25 ranking, but I know better.  Watch out for Syracuse!  SYRACUSE

Florida State Seminoles at #18 Miami Hurricanes:  When these two meet, it can be unpredictable. The Seminoles have recovered from an atrocious two-game start, but the Hurricanes will be too much of a challenge for them.  MIAMI

#19 Iowa Hawkeyes at Minnesota Golden Gophers:  These two are pretty easily matched.  That will lead to a close game, and Iowa seems to handle close games better.  IOWA

#20 Auburn Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs:  It seems like the Bulldogs are starting to falter, and this game will either prove or disprove that.  If the Bulldogs keep it close, then they are still a threat.  If Auburn coasts, the Bulldogs are done.  I think Auburn will win, but it might be close.  AUBURN

#21 Washington Huskies at UCLA Bruins:  The Bruins stink.  WASHINGTON

Utah Utes at #22 Stanford Cardinal:  Utah is struggling this season, but they would love to give Stanford their second loss in a row.  I think they will fall short, but this game will be close enough to scare Cardinal fans.  STANFORD

Tulane Green Wave at #23 Cincinnati Bearcats:  This should be a pretty game for Cincinnati.  CINCINNATI

Iowa State Cyclones at #24 Oklahoma State Cowboys:  The Cyclones can be tough, but the Cowboys offense should overwhelm them.  OKLAHOMA STATE

Boston College Eagles at #25 North Carolina State Wolfpack:  It's the Eagles offense against the Wolfpack defense.  In these types of matchups, usually the defense wins, so I'll pick the Wolfpack.  NC STATE

Big Ten
Northwestern Wildcats at Michigan State Spartans:  Northwestern's only win was on the road, but that doesn't mean they'll win this one.  MICHIGAN STATE

Illinois Fighting Illini at Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  The Illini get to win their first conference game as they face the worst team in the conference.  ILLINOIS

Other Games of Interest
San Diego State Aztecs at Boise State Broncos:  The Aztecs are the most unimpressive 3-1 team, as they were terrible in their one loss and not dominant in their three wins.  Boise State should roll against them.  BOISE STATE

Washington State Cougars at Oregon State Beavers:  The Beavers are a bunch of underachievers this year.  They often have one home win a year that is an upset, but I'm not sure they'll get theirs this year.  WASHINGTON STATE

Fresno State Bulldogs at Nevada Wolf Pack:  Nevada is a decent team this year, but the Bulldogs are a powerhouse.  This is their first conference game, and they will prove that they are a major contender for the conference title.  FRESNO STATE

NCAA Football 2018 Week 5 results and Top 25

Not too many surprises this week.  Buffalo suffered its first loss, Virginia Tech slaughtered Duke, and North Texas lost their first game.  Stanford was pummeled by the Irish. Ohio State and Penn State played like we'd like to see #2 v #3.  Cincinnati came back into the Top 25, joining UCF as the only two Group of Five teams in the rankings.

Top 25 [Last week's position]
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) [1]
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1) [3]
4. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) [4]
5. Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) [5]
6. Clemson Tigers (5-0) [6]
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-0) [11]
8. LSU Tigers (5-0) [8]
9. UCF Golden Knights (4-0) [9]
10. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0) [10]
11. Kentucky Wildcats (5-0) [17]
12. Colorado Buffaloes (4-0) [12]
13. Oregon Ducks (4-1) [13]
14. Michigan Wolverines (4-1) [14]
15. Wisconsin Badgers (3-1) [15]
16. Syracuse Orange (4-1) [16]
17. Florida Gators (4-1) [20]
18. Miami Hurricanes (4-1) [NR]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1) [19]
20. Auburn Tigers (4-1) [21]
21. Washington Huskies (4-1) [22]
22. Stanford Cardinal (4-1) [7]
23. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-0) [NR]
24. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1) [24]
25. North Carolina State Wolfpack (4-0) [28]

Dropped off: Duke Blue Devils [#18], Washington State Cougars [#22], Mississippi State Bulldogs [#23], Texas Longhorns [#25]
On the Edge: Fresno State Bulldogs (3-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (3-1), North Texas Mean Green (4-1), Maryland Terrapins (3-1), Texas A&M Aggies (3-2)

Big Ten Report
Michigan's offense sputtered until the fourth quarter.  Other than that, things were pretty normal.  Once again, Ohio State proved stronger in the second half than their opponent, something they needed to engineer their one-point win.  With so many teams on bye this week, there wasn't much to see other than the Ohio State-Penn State "Game of the Week".

Pac-12 Report
Stanford's loss leaves no unbeaten teams in the North division, and makes that division practically anybody's race (except Oregon State).  Amazingly, Colorado is the only unbeaten team in the conference, which almost guarantees no Pac-12 representation in the playoffs.  USC is bouncing back, but UCLA remains grounded.

SEC Report
Unless Auburn pulls off another surprise in the Iron Bowl, it looks like the West division will be decided between LSU and Alabama.  Kentucky advances to 5-0 to make them a contender in the East, although they have a tougher schedule in front of them.  No real surprises this week here, either.

ACC Report
The Coastal division has no unbeaten team, and the Hokies are fighting for the top spot again.  Clemson has a new challenger in NC State.  Syracuse may have lost, but they led for most of the game, which makes them a threat against every other ACC team.

Big XII Report
Oklahoma won, but they spotted Baylor too many points.  Texas barely won, so they may not have plugged all of their holes yet.  Oklahoma State kept Kansas in the game for too long.  West Virginia had one of the most impressive performances, and it was a battle against Texas Tech.  Not looking good for this conference, as I expect each of the top seven teams to lose at least once more.

Group of Five/Independents Report
Notre Dame's dominant performance against Stanford puts them back into the spotlight, and back in the playoff conversation.  The American Athletic East division has some interesting teams, including Cincy, UCF, and South Florida.  Buffalo's loss has made the MAC uninteresting now, but the Mountain West has some important games coming up in the next few weeks.