NFL 2024 Week 8 Power Rankings and Week 9 picks

 Not a lot of shakeup in the Power Rankings

Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  DETROIT LIONS (6-1) [1]

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) [2]

3.  Buffalo Bills (6-1) [5]

4.  Washington Commanders (6-2) [9]

5.  Denver Broncos (5-3) [10]

6.  Green Bay Packers (6-2) [6]

7.  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) [7]

8.  Chicago Bears (4-3) [4]

9.  Minnesota Vikings (5-2) [3]

10. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) [11]

11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) [15]

12. Houston Texans (6-2) [12]

13. Baltimore Ravens (5-3) [8]

14. San Francisco 39ers (4-4) [17]

15. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-4) [13]

Divisional Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1]

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  AFC North [3]

4.  NFC East [4]

5.  NFC West  [5]

6.  AFC East [7]

7.  NFC South [6]

8.  AFC South [7]

Thursday night

Houston Texans at New York Jets : The Texans are hot this season.  They don't win big, but they find ways to win.  Given the Jets' difficulties this season, this game might have a larger margin of victory than usual.  TEXANS, 23-10

Sunday early games

Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons : After starting the season well, the Boys have fallen.  The Falcons have taken some time to stabilize, but they are starting to play better.  They have the momentum, so I give them the edge.  FALCONS, 20-17

Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens stumbled last week against the Browns.  That will serve as a wake-up call.  While I think the Broncos could beat the Ravens at any other time, they have something to prove this week.  RAVENS, 24-23

Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals : Neither team has been consistent this year, but the Bengals are more prone to self-destruct.  RAIDERS, 16-13

Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns : The Browns may have won last week, but this has been a pretty pathetic season for them.  The Chargers offense may be struggling, but their defense is solid.  CHARGERS, 17-6

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills : Tua is back, but he is a bit slow.  The Bills offense will move fast and rack up too many points for teh Fins to overcome.  BILLS, 31-17

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans : The Titans haven't won much this season, but they haven't been terrible.  The Patriots just seem overwhelmed.  TITANS, 16-10

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers : The Saints have had great games and poor games.  The Panthers have had nothing but poor games.  SAINTS, 27-13

Washington Commanders at New York Giants : The Commanders have perhaps the best offense in the league.  COMMANDERS, 34-16

Sunday late games

Chicago Beats at Arizona Cardinals : The Bears nearly had a terrific comeback last week -- they just forgot that you are supposed to BAT DOWN an attempted Hail Mary.  They won't need to remember that this week.  BEARS, 23-16

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers : The NFC North is the toughest division in the league this season.  The Lions are the top of the bunch, but the Pack play tough at home.  This won't be an easy win, but I think the Lions have too many tools.  LIONS, 31-24

Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles : The Jags still haven't fixed their penalty problems.  EAGLES, 27-13

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks : The Rams aren't strong enough to compete with the Seahawks in their home stadium.  SEAHAWKS, 16-13

Sunday night

Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings : The Vikings have lost their last two games but that streak ends this week.  VIKINGS, 24-17

Monday Night Football

Tampa Bay Bucs at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs may have some key offensive pieces missing, but they still have the talent needed to win their games.  CHIEFS, 24-20

NCAA 2024 Week 10

 Fri Nov 1

San Diego State Aztecs at #18 Boise State Broncos : The Bronocs have the inside track to win the conference.  The Aztecs, often a competitive force in the conference, is behind the eight-ball this year.  BOISE STATE by 23

Sat Nov 2

Top 25

#1 Oregon Ducks at Michigan Wolverines : The still-learning Wolverines offense doesn't stand a chance.  OREGON by lots

#5 Ohio State Buckeyes at #3 Penn State Nittany Lions : The outcome of this game will depend upon which team shows up.  Will the "new look" lions, the team playing with a load of confidence, show up, or will they be tentative?  Will the dominant Buckeyes, who ruled the second haf in most games this season, play, or will it be the team who seemed confused against the Cornhuskers?  The momentum lies with Penn State, so I favor them.  PENN STATE by three

Florida Gators at #4 Georgia Bulldogs : Georgia will dominate this game.  GEORGIA by 24

Duke Blue Devils at #7 Miami Hurricanes : Duke is having a good year, but Miami is having a phenomenal year.  They have paired a tough defense with a dynamic offense.  This team is tough.  MIAMI by 16

#8 Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan State Spartans : The Hoosiers will remain unbeaten, as they high-powered offense will roll over the Spartans.  INDIANA by lots

Louisville Cardinals at #9 Clemson Tigers : Clemson has a strong offense, but their defense sometimes slips.  Louisville can exploit that, so this game will likely be closer than the Clemson fans would like.  CLEMSON by seven

 Kentucky Wildcats at #10 Tennessee Volunteers : Kentucky got surprised last week, and now they need to defend against the Vols.  Too tough a job.  TENNESSEE by 17

Air Force Falcons at #12 Army Black Knights : Air Force has often dominated the Knights in recent years, so this is a great chance for revenge.  ARMY by lots

Texas Tech Red Raiders at #13 Iowa State Cyclones : The Cyclones have perhaps their best team in school history, and they are hoping it will lead to a playoff berth.  This game will help build that resume.  IOWA STATE by 18

#15 Texas A&M Aggies at #24 South Carolina Gamecocks : The Aggies need to avoid a letdown after their big win over LSU last week.  With the Gamecocks having an extra week to prepare for this game, it will be tough, but I think they will prevail in the end.  TEXAS A&M by six

#16 Ole Miss Rebels at Arkansas Razorbacks : The Rebs should win this game easily, but Arkansas can be tricky at home.  Watch for a potential upset here.  OLE MISS by eight

#19 Pitt Panthers at #22 SMU Mustangs : This game could be closer than Pitt fans would like, but sMU is a good team this season.  They might even lead at the half, but the Panthers will overwhelm them in the second half.  PITT by ten

#21 Kansas State Wildcats at Houston Cougars : Houston is having a bad year.  Easy win for K State.  KANSAS STATE by 24

#23 Navy Midshipmen at Rice Owls : Rice is struggling, too, so this will be an easy win, too.  NAVY by lots

#25 Wisconsin Badgers at Iowa Hawkeyes : Here's my upset pick.  Iowa has the better defense, and that defense often allows them to win games.  I see that here.  IOWA by four

Big Ten

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Illinois Fighting Illini : Illinois will bounce back from their loss to Oregon.  ILLINOIS by 12

Northwestern Wildcats at Purdue Boilermakers : Purdue is still searching for their first conference win.  This game might be it, but I think the Wildcats defense will stall the Boilermakers best drive.  NORTHWESTERN by 13

UCLA Bruins at Nebraska Cornhuskers : The Bruins are having a tough year.  NEBRASKA by23

USC Trojans at Washington Huskies : The Trojans are having trouble with traditional Big Ten teams, but this is a former Pac-12 clash, and they'll feel better abut it.  USC by eight 

Other Games of Interest

Virginia Tech Hokies at Syracuse Orange : Both teams are strong this season.  I often like home teams in close games like one is likely to be, but momentum can be important at this point in the seson.  The Hokies are on an upswing while the Orange are moving down.  VIRGINIA TECH by eight

Memphis Tigers at UTSA Roadrunners : Memphis has this one easily.  MEMPHIS by 23

NCAA 2024 Week 9 results and Top 25

 Not a tremendous amount of movement in the Top 25 this week

Top 25  ]Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (8-0) [1]

2.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1) [2]

3.  Penn State Nittany Lions (8-0) [5]

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [4]

5.  Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1) [3]

6.  Texas Longhorns (7-1) [6]

7.  Miami Hurricanes (8-0) [7]

8.  Indiana Hoosiers (8-0) [8]

9.  Clemson Tigers (6-1) [9]

10. Tennessee Volunteers (6-1) [10]

11. BYU Cougars (8-0) [11]

12. Army Black Knights (7-0) [12]

13. Iowa State Cyclones (7-0) [13]

14. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2) [15]

15. Texas A&M Aggies (7-1) [16]

16. Ole Miss Rebels (6-2) [22]

17, LSU Tigers (6-2) [14]

18. Boise State Broncos (7-1) [20]

19. Pitt Panthers (7-0) [26]

20. UNLV Running Rebels (6-2) [17]

21. Kansas State Wildcats (7-1) [23]

22. SMU Mustangs (7-1) [27]

23. Navy Midshipmen (6-1) [18]

24, South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3) [24]

25. Wisconsin Badgers (5-3) [25]

Dropped off: Cincinnati Bearcats [#19], Missouri Tigers [#22]

On the Edge: Colorado Buffaloes (6-2), Memphis Tigers (7-1), Washington State Cougars (7-1), Virginia Tech Hokies (5-3), Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3), Louisville Cardinals (5-3)

Upset Results

There weren't many this week, although they started early.  Wednesday night saw the Kennesaw State Owls win their first FBS game.  Then we wait until the early evening for Cal to engineer the second upset of the week.  Auburn achieved the third and final upset of the weekend.

Big Ten Report

No major surprises here, other than the Buckeyes struggling to win.  That struggle makes me change my mind about the result of the Penn State game.  I think the Nittany Lions will beat the Buckeyes.  Given the remaining schedules, I think Oregon and Penn State will run the table, sending both teams into the Big Ten Championship Game unbeaten.  Indiana remains unbeaten, but they have one forthcoming game that they will likely lose.  That puts them in third place with one loss.  Illinois should run the table, as should the Buckeyes after the Penn State loss.  Both teams will have two conference losses and tie for fourth place.

Playoff Predictions

We're getting close to the end of the season, so I'll spend time on each week's column to examine how I think the 12-team slate will stack up.  First of all, in contrast to the SEC bigots at ESPN, the SEC will not have five playoff teams.  Let's get down to the available slots.  Each of the major conference champions (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big XII) will gain a spot.  The best Gang of Five team will gain a slot.  Unless they completely collapse, Notre Dame will be in, too.  That leaves six at-large spots.  How they will be divided depends greatly upon the contenders among the major conferences.

I've already reported on the Big Ten above.  Both Oregon and Penn State will reach the playoffs.  With only one loss, Indiana is likely.  A two-loss Ohio State team could make it, especially if the Penn State game is close, but we'll hold off stating that until we examine the other conferences.  Illinois will miss it.

The Big XII will likely also bring two unbeaten teams into the conference championship, as the schedules of both BYU and Iowa State doesn't have any major bumps upcoming.  Thus, both teams should make the playoffs.

In the ACC, both Clemson and Miami are likely to run the table, bringing both teams to the conference championship, as Pitt is likely to lose one.  The winner will be in.  How many ACC teams reach the playoffs depend upon who wins.  We'll look at that as soon as I examine the SEC.

The SEC right now does not have any unbeaten teams.  A&M is likely to lose to Texas, giving them a conference loss and two total losses.  Georgia and Texas are likely to run the table, so they will face each other again in the conference championship.  Both of those teams will be in the playoffs.  A two-loss A&M team will not, and a two-loss Alabama seems unlikely right now, as they have not looked good.,  They would have to improve before the end of the season.

So each of the four conferences contribute their runner-up to the playoffs.  That uses four of the six available slots.  Indiana is likely to snatch one.  That leaves one spot.  Who gets it?  It could go to the ACC, and here's how.  If Clemson beats Miami, Miami will advance with one loss, and Pitt will likely advance as well.  The one way for the SEC to get a third slot would be in Miami beats Clemson.  A two-loss Clemson team will probably miss the playoffs, giving it to an impressive two-loss SEC team.

NFL 2024 Week 7 Power Rankings and Week 8 picks

 Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  DETROIT LIONS (5-1) [2]

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (6-0) [3]

3.  Minnesota Vikings (5-1) [1]

4.  Chicago Bears (4-2) [4]

5.  Buffalo Bills (5-2) [5]

6.  Green Bay Packers (5-2) [6]

7.  Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) [10]

8.  Baltimore Ravens (5-2) [8]

9.  Washington Commanders (5-2) [12]

10. Denver Broncos (4-3) [15]

11. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) [18]

12. Houston Texans (5-2) [9]

13. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-3) [11]

14. Seattle Seahawks (4-3) [NR]

15. Los Angeles Chargers (3-3) [7]

16. Indianapolis Colts (4-3) [19]

Divisional Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1]

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  AFC North [3]

4.  NFC East [5]

5.  NFC West [8]

6.  NFC South [4]

7.  AFC East [6]

7.  AFC South [7]

Thursday night

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams : The Vikings lost to the Lions, so they have something to prove this week.  The Rams just can't seem to get things together this season.  VIKINGS, 27-13

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Miami Dolphins : The Dolphins are struggling on offense with the loss of Tua, The Cards have been up and down this season, but they can pour it on with they need to.  CARDS, 24-6

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Bucs : Both teams have been streaky this season, and right now both come in on losses.  The Bucs have a more consistent offense, but they make some costly mistakes.  If they can cut down on those, they should win this game.  BUCS, 24-23

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns : The Ravens have dominated the Browns in this rivalry, and that will continue.  RAVENS, 24-6

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags come home from London, but they don't get a nice homecoming gift.  PACK, 24-13

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans : The Texans have faced many close games this season, and this should be another one.  I like the sneakiness of CJ Stroud to propel them here.  TEXANS, 23-16

New York Jets at New England Patriots : Neither team is doing as well this season as they hoped, but the Patriots have really collapsed.  JETS, 17-10

Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals : The Eagles are perking up, and becoming a real threat.  The Bengals can't seem to get things flowing smoothly.  EAGLES, 27-17

Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions : Dominant performance by our new Number One team.  LIONS, 34-16

Sunday late games

Buffalo Bills at Seattle Seahawks : The Seahawks can be tough at home, and the Bills have struggled against tough defenses.  I'll pick the Bills, because they clearly have the edge in talent, but watch out for Seattle.  BILLS, 24-20

Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos : The Panthers are the worst team in the league.  BRONCOS, 23-10

Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders : The Commanders have the most potent offense in the league.  Can the Bears defense slow them?  Their best defensive performance was Week 1.  If they come close to that, they can slow down Washington enough for their offense to prevail.  I'll pick that, but watch out for Washington.  BEARS, 24-23

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders : The Chiefs don't win big this season, but they find ways to win.  CHIEFS, 24-20

New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers : The Saints started the season strongly, but they have faded.  CHARGERS, 20-13

Sunday night

Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers : Like the Saints, the Cowboys wree an early powerful team who has faded.  The 49ers haven't been stellar, but they have the pieces to move the ball consistently.  49ERS, 20-16

Monday Night Football

New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers : The Giants are mastering underachieving.  STEELERS, 24-13

NCAA 2024 Week 9 picks

 Tues Oct 22

Sam Houston BearKats at Florida International Golden Panthers : Perhaps the best story among the Group of 5, other than the simultaneous unbeaten seasons of Army and Navy, is the progression of Sam Houston.  This is their first full year of FBS play after losing all eight of their FBS games last year.  Now they are contending for Conference USA title.  That battle continues in this game.  SAN HOUSTON by six

Wed Oct 23

Liberty Flames at Kennesaw State Owls : Standing in the way of Sam Houston is Liberty, who is the only other unbeaten Gang of 5 team aside from the military academies.  Liberty is not winning big, but they are winning.  LIBERTY by eleven

Thurs Oct 24

Syracuse Orange at Pitt Panthers : The one-loss Orange travel to face the unbeaten Panthers.  Pitt is clearly the favorite, but the Orange are a strong team who could easily capture this victory.  PITT by eight

Fri Oct 25

Louisville Cardinals at Boston College Eagles : The Eagles can play tough, but Louisville is a strong team this year.  They have faced off against stronger teams and hung in there, so winning this game should be straight-forward.  LOUISVILLE by nine

#20 Boise State Broncos at #17 UNLV Running Rebels : Wow, this should be an exciting game.  Both teams are playing well this season.  Boise State had a bye week, so the extra week of practice should help them.  However, UNLV fought back from a deficit last week, and that confidence might propel them past the Broncos.  UNLV by three

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at USC Trojans : It's "Big Ten After Dark" at the Rose Bowl as the Knights travel all the way to Pasadena.  It's the second longest travel any Big Ten will perform this season, and they have to travel a day early to make it work.  Rutgers is a bit unsteady this season, ad the late hour and off schedule will already be playing havoc with their players, let alone the determination the Trojans have to win their second conference game.  USC by eight

Sat Oct 26

Top 25

Illinois Fighting Illini at #1 Oregon Ducks : I rarely get to start the column with my Illini, but that mans they are playing the Number One team.  Their defense might give the Ducks some fits, but the Ducks offense is just too strong.  OREGON by 12

#2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #18 Navy Midshipmen : The Midshipmen have been a strong force, but the Irish have been dominant since their opening week loss.  NOTRE DAME by 13

Nebraska Conrnhuskers at #3 Ohio State Buckeyes : Indiana crushed Nebraska last week.  The Cornhuskers would love to win this week to wipe that out, but they have to travel to Columbus.  It might be an even bigger loss.  OHIO STATE by lots

#5 Penn State Nittany Lions at #25 Wisconsin Badgers : I honestly believe the Badgers have a chance at this.  They have been gradually improving, and the Lions have had to come from behind three times this season.  If the Badgers can have a two-score lead going into the fourth quarter, they could win.  Something tells me, though, that the Penn State coaching staff examined their slow start situation over the bye week, so they won't start that slowly this week.  PENN STATE by eight

#6 Texas Longhorns at Vanderbilit Commodores : The worst thing that could have happened to Vandy was a Texas loss last week.  Now they are hungry for a win.  TEXAS by lots

Florida State Seminoles at #7 Miami Hurricanes : The Seminoles have collapsed this season.  MIAMI by lots

Washington Huskies at #8 Indiana Hoosiers : Indiana will control the pace of this game, as the Huskies continue to struggle against the tough defenses of the Big Ten.  INDIANA by 24

#11 BYU Cougars at UCF Golden Knights : UCF almost gave Iowa State their first loss last week.  They will be shooting to do that to BYU this week.  They will fight hard, but I think the Cougs will pull it out.  BYU by six

#14 LSU Tigers at #16 Texas A&M Aggies : I have to go with the upset here.  The Aggies are playing a bit better, and certainly can be more dynamic than the slow-developing Tigers.  In tight games, the ability to score quickly can make the difference.  TEXAS A&M by four

#21 Missouri Tigers at #15 Alabama Crimson Tide : Could the confused Tide lose again?  They certainly seem to be having troubles recently, especially on offense.  Can the Tigers pull off the upset?  Maybe, but the Tide rarely lose two in a row, so I'll give them an edge.  ALABAMA by four

#19 Cincinnati Bearcats at Colorado Buffaloes : Cincy celebrates their defeat of Arizona State, and re-entering the Top 25, by traveling to Colorado.  In his second season, Coach Prime has the Buffaloes playing very well.  They are a force, and will give Cincy  some trouble. And you can never count the Buffaloes, either.  CINCY by four

Oklahoma Sooners at #22 Ole Miss Rebels : The Sooners are showing that they can't compete with the top of the SEC.  OLE MISS by 13

Kansas Jayhawks at #23 Kansas State Wildcats : These in-state rivalries can often be unpredictable, but the Jayhawks have struggled since being deflated by the Illini.  KANSAS STATE by eight

Big Ten

Northwestern Wildcats at Iowa Hawkeyes : The Hawkeyes want a strong win to wipe out last week's upset.  They should get it.  IOWA by 14

Maryland Terrapins at Minnesota Golden Gophers : Either team could win this game, as they are fairly evenly matched.  Maryland has struggled late in games, and that's when Minnesota really pushes, so I think the home team will capture this game, even if it means coming from behind.  MINNESOTA by six

Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines : Another in-state rivalry.  The Spartans have been inconsistent, although they successfully engineered an upset last week.  I don't think they will do it again, as the terrible performance against the Illini will force the Michigan staff to work hard this week.  MICHIGAN by five

Other Games of Interest

 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Virginia Tech Hokies : Both teams have looked good at times this season, and both teams have also stumbled badly.  Which team will show up?  In situations like this, I usually like the home team, as the home crowd can help motivate them.  VIRGINIA TECH by four

SMU Mustangs at Duke Blue Devils : SMU is doing very well in their first season in the ACC.  Duke is playing well, but the Mustangs are good at exhausting opposing defenses.  SMU by 13

NCAA 2024 Week 8 results and Top 25

 The SEC has NO unbeaten teams, and I have a new Number One team for the first time all season!

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (7-0) [2]

2.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-1) [4]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) [3]

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [8]

5.  Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0) [5]

6.  Texas Longhorns (6-1) [1]

7.  Miami Hurricanes (7-0) [6]

8.  Indiana Hoosiers (7-0) [12]

9.  Clemson Tigers (6-1) [9]

10. Tennessee Volunteers (6-1) [11]

11. BYU Cougars (7-0) [10]

12. Army Black Knights (7-0) [15]

13. Iowa State Cyclones (7-0) [13]

14. LSU Tigers (6-1) [16]

15. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-2) [7]

16. Texas A&M Aggies (6-1) [17]

17. UNLV Running Rebels (6-1) [18]

18. Navy Midshipmen (7-0) [26]

19. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-2) [NR]

20. Boise State Broncos (6-1) [20]

21. Missouri Tigers (6-1) [21]

22. Ole Miss Rebels (5-2) [22]

23. Kansas State Wildcats (6-1) [30]

24. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3) [25]

25. Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) [29]

Dropped off: Nebraska Cornhuskers [#14], Arizona State Sun Devils [#19], Oklahoma Sooners [#23], USC Trojans [#24]

On the Edge: Pitt Panthers (6-0), SMU Mustangs (6-1), Washington State Cougars (6-1), Illinois Fighting Illini (6-1), Colorado Buffaloes (5-2), Louisville Cardinals (4-3) 

Upset Results

There were no upsets early in the week, and Saturday began with only one, from the Big Ten.  The late afternoon and evening, though, made up for it all.  As well as two more upsets from the Big Ten (which will be covered in their Report), the MAC had one, the SEC had three, the Sun Belt had two, and the Big XII had one.  James Madison had their second loss and Baylor had their first conference win.  The most attention-getting upsets came from the SEC, where Alabama had their second loss, Kentucky had their fourth, and Texas had their first.

Big Ten Report

No shock at the top of the conference, but lots of strangeness.  UCLA had their first conference win, dragging Rutgers down.  USC lost again, leaving them with only one conference win.  Michigan State handed Iowa their second conference loss.  Wisconsin looked strong.  Illinois' defense shut down the Wolverines.

So what does that leave?  At the bottom is Purdue, who is a dangerous threat now that they have changed quarterbacks.  Their first conference win is coming soon.  USC and UCLA had 1-4 conference records and are not threats.  Northwestern, Maryland, and Rutgers also have only one conference win.  At this point, none of those are eligible for the conference title.

The next group all have 2-2 conference records, and would need lots of help from other teams in the conference to have a chance at the conference title:  Washington, Michigan, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Nebraska.  All of them have at least one more tough game coming up, so each is likely to suffer a third conference loss.

That leaves our top six.  Indiana, Oregon, and Penn State are unbeaten, while Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Illinois each have one loss.  Who seems likely to run the table?  Based on upcoming opponents, Oregon and Ohio State have the best chances to win all of their remaining games, which gives an Ohio State - Oregon rematch in the conference championship game.  Illinois will likely lose at Oregon, but they have the best chance to close out with four straight wins and finish 10-2.  Penn State enters the meatiest part of their schedule, with consecutive games against Wisconsin and Ohio State.  Since they travel to Madison, they could lose two games before finishing out with an easier schedule.  Indiana has to play Ohio State, but are likely to be favored in all of their other games, giving them a surprising 11-1 record and a potential playoff berth. 

Wisconsin may have the toughest schedule remaining.  Even if they pull off the upset of Penn State, they then face the stiff Iowa defense, followed by Ohio State.  Two losses among those three games seems likely, giving them three conference losses.

Who are our potential playoff teams?  Conference champion and conference runner-up.  One loss Penn State and Indiana seem likely, too.  I don't thin any conference will produce more than four playoff teams, so that would be it.

NFL 2024 Week 6 Power Rankings and Week 7 picks

 Quite a bit of action in the Power Rankings

Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-0) [1]

2.  Detroit Lions (4-1) [4]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) [2]

4.  Chicago Bears (4-2) [6]

5.  Buffalo Bills (4-2) [5]

6.  Green Bay Packers (4-2) [11]

7.  Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) [12]

8.  Baltimore Ravens (4-2) [8] : Have they bounced back from a 0-2 start!

9.  Houston Texans (5-1) [9]

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) [13]

11. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-2) [14]

12. Washington Commanders (4-2) [3]

13. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) [16]

14. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) [18]

15. Denver Broncos (3-3) [7]

Divisional Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1] : No team with worse than a 66% win percentage?  I have NEVER tracked a division like this in the history of doing my column!

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  AFC North [5]

4.  NFC South [4]

5.  NFC East [3]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  AFC South [8]

8.  NFC West [7]

Thursday night

Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints : I'm going out on a limb here.  The Saints have better talent, but they seem to collapse in the fourth quarter.  For this game, though, I think they will hold on to win.  SAINTS, 20-17

Sunday morning

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags had a great streak in London last year.  The Bears disappointed their start this year, and their frequency of errors may hamper this game, as well.  If they can fix their mistakes, they should win this game, but I'm not sure they can fix the errors.  That killed them in their first three games, and they haven't fixed it yet.  PATS, 13-10

Sunday early games

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns : The Bengals woke up last week, and I think that will continue.  They have an advantage, as the Browns have played most of the season like they are sleepwalking.  BENGALS, 17-10

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings : The top two teams face off, and it isn't even the playoffs!  Both are powerful teams with strong offenses and tough defenses.  The difference may come down to the smallest details, and that is where the Vikings edge out the Lions.  VIKINGS, 28-27

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers : The Texans are a strong team, but the Pack, like the rest of the NFC North, have both talent and scheme on both sides of the ball.  CJ Stroud is excellent in just his second year, but the Pack will throw a variety of schemes at him.  I have give a slight edge to the home team.  PACKERS, 27-23

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts : The Fins come off a bye week, but key injuries are still fracturing the team, including Tua's concussion.  The Colts are a bit inconsistent, but they seem to be on an upswing.  COLTS, 16-13

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants : The Giants are struggling.  EAGLES, 24-13

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons : Kirk Cousins is bringing the same life to the Falcons offense that he did in Minnesota.  It took a couple of games for him to gel with his new team, but now the Falcons are showing results.  Seattle is a good team, but they are not the same on the road as they are at home.  FALCONS, 24-20

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills : Tennessee entered the season with high hopes, but they have proven to be a disappointment.  While the Bills have played beneath themselves at times this season, they have the talent to produce when they perform.  BILLS, 20-13

Sunday late games

Carolina Panthers at Washington Commanders : Rookie QB Jayden Daniels has led a tour de force for the Commanders.  Andy Dalton has not been as helpful for the Panthers, but he's not alone.  There have been so many miscues on the Panthers offense this season they could be used as a film showing young players want NOT to do.  COMMANDERS, 23-10

Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers : The Chiefs haven't won big this season, but they find ways to win.  CHIEFS, 27-23

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams : Perhaps the biggest disappointing surprise this season is the struggles of the Rams.  If they didn't figure them out during their bye, this will be a tough game.  RAIDERS, 20-13

Sunday night

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers : Rodgers and the Jets have have had big ups and equally big downs.  Meanwhile, Justin Fields has earned himself the starting role in Pittsburgh (hey, on a side note, has anyone considered how interesting a Super Bowl matchup between Pittsburgh and Chicago would be?).  The Steelers are rolling.  STEELERS, 24-10

Monday Night Football

Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Bucs : The Ravens have really turned themselves around since their 0-2 start.  They have things clicking on both sides of the ball, and have a great sense of ball control.  The Bucs are doing well, too, but they can buckle under pressure, and the Ravens are very good at exerting pressure.  RAVENS, 24-20

Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals : The Chargers defense will suppress the withering Cards, and their offense will control the pace of the game.  CHARGERS, 20-6

NCAA 2024 Week 8 picks

 Wednesday Oct 16

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Sam Houston BearKats : The BearKats are having a fabulous season.  The Hilltoppers, traditionally a tough team, are struggling with consistency.  SAM HOUSTON by nine

Thursday Oct 17

Boston College Eagles at Virginia Tech Hokies : BC is having a good season, but the Hokies can be tough at home this point in the season.  Either team could win, but I like the home team here.  VIRGINIA TECH by six

Friday Oct 18

Florida State Seminoles at Duke Blue Devils : Duke has quietly amassed a 5-1 record.  The Seminoles, on the hand, have had a rather public meltdown this season.  DUKE by 20

#2 Oregon Ducks at Purdue Boilermakers : Both teams fought hard last week, but the results were different.  For fans who love "light up the scoreboard" offensive showcases, you will love this game.  Both teams have high-powered offenses.  For Purdue, they are still working out the kinks, while Oregon's is running like a smooth machine.  OREGON by 13

Oklahoma State Cowboys at #10 BYU Cougars : The Cougs are having a tremendous season, and are one of only ten unbeaten teams.  The surprise leader of the Big XII faces a preseason favorite to contend.  The Cowboys have been a bit disappointing, but they can generate some great play.  If BU doesn't take them seriously, the Cowboys could upset, but I expect the Cougars to play their usual fine game.  BYU by 12

Saturday Oct 19

Top 25

#8 Georgia Bulldogs at #1 Texas Longhorns : Don't expect an upset here.  Texas is perhaps the most complete team in the country, and they have the gutsiness and determination that marked past Georgia teams.  TEXAS by ten

#4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets :The Irish are on fire, while the Jackets have cooled a bit after their first two phenomenal weeks.  NOTRE DAME by 23

#6 Miami Hurricanes at Louisville Cardinals : Louisville is another team who hasn't been able to maintain their early success.  Miami, on the other hand, sees a chance to win the ACC, so long as they keep winning.  MIAMI by 18

#7 Alabama Crimson Tide at #11 Tennessee Volunteers : Oh man, this will be a good game.  Both teams struggled to win their game last week, and both lost two weeks ago.  This will be a redemption game for the winner.  Alabama has the better talent, but they have been playing beneath themselves for much of the season.  They do seem to perk up for tough opponents, as illustrated by their game against Georgia.  For that reason, I pick the Tide, but watch out for Tennessee.  ALABAMA by four

Virginia Cavaliers at #9 Clemson Tigers : No upset watch here.  CLEMSON by lots

#14 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #12 Indiana Hoosiers : This should be an interesting game.  Nebraska has recovered nicely from their loss to Illinois, and the Hoosiers don't have the same level of defense.  However, their offense is oppressive, and they have plenty of interesting plays and formations to confuse opposing defenses.  I like the home team here, but either team could win.  INDIANA by six

UCF Golden Knights at #13 Iowa State Cyclones : The Knights are struggling, while the Cyclones are as powerful as their team name.  IOWA STATE by 23

East Carolina Pirates at #15 Army Black Knights : The Pirates do not have the strong defense that they typically have, so the Cadets will just march all over them.  ARMY by lots

#16 LSU Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks : Arkansas can surprise, and they had an extra week to prepare for this game.  However, the Tigers just seem to get better each week, so I think they will come out on top.  LSU by eight

#17 Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs : Easy win here.  A&M by lots

#18 UNLV Running Rebels at Oregon State Beavers : The Rebs are having a good year, but they face a tough team this week.  The Beavers can be especially tough at home.  They have engineered many upsets ar home, so this game may go against UNLV, but I'll pick them anyway.  UNLV by six

#19 Arizona State Sun Devils at Cincinnati Bearcats : Cincy hasn't been showing up consistently this season, but when they are sharp, they are deadly.  This game is also an upset watch, but so far the Sun Devils find ways to win this year, so I'll stick with them.  ARIZONA STATE by six

Auburn Tigers at #21 Missouri Tigers : Missouri gets a breather, as Auburn is struggling this season.  MISSOURI by lots

#25 South Carolina Gamecocks at #23 Oklahoma Sooners : The Sooners got spanked last week, so they want a strong showing to wash that bitter taste out of their mouths.  The Gamecocks are good this year, but there is little more dangerous than a determined Sooner team.  OKLAHOMA by ten

#24 USC Trojans at Maryland Terrapins : I think the luster has fallen off the Terrapins season.  USC by 12

Big Ten

Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern Wildcats : Both teams were very impressive last week, but I think the Badgers have a stronger foundation.  Their running attack can exhaust defenses, too.  WISCONSIN by eight

UCLA Bruins at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : UCLA had their first conference win last week, but don't expect two in a row.  Rutgers has a good team this year.  RUTGERS by 14

Michigan Wolverines at Illinois Fighting Illini : It might actually have helped the Illini to nearly lose their game against Purdue.  You know Bret Bielema will work the defense hard this week in preparation of this game, and that will be a bane to the Michigan offense that is still figuring out how to make all of the new faces work together.  The Illini offense is sharp, and will find some ways to get past the stingy Michigan defense.  ILLINOIS by six

Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan State Spartans : Two staunch defenses face off.  The different will be the emerging Iowa offense.  IOWA by ten

Other Games of Interest

Charlotte 49ers at Navy Midshipmen : Easy win for the unbeaten Midshipmen.  NAVY by lots

Colorado Buffaloes at Arizona Wildcats : Coach prime;s second year is certainly producing results.  While the Buffs aren't ready to compete for the conference title, nor reach the playoffs, they are a strong enough team to be bowl eligible.  After this game, they'll only need one more win to do that.  COLORADO by 12

Ball State Cardinals at Vanderbilt Commodores : Vandy is having a stellar year, and beating up on Ball State will continue it.  VANDY by 23

Kansas State Wildcats at West Virginia Mountaineers : This is the type of game that frequently trips up the Wildcats.  West Virginia has struggled this year, so the Wildcats won't really consider them a threat.  Yet the Mountaineers can be tough.  I don't think they'll win, but they will scare K State.  KANSAS STATE by six

NCAA 2024 Week 7 results and Top 25

 It was a crazy week, whit some movement among the Top 25 teams, but no teams dropped out.

Top 25 [Last week's rank]

1.  TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-0) [1] : Dominant performance.  Clearly best SEC team

2.  Oregon Ducks (6-0) [4]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) [2] : Without a stupid move by the QB, they would have kicked the winning field goal

4.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) [5]

5.  Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0) [3]

6.  Miami Hurricanes (6-0) [9]

7.  Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1) [7] : They nearly lost again.  Could Bama be losing steam?

8.  Georgia Bulldogs (5-1) [8]

9.  Clemson Tigers (5-1) [12]

10. BYU Cougars (6-0) [15]

11. Tennessee Volunteers (5-1) [11]

12. Indiana Hoosiers (6-0) [13]

13. Iowa State Cyclones (6--0) [16]

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1) [14]

15. Army Black Knights (6-0) [20]

16. LSU Tigers (5-1) [25]

17. Texas A&M Aggies (5-1) [17]

18. UNLV Running Rebels (5-1) [18]

19. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-1) [19]

20. Boise State Broncos (6-1) [21]

21. Missouri Tigers (5-1) [23]

22. Ole Miss Rebels (5-2) [10]

23. Oklahoma Sooners (4-2) [6] : Destroyed by Texas

24. USC Trojans (3-3) [22]

25. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3) [24]

On the Edge: Navy Midshipmen (5-0), Pitt Panthers (6-0), James Madison Dukes (5-1), Wisconsin Badgers (4-2), Kansas State Wildcats (5-1), Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2)

Upset Results

Most of the upsets will be discussed in the next section, as the Big Ten was the source of most of them this week.  The SEC almost suffered as many upsets as last week, but both Alabama and Tennessee pulled off slim victories.  Ole Miss couldn't salvage their game, though, suffering a defeat to LSU.  The MAC had an upset, as Miami Ohio beat Eastern Michigan.  Lastly, the surging San Jose State cooled as they were pummeled by the Rams.

Big Ten Report

Like the SEC had last week, this was a crazy week for the Big Ten.  Of seven games, only one really happened as we might have expected, as Ohio State and Oregon played a one-point game.  The result should have different, if not for a stupid mistake by Ohio State QB Will Howard.  

We had two pure upsets.  It began on Friday night, as Northwestern stunned the Maryland Terrapins.  The last Big Ten game of the weekend saw the struggling Bruins get it together on defense and knock off Minnesota.  The first two games on Saturday should have been close, but both were wipeouts.  Lastly, Penn State and Illinois nearly lost their games.  Penn State was fighting for their lives all game, while Illinois should have won easily.  Their defense decided to take the fourth quarter off, allowing Purdue back into the game.  If I were Bret Bielema, I would let the second string defense get lots of reps this week, with the promise that they will be brought into next week's game if any starters lack off.  Not only will that get them ready, but it might scare the starters straight.

NFL 2024 Week 5 Power rankings and Week 6 picks

 We keep losing top teams as everyone wants to cluster in the middle.  We have only two 5-0 teams and three one-loss teams.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-0) [1]

 2.  Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) [2]

3.  Washington Commanders (4-1) [7]

4.  Detroit Lions (3-1) [4]

5.  Buffalo Bills (3-2) [3]

6.  Chicago Bears (3-2) [16]

7.  Denver Broncos (3-2) [15]

8.  Baltimore Ravens (3-2) [11]

9.  Houston Texans (4-1) [NR]

10. New Orleans Saints (2-3) [8]

11. Green Bay Packers (3-2) [13]

12. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) [12]

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) [5]

14. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-2) [6]

15. Seattle Seahawks (3-2) [9]

Divisional Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1] : All four teams are in the top of the Power Rankings!

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  NFC East [6]

4.  NFC South [3]

5.  AFC North [4]

6.  AFC East [7]

7.  NFC West [5]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thursday night

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks : The Seahawks are potent at home, and the 49ers have been a bit disappointing this season.  SEAHAWKS, 23-20

Sunday morning

Jacksonville Jaguars at Chicago Bears in London : The Bears don't usually do well as the featured game, but the Jaguars are struggling.  They won their first game last week, but the stiff Bears defeense will prevent a second one.  BEARS, 27-13

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers : The Cards can have a strong game, but they are few and far between.  The Pack are rolling, and will continue to do so until injuries strip their bench.  PACK, 23-16

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles : It has not been a happy season for the Browns.  EAGLES, 24-12

Houston Texans at New England Patriots : The Texans have a stiff defense, which will frustrate the Patriots offense.  The Pats are still finding themselves, but the Texans will scatter them.  TEXANS, 20-6

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans : The Titans took a break last week, but I don't know how much it will help them.  COLTS, 24-20

Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints : The Bucs are on an upwards swing and the Saints downward.  An injury to Derek Carr hurts the Saints, so I have to favor the Bucs here.  BUCS, 24-13

Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens : The Commanders have one of the strongest offenses right now, but they face a tough defense in the Ravens.  After starting the season with two losses, the Ravens are on a roll, and I think that defense will allow them to triumph.  RAVENS, 31-27

Sunday late games

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers : The Panthers are having an unfortunate season, while the Falcons seem to be building steam.  FALCONS, 17-10

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys : The Lions have shown lots of power this season, and they had an extra week to prepare for this game.  The Cowboys have been their own worst enemy, with mistakes and penalties hurting their drives.  I think that will continue.  LIONS, 27-20

Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders : The Steelers have been a bit inconsistent, but the Raiders are all over the map.  The Raiders run defense is not great, so the Steelers get to get their ground game going, which is what they like.  STEELERS, 23-16

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos : This might be the closest game of the weekend.  The Chargers have a strong team, led by their defense.  The Broncos are led by their offense, and they design plenty of surprises.  I'll give the home team a small advantage.  BRONCOS, 20-17

Sunday night

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants: Neither team is performing up to expectations.  The Giants cannot seem to establish any momentum on the filed, which forces them to work hard on each drive.  The Bengals might generate enough momentum to carry them to victory.  BENGALS, 24-13

Monday Night Football

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets : These two really battle.  The Bills have a bit disappointing over the past couple of games, but facing the Jets will likely perk them up.  BILLS, 24-16

Ncaa 2024 Week 7 picks

 Back to early starts this week

Tues Oct 8

Florida International Golden Panthers at Liberty Flames : The Flames are red hot this season.  LIBERTY by 21

Thurs Oct 10

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at James Madison Dukes : The Dukes are hankering for a win after last week's loss.  The Chanticleers struggled earlier in the season, but they have been improving.  This might be the toughest game the Dukes will face.  I'll pick the bounce back, but this one cold go the Chanticleers' way.  JAMES MADISON by six

Fri Oct 11

Northwestern Wildcats at Maryland Terrapins : The Wildcats can be tough, but the Terrapins had an extra week to prepare for this game, while the Wildcats face a short week.  MARYLAND by nine

#18 UNLV Running Rebels at Utah State Aggies : UNLV is no longer unbeaten, and the Aggies want to make it two losses in a row.  They won't.  UNLV has a great offense, and the Aggies defense isn't that good.  UNLV by 13

Utah Utes at #19 Arizona State Sun Devils : Utah had a bye while the Sun Devils have a short week following a hard-fought game.  The Utes have the advantages, but they lack some of talent they've had in past years.  I pick the home team, but watch for the upset here.  ARIZONA STATE by four

Sat Oct 12

Top 25

#1 Texas Longhorns at #6 Oklahoma Sooners : The first of many Top 25 matchups pair two Big XII rivals, now playing in the SEC.  Texas has the strength, now matter who plays QB, although Oklahoma won't make it easy.  TEXAS by nine

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at #4 Oregon Ducks : The Ducks are tough at home, and may start the game with a lead.  The second half is owned by the Buckeyes, though, and the Ducks will struggle against the stiff defense.  OHIO STATE by 13

#3 Penn State Nittany Lions at #22 USC Trojans : The Nittany Lions have been waiting years for a chance to play in the Rose Bowl.  They may not get the bowl game, but they get the stadium, and they will frustrate the Trojans, whose offense is still unsteady and inconsistent.  PENN STATE by 16

Stanford Cardinal at #5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : The Irish will roll over a struggling Standford team.  NOTRE DAME by lots

#24 South Carolina Gamecocks at #7 Alabama Crimson Tide : The Tide are mad at themselves after the Vandy loss, so they will toast the Gamecocks.  ALABAMA by 24

Mississippi State Bulldogs at #8 Georgia Bulldogs : This Battle of the Bulldogs will be won between the hedges.  GEORGIA by 20

#10 Ole Miss Rebels at #25 LSU Tigers : LSU had an extra week to prepare for this game, so they may have come up with some interesting plays.  Ole Miss is the better team, so if they figure out the trickery, they will prevail.  OLE MISS by six

Florida Gators at #11 Tennessee Volunteers : The Gators beat UCF last week, but the Vols will scorch them. "Rocky Top" will play this week for real.  TENNESSEE by 20

#12 Clemson Tigers at Wake Forest Demon Deacons : Clemson didn't need the extra week to prepare for the Wake.  CLEMSON by lots

Arizona Wildcats at #15 BYU Cougars : BYU will continue to lead the Big XII.  BYU by 16

#16 Iowa State Cyclones at West Virginia Mountaineers : The Mountaineers engineered an upset over the Cowboys, but the Cyclones will be a harder task.  The Cyclones will touch down and leave the Mountaineers scattered.  IOWA STATE by 17

UAB Blazers at #20 Army Black Knights : Easy opponent for the gound-pounding and time-wtenching Army attack.  The Blazers will be exhausted by the start of the fourth quarter.  ARMY by 24

#21 Boise State Broncos at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors : The Warriors don't have much of a defense, so the Broncos will roll.  BOISE STATE by lots

#23 Missouri Tigers at UMass Minutemen : Easy win to allow the Tigers to bounce back.  MISSOURI by lots

Big Ten

Washington Huskies at Iowa Hawkeyes : The Huskies might find the Hawkeyes defense a bit much to overcome.  Iowa need to rely on that defense, as their offense is still struggling.  IOWA by five

Wisconsin Badgers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Wisconsin is improving, but Rutgers is not an easy opponent.  Both teams could win, but the Badgers improvement is still too new for me to know if it will stick.  RUTGERS by six

Purdue Boilermakers at Illinois Fighting Illini : Illinois' season continues to flourish, as they spent time during their bye week working out their offensive kinks.  See the result against Purdue.  ILLINOIS by 16

Minnesota Golden Gophers at UCLA Bruins : UCLA is actually the worst team in the conference.  MINNESOTA by 18

Other Games of Interest

Louisville Cardinals at Virginia Cavaliers : The Cardinals need to bounce back from last week.  If they dwell on it, the Cavs have the ability to upset them.  LOUISVILLE by eight

Call Golden Bears at Pitt Panthers : Pitt continues to roll with their unbeaten record. Could this be Pitt's year?  PITT by 18

Vanderbilt Commodores at Kentucky Wildcats : Vandy is becoming the upset specialist this year, but Kentucky had their own upset win earlier this season.  KENTUCKY by 13

Kansas State Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes : Kansas State has a tendency to underestimate teams they don't respect.  They don't respect the Buffaloes, and that will be their undoing.  COLORADO by eight

NCAA 2024 Week 6 results and Top 25

 We lost plenty of unbeaten teams this week.  Strangely, most of them were upsets against unranked teams.  Only Rutgers lost to a ranked team.  The SEC teams were the strangest.  The SEC has plenty of tough teams, but only the Missouri loss was to a tough team.  Both Alabama and Tennessee lost to relatively weak teams.  That makes me wonder if the SEC champion will have two losses.

We have eleven unbeaten teams remaining.  Four are in the Big Ten, two from the American Athletic, two from the Big XII, two from the ACC, and one from the SEC.  Who those teams are is somewhat surprising.  Some are not surprising (Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Miami), but many are quite surprising.  Both Army and Navy are among the unbeatens, as are Iowa State, Pitt, Indiana, and BYU.  Historically, BYU has been in this position before, although it was been many years.  The others face some new territory.  Most of the unbeatens are in the Top 25.

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  TEXAS LONGHORNS (5-0) [1]

2.  Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) [2]

3.  Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) [8]

4.  Oregon Ducks (5-0) [10]

5.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1) [5]

6.  Oklahoma Sooners (4-1) [6]

7.  Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) [3]

8.  Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) [7]

9.  Miami Hurricanes (6-0) [9] : Barely avoided an upset themselves

10. Ole Miss Rebels (5-1) [12]

11. Tennessee Volunteers (4-1) [4]

12. Clemson Tigers (4-1) [18]

13. Indiana Hoosiers (6-0) [21]

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1) [19]

15. BYU Cougars (5-0) [15]

16. Iowa State Cyclones (5-0) [22]

17. Texas A&M Aggies (5-1) [NR]

18. UNLV Running Rebels (4-1) [17]

19. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1) [20]

20. Army Black Knights (5-0) [NR]

21. Boise State Broncos (5-1) [28]

22. USC Trojans (3-2) [13]

23. Missouri Tigers (4-1) [11]

24. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-2) [14]

25. LSU Tigers (4-1) [25]

Dropped off: Louisville Cardinals [#16], Michigan Wolverines [#23], James Madison Dukes [#24]

On the Edge: Navy Midshipmen (5-0), Pitt Panthers (5-0), Kentucky Wildcats (3-2), Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-1), Colorado Buffaloes (4-1), Toledo Rockets (4-1), Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2)

Upset Results

This was a week for tumbling unbeatens.  Syracuse's victory over UNLV wasn't really an upset, as I predicted the likelihood, but it was still a loss by an unbeaten team.  Missouri, Alabama, and Georgia all fell.  Vanderbilt felt especially good.  They had never beaten a Top 5 team, and this was their second upset win of the season.  The Commodores are looking like a real threat.  UL Monroe also knocked James Madison out of the ranks of the unbeatens, as Nebraska did to Rutgers (which was also not an upset).

Losses to unbeatens were not the only upsets this week, however.  Houston won their first game by beating TCU, SMU knocked Louisville out of the Top 25West Virginia destroyed any chances Oklahoma State can reach the Top 25, and Florida wiped out UCF's hopes.

Big Ten Report

Indiana still leads the conference, as the only team with three conference wins.  They are followed by the remaining unbeatens in the conference:  Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State.  Nebraska leads the 2-1 teams with a 5-1 overall record.  Washington and Michigan have overall records of 4-2, with Washington holding tiebreaker status.  Illinois and Rutgers lead the 1-1 teams with 4-1 overall records. Wisconsin is starting to strengthen, and could be better than their 3-2 overall record.

Based upon what we have seen, clearly Ohio State is favorite to win the conference.  Penn State struggles against top teams, and they face Ohio State later in the season.  Oregon faces Ohio State next week.  They face them at home, so an upset win gives them the inside track, as the only two tough road opponents remaining are Michigan and Wisconsin.  Indiana still has Nebraska, Ohio State, and Michigan to come.  Nebraska looks good now, but they have four tough road games forthcoming, against Indiana, Ohio State, USC, and Iowa.

NFL 2024 Week 4 Power Rankings and Week 5 picks

 Three unbeaten teams lost this week, leaving just two.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  MINNESOTA VIKINGS (4-0) [1]

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) [5]

3.  Buffalo Bills (3-1) [2]

4.  Detroit Lions (3-1) [9]

5.  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) [3]

6.  Tampa Bay Bucs (3-1) [12]

7. Washington Commanders (3-1) [13]

8.  New Orleans Saints (2-2) [6]

9.  Seattle Seahawks (3-1) [4]

10. San Francisco 49ers (2-2) [16]

11. Baltimore Ravens (2-2) [17]

12. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) [7]

13. Green Bay Packers (2-2) [8]

14. New York Jets (2-2) [11]

Division Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1] : Bears won, and everyone looking good

2.  AFC West [2] : Like the NFC North, the only two divisions without a team with a losing record

3.  NFC South [5]

4.  AFC North [6]

5.  NFC West [3]

6.  NFC East [7]

7.  AFC East [4]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thursday night

Tampa Bay Bucs at Atlanta Falcons : The Falcons can play tough, but those sneaky Bucs will capture a win.  BUCS, 26-24

Sunday morning

New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings : The Vikings invade London and sail home with a win.  VIKINGS, 27-16

Sunday early games

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals : The Ravens have found themselves again, and they are powerful.  The Bengals are struggling, and that Ravens defense will frustrate them.  RAVENS, 27-17

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans : The Bills stumbled badly last weekend, but I think they will come back strongly.  The Texans' defense will make that a challenge, though, and keep this game close.  The home team might pull off the upset, but I'll stick with the team that needs a comeback.  BILLS, 24-20

Carolina Panthers at Chicago Beats : The Bears are pulling up, and Caleb keeps getting better.  The Panthers are having problems.  BEARS, 20-10

Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders : The Commanders have shown the capability of lighting up the scoreboard, and the struggling Browns defense is an excellent opportunity to do just that.  COMMANDERS, 31-13

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Colts are really turning things around, while the Jags have turned into a squad of also-rans.  COLTS, 16-13

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots : The Dolphins seemed to have lost their heart and spirit with the loss of Tua.  PATS, 13-9

Sunday late games

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers : The 49ers have the talent, they just need to work on the consistency.  I think they'll start to make strides in this game.  49ERS, 20-17

Green Bay Packers at Lo Angeles Rams : The Rams have to face another NFC North team this week.  I don't think the results will change much.  PACK, 24-17

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos : The Raiders are dangerous, but the Broncos have something working.  BRONCOS, 23-20

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks : The SEahawks are a tough force at home.  SEAHAWKS, 24-10

Sunday night

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers : The Cowboys took a positive step last week, but they WERE playing the Giants.  The Steelers are a much tougher team.  STEELERS, 23-17

Monday Night Football

New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs lost some key players this past week.  The Saints have poured on the offense this season, and that might be a bit much for a fractured Chiefs team.  SAINTS, 27-24 in an upset