Ohhhhhh…it’s Friday the 13th!! Are you scared?? Do you need to be held gently and reassured that everything is going to be alright?? Well, if that’s the case you’ve come to the wrong place. Having said that though, we are feeling a little frisky so y’all are getting some bonus picks this week. As far as last week goes, Zach was an impressive 4-1, while I didn’t do so well with a 2-3 record.
My Season: 19-15
Z’s Season: 19-14
TCU (-4.5) at Kansas State
The Horned Frogs got a little help from the zebras while defeating my WV Mountaineers last weekend, so they come into this game 5-0 and hovering on the fringes of 
playoff contention. The Wildcats were getting some pre-season love but limp into this game at 3-2 after a double overtime loss to Texas. I never really bought into the hype anyway, and for that I am gad. From what I’ve seen…referees be damned…TCU is the real deal. I don’t expect them to get into the playoff, but I do think they’ll win this game easily. Zach agrees.
My Pick: TCU
Z’s Pick: TCU
Auburn (-6.5) at LSU
What a roller coaster ride it’s been in Baton Rouge. A week after a shocking loss to Troy the Bayou Bengals got to 3-2 by upsetting Florida in The Swamp, so the 
questions about head coach Ed Orgeron’s job security are quelled…for now. Conversely, Auburn has gotten to 5-1 relatively unscathed…only a loss to defending national champion Clemson stains their record, and there’s no shame in that. So which LSU team will show up…the team that lost to the clearly inferior Troy, or the team that went into one of the most hostile environments in college football and scored a victory?? I’m going to assume it’ll be someplace in the middle, and that’s probably not going to be enough to win this one. Zach thinks it might be close, but Auburn will do just enough to cover.
My Pick: Auburn
Z’s Pick: Auburn
Northwestern (-3) at Maryland
I still sometimes forget that Maryland is in the Big Ten. The Terps come into this game 3-2 and appear to be a really inconsistent team. 
Northwestern is 2-3 and has also been inconsistent. If this game were taking place in Evanston, IL I might be tempted to pick the Wildcats, but since Maryland has the home field advantage it seems like a pretty clear choice to me, though the oddsmakers disagree for some reason. Zach doesn’t believe in Maryland at all and is siding with the folks in Vegas.
My Pick: Maryland
Z’s Pick: Northwestern
Ohio State (-24) at Nebraska
The Buckeyes’ record stands at 5-1, with the only mark against them being a loss to Oklahoma, which is nothing for which they should hang their heads. Looking at the 
polls, one can see a definite pathway for Ohio St. to sneak back into the playoff picture. In my pre-season poll I opined “It is unlikely that any team gets thru their season unbeaten, and it’s entirely possible that a team with 2 or 3 losses sneaks into the playoff”. In retrospect that “2 or 3 losses” part might have been a bit overzealous, but certainly a couple of one loss teams could be in the four team field. The problem Ohio St. has is that there are about eight teams ahead of them right now, although atleast three of them will lose a game due to playing each other. At any rate, the present mountain to climb is the Cornhuskers, who are currently a rather mediocre 3-3. Could Nebraska pull the upset at home?? Sure. Will they?? I don’t know. Either way, the points give one pause. Because our total games are uneven since Zach forgot to pick a game a few weeks ago I’m going to let him fly solo on this one to catch up. He has an irrational disdain for Ohio St. and is picking the upset.
My Pick: n/a
Z’s Pick: Nebraska
Oklahoma (-7.5) vs. Texas
I still call this the Red River Shootout because I’m politically incorrect and get amusement out of ruffling feathers. Will this game be worthy of its moniker? The 4-1 
Sooners are probably still stunned that Iowa St. beat them last week, but I wasn’t that surprised. Because of lack of respect for the Big 12 they are most likely out of the playoff conversation unless a lot of dominoes fall just right , but that doesn’t matter when it comes to this game. The Longhorns have shown signs of life, though a mediocre 3-2 record might not fully indicate that. Let us not forget that they lost a heartbreaker in double overtime at USC a few weeks back. This is a neutral site game being played at the old Cotton Bowl in Dallas, which is just shy of 200 miles away from both Austin, TX & Norman, OK. This series has remained fairly even thru the years, with each team occasionally winning 4 or 5 in a row only to see the other come back and do the same thing, so it is a somewhat unpredictable game. Essentially one either has to believe that Oklahoma is down and that last week’s loss was a harbinger of doom, or that the loss was merely an unlucky hiccup that’ll just have them fired up. Most seem to be on the same page with Texas…they’re headed in the right direction but probably aren’t where they need to be quite yet. Having said all of that, I like Texas to keep it very close, and if they lose it’ll be by less than a touchdown. Zach also likes the Longhorns and believes they’ll win outright.
My Pick: Texas
Z’s Pick: Texas
Miami at Atlanta (-11)
People may have forgotten that the Falcons were in the Super Bowl back in February. Sure they blew a huge lead and choked on the big stage…but they were there. They 
had picked up right where they left off until a couple of weeks ago then were upended by the surprising Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins are 2-2, which is right about where most expected them to be. Atlanta has the home field in their shiny new stadium, but the question is whether or not they can cover a double digit spread. I think they can, unless the entire Dolphins team snorts blow during pre-game warm-ups. Zach is picking Atlanta to roll to an easy victory.
My Pick: Atlanta
Z’s Pick: Atlanta
Chicago at Baltimore (-6.5)
This should be called the Gun Control Bowl. They definitely cannot take a page out of the Oklahoma-Texas playbook…people in these two cities 
might have an actual shootout. At any rate, the 1-4 Bears got their only win a few weeks back over my Pittsburgh Steelers, and are already giving up on QB Mike Glennon. Enter rookie signal caller Mitch Trubisky, who has demonstrated some talent in limited playing time. This opportunity comes a little sooner for him than most expected, but it’s a smart move in my opinion. Meanwhile, the Ravens are 3-2, which sadly is good enough to have them tied atop the AFC North. Baltimore is getting a really generous home field advantage, but I’m not buying it. I watched Trubisky a little bit in the pre-season and it was immediately evident to me that the young man has…it. I don’t know if he’ll be able to spin that talent into anything tangible, and I’m not sure if a great team will ever be assembled around him, but I think he’ll flash that potential for all to see and get his first win. Zach likes Trubisky well enough but thinks that right now Baltimore is the better team.
My Pick: Chicago
Z’s Pick: Baltimore
Tampa Bay (-2.5) at Arizona
It is telling that the Bucs are favored by the oddsmakers despite being on the road, especially since they are a rather pedestrian 2-2. That would lead me to believe that
the 2-3 Cardinals are even worse than the record indicates. I do know that Arizona was desperate enough to trade for RB Adrian Peterson, which would’ve been a brilliant move…four years ago. Now?? I can’t imagine he has much left in the tank. Who knows though…maybe he can flip a switch ;-). The Vibes are telling me that this won’t be very close or competitive, that the favorites will win handily. Zach likes Peterson to have a big game with his new team, but believes Tampa will cruise to an easy win.
My Pick: Tampa Bay
Z’s Pick: Tampa Bay
Indianapolis at Tennessee (-5)
This is the Monday night game, but the folks at ESPN have to be a little disappointed. No Andrew Luck. Marcus Mariota might be out as well. Both teams are 2-3 and
trail Jacksonville…yes, Jacksonville…in the AFC South. In my season preview I had Tennessee with 11 wins and they still might get there, but it’s going to be tough. I had Indy going 7-9 WITH a healthy starting quarterback, so without him they are…well…out of Luck. Anyway, if Mariota plays the Titans should win easily, but even if he doesn’t I think they’ll grind out a low scoring, tedious victory and cover the points. Zach concurs.
My Pick: Tennessee
Z’s Pick: Tennessee
Time flies when you’re having fun, and we’ve already reached the quarter pole in the NFL and are almost to the halfway point in the NCAA. At this point some trends are emerging and we should have enough information to make smarter picks…but no promises. Last week was good for both of us, as I went 4-1 and Zach was 3-2. We both still have our head above water, which is nice. Oh, and the Patriots lost again, and it’s always a glorious weekend when the Patriots lose. I’ve decided not to let certain off the field issues affect my enjoyment of football, so I feel better about things than I had the past couple of weeks.
I think we may have unconsciously started a new tradition. Since my job is a) not usually full of excitement, & b) allows me 
access to a television, I have begun to look at west coast games that kick off around 10:30pm EST on Friday & Saturday night and think seriously about including them here if the matchup is intriguing. This is a Friday night kickoff on ESPN that features two teams that are oftentimes ranked in my pre-season poll. The shine has worn off Boise St. just a bit from when they were a shiny new curiosity several years ago that kept winning big bowl games and compiling 11 & 12 win seasons, but they’re still a pretty solid program. BYU is more inconsistent. Sometimes they have a really nice season, other years they aren’t good at all. It might help if they were to join a conference…like maybe the Big 12 (which has 10 teams). Thus far in 2017 the Broncos are 2-2, with a heartbreaking three OT loss to Washington St. in the mix, while the Cougars are 1-4 against a rather tough schedule. BYU has the home field, which piques my interest. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that a field goal will decide this game one way or another. Zach believes Boise is plainly the better team and will win easily.
about them a little bit this season. The Commodores are 3-2, but upset Kansas St. and played respectably in a loss to Florida. Is it too soon to be thinking of possible bowl destinations?? Probably. The Bulldogs are 5-0 and could find themselves in the playoff discussion when the first rankings come out soon. I think this will be a competitive game for awhile, and the points do give me pause, but I believe Georgia will cover. Zach is on board the Bulldog playoff train and thinks they’ll win big.
This game was originally scheduled for a few weeks ago but had to be postponed when Hurricane Irma hit the Sunshine State. 
The Seminoles are 1-2 and trying to right the ship after losing their starting QB to injury in the season opener. The Hurricanes are rolling at 3-0, though they haven’t been tested yet. For Florida St. this is a must-win for obvious reasons. For Miami a victory would prove they are the real deal. I’m really not sure what to think to be honest, but The Vibes are telling me Florida St. isn’t as bad as they’ve looked so far. Conversely, Zach is all in on the Seminoles truly being horrible and thinks they’ll lose this game by four TDs.
the Bills being in 1st Place in the AFC East four games into the season I’m guessing their bank account would be quite impressive right now. Obviously most people don’t expect it to last, but just how long can they keep it going?? Meanwhile, the Bengals are 1-3, though they did take Green Bay to overtime before losing a couple of weeks ago. I’m a little surprised that Cincinnati is favored. Sure they have the home field, but Buffalo has clearly been the better team. The Bills have to keep winning to keep up with the Patriots, who will surely get back on track soon enough. Zach likes Buffalo’s defense and believes the firing of former coach Rex Ryan was addition by subtraction.
Team my foot lol!! Anyway, the Cowboys are 2-2 while the Packers are 3-1. Dallas gets the home field bump, but clearly the oddsmakers aren’t totally convinced. Neither am I, and Zach concurs.
The Trojans were 
the one”. So I’ll admit I was sweating out that overtime thriller versus Texas. Fortunately Southern Cal pulled off a victory, so I still have an opportunity to look like a genius. The Cougars are also 4-0, and it took them three OTs to get past Boise St. a few weeks ago, so like their opponents they’re no stranger to exciting finishes. This is a Friday night contest, which mean I’ll be at work when it kicks off at 10:30pm and if it’s an average-slow night I will be able to catch most of the action on TV so I’m pretty psyched about that. I just think USC is the better team here. It might be competitive & watchable, but we’ll see the cream rise in the 4th quarter. Zach, on the other hand, foresees some key mistakes by USC leading to their demise in a mildly surprising upset.
Vegas). Meanwhile, the 2-1 Wildcats could only score seven points last week in a loss to Vanderbilt. I am intrigued by the points. K-St. has the home field and is clearly the better team, plus there might be a train of thought that Baylor…ummmm…shot their wad…against the Sooners. The Vibes are telling me that this’ll be right on the line, but I’m going to take a chance that Baylor only loses by 14 or 15 points. Zach concurs.
I seriously thought that Clemson would fall outside the Top 10 this season. That still may happen, but thus far they’ve looked 
every bit the championship team in winning their first four games. Tech ain’t bad either, though outside of the season opener against my WV Mountaineers they haven’t played anyone notable. This game is in Blacksburg but I don’t think it makes that much of a difference. I’m sure it’ll be a fun contest, but the touchdown point spread isn’t going to scare anybody into taking the Hokies. Conversely, Zach thinks the always formidable Hokie defense will give Clemson fits and that their young quarterback will rise to the occasion.
The Titans currently sit atop the AFC South while the Texans occupy the cellar, but we’re only three games into the season so it’s way 
too early to really know much. I have been impressed with Houston rookie QB Deshaun Watson and am considering starting him in my dynasty league. I can’t really get a good read on either of these teams so this game could go either way. Tennessee is probably the more complete team right now, but I’m going to put my faith in Watson putting up some big numbers and pulling off the upset. Zach thinks Tennessee is simply better and will prove it.
they shouldn’t be favored even with the home field, but that’s an indicator that no one is that impressed with the 2-1 Eagles. I’m really not sure where to go with this one, but I happen to like Philly’s young QB Carson Wentz, who I believe will grow into one of the league’s better signal callers as the team is built around him. They’re probably not going to be a playoff contender for another year or two, but I think the Eagles win this game. Zach agrees.
I know what you’re thinking…”He’s running late again”. But you’re wrong, because we were smart enough not to include Thursday games this week so I’ve got plenty of time to wow y’all with my brilliance. Or maybe it’d be more accurate to say that there weren’t any early games worthy of our attention. Actually both the college & NFL schedule is surprisingly unappealing this week, and I do my best not to bore The Manoverse with games involving the same teams over & over. At any rate, both Zach & I were both slightly above average in our last outing. I was 4-3, while Zach went 4-2. Looking back at my 
backed into a corner brings out the best in people, and as long as A&M keeps winning Sumlin will stay employed. That’s going to be easier said than done though. The Razorbacks are 1-1 but the victory was against a 1-AA school and the loss was a three TD beatdown by TCU. In other words, Arkansas hasn’t indicated that it has any discernible talent to win an actual game thus far. This is a neutral site contest being played at The Palace in Dallas (the go to place for neutral site games it seems), and The Vibes and telling me that Sumlin will survive to fight another day. Zach concurs.
The Cowboys were #3 in my pre-season poll and have gotten off to a fast 3-0 start while barely breaking a sweat. I’m confident that Ok. St. will win the game, although I must admit that the points scare me just a bit. This is one of those “no guts no glory” moments, and I’m going to go for the gusto. Zach has no issues with the spread and is predicting a blowout win for the favorites.
it. The 2-1 Bruins have had quite the eventful season thus far, beating Texas A&M on a last second touchdown pass and suffering a shocking loss to Memphis after being unable to score in the last 10 minutes of the game. Stanford is an unimpressive 1-2, though I am guessing they’re better than the record shows. I’m a little surprised about the points, as home field is usually worth about a field goal, not slightly more than a touchdown. Both of these teams were in the lower echelon of my pre-season poll, but in this particular game I have more faith in QB Josh Rosen, who I still believe will be in the Heisman conversation at the end of the year. Zach thinks it’ll be close but likes UCLA to pull ahead in the 4th quarter.
Hey, I can’t just focus on the good NFL teams!! I feel sorry for the Colts because injuries are something that no one can predict 
or control, and being without QB Andrew Luck leaves Indy dead in the water, as their 0-2 record clearly indicates. The Factory of Sadness known as the Browns are 0-2 as well, but they are actually favored on the road in this game, which makes me wonder exactly what the oddsmakers know. I have no idea what to think to be honest, but as a Steelers fan I cannot bring myself to cheer for Cleveland. Zach, on the other hand, is surprisingly enthusiastic about this game and thinks Cleveland is headed in the right direction.
record. The defense might not be quite as intimidating as they’ve been in recent years, but they’re still getting the job done. Conversely, the Bills are 1-1 and battling injuries. I’ve never been convinced that Tyrod Taylor is a good NFL quarterback, and I think Denver will have him for lunch. Zach humbly admits that the Broncos have proven him wrong and he now believes they might be a serious Super Bowl contender.
Hey, it only took me ‘til Week 3 to be running woefully late and forced to do a quick & dirty version of these picks lacking my usual charm & wit. We’ve got to stop choosing Thursday games. Anyway, last week was a decidedly mixed bag. On one hand the Patriots lost, the Steelers won, Zach was thrilled that Ohio St. got beat, & my fantasy dynasty team kicked ass. Conversely, we didn’t do so good with these picks. Penn St. won big…but not big enough. Oregon & Clemson both look to be the real deal. And I have no idea what has happened to the Seattle Seahawks. I was an abysmal 3-4, while Zach fared a little better at 4-3. I’m feeling frisky so we’re doing bonus picks again this week. Buckle up kids!!
The Irish are 1-1 after a competitive loss to Georgia last weekend, while the Eagles are also 1-1 coming off of a beatdown by 
Wake Forest. I have no doubt Notre Dame will win the game, but I think it’ll be closer that two TDS. Conversely, Zach believes Notre Dame will win easily.
Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy last year and is undoubtedly a dynamic player, but football is a team game and I don’t think Louisville measures up in other key areas. Clemson won the national championship last season and, despite the loss of QB Deshaun Watson & other important contributors to the NFL, look like they might be even better now. They’re defense is fierce. I’m shocked that the spread is only three points even though the game is being played in Louisville. I’m predicting that Clemson will easily win by double digits. Zach concurs.
Michigan. The Gators get the home field bump from the folks in Vegas, but The Vibes are telling me that Tennessee might just go into The Swamp and pull off an upset. Zach was so excited about…something, I don’t know…that he forgot to pick this game.
allegedly recruit well (and may have been run out of town a bit prematurely), but new coach Tom Herman has brought a renewed level of enthusiasm. Unfortunately this new era got off to a rocky start with a loss to Maryland, and beating up on San Jose St. last week doesn’t prove anything. Conversely, the Trojans were my pre-season #1 team and are 2-0 out of the gate. The points are a little much for my tastes, but I’m going to roll the dice and live on the wild side. Zach foresees a USC blowout.
Bengals were shutout by the Baltimore Ravens to begin their season, so both teams in this matchup are looking for a reboot. I really like Watson, and I think Houston’s defense is better than they appeared to be last week. Cincinnati has Andy Dalton behind center, and that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Zach agrees.
be our first look at them. The Bucs are probably the better team right now, so I’m just gonna go with the flow. Zach concurs.
It looks like RB Zeke Elliott might get to play the entire season afterall, so the Cowboys are in much better shape than I 
anticipated at this point. They had no problems beating the NY Giants last week. Denver lived on the edge in a season opening victory over the LA Chargers, surviving a last second failed field goal that would have tied the game. Every indicator points to a comfortable Dallas win, but…but…I don’t know…I’m not buying it. The Vibes are telling me that the Broncos have a real chance to win. Zach doesn’t trust Denver’s quarterback situation and is making the smart pick.
We’re baaaaaaccccckkkk. I sincerely hope The Manoverse considers that a good thing, although I know there are those that don’t particularly enjoy sports related topics. Be patient. Y’all know that The Manofesto is a cornucopia where we discuss all kinds of stuff, and I will do my best to not focus solely on football for the next five months. This will be my 6th season making these picks, while my nephew Zach joins me for the fifth time. I finished 2016 with a record of 54-49 (a 52% winning percentage), while Zach struggled a bit and finished at 38-65 (37%). As always Week 1 is all about college football since the NFL hasn’t began its season just yet. Fortunately, because of the College Football Playoff, teams are bulking up their schedules with better early season non-conference games, and we fans are the beneficiaries. There are a couple of monster matchups on the opening weekend, so it wasn’t difficult to choose which games to pick. Let me remind you that Zach & I do not have any money riding on these games and I do not encourage gambling, but if that is an activity that frosts your cupcake and you have the disposable income while still paying your bills & feeding your family then go right ahead and do what you enjoy. Just don’t put too much stock in what you read here…we’re not very good at this.
neutral anymore. I don’t think it makes much of a difference though. The Cougars are coming off of a solid 8-4 season and have already played a game last weekend, beating 1-AA Portland St. in unimpressive fashion. Equaling 2016’s record might be the best BYU can aspire to. The Bayou Bengals also finished last year at 8-4 in a season in which they fired their longtime head coach. RB Leonard Fournette has moved on to the NFL, which isn’t necessarily disastrous for LSU because honestly, he rarely lived up to the hype in my opinion. They probably aren’t winning their conference or even their division, but the boys from Baton Rouge shouldn’t have any problems winning this game. Zach thinks it’ll be a blowout.
I’d have to do research to know for sure (and that ain’t happening), but it seems like a rare occurrence that the Pac 12 and ACC 
meet up during the regular season. The Golden Bears were an atrocious 5-7 last year, while the Tar Heels were 8-5. QB Mitch Trubisky & WR Ryan Switzer have both left Chapel Hill behind for the NFL, and that concerns me a little, especially for the first game of the season. I’m not bold enough to predict an outright upset, but the points feel like a bit much to me. Zach doesn’t foresee a blowout, but believes Carolina will win by a comfortable enough margin.
round NFL Draft pick next spring. The Aggies started off strong last season but struggled in the second half, limping to an 8-5 finish. They are without the services of defensive end Myles Garrett, who was chosen #1 overall by the Cleveland Browns. UCLA gets just a slight home field bump from the oddsmakers, but I don’t believe it’ll be that close. Zach likes A&M well enough but can’t overlook the home field advantage.
Michigan might be getting more love and national title hype if a) they didn’t have to replace ¾ of last season’s starters, and b) 
they didn’t play in the same conference as Ohio St. & Penn St. I expect a slight dropoff for the Wolverines from last year’s 10-3 record, though I still consider them a Top 25 team. Florida plays in the SEC, which might not be as good as in year’s past, but it’s still a pretty tough road. The Gators were 9-4 in 2016 and would probably be more than satisfied to equal that mark this season. This is a neutral site game being played at The Palace in Dallas, which atleast will make it fun to watch on TV. I think the oddsmakers have nailed this one. It’ll be competitive, but Michigan will win by a touchdown. Zach is a huge Michigan fan, but is shocking the world by predicting an upset.
2010 and lost last season’s title game to Clemson on a touchdown pass in the final seconds. The Seminoles haven’t won a national title since 2013 but are always in the conversation. The winner of this game will emerge as the undisputed #1 team in the land, although the loser will still have a decent chance to make the playoff. It’s another neutral site game, this time emanating from the brand spankin’ new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This is a battle of wits between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher. I am expecting a low scoring, smashmouth defensive struggle, with a couple of big plays making the difference. I’m not brave enough to predict the outright upset, but I do think the game will be decided by less than a touchdown. Zach loves Saban and thinks the Tide will roll by two TDs.
With the exception of the Thanksgiving-Christmas corridor this might be my favorite time of year. Anticipation is at its zenith and the possibilities are endless. Just looking at the schedules has me amped up, especially for two or three weekends when the lineup looks to be especially loaded. Whenever I begin this process I almost always get The Vibes, and the word that keeps popping into my head at the moment is parity. It is unlikely that any team gets thru their season unbeaten, and it’s entirely possible that a team with 2 or 3 losses sneaks into the playoff. Saturdays are going to be as glorious as usual this autumn, if only I can stay awake to watch the games. 16 of the 25 teams I have ranked here had 10 or more victories last season, and a few more won 9 games. Who will shockingly fall off the map?? Who will do a complete turnaround and climb out of the abyss of losing seasons into the Top 25?? Only time will tell, and what follows represents my best guess based solely on minimal research & decades as a dedicated fan, not any sort of insider knowledge. Perhaps we’ll look back in a few months and laugh at my foolishness, or maybe…just maybe…I will prove my worth as a bona fide guru. Who knows??
second field goal, and in many people’s minds it was a harbinger of fantastic things to come for both teams. The Sandusky/Paterno kerfuffle seems to be in the rear view mirror for Penn St., and while we could engage in endless sociopolitical commentary about all of that there is no doubt that moving past the fallout is good for the football program. There are two Heisman contenders in Happy Valley…QB Trace McSorely & RB Saquon Barkley…and, while I’m no expert, I have to believe that bodes well for the team’s chances of success. They’ll have to face the Buckeyes in Columbus, but Michigan will be a home game. If the Lions can split those two huge games I think they just might be national title contenders.
college football’s first weekend. A win would set the Seminoles on a course for a playoff appearance, but I don’t think a loss would be fatal. They’re still the favorites to win the ACC.
nothing to an elite program. The second weekend of games will be highlighted by Ohio St. against Oklahoma, but it’s in Columbus and, while the talking heads will do their best to pump up the hype machine, I really don’t think it’ll be much of a contest. Penn St. will visit Columbus right before Halloween & a showdown in The Big House wraps up the regular season, and it is in one of these games that I expect Ohio St.’s playoff dreams to be dashed.
Athletic Conference doesn’t get much respect, but someone’s going to win it and the Bulls seem to be receiving all the buzz despite a coaching change that would normally be cause for apprehension. They’ll need to go undefeated to rank this high, and I don’t believe that to be an unreasonable expectation.
extremely competitive, but if the Bulldogs can win a couple of the noted key games a Top 10 finish isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Running back Nick Chubb passed up being a likely first round NFL Draft pick to return for his senior season, a huge positive. A Georgia-Alabama conference title game could be really fun.
team?? I’ve left Nebraska, Northwestern, & Iowa out of this Top 25 altogether, but they’re always dangerous opponents. I’m betting that the Badgers get by all of them, meaning that a mid-November clash with Michigan…in Wisconsin…might decide a spot in the conference title game.
are 23-16 over the past three seasons. Not bad, but not remarkable either. Exceeding mediocrity will be a tall order this season. They’ll need to pull off upsets in a couple of the games I have noted, but doing so would surely make them a solid Top 10 team.
The Sooners will have superior talent on the field as they always do, and all indications are that new coach Lincoln Riley is a bright young mind who probably would’ve been a head coach somewhere sooner rather than later anyway, but I just don’t foresee a team undergoing such a coaching change contending for a national championship, especially with a daunting early season battle on the road in Columbus, OH. There’s also the fact that the Big 12 is expected to be as competitive this season as it’s been in awhile. Oklahoma will be a good team, but I think they’ll be on the losing end of one or two games that most wouldn’t expect them to lose.
Barring any surprising losses it feels like Washington should be the favorite in their division to get a shot at the Pac 12 title, but I think that’s the ceiling. Any unexpected stumbles along the way could cause a rapid tumble down the rankings.
sneak up on anyone this year. Even going back to last season it seems like opponents began to figure him out since the Cardinals lost three straight to end the year, including a beatdown in the Citrus Bowl at the hands of LSU. Having said all of that, I think a 9 win season is possible. Keep an eye on the games against Clemson & Florida State. I expect both to be losses, but if they’re competitive contests it’ll go a long way toward earning Louisville respect.
within three years”. However, faced with the task of replacing about 75% of the starting rotations on both sides of the ball I think it might be wise to dial back expectations just a bit. They have Ohio St. at The Big House in Ann Arbor, but must travel to Happy Valley to face Penn St. Another 10 win season would be phenomenal in a stacked Big Ten…anything more than that is probably wishful thinking.
sit out last season, is imminent, and he’ll have no shortage of weapons, including RBs Kennedy McCoy & Justin Crawford and WRs Juvon Durante & KaRaun White. The X factor is the defense, which must replace the entire front line and cornerback Rasul Douglas, who has moved on to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. The optimism probably doesn’t spread too far outside the Mountain State, but that’s alright…we’re used to everyone underestimating us in all walks of life. West Virginia MUST beat archrival Virginia Tech in the season opener, and then pull off atleast one upset in big games against celebrated conference rivals.
a 65-10 snoozefest that accomplished nothing except filling the coffers of the overmatched losing team. However, with the advent of the four team playoff strength of schedule has become a point of emphasis. One wouldn’t think that teams from the heralded SEC would need to concern themselves with such matters, but it looks like they’re not taking any chances. The Gators begin their season at The Palace in Dallas against Michigan. The winner will probably be vaulted into the Top 10, the loser will have to battle back. Either way Florida will have a tough road after that first game, and they’ll need to upset a couple of conference opponents to finish as a ranked team.
it say about his ability?? And IF the Longhorns bounce back from a long stretch of mediocrity as well, does credit have to be given to new head coach Tom Herman, or will it be because Strong recruited well and the suits in Austin pulled the plug on him too soon?? It’s a conversation I’ll be looking forward to throughout the season. I don’t think Texas is going to suddenly be a threat to win 10 games or compete for the Big 12 title, but if they can pull off an upset or two, play Southern Cal tough in the opener, and ultimately win 8 games I think this spot would be well earned.
America. Stanford always seems to be in the mix near the top, and I have no reason to foresee anything different this season. They’ll need to score a couple of big upsets, and the fact that 3 of the 4 key games I have noted are being played in Palo Alto should certainly help the cause. Look for an 8 or 9 win season and a ranking somewhere in the lower portion of the Top 25.
average NFL career. There…I said it!! At any rate, I don’t believe Fournette’s departure will have that much of an impact on the Bayou Bengals. Actually it may help not having him as a distraction. What doesn’t help is a schedule that includes trips to The Swamp and Tuscaloosa. 9 wins and a 3rd place finish in their division looks like the ceiling, and that’d be good enough to finish as a ranked team. Head coach Ed Orgeron is firmly entrenched as the head coach for now, but I have to believe that he’s on a short leash. He’ll get two seasons to prove his worth, and probably needs to win 8 or 9 games each year.
rankings seems like a solid possibility. Conversely, another bad year might mean the end of the road for head coach Brian Kelly.
The Manofesto 