My buddy Coleman and I were on a backpacking trip this past weekend, so between hikes it was imperative that precious phone battery was spent on checking the scores of this past Saturday’s games.
Oh boy, did we pick the wrong weekend for that.
Between a massive upset, a game-winning field goal and some impressive beatdowns, it was a wild week in college football.
As I look forward to yet another weekend where the games will capture my full attention, it should be noted that neither Coleman or I really earned true bragging rights on Sunday. Boise State nearly pulled off the upset of the season over Oregon, ensuring that Coleman held serve in the ATS category, but the Ducks squeaking out a win meant that I picked up another game on the guests straight up.
The current records after Week 2:
K. Becks – 7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS
Guests – 5-5 SU, 6-4 ATS
This week, my buddy Colin joins the blog to get things right for the guests. Since sports gambling became legalized in our state of residence, I have been generally impressed with Colin’s ability to sense a betting opportunity, so it should be interesting to see how this week plays out. It’s a light week in terms of heavyweight matchups, but that doesn’t make the predictions any easier.
Before we take a look at Week 3, let’s rewind briefly to the week that was.
3 Things We Learned in Week 2
New year, same Iowa
Coleman called it, folks. Sitting at our campfire on Friday evening, he reminded me that Iowa’s 40-point outburst in Week 1 was initiated by a six-point first half, indicating that the Hawkeyes had not, in fact, found the magic sauce offensively. As someone living in Big Ten country who has seen this movie more than a dozen times, I should have known better than to trust Kirk Ferentz to keep the foot on the pedal when getting out two a two-score lead.
Cade McNamara was particularly uninspiring in the loss, which admittedly could have very easily been a ‘W’, but it looks like 2024 will grace us all with yet another rendition of Iowa’s best attempt to win 10 games with defensive prowess. Fantastic.
Everybody gets one, Notre Dame
Tell ‘em, Spiderman. While the Fighting Irish will still probably make the Playoff if they run the table for the rest of the season, suddenly doing that looks far more in doubt. It isn’t just that a home loss to a MAC program will be a black eye for the remainder of the season however you spin it; it’s the fact that Notre Dame was so uninspiring in its loss to Northern Illinois last Saturday, particularly on the offensive end. Riley Leonard has yet to throw a passing touchdown this season, and patience will start to wear thin if he doesn’t perform well against Purdue this coming weekend.
There is time to right the ship, but something must change if Southern Cal is really going to be the only real test standing between the Fighting Irish and a trip to the 12-team party.
Texas is BACK
This can be said with certainty now, as you don’t go into the Big House and whoop the home team (which also happens to be the defending national champs) unless you are legit. Anyone peddling the ice cold take prior to Week 2 that Coach Sark potentially had a quarterback controversy on his hands needs to take a week or two or maybe the entire season off from making bold claims. The Longhorns are fine, at quarterback and just about everywhere else on the field.
Texas deserved to jump to No. 2 despite a shutout victory by Ohio State on Saturday night, and the Longhorns are clearly ready to battle with the best in the SEC this season.
5 Games You Need to Watch This Weekend
#20 Arizona at #14 Kansas State (Friday, 8 PM ET – FOX)
We’re about to find out if I was too harsh on Arizona by predicting a .500 season. The visiting Wildcats have put up some gaudy numbers through two games, albeit against less than stellar competition, but still convinced the AP to include them in the rankings this week. The hosting Wildcats, on the other hand, are not being given enough credit for gutting out a tough road victory against Tulane. The Green Wave aren’t the team we’ve come to know the past two seasons, but last week’s performance has confirmed that Kansas State can move the football with Avery Johnson.
The biggest concern for Arizona in this game will be turning the ball over against an opportunistic Kansas State defense. Noah Fifita has had a couple of turnovers already this season, and while that’s to be expected to some extent in that offense, Kansas State will be better at limiting the number of offensive possessions that Arizona gets than previous competition. The visiting Wildcats will need to capitalize through the air, an area where Kansas State struggled defensively against Tulane and where Arizona features the most dynamic player on either side (Tetairoa McMillan). Though Friday night games can be tricky, I think that the home team gets the job done, if only barely.
My Pick: 37-34 Kansas State (does not cover -7.5 spread)
Colin’s Take: Ah! We got ourselves a little High School Musical Bowl this weekend. The battle of the Wildcats! Get your head in the game! Soarin! Flyin! Ashley Tisdale was (and is still) an absolute babe. Anyways, in all honesty, Wildcats is the most boring team name in all of athletics. I still don’t even really know what it means. I had to google it and still am not really sure. What I did find was that an ocelot is considered a wild cat and that would be an infinitely better name. The Kansas State Ocelots? Hell yeah. I don’t really know much about these teams. I know they are fairly solid programs that occasionally flirt with being ranked and are usually mostly solid. I do know that Darren Sproles went to Kansas State and Scooby Wright went to Arizona. So to make this pick, I’m going to envision Darren Sproles and Scooby Wright in the open field and whoever makes the play, that will be my pick. *pause to envision the scenario going on the mind* Touchdown Sproles; the guy is just too slippery. Zoinks, Scoob. Kansas State 30, Arizona 17.
#4 Alabama at Wisconsin (Saturday, 12 PM ET – FOX)
Despite leaving Washington a year before it bolted the Pac-12, Kalen DeBoer will get a taste of Big Ten football after all. The former Huskies head coach has started well at Alabama, overseeing a squad that thus far is averaging nearly 500 yards per game of offense. Jalen Milroe, while not needing to do too much through the air yet, has been very efficient in the passing game. A fair assumption is that the Crimson Tide’s first game away from Tuscaloosa and the first this season against a Power conference foe will necessitate the leaders to step up.
While Wisconsin has stayed true to Phil Longo’s claim that the Badgers won’t abandon the run despite his history with the Air Raid, its balanced offense has simply lacked punch in 2024. The Badgers were always likely to handle the run game by committee this season, but it’s the passing game that has really been the disappointment. Tyler Van Dyke was dangerous at Miami when healthy but has yet to show his best stuff in Madison. He will need to be accurate against the Crimson Tide to move the chains and will need to connect on more than just the short and intermediate routes to really test the defense. I may have a been a bit early on the Luke Fickell train, because it does not seem like Wisconsin is ready to go bottle for bottle with competition like Alabama just yet. I don’t see this one ending well for the Badgers.
My Pick: 34-17 Alabama (covers -16.5 spread)
Colin’s Take: The weather forecast is supposed to be in the high 70s in Madison, Wisconsin at noon on Saturday, 9/14. I bring this up because I lust for SEC teams coming North to play in Big Ten country. The only problem is, IF they do indeed come up, it’s early in the season when it’s still warm and you can still get bug bites. Probably the most exciting aspect of the 12-team College Football Playoff is the chance to see these SEC snowbirds have to play in northern college football stadiums in late December. Give me Alabama up at Camp Randall on a frigid late December evening. I’ll take the LSU Tigers in Pullman, Washington and its 2,343 feet of elevation trying to stop a Washington State offense. Imagine Georgia in the Big Hou…hahaha Michigan isn’t making the playoffs. But anyways, about this game. I expect Alabama center Parker Brailsford (rated 92 overall in College Football ‘25) and free safety Malachi Moore (rated 92 in College Football ‘25) to have big games. Wisconsin has a strong secondary, but these are two classic run the damn ball schools. Alabama had a scare last weekend, which may cause some fans to be “fickle.” But with the weather on their side, the Tide will roll like a wheel of Wisconsin cheddar pushed down the side of Tim’s Hill. Alabama 34, Wisconsin 24
Memphis at Florida State (Saturday, 12 PM ET – ESPN)
This was supposed to be a matchup featuring a bona fide Playoff contender against a scrappy G5 looking at an opportunity to prove it belonged in that category as well. At the moment only the scrappy G5 is keeping up its end of the bargain. A road victory in Tallahassee would still be something to be proud of for Memphis, but it doesn’t appear it will hold the same weight this season. The Seminoles’ campaign is already on life support, as Florida State will be looking for its first victory of 2024 against the program Mike Norvell used to coach.
Luckily for Florida State, Seth Henigan is the least likely of the first three quarterbacks its defense will face to take off from the pocket. The downside is that he’s also the best pure passer of the three, as well as the most experienced. However, the one area the Seminoles haven’t been totally disappointing this season is in the defensive secondary. It would be a stretch to argue that Norvell knows Henigan too well (the coach left Memphis more than a year before the quarterback arrived on campus), but something tells me that Florida State will be able to prevent him from going off in their house. I’m predicting an ugly first victory for the Seminoles, preventing the season from being totally lost…for now.
My Pick: 24-17 Florida State (covers -6.5 spread)
Colin’s Take: First and foremost, Memphis is ranked. It is ranked No. 25 in the Coaches poll. That’s the poll I trust. Not these phony, clueless AP writers who hide behind their keyboards and own vacation homes inside of high school lockers. The coaches are the ones who know the game and these teams the best, so I’m going to take their word for it. Memphis is ranked. Easily the game of the week had Florida State not taken a dump during the first two weeks. Speaking of dumps, any update on the guy that has to eat dog poop? I still don’t think he’s done it. That guy is so full of shit…just not literally yet. Just over the lips, through the gums, look out tummy, here it comes – eat that shit and be done with it. Anyways…Memphis has a potent offense. A clear frontrunner to be the highest ranked Group of 5 conference champion and make the College Football Playoff, the Tigers are led by Seth Henigan, the only four-year starting quarterback in college football. South Carolina transfer running back Mario Anderson Jr, found his footing last week and ran with power. The Tigers boast an impressive receiving core led by Roc Taylor, Demeer Blankumsee, and Koby Drake. True freshman Brady Kluse has been a wrecking ball on special teams and looks to contribute in a big way on both kick and punt return on Saturday. Look for him to have a huge game. I tried finding if Florida State football has ever started the season 0-3. But after a couple minutes, I threw in the towel, kind of like Florida State in its first two games. Tigers big. Memphis 35, Florida State 24.
#24 Boston College at #6 Missouri (Saturday, 12:45 PM ET – SEC Network)
The most surprising of games to feature ranked versus ranked this weekend should introduce a lot of fans to two of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country. Boston College’s Thomas Castellanos quietly asserted himself as the most dangerous dual threat not named Jayden Daniels last season, and was instrumental in the Eagles’ upset of Florida State two weeks ago (three total touchdowns). Missouri’s Brady Cook came up in conversation more in 2023 thanks to an 11-win campaign for the Tigers, but is still undervalued as far as SEC signal-callers go, despite having one of the best arms in the conference. Getting to watch both guys in the same game will truly be a treat.
I’ve been high on the Eagles since preseason and it is nice to see them get some attention this early into the year. Castellanos has seemingly taken the next step in his development and I think Bill O’Brien taking over head coaching duties has something to do with that. However, Missouri isn’t in the Top 10 by accident. The Tigers are a real threat to contend for an SEC title and have yet to surrender a single point through their first two games. While I do expect Castellanos & Co. to end the scoreless streak, I don’t expect Missouri to allow Boston College a second road upset.
My Pick: 30-16 Missouri (does not cover -16 spread)
Colin’s Take: I visited Boston College this past summer and was impressed with the campus. We were fortunate enough to be able to sneak into the Conte Forum, where they play basketball and hockey. Once in there, we were able to sneak into their football stadium. Now their football stadium is called Alumni Stadium. Such a lazy name for a college football stadium. Literally the same name as my high school’s stadium. They have so many better options. Flutie Field. Matty Ice Bowl. Hasselbeck Haven. BJ Raji Stadium presented by Dunkin’ Donuts. The options are endless. I am surprised Missouri is all the way up to No. 6. That’s what beating the Ohio State Buckeyes in a bowl game will do for a program. Mizzou is instructing their fans to wear gold for the game, so it’ll be more like MissAU on Saturday, am I right? That joke sucked. Close game. Missouri 34, Boston College 31.
#9 Oregon at Oregon State (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – FOX)
Thanks to conference realignment, the rivalry game formerly known as the Civil War has a future that remains in doubt, as the programs have not committed to playing this game annually as a non-conference game beyond 2025. That would be a shame, as this game has produced some memorable results despite being lopsided overall in favor of Oregon, most recently the furious fourth quarter comeback by the Beavers in 2022. While Oregon was touted as one of the most complete teams in the country heading into this season, the boat already needs some patching. The Ducks’ first road test is far from a gimme.
The Beavs are similar to Boise State offensively, favoring a heavy dose of the run game. Oregon was not nearly as stellar as I thought they would be slowing down Ashton Jeanty, and while he’s special, the performance last week was a formula that others can follow. Unlike the Broncos, Oregon State plays defense, too. It’s tough to predict exactly how this game will go, because the Ducks have been inconsistent through the first two games of the season, but something tells me that the game being in Corvallis will ensure that Oregon State is still very much in it well into the second half, easily covering the large spread.
My Pick: 33-28 Oregon (does not cover -17 spread)
Colin’s Take: This game is one of the best named rivalries in all of college football. To hell with the fact that they’re trying to take this away. This game should always be known as the Civil War. One of my favorite Civil War stories comes from a movie I saw growing up. It told the unknown story of what happened the night that President Lincoln was shot. It described how known KGC members, John Wilkes Booth and Michael O’Laughlen, met with a man named Thomas Gates to help them decipher a message in John Wilkes Booth’s diary. As Wilkes Booth went to Ford Theater to assassinate Lincoln, Thomas Gates realized who they were and what they were up to and bravely sacrificed himself by ripping the diary page and throwing it into the fire. This prevented Wilkes Booth, O’Laughlen, and the Confederacy from deciphering the page which would have helped lead them to Cibola, the Native American city of gold, and eventually would have led them to possibly more warfare. So Thomas Gates is a hero and John Wilkes Booth and Michael O’Laughlen are complete losers. So which team will come out of the Civil War as Thomas Gates? And which team will come out as those losers John Wilkes Booth and Michael O’Laughlen? Oregon is coming off of a very solid win against a pesky Boise State team, which was much needed after the struggles with Idaho. Oregon State doesn’t have DJ Uiagalelei playing quarterback for them anymore, so that’s a win. I expect Oregon and Dillion Gabriel to continue to get better as we get to the big matchup with Ohio State in about a month. Give me Oregon playing the role of hero Thomas Gates. Oregon 45, Oregon State 30.
5 Games to Keep an Eye On This Weekend
#16 LSU at South Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM ET – ABC)
The Tigers cannot afford any losses to teams like the Gamecocks if they want to stay in the Playoff hunt. While unbeaten through two, South Carolina has left something to be desired on the offensive end but faces an LSU team that Southern Cal proved still has room to grow in the defensive secondary.
Colin’s Take: Brian Kelly will be angry about something in the post-game press conference.
Cincinnati at Miami (OH) (Saturday, 12 PM ET – ESPNU)
A regional gem, the winner of this game not only secures actual hardware but can claim itself as king of Ohio for the week, with the Buckeyes on a bye.
Colin’s Take: Miami (OH) will get embarrassed on the field and the backup quarterback will rip his khakis and spill Starbucks all over his polo shirt when he’s at the library on Tuesday night.
#18 Notre Dame at Purdue (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – CBS)
The Fighting Irish have been a yo-yo in the polls through two weeks, but a loss in West Lafayette would ensure Notre Dame wouldn’t have to worry about a number next to its name ahead of Week 4. A week ago this game would have been an afterthought, but considering the offensive woes of Marcus Freeman’s team, that is no longer the case.
Colin’s Take: There will be so many nerds at this game, the concession stands will run out of napkins from nose bleeds and boogers picked.
West Virginia at Pittsburgh (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – ESPN2)
The Backyard Brawl is one of the best rivalry games in college football, and had Colin not been making guest picks this week, this one would have been one of the ‘5 to Watch’. Like the battle for Iowa last weekend, you have to assume this one will come down to the final few minutes.
Colin’s Take: There will be so many hillbillies at this game, the concession stands will run out of Mountain Dew and Busch Light. Shoutout Backyard Brawl.
#5 Mississippi at Wake Forest (Saturday, 6:30 PM ET – The CW Network)
The Rebels have entered the Top 5, which means that they’re now on a weekly watch to struggle against a team they have no business being in a dogfight against. Lane Kiffin has an extremely talented team but I can’t assume anything is a given with him. And hey, The CW Network broadcast is a fun changeup, too.
Colin’s Take: The Demon Deacon mascot for WAKE Forest ironically falls asleep on the motorcycle he rides when the team takes the field.
