Conference play takes center stage this week with four of our matchups this week featuring a top 10 team, including the Georgia vs LSU the centerpiece SEC battle. Colorado is also a road underdog as our panel takes a look at the five biggest games this week.
#2 Georgia at #13 LSU (Saturday at 3:30 in Baton Rouge, LA)
Line: Georgia by 7.5
Steen Kirby: Playing in Death Valley is tough, but Georgia is the type of team that can rise to the occasion and come away with a win. Georgia has given up 21+ points only once this season, and LSU’s offense was slowed down by Florida in the loss last week. I’m not sold on LSU being anything more than above average team, and Georgia are playoff contenders. The Dogs will find a way to win. Georgia 31, LSU 17
John Bava: Both these teams are heading into or are already in the midst of the meat of their SEC schedule over the next few weeks. The latter is the case for home-standing LSU who are a week removed from a 27-19 road loss to Florida which knocked them from the ranks of the unbeaten. Georgia has a bye next week but after that is a three-week gauntlet where they play teams who are all ranked in the current AP poll.
attack of Jake Fromm. LSU is better than many thought, but Georgia is on their way to being in an elite group nationally with Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Penn State. Georgia 31, LSU 20
#7 Washington at #17 Oregon (Saturday at 3:30 in Eugene, OR)
Line: Washington by 3
Steen: Washington hasn’t won with glamour but they have survived in the PAC-12 thus far, while Oregon bounced back from a brutal loss to Stanford to win last week. Playing at home I’ll back Oregon and I’m not sure it will be a major upset. Washington’s offense has been on and off this season and Oregon will score enough to win this rivalry game and stay alive in the PAC-12 North race. Oregon 35, Washington 28
John: This is one of the more underrated rivalries in college football. And make no mistake about it. These two schools do not like one another. Add in the fact that this is the sixth time ever both teams have been ranked when they faced off against each other and you can expect some added intensity.
Both sides boast talented quarterbacks in Washington’s Jake Browning and Oregon’s Justin Herbert. The latter is garnering a great deal of buzz regarding his next level potential. And though the Huskies are giving up just 174.7 passing yards per game, they’ve only intercepted opposing quarterbacks twice. Oregon, on the other hand, has eight picks this season which is tied for the conference lead. And Browning has already thrown five in 2018. The Ducks are 4-1 in this rivalry when both teams are ranked and they may have the recipe to pull off an upset this weekend. Oregon 34, Washington 31
Mike: It’s hard to say a 5-1 team has disappointed, but the Huskies have had College Football Playoff hopes the past two seasons and missed out both seasons. They’re playing on a razor’s edge now, with no room for error after an opening loss to reeling Auburn. They are super talented, but haven’t been able to put a complete game together
yet. Oregon is lose, playing at Autzen, and learned a few lessons—both good and bad—in their near-upset of Stanford a few weeks ago. The Huskies disappoint, once again. Oregon 38, Washington 31
Yesh: The Washington defense wasn’t perfect against UCLA, but the Huskies were probably looking ahead to Oregon, at least a little bit. I’m not 100% sold that the Ducks are back, either. Washington 34, Oregon 21
Lukas: This rivalry game has tremendous PAC-12 implications. Despite Oregon boasting one of the best offenses in the country, the Huskies have the 3rd ranked pass defense. Quarterback Jake Browning is having a terrific season and will continue to make big plays in this game. Huskies win a close one. Washington 24, Oregon 20
#10 UCF at Memphis (Saturday at 3:30 in Memphis, TN)
Line: UCF by 4.5
Steen: Undefeated UCF is back in the playoff conversation having blown out all of the teams they have faced thus far. Memphis lost to Navy and Tulane, and they are not an elite side, but they are at home and they are one of the better teams in the conference. UCF will probably go into their final three games of the season undefeated if they win this one (including the AAC title game potentially), and I don’t see Memphis being able to stop McKenzie Milton. UCF 42, Memphis 28
John: Few teams in college football have been as dominant on a week-to-week basis as UCF. Their average margin of victory through five games stands at 31.2 points and only five teams in FBS are averaging more points per game. They currently find themselves ranked 10th in the AP poll and come into this game sporting an 11-0 all-time record against Memphis.
All of it makes this line rather puzzling, even if the game is taking place at the Liberty Bowl. Maybe it’s the fact these teams played a blistering, back-and-forth game last year that ended 62-55 in favor of UCF. Memphis quarterback Brady White is the nation’s seventh-most efficient passer and has only thrown one interception. But his counterpart for the Knights, McKenzie Milton, ranks fifth nationally in total offense per game. Couple that with his team boasting one of the best turnover margins in the nation and you have the formula for continued dominance. UCF 47, Memphis 23
Mike: This will be a popular upset pick this week. UCF is riding a 19 game winning streak. That’s got to come to end sometime, right? It does, but not on Beale Street. Memphis’ offense has put up big numbers again this season but has sputtered to score and their defense won’t be able to contain the Knights. Memphis lost to a mediocre Navy
squad and looked absolutely average against Tulane two weeks ago. Meanwhile, UCF has continued their dominant ways against all comers. UCF 48, Memphis 34
Yesh: This line is just way too low. Memphis has a ton of talent, but hasn’t really been able to put it together in AAC play. UCF, meanwhile, is demolishing everyone. Memphis has looked very good against most of its weak foes, but I honestly don’t see how anyone can expect a team that lost to Tulane to hang within three scores of UCF, let alone one. UCF 45, Memphis 21
Lukas: Will UCF ever lose a game? I don’t think it happens this week against Memphis. The UCF offense is third in the nation in total offense with 574.4 yards per game, which is higher than last year’s average of 530.5. That is scary for Memphis. UCF continues to use their high powered offense to remain undefeated. UCF 42, Memphis 14
#15 Wisconsin at #12 Michigan (Saturday at 7:30 in Ann Arbor, MI)
Line: Michigan by 8.5
Steen: A nighttime BIG 10 battle in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines were written off by many after losing week 1 to Notre Dame, but with the Fighting Irish looking strong, Michigan looks better as a consequence. A tough Wolverine defense will take on a run first Wisconsin team that suffered a blow to their playoff hopes when they lost at home to unranked BYU. Michigan has improved on offense since week 1 and their defense is going to stifle the Badgers. Michigan at home is the safe bet. Michigan 31, Wisconsin 21
John: Michigan has dominated this series historically, one that dates back to 1892. But in recent years, Wisconsin has realized quite a bit of success. Since 2005, the Badgers own a 5-3 record against the Wolverines. Saturday’s meeting at “The Big House” is the third straight where both sides came into this game as ranked teams.
Neither of these two quarterbacks, Wisconsin’s Alex Hornibrook and Michigan’s Shea Patterson, are setting the world on fire with their play. With that in mind, it’s the run game which will play a part in who emerges victorious. Badgers’ ball-carrier Jonathan Taylor currently leads the nation in rushing yards per game. But Karan Higdon isn’t far behind at 13th. The X-factor will be the Wolverines’ stoutness defending the run. That ultimately puts the Maize and Blue ahead. Michigan 24, Wisconsin 17
Mike: Michigan is at home, what could go wrong? Michigan’s loss to Notre Dame doesn’t look so bad in review right now, and Wisconsin’s normally stout defense isn’t quite what it’s been the last few years. Wisconsin’s slip in performance is masked by playing in one of the weakest divisions in college football, but make no mistake about it, this isn’t the Badgers team that is 45-10 in the past four seasons. Michigan 34, Wisconsin 21
Yesh: For a Michigan program that has never blown out good teams under Harbaugh, this line is very high. Then again, we all saw what BYU did to Wisconsin, and BYU isn’t very good. I’m thinking the line is too low. Michigan 31, Wisconsin 17
Lukas: Both of these Big Ten rivals need this win if they hope to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive. Michigan is coming off a rout of Maryland last week and their offense is clicking. They also enter this game with the nation’s top ranked scoring defense, which will be needed to slow down the Badgers offense. I like Michigan to continue their win streak by beating Wisconsin. Michigan 35, Wisconsin 17
#19 Colorado at USC (Saturday at 10:30 in Los Angeles, CA)
Line: USC by 7
Steen: Colorado will carry their undefeated record into the Coliseum for the second game of a tough three game stretch that saw them win narrowly against Arizona State first up, and after this game they will face the PAC-12’s best team, Washington. USC can seize control of the PAC-12 South race despite struggling through the season thus far with two losses and a mostly narrow batch of wins. I’m not confident in USC right now, and Colorado deserves credit for what they have done. If they are going to lose a game during this stretch, I don’t think it will be this one. Colorado 28, USC 21
John: Colorado comes into this game sporting a 5-0 record for the first time in 20 years. They’re ranked 19th in the AP poll. So why is unranked USC favored by a touchdown? The game taking place at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum is just one factor. Head coach Clay Helton sporting an unbeaten record at home is another. But perhaps the most overarching is the fact the Buffaloes sport an 0-12 all-time record against the Trojans.
That dubious mark should provide motivation for a talented team that includes quarterback Steven Montez. His 284 passing yards per game is second in the Pac-12 while his 75.2 percent completion percentage is tied with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa for tops in FBS. USC might need to rely on their run game with an inexperienced JT Daniels behind center for the Trojans. In the end, Colorado takes much better care of the football than USC and on Saturday that plays a role in them finally breaking through in this series. Colorado 30, USC 27
Mike: USC, with two losses, is favored against an undefeated Colorado squad. Granted, USC has lost to Stanford and Texas, but they also should have lost to Washington State and barely squeaked by Arizona. This isn’t a hard luck
Trojans team, it’s simply an average Trojan team. Colorado, meanwhile, is undefeated against teams that have a total of five FBS wins. This Buffalos team can be explosive and has weapons on offense. And let’s face it, Los Angeles isn’t an intimidating road environment. Colorado 28, USC 24
Yesh: Colorado is ranked; USC is not. Colorado is undefeated; USC is not. Colorado has also faced one of the weakest schedules in the country so far, and, well, USC has not. This Buffaloes team was lucky to barely beat Nebraska. USC is way better than that, at the very least. USC 41, Colorado 13
Lukas: This is undefeated Colorado’s first tough test. USC currently is undefeated at home with coach Clay Helton. And the Trojans have never lost to Colorado. Colorado’s top offensive weapon is Laviska Shenault Jr currently ranked 11th in the nation in all-purpose yards. USC has a lot of question marks on offense with freshman quarterback JT Daniels and a defense that lacks a secondary. This game will be close but I like Colorado to pull off the upset. Colorado 28, USC 24
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