The No.7 Auburn Tigers and the No. 10 Florida Gators square off in the Swamp in a gigantic SEC contest Saturday that will have major implications on SEC title hopes and playoff possibilities for both teams. It’s not necessarily an elimination game because both squads will have several more major games ahead of them to keep improving their respective resumes, but there is no doubt that this is a massive contest. Can Bo Nix and Auburn come out on top in Gainesville. We’ll find out Saturday with a 2:30 PM CT kickoff on CBS.
The now No.1 Crimson Tide has a week off to prepare to go to College Station and face No.25 Texas A&M next Saturday at 2:30 PM CT on CBS. The Crimson Tide is playing off the charts great on offense with Tua now completing 113 of 148 passes, 76%, for 1,718 yards with 23 TDs and 0 ints. That’s beyond spectacular. Tua certainly has his name at the top of the list for the Heisman. Jalen Hurts is also playing magnificent football at Oklahoma completing 66 of 85 tosses, 77%, for 1,295 yards, 12 TDs and 1 int. Justin Fields is doing the same at Ohio State completing 81 of 116 passes, 70%, for 1,092 yards 16 TDs and 0 ints. Joe Burrow has been phenomenal at LSU completing 100 of 124 passes, 80.6%, for 1,530 yards, 17 TDs and 0 ints. It’s very relevant that all of these quarterback’s teams are major playoff contenders along with Auburn, Georgia, though they’ve got to do better on offense, Clemson, and I would put Penn State in that conversation. They’ve got quite a ways to go before they’re at Ohio State on Nov. 23rd, but that could very well be a blockbuster with major national implications on the line. Wisconsin may not have good enough quarterback play to be a serious contender though if they keep gettin ‘er done, they’ll play at Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 26th with a make or break contest for their playoff chances. They’ve got a somewhat of a shot. I don’t see them as a playoff team though, but for sure as a New Year’s 6 team.
Back to the Crimson Tide. DeVonta Smith, have yourself a day. 11 receptions for 274 yards and 5 TDs in a 59-31 victory over Ole Miss last Saturday. That’s a good season for some players. This receiving corps are phenoms. It’s just a new guy every week stepping up. It may be Jaylen Waddle’s turn next Saturday at College Station. The defense is a concern as they gave up 109 rushing yards to Ole Miss freshman quarterback John Rhys Plumlee along with 2 TD passes to Plumlee. But Plumlee is a player. The youth is still growing in the front 7. Anfernee Jennings, Terrell Lewis and Raekwon Davis need to step it up and mentor these young guys into more confident, hard nosed players. The secondary is experienced and highly talented with Trevon Diggs and Patrick Surtain III at corners along with Xavier McKinney and Shyheim Carter at safeties. They need to step it up some too. The defense has potential to be pretty good if these older guys can get the younger guys playing like a Crimson Tide defense is accustomed to playing. They’ll be tested again next Saturday in College Station, so it’ll be very interesting to see how they perform. They need to keep developing to become a stellar unit that can help this team win a championship.
Clemson had a major scare last Saturday at Chapel Hill, barely surviving a valiant effort by the North Carolina Tar Heels, 21-20. Mack Brown went for 2 after a TD cut the lead to 21-20 with 40 seconds left in the game. It didn’t work. I’ve thought about that decision a lot last Saturday and through the week. I liked the decision to go for 2 after more thought on it. It does give your team only 1 play to win or lose the game, but Brown’s thinking that Clemson had a major talent advantage and to go for 2 after having just gotten major momentum from the touchdown was solid. But I didn’t like the play call. UNC ran a quarterback option to the short side of the field and Clemson was all over it. The quarterback had nowhere to run and the running back was swallowed up behind him. I would have liked to have seen a quarterback roll out pass, or a tight end or wide receiver slant over the middle. It was a tremendous effort by the Tar Heels, and they almost pulled off what would have been a monumental upset. But Clemson survived like they seem to do once every year. So even if the Tigers dropped behind the Crimson Tide to No.2, their championship aspirations are still in front of them. Trevor Lawrence has thrown 5 interceptions, so that’s a concern for Dabo and the Tigers coaching staff. But the talent is there to go deep this season as is the case with Clemson every year now. They’re off this Saturday.
Here’s a look at a solid slate in college football this Saturday.
Last week, 17-5
Overall: 91-31, 75%
No. 7 Auburn @ No.10 Florida
2:30 PM CT
CBS
Brad, Gary Jamie
Auburn by 2 1/2
Bo Nix was 16 of 21 for 335 yards, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions in a 56-23 walloping of Mississippi State. Auburn just proved last Saturday that they’re here to stay in 2019. Nix is 72 of 125, 58%, for 980 yards, 7 TDs against 2 ints. He’s progressed from more of a game manager the first 3 games of the season into a playmaker now. If he can play this way with the players around him and that defense, Auburn can have a phenomenal season. Kyle Trask filled in well for the injured Feliepe Franks at quarterback against Kentucky 2 Saturdays ago and against Towson last Saturday. He completed his first 15 passes against Towson, which is relative, and finished 18 of 20 for 188 yards, 2 TDs and 0 ints. But I like Bo and his skilled players, Marlon Davidson, Derrick Brown, and a surprisingly stellar group of linebackers led by K.J. Britt to ruin Florida’s homecoming. Auburn’s mad about this being Florida’s homecoming game. I like the Tigers.
Auburn 27, Florida 20
No.3 Georgia @ Tennessee
6 PM CT
ESPN
Sean, Todd, Holly
Georgia by 24 1/2
I’d like to see Jake Fromm and the offense get better tomorrow night in Knoxville before I really believe in this team. Tennessee is hopeless so it should.
Georgia 45, Tennessee 17
Utah State @ No.5 LSU
11 AM CT
SEC Network
Dave Neal, D.J. Shockley, Dawn Davenport
LSU by 27 1/2
The Bengal Tigers will light up the scoreboard once again. They need to play better defense if they want to make the playoff. Vanderbilt scored 38 on them 2 weeks ago.
LSU 55, Utah State 14
Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
6:30 PM CT
SEC Network
Tom, JRodg, Cole
Ole MIss by 7
Ole Miss looked like they found themselves a really good quarterback last Saturday in John Rhys Plumlee. But, typically with this Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke, the Rebels are going with 2 quarterbacks this Saturday with Matt Corrall coming back from injury. Plumlee looks like he could give the Rebels a chance in bigger games after his performance against the Crimson Tide, but Luke is messing that up as usual. But Ole Miss will take care of business against a hapless team with a hapless coach in Derek Mason.
Ole Miss 35, Vanderbilt 24
Michigan State @ No.4 Ohio State
6:30 PM CT
ABC
Chris, Kirk, Maria
Ohio State by 20
This has been a really close series in the last several years, but I don’t see it that way this year. Ohio State and Justin Fields and a now strong Buckeyes defense are too much for the Spartans.
Ohio State 45, Michigan State 20
No.6 Oklahoma @Kansas
11 AM CT
ABC
Dave, Gregory, Lugues
OU by 32
I like Jalen and the Sooners to lower the Boom on Les and Kansas. The Sooners are playing some serious defense now under first year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. That makes them doubly dangerous.
Oklahoma 52, Kansas 17
Troy at Missouri
3 PM CT
SEC Network
Taylor Zarzour, Stinch, Alyssa Lang
Mizzou by 24 1/2
I like Kelly Bryant and the Mizzou offense to do well, but I see Troy scoring points on their defense.
Missouri 48, Troy 31
No. 11 Texas @ West Virginia
2:30 PM CT
ABC
Steve Levy, Grease, McShay
Texas by 10 1/2
I like the Mountaineers and first year coach Neal Brown, who was a phenom at Troy, to keep this close with Texas surviving in Morgantown.
Texas 38, West Virginia 34
Bowling Green @ No. 10 Notre Dame
2:30 PM CT
NBC
Tirico, Flutie, Kathryn Tappen
Notre Dame by 45 1/2
This is quite a spread, but after watching the Irish take Georgia down to the wire between the Hedges and powering over a pretty good UVA team last Saturday in the second half, I’m a buyer of a more physical, tougher and always skilled Fighting Irish squad.
Notre Dame 55, Bowling Green 7
Kent State @ No.8 Wisconsin
11 AM CT
ESPNU
Clay Matvick, Ryan Leaf
Wisconsin by 35
Wisconsin is a good team with a great running back in Jonathan Taylor, but they’re not a championship team.
Wisconsin 42, Kent State 14
No. 14 Iowa @ No. 19 Michigan
11 AM CT
FOX
Gus, Joel, Jenny
Michigan by 3 1/2
I like a very solid Hawkeyes team to go into the Big House and pull off the upset. Michigan is a farce.
Iowa 27, Michigan 24
Penn State 56, Purdue 17
11 AM CT
ESPN
Penn State by 28 1/2
The Nittany Lions have been blasting opponents lately including a 59-0 blasting of Maryland last Friday Night on the road. I like them to keep it up.
No. 15 Washington 35, Stanford 17
9:30 PM CT
ESPN
Washington by 16 1/2
I like the Huskies to go to Palo Alton and handle another hapless team with hapless coach, David Shaw. The PAC 12 North is very interesting with Oregon and Washington battling it out. They’ll play a blockbuster game in Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 19th.
Oregon 38, Cal 10
7 PM CT
FOX
Ducks by 18
The Ducks are explosive on offense and their defense has really picked it up this year. Cal is in bad shape with starting quarterback Chase Garbers done for a good while with an arm injury he sustained in the Golden Bears 24-17 loss to Arizona State last Friday Night.
No. 21 Oklahoma State 42, Texas Tech 28
11 AM CT
Fox Sports 1
OK State by 10
Like Mike Gundy and his excellent Cowboys squad to have a good day in Lubbock.
Kansas State 31, Baylor 28
2:30 PM CT
ESPN2
K State by 1 1/2
Like the Wildcats to bounce back from a road loss to OK State last Saturday Night.
Air Force 35, Navy 28
2:30 PM CT
CBS Sports Network
Air Force by 3 1/2
Like the Academy to take care of business over the Midshipmen in Annapolis.
Army 31, Tulane 27
11 AM CT
CBS Sports Network
Tulane by 2 1/2
Like Jeff Monken and his awesome Cadets to upset the Green Wave at West Point.
Colorado 38, Arizona 30
3:30 PM CT
PAC-12 Network
Colorado by 4
Really like what Mel Tucker is doing in Boulder. The former NFL defensive coordinator, Alabama secondary coach and Georgia defensive coordinator has really paid his dues to become a head coach at 47 years old. He has his Buffs at 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the PAC 12 South. He and his Buffs get the job done at home.
Northwestern 28, Nebraska 27
3 PM CT
FOX
Nebraska by 7 1/2
Neither one of these teams is too swift though the Wildcats showed some improvement last week at Wisconsin, losing only 24-15. Nebraska got wasted by Ohio State at home last Saturday Night. I’ll take Northwestern in an upset.
The Bucket List
John Mayer’s 2007 classic for this phenomenal movie featuring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as 2 men who become friends and are in the same health predicament with not much time left. They make the most of it.