Wow, this Saturday in college football is filled with marquee matchup after marquee matchup on the slate.
The No.13 Crimson Tide, in an unusual spot in the AP Poll, faces No.15 Ole Miss at Bryant-Denny Saturday afternoon, and the Auburn Tigers precede that at 11 AM at College Station as they face the A&M Aggies. Something has to give for all four of these teams. All need the victory to keep their respective seasons intact. The Crimson Tide really needs to defend its home turf, and Coach Freeze is searching for his first signature victory at Auburn. Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin are chomping at the bit to finally get over the Nick Saban/Alabama monumental hurdle, while Jimbo Fisher needs this one badly to keep his Aggie ship from collapsing for another season and his job to be really on the line if he succumbs to Auburn.
Some other SEC tilts look interesting and the national slate is superb. Here’s a look at this Saturday’s riveting matchups in CFB along with predictions.
Last Week, SU: 24-4; Overall: 76-13, 85%
ATS: Last Week, 15-13; Overall, 45-43, 51%.
All times Central. All games on Saturday
No. 15 Ole Miss @ No. 13 Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium
2:30 PM
CBS
Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker, Jason McCourty. I understand Jason, an All Pro, multiple Super Bowl champion for the Patriots, but I have no clue who these other two are. Brad and Gary are at Happy Valley Saturday Night doing the Penn State-Iowa game. With the SEC 2:30 PM games moving over to ESPN next season along with the usual SEC Network, CBS is transitioning towards the Big Ten.
Bama by 6 1/2
I’m not sold that this 2023 Crimson Tide team can be successful and live up to the Standard. Not seeing it. The quarterback situation is a mess, the offensive line has way underachieved, and the defense, though better last Saturday, is not prolific. The quarterback room, which has been so stellar for so many years with Greg McElroy, A.J. McCarron, Blake Sims, Jake Coker, then the prolific group of Jalen Hurts, most of the time, Tua, Mac Jones and the amazing Bryce Young, is just not where it needs to be. Coach Saban is going with Jalen Milroe. While Milroe has had his moments this year running and throwing the deep ball, he gives you that explosive element, he’s erratic on the intermediate throws you have to have and getting through his progressions and delivering the ball out of the pocket quickly to avoid a sack. He just hasn’t mastered those skills yet. He’s still got a chance to be succeed, but, so far, the results have not been what the Tide was looking for. T’eo and I were also talking on Tuesday about what has happened to the great defensive linemen Coach Saban had recruited so well? Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Dalvin Tomlinson, A’Shawn Robinson (wow, what a player), Quinine Williams (another superb player) Jarren Reed among others. What’s happened to guys like that? I don’t know if Coach Saban knows how he can get through to these players anymore. He’s seemed to say that recently saying he can’t really use his usual tough love approach with these players because they’re so sensitive. He has to be encouraging with them, too much so, and that’s not who he is. He’s always been supportive of his players, but has been tough when he needs to be, and it’s worked to the tune of six national championships. But it seems like he’s had to back off the last two years. Maybe he needs to get back to that. His coordinators this season have had issues as well, particularly on offense, but defense, too. The offensive line gave up five more sacks last Saturday to South Florida? South Florida played hard, but when you have high four stars and five stars on your o line and they have low three stars to two stars upfront on their d line, how does that happen? It’s just not happening right now for the Crimson Tide. Can they turn it around? They have an opportunity to this Saturday at home where they have dominated Ole Miss. They have dominated the series in general.
But Kiff has a really good team this year with an exceptionally mobile quarterback in Jaxson Dart. I like the Rebels to pull off the upset and it won’t be that shocking.
Ole Miss 30, Alabama 23
Auburn @Texas A&M
Kyle Field, College Station
11 AM
ESPN
Bob Wischusen, RG III, Kris Budden
A&M by 7 1/2
Don’t trust these two teams right now. Have little to no trust in Fish, and Hugh does not have the program where he wants it to be at present. I like this lower scoring because Auburn’s defense is pretty good and so is A&M’s. But I trust A&M quarterback Conner Weigman more than I do Payton Thorne. Thorne proved to be a capable runner last Saturday going for over a hunge, but he’s always had problems with interceptions. I see that costing Hugh and the Tigers Saturday. Give me the Aggies at Kyle Field.
A&M 24, Auburn 21
No.6 Ohio State @ No.9 Notre Dame
Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend
6:30 PM
NBC
Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tapper. Todd moved over to NBC from ESPN because he saw the upheaval of the ESPN broadcasters coming.
Ohio State by 3
Quarterback Sam Hartman and running back Audric Estime, who leads the country in rushing with 521 yards and is an absolute stud, lead the Irish to victory. Notre Dame has been worried about a sea of Buckeye red in their stadium all week, but they hold off the opponent and their faithful Saturday Night in South Bend in an electric contest.
Notre Dame 38, Ohio State 35
No. 4 Florida State @ Clemson
Memorial Stadium, Clemson
11 AM
ABC
Sean McDonough, Gregory, Molly McGrath
FSU by 2
Give me Dabo and his Tigers in another upset in Death Valley.
Clemson 31, FSU 30
UAB @ No. 1 Georgia
Sanford Stadium, Athens
6:30 PM
ESPN2
Brian Custer, Rod Gilmore, Lauren Sisler
Dawgs by 42
Wow, what an assignment for the Blazers. It ain’t going to be pretty, but the Dawgs have not proven to be all that yet. Still, too much of a talent discrepancy in this one.
Georgia 45, UAB 14
Arkansas @ No. 12 LSU
Tiguh Stadium, Baton Rouge
6 PM
ESPN
Chris, Kirk, Holly
Bengal Tigers by 17 1/2
Another tough assignment, this one for the Hogs. Tiger Stadium on a Saturday Night? That’s a monumental challenge for the Hogs against an LSU team that just blasted Mississippi State on the road and looks to be hitting its stride. I do like KJ Jefferson and his team, even without their outstanding running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, hurt with a knee injury, to make it more interesting than it might appear. Arkansas is still a solid, hard playing team.
LSU 34, Arkansas 28
Mississippi State @ South Carolina
Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia
6:30 PM
SEC Network
Tom, JRodg, Cole
SC by 6
Shane Beamer and his team showed up well against Georgia in Athens last Saturday taking a 10 point lead into halftime before losing, 24-14. They looked like they’re getting it together. State is not great and I like the way the Gamecocks’ momentum is building.
South Carolina 38, State 31
Kentucky @ Vanderbilt
FirstBank Stadium, Nashville
11 AM
SEC Network
Taylor, Stinch, Alyssa Lang
UK by 13 1/2
I like the Wildcats and Vanderbilt transfer running back Ray Davis to have a big day.
Kentucky 35, Vandy 21
Other SEC scores
No. 25 Florida 42, Charlotte 7
The Swamp
6 PM
ESPN+, SEC Net+
Gators by 28
Florida has a lot of momentum from the Tennessee victory last Saturday Night in the Swamp. Suddenly, the Cocktail Party is looking very interesting come Saturday, October 28th.
No. 23 Tennessee 45, UT San Antonio 21
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville
3 PM
SEC Network
Vols by 21 1/2
Missouri 30, Memphis 27
Faurot Field, Columbia
6:30 PM
ESPNU
Mizzou by 6
Missouri Tigers QB Brady Cook is questionable. The 3-0 Memphis Tigers give’em a scare.
Other key National Games
No.3 Texas 30, Baylor 24
McLane Stadium, Waco
6:30 PM
ABC
Hook’em Horns by 15
Like the Longhorns to survive Waco. Always a tough place to win, especially in conference, which Texas is a part of for one more season.
No. 10 Oregon 42, No.19 Colorado 28
Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR.
2:30 PM
ABC
Tess, Jess, Katie George
Ducks by 21
Coach Prime and his team give it a good effort, but Bo Nix is on fire throwing for 9 TDs against 0 ints, and Prime losing two way superstar Travis Hunter for three weeks to an injury is a tough blow. Hunter suffered a lacerated liver last Saturday Night in Boulder from an outrageously dirty hit by Colorado State db Henry Blackburn. I still like Colorado a lot, they should knock off some other teams they’re underdogs against. But this one’s tough at Autzen Stadium.
No.7 Penn State 24, No. 24 Iowa 17
Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA.
6:30 PM
CBS
Brad, Gary, Jenny Dell
Nittany Lions by 15
I like Iowa and their slow plodding team to keep it closer than expected and to make it a solid if not boring game.
No. 21 Washington State 35, No. 14 Oregon State 31
Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA.
6 PM
FOX
Jeff Levering, Mark Helfrich
OR State by 3
Love what I’m seeing from Washington State, FCS transfer quarterback Cameron Ward. He played at Incarnate Word and was stellar there and is continuing that in Pullman. Ward has thrown for 986 yards, 9 TDs and 0 ints. Like him and his team to prevail over DJ Uiagalelei and the Beavers. This is an underrated, huge game nationally. The PAC-12 is terrific this season.
No.5 USC 55, Arizona State 20
Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, Zona
9:30 PM
FOX
Trojans by 34 1/2
The Men from Troy are a big factor both in the PAC-12 and nationally. If the PAC-12 has to go out this way, it’s quite a denouement.
No. 8 Washington 42, Cal 17
Husky Stadium, Seattle
9:30 PM
ESPN
Wash by 20 1/2
Another tremendous team in the PAC-12 out of Seattle. Michael Pennix Jr. is one of several quarterbacks making a run at the Heisman. I mentioned some others earlier. Long way to go, but so far, 84 of 113, 74%, 1,332 yards, 12 TDs, 1 int, looks pretty stout.
No. 11 Utah 34, No. 22 UCLA 27
Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake
2:30 PM
FOX
Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, Allison Williams.
Utes by 6
Looks like Cam Rising will return at QB for Utah, so that gives them an advantage. I was going to take UCLA before it was announced Rising is expected to play, but Rising, Coach Kyle Whittingham, Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig, the Utes D and the home crowd give the Utes the W here. I’m still real high on UCLA 100, 5 star freshman quarterback Dante Moore, who has thrown for 615 yards, 7 TDs against 1 int. The Bruins have a bright future with Moore under center and they’ll be highly competitive in Salt Lake.
No.2 Michigan 28, Rutgers 24
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
11 AM
Big Ten Network
Michigan by 24
Harbaugh is back, for better or for worse, but I like Greg Schiano and his team to preform well and give the Wolverines everything they want. Schiano had great success with the Scarlett Knights in his first stint with them from 2001-2011 before heading to Tampa Bay where he struggled coaching the Bucs before getting back in the college game where he belongs.
No. 17 North Carolina 42, Pittsburgh 38
Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
7 PM
ACC Network
Chapel Hill by 7 1/2
I like Pitt to give the Tar Heels everything they want, but for the Heels to survive and advance in the ACC and national picture.
BYU 35, Kansas 34
David Booth Stadium, Lawrence, KS.
2:30 PM
ESPN
Kansas by 9 1/2
I like USC transfer QB Kedon Clovis, who has thrown for 660 with 6 TDs and only 1 int, and the hard-nosed Cougars to pull it off. Just like the fact that they went into Arkansas last Saturday Night and pulled off the 38-31 upset. Believe in’em.
TCU 44, SMU 36
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth
11 AM
Fox Sports 1
TCU by 7
Love this DFW rivalry. The Frogs outlast the Ponies and start making their case in the Big 12 afterwards. TCU lost a tough one to Coach Prime and the Buffaloes 45-42 at home to start the season. But there’s really no shame in that since the Buffs had a healthy Travis Hunter and they’re a for real team. The Frogs have a shot to make some noise in the Big 12. They have a stellar offense under head coach Sonny Dykes and first year OC Kendal Briles, and if they can tighten it up defensively, they’ll make some noise in the Big 12. SMU is now in the American Conference.
No. 16 Oklahoma 38, Cincinnati 28
Nippert Stadium, Cincy
11 AM
FOX
Gus, Joel, Jenny
Sooners by 14 1/2
Like Boomer Sooner to prevail in a new Big 12 matchup that will only last a year with OU going to the SEC along with Texas. I like Cincy at home to make it a competitive game. OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the second year transfer from UCF, is 66 of 80, 83%, for 905 yards, 11 TDs and 1 int. There are a lot of QBs in line to hoist the Heisman in December and he’s another one of them.
South Alabama 34, Central Michigan 22
Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile
4 PM
ESPN+
USA by 15
The Jags just went to Stillwater last Saturday and knocked off OK State, 35-7. That’s impressive. Central Michigan is pretty scrappy under Jim McElwain, however. It should be a pretty decent game and South is making a case to do well in the Fun Belt.
