Week of Nov 7 Preview

Last week, four unranked teams took down their ranked opponents. Unfortunately, Arkansas was not one of those four teams. Michigan State stunned all of us by beating Michigan after losing to Rutgers the week before. Clemson needed a big comeback to beat Boston College. The top-ranked Tigers were without their star QB, Trevor Lawrence, and will be without him again this week as they take on Notre Dame in South Bend. That will be one of the top-10 matchups of the week. The other will be the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party pitting Georgia and Florida against each other. This week is also the return to play for the MAC and the Pac 12, meaning we will have all 10 FBS conferences playing. I can’t believe it is already November. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

My Record: 4-2 last week, 31-17 overall (holding strong at about 65%! My goal every year is to be around 70%)

Notable Games
9BYU at 21Boise State (Friday)
This should be an interesting game. BYU has been great this season, but this will be their first real test of the season. Boise State has a bit of a question at QB. Their starter was not available last week and did just fine. I think BYU is the better team, but it is hard to play on the Smurf Turf at night. Usually, that means cold weather, but it should be in the low 50s for the game tonight. I don’t see Boise being able to outplay BYU for a full four quarters, but I think this will be a very physical and fun game.
I am picking BYU

1Clemson at 4Notre Dame
The biggest story in this game is the lack of Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence. He missed last week’s game against Boston College because he tested positive for covid-19. He has finished his self-isolation, but he still has some more tests to undergo before he is allowed to return to play. He will be with the team in South Bend for this game. Even without Lawrence, I think Clemson is the better team. I think they overlooked Boston College, a team that has been very good this season, and could’ve needed a comeback even if Lawrence was playing. I also don’t think a loss to Notre Dame hurts Clemson. The Tigers will receive the benefit of the doubt because they don’t have the Heisman Trophy front-runner at the helm. The only outcome that would surprise me in this game is a blowout win by Notre Dame. I think this one is very close, and I have more confidence in Clemson.
I am picking Clemson

8Florida vs 5Georgia (Jacksonville)
The rivalry known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” won’t be have the same atmosphere this season. Tailgating will not be allowed and only about 18,000 fans will be allowed into the game. That doesn’t mean it won’t get a little crazy. Dan Mullen was fined after antics that helped incite a brawl in the Gators’ game against Missouri last week, so I really hope he acts a bit more like a coach in this game. Georgia had an extremely lackluster offensive performance against Kentucky last week. Kentucky is a very good defensive team, but Georgia needs to score more than 14 points to beat Florida. We all know Florida can score and score a lot, but they haven’t faced a defense like Georgia. Georgia’s defense will need to be the best group on the field for them to win this game, and I think they will be.
I am picking Georgia

23Michigan at 13Indiana
Michigan is coming off a huge loss to rival Michigan State last week. Their “big” win over Minnesota looks less impressive now that the Gophers are 0-2 after an OT loss to a bad Maryland team. Indiana is 2-0 with wins over Penn State and what seems to be a decent and scrappy Rutgers team. The Hoosiers are surprising everyone this season and a win against Michigan would probably prove a lot to skeptics (like me). I think Michigan was looking ahead to this game instead of focusing on Michigan State last week. The Wolverines and Jim Harbaugh need a win in this game more than Indiana does.
I am picking Michigan

West Virginia at 22Texas
The Big 12 is a rollercoaster this season. Texas’s overtime win over Oklahoma State very possibly knocked the conference out of the College Football Playoff. Texas is back in the rankings now and is looking to continue the momentum by taking down West Virginia. The Mountaineers also got a big win last weekend when they throttled 16th ranked Kansas State. This game has the potential to be ugly and/or super exciting. It is really hard to pick games involving Texas because you never know which Texas team will show up. That said, I think they are the better team and if they play to their skill, they should win this game.
I am picking Texas

25Liberty at Virginia Tech
Liberty has been so good this season. They are undefeated and have scored a ton of points. They have not faced much in the way of competition, so I’m not sure how good they really are. Virginia Tech has close losses to North Carolina and Wake Forest. I expect this game to be a shootout. The Hokies have played pretty well this season, but I’m not sold yet. This is a game I will be keeping up on for sure.
I am picking Virginia Tech

Tennessee at Arkansas
The Hogs came back down to earth against Texas A&M last weekend. The defense really struggled against the Aggie offense. Kellen Mond is just really good at home. The offense did make some strides. Having Rakeem Boyd back and playing like himself was really helpful. Tennessee is on a three-game losing streak right now. They are coming off a bye week and need a win. Quarterback play has not been the Vols’ strong suit this season and I think the Arkansas defense is going to be itching to bounce back after last week. I think this one will be a fight to the finish. I know that Arkansas is ready for a home game and to continue to show everyone they are a lot better than the previous coaching staff let on.

Top 25
1Clemson at 4Notre Dame
2Alabama BYE
Rutgers at 3Ohio State
8Florida vs 5Georgia (Jacksonville)
Houston at 6Cincinnati
9BYU at 21Boise State (Friday)
Purdue at 10Wisconsin CANCELED
11Miami at NC State (Friday)
Stanford at 12Oregon
23Michigan at 13Indiana
14Oklahoma State at Kansas State
South Alabama at 15Coastal Carolina
Massachusetts at 16Marshall
Baylor at 17Iowa State
18SMU at Temple
Kansas at 19Oklahoma
Arizona State at 20USC
West Virginia at 22Texas
Auburn BYE
25Liberty at Virginia Tech

Other Games
San Jose State at San Diego State (Friday)
North Carolina at Duke
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State

Covid-19 Postponements/Cancelations
Purdue at 10Wisconsin (canceled)
Air Force at Army
Tulsa at Navy
Louisville at Virginia
UTSA at Rice
FIU at UTEP
Louisiana Tech at North Texas (rescheduled to Thursday, December 3)
Washington at California (canceled)
Charlotte at MTSU
Arizona at Utah (canceled)