Note: Just a few more hours left in my poll on the right side of the page. Let me know how many wins you think Virginia will have this season. Poll closes before kickoff of UVa-Pitt game.
Not trying to brag or anything, but I went 8-0 for the second consecutive week in my college predictions last Saturday. However, on Thursday, I picked Georgia Tech to beat Virginia Tech and the Hokies won, ending my winning streak in picking games at 16. I am now 27-4 overall. In my NFL picks last weekend, I had a rough time, going 5-6. I am now 11-7 overall in NFL picks. Here is this week's slate of college games. I'll pick NFL games later.
East Carolina at North Carolina, 12:30 p.m. ESPN3.com
North Carolina has struggled thus far this year, performing below expectations. The Tar Heels weren't very competitive against South Carolina in Week 1, beat Middle Tennessee 40-20 in Week 2 but didn't dominate, and then failed to score any points in the second half last week against Georgia Tech and lost, 28-20. With that said, this is East Carolina's first road game of the season and so I like the Heels here in what will be a close game.
North Carolina 24, East Carolina 21
No. 6 LSU at No. 9 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. CBS
Very interesting game. Both teams have potential but haven't shown it. In LSU's case, it is more a case of not getting tested yet, but the Tigers haven't exactly dominated their schedule thus far against TCU, UAB, Kent State, and Auburn. In Georgia's case, its defense has let it down a little bit, giving up the 85th most points in the country. In wins over South Carolina and North Texas, the Bulldogs still gave up 30 and 21 points, respectively. LSU hasn't done anything yet to make me confident about it in its first road game vs. a good-to-great team. I'll take the 'Dawgs in a close one.
Georgia 31, LSU 28
No. 14 Oklahoma at No. 22 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. NBC
The Sooners have yet to play a road game in wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa, and West Virginia but the Irish have been mostly underwhelming coming off a national championship-contending year in 2012 with wins over Temple (28-6), Purdue (31-24), and Michigan State (17-13) and a loss to Michigan, 41-30, and the Wolverines have been oh-so-close to two losses to bad teams this season. I like the Sooners to get some revenge for the Irish's beatdown of OU in Norman a year ago.
Oklahoma 28, Notre Dame 18
No. 21 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama, 6:30 p.m. ESPN
I don't think this is a case of Texas A&M coming into Tuscaloosa and winning like last year. I do think this will be a fairly close game, though. Ole Miss has had two weeks to get ready and brings in a top rushing attack. The Crimson Tide has been average in several areas so far this season but they've had a decently tough schedule so far, too. 'Bama's rush defense is ranked 38th in the country. If the Rebels can get the Tide to break a little bit in the run game, this could go Ole Miss' way.
Alabama 30, Ole Miss 21
No. 23 Wisconsin at No. 4 Ohio State, 8 p.m. ABC
OSU has yet to get tested while the Badgers have one soul-crushing loss to Arizona State where the refs mismanaged the end of the game, taking away a chance for Wisconsin to win. I'd give Wisconsin a good chance in Madison, but in Columbus, I think the Buckeyes will pull away in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State 38, Wisconsin 28
Virginia at Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet
It's UVa's defense against Pittsburgh's offense in Pittsburgh. Virginia has proven to have a pretty good defense so far this season, but we aren't sure how good. Virginia held what is probably a so-so BYU offense to 16 points, helped the Cavs hang around with Oregon for one half but got blown out in the end, then easily shut out weak VMI last week. Pittsburgh has proven to have a pretty good offense, but we can't be sure how good. The Panthers have scored 53.5 points per game the past two games, but they were against weak teams in Duke and New Mexico. In their first game of the season, the Panthers scored just 13 points in a 41-13 loss to Florida State. While we are unsure if those units are great, rather than just good, we can definitely say they are better than each team's other units. And because of that, the game will likely come down to UVa's offense vs. Pitt's defense. Virginia has mostly struggled on 'O' and Pittsburgh is giving up the most points per game in the country right now (41, and this is after me and others predicted that the Panthers defense would be good this year haha). Which unit can perform better? The Wahoos will be without starting right guard Conner Davis and starting tight end Zachary Swanson, who has been splitting time with Jake McGee. Running back Taquan Mizzell is questionable again with an ankle injury after not playing last weekend while Khalek Shepherd probably will play with a similar injury.
I am unconvinced that Virginia's offense turned a corner against VMI even though it scored 49 points in basically two quarters of play. The Panthers defense should be soft, too, but not that soft. I think Virginia will have to score in at least the 20s to win this game. Pitt will put up some points on the Wahoo 'D,' but will not have the success it has had the last two games. Against Duke, fifth-year senior QB Tom Savage threw for a career-high 424 yards and tied an ACC record with six touchdown passes. Wide receivers Devin Street, a senior, and Tyler Boyd, a freshman, each had at least six catches, combining for more than 300 yards receiving and five touchdowns. The Cavaliers secondary will have its hands full. Hopefully, David Watford and company can at least help out a little bit and give the defense some relief. In the end, I think the Virginia offense will show some signs of life but it won't be enough and Pittsburgh will have a couple late scores to seal a victory.
Pittsburgh 31, Virginia 21
Not trying to brag or anything, but I went 8-0 for the second consecutive week in my college predictions last Saturday. However, on Thursday, I picked Georgia Tech to beat Virginia Tech and the Hokies won, ending my winning streak in picking games at 16. I am now 27-4 overall. In my NFL picks last weekend, I had a rough time, going 5-6. I am now 11-7 overall in NFL picks. Here is this week's slate of college games. I'll pick NFL games later.
East Carolina at North Carolina, 12:30 p.m. ESPN3.com
North Carolina has struggled thus far this year, performing below expectations. The Tar Heels weren't very competitive against South Carolina in Week 1, beat Middle Tennessee 40-20 in Week 2 but didn't dominate, and then failed to score any points in the second half last week against Georgia Tech and lost, 28-20. With that said, this is East Carolina's first road game of the season and so I like the Heels here in what will be a close game.
North Carolina 24, East Carolina 21
No. 6 LSU at No. 9 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. CBS
Very interesting game. Both teams have potential but haven't shown it. In LSU's case, it is more a case of not getting tested yet, but the Tigers haven't exactly dominated their schedule thus far against TCU, UAB, Kent State, and Auburn. In Georgia's case, its defense has let it down a little bit, giving up the 85th most points in the country. In wins over South Carolina and North Texas, the Bulldogs still gave up 30 and 21 points, respectively. LSU hasn't done anything yet to make me confident about it in its first road game vs. a good-to-great team. I'll take the 'Dawgs in a close one.
Georgia 31, LSU 28
No. 14 Oklahoma at No. 22 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. NBC
The Sooners have yet to play a road game in wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa, and West Virginia but the Irish have been mostly underwhelming coming off a national championship-contending year in 2012 with wins over Temple (28-6), Purdue (31-24), and Michigan State (17-13) and a loss to Michigan, 41-30, and the Wolverines have been oh-so-close to two losses to bad teams this season. I like the Sooners to get some revenge for the Irish's beatdown of OU in Norman a year ago.
Oklahoma 28, Notre Dame 18
No. 21 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama, 6:30 p.m. ESPN
I don't think this is a case of Texas A&M coming into Tuscaloosa and winning like last year. I do think this will be a fairly close game, though. Ole Miss has had two weeks to get ready and brings in a top rushing attack. The Crimson Tide has been average in several areas so far this season but they've had a decently tough schedule so far, too. 'Bama's rush defense is ranked 38th in the country. If the Rebels can get the Tide to break a little bit in the run game, this could go Ole Miss' way.
Alabama 30, Ole Miss 21
No. 23 Wisconsin at No. 4 Ohio State, 8 p.m. ABC
OSU has yet to get tested while the Badgers have one soul-crushing loss to Arizona State where the refs mismanaged the end of the game, taking away a chance for Wisconsin to win. I'd give Wisconsin a good chance in Madison, but in Columbus, I think the Buckeyes will pull away in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State 38, Wisconsin 28
Virginia at Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet
It's UVa's defense against Pittsburgh's offense in Pittsburgh. Virginia has proven to have a pretty good defense so far this season, but we aren't sure how good. Virginia held what is probably a so-so BYU offense to 16 points, helped the Cavs hang around with Oregon for one half but got blown out in the end, then easily shut out weak VMI last week. Pittsburgh has proven to have a pretty good offense, but we can't be sure how good. The Panthers have scored 53.5 points per game the past two games, but they were against weak teams in Duke and New Mexico. In their first game of the season, the Panthers scored just 13 points in a 41-13 loss to Florida State. While we are unsure if those units are great, rather than just good, we can definitely say they are better than each team's other units. And because of that, the game will likely come down to UVa's offense vs. Pitt's defense. Virginia has mostly struggled on 'O' and Pittsburgh is giving up the most points per game in the country right now (41, and this is after me and others predicted that the Panthers defense would be good this year haha). Which unit can perform better? The Wahoos will be without starting right guard Conner Davis and starting tight end Zachary Swanson, who has been splitting time with Jake McGee. Running back Taquan Mizzell is questionable again with an ankle injury after not playing last weekend while Khalek Shepherd probably will play with a similar injury.I am unconvinced that Virginia's offense turned a corner against VMI even though it scored 49 points in basically two quarters of play. The Panthers defense should be soft, too, but not that soft. I think Virginia will have to score in at least the 20s to win this game. Pitt will put up some points on the Wahoo 'D,' but will not have the success it has had the last two games. Against Duke, fifth-year senior QB Tom Savage threw for a career-high 424 yards and tied an ACC record with six touchdown passes. Wide receivers Devin Street, a senior, and Tyler Boyd, a freshman, each had at least six catches, combining for more than 300 yards receiving and five touchdowns. The Cavaliers secondary will have its hands full. Hopefully, David Watford and company can at least help out a little bit and give the defense some relief. In the end, I think the Virginia offense will show some signs of life but it won't be enough and Pittsburgh will have a couple late scores to seal a victory.
Pittsburgh 31, Virginia 21
Dude, the Virginia Cavaliers are looking awful. They could only muster three points against the Panthers!
ReplyDeleteYep. With an offense like this, I can't see UVa winning many more games. MAYBE next week vs. Ball State and vs. Duke in a few weeks. The offense is one of the worst in recent memory. The defense looks to be pretty strong but it won't matter. The D will play a good game against VT this year, watch. But it won't matter either. VT will win 17-0.
ReplyDelete