Let's get some predictions rolling! Last weekend was a challenging one for me as I went 3-4 and am now 42-11 on the season.
Wake Forest at No. 7 Miami, Noon ESPNU
Wake Forest is suddenly competitive again after a rough start to its season. The Demon Deacons have won two in a row -- over N.C. State and Maryland -- and are 4-3 on the season. Could they catch Miami peeking ahead to next weekend when the Hurricanes face the Seminoles? Both teams could be undefeated. I think Miami will be focused. It doesn't have to worry about NCAA sanctions anymore -- those game down this week and the football team will lose nine scholarships over the next three years -- and I have a lot of respect for Al Golden as a head coach. He will get the 'Canes centered.
Miami 27, Wake Forest 17
Vanderbilt at No. 15 Texas A&M, 12:21 p.m. ESPN3.com
Vanderbilt is another team -- like Wake Forest -- that wears black and gold and is improving. The Commodores upset Georgia last week to move to 4-3 on the season. Can they go into College Station and upset the Aggies, who fell to Auburn last week? I don't think so.
Texas A&M 45, Vanderbilt 37
No. 9 Clemson at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Clemson was humbled last week but I think it should be rebound Saturday against a Maryland team that is once again battling injuries, as it did last season. The Terrapins will be without their starting quarterback and running against the Tigers.
Clemson 31, Maryland 17
No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 15 Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m. FOX
The Red Raiders are undefeated under new head coach and former quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, who has his first head coaching gig at only 34 years old. The problem is the Raiders haven't played many good teams yet and the Sooner are a good team and playing at home. I like Texas Tech and think it iss a good team, but I think its undefeated run will end in Norman.
Oklahoma 38, Texas Tech 34
Duke at No. 14 Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
The rested Hokies, coming off a bye, should have no problem with the Blue Devils. Duke will be coming in as confident as ever to Blacksburg after scoring 35 straight points last week in a win over UVa. Also, Duke took a 20-0 lead over the Hokies last year in Blacksburg before Virginia Tech stormed back to take a 41-20 win. Duke is a good team and I think it will go bowling but Virginia Tech is too good and will have its defense ready to go.
Virginia Tech 35, Duke 14
No. 12 UCLA at No. 3 Oregon, 7 p.m. ESPN
Oregon has been unbeatable this year. The Ducks' smallest margin of victory is 21, over Washington two weeks ago. The Bruins are a good team but suffered their first loss a week ago, 24-10, to Stanford. In the Autzen Zoo, the Ducks should roll.
Oregon 45, UCLA 28
No. 21 South Carolina at No. 5 Missouri, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Missouri proved its for real last week with a win over Florida with its backup quarterback, Maty Mauk. Mauk was serviceable, but the Tigers gained over 200 yards on the ground vs. the Gators. The Gamecocks will be without their starting quarterback, Connor Shaw, as well. He sprained his knee last vs. Tennessee. South Carolina has the nation's 41st-ranked defense against the run.
Missouri 31, South Carolina 21
Georgia Tech at Virginia, 12:30 p.m.
Believe it or not, this will be the first game I will have gone to this season. It is Homecoming (or rather Homecomings -- Virginia adds an "s" for some reason) so lots of alumni will be there. The athletic department folks better hope lots of alumni shwo up because the stadium has been empty in recent weeks but even with the alumni surge, I still don't expect 40,000 to be there. I had plans to go to the VMI game this year, but it was raining all day. I thought about going to the Oregon game, but then thought better of it when I figured we would get clobbered and I could just watch it on TV and save my money. I never was going to the Duke game because it was Holly's homecoming at Bridgewater College. We were in Washington state for a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Gorge for the BYU game. The Ball State game is one where I would have gone but I ended up having no confidence in the team. The bottom line is the team has been playing poorly. I never thought I would not want to go to Virginia football games but unfortunately that is the position I am in. Virginia has had moments where it has played well in recent weeks but it can't put together four quarters and can't get all its units clicking at the same time. I went over this last week, but against Pitt, the defense played well. Against Ball State, the offense played well early as did the defense, which ended up
getting torched for 48 points and over 500 yards. At Maryland, the team played probably its best all-around game of the season but a missed field goal kept the 'Hoos from winning. In that game, the offense kept driving into the Maryland red zone but kept kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns. Last week was the probably the most gut-wrenching loss during the current four-game losing streak. UVa stormed to a 22-0 lead on Duke but somehow gave up 35 unanswered points and lost, 35-22. There have been plenty of issues during coach Mike London's tenure, but one of his biggest flaws, something he shares with the staff, is his inability to make halftime adjustments. Virginia has gotten outscored in second halves more often than not under London. Is today the day where Virginia can put together four strong quarters and pull out the upset? Probably not. Georgia Tech comes into Charlotteville on the heels of a 56-0 beatdown of Syracuse. The Yellow Jackets are 4-3 and have beaten Elon, Duke, UNC, and the Orange and lost to Virginia Tech, Miami, and BYU. Virginia beat BYU at the beginning of the season but the Cougars have improved as the season has gone one while the 'Hoos have not. Georgia Tech has not beaten an impressive list of teams but it won't needs its "A" game to beat UVa. The spread option/triple option attack -- whatever you want to call it - of Georgia Tech will be hard to stop in the second half for Virginia as its offense wears down and its defense get tired. I expect this game to look a lot like the 2009 game in Charlottesville, which was the Yellow Jackets' first victory in Charlottesville since 1990. In that game, Virginia was tied with the Jackets after the first quarter and down just 13-6 at the half. Even early in the fourth quarter, Virginia was within shouting distance at 20-9. But eventually, Tech won, 34-9. It would not shock me if the 'Hoos take an early lead, but I don't see any reason to have confidence that they will hold said lead. Hopefully, there just won't be any downpours like there were for that 2009 contest.
Georgia Tech 34, Virginia 17
Wake Forest at No. 7 Miami, Noon ESPNU
Wake Forest is suddenly competitive again after a rough start to its season. The Demon Deacons have won two in a row -- over N.C. State and Maryland -- and are 4-3 on the season. Could they catch Miami peeking ahead to next weekend when the Hurricanes face the Seminoles? Both teams could be undefeated. I think Miami will be focused. It doesn't have to worry about NCAA sanctions anymore -- those game down this week and the football team will lose nine scholarships over the next three years -- and I have a lot of respect for Al Golden as a head coach. He will get the 'Canes centered.
Miami 27, Wake Forest 17
Vanderbilt at No. 15 Texas A&M, 12:21 p.m. ESPN3.com
Vanderbilt is another team -- like Wake Forest -- that wears black and gold and is improving. The Commodores upset Georgia last week to move to 4-3 on the season. Can they go into College Station and upset the Aggies, who fell to Auburn last week? I don't think so.
Texas A&M 45, Vanderbilt 37
No. 9 Clemson at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Clemson was humbled last week but I think it should be rebound Saturday against a Maryland team that is once again battling injuries, as it did last season. The Terrapins will be without their starting quarterback and running against the Tigers.
Clemson 31, Maryland 17
No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 15 Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m. FOX
The Red Raiders are undefeated under new head coach and former quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, who has his first head coaching gig at only 34 years old. The problem is the Raiders haven't played many good teams yet and the Sooner are a good team and playing at home. I like Texas Tech and think it iss a good team, but I think its undefeated run will end in Norman.
Oklahoma 38, Texas Tech 34
Duke at No. 14 Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
The rested Hokies, coming off a bye, should have no problem with the Blue Devils. Duke will be coming in as confident as ever to Blacksburg after scoring 35 straight points last week in a win over UVa. Also, Duke took a 20-0 lead over the Hokies last year in Blacksburg before Virginia Tech stormed back to take a 41-20 win. Duke is a good team and I think it will go bowling but Virginia Tech is too good and will have its defense ready to go.
Virginia Tech 35, Duke 14
No. 12 UCLA at No. 3 Oregon, 7 p.m. ESPN
Oregon has been unbeatable this year. The Ducks' smallest margin of victory is 21, over Washington two weeks ago. The Bruins are a good team but suffered their first loss a week ago, 24-10, to Stanford. In the Autzen Zoo, the Ducks should roll.
Oregon 45, UCLA 28
No. 21 South Carolina at No. 5 Missouri, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Missouri proved its for real last week with a win over Florida with its backup quarterback, Maty Mauk. Mauk was serviceable, but the Tigers gained over 200 yards on the ground vs. the Gators. The Gamecocks will be without their starting quarterback, Connor Shaw, as well. He sprained his knee last vs. Tennessee. South Carolina has the nation's 41st-ranked defense against the run.
Missouri 31, South Carolina 21
Georgia Tech at Virginia, 12:30 p.m.
Believe it or not, this will be the first game I will have gone to this season. It is Homecoming (or rather Homecomings -- Virginia adds an "s" for some reason) so lots of alumni will be there. The athletic department folks better hope lots of alumni shwo up because the stadium has been empty in recent weeks but even with the alumni surge, I still don't expect 40,000 to be there. I had plans to go to the VMI game this year, but it was raining all day. I thought about going to the Oregon game, but then thought better of it when I figured we would get clobbered and I could just watch it on TV and save my money. I never was going to the Duke game because it was Holly's homecoming at Bridgewater College. We were in Washington state for a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Gorge for the BYU game. The Ball State game is one where I would have gone but I ended up having no confidence in the team. The bottom line is the team has been playing poorly. I never thought I would not want to go to Virginia football games but unfortunately that is the position I am in. Virginia has had moments where it has played well in recent weeks but it can't put together four quarters and can't get all its units clicking at the same time. I went over this last week, but against Pitt, the defense played well. Against Ball State, the offense played well early as did the defense, which ended up
getting torched for 48 points and over 500 yards. At Maryland, the team played probably its best all-around game of the season but a missed field goal kept the 'Hoos from winning. In that game, the offense kept driving into the Maryland red zone but kept kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns. Last week was the probably the most gut-wrenching loss during the current four-game losing streak. UVa stormed to a 22-0 lead on Duke but somehow gave up 35 unanswered points and lost, 35-22. There have been plenty of issues during coach Mike London's tenure, but one of his biggest flaws, something he shares with the staff, is his inability to make halftime adjustments. Virginia has gotten outscored in second halves more often than not under London. Is today the day where Virginia can put together four strong quarters and pull out the upset? Probably not. Georgia Tech comes into Charlotteville on the heels of a 56-0 beatdown of Syracuse. The Yellow Jackets are 4-3 and have beaten Elon, Duke, UNC, and the Orange and lost to Virginia Tech, Miami, and BYU. Virginia beat BYU at the beginning of the season but the Cougars have improved as the season has gone one while the 'Hoos have not. Georgia Tech has not beaten an impressive list of teams but it won't needs its "A" game to beat UVa. The spread option/triple option attack -- whatever you want to call it - of Georgia Tech will be hard to stop in the second half for Virginia as its offense wears down and its defense get tired. I expect this game to look a lot like the 2009 game in Charlottesville, which was the Yellow Jackets' first victory in Charlottesville since 1990. In that game, Virginia was tied with the Jackets after the first quarter and down just 13-6 at the half. Even early in the fourth quarter, Virginia was within shouting distance at 20-9. But eventually, Tech won, 34-9. It would not shock me if the 'Hoos take an early lead, but I don't see any reason to have confidence that they will hold said lead. Hopefully, there just won't be any downpours like there were for that 2009 contest.Georgia Tech 34, Virginia 17
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