Season: 10-2; last week: 4-2
ACC upset alert/game of the week: East Carolina at Virginia Tech, Noon ESPN
Note: I would also give an upset alert shoutout to Syracuse as it travels to face 2-0 Central Michigan. The Orange are 5.5-point favorites but are just 1-0 after barely beating Villanova two weeks ago.
Virginia Tech got a really nice win last week over a top 10-ranked Ohio State team in Columbus. But let's not confuse that Buckeyes team with the one that had Braxton Miller at QB before any games. This OSU team is not the same. Still, a very, very good win for the Hokies on the road in a place not many teams win. Now, they must get their heads right and not underestimate a dangerous East Carolina team that has a good offense and is 1-1 after giving South Carolina all it could handle last week in a 33-23 loss. Last season, the Pirates blasted UNC, scoring 55 points on the Tar Heels. In the first two weeks, I did not give a pick for my upset alert game but I'm changing that this week. I think Tech is going to come in with the right mindset and do enough to beat ECU, though I do think it will be a close game for awhile.
Virginia Tech 24, East Carolina 17
The Burnin' Couches Bowl: West Virginia at Maryland, Noon Big Ten Network
West Virginia looked much improved over last year's 4-8 campaign when it lost 33-23 to Alabama two weeks ago. Maryland crushed James Madison two weeks ago then barely got past South Florida last week. The Terrapins turned the ball over six times and still beat the Bulls. I think that says more about how bad USF is rather than how good Maryland is in overcoming its mistakes. I'm taking the Mountaineers.
West Virginia 31, Maryland 26
Game of the week: No. 6 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. CBS
The Bulldogs looked fantastic two weeks ago in thrashing Clemson. Now it has had two weeks to get ready for the Gamecocks, who have not looked impressive yet, having a hard time with ECU and getting blown out by Texas A&M.
Georgia 34, South Carolina 24
No. 9 USC at Boston College, 8 p.m. ESPN
The Trojans got a nice win last week over Stanford on the road. BC lost to Pitt at home last week and struggled the week before that vs. UMass. I expect the Eagles to have a tough time.
USC 31, Boston College 13
Tennessee at No. 4 Oklahoma, 8 p.m. ABC
The Sooners always seem to screw something up when they get ranked in the top five and though the Vols are 2-0 and have a pretty solid team, I think OU will wait until later in the year to make its mistake.
Oklahoma 27, Tennessee 17
No. 21 Louisville at Virginia, 12:30 p.m. ACC Network (NBC29 in Cville area)
I guess you could say this is the ACC game of the week because it is the only one pitting two conference squads. Is it also an upset alert? Maybe. Louisville is about a touchdown favorite. This is not an easy game for the Cavaliers but might not be a cakewalk for the Cardinals in their first ACC road game, either. Two weeks ago, Louisville beat Miami 31-13 at home in its first ACC game, but the contest was a little closer than the score suggests. Last week, Louisville was untested in a 66-21
demolition of Murray State.
If you're taking heart because of how well Virginia played Aug. 30 vs. then-No. 7 UCLA, well, the Bruins beat Memphis (3-9 last year) by a score of 42-35 last week, so it appears that UCLA could be a bit overrated. If the UVa defense can bend, not break, however, and not get tired in the second half, the team has a chance provided the offense can get a little something going, especially running the ball. Louisville has the nation's sixth-ranked rush defense right now so if UVa can get something going there, that will be a big win and can help open the offense. If the Cavaliers continue to run up the middle for one yard here and two yards there on first and second downs, then it could be a long day because I don't think offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild can playcall successfully relying on the passing game to win. Also, can the defense get more than one turnover and can it get score a defensive touchdown? If it can do one or both of those, suddenly I like Virginia's chances better. As it is, though, I just think Louisville is going to be too strong and I think you'll see the game look like one from last year -- game effort in the first half, especially by the defense, but eventually the opponent is just too much and pounces on a tired defense in the second half.
Louisville 31, Virginia 17
ACC upset alert/game of the week: East Carolina at Virginia Tech, Noon ESPN
Note: I would also give an upset alert shoutout to Syracuse as it travels to face 2-0 Central Michigan. The Orange are 5.5-point favorites but are just 1-0 after barely beating Villanova two weeks ago.
Virginia Tech got a really nice win last week over a top 10-ranked Ohio State team in Columbus. But let's not confuse that Buckeyes team with the one that had Braxton Miller at QB before any games. This OSU team is not the same. Still, a very, very good win for the Hokies on the road in a place not many teams win. Now, they must get their heads right and not underestimate a dangerous East Carolina team that has a good offense and is 1-1 after giving South Carolina all it could handle last week in a 33-23 loss. Last season, the Pirates blasted UNC, scoring 55 points on the Tar Heels. In the first two weeks, I did not give a pick for my upset alert game but I'm changing that this week. I think Tech is going to come in with the right mindset and do enough to beat ECU, though I do think it will be a close game for awhile.
Virginia Tech 24, East Carolina 17
The Burnin' Couches Bowl: West Virginia at Maryland, Noon Big Ten Network
West Virginia looked much improved over last year's 4-8 campaign when it lost 33-23 to Alabama two weeks ago. Maryland crushed James Madison two weeks ago then barely got past South Florida last week. The Terrapins turned the ball over six times and still beat the Bulls. I think that says more about how bad USF is rather than how good Maryland is in overcoming its mistakes. I'm taking the Mountaineers.
West Virginia 31, Maryland 26
Game of the week: No. 6 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. CBS
The Bulldogs looked fantastic two weeks ago in thrashing Clemson. Now it has had two weeks to get ready for the Gamecocks, who have not looked impressive yet, having a hard time with ECU and getting blown out by Texas A&M.
Georgia 34, South Carolina 24
No. 9 USC at Boston College, 8 p.m. ESPN
The Trojans got a nice win last week over Stanford on the road. BC lost to Pitt at home last week and struggled the week before that vs. UMass. I expect the Eagles to have a tough time.
USC 31, Boston College 13
Tennessee at No. 4 Oklahoma, 8 p.m. ABC
The Sooners always seem to screw something up when they get ranked in the top five and though the Vols are 2-0 and have a pretty solid team, I think OU will wait until later in the year to make its mistake.
Oklahoma 27, Tennessee 17
No. 21 Louisville at Virginia, 12:30 p.m. ACC Network (NBC29 in Cville area)
I guess you could say this is the ACC game of the week because it is the only one pitting two conference squads. Is it also an upset alert? Maybe. Louisville is about a touchdown favorite. This is not an easy game for the Cavaliers but might not be a cakewalk for the Cardinals in their first ACC road game, either. Two weeks ago, Louisville beat Miami 31-13 at home in its first ACC game, but the contest was a little closer than the score suggests. Last week, Louisville was untested in a 66-21
If you're taking heart because of how well Virginia played Aug. 30 vs. then-No. 7 UCLA, well, the Bruins beat Memphis (3-9 last year) by a score of 42-35 last week, so it appears that UCLA could be a bit overrated. If the UVa defense can bend, not break, however, and not get tired in the second half, the team has a chance provided the offense can get a little something going, especially running the ball. Louisville has the nation's sixth-ranked rush defense right now so if UVa can get something going there, that will be a big win and can help open the offense. If the Cavaliers continue to run up the middle for one yard here and two yards there on first and second downs, then it could be a long day because I don't think offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild can playcall successfully relying on the passing game to win. Also, can the defense get more than one turnover and can it get score a defensive touchdown? If it can do one or both of those, suddenly I like Virginia's chances better. As it is, though, I just think Louisville is going to be too strong and I think you'll see the game look like one from last year -- game effort in the first half, especially by the defense, but eventually the opponent is just too much and pounces on a tired defense in the second half.
Louisville 31, Virginia 17
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