09-12-2016, 12:57 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-13-2016, 12:48 PM by ColoradoTree.)
We're back to the quality of the opening weekend after a one-week vacation:
Pac-12 games
Friday, September 16
Arizona State (-18) @ UTSA
Saturday, September 17
Obviously, SC @ #7 Stanford (-8.5)
Idaho @ Washington State (-25.5)
Colorado @ #4 Michigan (-20.5)
#22 Oregon @ Nebraska (-2.5).Â
Idaho State @ Oregon State (no line yet)
Portland State @ #8 Washington (no line yet)
UCLA (-3.5) @ BYU
Utah (-12.5) @ San Jose State.
#11 Texas (-8) @ C.al.Â
Hawaii @ Arizona (no line yet).Â
In sum, one conference game (ours), three games against Power 5 teams (we're the underdog in all three, though I expect Oregon to pull off the win), and one game against a sorta-P5 team (BYU). If Stanford, Washington, and Oregon all win, then the takeaway from the weekend is that the Pac-12 North remains dominant over the South, even if the conference overall doesn't do great. Utah is currently the last team out of the AP poll, so they should get ranked with a solid win. But for our conference's sake (and for the sake of the Big 12's continuing failure), you should--if humanly possible--try and root for C.al to somehow beat Texas. It's highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened (like, uh, C.al beating Texas last year in Austin). I know Colorado is probably going to lose big, but I'm hoping they make a game of it. But overall, 8-2 in non-conference games this week should be doable.Â
Other Top 25 games worth watching
Thursday, September 15
#6 Houston (-7) @ Cincinnati
Friday, September 16
#21 Baylor (-30) @ Rice. A preview of our new bitter rivalry opponent. ;-)
Saturday, September 17
#2 Florida State (-2.5) @ #10 Louisville. I know Louisville will probably jump us in the rankings if it beats FSU, but I'll stick to my standard rule of "root for the teams ahead of us to lose."Â
#1 Alabama (-9.5) @ #19 Ole Miss. Same. If you want to see Alabama lose, this is one of the likeliest spots all season.Â
#17 Texas A&M @ Auburn (-3.5)Â I guess I want A&M to win to make UCLA's loss look better, but that's as much brainpower as I'll spend on this one.Â
#12 Michigan State @ #18 N.D. (-7.5). The Irish, of course. Makes our schedule look better while making the Big Ten look slightly worse.
#16 Georgia (-7) @ Mizzou. Mizzou? Just for the sake of SEC chaos.
#3 Ohio State (-2) @ #14 Oklahoma. Arguments to be made on both sides of this one, but Ohio State is currently ranked ahead of us and Oklahoma won't jump us with a win, so Oklahoma it is.Â
Non-Conference Opponent Watch
Florida Atlantic (1-1) @ Kansas State (0-1) (-22.5). FAU narrowly beat Southern Illinois before losing to now-#25 Miami 38-10. Here's hoping for a nice, dominant home win over the Owls for the Wildcats (en route to a Big 12 title).
Â
N.D. (1-1): See above. Crushed Nevada after losing that 2OT thriller to Texas in Austin.Â
Rice (0-2): See above. Rice has road losses to Western Kentucky and Army, and neither game was close. If Stanford wins the North, this game is looking like a great opportunity to give some banged-up guys some rest before the Pac-12 title game. If Stanford doesn't win the North, then it'll be like bowl practice is starting a week early. Either that or we try and get Christian like 500 yards for consideration for a certain Trophy.Â
Pac-12 games
Friday, September 16
Arizona State (-18) @ UTSA
Saturday, September 17
Obviously, SC @ #7 Stanford (-8.5)
Idaho @ Washington State (-25.5)
Colorado @ #4 Michigan (-20.5)
#22 Oregon @ Nebraska (-2.5).Â
Idaho State @ Oregon State (no line yet)
Portland State @ #8 Washington (no line yet)
UCLA (-3.5) @ BYU
Utah (-12.5) @ San Jose State.
#11 Texas (-8) @ C.al.Â
Hawaii @ Arizona (no line yet).Â
In sum, one conference game (ours), three games against Power 5 teams (we're the underdog in all three, though I expect Oregon to pull off the win), and one game against a sorta-P5 team (BYU). If Stanford, Washington, and Oregon all win, then the takeaway from the weekend is that the Pac-12 North remains dominant over the South, even if the conference overall doesn't do great. Utah is currently the last team out of the AP poll, so they should get ranked with a solid win. But for our conference's sake (and for the sake of the Big 12's continuing failure), you should--if humanly possible--try and root for C.al to somehow beat Texas. It's highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened (like, uh, C.al beating Texas last year in Austin). I know Colorado is probably going to lose big, but I'm hoping they make a game of it. But overall, 8-2 in non-conference games this week should be doable.Â
Other Top 25 games worth watching
Thursday, September 15
#6 Houston (-7) @ Cincinnati
Friday, September 16
#21 Baylor (-30) @ Rice. A preview of our new bitter rivalry opponent. ;-)
Saturday, September 17
#2 Florida State (-2.5) @ #10 Louisville. I know Louisville will probably jump us in the rankings if it beats FSU, but I'll stick to my standard rule of "root for the teams ahead of us to lose."Â
#1 Alabama (-9.5) @ #19 Ole Miss. Same. If you want to see Alabama lose, this is one of the likeliest spots all season.Â
#17 Texas A&M @ Auburn (-3.5)Â I guess I want A&M to win to make UCLA's loss look better, but that's as much brainpower as I'll spend on this one.Â
#12 Michigan State @ #18 N.D. (-7.5). The Irish, of course. Makes our schedule look better while making the Big Ten look slightly worse.
#16 Georgia (-7) @ Mizzou. Mizzou? Just for the sake of SEC chaos.
#3 Ohio State (-2) @ #14 Oklahoma. Arguments to be made on both sides of this one, but Ohio State is currently ranked ahead of us and Oklahoma won't jump us with a win, so Oklahoma it is.Â
Non-Conference Opponent Watch
Florida Atlantic (1-1) @ Kansas State (0-1) (-22.5). FAU narrowly beat Southern Illinois before losing to now-#25 Miami 38-10. Here's hoping for a nice, dominant home win over the Owls for the Wildcats (en route to a Big 12 title).
Â
N.D. (1-1): See above. Crushed Nevada after losing that 2OT thriller to Texas in Austin.Â
Rice (0-2): See above. Rice has road losses to Western Kentucky and Army, and neither game was close. If Stanford wins the North, this game is looking like a great opportunity to give some banged-up guys some rest before the Pac-12 title game. If Stanford doesn't win the North, then it'll be like bowl practice is starting a week early. Either that or we try and get Christian like 500 yards for consideration for a certain Trophy.Â

