09-27-2016, 09:38 AM
Continuing this recent tradition, here are the games of the week (with game times and TV channel included for your television planning pleasure)
Pac-12 Games
Friday, September 30
* #7 Stanford @ #10 Washington (-3) (6:00pm PT on ESPN). 3 points. Sure. OK.Â
Saturday, October 1
* Oregon State @ Colorado (-18) (11:30am PT on Pac-12 Network). Last week, I commented that Oregon only being favored by 7.5 at home against Colorado seemed like a crazy line, but one that reflected the new reality of the Ducks trending down and the Buffs trending up. Now the Buffs are an 18-point favorite in a conference game. You keep beating teams from Oregon, Buffs. Get yourself a bowl bid. Welcome to the Pac-12 (for real this time).
* #18 Utah @ C.al (-1.5) (3:00pm PT on Pac-12 Network). Tough to predict this game given the very different styles of play, but I'll be rooting for Utah to climb the rankings and further bury C.al in the standings.
* Arizona State @ S.C. (-10) (5:30pm PT on FOX). ASU could get itself in the Top 25 with a win, but then again, if we want Clay Helton to stay as coach, he needs to start winning some games. Decisions, decisions.... Note: the line moved from -6 at opening to -10 now, so some decent action on SC.
* Oregon (-1) @ Washington State (6:30pm PT on Pac-12 Network). Seriously, Oregon is only a 1-point favorite to a 1-2 Wazzu team that already has a FCS loss under its belt. Uh, go Oregon, I guess?
* Arizona @ UCLA (-13.5) (7:30pm PT on ESPN). Since UCLA was our toughest game, hopefully UCLA shows that was because they're actually good.
Other Top 25 Games
Thursday, September 29
* Connecticut @ #6 Houston (5:00pm PT on ESPN). Houston isn't going to lose this one, but it would be nice for them to faceplant at some point.
Saturday, October 1
* #13 Baylor (-16.5) @ Iowa State (9:00am PT on FS1). Seems like Iowa State is always good for one out-of-nowhere upset a year.
* #14 Miami (-7) @ Georgia Tech (9:00am PT on ESPN2).
* #22 Texas @ Oklahoma State (-2.5) (9:00am PT on ABC). Further cannibalization in the Big 12.
* #8 Wisconsin @ #4 Michigan (-10.5) (12:30pm PT on ABC). Hoo boy. Michigan still has to play MSU and Ohio State, and the Badgers get Ohio State at home, so this might be Wisconsin's best chance for a loss.Â
* #11 Tennessee (-3.5) @ #25 Georgia (12:30pm PT on CBS). I don't think Tennessee is that good, and I would like Georgia to prove that.
* North Carolina @ #12 Florida State (-11) (12:30pm PT on ESPN). Somehow, FSU is still a Top 15 team after getting flat-out embarrassed.
* #9 Texas A&M (-17.5) @ South Carolina (1:00pm PT on SEC Network). This would be a bad loss for an A&M team that has designs on the SEC West, but they still have to go to Alabama, so a win here is fine.
* Oklahoma (-3.5) @ #21 TCU (2:00pm PT on FOX). Let chaos reign.
* Kentucky @ #1 Alabama (-35) (4:00pm PT on ESPN). Kentucky being in the SEC isn't even fair.
* #3 Louisville (-2) @ #5 Clemson (5:00pm PT on ABC). Whichever team wins will be ahead of us and whichever one loses will likely be behind us (assuming we win), so I'm not sure. I had assumed that Louisville would lose this game and Clemson would then lose on the road to FSU, but maybe rooting for Clemson to lose this one and for Louisville to lose to Houston is the better play? At least then either Houston or Louisville would be out of the mix. Hmmm. FYI, this line has shifted 5 points, from Clemson -3 to Louisville -2.
* #17 Michigan State (-7) @ Indiana (5:00pm PT on Big Ten Network)
* #19 San Diego State (-19) @ South Alabama (5:00pm PT on ESPN News)
* Utah State @ #24 Boise State (-20) (7:15pm PT on ESPN2).Â
Opponent Watch
* N.D. (-10.5) @ Syracuse (9:00am PT on ESPN2). Our Lady's stock is going waaaaaay down after losing as 21-point favorites to Duke. Duke!
* Rice @ Southern Miss (-24) (4:00pm PT, no TV available)Â Rice managed to lose as favorites last week to North Texas, so the schedule is looking pretty rough for our new band rivals.
* Kansas State @ West Virginia (12:30pm PT, ESPNU). Kansas State has blown the doors off its opponents in the last two games, though those two teams aren't very good. FAU and Missouri State aren't all that good, but still, blowout wins are nice. K-State now goes on the road to play one of two remaining undefeated Big 12 teams. WVU has beaten Missouri and BYU already this season, so their non-conference has been respectable. Go Wildcats!
Gameday Watch
Gameday, unsurprisingly, will be at the only Top 5 matchup of the week, Louisville at Clemson. This is Louisville's second appearance and Clemson's first. The first 5 Gameday matchups break down like so:
ACC: 5 (Louisville 2, FSU, Clemson, Virginia Tech)
SEC: 4 (Tennessee 2, Florida, LSU)
Big Ten: 1 (Wisconsin)
Pac 12: 0
Big 12: 0
Doesn't look like our odds will improve anytime soon, either. Looking ahead to Week 6, ranked matchups (with current rankings, obvs) include #11 Tennessee @ #9 Texas A&M, #1 Alabama @ #20 Arkansas, and #12 Florida State @ #14 Miami. Other games of interest include #10 Washington @ Oregon, #22 Texas vs. Oklahoma, and LSU @ #23 Florida.
Pac-12 Games
Friday, September 30
* #7 Stanford @ #10 Washington (-3) (6:00pm PT on ESPN). 3 points. Sure. OK.Â
Saturday, October 1
* Oregon State @ Colorado (-18) (11:30am PT on Pac-12 Network). Last week, I commented that Oregon only being favored by 7.5 at home against Colorado seemed like a crazy line, but one that reflected the new reality of the Ducks trending down and the Buffs trending up. Now the Buffs are an 18-point favorite in a conference game. You keep beating teams from Oregon, Buffs. Get yourself a bowl bid. Welcome to the Pac-12 (for real this time).
* #18 Utah @ C.al (-1.5) (3:00pm PT on Pac-12 Network). Tough to predict this game given the very different styles of play, but I'll be rooting for Utah to climb the rankings and further bury C.al in the standings.
* Arizona State @ S.C. (-10) (5:30pm PT on FOX). ASU could get itself in the Top 25 with a win, but then again, if we want Clay Helton to stay as coach, he needs to start winning some games. Decisions, decisions.... Note: the line moved from -6 at opening to -10 now, so some decent action on SC.
* Oregon (-1) @ Washington State (6:30pm PT on Pac-12 Network). Seriously, Oregon is only a 1-point favorite to a 1-2 Wazzu team that already has a FCS loss under its belt. Uh, go Oregon, I guess?
* Arizona @ UCLA (-13.5) (7:30pm PT on ESPN). Since UCLA was our toughest game, hopefully UCLA shows that was because they're actually good.
Other Top 25 Games
Thursday, September 29
* Connecticut @ #6 Houston (5:00pm PT on ESPN). Houston isn't going to lose this one, but it would be nice for them to faceplant at some point.
Saturday, October 1
* #13 Baylor (-16.5) @ Iowa State (9:00am PT on FS1). Seems like Iowa State is always good for one out-of-nowhere upset a year.
* #14 Miami (-7) @ Georgia Tech (9:00am PT on ESPN2).
* #22 Texas @ Oklahoma State (-2.5) (9:00am PT on ABC). Further cannibalization in the Big 12.
* #8 Wisconsin @ #4 Michigan (-10.5) (12:30pm PT on ABC). Hoo boy. Michigan still has to play MSU and Ohio State, and the Badgers get Ohio State at home, so this might be Wisconsin's best chance for a loss.Â
* #11 Tennessee (-3.5) @ #25 Georgia (12:30pm PT on CBS). I don't think Tennessee is that good, and I would like Georgia to prove that.
* North Carolina @ #12 Florida State (-11) (12:30pm PT on ESPN). Somehow, FSU is still a Top 15 team after getting flat-out embarrassed.
* #9 Texas A&M (-17.5) @ South Carolina (1:00pm PT on SEC Network). This would be a bad loss for an A&M team that has designs on the SEC West, but they still have to go to Alabama, so a win here is fine.
* Oklahoma (-3.5) @ #21 TCU (2:00pm PT on FOX). Let chaos reign.
* Kentucky @ #1 Alabama (-35) (4:00pm PT on ESPN). Kentucky being in the SEC isn't even fair.
* #3 Louisville (-2) @ #5 Clemson (5:00pm PT on ABC). Whichever team wins will be ahead of us and whichever one loses will likely be behind us (assuming we win), so I'm not sure. I had assumed that Louisville would lose this game and Clemson would then lose on the road to FSU, but maybe rooting for Clemson to lose this one and for Louisville to lose to Houston is the better play? At least then either Houston or Louisville would be out of the mix. Hmmm. FYI, this line has shifted 5 points, from Clemson -3 to Louisville -2.
* #17 Michigan State (-7) @ Indiana (5:00pm PT on Big Ten Network)
* #19 San Diego State (-19) @ South Alabama (5:00pm PT on ESPN News)
* Utah State @ #24 Boise State (-20) (7:15pm PT on ESPN2).Â
Opponent Watch
* N.D. (-10.5) @ Syracuse (9:00am PT on ESPN2). Our Lady's stock is going waaaaaay down after losing as 21-point favorites to Duke. Duke!
* Rice @ Southern Miss (-24) (4:00pm PT, no TV available)Â Rice managed to lose as favorites last week to North Texas, so the schedule is looking pretty rough for our new band rivals.
* Kansas State @ West Virginia (12:30pm PT, ESPNU). Kansas State has blown the doors off its opponents in the last two games, though those two teams aren't very good. FAU and Missouri State aren't all that good, but still, blowout wins are nice. K-State now goes on the road to play one of two remaining undefeated Big 12 teams. WVU has beaten Missouri and BYU already this season, so their non-conference has been respectable. Go Wildcats!
Gameday Watch
Gameday, unsurprisingly, will be at the only Top 5 matchup of the week, Louisville at Clemson. This is Louisville's second appearance and Clemson's first. The first 5 Gameday matchups break down like so:
ACC: 5 (Louisville 2, FSU, Clemson, Virginia Tech)
SEC: 4 (Tennessee 2, Florida, LSU)
Big Ten: 1 (Wisconsin)
Pac 12: 0
Big 12: 0
Doesn't look like our odds will improve anytime soon, either. Looking ahead to Week 6, ranked matchups (with current rankings, obvs) include #11 Tennessee @ #9 Texas A&M, #1 Alabama @ #20 Arkansas, and #12 Florida State @ #14 Miami. Other games of interest include #10 Washington @ Oregon, #22 Texas vs. Oklahoma, and LSU @ #23 Florida.
