It’s time for conference play. Here we go. USC at Michigan (somehow a Big 10 game). NC State at Clemson in the ACC. Big 12-newcomer Utah at Oklahoma State.
And the Tennessee Volunteers visit the home of the Oklahoma Sooners as Southeastern Conference foes. This is as good as it gets.
(I’ve got to make this quick, because I need to get on the road to Norman for the game.)
NC State at No. 21 Clemson
12 p.m. ET
Line: Clemson –18
If the Clemson defense that showed up against Georgia is the defense that plays against NC State, I can’t see the Wolfpack scoring a ton of points. On the other hand, Clemson’s offense looked atrocious against Georgia before pouring 66 points on Appalachian State a week later. NC State was disappointing in its loss to Tennessee, but 18 points is a huge spread.
Clemson wins, but NC State covers 34-28.
No.11 USC at No. 18 Michigan
3:30 p.m. ET
Line: USC –4
Lincoln Riley brings Miller Moss, crazy talent at the skills positions, and a much improved defense to Ann Arbor looking to knock out a wounded Michigan team. The Wolverines are stout on defense, but they’re still looking for a QB, and the ability to score points is going to be an issue. Get ready for the Trojan hype machine to kick into overdrive.
USC wins big 34-24.
UCLA at No. 16 LSU
3:30 p.m. ET
Line: LSU –21
Brian Kelly took a flawed LSU team to Columbia, S.C., and won a close one against the surging Gamecocks. DeShaun Foster’s UCLA Bruins are still looking for an identity after getting waxed by Indiana 42-13. That’s not a recipe for success playing on the road in Death Valley.
LSU kills UCLA 44-17.
No. 12 Utah at No. 14 Oklahoma State
4 p.m. ET
Line: Utah –1
Utah plays big-boy, smash-mouth football. Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon is a big-boy, smash-mouth tail back. But Ollie Gordon has yet to fully break out this year, and the heart and soul of Utah’s team, QB Cam Rising, will be limited with a hand injury. One team will be limited, and one team will break out: And it’s going to be the home team.
Pokes win, and set their sights on a Big 12 Title: 34-28.
No. 6 Tennessee at No. 15 Oklahoma
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Tennessee –6.5
Oklahoma welcomes its first SEC opponent to Owen field, home of seven national championships, seven Heisman trophies, 167 All-Americans, and 50 conference titles. Former Oklahoma national-championship-winning QB Josh Heupel’s return to Norman as the head coach of the Top Ten Volunteers will be one for the history books. Heupel’s Vols may just be the most complete team in the nation. But Brent Venables’s Oklahoma is looking to establish itself as a contender. A crazy and revved up Oklahoma crowd is the difference.
Oklahoma wins 31-28. Boomer Sooner, Baby.
Record Last Week: 2-3
Record on the Year: 6-9
Note: All picks are scored against the spread.