FAVORITE TEAMS

10) KANSAS AT HOUSTON – 1PM PT/4PM ET [ESPNU]

Here’s the surprising hot take, Kansas is 2-0 and leads the Big 12 right now. No kidding. They’re up 2-0 in the standings after Cobee Bryant (Yes, that’s his name!) pulled off the interception return for a touchdown on the final play to become the first team to win by double-digits in an overtime game. Houston lost a tough game to Texas Tech on the final play in overtime. They have the offensive talent to outplay them, but their defense may be concerning. I may be crazy to say this, but I’m riding the Lance Leipold bandwagon. Kansas has some fight and they’ll probably challenge Houston’s defense too.

MY PICK: KANSAS

9) FRESNO STATE AT #7 USC – 12PM PT/3PM ET [ABC]

This game could have the makings of the 2005 matchup (which was vacated due to USC’s scandal). Watching it back then was exciting, and hopefully this matchup has a similar outcome. If Fresno State doesn’t turn the ball over, it’s bound to be a high-scoring game. But at the end of the day, Caleb Williams and USC’s offense will be too much for Fresno State to keep up with and all it takes is a couple of crucial stops against Fresno.

MY PICK: USC

8) WESTERN KENTUCKY AT INDIANA – 9AM PT/12PM ET [BIG TEN NETWORK]

The Hilltoppers travel to Bloomington with a 2-0 start along with some surprising progress with their new quarterback. Austin Reed already passed for 551 and seven touchdowns, and the offense looks about as good as last season. Indiana is not bad themselves with Mizzou transfer quarterback Connor Bazelak, but their defense looks good as well. W.K. will have their hands full, but the results could be surprising. Can Indiana’s offense do enough to break the Hilltoppers’ spirit?

MY PICK: WESTERN KENTUCKY

7) #24 PITTSBURGH AT WESTERN MICHIGAN – 4:30PM PT/7:30PM ET [ESPNU]

Believe it or not, Western Michigan owns this series after their win in the first meeting last year. This matchup looked like a heavy favorite for the Panthers, but quarterback Kedon Slovis is a game time decision, and Nick Patti might play a tad injured after last week’s loss to Tennessee. Western Michigan has their 3-headed monster on offense primed for this matchup. This is potentially an upset bid and I’m all for it since Pitts’ defense is hard to trust.

MY PICK: WESTERN MICHIGAN

6) #22 PENN STATE AT AUBURN – 12:30PM PT/3:30PM ET [CBS]

Round two between Penn State and Auburn after last year’s dramatic finish in Happy Valley. Penn State makes their first trip to Jordan Hare and Auburn will put the pressure on Penn State’s suspected offensive line. Quarterback Sean Clifford’s expected to carry the team, but he may have a running back to assist him this time. Auburn hopes to equalize Penn State after last year’s loss. The Tigers’ defense and their run game led by Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter. It’s hard to say that Auburn will win this game unless they have an established, trustworthy quarterback. Much like Texas A&M, if they don’t have that for this type of competition, it’s less likely the team will succeed.

MY PICK: PENN STATE

5) #11 MICHIGAN STATE AT WASHINGTON – 4:30PM PT/7:30PM ET [ABC]

Washington and Michigan State played quiet in the college football world. It all comes to light in prime time on ABC. Washington has always been known for their defense for the past few seasons. But things slowly change under coach Kalen DeBoer as he adds more emphasis on offense with Indiana transfer quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Michigan State’s quarterback Payton Thorne had some ebb-and-flow in the first two weeks, but hopefully this matchup sparks his consistency. He’ll be accompanied by Colorado transfer running back Jarek Broussard and Wisconsin transfer running back Jalen Berger. Their defense is good, but their coverage will be tested against DeBoer’s aggressive offense. It may come down to a one-possession game, but Payton Thorne’s shaky consistency may cost the Spartan’s a road victory.

MY PICK: WASHINGTON

4) TEXAS TECH AT #16 NC STATE – 4PM PT/7PM ET [ESPN2]

Texas Tech boosted their confidence with a big overtime win over future Big 12 opponent, Houston. Quarterback Donovan Smith taking over again for an injured quarterback could become a headline for the Red Raiders. NC State bounced back against an easier opponent after a major scare from East Carolina. They’re ready for Texas Tech and that win would boost their confidence before their date with Clemson next month. It could potentially be a low-scoring game and Texas Tech will fight to the end, but expect NC State to escape another upset bid.

MY PICK: NC STATE

3) #13 MIAMI (FL) AT #24 TEXAS A&M – 6PM PT/9PM ET [ESPN]

Miami managed to overcome a slow start trailing 7-0 to Southern Miss before stomping the Golden Eagles below the turf. That didn’t work out so well for Texas A&M when Appalachian State made College Station see the reality of the Aggies after dreaming of a playoff season. A&M’s offense was exposed and there’s no hiding it when the Hurricanes come storming in. Miami will expect a defensive battle, but their offense has leverage with quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and the running backs. Texas A&M needs some help on offense somewhere. Otherwise, the Hurricanes will literally have their name dubbed for the next actual Hurricane that makes its way towards Texas.

MY PICK: MIAMI

2) #6 OKLAHOMA AT NEBRASKA (THE BIG NOON FOOTBALL) – 9AM PT/12PM ET [FOX]

This was originally #1 before Nebraska fired Scott Frost, which was a surprising hot take. So for this matchup, Mickey Joseph takes over as the interim, but will the players be motivated with him? Nebraska has a solid offense to compete. Texas transfer quarterback Casey Thompson is looking for revenge against Oklahoma when he lost as a Longhorn last season. Oklahoma will be tested on the road to see where they are with Brent Venables as their new head coach. Their defense looks nasty and aggressive thanks to him. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel looked solid, but we’ll see how he handles the Huskers’ defense. I think Nebraska plays with a bit of motivation against their rivals, but I’m not sure that they will maintain their motivation and/or consistency per usual.

MY PICK: OKLAHOMA

1) #12 BYU AT #25 OREGON – 12:30PM PT/3:30PM ET [FOX]

BYU succeeds with a big upset over Top 10 Baylor. If they continue this type of run, they will be in the playoff conversation next month. Oregon returns to the Top 25 after taking their anger from their loss to Georgia out on Eastern Washington last week. BYU is their first and best opportunity to regain their composure for a playoff opportunity. The Ducks defense could bog down Jaren Hall while giving the Ducks’ offense a chance to capitalize on it. Oregon’s chances of winning will come down to the run game and Bo Nix not making mistakes. That would be enough to wear out BYU’s defense. I will give Oregon the nod to upset BYU, but the Cougars should still be ok to compete for a playoff opportunity from here on out.

MY PICK: OREGON