We’ve now reached the sweet spot of the weekly college schedule with most teams playing conference opponents almost every week. The TV scheduling people have seemingly saved the best game for last this week as you will see below.
TENNESSEE @ GEORGIA by 3; Saturday; 3:30/ET; CBS
A big SEC showdown with the happy circumstance for a “must win” Bulldogs squad, who need to bounce back from their loss at Ole Miss last week. The VOLS are still undefeated after some tough early season games. Their Offense has shown signs of life, but their OL has made it a challenge for QB/DOBBS get a passing game in gear consistently. UGA RB NICK CHUBB is banged up again and how healthy he will really be to tote the rock in this contest is up in the air as game time approaches. I am projecting Frosh QB/JACOB EASON to break out in this contest, especially if CB/CAM SUTTON is MIA again for the VOLS secondary. So give me UGA at home with their young QB having a big game. Prospects to watch:
TENNESSEE GEORGIA
#11 JOSHUA DOBBS/QB 6’3/207 #72 TONY CATALINA/OT 6’5/305
#1 JALEN HURD/RB 6’4/240 JR #73 GREG PYKE/OT 6’6/313
#21 JALEN REEVES-MAYBIN/LB 6’0/225 #27 NICK CHUBB/RB 5’10/225 JR
#23 CAM SUTTON/CB/RS 5’11/185 #42 TIM KIMBROUGH/LB 6’0/226
#24 TODD KELLY/S 5’11/208 JR #20 QUINCY MAUGER/S 6’0/200
WISCONSIN @ MICHIGAN by 10 3:30/ET ABC
Showdown time, Big 10 style. After a convincing win over Michigan State last weekend the Badgers now get to travel into Ann Arbor. Not Good! The Wolverines are as hot as a smoking gun and I expect them to keep up the pounding that they have been inflicting on opponents so far this season. Their smallest margin of victory has been their 17 point W over Colorado. It should be noted that this is their 5th straight home game to open the season. They need to bank all the wins they can before they hit the road. UW is one of the biggest surprise undefeated teams in the nation. But all good things must end and that will be the name of the game for the highly competitive BADGERS. By the way the Wolverine have 3 senior receivers (2 WR/TE) who are all fighting for places in the Top 100 Draft Prospect lists. Then, of course, UM’s best prospect is redshirt sophomore OLB/S Jabrill Peppers, who is getting some legit top 5 consideration. Prospects to watch:
WISCONSIN MICHIGAN
#47 VINCE BIEGEL/OLB 5’4/245 #88 JAKE BUTT/TE 6’6/250
#6 COREY CLEMENT/RB 5’11/215 #86 JEHU CHESSON/WR 6’3/200
#23 DAVE OGUNBOWALE/RB 5’11/217 #82 AMARA DARBOH/WR 6’2/215
#8 SOJOURN SHELTON/CB 5’9/175 #26 JOURDAN LEWIS/CB 5’10/175
#42 T.J. WATT/OLB 6’4/257 JR #5 JABRILL PEPPERS/LB/RS 6’1/210
#15 ROBERT WHEELWRIGHT/WR 6’3/205 #43 CHRIS WORMLEY/DE 6’5/303
OKLAHOMA by 3 @ TCU SAT 5PM/ET FOX
After a hugely disappointing 1-2 start to the season BOBBY STOOPS got exactly what he and his staff needed last week in the form of a BYE. I am of the opinion that things will have been adjusted and put in place so that his team is ready to start the season over and run the table. If they can defeat TCU on the road their schedule says they have a chance. TCU is 3-1, but that one L was in against their only meaningful opponent to date, Arkansas. KENNY HILL/QB has been cooking lately and now needs to step it up against another top notch opponent. There should be a high level of urgency from both teams in this contest, which can make for a tight exciting contest. Prospects to watch:
OKLAHOMA TEXAS CHRISTIAN
#26 JORDAN EVANS/LB 6’2/233 #94 JOSH CARRAWAY/DE 6’4/250
#5 GENO LEWIS/WR 6’1/201 #20 DEANTE’ GRAY/WR 5’10/175
#6 BAKER MAYFIELD/QB 6’1/212 #30 DENZEL JOHNSON/S 6’2/215
#13 AHMAD THOMAS/FS 6’1/210 # #40 JAMES McFARLAND/DE 6’3/250
#11 DEDE WESTBROOK/WR 6’0/170
LOUISVILLE @ CLEMSON by 4 8PM/ET ABC
The showdown of the first month of the 2016 season could be this contest. Two undefeateds with aspirations for Final Four spots featuring a matchup of the two most exciting QB in college football. LAMAR JACKSON/QB for Louisville has actually out produced DeSHAUN WATSON to date, but that could change. JACKSON is a more explosive runner, but WATSON has developed into a better passer for the time being. The wild card in this game could turn out to be a big play CARDINALS defense, which by far has the most star power of the two rosters. The CLEMSON OL matching up against the Louisville front 7 could be the true key in this one. I’m giving it to the home team, but I sure wouldn’t be betting any money on this match-up. Prospects to watch:
LOUISVILLE CLEMSON
#97 DEANGELO BROWN/DT 6’0/308 #10 BEN BOULWARE/ILB 5’11/240
#92 DeVONTE FIELDS/DE 6’4/245 #16 JODAN LEGGETT/TE 6’5/255
#25 JOHN HARVEY-CLEMONS/LB 6’5/230 #25 CORDERA TENKERSLEY/CB 6’1/195
#55 KEITH KELSEY/LB 6’1/230 #94 CARLOS WATKINS/DT 6’3/300
#17 JAMES QUICK/WR 6’1/191 #4 DeSHAUN WATSON/QB 6’2/210 JR
#2 JAMARI STAPLES/WR 6’4/195 #7 MIKE WILLIAMS/WR 6’4/220 RS/JR
Enjoy your football weekend and make sure you have your eyes glued to that ACC showdown Saturday on ABC!
Pigskin
