Week 3 is here and Week 2 went pretty well on all fronts for both me and my power rankings. Putting my rankings to 20-13 ATS and 29-4 overall and me 16-17 ATS and 30-3 overall. Week 3 is a lackluster slate which makes knowing the lines even more fun, and the weeks we give up on have turned wild in recent memory.
Thursday, September 11th, 2014:
Houston (36.59) at #25 BYU (24.30) (HFA:4.11), 8:00 pm ESPN, Everything I think says my numbers are crazy on this game. First, I watched Houston get shutout out by UTSA. UTSA is admittedly a very good team that almost knocked off Arizona, a pretty good Pac-12 team. Second, I know what kind of defenses Bronco Mendenhall produces. Third, BYU has an offense run by Taysom hill that should be able to move the ball on a good but nothing special Houston defense. Houston looked to start getting back on track versus Grambling but that was against Grambling. I've tried but I just can't talk myself into Houston winning and that means my recap will be me just calling me an idiot. Power Pick: Houston -8.19 My Pick: BYU 31-17 Line: BYU -17.5
Friday, September 12th, 2014:
#8 Baylor (42.88)at Buffalo (13.40) (HFA:2.03), 7:00 pm ESPN, This was an intriguing match up last season with Kahlil Mack on defense. This year, the only real intrigue is if Art Briles can manage to not maim Bryce Petty. Power Pick: Baylor by 27.46 My Pick: Baylor 63-13 Line: Baylor -35
Saturday, September 13th, 2014:
East Carolina (16.21) at #17 Virginia Tech (36.90) (HFA:4.28), 11:00 am ESPN, East Carolina heads to Blacksburg to take on another great Bud Foster secondary/defense and a do what it needs to offense. With game one of the ACC conference season next week, might there be trap potential for the Hokies? I say some, but more a Va Tech offense struggles to score points while it's defense holds ECU to a couple scores and pulls out an ugly victory in the second half. Power Pick: Virginia Tech by 24.96 My Pick: Virginia Tech 27-24 Line: Virginia Tech -10.5
UCF (25.01) at #20 Missouri (49.92) (HFA:4.12), 11:00 am SEC Network, On a lackluster week, UCF Missouri becomes a game that has considerable intrigue and much like Louisville at Virginia this one has the opportunity to fill in what the rest of the slate is lacking. UCF came up just short against Penn State in Dublin but the QB change made a world of difference in the second half. Missouri hasn't had muhc of a passing game early in the season with Matty Mauck at the helm but they've done enough to average 43 points per game to only 21 given up. I think the UCF defense gives them a stiffer test than Toledo and an FCS opponent but will it be enough to knock off last years SEC East champs. Power Pick: Missouri by 29.04 My Pick: Missouri 27-20 Line: Missouri -10
Kent State (-2.35) at #22 Ohio State (40.47) (HFA:5.55), 11:00 ABC/ESPN2, Ohio State remain the kings of Ohio, not that that says much with BGSU and Toledo both losing very good quarterbacks to injury and not having a four or five star recruit to replace them. Power Pick: Ohio State by 48.37 My Pick: Ohio State 38-13 Line: Ohio State -32
#21 Louisville (35.41) at Virginia (23.49) (HFA:3.19), 11:30 am ESPN3, My upset special, not actually a thing, and one of the more underrated of a down week. Virginia showed very good flashes on defense against a UCLA that admittedly struggled against Memphis last week. Even still that front four is legit and there is certainly talent in Charlottesville. Louisville has looked good and the offense under Petrino has been far ahead of where many thought. The biggest surprise has been defense which shut down Miami and should be fine against Miami but we don't know just what this unit will be. Power Pick: Louisville by 8.72 My Pick: Virginia 24-21 Line: Louisville -6.5
Wyoming (4.58) at #2 Oregon (65.98) (HFA:4.31), 1:00 pm Pac-12 Network, Oregon hosts Wyoming in Craig Bohl's inaugural season in Larime, but are in for a rude awakening when they visit Autzen Stadium. Bohl was one of the best hires this offsesaon but they just don't have much chance of keeping up in this game. Power Pick: Oregon by 65.70 My Pick: Oregon 59-20 Line: Oregon by 43.5
#6 Georgia (44.22) at #24 South Carolina (57.60) (HFA:4.85), 2:30 pm CBS,
Power Pick: South Carolina by 18.23 My Pick: South Carolina 38-35 Line: Georgia -6
Louisiana-Lafayette (24.04) at #14 Ole Miss (50.39) (HFA:4.04), 3:00 pm SEC Network, Dr. Bo has been a bit too loose with the ball early in the season, but boy is he fun to watch. Between him and Nkemdiche they have a player to watch at all times on both sides of the ball. Louisiana-Lafayette lost ot La Tech last week and look to be repeating last year's debacle, where they waste a talented experienced team and fail to win the conference and get an above average ball. Ole Miss walks in this one but I would love to see what I thought Lafayette would be preseason show up in Oxford. Power Pick: Ole Miss by 30.39 My Pick: Ole Miss 41-21 Line: Ole Miss -27.5
Army (14.11) at #15 Stanford (46.00) (HFA:3.78), 4:00 pm Pac-12 Network, This one was tight last year and based on both teams rushing prowess it coudl be again as the game is done in 25 minutes, but Stanford wins it and by a couple scores. Power Pick: Stanford by 35.67 My Pick: Stanford 24-10 Line: Stanford -28
Southern Miss (-1.75) at #3 Alabama (41.56) (HFA:5.45), 5:00 pm ESPN2, Bama follows up a barn burner against FAU with Southern Miss who won their first game in three seasons and well yeah Roll Tide is better analysis than I can give, or want to. Power Pick: Alabama by 48.76 My Pick: Alabama 45-9 Line: Alabama -48
UTSA (37.23) at Oklahoma State (30.06) (HFA:4.04), 6:00 pm, I put this one in here because it intrigues me with J.W. Walsh being out, Oklahoma State playing Florida State tough and the fact that I really like this UTSA team. Oklahoma State is probably better than Arizoan at this point in the season but they still are a raw team who is down it's starting QB. If UTSA can play good defense, and score in the mid-20s I think they have a real good chance to pull the upset. Power Pick: UTSA by 3.14 My Pick: UTSA 27-24 Line: Oklahoma St -13.5
Purdue (9.43) vs #11 Notre Dame (41.66) (Indianapolis), 6:30 pm NBC, Notre Dame and Purdue meet in the middle for this year's matchup and with Everett Golson back at the helm and Purdue being somewhere better than Eastern Michigan and worse than Central Michigan. Struggles early maybe, but Notre Dame should romp. Power Pick: Notre Dame by 32.22 My Pick: Notre Dame 41-13 Line: ND -27.5
Tennessee (22.69) at #4 Oklahoma (56.92) (HFA:4.99), 7:00 pm ABC, Oklahoma hosts Tennessee in, what I guess is the prime time matchup. This should turn into a nightmare for the Vols who are a very talented young team but the line play just won't be up to snuff against a very good offensive and defensive front for the Sooners. Power Pick: Oklahoma by 39.22 My Pick: Oklahoma 45-20 Line: Oklahoma -20.5
#9 USC (58.34) at Boston College (13.47) (HFA:2.85), 7:00 pm ESPN, USC heads to Boston College off a big win over Stanford. I expect them to start off sluggish but they won't lose and they probably won't fail to cover. Power Pick: USC by 42.02 My Pick: USC 35-14 Line: USC -17
#12 UCLA (62.18) vs Texas (27.63) (Arlington), 7:00 pm FOX, UCLA heads to Arlington in Fox's game of the week to take on a Texas team that has nothing going on offense and a defense that is going to have to try to provide too much to stay up all game. If BYU could do it in the second half, a UCLA team with a underperforming offensive line should still allow them to pull away in this one. Power Pick: UCLA by 34.54 My Pick: UCLA 31-17 Line: UCLA -7.5
Rice (16.31) at #7 Texas A&M (54.10) (HFA:5.10), 8:00 pm ESPN2, Remember what Johnny Manziel did to Rice in the second half last year, well Kenny Hill is gonna rip 'em apart too. This one is a blood bath and won't tell us much about either. Power Pick: Texas A&M by 42.88 My Pick: Texas A&M 59-24 Line: Texas A&M -32
#16 Arizona State (45.82) at Colorado (24.65) (HFA:3.12), 9:00 pm ESPNU, Arizona State travles to Colorado to take on an improving Buffs team that just isn't quite there yet under Mike MicIntyre. Arizona State is getting better each week on offense under Todd Graham and should have plenty to pull from too beat Colorado on the road. Power Pick: Arizona State by 18.05 My Pick: Arizona State 31-20 Line: Arizona State -15
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