The Four To Score: Week Five

Conference Races Are About to Heat Up….HALLELUJAH! 

Rich Rod and Chad on Saturdays. 

Finally, we're getting into the meat and potatoes of the college football season. Forget the dainty amouse-bouches and appetizers, we're ready for steady massive helpings of conference showdowns every week from here on out. This couldn't come soon enough, especially after last week's mediocrity here at The Four To Score. Losing Florida +14 was a loss that felt like it should have been a win during the game, but after stepping back and thinking about the game on Sunday, Will Muschamp's boys had absolutely no business hanging around for so long. Shame on me for following my heart and trusting you, Coach Boom. Long gone are the days of you chest-bumping Brian Orakpo, instead replaced by defensive mishaps leading to lots of offensive yards for opponents. Similarly, Chad took the brunt of it thanks to the least likely of characters….Greg F'n Davis. Somehow, Pitt squandered a ten point halftime lead and lost to the Hawkeyes in a game that saw the Panthers win the box score by a margin of over 100 yards. Curse the Master of Bubble Screens for putting up 17 points in the second half and blowing the cover for Chad (2-3 last week), who just can't seem to get a bounce. Hopefully things start to look up for Chad, and I'll do my best to avoid a regression to the mean (2-2-1 last week) as we break down this week's appetizing card.

First Down: Texas Tech +14 at Oklahoma State, 7:30 PM EST Thursday (Garrett)

Call me crazy for it, but I'm backing Kliff's crew this week as they head to Stillwater. The Red Raiders defense has been an absolute mess to start the season, and the offense hasn't clicked as many have expected. Yet I think this could be the week where things start heading in the positive direction for Texas Tech. They had a bye week last week, and fired their defensive coordinator, which hopefully fixes some of their defensive ills like it did for Texas in 2013. That extra week to prepare for Mike Gundy's squad will not only help the defense get its act in order, but should have also provided Davis Webb more reps to get on the same page with his WRs. As in most games between these two teams, there should be points aplenty, but I think the Red Raiders will do just enough to keep this to a single-digit game in a "rally the troops"moment to start conference play.

Oklahoma State -14 vs. Texas Tech, 7:30 PM EST Thursday (Chad)
This one will probably bite me in the ass. This is wayyy to many points, and there's little chance Tech is actually as bad as they looked against Arkansas a few weeks ago. Nonetheless, I'm laying the points with the bright orange headed step children of Oklahoma State. The loss of J.W. Walsh doesn't sting as much as some seem to think. Inside the Cowboys program, their has been effusive praise for newly minted starting QB Daxx Garman since he got on campus, and his throw first-style is tailor made for what Gundy likes to do on offense. Garman's arm will let Gundy pound the rock when he needs to, and play action teams to death. Tonight, the Pokes won't stray to far from that model. Gundy is no idiot, and he's seen that Arky tape. Scheme can't fix how small the Red Raiders are up front. Childs, Roland and Tyreek Hill will set the pace for a competent OSU rushing attack, and Garman will deliver some daggers over the top on the DB's who come up to help on the run. Given the amount of points they're giving this one will be close, but Gundy and the step-children cover.

Second Down: Washington +8 vs. Stanford, 4:15 PM EST (Garrett)

Situationally, there are a lot of reasons to like Washington in this spot. First and foremost, this game reeks of a look-ahead spot for Stanford, as the Cardinal surely have been peeking at that date with #8 Notre Dame next weekend. Additionally, Husky Stadium is a very tough place to play, as Stanford learned two years ago when Washington pulled a 17-13 upset over the Cardinals. The Huskies will also be looking to avenge last year's heartbreaker in Palo Alto, a game that included a fantastic performance from the now departed Keith Price. On the stat sheet, you have to love seeing Washington +8 in Turnover Margin, and I think QB Cyler Miles can cause some problems for the stout Stanford defense with his feet. Ultimately we should see both teams pound the ball on the ground (Washington 4th in country with 51 rush attempts per game; Stanford averaging 34), leading to another very close contest (last two games decided by a combined 7 points) up in Seattle. Take Washington and the points in this one.

It's the simple things in life...

TCU -32 @ SMU, 12:00 PM EST (Chad)
Much to the disappointment of Eric Dickerson, the Ponies may very well be the worst team in college football. SMU's best performance of the season came in a 37 point loss to North Texas, who lost the following week to Louisiana Tech by 21 points. Ouch. Next up is a seemingly improved TCU team, where Gary Patterson is attempting to reconcile his defense-first ways with the need to score points in modern college football. TCU has gone to a spread-esque system helmed by Leach and Holgorsen proteges. The early returns are promising (despite the much maligned Treyvone Boykin still being the Horned Frogs signal caller) and TCU is certainly capable of hanging some points on SMU. TCU's defense looks dominant, and Boykin stays out of his own way enough to put 45 or so on the board. TCU big. 

Third Down: Texas A&M -9.5 vs. Arkansas, 3:30 PM EST (Garrett)

Last year's game in JerryWorld closed with Arkansas being a 13.5 point underdog. Looking at this line, I can't justify Arkansas being four points better in this contest. Yes, they got a big win against Texas Tech in Lubbock, but the Tech offense isn't operating at a high level yet, and this same Arkansas defense got torched by Auburn for 595 yards in Week 1. The Aggies' offense is far more explosive than Auburn's in my book, and I think Texas A&M's defense has improved markedly from last season (held South Carolina under 100 yards in Week 1 when everyone thought Spurrier would run it down Sumlin's throat). Bielema's best bet to keep this one close is to shorten the game by running the ball and the clock, but that will go out the window should A&M jump out to an early lead. Kenny Trill, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Speedy Noil will just be too much for Woo Pig in Dallas, as the best offense in the land (averaging 613 ypg) will light up the scoreboard and win this one by double digits.

Yell Leaders…..The Absolute WORST. 

Texas -12 @ Kansas, 4:00 PM EST (Chad)
Seriously, Texas is not bad enough to have earned this line. BYU and UCLA are both decent. Kansas, on the other hand, is still really, really bad. The highest single game QBR for a Kansas QB in the Weis era? Just north of 60. Hoagie the Hut's still relatively extant reputation as an offensive guru is mind boggling. The aggregate of his teams offensive statistics at talent rich Notre Dame and Florida were exactly average. At Kansas?! Bahaha. "Decided strategic advantage," my ass. Texas has looked sort of meh on offense with Swoopes under center, but we saw marked improvement from BYU through the 4th quarter of the UCLA game. The Longhorn aren't great (as we are all too aware,) but they're not beat "Kansas by less than 10" bad (although Texas was THAT bad under uncle Mack in 2012). If Texas doesn't cover this...

Please no. Please.

Fourth Down: Baylor -21 vs. Iowa State, 8:20 PM EST (Garrett)

To describe last year's game as a "blowout" would be an understatement. The Bears had their way with the Cyclones, covering the spread as 33 point favorites in a 71-7 victory. Art Briles and Bryce Petty have shown no signs of slowing up this season, as they have dominated their inferior opponents by at least 42 points in all three games. Don't be fooled by that rivalry victory, as the Cyclones fit the description of "inferior opponent. Iowa State was absolutely dominated on the stat sheet by both Kansas State (-152 in yards) and North Dakota State (-253 in yards). Furthermore, there offense has only topped put up more than 17 points on one occasion (21 against Kansas State). This spread should be much closer to -28 given last year's spread, and how Iowa State has looked this season. Lay the points with Art Briles' offensive juggernaut.

Tennessee +17 @ Georgia, 11:00 PM EST (Chad)
Butch Jones' track record speaks for itself at this point. Successful stops at Central Michigan and Cincinnati preceded his current gig in Knoxville, where he's recruited well and his efforts are starting to show. A 24 point loss to OU two weeks ago wasn't as bad as it looked, and if not for the "Florida Menace" (Erik Striker) that game would've been much closer. Don't look now SEC East foes, but Tennessee is rising. They won't beat anyone they shouldn't this year, but they are sure gonna scare some folks. Georgia still has Todd Gurley, probably the country's best player. Tennessee will struggle to stop Gurley, as anyone would. Georgia should run the ball with relative ease all day. However, Georgia won't be concerned with style points during this conference game, and Mark Richt will be perfectly satisifed with an ugly win, which they get by less than 17.

Extra Point: Wisconsin OVER 42.5 points, 12:00 PM EST (Garrett)

Melvin Gordon will run for all the yards on Saturday.

Take a look at the box score from when South Florida played North Carolina State, and you'll see that the Wolfpack rushed for 315 yards against the Bulls. Now translate that to this matchup, where the Bulls will be taking on the best rushing attack in the country, who just happened to put up 644 yards on the ground against Bowling Green last weekend, and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry on the season. The Badgers should be able to gash South Florida (93rd in the country in points allowed) left and right, leading to a ton of points for the Badgers this weekend in Madison.

Wyoming vs. Michigan State UNDER 47.5 points, 3:30 PM EST (Chad)
I really hate to do this to you guys. Two college football teams who are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for coaches should be able to muster 50 points between them. However, Dantonio and his minion Pat Narduzzi hate points and they don't really like to let people score them. Wyoming and Craig Bohl have been the absolute ugliest team in the country this year, win or lose. It will be a sad afternoon for points in East Lansing. 

Garrett's Record: 12-6-2 (66.7%)

Chad's Record: 7-12-1 (36.8%) 

Overall Record: 19-18-3 (51.3%) 

The Realm of Football: Part Two

And the Lord Jameis hath said: "Thou shall plow thine's woman right in her nether reigons." 

Ah, yes...Who would have thought a mere string of words could bring down the playoff hopes and dreams of an entire university? Unbelievably so, the sentence so aptly translated by David Tenenbaum (Twitter: @DTenenbaum) nearly did just that. If it wasn't for the heroics of trusty Squire Maguire and Clemson being Clemson, the mighty Seminoles would find themselves eliminated from playoff contention before the arrival of October. Instead, we will now more than likely be forced to see the realm's least liked player playing for it all in January, leaving us to forever curse the name "Dabo" for not doing the deed. Beyond the shenanigans of Lord Jameis (probably more apt to call him Jameis the Jester), there were plenty of other intriguing happenings in the realm, leaving us with a quite a bit to decipher and discuss. Here are just a few of the things on our feeble minds after four weeks of football.

1. The tide is rising in Mississippi, not Alabama.

Dak The Destroyer eviscerated The Mad Hatter's defense.

Before Paul Finebaum callers start harassing us, Alabama did some really impressive things this week against Florida. We all knew that Amari Cooper isn't from this planet, instead hailing from the some other land in our galaxy that gave birth to Julio Jones. Additionally, Blake Sims looked like a damn good quarterback, making us eat our words for ever doubting a Nick Saban QB (Greg McElroy excluded). That being said, this is what the realm is supposed to expect of Alabama: they have the best recruiting haul year in and year out, have phenomenal facilities, and the Dark Lord of Defense running their ship. Contrast that with the Ole Miss Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. No one expects anything from these units. Since the earliest days of the realm, these programs have been seen as the Hodors of college football…and now the Hodors just might be contenders for the championship. Though there are still a ton of conference tilts left to be played, both have shown themselves to be capable of going toe to toe with Alabama and Auburn. Nkemdiche's unit in Oxford looked nasty against Boise, laying hard hit after hard hit against the Broncos in the season opener. Combine that with a Bo Wallace that merely distributes and avoids the big mistakes (pray to the CFB Gods for this), and Rebels fans have many reasons to believe they could be playing for it all in Atlanta in December. However, the more impressive team from The Magnolia State is unquestionably Mississippi State. Dan Mullen's group, led by the fearsome DAK THE DESTROYER went into Death Valley, at night, and whipped the Mad Hatter and his crew into submission. Most ardent followers of the game have known about Dak for some time, making the defense's performance the most unbelievable of the night. The Bulldogs went into Baton Rouge, and didn't concede a touchdown to LSU's offense (which has two very good RBs in Hilliard and Fournette) until the fourth quarter. These Mississippi teams are for real, citizens of the realm. Do we dare say that the Egg Bowl will decide the winner of the SEC West? Hard as that may be to fathom, this could be the year that winter indeed comes. 

2. The PAC 12 has challenged the SEC to a trial by combat to decide the best conference race of the season.

Making the winning catch while apparently taking a shot to the jewels? LEGENDARY.

We're not backtracking from what we said about the SEC West a few weeks ago in the first edition of The Realm of Football. Furthermore, the SEC East looks to be wide open given the unpredictability of Spurrier's squad, and the fact that Mark Richt and Gary Pinkel are still in control of Georgia and Mizzou. Yet despite how great these races should be, if this past weekend was any indication, the PAC 12 race will give the SEC all it can handle. The final hours of Saturday night were full of west coast mayhem, as there were two fantastic contests finishing within minutes of each other. First, Pullman began to look like Lubbock, as the Ducks were able to hold off Mike Leach's pesky offense despite giving up seven sacks. Only minutes later, the Cardiac Cats from Tucson completed an unbelievable comeback that included 36 fourth quarter points, and the Hill Mary. Much like the SEC, this conference has shown us that even the bottom feeders can give the top dogs a run, which should lead to an incredible race. Just think about it: USC looked promising after beating Stanford, then fell to lowly BC; UCLA was a popular playoff pick, but has looked unimpressive, and Hundley's status is up in the air; ASU has lost Taylor Kelly for a few weeks, so who knows what the Sun Devils will look like; Utah just went to Ann Arbor and beat the snot out of Michigan in the Big House; Stanford is still a pretty good squad that should get close to 10 wins. There are a ton of unknowns right now in the PAC 12 outside of a certain dude up in Eugene, and it will be fun to watch those questions get answered over the coming weeks.

3. Speaking of that dude in Eugene…

ALL HAIL THE ONE TRUE KING, KING MARIOTA. We can't hide our Marcus Mariota bromance here at Rushing The Field. Even if Lord Jameis wasn't engaging in hijinks, he'd still be second best to the man at the helm of the dystopian duck cyborg blood machine. Despite his offensive line not showing up last week in Pullman, Mariota still went 21-25 for 329 yards and 5 TDs, which also included a key 28 yard scamper on 4th and 10 late in the third quarter when the game was tied. And his yearly stats, you ask? A mere 71 of 96 for 1135 yards and 13 TDs, plus three more scores and 214 yards on the ground. If he can continue at this pace over the next 8 games, he'll finish with over 3,000 yards passing, close to 1,000 on the ground, and roughly 48 combined TDs. Let's hope the Ducks' O-Line can shape up and keep the king upright, as we might be witnessing one of the greatest individual seasons ever. 

4. Marcus is The King, but Optimus Perine may be the baddest man in the land.

CFB's Greg Oden…Someone check this guy's birth certificate!

As West Virginia learned this past week, Samaje Perine is not to be messed with, and is not easy to bring down. College football's version of Greg Oden had his coming out party this weekend, and what a scene it was. 34 carries, 242 yards, 4 TDs. I can't even begin to tell you how many of those yards were after first contact, as the 5'11" true freshman made countless WVU defenders regret taking the field Saturday night. He may not be as dynamic as a certain former Sooner currently in trouble with the law, but he's a bowling ball of a bruiser that is going to wear down Big XII teams left and right in the weeks to come. Either way, the RB by committee experiment at Oklahoma has ended, as Optimus Perine has taken the reigns.

5. Charlie Strong inherited a sacked and smoldering House Longhorn. 

At least they gave Charlie a sweet cowboy hat. 

You know it's bad when you see Twitter debates among respected sports writers and CFB analysts about whether Mack left the program in better shape than Mackovic. Yes, John Freaking Mackovic. Mackovic certainly didn't win a national championship, and the program certainly wasn't the behemoth in terms of national attention it is now thanks to Grandaddy Mack, but when you look at the talent on this squad, you start to wonder what in the world Mack was doing in his last four years on The Forty. If you check NFL DraftScout, you'll find that only six Longhorns are projected to be drafted this season, and while it's still early and much better than last year's donut in the draft, none are projected higher than the 3rd round. It must be said that this website somehow has not included DT Malcom Brown in its rankings, and the one shining star of the Longhorns could be a first or second round pick after this season should he come out. Still, when you're the University of Texas, and you have only one guy who MIGHT be a first round draft pick, someone wasn't doing their job in both recruiting and developing talent. Keep in mind, Mackovic won three conference championships in his last four seasons on The Forty, and left Mack Brown some serious talent in Ricky Williams, Casey Hampton, Shaun Rogers, Leonard Davis, Mike Williams, and Quentin Jammer. There is nothing anywhere close to that on this year's roster. Barring the NCAA allowing Vince Young to suit up again for the Horns, it's going to take a few years for Charlie to get this program back to where it was from 2004-2009 in terms of talent. Let's just hope the burnt orange fanatics can keep that in mind while Charlie rebuilds the house.

Anyone see some Mack and DeLoss in here?

That's all for this week in The Realm of Football! We hope you are enjoying our sub-optimal blogging, and please feel free to share it with other citizens of the realm.

The Four To Score: Week Four

A Tale of Two Bloggers 

"This is how I kick some Richt……"

We're roughly a fifth of the way through the season, and already the cream is rising to the top. Last week proved to be very rough for Chad West, CPA, as he dug himself a hole that he may not be able to get out of. Granted, that's what he deserves for taking Mark Richt against our beloved Steve Spurrier. Once again, the Head Ball Coach proved he completely owns Richt's poor soul, and has buried it somewhere so deep in SEC land that Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn't be able to find it. Thankfully there  is another blogger on this site, who has able to carry Chad's dead weight up a hill in two feet of snow. Hackenberg and Co. could have made it a 5-0 week for the site's blogger above .500, but something tells me he'll settle for a 4-0-1 mark any day of the week. Beyond the triumphs and tragedies of last week, we can't tell you how excited we are that Week Four has finally arrived. Conference races are set to begin, bringing smaller lines and better matchups into play. That also means SEC teams will begin playing each other on a weekly basis, meaning Paul Finebaum's callers will only get more animated and make his show can't-miss radio/television. Before Chad kicks the stool out from beneath his feet, lets get into this week's picks. 

First Down: Florida +14.5 @ Alabama, 3:30 PM EST (Garrett)

"I'm telling you Nick, college football NEEDS us."

Florida can't hide from its record ATS in recent years…It's been horrible. Since Muschamp arrived in Gainesville, the Gators are a very underwhelming 15-22-1 against the number. That being said, I think there's a lot to like about Florida in this spot. Many will look at least week's game and see it as an embarrassing close win over Kentucky, but I think the Wildcats are a lot better than people give them credit for, and surviving that close of a battle should help a team who struggled to win games last season. Matchup wise, you have to like this Florida defense that returns 7 starters against Alabama's duo of unproven QBs. Coker and Sims have yet to play a real defense, and you can bank on Muschamp getting his defensive unit in the best positions possible. Muschamp probably won't be able to pull off the upset in Tuscaloosa, but this game should be a low-scoring, ugly affair leading to a Florida cover. Give me Coach Boom, two touchdowns, and the hook.

Nebraska - 7.5 vs. Miami, 8:00 PM EST (Chad)
From any point from the mid 80's to when these teams met for the 2001 National Championship, the public would be drooling over this matchup. Boy, awful coaches sure can wreck a program (Hi Bill Callahan! And you too, Al Golden). Nebraska looked BAD against McNeese State a few weeks ago, and if not for some late game heroics from Ameer Abdullah they would've suffered a humiliating loss. But, they survived to beat the doors off of Fresno State last week, the same Fresno State team USC beat less soundly to somehow become a playoff front runner (Bahahaha). Arkansas State ran the ball on Miami last week, after Louisville did the same in Week 1. Bo Pelini won't over think this one. He'll let Miami true freshman QB Brad Kaaya make mistakes, and absolutely pound Ameer Abdullah and Imani Cross all day. Only an awful choke job by Nebraska could screw this one up. No way that happens with this man at the helm, right?

Pictured provided without commentary.

Second Down: Mississippi State +9.5 @ LSU, 7:00 PM EST (Garrett)

Dak The Destroyer

As tough as it is to play a night game in Death Valley, I'm not sold on the LSU Tigers this year. They struggled mightily against Wisconsin, as the Badgers were able to pound the rock against the Tigers (39 attempts for 268 yards, 6.9 ypc). Much like Alabama, I'm also not sold on LSU at the QB position, as Anthony Jennings has been unimpressive (9-21 against Wisconsin, only a 52% completion rate on the season). Conversely, I'm a big fan of Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott, and think that Dan Mullen's offense should be able to put up some points against the Tigers. The Bulldogs defense did look shaky against UAB, but if they can get some stops here and there, Mullen will have a shot at a signature upset win. Expect the Bulldogs to stack the box and force Jennings to beat them with his arm, which should lead to a very close game. (Wait as long as you can if you're playing this game, and hopefully some +10's will show up on the board).

Ask Texas about facing Taysom--the bionic knee'd Alpha Mormon.

BYU -14 vs. Virginia, 3:30 PM EST (Chad)

Despite what the scoreboard said two weeks ago, UVA's win against Richmond left something to be desired. The Spiders gained nearly 100 more yards than the Cavaliers, and if not for 3 costly Richmond turnovers it would have been a very different game (obviously). All told, Virginia has been abysmal on offense all season, barely eclipsing 300 yards a game. BYU got into a dog fight with a pretty bad Houston squad last Friday, but pulled off a win thanks to a 16 point first quarter lead and Taysom Hill's ability to move the chains. Honestly, the Cougars got bored and a last second Houston Hail Mary to end the half made for a deceivingly close margin at half time. BYU's defense has been stout all year. Though the Cougars haven't played anything that resembles a competent offense, the hapless Cavialers are more akin to UConn than they are Oregon, and won't be able to move the ball in any meaningful way. UVA settles for a couple field goals and maybe a score, while BYU and Mormon Tebow move the chains all day in a comfortable win.

Third Down: Oklahoma -7.5 @ West Virginia, 7:30 PM EST (Garrett)

I loved watching the Mountaineers get a cover (and outright win) for me last week, and it seems everyone in the country is in love with Holgo's boys now too. The line for this one opened up around -12.5, but has plummeted over the week down to Oklahoma -7.5. While West Virginia is much better than we expected them to be at the beginning of the season, I just can't see this game being decided by less than double digits. Clint Trickett has looked impressive, and crazy things can happen in Morgantown, but it appears that Good Old Bobby Stoops has his early 2000's swagger back. The Sooners defense has been as good as advertised, and Trevor Knight looked like he was playing Alabama all over again last weekend (20-33, 308 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT). You also can't overlook how WVU performed against Bama's rushing attack (288 yds), as the Sooners bring a damn good running game to the table. Oklahoma experienced a scare in Morgantown two years ago, eliminating the chance of Bobby's crew overlooking this game on the schedule. Though I will be praying for this to get down to a flat -7, the Sooners should win comfortably, as the defense finds a way to slow down Holgo Magic. (There's no slowing down Switzer drinking Sooner Magic, though.)

Here at Rushing the Field, we are completely shocked Iowa sucks...

Pitt -6 vs. Iowa 11:00 PM EST (Chad)
The public perception of these teams couldn't get further apart. Iowa is a part of the floundering B1G, and has had a massive part of the whole country souring on the conference.  Unconvincing victories against Northern Iowa and Ball State were followed up by a loss to in-state rival Iowa State. The perception is right--Iowa sucks, and Kirk Ferentz has been stealing money for the better part of a decade. Pitt is only two weeks off of beating Boston College, who downed the mighty Men of Troy last week. Pitt is running the ball at will and if James Conner stays healthy he'll probably lead the ACC in rushing. As I noted a few weeks ago, the Panthers are becoming a team that matches the personality of their coach, famed ground and pound guru Paul Chryst. Pitt continues their march towards eventually becoming overrated and covers.

Fourth Down: New Mexico -3 @ New Mexico State, 8:00 PM EST (Garrett)

Ah yes, the Rio Grande Rivalry. Much like green chile and methamphetamine, this rivalry is held dearly in the hearts of New Mexicans. The games are often closely contested, with animosity abound throughout the stadiums, as members of the state cheer on their respective storied programs. Sadly, I'm speaking about the basketball version of this rivalry. Yes, it's football season, which means we have to endure another one of these meaningless affairs, as the two programs of New Mexico wander aimlessly through the land of college football's favelas. Yes, my friends….Games like these are the reason point spreads were invented. For some reason, the Lobos of Walter White-ville are only favored by a field goal. If you remember earlier this season, UNM was favored by 8 against UTEP at home, meaning the Lobos would be roughly 4-5 points better than the Miners on a neutral field in Vegas' eyes. New Mexico State was a 10.5 point underdog in El Paso last week, making the Aggies about 5.5 to 7 points worse than the Miners on a neutral field. From a line-making perspective, this line doesn't make much sense to me, as the Lobos should be a minimum of a 9 point favorite on a neutral field based on the previous games involving the three border area teams (even with some adjustment from preseason ratings). New Mexico State hasn't beaten anyone noteworthy. They also couldn't stop the run against UTEP last week (Aggies gave up 334 yards), and that's just what the Lobos will do with their option attack. New Mexico gets the W and the cover in The City of Crosses this weekend.

Georgia Tech +8 @ Virginia Tech, 12:00 PM EST (Chad)
The triple option is an absolute pain in the ass to prepare for. If you don't have a bye week to prepare for this attack, you just might be in for a long day. Georgia Tech is infamously helmed by triple option virtuoso Paul Johnson, and his Yellow Jackets have lost 6 of the last 7 they've played against Virginia Tech. However, none of those loses have been by double digits, and four of those loses have been by 7 points or less. Some of the shine has come off of Frank Beamer's squad after an upset loss to East Carolina last week, and I think it's become clear the Hokies aren't exactly world beaters. Virginia Tech has been great against the run thus far, but this isn't just any running team. This is 60 runs right at you,with your defensive lineman and linebackers getting cut, trapped and countered for 4 quarters. It's no fun to defend, especially without a comfortable lead.  Virginia Tech isn't good enough to get out to a big lead, and will have to defend this cloud of dust all game. Virginia Tech probably wins, but it's not by more than a score. 

Extra Point: Florida vs. Alabama UNDER 51.5, 3:30 PM EST (Garrett)

If these guys could win games by scoring zero points, they would. 

As I stated earlier, this game should be UGLY. The Dark Lords of Defense shall square off, with the Apprentice looking to get a signature win over the Master. There will be hard hits, plenty of Verne Lundquist "OH MY GOODNESS" calls, and a pretty good chance of seeing Angry Muschamp on camera multiple times. Just be thankful you aren't playing in this game, as the players on Sunday will probably look something like Chad did last Sunday. This one should stay well under the total, with the first team to 20 winning the contest.

Washington State vs. Oregon OVER 75, 10:30 PM EST (Chad)

ALL the points. Okay, some real analysis, I guess. 75 is a ton of points, but these two teams are no stranger to pushing games over this point total. Over the past two seasons, Washington State has been involved in 7 games that went over 75 points (including last year's tilt with Oregon). Oregon has only played in two, partly because they speak a language foreign to Mike Leach--Defense. Oregon is gonna score plenty in this one, and while Wazzu may struggle, neither one of these teams are gonna pull of the gas.

Garrett's Record: 10-4-1 (71.4%)

Chad's Record: 5-9-1 (35.7%)

Overall Record: 15-13-1 (53.6%)

The Realm of Football: Part One

"They are we thought they were!"....Or maybe not? 

The first two weeks are in the books, and The Realm of Football still stands similar to how it did before the season started...for the most part. Certainly there were some scares, as Mike Gundy had Jameis Winston looking at Oklahoma State like they were a group of Publix security guards. Yet some things are going according to plan, as Marcus Mariota looks like the one true king that can unify The Realm, despite the arrival of the potential usurper known as "Kenny Trill." However, there has been one major turning point in the evolving story, told last weekend across varying states in the north. House Delany was pillaged, sacked, and burned to the ground, as Michigan State, Ohio State, and Michigan were all publicly beheaded in their primetime matchups. Fear not though, members of House Delany. Given recent showings, House Bowlsby is looking equally weak, especially after the Mormons had their way with the house's first-born child, refusing to even offer her a nice meal before completely ruining her. Indeed, The Realm of Football can be a savage place. Let's review some of the happenings from the first two weeks, and look ahead at what may happen in the months to come.  

1. Be hesitant with the "anointing oils", as they will often light your ass on fire and make you look like an idiot.  

So often in the early weeks, overreactions are made without taking a step back and remembering where we are in the course of a football season. Crowns are placed on the heads of some, and others call for houses to be burned to the ground in Evan Williams fueled rage. One week it's: "Oh my God, this offense is the greater than listening to angry Will Muschamp." The next: "The only thing worse than that defense is taking heroin. Actually, taking heroin would probably be better than having to watch that defense again." 

Two prime examples of this phenomena are the Charlie Strong Players Not Yet Kicked Off The Team and the Arizona Wildcats. Both fan bases were jacked up on Mountain Dew after the first weekend of football, as the Texas defense held North Texas to 94 yards of total offense, and The Fighting Rich Rods put up nine billion yards of offense against UNLV with a new quarterback and no Ka'Deem Carey. Fast forward to Week 2, and the Wildcats are fighting for their lives to escape San Antonio (yes, there is D-1 football in San Antonio) with a win, followed by the Burnt Orange Sea parting for Mormon Tebow to galavant into the end zone repeatedly. 

Mormon Tebow > Dylan Haynes 

The simple fact is that it is still way too early in the season to make calls on how most of these teams will look at season's end, and that there is still a ton of football to play. Plenty of time is left for teams to develop and grow into a better version than what they currently are, and plenty of time remains for the wheels to come off the bus. Lets wait a few more weeks before deciding whether to break out the twenty-one year scotch, or down grain alcohol without a mixer.

2. Regarding Marcus Mariota...forget what was said above. All Hail King Mariota. 

Through two weeks: 31-48 for 585 yds, 6 TDs; 15 rushes for 85 yards and 1 TD. 

Get yo hands off The King

670 yards of total offense, 7 TDs, no INTs....And a double-digit win over a Top 10 team. Ladies and gentlemen, the best player in the country is officially your Heisman frontrunner. 

3. Kenny Trill is just another cog in the Kevin Sumlin Offense WonderMachine

"You see, Kenny, I push this button, and voila, 500 yards of offense."

Don't get me wrong, I think Kenny Hill is a fantastic player. As good as he is though, that performance against South Carolina validated my belief that there isn't a better coach than Sumlin when it comes to developing quarterbacks. Just think about the players Sumlin has molded in recent years: Sam Bradford, Case Keenum, Johnny Manziel, and now Kenny Hill. Lots of insane numbers, and two of those big shiny trophies called "Heismans" comprise the notches on Sumlin's belt. Of course it's still early in the season, and the South Carolina defensive performance was the prequel to Texas' 3rd Quarter play, but you can't ignore the way Hill put up the numbers he did. He was throwing the ball all over the field with confidence, and marching down the field on damn near every drive. 

Hill will struggle at some point, as nearly all freshmen do. Yet based on Sumlin's past development of quarterbacks, the state of Texas will be his to rule over so long as he remains in College Station. If you're a high school quarterback or wide receiver in Texas with dreams of playing on Sunday, how could you not choose to play for the best offensive coach in the best conference in The Realm of Football?

4. Speaking of the best conference in the realm...   

The race for the SEC West will be the best in the country, and it won't even be close. Outside of maybe Arkansas, every team in this division is capable of beating anyone on any given night. While this division has generally been ruled by LSU and Alabama (with the occasional War Eagle sighting), the parity this year is incredible. 

Alabama is stacked with talent like always, but the quarterback debate still hasn't been settled, which could certainly lead to problems when the Tide begin conference play. 

Auburn and Texas A&M can score with anyone, but will either team be confident in getting a stop when it matters? 

LSU has a pair of incredible running backs, but the team looked shaky against Wisconsin. 

Ole Miss has a stout defense and great WRs, but Bo Wallace is the ultimate case of Jekyl & Hyde.

Mississipi State can't be slept on, as they hung tough in just about every big game last year, and now have Dak Prescott solidified and playing well at QB. 

Throw in the possibility of the Woo Pig RBs going off to cause an upset here or there, and you have a division race that could be filled with carnage every week. Leave your predictions about this division at the door, sit back, and enjoy the show.

5. B1G has already lost its head. House Bowlsby looks to be next on the chopping block.

The only reason the Big XII still has its head above water is because Oklahoma and Baylor have kept it afloat. There was hope for the conference after Week 1, given the inspiring performances of middle-tier Oklahoma State and West Virginia against national powerhouses. Then Week 2 happened, and House Bowlsby soiled itself. Beyond the drubbing in Austin, Kansas State needed a massive comeback late in the game to beat Iowa State, who had lost to North Dakota State the week before. (Memo to all Big XII teams: Do not play NDSU. Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us, and we look like idiots.) 

Despite two W's, Tech has fallen flat on its....You get the picture. 

Last but not least, Texas Tech has proven itself to be the most undisciplined team in football. In defeating mega dominant powerhouses UTEP (they probably should have lost to the Miners) and Central Arkansas by a combined whopping 11 points, the Red Raiders racked up 25 penalties for 204 yards. Having fun and wearing "Beyonce is Bae" shirts is great and all, but this isn't a squad that can win against the better teams on its schedule while being that undisciplined. They certainly can't let it happen this week, considering their defense (108th nationally in run defense) is going up against arguably the best stable of running backs in the country. Don't be surprised if Woo Pig runs wild this weekend in Lubbock. 

6. Puddles the Duck is the greatest mascot to have ever graced the realm. 

If Marcus Mariota is the king, then Puddles is surely The Hand who pulls the strings in this realm. Should you have any doubts about it, this video will put you in your place. Unlike Kim Jong-Un, may Puddles actually live 1,000 years. (For further reading on this national treasure, read Spencer Hall's fantastic piece from earlier this week.)

That's all for this week in The Realm of Football. Be sure to follow the blog, and if you appreciate what we're producing here, share it with your friends!  

  

The Four To Score: Week 3

Conference play needs to get here...FAST!

Yeah, we get it Pat. We messed up. Now go back to eating hot dogs in the box.

As stated before, the college football season is a bit of a marathon, and you are bound to slip up at some points here and there. Last week, The Four To Score forgot to tie its shoes and fell flat on its face. Bad picks (Wazzu, Texas, and UCLA) and bad beats (Texas-BYU under, Stanford) brought us back toward the 50% mark after a stellar Week 1. Chad was hit a bit harder by last week's results, as he struggled to a 1-4 week. I'd argue that I was a bit more unlucky, as the only thing that kept me from a winning week was the Texas defense not coming out of the tunnel until the fourth quarter (game was 6-0 at halftime and destined to go well under the total, only for there to be 35 points in 3rd quarter). Enough with the griping though. The third week of college football provides us with an opportunity to make things right, and get back on that winning horse. Based on the card this week, we'll just say that we can't wait for conference play to get here.... 

First Down: West Virginia +3.5 at Maryland, 12:00 PM EST (Garrett)

Revenge of the Holgo

Though the Mountaineers got ruined (37-0 in this game last year, Holgo's boys are a much different team than the version we saw last year. They more than held their own against Alabama in the opener, and looked sharp again last week, even if they were only playing Towson. On the other side of the ball, Maryland looks like it might have taken a step back from last year. They haven't played anyone coming out the gate, yet still nearly lost to South Florida last week in a game that saw the Terps turn the ball over six times! Had they played a team with a competent offense, Maryland would rightfully be 1-1. The last thing you can do against a Dana Holgorsen team is give them more opportunities to score...Clint Trickett and the Moutaineers will do just enough this week in a big revenge spot to get the win outright. Prepare the couches, Morgantown!

The face of a man about to deliver a Country Ass Whippin'

Baylor -33 at Buffalo, 8:00 EST FRIDAY (Chad)

Baylor is rapidly becoming the Oregon of the Bible belt, exchanging the frank, to the point speed of Chip Kelly with the folksy, cornpone spinnings of Art Briles. Briles is a long undervalued master of Offense and his Bears have cruised through the first two weeks. Baylor leaves their new Boatgating Palace for the first time this season and heads to the Canadian Border town of Buffalo to play the Bulls. Honestly, I have no idea who Buffalo's current coach is, and I don't care. It could be the second coming of Hal Mumme and my analysis wouldn't change. Buffalo beat Duquesne by 10(!) in week one, then proceeded to lose to the Juggernaut that is Army by 8 in week two. Buffalo is bad, and Baylor is not. Baylor by more than 5 scores.

Second Down: Arkansas +2 at Texas Tech, 3:30 PM EST (Garrett)

I must admit that I'm a bit worried about the lights finally coming on against Texas Tech. That being said, this team in turmoil is going up against an extremely hungry Arkansas team desperate to end a ten game losing streak in games against meaningful opposition. Simply put, the situation and the matchup favor Woo Pig. The Red Raiders have been undisciplined (25 penalties for 204 yards) and couldn't stop the run against lowly UTEP or Central Arkansas (108th in the country, giving up 224.5 ypg on the ground). Conversely, Bielema's boys at Arkansas thrive on running the ball, as they are currently 12th in the country in rushing yards, and QB Brandon Allen is a lot better than most people think. The Razorbacks ground attack should allow them to slow the game, and keep Tech's offense from getting into a groove by keeping them off the field. Woo Pig narrowly missed out on the cover in Week 1 against Auburn, but they get the cover and the win here.

Unfortunately, the Universe will not deprive the archetypal Tech fan of a W Saturday. Wreck 'Em!

Texas Tech -2 vs. Arkansas, 3:30 EST (Chad)

Under very few circumstances would I ever pick against Texas Tech with conviction given the past decade plus of Red Raider football. At home, against a less than established opponent is not one of them.  Yes, Arkansas can run the ball. Yes, Arkansas has considerably more talent than either Central Arkansas or UTEP. But, let's be real. This is Texas Tech, Destroyer of Dreams, playing in their desolate tumbleweed and tortilla infested fortress. Cliff Kingsbury is no idiot, and will have his guys fired up and ready to play Arkansas. They will even be wearing Dykes era throwback helmets, which would make the Hogs running all over them all to ironic. Kliff has hired a non-idiot to run his defense (Matt Wallerstedt) who will stuff the box. Brandon Allen might be "better than people think," but better there is a bunch of room between "Literally Cannot Hit Broad Side of Barn" and "Still Not Very Good" (Allen is somewhere between those two right now). It may not be a blowout, it may not be convincing, but somehow the Raider's pull this one off. 

Third Down: Colorado +15.5 vs. Arizona State, 10:00 PM EST (Garrett)

As I stated in our season preview, the Sun Devils are likely to regress this season given the inexperience on defense (only 2 returning starters). This is the first game in which that unit will go up against a competent offense, as last week's opponent New Mexico is an option-based team, and Weber state is Weber State. Look, I'm not saying Colorado is a world-beater that will win this one outright. After all, they barely beat UMass last week by a field goal. That being said, the offense did look like a unit that had figured some things out, and this game is a massive revenge spot for the Buffaloes given what the Sun Devils did to them in Tempe last season (54-13). Expect to see some wacky things happen late at night in Boulder on Saturday, as Arizona State will be hoping to just get to their bye week unscathed before hitting the bulk of their schedule.

Oregon -43.5 vs. Wyoming, 2:00 PM EST (Chad)
Oregon scored 46 against Michigan State, the latest "Hey, the B1G doesn't suck!" team to get embarrassed. Wyoming is... I can't. Seriously, if my editorial director wouldn't have thrown a fit, I would've just put "BAHAHAHAHA" and then a picture of Puddles riding a motorcycle. But... Actually, whatever. I don't care...

Fourth Down: Penn State -3 vs. Rutgers, 8 PM EST (Garrett)

Happy times in Happy Valley right now. 

I was pretty impressed when Rutgers was able to go on the road to Wazzu in Week 1 and get an upset win as an eight point underdog. Then Wazzu lost last week to Nevada, and Rutgers' win against Mike Leach's crew started to look like just an ordinary W. Though Rutgers returns 16 starters and will be playing their first ever B1G game at home, I just think there is a distinct difference in talent here that will lead to a Penn State victory. I loved seeing how James Franklin's unit responded to some adversity in Dublin, driving down the field in the last 1:13 of the game to kick a game-winning field goal (not to mention UCF is a much more formidable opponent than Wazzu). Also, don't forget the added meaning every game now has for the Nittany Lions, as they recently had their postseason eligibility reinstated. For the conference race and bowl purposes, the Penn State can ill afford to lose a game against the team that many predicted would finish at the bottom of the B1G East. Hackenberg will shine once again for Penn State, as they win by a touchdown on the road.

Georgia -5.0 at South Carolina, 3:30 EST (Chad)
When we last saw our hero, he was sulking back to his headquarters at Augusta National, fresh off a swagtastic ass whipping from Kevin Sumlin and the Aggies ( I know they played East Carolina and won last week, but that ruins the narrative). Unfortunately, things will get worse before they get better for the HBC. I predicted doom for South Carolina this year and nothing I've seen in the first two week changes that line of thinking. They simply lost too much on defense to be a front line contender in the SEC. Georgia, however, has the look of a front runner all of the sudden, with Todd Gurley looking very much like an invitee to New York for the Heisman ceremony come awards season. Sandstorm and a little Tennessee trash talkin' had a hell of a run over the past 3 seasons, but Saturday marks the true beginning of the end for Spurrier's run at South Carolina. Our hero will next be relevant in 2017... (URL for SpurrierforTexas.com still available. NO, not for a coaching position, silly, for Governor!).

Extra Point: Notre Dame vs. Purdue UNDER 57.5, 7:30 PM EST (Garrett)

In the past eight years, this game has gone under the total five times (5-2-1), and only twice has the posted total been north of 57.5 (both contests went under). When you look at this matchup, a few things stand out. First, Purdue is &%^*&! awful. Secondly, this game reeks of being a hangover spot for Notre Dame after last week's huge rivalry win over Michigan. Purdue struggled to score against Central Michigan last week at home, and odds are that trend will continue against the team that shutout Michigan in primetime. That being said, this one will probably be closer than people think (Notre Dame is -28), as four of the last five games in this series have been decided by 11 points or less. Purdue struggles to score, but somehow hangs around for awhile in a game that stays well under the posted total. 

"I told you sir, we are out of midsize sedans. We have a great selection in the economy class still available."

Arkansas St. +17.5 vs. Miami (FL) 3:30 EST (Chad)
At this point, I wouldn't trust Al Golden to run an Enterprise Rent-a-Car (get it, he looks like he works there). Looking at comps, Arkansas State covered against a pretty good Tennessee team on the road in Knoxville last week. Miami is probably about as talented as the Volunteers, but is still breaking in a True Freshman at Quarterback. Arkansas States doesn't win, but they lose by less than this. 

Garrett's Record: 6-4

Chad's Record: 4-5-1

Overall Four To Score Record: 10-9-1

The Four To Score: Week 2

Let The Good Times Roll 

"Nick, it was only one shot of Fireball with Holgo"

Despite the minefield of mega-lines that is Week 1 of every college football season, we were able to start the season off on the right track. It wasn't always easy (see: Bo Wallace's dumpster-fire first half), and some luck was needed at times (looking at you, Buckeyes), but there were some absolutely correct calls made last week as well. Thanks to incredible performances from Kenny Trill and Aaron Jones, Texas A&M and UTEP said "to hell with the spread" and pulled off road upsets despite being dogs of more than a touchdown. I've got a very narrow lead over Chad coming out of the gate, but it was a damn good week for The Four To Score overall, as our picks went a combined 7-2-1. There are a few more marquee matchups on the board this week, but as shown by UTEP, winners can be found in even the least appealing games. Lets jump into this week's picks, as we do our best to avoid a Wisconsin-esque collapse in Week 2.

First Down: Oregon -12 vs. Michigan State, 6:30 PM EST (Garrett)

Michigan State has all the conference championship hype behind it now that Braxton Miller has been lost for the season. It has also has a shiny Rose Bowl trophy from last season that most people are probably putting a lot of weight into when looking into this week's game. But Sparty doesn't know what it will be walking into Saturday when they set foot in Autzen Stadium, and they sure as hell don't have the country's best player on their team. Oregon has been fantastic as a home favorite over the past ten years, going 36-22-2 ATS. Marcus Mariota has also been a horse to back during his time on campus, as the best player in the country has gone 16-10 against the number. Michigan State's defense was fairly salty on the whole last season, but they only return five starters this year, and last year's unit gave up some pretty big numbers to two of the best offensive teams it faced (374 yds against Ohio State, 392 at Nebraska). Mariota and the Ducks' offensive pace will prove to be too much, as the Ducks make a declaration of intent in a marquee game that features the lowest Oregon home betting line since 2010.

Stanford -2.5 vs. USC, 3:30 PM EST (Chad)

Oh boy, this one is going to be fun. The margin of victory for whoever wins won't exceed single digits. There is not a single team in college football I have been more impressed with than Stanford over the past 5 years. I loved what Harbaugh did, and David Shaw has only improved on that mold. In 2010 and 2011 Chip Kelly's dystopian duck cyborg blood machine dismantled Stanford by at least 20 points, but the Cardinal have solved their Oregon problem over the past two years (two wins: 17-14, 26-20). I know USC isn't Oregon, but I mention them to show Stanford can hold an explosive offense down, as far as scheme goes (the likes of 19 year letterman Shayne Skov will be sorely missed, obviously). USC is a dangerous team, and they appear to be the cream of the Pac 12 West out of the gate. This one could go either way. but  the Revenge of the Nerds continues into 2014. Give me the proven, consistent Cardinal by a field goal.

Second Down: Colorado State +10 at Boise State, 10:15 PM EST (Garrett)

Don't look now, but Jim McElwain is building himself a nice little program up at Colorado State. The Rams started the season off on the right track last week, beating in-state rival Colorado by 14 in Denver. Last year's game between these two teams was a strange one, as the Rams outgained the Broncos by 189 yards, held the ball twice as long, but lost by 12 due to going 4-7 on 4th Down. Colorado State's offense showed no signs of slowing down last week, as they produced two 100 yard rushers in the victory over the Buffs. If the Rams can be a bit better in the turnover game, their rushing attack should be able to control the clock, and the offense will give them a chance to win outright.

No, we don't miss you.

Texas +1 vs. BYU, 7:00 PM EST (Chad)
This a complete gut feeling, and I want desperately to be right. As much trauma as the Horns offense has experienced over the past six weeks, it's hard to disagree with this line. But, I saw a different Texas team last week. A team that was actually playing football, and isn't going to lose if they can help it. The key cogs to a Texas victory haven't been suspended (yet). The defense will carry the day, and the two-headed monster of Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray will do just enough to keep Texas' head above water offensively. The culture change in Austin is real, thank god, and Texas escapes to Arlington undefeated.

Third Down: Washington State -3 vs. Nevada, 10:30 PM EST FRIDAY (Garrett)

And he covers on Friday. 

If previous trends continue, Washington State losing a close one at home last week to Rutgers should be a blessing for bettors this week. Mike Leach has been pretty damn good at getting his teams to bounce back after a loss, as Wazzu has gone 9-6 ATS in games coming off a SU loss. Furthermore, the Cougars have been good against the number away from home, going a perfect 6-0 last season, and 8-4 over the last two seasons. They may be bottom-feeders in the PAC 12, but Leach's team should have a distinct talent advantage this week when they head to Reno to take on a Nevada team that gave up an average of 500 yards per game last season. That type of defense is exactly what pass-happy Mike Leach and Connor Halliday want to see in a game they must win if they want any chance of going to a second consecutive bowl game.

I wish we missed you. I really do. But, we don't. We miss your pants, though.

Tennessee -17 vs. Arkansas State 12:00 PM EST (Chad)
Consider me a full believer in what Butch Jones is doing in Knoxville. He has won everywhere he's been, and the Volunteers were better than people realize last year. Tennessee looked better than expected against a competent Utah State team last week, and the Vols are still being underestimated. This team has talent, and they will put a scare into an over-hyped OU team next week. Plus, nothing Arkansas State is bringing to the table excites me. Literally, nothing. I have no intention of watching this one, but will be refreshing the box score frequently. Tennessee cruises into their showdown with the Sooners next week by at least 3 scores...

Fourth Down: Oklahoma -24.5 at Tulsa, 12 PM EST (Garrett)

Call me crazy for laying this kind of chalk on the road, but history is on my side in this one. Since the turn of the century, these two teams have met on the gridiron seven times, and in every game but one, Big Brother has hammered the hell out of Little Brother. Outside of the 2005 matchup when Bob Stoops had Paul Thompson and Rhett Bomar (CHA-CHING!) under center, Oklahoma has won every other game in this series by 31 or more! Bolstering my belief that another blowout is in the cards are the numbers Tulsa's opponents put up last year. Against the better teams they played in conference last season, Tulsa was annihilated. Against both UNT and Marshall, they were outgained by at least 275 yards, and were throttled by 34 points on the road at East Carolina. Hell, they just gave up 516 yards to TULANE last week, including 254 on the ground. Oklahoma's offense will run riot, and the Sooners' defense should do plenty to hold Tulsa in check. Bobby's boys win by at least thirty.

Pittsburgh -4 at Boston College, 7:00 PM EST (Chad)
I really hate to throw a boring, middle of the road ACC game at you guys here, but what else are you going to watch on Friday night? Boston College has essentially zero returning skill players on offense. Andre Williams has taken his talents and 2,200 rushing yards to the NFL, and his incredible season was all that kept the Eagles relevant for much of 2013. Pitt, however, has the look of a team who is finally taking on their head coach's identity. Paul Chryst was the Offensive Coordinator at Wisconsin during the prime of the Bielema years, when the Badgers just absolutely pounded the rock. Chryst returns two 800 yard backs from last year (James Conner and Isaac Bennett) and four starters on the offensive line. Look for Pitt to try and bulldoze their way to a seven point win.

P.S:  Boston College's addition of Florida transfer Tyler Murphy at QB is a total wild card here and could ruin everything. He looked good against a helpless UMass team in week one. This is my fourth pick for a reason, so proceed with caution. 

Extra Point: Texas vs. BYU UNDER 46.5, 7:30 PM EST (Garrett)

I have absolutely no confidence in predicting who will win this game, but all signs point to it being a game dominated by the defenses. With both David Ash and Dom Espinosa out, QB Tyrone Swoopes and C Jake Raulerson will both be making their first ever collegiate starts, which will probably lead to some trying times for the Horns on offense. Flip the script, and you can bank on Taysom Hill not getting anywhere close to the numbers he put up in last year's game in Provo, as the Texas front seven looked pretty damn nasty last week. Both teams will be desperate for points in this one, and barring D/ST TDs, this one has the making of a "first team to twenty wins" game...if either team even gets to twenty.

UCLA -23.5 vs. Memphis, 10:00 PM EST (Chad)
I'm not big on UCLA this year, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Yes, UCLA struggled against Virginia. Virginia had the horses to stay with UCLA on critical downs, and it showed some chinks in the Bruins armor. UCLA will be in some dog fights in league play, but not against Memphis. This is a classic case of people overreacting to a bad showing. UVA has some athletes on defense (seriously, is there a bigger "sleeping giant" than UVA?), and the scare they gave UCLA should provide the Bruins with some added motivation to prove they are the team the country thinks they are. UCLA runs away with this one early. 

Garrett's Record: 4-1

Chad's Record: 3-1-1

Overall Four To Score Record: 7-2-1