Curator's Game of the Week
Iron Bowl - Alabama @ Auburn

This game, taken on face value, is not very promising as a good match up. Alabama is an obvious favorite. Auburn really needs the amazing Bo Nix who who shows up in some games to set an offensive tone for the Tigers. The broken ankle he played on during the Mississippi State game will understandably keep him out of the Bama game. 

Sports writers and commentators will try to hype this game with the aging "Kick Six" narrative. But this rivalry goes back much further than that. To really appreciate this game, you need to live in Alabama and take in his cultural event. The game usually takes top billing on the front pages of newspapers in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Mobile on Monday of game week. The game history is filled with names like Paul "Bear" Bryant, Shug Jordan, Gene Stallings, Pat Dye, Joe Namath, Bo Jackson, I could go on like this forever. 

You know at some point during the broadcast that you're going to hear Lynyrd Skynyrd singing "Sweet Home." People who are normally mild mannered, reasonable adults will lose their minds. For a few hours, people who usually hate each other will become friends and friends will become sworn enemies - all depending on where loyalties lie. The whole state will come to a stop at kickoff and won't resume until after the final gun. This is not just a game in Alabama. 

You can throw out the records on The Plains today. What is going to happen at Jordan-Hare, and all over the state, is going to be much bigger than a game. Today, it is life itself.

Coach's (Saturday) Game of the Week
Ohio State @ Michigan

Every letter M on any sign in Columbus, OH is crossed out. Harbaugh’s khakis are steamed and creased. The RV’s have arrived in Ann Arbor. Soon, the big house will be rocking for the 117th meeting of the Ohio State Buckeyes and what legendary coach Woody Hayes coined as “the team up north”. The rivalry has not been kind to Harbaugh who has yet to beat the Buckeyes in 6 tries and the Ohio State streak stands at 8. These are two of the most storied programs in all of college football. They share a combined 19 claimed National Titles, 98 bowl appearances, 35 Rose Bowl appearances, an astonishing 81 Big 10 titles, 173 consensus All-Americans and 10 Heisman trophies. There are few rivalries in the country that can boast those numbers. Ohio State has absolutely dominated the series in the last 2 decades having won 17 of the last 20 meetings dating back to 2000. Some will tell you that, because of that, the game has lost some of its appeal or that it doesn’t quite mean what it used to. Let me tell you who it does matter to. It matters to their prodigal son Jim Harbaugh. It matters to die hard Wolverine fans and, most of all, it matters to those young men who run out of that tunnel and jump to reach the sign proclaiming the support of the M club. Forget college football. There are few rivalries in all of American sports that can stack up to the level of this one. Parents and siblings split down the middle, Marriages put on hold for 3-4 hours a year to watch the game in separate rooms, 364 days worth of office water cooler superiority on the line. Michigan has certainly been playing above expectations this season, but can Harbs finally get over the hump in the biggest of big games for the Maize and Blue? This will be fun! ​

Curator's Game of Interest
Georgia @ Georgia Tech 

This game is sure to get ugly fast, This is probably the most lopsided rivalry in America right now. Dawg fans are already focused on Alabama, Tech fans are already focused on basketball (or that upcoming physics final, depending on who you ask.)

So is this even still a rivalry? 

Georgia offensive lineman emeritus, Matt Stinchcomb said it best: "You let us lose this game once and then you'll know if it's still a rivalry."

I'm guessing Kirby shouldn't experiment with that idea today.

Curator's Picks

MICHIGAN OVER OHIO STATE
OKLAHOMA STATE OVER OKLAHOMA
ALABAMA OVER AUBURN
TEXAS A&M OVER LSU

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Coach's Picks

OHIO STATE OVER MICHIGAN
OKLAHOMA STATE OVER OKLAHOMA
ALABAMA OVER AUBURN
TEXAS A&M OVER LSU

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Coach's Week 13 Game of the Week 
Egg Bowl - Ole Miss @ Mississippi State

When I think about the culture of the state of Mississippi, only one word truly comes to mind. PRIDE. Pride in their work, whether that be on the farms of the Delta, in the offices of Jackson, on the ships in the gulf or in the restaurants and watering holes where they gather to unwind after their done. Pride in their art, be it the Jazz music made famous by BB King, RL Burnside and Robert Johnson, their entertainers such as Elvis, James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, Tennessee Williams and even Brittney Spears or their true hometown heroes, the BBQ pit masters that can be found in every mom and pop road side shack across the state. Mississippi is a melting pot of people who have fought and worked hard for what they have, and most of the time it isn’t much, but it’s theirs and it is unique to their life experience. The one place where they all come together to celebrate what makes them all one people is a college football gameday in Starkville or Oxford. I’ve had the privilege of walking the Grove on a game day morning. It’s a true cultural experience that every southerner should experience at least once. Black, white, rich, poor, family and strangers all come together in one place to celebrate who they are together under the guise of a football game. The game is important, but, if truth be told, not as important as the time spent with family, blood and water alike, in that area just outside Vaught Hemingway Stadium. How do you lead a team that represents such a diverse, wide ranging people group? You better be unique and you better be unapologetically yourself at all times. Possibly never before in the history of the 2 programs have they both been led at the same time by two men who more successfully fit that mold in Mike Leech and Lane Kiffin. Both are known for notoriously explosive offenses that are fun to watch and have easily put butts in seats at multiple stops across their career but that’s not what makes them perfect for this state and this game. They fit the culture. They blend right in. in theory, they shouldn’t. Lane is the son of a lifetime big time coach who has lived all over the country and was always fairly wealthy and easily slid into a successful coaching career on the coat tails of his legendary father before truly establishing himself. Leach is a California boy turned Lawyer who has a mysterious love of Pirates and ancient war tactics. None of those things embody the spirit of the people of Mississippi but somehow their personalities make them perfect to be the Ring Leaders of their Saturday 3 ring Circus. No 2 coaches in the country could be a better fit. 

On the field, we get to see 2 of the flashiest offenses in the Nation go toe to toe. Ole Miss has been a pass rush machine this year leading the country in Sacks which poses extra problems when the weekly gameplan involves dropping back to pass 60 times a week. Outside of that stat, neither of these crews are especially stingy on defense but both offenses average north of 450 yards per game. Mississippi State QB Will Rogers comes into the game 2nd in the nation in passing yards having already surpassed the 4,000 yard mark with more than 30 TD’s. Lane Kiffin has turned his own QB Matt Corral into somewhat of a cult sensation and he has produced very impressive numbers of his own while hypnotizing the entire Ole Miss fan base into proclaiming him as a Heisman contender. 
​
This game in quintessentially Southern. It embodies everything that makes Southern culture great and you shouldn’t miss it Thursday night after you’re done celebrating the day with your own family. Don’t worry about the fans being tailgating all day. They’ll be with theirs. 

​

Egg Bowl Picks

Curator - Ole Miss
Coach - Ole Miss

Curator's Game of the Week
Michigan State @ Ohio State

This game is a prime example of why I oppose expanding the College Football Playoff past 8 teams. This is a playoff game. Someone will win and live to fight another day. Someone will lose and spend the post season in Florida, far from the title game in Indianapolis. 

I'm looking at this one and wondering who in their right mind thinks Ohio State is going to cover a 19 point spread against Mel Tucker's Spartans. Tucker is one of my two picks for Coach of the Year (more on that in my Upset Alert). His work in East Lansing has been exemplary, if not downright miraculous. e has won the hearts of the Spartan faithful and has the contract enhancements to prove it. These are not his recruits. This is a team playing inspired ball for a leader they have bought into, which means he has bought into them. 

The Buckeyes are obviously the favorites, although I'm still not convinced they aren't overrated. They need to survive two challenges from "that state up north" if thy want to get a chance to lose in the Playoff once again. There are a lot of marbles riding on this one, particularly in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes are going to impress me, this is a good chance. 

Coach's Game of the Week
Wake Forest @ Clemson

Look back 4 months ago and tell me that you thought this would be “Game of the Week” worthy come November. Wow. I love college football. With a win, Wake Forest will officially secure the Atlantic Division and a trip to Charlotte to play for just their 3rd conference title in school history. The Demon Deacons win the ACC in 2006 and before that you have to go all the way back to 1970 when they rode a 6-5 record all the way to a championship. The job that Dave Clawson has done there and his method for doing it deserves a piece on its own. The irony of this matchup doesn’t escape me. It is a true changing of the guard. You can’t win the Atlantic if you can’t beat Clemson and it’s only right that you earn it the hard way with a win in Death Valley. 
Wake will lean on their explosive 500 yard per game offense that has only been held under 40 points on 3 occasions this year. They have been unstoppable on offense and that could spell bad news for a Clemson offense that has been struggling to find their footing all year. It paints a grim picture for the Tigers until you remember a few things. Brent Venables, a graduate of Garden City Community College (that will become important shortly) is still at the reigns of the Clemson Defense. They are allowing a stingy 15 points per game, good enough for 3rd in the Nation. While the odds are, even with a Clemson win, Wake will secure the division next week at Boston college, Tiger fans have an opportunity Saturday to say “not on my watch! It won’t be because of us!”. I expect Death Valley to be cranked up to 11 all day to make that explosive Wake offense earn every yard. The great Ric Flair used to say “To be the man you gotta beat the man!” and Clemson has been the man for quite some time. Prediction: Garden City takes 2 L’s this week and Wake rolls to Charlotte. ​

Curator's Upset Alert
Arkansas @ Alabama

If you are going to put Alabama on alert, you need to have a good reason. My reason? My second candidate for Coach of the Year, Arkansas head coach, Sam Pittman. Like Mel Tucker, Pittman came into this coaching assignment in a bleak era for his program. But he has taken the kids on his roster, added a few recruits, and made them believe in themselves. I need to only point out the Texas A&M game here the Hawgs not only beat the Aggies, they took complete control of the game and embarrassed them. We've seen what this team is capable of. And with the greatest offensive line coach in the nation at the helm. this team is going to be about commitment to team. hard work, determination, and giving no thought of who gets the headlines as long as the team gets the W.

This isn't your typical Alabama team. They can be beaten, which paves the way for this pick. But they are still Alabama and I don't expect them to roll over and take the L gracefully. The Tide will have the force of the Bryant-Denny congregation behind them and their playoff hopes ahead of them. They'll need their best effort to get through this one.

Do not count out the Hawgs just yet.

Coach's Game of Interest (Quite Literally)
KJCCC Championship Game - Hutchinson CC vs Garden City CC, Wichita, Kansas

If you are a reader who enjoys keeping up with division 1 recruiting I have the game for you! It won’t make ESPN, they won’t talk about it on the set of Gameday, but there will be as much talent on this field as any game in the country this week. The Kansas Junior College conference is the upper echelon of JUCO football. Ever wonder what happens to the highly rated, uber talented kids who are highly recruited but go unsigned because of their grades or other issues? They’re in this game. Ever wonder where the big names in college football go when they make an 18-year-old kid style mistake and get released from there programs? They’re in this game. How good can it be? Alvin Kamara and Cordarrelle Patterson who are currently 2 of the most explosive players in the NFL both played at Hutchinson. Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs and Nick Marshall of Auburn fame both went to Garden City along with the aforementioned Brent Venables.  The list of alumni from this conference would astonish you and you can catch one final college game this SUNDAY at 2PM Eastern. Hutchinson is the defending Junior college Nation Champion from the spring season and Garden City is a perennial National power. The 2 teams played earlier this year in a classic in Garden city that saw Hutchinson come from behind to win 24-16. For those who may not have picked up on this yet, Hutchinson is the team that I coach and yes, this is a shameless plug. These guys are the ones we will write this segment about in the next 2 years. Take your opportunity to get to know their names now, and cheer on the ole coach while you’re at it. Go Dragons! Beat Garden! ​

Coach's Picks (27-28) (​One day he'll learn to not pick against Lane when the Curator is for him)

Ohio State over Michigan State
Alabama over Arkansas
Oklahoma over Iowa St
Oregon over Utah
Arizona St over Oregon St

Curator's Game of the Week
Oklahoma @ Baylor

This game has bigger implications that anyone might think. The Sooners are trying to get themselves in the CFB Playoff. They are going to need some help as the standings looking today. But they are going to get that help. The SEC and Big Ten Championships will help, but the Sooners also have to help themselves. Thir final three games are Baylor, Iowa State, and  Oklahoma State. They could possibly win or lose any of those. But if they want to be in the playoff, they need to win them all.

Baylor has other ideas. They would love nothing more than to upset Oklahoma and ruin those playoff hopes. That would take some of the sting out of losing to TCU last week. The Bears have a pretty balanced attack. They have outgained their opponents by almost 1000 yards this year. Oklahoma could have their hands full. 

​With Georgia in Knoxville and Bama hosting New Mexico State, this is one of the best games this week.

Coach's Game of the Week
​Texas A&M @ Ole Miss

One of the most intriguing parts of College football is looking back on the head to head matchups late in the year and having a chuckle. I’m not talking about the games that teams lost by a score, I mean the big ones. In the first week of October Ole Miss took a 42-21 beating at the hands of Alabama who was up 42-7 in the 4th before the backups allowed the final 2 touchdowns to the Lane Train. It was a tough night for the Rebs fueled, no doubt, by an upset pick by yours truly. Texas A&M would go on to defeat the Tide (who I still insist were “loosened up” by Ole Miss the week before) the very next weekend. That puts a black eye on Ole Miss until you look at A&M’s skeletons in their own closet. You could start with the last minute 10-7 win over Colorado or the loss to Mississippi State and suddenly your left scratching your head as to how they possibly took Bama into deep water and drowned them. Ahh yes. That’s the game we all know and love. Anything can, and will, happen from week to week. A million variables go into the outcome of every game and it’s such a delicate process that makes undefeated seasons so very special. Saturday we will see the SEC’s #1 total offense take the field in an effort to stomp out the Aggies remaining hopes of sliding into Atlanta in December. That’s a stat you would expect from a Lane Kiffin team. In one that may surprise you, the Rebels are also #1 in sacks and fumble recoveries. They have been getting to business on both sides of the ball and they’re really starting to hit their stride at the right time. After their rocky start, A&M has been on fire the last month as well. They have much more on the line this weekend. Both teams hold 2 loss SEC records, but A&M has the wild card with a head to head tie breaker with Alabama. They’re one Sam Pittman juke box or Iron Bowl gaffe away from a title game. The pressure is on. With something to fight for, tensions will be high in their camp. Meanwhile, Kiffin’s crew are essentially playing for a better bowl game and that’s about the end of it. Can the Aggies walk the tight rope with poise or do they crash against a very dangerous team? The Grove will be electric Saturday and I think this one is bound to live up to the hype. ​

Curator's Upset Alert
Purdue @ Ohio State

Yeah, I'm putting the Buckeyes on alert again. This time I'll have more to back it up. 

Purdue is playing the part of the giant killer this year. They have two wins over Top 5 opponents - Iowa and last weekagainst Michigan State. They'll be going to the air and the Buckeyes are going to have to find a way to stop that. If they underestimate the Boilermakers at all, Purdue is going to make them pay. 

For Purdue, there is no pressure. No one really expects them to pull this one off. The Buckeys, like the Sooners above, have to win out for any chance at the playoff. A two loss Ohio State team will spend the post season in Tampa or Orlando. Look for Purdue to send them there 

Coach's Picks (25-25)

Georgia over Tennessee
LSU over Arkansas
Oklahoma over Baylor
Mississippi State over Auburn
Texas A&M over Ole Miss

​

1. Georgia 20 (2)
2. [TIE] Alabama 15
Oregon 15
4. Cincinnati 14
5. Ohio State 12
6. Oklahoma
7. [TIE] Notre Dame 6
Oklahoma State 6
9. Michigan State 4
10. Michigan 3

​Also receiving votes: UTSA 2, Texas A&M 1

Curator's Game of the Week
Auburn @ Texas A&M

This is going to be the biggest game of the week by far. The Aggies stirred up a bunch of hype with that big win over Alabama a few weeks ago. Auburn has caught a lot of flak this year but they still control their own destiny in the SEC East. If they win out, thy go to Atlanta for a rematch with Georgia. 

A&M showed us n that Alabama game that they can put a complete game together. That is exctly what Jimbo Fisher need to do this week if they want to come out on top against Auburn. They need to limit mistakes, especially turnovers. The more time they spend with possession, the less Auburn can hurt them. They will need a strong pass rush with effective containment. It will also help if that famous 12th Man has big game. That atmosphere in College Station is electric and has the power to sway this game.

For Auburn, the key is Bo Nix. The Tigers' quartrback is criticized as a bit of a loose cannon but the kid has a way of making plays, the kind of plays that can take that 12th Man out of the game. If Nix can make some big plays happen at the right times, the Aggies could be in for a long day. Auburn must focus on the game at hand. The Iron Bowl is coming soon enough, but it won't matter as much if they nlook past the Aggies. 

Coach's ​Game of the Week
Virginia Tech @ Boston College - Red Bandanna Game 


Friday night’s primetime contest in Chestnut Hill marks the annual Red Bandanna Game at BC. The yearly game honors the life and sacrifice of Boston College Lacrosse Alum Welles Crowther who perished in the September 11 Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. If you’ve never heard that story, Tom Rinaldi did a wonderful piece on it that you can find a link to at the bottom of the segment. Welles was known all his life for the Red Bandanna that he carried on him starting when he was just 6 years old. It was a gift from his father in hopes that he would use it to solve the typical 6 year old boy constant runny nose. It became his signature among his friends and family. Following his Lacrosse career, he began a career as an Equities Trader in an office on the 104th floor of the South tower. People who were in the 70th floor lobby awaiting an elevator for evacuation when the South tower was hit, along with many others from higher floors, report being assisted to safety by a man whose face was covered by a Red Bandanna before he returned to the stairs to climb higher to assist more people. 

College football is such a tremendous strand in the DNA of America. It brings people joy in times of sorrow, Excitement in times of stress and using the platform that it creates, we in our business have the opportunity to honor true heroes whose impact on this world goes far above catching a touchdown pass. Friday night will feature 2 .500 football teams. The football isn’t what will make this game one to watch. My favorite part of this game has nothing to do with the game. For me, it’s these moments, these events. It’s using our platform to honor true heroes like Welles. What a special night it will be. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S77KYbkmjwc

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Curator's Upset Alert
Florida @ South Carolina

I'm going out on a limb here. South Carolina is bad. I don't mean bad to the bone. I mean terrible. Under normal circumstances, I would never give this game a second thought. But these are not normal circumstances. 

The Gamecocks have nothing to lose in this game. Shane Beamer is trying to rebuild a program from scratch and I think he will. But it will take winning games like this one to do it. Pull out all the stops, don't hold anything back. All the cliches. Let it roll. This game is Carolina's season. 

Florida comes to Columbia a the end of a disastrous week. The Gators were embarrassed by Georgia at the World's Largest Outdoor Party. Then Dan Mullen made some unfortunate comments about recruiting. Mullen is also coming under fire about the performance of his assistants. This is all a potential psychological storm that can poison a locker room and set a team up for an upset. Football is a mental game and if Florida has a mental breakdown, Carolina is in a position to pull off an upset.

Keep an eye on this game. 

Coach's Upset Alert
Michigan State @ Purdue

Michigan State is fresh off an emotional, monumental win last Saturday against previously unbeaten Michigan. The win propelled them securely into the Playoff Rankings and assured that Paul Bunyan will spend another year in East Lansing. With that behind them, a showdown with Ohio State in 2 weeks and the Big 10 Championship game are the only rational things separating them from an opportunity to play for a National Title. Coming off that high and looking forward to that game makes 5-3 Purdue an afterthought. Treating the Boilermakers that way would be a big mistake…ask Iowa. Additionally, Sparty’s sure thing wins haven’t all exactly come easily this year (See: Nebraska by 3, Allowing 560 yards of offense to Western Kentucky and Indiana by 5). This is definitely one to keep an eye on! ​

 Curator's Picks (26-19)

Auburn over Texas A&M
Kentucky over Tennessee
Air Force over Army 
Arkansas over Mississippi State
Fresno over Boise

 Coach's Picks (24-21)

Texas A&M over Auburn
​Kentucky over Tennessee
Air Force over Army
Mississippi State over Arkansas
Fresno over Boise

1) Georgia 20 (2)
2) Michigan State 16
3) Cincinnati 15
4) Alabama 14
5) Oklahoma 12
6) Oregon 10
7) Ohio State 8
8) Wake Forest 6
9) Notre Dame 4
10) (TIE) Oklahoma State 1
​UTSA 1

Curator’s Game of the Week
WLOCP in Jacksonville

The annual World’s Largest Cocktail Party is here! I talked about the cultural event at the blog. Now it’s time to talk about the game itself.

The Gators come into this game down, but not out. Dan Mullen’s squad has three losses: Alabama, Kentucky, and LSU. They need a win to salvage anything from this season. They’re going to have to play the best on defense that they’ve played all year. This will require avoiding “3rd and Grantham.” If you give up 49 to LSU you spen two weeks trying to hatch ways to stop Stetson Bennett and the boys. They cannot let Georgia score at will because, let’s face it, Florida isn’t going to score much this week.

Georgia comes in riding high. Ranked #1 in the nation, they have beaten a ranked opponent four times this year. Florida gave up 49 points in their last game. Georgia has given up 46 point this season. Now that’s some numbers that would make Coach Erk Russell proud. “If we score we might win but if they don’t score, we can’t lose” was his quote. That’s Georgia’s key to the game. Shut down the Gator offense and set Bennett and the Dawgs’ offense on cruise control.

That assessment sounds pretty bleak for Florida. But if you dig in the archives, you’ll find several examples of a team riding high into Jacksonville against an unranked opponent only to have their season derailed. This rivalry is personal. It’s emotional. These two schools fight over recruits. So many of these kids know each other. They’ve played each other for years. Some even played together. I have friends and family on both sides of this divide. I’ve lived this rivalry. The atmosphere of the game the history of the rivalry, the emotions, it all gels at kickoff and you can throw the records out the window. This is the game to watch this weekend.

Curator’s Upset Alert
​Penn State @ Ohio State

It’s gonna happen eventually. You know it and I know it. Ohio State is going to choke. They always do. The trick is knowing when.

Penn State is coming off two losses, including a pretty embarrassing upset by Illinois. James Franklin has been mentioned as a candidate for the LSU job for a reason. He’s going to get his team prepared. The idea of the Nittany Lions losing three in a row is almost unthinkable.

The Buckeyes have been on a tear since that early loss to Oregon.but let’s face it, most teams could have gone on a tear against that schedule. I’m still not impressed with Ohio State. This is a beatable team and Penn State can do it.

​Find a way to contain TreVeyon Henderson and win the game. Period.

Coach’s Picks (22-18)

​Georgia over Florida
​Ohio State over Penn State
Ole Miss over Auburn
Michigan over Michigan State
Kentucky over Mississippi State

The ABG Poll

1. Georgia 20 (2)
2. Oklahoma 17
3. Cincinnati 15
4. (Tie) Alabama 12
Michigan 12
6. Wake Forest 9
7. Michigan State 7
8. Ohio State 5
9. Oregon 4
10. Ole Miss 3

​Also receiving votes: Iowa 2, Kentucky 2, Notre Dame 2

Curator’s Game of the Week
Clemson @ Pitt

It’s a pretty lackluster week for big games. But some good football is still out there .

I’m picking this one because there’s more here than this game is getting credit for. Clemson is the butt of many jokes despite being 4-2 with one of those losses coming to the #1 team in the nation. Pitt broke the Top 25 , finally, with critics pointing at that loss to Western Michigan.

​Clemson has struggled with injuries and the loss of Trevor Lawrence, et al to last year’s NFL draft. But they are still winning football games. They’re still led by Dabo Swinney and they’re still a tough team. They’re still in a fight for the Atlantic Division and they need this win.

Pitt is fighting off challengers from atop the Coastal Division. That lone loss is what’s keeping them out of the playoff conversation right now. If they can continue winning and get some help they may find their way into that conversation yet.

​These two are better teams than advertised. Expect this one to be better than expected.

Coach’s Game of the Week
​Oklahoma State @ Iowa State

​The rankings would have you believe that this game should be no contest and the Cowpokes should roll to victory. While I do believe they will finish Saturday undefeated, Coach Gundy’s crew has some work ahead of them this weekend in Ames. RB Jaylen Warren has stepped right in for Carolina Panthers draft pick Chuba Hubbard and the Cowboy offense hasn’t missed a beat as he is rushing for 117 yards a game at the halfway point of the season. The thing that makes this game interesting is the turnover issue. Spencer Sanders has thrown 5 interceptions in their 6 games and the cowboy offense has laid down a tough 9 fumbles (lost 3). Add an extra interception from Shane Illingworth and you get to 9 total turnovers. Too many balls on the ground and in the hands of the defense are absolute killers. The Cyclone offense is still in great hands led by QB Brock Purdy who is completing 74% of his passes. That’s good enough for 2nd best in the Nation. Breece Hall has had no trouble finding pay dirt with 10 rushing TD’s already and both of their losses have come against top opponents. Often overlooked, Iowa State is traditionally good for 1 major upset a year. Watch for this one to be close!

Curator’s Upset Alert
Ohio State @ Indiana

At fist glance you’d be crazy to call this alert. But true upset alerts are supposed to be far-fetched.

But look closer.

​The Hoosiers are coming off a nail biter against Michigan State. A loss is a loss but that game gave them something to build on. They know they can play with a tough opponent. Their goal will be to keep it close and let the psychology of the game be their teammate. They’ll need to play great defense against the run to keep this one close.

Ohio State comes in as the clear favorite but they don’t have much resumé to back that up. They’ve played one decent football team this year...and they lost. They’re highly ranked in the polls due to name recognition.

Prime time in front of a national TV audience? It has the makings of the legendary Tyler Trent game at Purdue. Remember how that turned out for the Buckeyes? Advantage, Hoosiers.

Don’t count Indiana out.

Coach’s Upset Alert
​LSU @ Ole Miss

​Upsets are largely fed by one thing and one thing only. Mentality. It takes a perfect storm of mentality on both ends and I think we just might have such a storm here. Ole miss is riding high having only felt defeat at the hands of Alabama (welcome to the club). No one except Bama has held them to less than 30 points this season, they’re off of 2 exciting wins and they all managed to escape Knoxville last week without any serious golf ball or mustard bottle related injuries. Life is good in Oxford. Enter Coach O, a man with nothing to lose. A fallen National Champion coach on his dream job deathbed. His entire situation is what I believe is wrong with college football, but that’s a story for another day. Here we see a man who is out to enjoy his last few outings at his dream job and a team who is going to be willing to run through whatever is in front of them for their beloved exiting head coach. The bayonets are fixed on the bayou. Nothing to lose. There’s no holding that Tiger.

Curator’s Picks (21-14)

​OLE MISS OVER LSU
​PURDUE OVER WISCONSIN
NOTRE DAME OVER USC
OKLAHOMA STATE OVER IOWA ST
CLEMSON OVER PITT

Coach’s Picks (21-14)

​LSU OVER OLE MISS
PURDUE OVER WISCONSIN
NOTRE DAME OVER USC
OKLAHOMA STATE OVER IOWA ST
CLEMSON OVER PITT