Week 8 Predictions – 2019
Last Week: The Buckeyes had the week off and it cost them a spot in the polls. But that is not too bad, the real poll doesn’t start until November 5th. For the first time this season though, a top 6 team got beat when South Carolina upset Georgia. That should put Georgia at the bottom of the food chain but since they are in the SEC, they will get a pass. As for our predictions, two people went 4-1 and everyone else was 5-0 so not much movement in our standings. Will see if that changes this week.
This Week’s Games: OSU returns to the playing field to take on Northwestern, who currently sits in last place in the B1G West. This type of game has tripped up the Buckeyes each of the past two seasons. Will they stumble again this year and find themselves once again outside the playoff poll? …. The biggest game in the conference this week will be Michigan at Penn State. The Wolverines have looked good since their failure in Madison but that was against Rutgers and Iowa, two teams that struggle on offense. Will Penn State show them an offense which once again makes Michigan look like a middle of the road squad? …. There are a couple of big games in the PAC-12 this week, including Arizona State at Utah. Both teams will keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a win. Which one gets the victory to stay on top the PAC-12 South division? …. Baylor will try to keep their unbeaten strike live as the face-off with Oklahoma State. Which question will be answered, is Baylor for real or are the Cowboys the 2nd best team in the league? …. The spotlight in the AAC this week will be on the Temple – SMU game. The Mustangs try to remain unbeaten but the Cowboys have been playing very well of late.
Buckeye Greats: As with the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the fifth straight year.
Here we go with our Week 8 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
(4)Ohio State @ Northwestern
Andy: This is a weird match up. In the past under Urban Meyer, the team usually had a lull coming off the bye. Not necessarily in the sense that it would be an automatic loss or anything, but previous teams under Urban that were really good would sort of sleep walk into a lot of their games coming off a bye. I don’t see that happening this year. This team under the new coaching staff has been laser focused this entire season. I don’t foresee the Friday night game being an issue like it may have been with last years coaching staff. Northwestern is a team that always plays tougher than their rank and talent level indicates, especially against ranked opponents. I expect the first quarter to be tough for Ohio State to consistently move the ball, but after an offensive score I expect the run game to open up the pass options for Justin Fields. The Buckeyes are currently ranked in the top 10 for both total team defense and total team offense. Northwestern is currently the 23rd best overall defense in the country and I expect their defense to be the only impressive part of their team Friday night. Expect Ohio State to roll after a tough first quarter fight. Ohio State 38 – Northwestern 10
Bbaver: Pick: Ohio State – N’Western needs to be +3 or better in the TO margin to stay close in this one. They are now 1-4 & dead last in the country in offensive yards per play. They are in the bottom six in the country in both scoring offense and total offense. QB Hunter Johnson has looked closer to being a 2 or 3 star recruit than the 5-star recruit he was coming out of HS. Both QB’s (Johnson and Aidan Smith) are completing less than 50% of their passes and each has 1 TD vs 4 INTs. Their offense almost couldn’t be any worse than it is. If TJ Green were healthy, he’d be the #1 guy right now and it would make a difference….but he is out for a year, and we may see both Johnson and Smith Friday night. Smith has good mobility but he isn’t going to do much with his arm. Johnson had a knee injury and didn’t play against Nebraska. On the other side of the ball, NW lost only 24-15 to Wisconsin, holding the Badgers to 243 total yds, and NW had 21 first downs to Wisc’s 13. That was two gms ago. In their last game, they held Nebraska to 13 points and 12 first downs. Fitz’s teams start slow almost every year but never quit, and are usually far better in October than they are in September. Their D is ranked somewhere around #30 in both total D and scoring D, but that stat is deceiving based on the how much their D has to stay on the field due to their atrocious offense. It’s legitimately a top 15 D in the nation. But they still almost can’t win the game Friday night unless they hold OSU to 14 pts or less. Calling it Ohio St 35 N’Western 9
Coach Rick: Coming off a bye week and now an extra day to prepare for a noon meeting with Wisconsin. I do not see this as much of a game. I think Coach Day’s staff will have them fired up after getting much needed rest. I see this game as OSU winning 52 to 7.
Cory: It’s easy to look at Northwestern’s record and say the Wildcats are a bad team, but look at the schedule they’ve played so far. That list includes: Stanford, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Nebraska. Add in the fact that the Wildcats’ starting quarterback – TJ Green – is out with a concussion, and his backup – Hunter Johnson – has struggled mightily and it all adds up. You can never underestimate the fight in Northwestern. Despite the tough start to the season they recently played both Nebraska and Wisconsin close. With this being a road game for Ohio State, and a Friday night game, you cannot take Northwestern lightly. That said, it’s hard to see how Northwestern can pull an upset with how bad their offense is right now. Their quarterbacks have combined for eight interceptions with just two touchdowns, and the most points Northwestern has scored in a game this year is 15. As long as the Buckeyes don’t look ahead to next week, this should be a win. Ohio State 35, Northwestern 10
Dr. Mark: OSU 42-17 Buckeyes may start a little slow, weather may not be good but will open it up in second half. Expect NW to have trouble with pass rush.
Gregg: I like Coach Pat at Northwestern, I think he is the perfect fit for the school and but seriously, you think you have to let the grass grow tall to try to have an advantage in the game? If I was Coach Day, I would be out there Thursday night on a riding mower cutting it so short, they won’t have to mow the rest of the season. OSU has the best defense in the league and Northwestern has the 2nd worst offense. That will be enough for the Buckeyes to secure the victory right there. Any chance the Buckeyes might get caught looking ahead to next week ended, when Georgia missed that field goal in their double overtime loss to South Carolina. They will come out and play like a team that has been caged up for two weeks and can’t wait to play. Fields, Dobbins, and Hill will all have big games but will only play in the first half. No need to give Wisconsin extra game film to study. OSU 51 NW 6
Jason: The unorthodox Friday night game is a rematch of last year’s Big Ten Championship game but it’s two teams heading in opposite directions. The Northwestern offense has been downright dreadful, but the defense is more than capable. The Cats shut down the Badgers in Madison, but the offense could never put points on the board allowing Wisconsin to escape. For Northwestern to compete in this one, they must not let the Buckeyes get out to a big lead early. Ohio State has been just as good on both sides of the ball, among the nation’s best in both total offense and defense. This one, on paper, has the makings of a major mismatch. Northwestern will have to play ball control with intermediate throws and convert on third downs to keep this game somewhat close. This one might be out of hand after a quarter, as the Buckeyes will dominate from the kick, jumping out to a big lead and not looking back. J.K. Dobbins will break a couple long runs and Justin Fields will be able to get the ball to his talented wide outs as it becomes a name your score kinda game for the Buckeyes. Ohio State rolls, setting up the showdown with Wisconsin as a battle of top ten teams next week in Columbus. Ohio State 52 Northwestern 13
John: I have OSU winning tonight 42-10.
Josh: I can see this game easily being a game where Ohio State has a slow start, which has been the norm for the past few weeks, but finally picks it up and blows out Northwestern. In a game that was at the beginning of the season to be a potential great rematch from last years Big Ten Championship game, these two teams could not be any more different. Northwestern is still trying to find an identity with their offense, while slowing down the run game with their defense. Ohio State might struggle getting the run game going, but if it is anything Michigan State, who has better athletes than the Wildcats, JK Dobbins will be able to attack and it will open up the passing game for Fields. The Northwestern offense wont get much to gain against our defense, and everyone in the country knows who the Buckeyes play next week. They cant be looking ahead, but Day has the Buckeyes mentally and physically in the right spot. Buckeyes win, and get ready for the showdown against Wisconsin with an extra day to prepare. Ohio State 45 – Northwestern 0
Pia Pete: Buckeye’s take care of business on a Friday night. OSU 43 – NW 17
PJSBuck: I think OSU goes into this game pissed and rolls up the points. OSU 64 NW 12
Steven: This smells like a trap game. A Friday night slot makes it even more so. The last two trap games we played in, trap games fans could see coming a mile away, the Buckeyes folded. Fortunately for Ohio State in 2019, this year’s game comes against a team that does not have the horses to keep up. Northwestern may be able keep it closer than any of us will like, but by the second half we could probably run the ball on every play and win easily. Bucks 45-12
Trout: The past 2 years the Buckeyes have lost to a team that they have no right losing to. This will not be the case with Northwestern. They are just a bad team. Potentially Rutgers bad. With Purdue and Iowa, they had play makers that made it difficult for the Buckeyes to plan for. The Wildcats don’t have someone like that. The Bucks may score less than 40, because the Northwestern defense is above average, but they are not good enough to stop the Offensively attack of Fields and Dobbins. They Buckeyes will win this game with little to no resistance. (Ohio State, 35-10)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): I have fretted about this game since it was announced that it would be played on a Friday night. I even stated at the time that “that’s the reason the B1G can’t have nice things”. The reasoning being that why do you chose to put your best team in challenging situations? However, much of that worry has been laid to rest by the diametric performances of both teams. I expect the mowers to get sidelined this week in a effort to slow down the speedy Buckeyes. I always wondered though, doesn’t that slow down the Wildcats too? Anyway, the game time weather forecast so far is a dry 50-60 degrees which is perfect fall-like weather in Chicago land. The question will be how does Justin Fields play in cooler weather? I think he plays fine and so do the Buckeyes. Ohio State comes home with a 42-7 victory over Northwestern.
Final Score: Ohio State 52 Northwestern 3
(16)Michigan @ (7)Penn State
Andy: This game should show the college football world which of the top teams in the conference can make a possible push for the Playoffs. Right now I think the only teams with a real shot are Ohio St. Penn St and Wisconsin. Michigan has to go on the road to play against one of the toughest teams in the country in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions are currently ranked the 4th best overall defense in the country and the 28th best overall offense. If you’ve watched Penn State play, their offense at times has struggled to make big plays. With the exception of KJ Hamler at receiver none of their other offensive players have shown the ability to rip off huge gains. That lack of explosiveness may eventually catch up to them, but I don’t think it will be this week. Michigan has a top 15 defense, but their offense which should have been their strength this season has been their weakness. New offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is struggling against teams with tough defenses, despite the loaded roster the Wolverines have on offense. I think going into Happy Valley against an elite defense will prove to be the difference in this game. Penn State 21 – Michigan 13
Bbaver: Pick: Penn State – The last three high profile teams UM has played away from home: Wisconsin, Florida and Ohio State. Scores? Wisc 35 UM 14; Fla 41 UM 15, OSU 62 UM 39. Average loss 48.3 to 20.3, average margin of victory 28 pts. They are in big trouble in the white out in Happy Valley. PSU wins comfortably.
Coach Rick: I think this is a coin flip so I will be cheering on the home team for a win. It does not matter who wins this game, by I would like to see OSU playing an undefeated team in November. I have Penn State winning 31 to 17.
Cory: It is so hard to get a good read on Michigan this season. After their disappointing loss to Wisconsin, the Wolverines dominated Rutgers then followed that up with a mediocre offensive performance against Iowa, and then a mediocre defensive performance against Illinois. At one point during the win over the Illini last week the Wolverines led 28-25 in the fourth quarter before pulling away at the very end. Simply put – that cannot happen against a team like Illinois. Similarly, Penn State has struggled with consistency on offense this season, but the defense cannot be doubted. The Nittany Lions have yet to give up more than 13 points in any game so far this season. In all honesty, this could be a very ugly game, similar to what we saw out of the Iowa-Michigan game a few weeks ago. Penn State seems to be playing better football right now, and they’re at home, so the slight edge goes to them. Penn State 20, Michigan 14
Dr. Mark: PSU 28-24 I think Michigan is more confident than earlier in the year BUT Nittany Lions D will be the reason for their win. Shea seems to have consistency issues.
Gregg: Penn State will beat Michigan Sturday night, I only hope they don’t beat them so bad they fire Harbaugh. This has been a lopsided win for the home team for three straight years, make it four. Penn State 49 Michigan 21
Jason: It will be a white out in State College as the unbeaten Nittany Lions welcome in the once beaten Wolverines. Although the Nits have gone 6-0, they haven’t played anyone with a pulse, so this will be the stiffest test yet for an offense that has clicked against sub-par competition. The Penn State offense has struggled against any kind of legitimate defense. See Iowa and Pitt. The Wolverines haven’t looked at all like everyone anticipated before the year, but their D is good enough to carry them. RB Zach Charbonnet has started to run the ball with a little more efficiency although QB Shea Patterson has continued to struggle game in and game out. If Charbonnet can run with some success, it can take the pressure off the passing game and keep the chains moving. That will be easier said than done against a Penn State team who is second in the nation in sacks and third in TFL’s not to mention a YPC average against them of just 1.6 yards. Look for the defenses to rule the day, especially early in this one. The atmosphere and ferocious pass rush of the Nits will bother Patterson and he is known for giving the ball to the opponent. If the Lion D can create some short fields early, the Lions could get out to a lead that the Wolverines can’t recover from. I don’t think this one will turn into blowout city but Penn State will likely control the game start to finish, winning by a couple scores, while never being really threatened and sending Michigan back to Ann Arbor scrambling to stay relevant in the Big Ten East. Penn State 27 Michigan 17
John: Penn State
Josh: This one is tough to call. I think Michigan’s defense is good enough to slow down Penn State, but the Nittany Lions have too much of an advantage at offense, that I font see the Wolverines keeping up. Michigan gave up 25 points to Illinois, and Penn State won in a tough environment on the road against Iowa. With this game being the White Out in Happy Valley, I see Penn State winning this one late in the 4th quarters in another authentic Big Ten type of scoring. Penn State 17 – Michigan 14.
Pia Pete: Penn State’s defense shuts down the Wolverine’s stinky offense. PSU 21 – UM 12
PJSBuck: OK, this is a trick question?………………………… PSU wins at home
Steven: Root for Penn State. We need to beat as many unbeaten teams as possible so keeping the Lions out of the loss column is in our best interest, and who better to help in that regard than the fighting (with a little f) Harbaughs. Since UM has already been shown to the also-ran room, you need the winners to keep winning and the losers to keep losing. Losers gonna lose, (but it could be tight). Patterson throws 3 picks as PSU wins 38-20.
Trout: The Nittany Lions should win this game. Its at home, and Michigan is still have their issues on Offense. It will be close. I don’t think Penn State is as good as their record indicates. Having said that, they are better than Michigan. Especially on the offensive side of the ball. I see this game being very tight for all 4 quarters, but then Shea Patterson and the Michigan Offense make one too many mistakes, and the Nittany Lions take advantage. It won’t be pretty, but Penn State remains unbeaten and furthers the “Fire Jim Harbaugh” talks in Michigan. (Penn State, 28-22)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Michigan has been a mess this year and while only experiencing a one-loss drubbing to Wisconsin, I see similar results for the Boreal Weasels against the Nittany Lions. Unless the Boreal Weasels have been imitating opossums and purposefully using 5 pages of a 60 page game plan, I see an offense struggling to score. With emergence of Noah Cain in the running game and Penn State finding an identity on defense, the Boreal Weasel are in trouble. Penn State whites out Michigan 35-14.
Final Score: Penn State 28 Michigan 21
(17)Arizona State @ (13)Utah
Andy: This game could become a big affair if Sun Devils head coach Herm Edwards has his team ready for a big matchup. Utah has been one of the toughest teams in the country the past two years because head coach Kyle Wittingham is one of the best gameday coaches in CFB. He consistently puts his players in a position to succeed. Utah has a top 10 defense this year, while Arizona State barely cracked the top 50 on defense. In a game like this I will usually side with the team that has the best defense, especially if they’re at home which is the case for Utah. Look for a good game early but a close game to finish. Utah 21 – Arizona State 14
Bbaver: Pick: Utah – Aside from the game they blew against USC, Utah has looked like a pretty good football team. I like the Utes at home.
Coach Rick: I have Utah winning because of their defense. I guarantee Utah’s offense will score at least 30 points because they have in every game so far. I have Utah winning 45 to 21.
Cory: Admittedly, the only time I’ve seen either of these teams play this season was when Arizona State won at Michigan State. Both teams have played very well this season, and both teams have just one close loss on their records. While the Sun Devils impressed me with their win in East Lansing, one thing sticks out about them and it’s that they don’t blow any team out. Their largest win of the season was 30-7 over Kent State in the opener, and since then their biggest margin of victory was 12 points with their last four games all being decided by one score. Utah features a more balanced offense, has shown the ability consistently put a lot of points on the board, and has the home-field advantage. It’s hard to bet against the fighting Herm Edwards, but that’s what I’m doing this week. Utah 35, Arizona State 31
Dr. Mark: ASU 31-27 – Could be a bad pick by me but I like the way Herm’s devils are playing for him.
Gregg: Utah is still probably the best team in the South, and they keep their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Sun Devils. Utah 42 ASU 24
Jason: The Utes, who have won two straight in dominant fashion host the Sun Devils who are entering with confidence offensively in a key Pac 12 matchup. The Sun Devils have averaged 31 points per game in Pac-12 play so far after reaching 30 points just once in three non-conference games. QB Jayden Daniels who will be making just his seventh start, has three 300 plus yard performances and threw for 363 against Washington State while completing 73% of his balls ranking third in the conference in passing yards. The Sun Devils will likely need Daniels to have a big game since Utah is outstanding against the run, allowing just 52.8 rushing yards per game, ranking second in the FBS. However, RB Eno Benjamin will be the best running back Utah has faced to this point. Benjamin has tallied 529 yards on the ground so far this season and has scored a touchdown in eight consecutive games. Offensively the Utes lead the Pac-12 in rushing offense, running for 228.8 yards per game but the Arizona State defense will be the best rush defense the Utes have seen, allowing only 91.7 per game, which is second to Utah in the Pac 12. Ute RB Zach Moss has rushed for 514 yards, leading the conference in yards per carry at 7.6 per tote and is just 55 yards short of the all-time Ute record in rushing. QB Tyler Huntley is as consistent as they come, ranking third in the country in completion percentage and fifth in efficiency, spreading the ball around to a stable of wide outs. Arizona State has never beaten three ranked opponents on the road in the same season, and the Sun Devils have a chance to do just that against Utah. This is a game that seems to be evenly matched on both sides of the ball and will come down to the offense that plays the most efficient, turnover free game. In a game of such evenly matched teams, lean toward the more efficient QB, which is Huntley and playing at home will spring a late drive leading Utah to a big home win and keeping their playoff hopes alive. Utah 31 Arizona State 24
John: Utah
Josh: Arizona State has for sure been the surprise team this year in college football. Both teams have a loss at this point in the season, and both looking to get the edge for the PAC-12 South and keep potential playoff hopes alive. One thing that Utah has done well this is is that they have been able to establish a decent offense the past few weeks to compliment their defense, which is only giving up around 270 yards a game. As impressive as the Sun Devils have been this year, and this game being at Utah, I give the edge to the Utes in this one. Utah 31 – Arizona State 21
Pia Pete: Utah works some magic. UU 21 – ASU 17
PJSBuck: Utah wins in a game interesting to only 75,000 people.
Steven: I love Herm Edwards. He would be awesome to play for. His enthusiasm seems to work better at the collegiate level. He has a freshman QB in Jayden Daniels who is playing well beyond his years. The Sun Devils meet a tough test in Utah and their 10th ranked defense, but their own defense isn’t to bad, ranked 47th in overall defense but 16th in scoring D. As much as I want to go with ASU, Utah at home is tough to beat, giving up 10 points a game. I don’t think a young Devil team can come together and overcome Utah’s strength, especially on the road. Utah 33-10
Trout: You never know with the PAC-12. There is no dominate team in this conference. One week, a team will look like a world beater, and then they next, they lose by 40. If I had to choice a team, I’d go with the Utes. The seem to be a little more consistent than the Arizona State Sun Devils. It should be close though. Herm Edwards has done a pretty decent job with ASU. I can see this game going down to the wire, with the teams being with 1 score of each other. However, due to Utah’s consistency, and slightly better offense, I believe they will come out the victors. Utes in a hard fought game. (Utah, 35-28)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): I must admit that I didn’t foresee the success of Herm Edwards at Arizona State. I didn’t think the old school coach would translate well with today’s young men. Surprisingly, Herm is proving “that is why you play the game”. He has been able to be more of a CEO coaching the coaches which has boded well for him and his team. Unfortunately, this week they will not be able to feed off of their homefield energy. Playing at Utah offers a couple of challenges. The Utes’ fan show up at big games and the higher elevation affect opposing teams not used to it. I am going with Utah over Arizona State 31-21.
Final Score: Utah 21 Arizona State 3
(18)Baylor @ Oklahoma State
Andy: I think Baylor head coach Matt Rhule is quietly rebuilding a Baylor team that just 5 years ago was a consistent top 15 program. The Bears are undefeated this year due to his ability to build a strong culture and getting his team to focus on tough fundamental football. However one of the biggest areas of concern for Baylor has been penalties, they currently rank the 101st worst team in the country for penalties. This game will be a little weird though, as both Baylor and Oklahoma State have top 25 defenses this season. The Cowboys have the leading rusher in all of college football so far this season in running back Chuba Hubbard who is averaging over 182 yards rushing per game this season. Oklahoma State usually known for their passing attack, has been a much more balanced offense this year throwing for just under 1,500 yards as a team and running for nearly 1,700 yards as a team. Vegas currently has Oklahoma State has favorite in this game and I actually agree. Oklahoma State 27 – Baylor 24
Bbaver: Pick: Oklahoma State – Baylor now has a target on their back….I like the Cowboys at home in what should be a good game.
Coach Rick: Oklahoma State’s 2 losses have been close against some quality teams. Baylor on the other hand has found a way to win against just okay teams. I think Baylor is an above average team that does find the way to win in most cases, just not this case. I have OSU winning at home 35 to 24.
Cory: Baylor is undefeated, which should surprise nobody as the Bears have played nobody. Their toughest game so far was a 23-21 over Iowa State, and to Baylor’s credit that is a decent win, but the rest of the schedule does not inspire much confidence in their record. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, enters this game with a couple losses but they’ve at least played a couple ranked teams in Texas and Kansas State. The only concern with Oklahoma State is can the defense make enough stops to win the game. The Cowboys gave 36 points to a mediocre Oregon State team, and they gave up 45 points in last week’s loss to Texas Tech. Despite the defensive struggles, I expect Oklahoma State to bounce back with a win this week. Oklahoma State 42, Baylor 35
Dr. Mark: Baylor 38-35 Not much D here and I don’t know much about either team this year but should be a wide open game.
Gregg: The Bears have been on of this season’s surprise stories. They have not been playing top tier teams yet but they have taken care of business and find themselves 6-0. They should have lost last week but a bad call by the refs preserved their perfect record. But Oklahoma State will be their toughest test and I don’t think they will pass. Oklahoma State 35 Baylor 28
Jason: Baylor is playing well but they are winning with smoke and mirrors. They haven’t been necessarily successful on the offensive side of the football, but the defense has created enough havoc to create enough opportunities for the offense to score enough points to win. The pass rush has been dominant, leading the Big 12 in sacks and tackles for loss and creating turnovers better than anyone in the conference. However, the Cowboys will be the best offense the Bears have seen. RB Chuba Hubbard leads the nation in rushing and QB Spencer Sanders has the ability to beat you through the air or with his feet. Baylor’s offense has been good, but QB Charlie Brewer is fighting injury and if the Cowboys get the offense going, Baylor won’t be able to keep up. The stiffest challenge of the year for Baylor will likely prove true. Oklahoma State is just too explosive for the Bears and playing on the road in a hostile environment will be too much for the Bears. The Bears will hang around for awhile but the Pokes get the win at home. Oklahoma State 45 Baylor 28
John: Oklahoma State
Josh: Baylor almost fell from the unbeatens last week, but found a way to win in overtime. Like Minnesota, Baylor has not had real competition yet to justify their record, however they made their way into the rankings this week. The biggest challenge for the Bears will be to try and slow down Chuba Hubbard, who leads the country in rushing yards so far this season. Oklahoma State is coming back from a bye week after a loss to Texas Tech, who Baylor just beat. This is going to be an interesting game, and with little confidence in either teams defense, this is going to be a shootout. I see Baylor though winning this one on the road as Charlie Brewer has put up over 1500 yards passing already this season, and the Bears are able to out pace the Cowboys. Baylor 45 – Oklahoma State 38.
Pia Pete: The Cowboys upset the Bears. OSU 34 – Baylor 31
PJSBuck: This will be a fun game. I think OKS plays then tough but Baylor wins the game by 10
Steven: It is hard to love Oklahoma State’s defense that is giving up 410+ yards per game, 70 more than Baylor. Okie State makes up for it in a 50 yard advantage offensively. The ‘pokes chew up the yardage but between them and Baylor, they both are scoring in the same ballpark, (Baylor @ 37.8, OSU @ 39.8). Baylor’s D is giving up about 10 points less per game than OSU, 17.8. In the Big 12 that’s amazing, but it is a bit of a misleading stat since the Bears have yet to play any of the league’s powerhouse teams. It would be impressive, (nigh pretty dang unlikely) if they can keep it up against OSU. Since they have yet to see a really tough squad, and are on the road, I like State. OSU 42-33.
Trout: I Believe that the Cowboys are the slight favorite in this game. However, I think I will have to go with the Bears. It’s till an unknown how good they are, since they haven’t played either Texas or Oklahoma, but Baylor is currently still undefeated. While Oklahoma State has 2 losses, including Texas tech, which the Bears just beat last week. It should still be the typical Big 12 shoot out and remain relatively close going into the 4th. But, I just see the Baylor Bears playing slightly better and pulling off the victory. Potentially leading to an interesting fight for the Big 12 Championship, later don the road with Oklahoma. Baylor wins in a high scoring shoot out. (Baylor, 49-45)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): What Matt Rhule is doing at Baylor is amazing. He has literally taken a leper of a program and is bringing it back into Big 12 prominence especially after so many questioned his move to the program. After last week’s test against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State may have found a blueprint for how to battle the Bears. I know one thing about the Big 12 though. If you’re the home team you’ve got a chance. That is why I am going with the Cowboys to upset the Bears 42-35.
Final Score: Baylor 45 Oklahoma State 27
Temple @ (19)SMU
Andy: I guess we can pick one of the more irrelevant games to be played by a top 25 team. I actually this Temple team is a little underrated and that SMU does not belong in the top 25. Vegas has Temple as a 3 point favorite, and I tend to agree with that. I think Temple pulls off the upset and wins in a close game. Temple 37 – SMU 31
Bbaver: Pick: SMU – The Mustangs survived the scare against Tulsa last week, and I think they will be more focused this week. I like SMU at home.
Coach Rick: SMU has the better offense and can score points. If Temple could run the ball this would be a better bet. I have SMU winning 42 to 21.
Cory: It’s time to pay attention to Temple. Yes, the Owls enter this game with one loss and it came to Buffalo, however, they’ve upset two ranked teams in Maryland and Memphis, and the only points they gave up to Georgia Tech were from a safety. They’ve got a quarterback in Anthony Russo that can sling the ball as evidenced by his 14 touchdowns, and overall they’re not fazed by the competition regardless of who they play. SMU enters the game undefeated, but the Mustangs haven’t really been tested this season. So far their toughest game was against a TCU team that is now 3-2. They needed three overtimes to beat Tulsa, and gave up 30 points to Arkansas State. Temple 31, SMU 21
Dr. Mark: Temple 24-21 – only one loss between the two teams should be another good game but won’t affect the playoff selection committee!
Gregg: The Mustangs have been another surprise team for 2019. Like the Baylor Bears, they find themselves unbeaten halfway through the season, but the meat of their schedule is in front of them. As Buckeye fans we want to see them keep winning. Then eventually they will play Cincinnati in a game that will be pretty special and make the Buckeye argument stronger. SMU took full advantage of the transfer portal and built a really nice team. But it remains to be seen if they can make it to a big 6 bowl game. I think this will be close and the Owls are not a bad team, but they will not have enough horses to beat the Mustangs. SMU 38 Temple 21
Jason: The Temple Owls come into Week 8 of the college football season with a 5-1 record, with their lone loss of the season coming on the road to Buffalo. They have rebounded from that loss winning 3 in a row, including a 30-28 win over ranked Memphis in their last game. They sit at a perfect 2-0, and tied for first with Cincinnati in the AAC East division. The Owls have also won 5 in a row in conference play and will head into Dallas with confidence. The SMU Mustangs are sitting at a perfect 6-0 while also being 2-0 in the West Division in the AAC. The Mustangs barely survived last week, needing 3 overtimes to take care of Tulsa. SMU can score the football, averaging 44 PPG this season, however they are just 1-2 in the last 3 meetings with the Owls, surrendering 52 PPG in those games. This is a different SMU squad this season however, although the defense won’t be confused with the 85 Bears, it’s still improved. This isn’t going to be a pound and ground type of game. Look for this game to be a shootout. It could be a game where the last team to score wins and in that case, lean to the home team to be energized by the crowd and SMU wins a close one over Temple to move to 7-0. SMU 45 Temple 38
John: SMU
Josh: Full disclosure, I just won a SMU pocket pro helmet for my fireplace mantle which displays the top 25 AP teams at the moment. I dont want to jinx the Mustangs and have them lose after finally getting their helmet. Temple has played spoiler this season, knocking off previously unbeaten Memphis last week, and after defeating Maryland in week 3, the Terrapins have not been the same. Temple is in the hunt for the AAC title, and have a good chance to win this one on the road. Both teams have been putting up over 450 yards of offense but defensively, they have been average at best. I see this one in favor of the Mustangs, as SMU remains undefeated. SMU 41 – Temple 35
Pia Pete: SMU squeaks by. SMU 23 – Temple 20
PJSBuck: Officially, my weekly who gives a shi*&^%$*t game of the week. SMU wins.
Steven: Temple’s defense is good, but SMU is averaging over 500 yards per game in a very balanced attack. The Owls have not seen anything close to what the Mustangs will bring. Temple did bottle up Maryland’s fairly potent offense so they could slow down SMU a bit, but it won’t be enough. SMU 35-28
Trout: I don’t know much about either team, but just looking at their records, I will have to give the edge to SMU. The Mustangs have been able to consistently put up 40+ points. Granted, their biggest opponent was a so-so TCU team. Still, they have been able to put up tons of points and remain unblemished. But, I don’t think the Owls will take a loss lying down. It should be a tough , hard fought game. In the end however, SMU’s offensive attack will end up being a tad too much for them, and they will lose by a few scores. (SMU, 24-10)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Temple has been my darling team when they play at home and have not let me down all year. SMU has been a scoring machine and Temple has slowed down some fairly potent offenses, but I just don’t the resurgent Mustangs are powering down anytime soon. The Mustangs run wild over the Owls 45-24.