Week 6 Predictions – 2022
Last Week: Another opponent, another Buckeye victory. The 49-10 win over Rutgers is just the latest stepping stone to the larger goals of the 2022 team. Ohio State completed this 5 game homestand with a perfect 5-0 record but they are working toward the 12-0 mark and a chance to return to the Big Ten Championship. Miyan Williams was the star of the game with a record tying 5 touchdowns on the afternoon. For our staff picks Dave Culver was one of seven people to go 5-0, which vaulted him back on top of our standings with a 21-3 record. In other news, ‘The Bear’ on GameDay is only 10-5 on the year, just saying.
This Week’s Games: After only 5 weeks into this young season we are down to only 16 unbeaten teams remaining, 14 from the Power 5 conferences. And yes, count me as one who believes we will NOT see a Group of 5 team in the playoffs like we did last year with Cincinnati. Ohio State hits the road for the first time in 2022, taking on Michigan State. The Spartans are already 0-2 in conference play, can they find a way to get an upset victory over the Buckeyes? …. GameDay wil traveling to Lawrence, Kansas for the first time as a pair of unbeatens battle for first place in the Big 12. Who out there had both TCU and Kansas at 5-0 at this point in the season? …. Utah travels to LA to take on the surprising UCLA Bruins in a key Pac-12 showdown. Can the Utes find a way to win and really tighten up the battle to play for the conference title? …. Alabama takes on Texas A&M, a battle that looked like it would have a lot of fireworks after all the jabs that went back and forth this summer between Coach Saban and Coach Fisher. Can the Aggies get their offense and there season back on track by defeating the defending SEC champs? …. USC keeps winning and they have another tough opponent this week in Washington State. Can the Cougars spoil the Trojans perfect record.
Buckeye Greats: As in 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 eighth straight year.
Here we go with our Week 5 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
(3)Ohio State @ Michigan State
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Ohio State should destroy Michigan State, but there is something going on with OSU right now and I can’t put my finger on it. Our offense is a “jugger” who has lost its “naut” and our defense appears to not have their “back”. Fortunately, the Spartans are garbage this year. OSU blasts MSU 51-10.
Coach Rick: Ohio State
Cory: That big contract Michigan State gave to head coach Mel Tucker is starting to look not so good. The Spartans’ only two wins came over Western Michigan and Akron, and they are entering this game on a three-game losing streak. Last season, Michigan State had Kenneth Walker to help mask the struggles in the passing game and the poor passing defense but with Walker gone to the NFL it’s not the same this year. Michigan State has struggled to take care of the ball – six interceptions and two lost fumbles have hurt the Spartans this season. Ohio State enters this game a little banged up but the Buckeyes don’t even need to be at full strength to win this one. I expect a closer game than it was last season, but that’s not saying much. Ohio State 41, Michigan State 17
Dave: Ohio State 42 Michigan State 10
Gregg: Ohio State is averaging 42 points a game the past 5 years against Michigan State. Sparty has been a black mark on otherwise a great season way to many times in OSU history (1974, 1998, 2013, 2015), but I don’t see that happening this year. The Buckeyes have just way to many offensive weapons to stop all of them. And the Spartans have one of the worst backfields in the country so I expect CJ Stroud to pick up some extra yards to make up for his low totals last week. Treveyan Henderson is supposed to be back and I am sure he will be hungry to rack up some yards as well. Michigan State started off strong but has lost their last three games and this one will be four in a row. Ohio State 56 Michigan State 13
Jason: The hope coming into the year is that the Spartan defense, specifically the secondary, would improve. It hasn’t. Michigan State is having issues. A year ago, Ohio State took a 49-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 56-7 win in Columbus and that was an 11 win Spartan team that had a dominant rush attack. This season, there is no run game to fall back on and the defense is almost as bad. Ohio State has been ultra balanced offensively and that’s without two of it’s best players, WR Jackson Smith-Njigba and TreVeyon Henderson, who have missed much of the year with injury. C.J. Stroud has been as advertised and is the front runner for the Heisman Trophy, while the plethora of weapons he has at his disposal is abundant. And suddenly the defense is playing championship football. Michigan State has some talent and QB Payton Thorne has some ability, but he can’t do it alone. If there is one question about Ohio State, it’s can they do it on the road for the first time this season. In some cases, it may be a big challenge, but this game has all the makings of a massive mismatch and C.J. Stroud has done it on the road before. The Buckeyes will score quick and score often and this game will be over at halftime as Ohio State continues its dominance, rolling to their 6th straight win. Ohio State 56 Michigan State 7
Joe-S-U: OSU over MSU – Don’t get me wrong, I loved watching Miyan punch it in 5 times last week, but with a chance that Bryce Young may not play much Saturday, if at all, C.J. needs a monster game on national TV to get some separation in the Heisman race. Sparty’s pass defense sucks and the fact that I put down a bet last week for Stroud to win the Heisman has absolutely nothing to do with it.
John: I wonder if the powers that be in Michigan are regretting that big contract they gave to Mel Tucker yet. Buck’s should beat Sparty like a drum. Only reason I don’t pick them to win by 55 is that this is Ohio State’s first road trip, so they may have a few issues to adjusting to life on the road. Ohio State 52 Michigan State 24
Josh: The Buckeyes continue to take care of business and travel for the first time this season against a Michigan State team that lost 3 straight games. The expectation for this game is that Ohio State will have TreVeyon Henderson back in this game to share the carries with Miyan Williams, and CJ Stroud should have a field day against the 115th ranked pass defense. Michigan State will be playing for pride, and there are players who might still be bitter about the outcome from last years game when they had Kenneth Walker and got embarrassed on national television. The Buckeyes though will be too much, and Ryan Day will make sure this team keeps focus heading into their bye week, and try and get the starters out as soon as possible. Ohio State 52 – Michigan State 6
Steven: Run to set up the pass, or pass to set up the run. As bad as MSU’s pass defense is (114th out of 131 programs nationally), it may be pass to set up the pass. Of course, the run game will keep rolling with Miyan Williams, especially if the weather turns windy, which the forecast calls for. This ability to switch to the ground game may assure OSU can breeze through the Big Ten regular season. This season, they are not 100% dependent upon CJ Stroud and his arm. If the weather turns bad, the Bucks can bludgeon opponents with a top tier run game, (11th in the nation). MSU has had a tough stretch, losing 3 in a row after winning their first two games against vastly inferior opponents. Spartan QB Peyton Thorne sports a 8/6 TD to INT ratio. This game should allow Ohio State’s defensive secondary some opportunities to feast on a subpar passing attack. MSU games always seem to be ugly affairs, so it might not be a statistical or aesthetic masterpiece, but OSU should win this handily. OSU 44-14
Trout: Sparty doesn’t stand a chance. They are unbelievably bad, especially with their defensive secondary. And Ohio State’s bread and butter in Ryan Day’s tenure is the passing game. I honestly believe that this game won’t be close at all. Michigan State may get a score or two, but they will not be able to keep up at all with CJ Stroud and the Ohio State Offense. Stroud should be able to pad his stats for the Heisman race. And I can also see Henderson or Williams having a monster day running the ball. Sparty’s program is in disarray right now, and the Ohio State Buckeyes will take full advantage of that. The Buckeyes win big in East Lansing. (Ohio State, 56-10)
Final Score: Ohio State 49 Michigan State 20
(17)TCU @ (19)Kansas
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): TCU blew the doors off of Oklahoma last week as the Sooners were exposed. However, Kansas has been on the good side of fortune this year. Kansas upsets TCU at home 31-27.
Coach Rick: TCU
Cory: Kansas is legit, and no that is not sacarms. The Jayhawks are 5-0, ranked, and possess some decent wins including over West Virginia, Houston, and Iowa State. Quarterback Jalon Daniels has picked up right where he left off last year and has been terrific. Yes, he can run but the dude has a great arm, too, and his stats reflect that. He’s completing almost 70 percent of his passes and has 11 touchdowns with just one interception. TCU has vaulted to attention after the Horned Frogs thrashed Oklahoma last week, however, they struggle on the defensive side of the ball. This game has the makings of a classic Big 12 shootout, and while the names on the scoreboard may not be the traditionally exciting ones from this conference, this should be a great game. Also, I’m all aboard the Kansas bandwagon. Kansas 45, TCU 42
Dave: TCU 28 Kansas 24
Gregg: Kansas has been a great story and a surprising one for the 2022 college football season. At 5-0 they are only 1 of 16 teams remaining unbeaten so far. But they are playing another one of those unbeaten teams and even though the Jayhawks are playing at home, they are not as deep as the Horned Frogs. The last time Kansas started 5-0 was in 2009, and they finished the season 5-7. Kansas has a few more wins this year, but not this weekend. TCU 31 Kansas 24
Jason: Don’t look now but Rock Chalk has extended to the gridiron as the Jayhawks have started the season 5-0 and has found their way into the Top 25. New TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has TCU playing just as well so this has the makings of a massive Big 12 clash and has gotten the attention of the national media with College Gameday broadcasting from Lawrence on Saturday morning. The Horned Frogs are coming off a dominant win over Oklahoma a week ago and is playing with a lot of confidence. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels has gotten himself into the Heisman conversation and when given time, has put up some big time numbers. The Jayhawk defense has taken advantage of mistakes and Daniels has made opponents pay. TCU has not made many mistakes and will be the biggest challenge thus far for Kansas. Those breaks won’t be as easy to come by for Kansas in this game and TCU will do enough to pull out the road win with a 4th quarter touchdown to put the game away and get one step closer to playing for a Big 12 championship. TCU 38 Kansas 27
Joe-S-U: TCU over Kansas – The Jayhawks were one of the only teams I correctly picked on my 2 parlay bets in Vegas last week. That was great. That was also LAST week. Maybe since “Gameday” is in town, someone can get Dumbass, uh Desmond to explain how 3 of his 4 CFP picks aren’t even ranked.
John: OK, everyone that had the Jayhawks at 5-0 this year stand up…now sit down, you liars. One of the feel-good teams of 2022 will most likely return to Earth this week, as TCU looked like the class of the Big XII dismantling Oklahoma last week. The rankings say this will be an upset, but Vegas disagrees, and I agree with the bettors. TCU 35 Kansas 24
Josh: Two teams that were not projected to be contenders in the Big 12 are two of the 3 remaining undefeated teams in the conference and College Gameday will be in Lawrence for the first time ever. The Horned Frogs are the favorites going into the game, and I think the will get the win on the road behind their offense. Max Duggan has been good, and they showed off their offensive attack last week against Oklahoma. Kansas has been the Cinderella story of the season, mostly in part to an undefeated season, and they have not been tested by a strong team of note, and overcame a win against Iowa State last week in a defensive showing. TCU 34 – Kansas 31
Steven: Wow, this is one you didn’t see coming. Two undefeated Big 12 teams meet this week and neither of them are Oklahoma. While Kansas has been winning, TCU has been rolling. I think I need to call down to Fort Worth and have someone grab me a purple, horned frog hoodie. TCU 37-28
Trout: I think the safe pick in this game would be TCU. Although they’ve never been a consistent contender since joining the Big 12, the Horned Frogs have at least been decent in most years. Kansas, on the other hand, has been a dumpster fire. However, they are currently sitting at 5-0 on the season. Although I don’t think they stand a chance against the likes of Alabama and Ohio State, I Really do think the Jayhawks might be a dark horse to win the Big 12. I think Leipold has Kansas believing the hype, and that’s why I am picking them to win this game. It won’t be easy. TCU can put up some points. But I really do believe that Kansas will ride this wave of momentum and pull off the upset. It’ll be a close game, but Kansas does just enough to get by them. The Jayhawks beat the Horned Frogs and remain unbeaten. (Kansas, 35-33)
Final Score: TCU 38 Kansas 31
(11)Utah @ (18)UCLA
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): If UCLA had more fans who gave a damn, I would give their team home field advantage. Utah beats UCLA 37-31.
Coach Rick: Utah
Cory: Speaking of shootouts – who is ready for some PAC 12 mayhem this week? USC is the team getting all the headlines from this conference, but the best team in the conference may just be playing in this game. After losing to Florida in the season opener, Utah has reeled off four straight wins, albeit, against lower competition. UCLA, meanwhile, is undefeated at 5-0 and coming off an impressive upset over Washington last week. Both teams feature dynamic quarterbacks – Cam Rising for Utah and Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA – who are true dual threats. Though UCLA is at home, I will give the edge to Utah this week. The Utes are a more well-rounded team. They’ve played a tougher schedule, and you’ve got to like a team that’s giving up just 10.8 points per game during its four-game win streak. Utah 38, UCLA 31
Dave: Utah 28 UCLA 21
Gregg: Buckeye fans know how great the coaching is at Utah and how solid this team is. People tend to over look the Utes since they are one new teams in the Pac-12 but they are one of the strongest, Utah is 73-32 in playoff era, and they are going to improve that record in 2022 including over the Bruins in semi-empty Rose Bowl. Utah 44 UCLA 24
Jason: How good is UCLA? Now we will find out. Utah has it rolling. The Utes lead the Pac 12 in total defense and ranks 2nd nationally against the pass and isn’t allowing much in the run game either. Ute QB Cameron Rising is as steady as they come and won’t turn it over, while creating turnovers has been the bread and butter of the Bruin defense. UCLA’s offense starts with RB Zach Charbonnet. Despite having good numbers against the run overall, Utah did allow Florida to run for nearly 300 yards so if Charbonnet gets going, UCLA will be in business. If he struggles at all, Utah’s steady play on both sides will rule the day. Although Utah has struggled on the road in recent years, the challenge for UCLA is to play back to back games against very good opponents and come up with a win in each. At the end of the day Charbonnet will have limited success, but overall, Utah is just better than UCLA and behind that defense, the Utes leave the Rose Bowl with a win and a leg up in the Pac 12 race. Utah 31 UCLA 24
Joe-S-U: Utah over UCLA – What the Utes wouldn’t give to have that Florida game back. Bruins played extremely well against Washington, but don’t see it happening this week. Must be nice to be a Bruin fan and go to home games and have your own popcorn vendor.
John: It’s hard to get too excited about the soon to be defunct Pac12. Being a 3:30 kickoff, this is a chance for Ohio State fans to check out one and possibly two new conference foes in their near future. At least until they flip over to OSU/MSU at 4:00. Utah 28 UCLA 24
Josh: Ever since the loss to Florida week 1, Utah has been on a terror through the Pac-12 and flexed their scoring prowess over ASU and Oregon State. UCLA beat a really good Washington team at home last week and Dorian Thompson-Robinson has completed nearly 75% of his passes and has only thrown 1 interception. This will be a test of how well Chip Kelly can attack the Kyle Whittingham defense and the Bruins were without DTR in their game last season. I like the Bruins to win at home and remain undefeated. UCLA 31 – Utah 30
Steven: This one screams fireworks. You have two great offensively minded teams slugging it out. Both Utah QB Cameron Rising and UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson are slinging it this year, combining for 24 TDsand only 3 INTs between them. The last stop may be the deciding factor. One of these defenses will have to step up. My guess is that Utah can make it happen. If not, UCLA – USC could become an even bigger matchup on November 19. With no skin in the game, this one still screams Must See TV. Utah 38-33
Trout: This game is a bit of a toss up. Utah was supposed to be the top pick to win the PAC-12 and maybe get into the playoffs this year, but after losing to a bad Florida team in week one, it’s hard to tell how good they actually are. While the Bruins haven’t been good for a while, but are still undefeated going into this week. Granted, they really haven’t played anyone of note, besides a so-so Washington team. If I have to pick one team, I will have to go with the Utes. Mostly because they have been more consistent over these past few seasons. I think the game will be a very close, low scoring affair. And after the dust settles, Utah will remain on top. UCLA puts up a good fight, but in the end Utah’s skill and experience puts them ahead and the Bruins won’t be able to Answer. The Utah Utes remain in the driver seat for the PAC-12. (Utah, 21-17)
Final Score: UCLA 42 Utah 32
Texas A&M @ (1)Alabama
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Nick Saban does not forget and last year’s former assistant coaches beating him thing is over. TAMU boosters start to rethink their investment in Jimbo after they get shellacked 49-13 by the Crimson Tide.
Coach Rick: Alabama
Cory: We’ve already seen some high profile coaches fired this season including Scott Frost at Nebraska, Herm Edwards at Arizona State, and most recently, Paul Chryst at Wisconsin. Will Jimbo Fisher be the next to go? The Texas A&M head coach brought in a terrific recruiting class, but the on-field results don’t reflect it just yet. The Aggies are 3-2 and coming off a blowout loss to Mississippi State last week. The offense is inconsistent at best, and just watching this team you feel like they do not play up to their potential. That’s not a good combination when heading to Tuscaloosa this week to take on No.1 Alabama. The Crimson Tide may be without star quarterback Bryce Young, who is dealing with a minor AC sprain in his throwing shoulder. Even if Young is out, expect the Tide to keep rolling. Alabama 31, Texas A&M 10
Dave: Alabama 38 Texas ATM 21
Gregg: No love loss here between coaches or teams. Story was that we may be out both starting quarterbacks, makes me even less interested in how this comes out. In spite of the great recruiting class of A&M, I think Alabama is deeper, with or without Bryce Young But if Young does not play, he can kiss the Heisman goodbye. Alabama 24 Texas A&M 20
Jason: Texas A&M has had to win with defense because that offense…oh that offense. They are turning it over, are completely inconsistent and struggle mightily to put points on the board. However, A&M did upset the Tide a year ago in College Station so they won’t be intimidated. The defense can get after the passer, so if they can create a couple turnovers and limit the mistakes offensively, they could get into the 4th quarter in a ballgame. This will certainly be the most talented team Bama has faced so far and the Tide has struggled this year at times with teams that can match them athletically. See Texas and Arkansas. Last week against the Hogs, Alabama struggled until Bryce Young got hurt and the running game turned it up about 30 notches. If any positive came out of the Young injury, it gave confidence to the run game and Jahmyr Gibbs, who completely took that game over on the ground. The concern still remains for the health of Bryce Young, however, even without him, Bama is too talented. A&M will hang around for a while, but Bama will get things going in the 2nd half and pull away and cruise to victory number six. Alabama 42 Texas A&M 14
Joe-S-U: Alabama over the ATM – This one’s gonna get ugly in a hurry. Jimbo needs to just start playing all of the frosh from that “best recruiting class them oil boys can buy” and build for the future. Watch this one on mute or else Gary Danielson will have you believing this Tide squad is the greatest team in the history of organized sports.
John: If Bryce Young is 100%, the Tide rolls, but it’s doubtful he’s anywhere near 100% and may not even play. That said, I have a hard time picking a team that spit the bit against Appalachian State (no offense, Boon NC is a wonderful place but come on – no way they should ever sneak up and beat another top 10 team with their history) so as much as I’ll be rooting for the best recruiting class money can buy to pull the upset, I don’t expect it to happen. Alabama 24 Texas A & M 6
Josh: This games was circled at the beginning of the year as being a big game with the off-season feud about recruiting with Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban. With 2 losses now, this game has lost some of its luster, and with Bryce Young’s health in question, it will be interesting to see how this game shapes out. I believe the Tide will win behind the legs of Gibbs if Young is not 100% and I can beat Saban has game planned for this one already for revenge. Alabama 28 – Texas A&M 13
Steven: A&M is basically a reflection of their head coach, one big, hot bag of wind. Not gonna lie, I’ll be happy to roll with, and root for Alabama in this one. Certainly, I won’t shed any tears if they lose, but if Alabama could put a beat down on the Aggies it would be just fine with me. It will be interesting to see if there are any lingering effects of the shoulder injury Alabama QB Bryce Young suffered last weekend against Arkansas. If so, backup QB Jalen Milroe can probably bring this one home, even if the Tide needs to lean heavily on the run. Bama’s defense, especially their rush defense, will be too much to overcome for the Aggies. A&M’s passing game doesn’t have enough juice to take over the game and exploit Alabama’s secondary. Last week, Mississippi State limited the Aggies to 136 yards on the ground and forced 4 turnovers. Bama should better that easily. Bama wins going away 49-12.
Trout: The Crimson Tide will win this game, even without Bryce Young. Although I don’t think Alabama is the unstoppable force like they’ve been in past years, they are still one of the best teams in the country. While the Aggies have proven themselves to be a bad team. Or at least, an inconsistent team. The game might be close for a while, especially if Young is out, or limited by his injury. But I see Alabama pulling away in the second half. They should be able to win by a few scores. Alabama wins and hands the Texas A&M Aggies, their third loss of the season. (Alabama, 42-21)
Final Score: Alabama 24 Texas A&M 20
Washington State @ (6)USC
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): USC beats Washington State 49-21
Coach Rick: USC
Cory: USC may be No. 6 in the country but the Trojans have played a cake of a schedule so far. This week’s game with Washington State will be USC’s first true test. The Cougars have played a tougher schedule so far, which includes an impressive road win over Wisconsin and a narrow three-point loss to Oregon. The X-factor in this game will be Washington State quarterback Cam Ward. Ward spent two seasons with Incarnate Word before transferring to Washington State. He’s got a terrific arm, and his play has already drawn the attention of NFL scouts. The downside with Ward is too many negative plays. He’s thrown seven interceptions this season, and taken 14 sacks. Washington State needs Ward to be near flawless this week to pull the upset. USC 35, Washington State 20
Dave: USC 28 Wahsington State 21
Gregg: Washington State has been a nice story so far and they are worthy of their 4-1 record, and they have the second best defense in the Pac-12. But they are just about to travel to LA and go against the best offense in the conference, one of these has to give this weekend. I am counting on Caleb WIlliams to have a break-out performance. The Trojans need to keep pace with the top playoff contenders nationally, and I have Caleb in my starting line-up for my fantasy team and my team has been struggling! USC 38 Washington 24
Jason: Another big Pac 12 matchup in Los Angeles as Washington State enters the Coliseum to take on a USC team playing with a lot of confidence. The Trojans are struggling on defense and Washington State is good enough to take advantage. Possessing a dominant pass rush, they have the talent to put pressure on USC QB Caleb Williams and force USC to create offense on the ground against a defense that has stuffed the run all year long. The Trojans have remained undefeated but it hasn’t always been pretty. They have relied on takeaways so the Cougars have to avoid the big mistake, which they haven’t always been able to do. The offensive line has been a sieve and USC will tee off on Wazzu QB Cameron Ward. The Cougs will make their share of plays, but a pair of quick strikes from Williams and that USC offense will be the difference, as USC stays undefeated and in the thick of the CFP race. USC 38 Washington State 24
Joe-S-U: USC over Washington State – The Trojans are the best team in the Big Ten West and they’re not even in it yet. And did you know it was 50 years ago that “Emergency!” premiered on NBC? Remember the episode where some lady had promised Johnny, Roy and the rest of Station 51 tickets to the USC/UCLA game? And it ended up being tickets to the opera? You don’t remember that? And no, I don’t know what it has to do with this pick either.
John: I know it’s only week 6, but the best thing to push playoff expansion earlier than 2026 would be to have USC, Clemson and Ohio State all unbeaten after championship Saturday. Should that happen, either the SEC only gets 1 team into the playoff (what should happen) or one of these teams, probably USC, gets left out, E$PN is giddy, and college football fans north of the Mason-Dixon line scream bloody murder. SC may stumble at some point, but not this week. USC 30 Washington State 14
Josh: Two weeks in a row now, USC has needed to make a comeback to win their game. Washington State’s win against Wisconsin earlier this year is looking less impressive, and they had a chance to beat Oregon, but couldn’t get the job done. The only thing that can keep the Cougars in this game is if they are able to not turn the ball over, which is something USC has done really well defensively so far this season. I think the Trojans get the win and remain undefeated. USC 42 – Washington State 35.
Steven: Wazzu QB Cameron Ward has been sacked 14 times over the past 5 games and has thrown 7 interceptions. If the Cougar offensive line doesn’t start helping out, Ward’s numbers are not going to improve. Outside of an oddly close game in Corvallis against Oregon State where USC only scored 17, the Trojans have scored over 40 in the rest of their games. Washington State does have a good defense,but they have yet to face as potent an offense as they will face in USC. They can probably slow down the Trojans, but the Cougars probably can’t outscore them. Trojans win 42-24
Trout: The Trojans win this game, but I think It’ll be closer than people think. USC is definitely going in the right direction with Lincoln Riley, but I do think they have a long way to go before they reach the same heights they did back in the Pete Carroll days. On the other side, the Cougars have been a team that can cause issues. They aren’t a team that will consistently play for PAC-12 championships, but they can be a thorn in the side of the bigger teams that they face. I think they will hinder a little bit of the Trojan’s offense. However, I don’t think it’ll be enough to completely shut them down. Caleb Williams and the USC offense should be able to put together a few drives to put them ahead in the score column. USC wins a hard fought battle against the Cougars. (USC, 31-17)
Final Score: USC 30 Washington State 14
Upset Alert
Josh: Notre Dame vs (16)BYU – The Fighting Irish started thier season with two losses, and then turned it around with two wins to get momentum going into their bye week to prep for BYU. This gave them time to calibrate and refocus on offense, while at the same time getting some of their players back. BYU is the star child for the independents at the moment, but have not beat anyone of note especially with Baylors second loss. The Fighting Irish are a slight favorite but are unranked and looking to get back into the top 25. Also, a win this week will help Ohio State’s strength of schedule. Notre Dame 24 – BYU 17